The top-secret guide to Los Angeles nightlife

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Best Bars and Clubs in Los Angeles

If you’re traveling alone or hanging with some friends, Los Angeles nightlife is something you have to experience. The City of Angels has several bars and clubs, so to help you decide which spot is your kind of joint, we’ve listed some of best in Los Angeles nightlife.

Bars in L.A.

Villains Tavern

1356 Palmetto Street

An antique-like bar located in downtown LA, Villains Tavern has two patios supported by church pews and a gothic-style church window placed behind the bar that’s been repurposed as a mirror. The bartenders here know how to mix up a good drink. You can also eat and listen to live music while enjoying the cool vibe of Los Angeles nightlife.

Gold Room

1558 Sunset Boulevard

If you’re in LA for a Dodgers game, then Gold Room is the bar to stop by before or after the game. This Echo Park bar is within walking distance of Dodger Stadium and is always loud, rowdy and full of fans on game days. Gold Room has cheap drink specials, as well as free peanuts and tacos. A cheap bar with a chill atmosphere that offers free food is a rarity in Los Angeles nightlife, so don’t pass it up.

Mama Lion

601 S Western Ave

Terms like glamorous and swanky have described this modern supper club and bar, located in Koreatown. With a breathtaking four-sided bar made with plush fabrics and gold finishes, you have a perfect view of other patrons while sipping on your favorite craft cocktail. Don’t forget to grab some bites from well-known chef Michael Hung too. It’s absolutely the perfect place to take a first date.

The Mint

6010 Pico Blvd West

The Mint attracts musicians (and aspiring ones), hipsters and basically any music lover in their 20-40s. As a bar and live music venue, this LA spot has been bringing good music and drinks to people since 1937. The Mint has a full menu of food and drinks and provides live music performances every night. If you enjoy music and music history, this place is your kind of LA night scene.

The Slipper Clutch

351 S Broadway

If simple is your vibe, then the downtown vibe of The Slipper Clutch is for you. Very laid back, the open room concept houses a few pinball machines and arcade games (Pac-Man! Frogger!) and a throwback to the classics on the drinking circuit like vodka cranberry, bourbon, gin and tonic and classic root beer for your non-alcoholic friends.

The Venue

3470 Wilshire Blvd

Is karaoke more your fun? How about super-secretive, just a stairway leading down to something underground fun? Very unassuming from the outside, The Venue opens up underground to various private karaoke spaces, some small and some for larger parties. It’s  little more restaurant than bar, but it’s a great place for mid-week fun with co-workers or friends or late-night chill in leather high-backs laughing at people trying to perform songs.

Los Angeles Nightlife - Bars in LA, Clubs in LA

Clubs in L.A.

Avalon

1735 Vine Street

The go-to LA club according to many locals and tourists is Avalon. At this Hollywood club, you will hear all types of music blasted through an awesome sound system and be on a packed dance floor full of energy. Also inside this Los Angeles nightlife establishment is a place called Honey, which offers you a dinner and a late-night menu to help satisfy your food cravings before or after you hit the dance floor.

Boulevard3

6523 Sunset Boulevard

Another hot Hollywood nightclub is Boulevard3. This dance venue provides a fun club experience, complete with stage performers and go-go dancers. The drinks are more on the expensive side here, but Boulevard3 makes up for it by offering free tacos and chocolate dipped strawberries. If you get tired of dancing with the high-energy crowd, head outside to their outdoor courtyard for a breather and enjoy your free snacks next to the reflecting pool. This is a great party spot for young, hot and single 20 year olds.

Dirty Laundry

1725 N Hudson Avenue

How can you not love the name of the club? Plus, you have to know a password to get in (check their Twitter). Finding it is not easy, but that’s half the battle on knowing the most secret club in town. The cool factor doesn’t end with the location. The bar menu at Dirty Laundry includes mint juleps with Pop Rocks and bacon Manhattan slushies. Once you’re in, then you’re pretty much out… of social media. There’s no cellphone service that far underground, so be prepared to chat “old-fashioned” style and dance the night away.

Exchange LA

618 S Spring Street

Los Angeles nightlife can’t get any hotter than this downtown club located inside the building of the former Los Angeles Stock Exchange. Exchange LA has six full bars, four spacious dance floors and plays a range of music, including electronic, hip-hop and Top 40 hits. With its classy décor and modern music playlist, this upscale dance club provides a fun atmosphere for a mixed LA crowd.

Playhouse

6506 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood

Playhouse is considered a Vegas-style nightclub — so you know you’re going to have a wild night here. This Hollywood nightclub plays various genres of music, and depending on the night, you may see acrobats, go-go dancers or ribbon dancers all for your entertainment. Grab a drink at one of the three bars in between your dancing or go to the upstairs lounge to check out LA’s night sky through the retractable glass skylight.

Precinct

357 S Broadway

Just down from Grand Central Market is the hippest gay bar in DTLA (Downtown Los Angeles for the beginners) with a weekly show all its own. Hosted by the Boulet Brothers—drag queen and nightlife icons from New York City—Friday nights are easily the best nights at The Precinct. Why? Quite simply, Queen Kongm which features stage shows with drag celebrities from RuPaul’s Drag Race and other fabulous, local drag queens..

No matter what type of Los Angeles nightlife venue or atmosphere you look for, The City of Angels provides every kind imaginable to ensure you have the perfect night in its city. Make sure you have a place to stay after your fun night out by checking out these Los Angeles hotels.

 

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