A Boozy Bucket List: 15 Best Drinks in LA for a First Time Visitor
Looking for a list of best drinks in LA? Read on!
Los Angeles has always been a city best experienced at golden hour—with a drink in hand and a skyline, ocean, or neon boulevard glowing somewhere in the distance.
My Last Call
When I first arrived here as an expat, discovering the city often meant discovering its bars: the rooftops, hotel lounges, divey legends, and craft breweries that reveal a different side of LA after dark.
These days, I’m experimenting with an alcohol-free lifestyle and entering what might be the closing chapter of my drinking era.
It felt like the right moment to look back on some of the places where I’ve had my most memorable boozy moments in the City of Angels.
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The Best Drinks in LA – Top 15
So if a friend were flying in from out of town and asked me, “Where should we go for a drink in LA?”—this is the list I’d pull out.
In no particular order, these are some of the best drinks in LA, and the most iconic venues to toast Los Angeles.
1. Sunset at 71Above
If you want a Top of the World moment in LA, this is it.
Perched on the 71st floor in Downtown LA, 71Above delivers the kind of sunset that makes you momentarily forget the chaos of the city below.
The sky melts into pink and orange over the mountains while the grid of LA begins to sparkle.
It’s where I take visitors when I want them to understand the scale of Los Angeles—vast, cinematic, and just a little surreal.
2. Classic Martinis at LA’s Legendary Hotels
The Beverly Wilshire • The Beverly Hills Hotel • Chateau Marmont • Culver Hotel & more
Sometimes the most iconic drink in LA isn’t about the drink itself—it’s about the room you’re drinking it in, and its storied walls.
A perfectly chilled martini at one of LA’s legendary hotels is practically a rite of passage.
The hush of the bar, the polished wood, the quiet possibility that a movie deal or scandalous love affair might be unfolding at the next table.
It’s old Hollywood energy at its finest.
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3. Tropical Rooftop Energy at Broken Shaker
If Miami’s South Beach somehow teleported to Downtown LA, it might look like this.
The Broken Shaker at the Freehand Hotel has long been one of the most fun rooftops in DTLA—string lights, a pool, tropical cocktails, and a crowd that feels like it just wandered in from a music video.
It’s the kind of place where a “quick drink” easily turns into three hours. And it sure is one of the best margaritas in town. That’s saying a lot.
4. Golden Hour at Hotel Erwin Rooftop Lounge
For my money, this might be the best sunset drink in Los Angeles.
From the rooftop of Hotel Erwin, the sun drops directly into the Pacific while Venice Beach hums below—skaters, street performers, and the whole strange circus that makes Venice what it is.
Bring a visitor here and they’ll understand LA immediately.
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5. Rooftop Nights at E.P. & L.P.
EP & LP has become one of West Hollywood’s quintessential rooftop scenes.
It’s stylish without feeling stiff, buzzy without being chaotic, and always full of that distinctly LA mix: creatives, influencers, travelers, and locals all orbiting around cocktails and skyline views.
6. Hollywood Sign Views from Mama Shelter Rooftop
If you want a drink with a clear view of the Hollywood Sign, Mama Shelter is one of the best spots in the city.
The rooftop is playful and relaxed—colorful couches, twinkling lights, and an unbeatable vantage point of the hills that built the mythology of Los Angeles.
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7. Flaming Margaritas at El Compadre
Some drinks are iconic simply because they’re outrageous.
The Cadillac Margarita at El Compadre literally arrives on fire—a bright blue flame dancing above the glass in the dark, old-school Mexican restaurant.
It’s theatrical, delicious, and very, very LA.
8. Drag Shows and Cocktails in West Hollywood
The Abbey • Hamburger Mary’s & more. Waaay more.
A night out in West Hollywood isn’t just about the drinks—it’s about the show.
At The Abbey or Hamburger Mary’s, cocktails come with a side of drag performances, dancing, and pure celebratory chaos. It’s joyful, unapologetic nightlife and one of the most fun ways to experience LA after dark.
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9. Sophisticated Cocktails at Birdie G’s
Birdie G’s is where you go when you want your cocktail to match your meal.
The drinks here are thoughtful and beautifully crafted—perfect companions to the restaurant’s modern Jewish comfort food. It’s classy without being pretentious and always feels like a special night out.
10. DTLA’s New Wave Craft Breweries
Downtown LA’s Arts District quietly became one of the city’s best beer destinations.
A crawl through the neighborhood’s breweries is the perfect introduction to LA’s craft beer culture—creative, experimental, and very community-driven.
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11. Old-School Cocktails at The Dresden Lounge
Walking into the Dresden feels like stepping into a time capsule.
White leather booths. Live music. Classic cocktails that haven’t changed in decades. It’s pure retro LA—the kind of place where you half expect the Rat Pack to wander in.
12. Beachfront Drinks at The Whaler
If you want to feel like a Venice local, grab a drink at The Whaler.
You’re basically steps from the sand, with surfers, skateboarders, and beach sunsets unfolding around you. It’s casual, a little chaotic, and completely Venice.
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13. Craft Cocktails at The Proper Hotel Downtown
For a more polished DTLA experience, the Proper Hotel delivers.
Beautiful design, inventive cocktails, and a lobby that feels like a stylish living room at a Spanish hacienda straight outta Mexico.
14. Santa Monica Vibes at The Misfit, Bungalow or Wally’s
the list of best drinks in LA wouldn’t be complete without some SaMo favorites. If you want to experience the social heartbeat of Santa Monica, go to happy hour at The Misfit.
It’s where locals mingle, flirt, decompress, and start their evenings before drifting out into the rest of the neighborhood. And if the night keeps going, places like the nearby Bungalow and Wally’s wine bar are never far away.
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15. Bonus: A Red Hot Chili Margarita at SoFi Stadium During a Red Hot Chili Peppers Concert
And finally, a bonus stop—because what could possibly be more LA than this?
Some drinks are iconic because of where you are when you drink them.
Somewhere between the roar of 70,000 fans singing along to Californication, and the glow of the stadium lights, a simple margarita suddenly becomes the perfect soundtrack to the perfect night.
If you find yourself at SoFi Stadium during a concert by one of LA’s many homegrown artists, make sure to check the drink specials at the bars around the stadium. You might just discover a themed cocktail that feels like it was made for the moment.
Because sometimes the most memorable drink in Los Angeles is in the middle of a stadium, to a band that helped define the sound of the city.
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A Toast to the City of Angels
As I experiment with living alcohol-free, I’m realizing that what I loved about these places was never just the drinks.
It was the moments—sunsets, laughter, music, conversations with strangers, and the strange magic that Los Angeles seems to produce after dark.
I recently published an article called “In Defense of Drinking,” so watch this space. If my alcohol-free experiment doesn’t last too long, the list might get updated.
In the meantime: cheers to the best drinks in LA, and to all the talented mixologists and brewers who’ve helped shape some unforgettable nights in the City of Angels. 🥂
Have you been to any of the spots above? What else would you add to the best drinks in LA list? Let us know in the comments or tag @eightyflavors on socials!
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