Best Day Drinking Bars In Los Angeles

Like a first class ticket to an instant vacation, day drinking is a part of Los Angeles' culture. We've compiled a list of five places offering the perfect escape, where the only time the clocks tell is that it's time for booze.

Big Bar
1927 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-0100
www.alcovecafe.com/bigbar

This slice of sweet delight is located in a former Los Feliz residence from the 1900's, offering a patio that beckons passer bys to stop in for drinks bursting with big personalities. They share space with neighborhood café Alcove, a symbiotic relationship you'll enjoy being a part of. The bar offers handsome classic cocktails and drinks with a twist, made with fine spirits and fresh ingredients you'd come to expect from any respectable bar in LA.

Prefer to keep it light? They've got mimosa's, beer, wine and Bloody Mary's. It's a casual, relaxing place to enjoy a lazy morning or to impress a business client with your appreciation of good cocktails.

POT Lobby Bar at The Line Hotel
3515 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90005
(213) 368-3030
www.eatatpot.com

Roy Choi's hotel lobby bar offers the kind of creations that appear to be dreamt up by someone under the influence…of walking the line. Daring cocktails featuring unusual suspects like uni and mushroom make for an experimental day trip to sip. There's also the recognizable variety of more classic offerings, including artisanal spirits to keep things interesting.

You'll find plenty of entertaining kitsch adorning the bar top, like clear boxes full of plastic army men, Mexican candles scattered about, and shiny balloons overhead. The impulse snacks lining the inner surfaces of the bar come in handy and are increasingly tempting after you've knocked a few back. You can visit his restaurant of the same name for a pot of something that will bring a grin to your face.

The Line Hotel is a fully restored mid-century building smack dab in the hip and hustle that epitomizes Koreatown, a neighborhood renown for working hard and playing even harder, setting an appropriate stage for fun to experience all day and through the night.

Herringbone
8440 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90069
(323) 848-6000
www.herringboneeats.com

Located on the Sunset strip in the Mondrian Hotel lies a destination restaurant oozing with swank layered on top of swank, with a side of sexy panoramic views of the city. It's located on the Sunset strip in the Mondrian Hotel; once you enter the lobby, just look for a space full of nautical chic flair and you'll know you've found Herringbone. Brunch begins this month, giving you the perfect excuse to enjoy their expansive outdoor patio. It's the perfect place to sip drinks and soak in some sunshine. Expect a menu that follows suit with Executive Chef Brian Malarkey's fresh and inventive menu.

Wolf and Crane
366 E 2nd Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
(213) 935-8249
www.wolfandcranebar.com

The Aesop fable inspired moniker of this Little Tokyo bar represents a tribute to its neighborhood and a blessing of a simple, unfussy, and approachable experience. It's also the first full-service bar to open in the neighborhood in close to ten years. An intentional departure from the ever-popular mixology bars whose creations require a lot of time and money, this spot offers a refreshing change of pace, where speed and value are king.

The concept is inspired by a Japanese drinking trend, with an emphasis on highball cocktails. Here, they'll offer seasonally rotating versions that combine booze and a more generous amount of an effervescent mixer. Prefer suds and fermented grapes? They've got you covered with 10 taps of beer and wine.

Watch their calendar for fun events like Bar Cards Against Humanity, where the winner walks away with $50 bar credit.

Mohawk Bend
2141 W. Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-2337
www.mohawk.la

This Echo Park institution is all about California love, focused on bringing fresh, locally sourced food and drink from the golden state. This former Vaudeville theater presents a multitude of places to indulge in an alcohol fueled outing, from its quad booths, skylit atrium, or patio. They boast an impressive lineup of 72 taps of craft beer, 6 stainless steel wine taps, and artisanal spirits that pay homage to our fine states small-scale breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Expect an ever-changing selection of limited edition cocktails to savor, while they last.

The Abbey
692 N Robertson Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 289-8410
www.abbeyfoodandbar.com

There is no doubt about it, The Abbey is an absolute LA scene. This establishment amounts to one of the city's most fabulous people watching bars available. Sit back and spend the day keeping your eyes peeled. It's also West Hollywood's favorite gay bar, meaning you will most likely see a few same sex couples cozied up. Though pricier than other establishments on this list, their drinks and eats simply cannot be beat anywhere in the greater Los Angeles area. The Abbey is always a party where a good time is had by all, so come in for your next day's worth of entertainment.

Related: Best Jukebox Bars in Los Angeles

The Escondite
410 Boyd St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 626-1800
theescondite.com

The Escondite is downtown LA's tucked-away treasure. This dark, intimate, saloon-style venue makes incognito an art form, and for this reason is also known by its nickname "the hideout." Prices run cheap but quality runs high, especially that of its signature drink and burger selections. With convenient parking, music at a perfect background level and spectacular views of downtown's city-scape, The Escondite is the perfect venue for your clandestine daytime meetings where drinks are in order.

Joy Bitonio has the phrase "Joie de Vivre" tattooed on her shoulder, a reminder to enjoy life every single day. She has a voracious appetite for fun, adventure, food, good cocktails and works out like a madwoman to keep it all together. Check out her other articles on CBS L.A. She also covers fitness on Examiner. Follow her on Twitter.