Best Bars in Los Angeles (2025)
Thunderbolt
Cocktail bar · Greater Echo Park Elysian
A neighborhood bar with world-class ambitions, Thunderbolt blends Southern comfort with serious technique. Named No. 24 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and winner of the Sustainable Bar Award, it’s praised widely for innovation and community ethos.
Mirate
Mexican restaurant · Los Feliz
Maxwell Reis’s agave-driven program centers ethical producers, ancestral ferments, and big flavor. Ranked No. 12 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and named Best Bar in the West, it’s a destination for thoughtful Mexican spirits.
Capri Club
Bar · Eagle Rock
An Eagle Rock aperitivo bar reborn in a 1963 Italian space, with frozen Negronis, amari flights, and sidewalk energy. Celebrated by the Los Angeles Times and Time Out for restoring vintage spirit with modern taste.
Bar Flores
Bar · Greater Echo Park Elysian
10 Top Bars in the United States
Perched on a second-story with open-window patio views of Echo Park and Sunset Boulevard, this welcoming day-drinking spot—led by beverage director Karla Flores-Mercado and a mostly female bar team—features colorful, refreshing cocktails and a deep mezcal list. The space honors family and community with photos of grandmothers on the walls, queer-friendly themed nights, and crowd-pleasing pitchers of mezcal Margaritas. - Kara Newman
Lowboy
Bar · Greater Echo Park Elysian
Echo Park’s everyday bar: classic-leaning cocktails, a standout smashburger, and a crowd that feels like the neighborhood. Noted by Time Out and local guides for keeping it fun without the fuss.
Tiki-Ti
Tiki bar · Los Feliz
Family-run since 1961, this tiny Los Feliz legend serves potent tropical originals and ritual chants with every pour. Reopened in 2024 and still going strong, as reported by Eater LA and celebrated across classic bar guides.
Gold Line
Bar · Highland Park
A Highland Park hi‑fi bar from Stones Throw Records with thousands of vinyl records and Japan-inspired highballs. Covered by Time Out and music press for its DJ-driven vibe and neighborhood feel.
Wolf & Crane Bar
Bar · Historic Core
Little Tokyo’s neighborhood bar with one of the country’s largest Japanese whisky collections. Praised by local publications for community ties and approachable education around rare bottles and highballs.
El Prado
Bar · Greater Echo Park Elysian
A dim Echo Park standby showcasing natural wine and Belgian ales under a disco-ball glow. The Los Angeles Times dubbed it an ‘it’ bar, spotlighting the deep bottle list and chess-at-the-tables scene.
Night on Earth
Cocktail bar · Hollywood Hills
From the Thunderbolt team, this futuristic Valley lounge riffs on classics with clarified and carbonated stunners. Time Out’s reviewers raved in 2025, calling it a destination-worthy night out.
Bar 109
Bar · Larchmont
A sleek 2025 newcomer in Melrose Hill with a kelp‑kissed martini, strawberry milk punch, and refined snacks. Covered by Eater LA, with early praise for cocktails and vibe from critics and editors.
