Best Bars In Los Angeles Right Now (December 2017)

(credit: Kettle Black)

Los Angeles has always been a bustling hub for bars and restaurants, but bar managers and cocktail gurus have stepped up their game by opening spaces that have Angelenos buzzing. From celebrity hot spots to local hangouts, L.A. is experiencing an emergence of must visit bars.

Woodley Proper
16101 Ventura Blvd
Encino, CA 91436
(818) 906-9775
www.woodleyproper.com

The team behind Scratch Restaurants opened Woodley Proper in a San Fernando Valley strip mall, and it's proven to be a massive success. Helping to fuel the growth in the San Fernando Valley, this eatery and bar offers top-notch unique cocktails as well as classic drinks that are as delicious as they look. Order a drink with an array of snacks, toasts, meat-centric main dishes and even a seafood tower and you'll be set. The entire week features happy hour specials with drink deals you can't refuse. Industry folks, bring your pay stub or proof of employment in hospitality, and snag your well-deserved discount.

The Broken Shaker
416 West 8th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 395-9532
www.freehandhotels.com

Head to downtown Los Angeles and visit this terrific new rooftop bar in the heart of the city. Sitauted atop the Freehand Hotel, The Broken Shaker offers sweeping views of the high rise buildings nearby along with uniquely created libations that will make you feel like you're in Miami's South Beach.

Kettle Black
3705 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 641-3705
www.kettleblackla.com

Kettle Black has quickly become Silver Lake's hottest restaurant/bar. This rustic Italian restaurant, which is situated in a stunning open space, offers a huge bar with liquors from the bar to the ceiling, and is the type of spot that is perfect to drink with friends or to bring a date. The cocktail menu, which is run by Damian Windsor along with Jordan Young, offers a list of drinks which are named after the main liquor in them. From their Gin Cocktail, with gin, peppercorn cordial, thai basil, cucumber, lime and tonic, to their Jalapeño Cocktail with jalapeño infused tequila, pineapple cordial, cherry heering, and lime, and their Rye Cocktail with rye whiskey, meletti anisette, lime, and mint, the drinks here are not to be missed. Kettle Black also offers vintage cocktails like the Rob Roy with scotch and sweet vermouth, or their Negroni and Aperol spritz, which are always favorites. Beer on tap, or by the bottle is also a favorite here, as are their after dinner port wines, and other infused cocktails. View their full cocktail menu.

Gesso
801 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(323) 544-6240
www.gessoresto.com

One of West Hollywood's best new restaurants also tops our lists of the best bars in the city right now. Part of the Superba family of restaurants, Gesso serves up cocktails like their Tres Brooklyn, a stirred rye drink with black and white sesame seeds, cherry wine and cherry galee, as well as a Salty Chihuahua that is shaken with tequila, dolin blanc, lime, and watermelon, and much more. Aside from cocktails, the restaurant/bar serves up plenty of Champagne, wine and beer.

Accomplice Bar
3811 Grand View Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(773) 983-1359
www.accomplicebar.com

Step inside this modern, dark and eclectic cocktail lounge in the heart of Mar Vista and experience a great spot for a date. With a low-key vibe, snack on bar bites from Chef David Kuo's Taiwanese comfort food as you sip on drinks ranging from margaritas and old fashioned drinks to other unique concoctions.

Rosaliné
8479 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 297-9500
www.rosalinela.com

Visit this Peruvian restaurant and sample a wide array of exotic cocktails in a beautiful setting. Situated in the former Comme Ca space, Rosaliné's favorite cocktails include pisco sours, and other creative Peruvian style drinks.

The Edmon
5168 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 645-5225
www.theedmon.com

Edmon, a modern American restaurant set in a beautiful 1927 Art Deco hotel, sits close to Paramount Studios and offers old world charm with a big selection of wine, cocktails and live music. Make no mistake though: Edmon is not just a restaurant or bar. It's an experience. Situated in the Hollywood Historic Hotel, they offer a strong cocktail program with signature cocktails like their Old Cuban with a blend of aged rums, mint, lime, bitters and sparkling wine, as well as their Scotch Fashioned, with famous grouse scotch, rhum, clement select barrel, coconut, amer and bitters, and many others. The Tree's Knees is another favorite, which is a take on the classic bee's knees drink. Dress up, grab a cocktail and enjoy!

Catch
8715 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 347-6060
www.catchrestaurants.com

Melrose Avenue has always been pretty popular, but over the past year, its popularity has exploded. With Catch, they upped the ante. Offering a rooftop dining destination that enjoys views of Hollywood and beyond, Catch is one of the hardest spots to get in. If you do make it in, you'll drink cocktails side by side by the likes of David Beckham, Kylie Jenner, Cindy Crawford, Chris Brown and many other celebrities. The cocktail menu here offers plenty of room for options, and drinks here infuse all types of liquors with fresh ingredients like lime, kiwi, avocado, rose, and other tasteful offerings. With its great rooftop and top notch crowd, it's the place to throw back a few libations in the city right now.

Gwen
6600 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 946-7500
www.gwenla.com

You may find it tough to get a table at this Sunset Boulevard hotspot, but you can always sit on the patio or at the bar and enjoy drinks from head bartender Mitchell Buschell. Gwen, opened to critical acclaim thanks to its head chef, Curtis Stone. The former Mercantile space, is a 7,000 square food restaurant which has been heralded as one of the biggest openings of 2016 in the L.A. restaurant/bar scene. And, though it's focus is on food, many come to see and be seen at the bar.

ETA
5630 N Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 274-4755

ETA, which opened in 2016, in the Highland Park neighborhood, sits just across the street from the popular Highland Park Bowl. The bar, which took over the location from a tiny boutique, is great for sipping on cocktails in an intimate space. Mauricio Canales, of Bar Ama and the popular Mercado, brings an inventive vision to ETA with mixed drinks like the Penultimate Word. This drink, which mixes mezcal, green chartreuse, cucumber puree, and lime is a favorite, as are many of the other cocktails on offer. The bar also offers wines by the glass, as well as a limited beer menu.

Here's Looking At You
3901 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 568-3573
www.hereslookingatyoula.com

As a favorite among locals in the L.A. bar scene, Here's Looking At You offers an innovative drink menu and colorful food options. The bar/restaurant offers creative cocktail that use ingredients you wouldn't expect. Their Bettencourt cocktail comes complete with McKenna Bonded Bourbon, Corbin Cash Sweet Potato Liqueur, Jameson Caskmates Stout, and toasted marshmallows. Or, opt for the Highway Mile, which offers Buffalo Trace Bourbon, amaro Sfumato, fresh lemon and black sesame syrup.

Salazar
2490 Fletcher Dr
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(858) 352-7737
www.salazarla.com

Salazar, which opened in May of 2016, brings elevated Mexican mesquite grilled dishes in a space that just feels cool. The bar program, offered by Brandi Boles, offers Mexican inspired cocktails like their El Jaibolero with tequila Ocho Plata & soda with celery coconut bitters, lime and cucumber, as well as their La Anticuado with mezcal, whiskey, ancho chili, huitlachoche, and Mexican fernet, the La Paloma with mezcal, ancho chili, grapefruit juice, and salt, as well as plenty of margaritas to sip on. Come for a drink, or sit down for dinner and enjoy cocktails with great flavorful food.

Birds & Bees
207 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 537-0510
www.birdsandbeesla.com

Considering its hidden entrance and subterranean location, Downtown L.A.'s Birds & Bees cocktail lounge is the quintessential speakeasy. The sleek interior with wood furniture and bartenders in period clothing help to push that feeling. Bethany Ham, who curated the cocktail program, serves up recognizable drinks, but with a twist. Inspired by some of the best musical artists of the 50's, drinks are named after legends like Doris Day (bourbon, honey, lemon and matcha tea foam), Desi Arnaz (rum, Chinese five spice cordial, pineapple and lime), as well as the Pat Boone with almond infused Rye Whiskey, and the Ella Fitzgerald with gin, dry vermouth, pickle juice and fino sherry. Located beneath a Broadway office tower, the open ceilings and steel and cement accents give this space a cool vibe that is well worth visiting.

Verlaine
8715 Beverly Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(424) 288-4621
www.verlaine.la

One can't step foot inside Verlaine without feeling a bit nostalgic about Dominicks of which it took its place. But, Verlaine happens to do a great job updating the legendary West Hollywood locale. The team behind Hinterland in Santa Monica took over the space and now offer a great open spaced patio with a bar similar to the old one at Dominicks. The difference, of course, is the decor, and an an updated cocktail list full of Aperol drinks with Champagne, and other unique drinks.

Accomplice Bar
3811 Grand View Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90066
(310) 574-7610
www.accomplicebar.com

This neighborhood vibe bar situated in the Culver City/Mar Vista area of L.A. offers a casual and intimate space to enjoy cocktails, wine and beer along with Asian-fusion bites.

Norah
8279 California State
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 450-4211
www.norahrestaurant.com

Bar manager Andrew Harbour serves up some great drinks to go along with some of the best food in town. Norah, which has become a staple restaurant to hit up for foodies, offers delicious food from restaurateur Rohan Talwar. This West Hollywood eatery has become a favorite among young 30 somethings looking to be seen. Situated in a beautiful space, Norah offers specialty cocktails that change depending on the season, as well as a sturdy wine menu to choose from.

Good Housekeeping
5635 N Figueroa St
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(413) 348-7079

Located in the Highland Park neighborhood of L.A., Good Housekeeping offers a warm and inviting option for those looking to throw back craft cocktails thanks to Bar Director Alex Barbatsis and Bar Manager Lauren Pool. The team provide fun takes on timeless cocktails, made using great, and often house made, ingredients. The bar, which sits inside a converted retail space behind Cafe Birdie, may be somewhat tough to find, but it's a necessary visit. Accessible from Cafe Birdie's twinkly lighted patio, or from an alleyway just a short distance up from Figueroa, this speakeasy offers a cozy, laidback atmosphere. Sip on a classic Manhattan or the quirky Down Under.

Delilah
7969 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046

Brought to you by the h.wood group, Delilah is part restaurant part bar lounge which pays homage to the Roaring 20's. With colorful Art Deco decor, the group's food and beverage specialist, Adam Koral, puts together a mix of classic and modern food, while master mixologist Matt Seigel curates the libation menu that the city is raving about.

71Above
633 W 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 712-2683
www.71above.com

71Above sits 950 above ground level and boasts incredible views of Los Angeles. Located at the top of the U.S. Bank Tower, the views here can't be beat, and the cocktails are just as great. Drinks are inspired by neighborhoods in Los Angeles, which makes this bar anything but ordinary. Sip on drinks like the Hollywood with jalapeño-infused Grey Goose Vodka, Lillet Blanc, grapefruit cordial, and lime, as well as the Little Tokyo with shiso and cucumber inflused La Caravedo Pisco, Nigori Sake, cherry blossom tea and lemon, or the Silver Lake with Brugal rum, lime juice, and jasmine tea-seasalt foam. View their full cocktail menu.

Manuela
907 E 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(323) 849-0480
www.manuela-la.com

Situated in the ever popular Arts District of downtown L.A., Manuela brings Southern charm to L.A. thanks to owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth and Executive Chef Wes Whitsell. The restaurant/bar, which sits inside the Hauser Wirth & Schimmel arts complex gives the space a mid-century feel, and offers great locally grown produce, seafood and ingredients. Drinks here don't disappoint. From specialty cocktails like their Somerset with Black cow vodka, celery, green apple, mint and lime to the Malt Duck with Liquor mastiha, sparkling wine, berries, mint, and lemon, and the Verbena Mule with Angostura rum, l'orgeat, verbena, ginger, and lime, the bar program focuses on using fresh ingredients to give cocktails a light but powerful taste.

Everson Royce Bar
1936 E 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 335-6166
www.erbla.com

Set in the artsy section of Downtown L.A., Everson Royce Bar is brought to Angelenos from the team behind the always popular Silver Lake Wine location. The decor of this trendy location has a backlit ambience and includes an open bar with tasty appetizers including burgers and bao buns. With a top notch cocktail menu, patrons can enjoy drinks during their happy hour, or at other times which are inventive and fun. Happy hour is from 5pm to 7pm Monday through Friday and offers $7 cocktails and $7 wine.

The Corner Door
12477 W Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90066
(310) 313-5810
www.cornerdoorla.com

Culver City is blowing up with the introduction of cocktail lounges and bars everywhere. The Corner Door is another highlight in the area, with its sleek and cook interior, fancy cocktails, and tasty bites.