The 22 Best Restaurant Bars in Los Angeles, Mapped
Yesterday we compiled the most important cocktail bars in Los Angeles, places that mainly exist to serve drinks. Today, for Cocktail Week, Eater LA builds a compilation of restaurants that have stellar cocktails, the kind of drinks that you’d be happy to drink in a standalone bar. Instead, because of LA’s rigorous liquor licenses, most places have to serve a full meal with drinks.
Diners benefit because they have the option of starting out at the bar with a delicious cocktail, or they can attempt to pair their meals with refreshing imbibers while having dinner (or lunch!). Here now, the best restaurant cocktail programs in Los Angeles, mapped from west to east.
1 Belcampo Meat Co.
Belcampo’s self-described “farm-inspired” craft cocktail program offers a reliable set of thoughtful libations that come by way of Soigné Group’s Josh Goldman. Here drinks from an extensive menu come topped with things like beef jerky (from Belcampo’s own farms, of course), and are quite a pleasant way to kick off a very meaty meal. —CC
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2 Scopa Italian Roots
Pablo Moix and Steve Livigni certainly know how to craft a cocktail, and it shows at their populist Venice Italian spot. The long bar leaves plenty of room for drinking, but adding a side plate or two is practically a must. —FE
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3 The Tasting Kitchen
Justin Pike has managed this stand-out program for years in Venice with a commitment to quality and nightly consistency. And Casey Lane’s Italian-inflected cuisine works well with Pike’s pitch-perfect drinks.
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4 The Corner Door
Beau du Bois has helmed this stand-out cocktail program since the beginning. The drinks might not have the flash of other programs, but the quality and commitment to consistency are there every night, regarding of who’s behind the stick. From hand-cut ice to well-curated spirits, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. Oh, and happy hour drinks are very affordable. —MK
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5 Sotto
This underground Southern Italian restaurant has had standard-bearing cocktails for years. Though things depend heavy on amaros, the execution and creativity at Sotto is some of the best in town.
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6 Gracias Madre
Gracias Madre is the place to enjoy a light meal with something to please just about anyone. More so than the brightly flavored dishes though, you’re here for the outstanding cocktail program that hails from beverage director Jason Eisner. Sip on an archetype of a margarita or go for something a little more wild, like the bong-inspired Up in Smoke cocktail. Either way, it’s destined to be a great night. —CC
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7 The Church Key
Devon Espinosa oversees the wild and inventive cocktails at this bustling Sunset Strip restaurant. Consider everything from the boozy liquid nitrogen pops to the canned drinks that you have to crack open with (of course) a church key. —MK
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8 Eveleigh
The drinks (almost) take a backseat to the view at this West Hollywood gem, where casual evening sips are elevated by a team of top-notch bartenders. —FE
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9 Terrine
Ryan Wainwright has been doing great things behind the bar. Taking classic cocktails and funneling them through a contemporary lens, Terrine offers elevated drinks like the Counter Point Sling and one of Eater LA’s top ten cocktails of 2015, the Strawberry Puff. —CC
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10 Petty Cash Taqueria
Few places in Los Angeles are as conducive to boisterous gatherings of friends than Petty Cash, largely thanks to the great drinks being mixed up behind the bar. While it is certainly wise to go for a solid margarita (order it with the good shit!), there are plenty of other standout options, like the Unwed Melon at the Mid-City location and the Rose Jose in the Arts District. —CC
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11 Musso & Frank Grill
Timeless and classic usually translate to ‘old and forgettable’, but not at Musso & Frank. This longstanding Hollywood haunt is as relevant — and important to the overall cocktail scene — as ever. —FE
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12 Birch
Veteran bartender Gaby Mlynarczyk has transitioned to Brendan Collins’ globally inspired restaurant in Hollywood, serving inventive seasonal drinks. Above all, the drinks here are balanced and perfectly suitable to have with the food.
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13 Providence
Quietly one of the originators of great cocktails in L.A., Providence continues to make top-notch drinks in a small bar just to the right of the entrance that works as a waiting room before people go to have their tasting menus. Or just pop in and have a crafted cocktail at a classy establishment. —MK
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14 Commissary
What’s better than drinking large batches of inventive cocktails like a line cook out of plastic tubs? The scenery at Commissary at the Line Hotel, for one, which is as stunning as a restaurant can get. —FE
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15 B.S. Taqueria
From slightly smoky mezcal options to hearty whiskey drinks with ancho chile flavors, Mike Lay’s B.S. Taqueria cocktail menu does it all. The only drawback might be that there aren’t more seats at the bar to watch the bartenders do their work. —FE
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16 Bar Amá
Bar Ama takes the idea of Tex-Mex fare and elevates it far beyond platters of sizzling fajitas. Here a long list of small plates goes down easy with nicely crafted (and relatively affordable) cocktails that create a convivial atmosphere. When roaming the streets of Downtown during the Art Walk or otherwise, it’s a nice place to pop in for a drink or two. —CC
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17 Redbird
With a solid cocktail program built by Julian Cox, Redbird is one of the classiest places to enjoy a beverage in Downtown. Oh, and the elegant fare by Neal Fraser certainly pairs well with the drinks.
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18 Osso
Darwin Manahan has quickly made a name for himself in the cocktail scene. After taking a break from training to be a firefighter, Manahan turned his attention to bartending, and manned the bar at Corazon y Miel then Punch before settling into his current role as beverage director at Cliff’s Edge and Osso. Many of the drinks on Osso’s tight list riff on the classics in a way that plays well with the Southern-tinged bill of fare. Go for the beeswax-infused Portola or the Beaverdusa Punch. —CC
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19 Bestia
This Arts District gem does just about everything perfectly, so it’s no surprise that their bar program, which changes seasonally and always pairs best with a pizza and some pasta, is top-notch as well. —FE
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20 Corazon Y Miel
Bell’s homegrown destination Corazon Y Miel is known for inventive takes on Modern Mexican flavors, but their cocktail program is just as fierce. From agave-laced cobblers to horchata and rum combos, this place pushes the limits in the best way possible. —FE
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21 Sonny’s Hideaway
Highland Park got lucky with this one, as Sonny’s has become a craft cocktail destination without equal for the neighborhood. It helps, of course, that the easygoing menu is just as worthwhile. —FE
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22 Black Market Liquor Bar
Steve Livigni and Pablo Moix have built up a reliable, market-driven cocktail menu in the Valley, which is a boon for imbibers in the 818. The solid cooking by Antonia Lofaso will keep you well fed as well.
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