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21 Best Bars in LA

The bar scene is very unique in LA. You have the luxury bars,hipster bars, rooftop bars downtown, the underground bars, you name it.  So to make your blurry decisions a little easier we compiled a list of the 21 best bars in LA that you must check out while you’re in the City of Angels.

1. Parlour Room

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The Parlour Room is one of many bars part of the Vintage Bar Group, but this one stands out amongst all of them. Although this bar is tiny you will never want to leave this once you step foot inside. Great Happy Hour, Great Ambience, Great Crowd there is nothing really bad about this watering hole. If you are free one night stop by and have a drink. The staff is ridiculously friendly and will treat just like family.

6423 Yucca St. Los Angeles, CA 90028
Neigborhood: Hollywood
Phone: (323) 463-0609
http://vintagebargroup.com

2. Bar Marmont at Chateau Marmont

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Bar Marmont is attached the world famous Chateau Marmont. The place where red carpet events happen. The place where you are guaranteed to run into a celebrity. This bar seems to be the bar that looks like it’s never open, but always is. Starting with the art deco interior, you can walk around this bar and be genuinely intrigued by everything around you. One of the reasons we love this bar is because it strays away from the tourist party crowd. A great place for sophistication, class, and a good buzz.

8171 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90046
Neighborhood: West Hollywood (Sunset Strip)
Phone: (323) 650-0575
http://www.chateaumarmont.com

3. R Bar

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R Bar seems to be a janky bar from the outside that happens to sit on a corner of two streets. What people don’t know is what a struggle to actually get into the bar it is. This is one of those rare places you will go to where you actually need a password to enter past the front door, and if the password is wrong you are turned away. The best way to keep up with the daily passwords would be finding them on Twitter and/or Facebook.

3331 W. 8th St. Los Angeles, CA 90005
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Phone: (213) 387-7227

4. Lock & Key

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Lock & Key is one of the most unique bars in LA. You don’t exactly walk into the bar at first, you walk into a room where you will notice three of the four walls filled with locks and door handles. The only way into the bar is figuring out which one opens into the bar. If you pull the right handle you’ll have the time of your life, if you can’t manage to find it you will always be one more person stumped by the secrets and curiousness of Lock & Key.

239 S. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90004
Neighborhood: Koreatown
Phone: (213) 389-5625
http://www.lockandkey.la

5. Harvard & Stone

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This bar is literally a door, well what looks to just be a door in between two businesses. They are known for their whiskey cocktails, which on happy hour are ridiculously cheap. This bar is located on the East side of Hollywood. Most “Angelenos” may refuse to go to the East side, but this is one bar that will break any of their walls down. The interior is like a an old mining warehouse that was converted into a bar. Great energy, great music and great drinks. On occasions you will find live music playing here.

5221 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027
Neighborhood: East Hollywood
Phone: (323) 466-6063

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6. Seven Grand

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Seven Grand. Anyone in LA can tell you that it is a Whiskey Bar, at least 90% whiskey. This bar is located on the top of a Mexican restaurant, which makes it an even better place to be when those drunk munchies kick in. You will catch live bands playing on specific nights, and if you aren’t in the mood for some Mexican grub, Seven Grand is located across the street from the infamous Bottega Louie.

515 W. 7th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014
Neighborhood: Downtown LA
Phone: (213) 614-0737
http://www.sevengrand.com

7. Mrs. Fish

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Mrs. Fish is one of LA’s newest bars and it says it all in the name. Located in the same building as Perch, Mrs. Fish brings you under the building to give you the experience of being in an aquarium. Known for their Fish Bowls, you can get one for $100 to split between 8 friends.

448 S. Hill St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
Neighborhood: Downtown LA (Pershing Square)
Phone: (213) 873-4444
Http://www.mrsfish.com

8. St. Felix

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St. Felix in Hollywood is sometimes overlooked, we see greatness where others may not. This bar is a great place to go to during the day for food and an awesome place to hang out with friends on a Saturday night. This venue has different sections to it– the front half, and the back half, which is closed during the day but at night opens up to the public for drinks.

1602 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Phone: (323) 469-5001

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9. The Den


This bar is a great place to stop by if you don’t want to be in the crowded Hollywood bar scene on a weekend. Although there is a slight line it will not be nearly as long as what you will experience at other bars. It is literally a little den off of Sunset and everything about this bar will remind you of a cozy corner of your childhood home, but this one has a kick ass patio. It is a very laid back casual scene where you can meet great people and make new friends.

8226 W. Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90046
Neighborhood: West Hollywood (Sunset Strip)
Phone: (323) 656-0336
http://www.thedenonsunset.com

10. Sassafras

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Sassafras gives you the most unique bar experience you can have. When walking in you almost feel like you just walked outside (talk about mind blowing to the heavily intoxicated). You’ll notice that there is a house inside of the bar which is an original and was imported into the bar. There are rotating drinks above the bartenders and if you come on a good night there’s a great scene and live music that will take you back to the original New Orleans authentic days.

1235 Vine St. Los Angeles, CA 90038
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Phone: (323) 467-2800
http://www.sassafrassaloon.com

11. Perch

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Perch is your rooftop bar and lounge that is very different from the Hollywood bar scene. You enter a very rustic building where you take the elevator up to the 13th floor. From there you walk out of the elevator into another elevator which will take you up to the bar. When you think of the Downtown LA bar scene this is exactly the place to go. Very classy, a sophisticated crowd, and you will be glad to know that this bar takes up the top 2 levels of this building.

448 S. Hills St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
Neighborhood: Downtown LA (Pershing Square)
Phone: (213) 802-1770
http://perchla.com

12. SUR Lounge

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If you don’t know about this bar/lounge yet through the Real Housewife of Beverly Hills Reality Star Lisa Vanderpump then now is your chance to get to know it. SUR means Sexy Unique Restaurant and you definitely get sexy when you go here. From the servers to the bartenders and even management it exudes sexy. Here you will find Lisa Vanderpump has her signature cocktail, the PUMP-tini. If you ever come here you will definitely see some celebrities eating and hanging out right next to you.  Tourists rejoice.

606 N Robertson Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Phone: (310) 289-2824
http://www.surrestaurantandbar.com

13. The Varnish

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The Varnish is your secluded speakeasy bar that you probably won’t see from the street unless you’re looking for it. To find this spot you first walk through a place called Cole’s. There you will walk down a stairwell and you will find the hidden door to your next LA bar experience.

118 E. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014
Neighborhood: Downtown LA
Phone: (213) 622-9999
http://www.thevarnishbar.com

14. Dirty Laundry

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Dirty Laundry is one of Hollywood’s exclusive underground bars. Literally underground– you have to take the stairs down into this bar where you will enter a world of mystery, curiosity and old fashioned everything. Bartender’s wearing outfits that you swear are from the 60’s, if you want to get away, you can really get away at this bar. There are hidden rooms and if you find your way to them you’ll spot DJ’s playing, or maybe even a movie. There is a lot beyond what the eye can see at this place if you know the secrets including a book shelf you can push through that will lead you into the grand experience. However to know what lies beyond those door you will have to come and check it out yourself.

6531 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Phone: (323) 462-6531

15. Edison

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Edison is one of your upscale bars in downtown. If there is one thing I have to say first is be sure you are in your nice attire, meaning guys MUST be in a collared shirt and girls dressed up in cocktail dresses. They have a strict dress code here, but if you pass the wardrobe inspection you will feel like you walked into a hidden club of LA. What I like about this place is that it has no signs to the place, but just a door in an alley that leads you to this bar.  So keep your eyes open.

108 W. 2nd St. #101 Los Angeles, CA 90012
Neighborhood: Downtown LA
Phone: (213) 613-0000
http://www.edisondowntown.com

16. Skybar

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Skybox seems to be that exclusive bar that you hear about all the time, but you don’t know anyone that really goes there. This bar is half bar and half pool, located inside the Mondrian Hotel. What a lot of people think about this bar is that they have to be staying at the hotel to go in.  False! It’s open to the public. If you are here on a nice Sunny Day in LA this is a bar to go to relax by the pool and enjoy a cocktail.

8440 W. Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood, Ca 90069
Neighborhood: West Hollywood (Sunset Strip)
Phone: (323) 848-6025
http://www.mondrianhotel.com

17. Pattern Bar

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Pattern Bar is centrally located with a handful of bars within nearby walking distance. Having an open space environment you will notice that the bar is very symmetrical. With couches and bar stools to use as seating, it is a great place to go to meet a friend for drinks for the casual night out.

100 W 9th St. Los Angeles, CA 90015
Neighborhood: Downtown LA
Phone: (213) 627-7774
http://www.patternbar.com

18. Villain’s Tavern

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If you ever end up going here don’t be alarmed when driving to the location. Although it may not be your typical bar that is surrounded by other businesses, this bar seems to be a bit off the grid of Downtown LA. Surrounded by a lot of warehouses this bar gives you an experience before you even go in. It will seem like a run-down, ghost town of a bar, but you are guaranteed to have a great time here. Known to have live music and specialize in their whiskey cocktails, Villain’s Tavern is a place to go to just for the experience itself.

1356 Palmetto St. Los Angeles, CA 90013
Neighborhood: Downtown LA
Phone: (213) 613-0766

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19. Library Bar

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Library bar is your goto lounge/gastropub. The setting of this bar is like you walked into a high end library, but here you are allowed to drink and be loud.  Plus they expect very little studying out of you.

630 W. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90017
Neighborhood: Downtown LA
Phone: (213) 614-0053
http://libryarybarla.com

20. Good Times at Davey Waynes

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Good Times at Davey Wayne’s is a great after work spot. The entrance alone is already a topic of conversation and it will definitely intrigue you to see what the rest of the place looks like. If this is your first time coming here prepare to enter a time machine back to the 70’s. As you walk through the single refrigerator door that allows people access in and out of the bar you swear to yourself that you are about to walk into the set of “That 70’s Show”, and hey it’s LA, maybe you are!?. The interior of this venue looks exactly like you walked into your grandparents old house and they just turned it into the bar. They are known for their alcoholic snow cones which may not taste strong but will give you the good buzz you need. It gets packed on weekends after 10pm and be sure if you are coming after dark or near sunset time that you are wearing pants because they will NOT let you in with shorts.

1611 N El Centro Ave. Los Angeles, CA
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Phone: (323) 962-3804
http://www.goodtimesatdaveywaynes.com

21. Genesis

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Genesis Bar is a great unspoken place, a bit of a hidden gem, if you will. Not your typical LA bar, but almost your perfect bar. When you walk into Genesis you don’t feel like you are at an actual bar but more like having cocktails at your buddies house. It very rustic old mid century modern. It has a home feel to it, but also give you the experience of a lifetime. This bar is modeled after your everyday attic, but turned into an attic where you can party

1231 Vine St. Los Angeles, Ca 90038
Neighborhood: Hollywood
http://wtfigenesis.com

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