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5 Best Bars in Los Angeles (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Vespera Quill
By Vespera Quill, Expert in Local Experiences and Cultural Analysis · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

Picking a bar in a city this spread out means picking a neighborhood first and a drink second. The cocktail bars in Los Angeles on this page have logged nearly 3,800 Google reviews between them, and most sit at 4.4 stars or higher, so the real differences show up in the details: reservation policy, dress code, and whether you can actually get a seat on a Friday.

Short answer: The top-rated bar in Los Angeles here is Good Clean Fun (4.9 stars, 362 reviews), a Downtown LA cafe-by-day, natural-wine-bar-by-night. Redbird, set inside a former cathedral, is the most-reviewed at 1,843 ratings, and Death & Co Los Angeles brings a cocktail pedigree with reservations that fill up fast. Expect $20 to $50+ per person depending on the spot.
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How LA's Top Bars Compare

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Redbird 4.6 ★ 1,843 Special occasions / groups View ›
2 Good Clean Fun 4.9 ★ 362 Natural wine / daytime-to-night View ›
3 Death & Co Los Angeles 4.6 ★ 521 Craft cocktails / reservations View ›
4 Wolf & Crane Bar 4.4 ★ 643 Japanese whisky / Little Tokyo View ›
5 APOTHEKE LOS ANGELES 4.5 ★ 414 Speakeasy vibe / patio View ›
5 Best Bars in Los Angeles (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

Redbird logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 6 days/wk

Redbird

4.61,843 Google reviews

Redbird occupies a former cathedral in Downtown LA and runs as a restaurant, lounge and bar under chef Neal Fraser. The space pairs a dramatic, soaring interior with a full cocktail and wine program, and it hosts everything from birthday parties to weddings alongside regular dinner service. It's built for groups and celebrations as much as a quiet drink.

What people praise

  • Striking former-cathedral setting reviewers call elevated but still warm
  • Handles large parties smoothly, even groups of 13 or more
  • Cocktail and dessert menu draws consistent praise
  • Attentive service even late in the night

Worth knowing

  • Runs closer to a fine-dining restaurant than a casual bar
  • Best for a planned night out rather than a spontaneous drop-in
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume1,843 · 97th
Confidencevery high
Recency8 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown73% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most-reviewed bar on this list by a wide margin, and the pick if you want a memorable setting for a group or a special night rather than a quick drink.

Website Book now+1213-788-1191 Directions

114 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Good Clean Fun logo
#2🕑 Open 6 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Good Clean Fun

4.9362 Google reviews

Good Clean Fun is an all-day cafe, natural wine bar and Italian restaurant in DTLA, serving coffee in the morning and shifting into wine and cocktails by evening. It runs a wine club and stocks over 100 natural wines alongside Cal-Italian small plates. The space doubles as an event venue for private parties and happy hours.

What people praise

  • Highest rating on this list at 4.9
  • Works for coffee, brunch, or an evening glass of wine
  • Regulars mention the happy hour specifically
  • Warm, personal service, with the owner mentioned by name in reviews

Worth knowing

  • Smaller footprint than some of the bigger DTLA venues
  • Parking near Olive Street can be tight on busy nights
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume362 · 76th
Confidencehigh
Recency6 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown95% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The top-rated bar on this page and a genuine daytime-to-night option, less a nightlife bar and more a wine-forward hangout that happens to serve great drinks after dark.

Website Book now+1323-600-3016 Directions

868 S Olive St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Death & Co Los Angeles logo
#3🕑 Open 7 days

Death & Co Los Angeles

4.6521 Google reviews

Death & Co Los Angeles is the LA outpost of the cocktail bar that opened in Manhattan's East Village in 2006 and went on to win Best American Cocktail Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. The Arts District location keeps the same reservation-forward, craft-cocktail approach, with a rotating menu built around original recipes and quality spirits.

What people praise

  • Award-winning cocktail pedigree from the original New York bar
  • Detailed, well-balanced drinks reviewers describe as some of the best they've had
  • Knowledgeable bartenders who explain pairings and technique
  • Monday $2 oyster special gets specifically called out

Worth knowing

  • Reservations are strongly recommended and can be hard to land
  • Price per person runs higher than most bars on this list
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.6 / 5
Review volume521 · 87th
Confidencehigh
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · hours
Rating breakdown75% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The craft-cocktail specialist here, and worth planning around if you want the drinks to be the whole point of the night.

Website Book now Directions

818 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Wolf & Crane Bar logo
#4🕑 Open 7 days

Wolf & Crane Bar

4.4643 Google reviews

Wolf & Crane Bar is a neighborhood bar in Little Tokyo built around one of the largest Japanese whisky collections in the country, alongside craft cocktails. Run by longtime DTLA residents Michael Francesconi and Matthew Glaser, it positions itself as a low-key third place rather than a scene, open late most nights of the week.

What people praise

  • Deep, specialized Japanese whisky list reviewers repeatedly single out
  • Bartenders who walk newcomers through whisky picks based on taste
  • Good happy hour pricing according to regulars
  • Open until 2am most nights

Worth knowing

  • Parking in Little Tokyo can be a hunt
  • Private events occasionally limit the regular cocktail menu
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.4 / 5
Review volume643 · 92nd
Confidencehigh
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown64% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The whisky specialist on this list, and a good fit if Japanese whisky specifically is the draw rather than a full cocktail program.

Website+1213-935-8249 Directions

366 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

APOTHEKE LOS ANGELES logo
#5🕑 Open 4 days/wk

APOTHEKE LOS ANGELES

4.5414 Google reviews

Apotheke Los Angeles is a mixology-focused cocktail bar with a speakeasy-style interior and an outdoor patio, part of a small group that also operates in New York. The bar leans into botanical and apothecary-style drink concepts with a resident DJ on busier nights, and it's positioned as an award-recognized cocktail program rather than a straightforward neighborhood bar.

What people praise

  • Original, well-made cocktails reviewers call a step above typical bar drinks
  • Speakeasy-style interior with a distinct patio scene
  • Resident DJ adds to the atmosphere on weekend nights
  • Reservations available for planned visits

Worth knowing

  • On the pricier side per the reviews
  • Smoking on the patio bothers some non-smoking guests
Reputation scorecardrank in Los Angeles
Rating4.5 / 5
Review volume414 · 82nd
Confidencehigh
Recency3 months ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown71% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A solid pick for a designed cocktail experience with a livelier crowd, best suited to a night out rather than a quiet catch-up.

Website Book now+1323-844-0717 Directions

1746 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

6

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How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not opinion or payment. Rating is the bar’s live Google star average. Review volume is how many customers have rated them, ranked against other Los Angeles bars. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 4.6 from thousands of people carries more weight than a 4.9 from a few hundred. Recency reflects how recently people are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much do drinks cost at bars in Los Angeles? (2026)

Pricing varies widely by bar style in LA, and reviewers on these pages give a real sense of the range based on what they actually paid.

JobTypical price
Casual bar, per person$10 - $30
Cocktail bar, per person$30 - $50
Higher-end cocktail bar, per person$50 - $100+

Ranges compiled August 2026 from per-person price data reported directly in Google reviews for the bars on this page. These reflect what real customers said they spent, not published menus, so treat them as a guide and confirm current prices with the bar.

Serving all of Los Angeles

The bars above cluster around Downtown LA, the Arts District and Little Tokyo, with easy reach from Silver Lake, Echo Park, Koreatown and the Westside. Searching for a bar near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number, address and directions so you can find the closest option fast.

What to ask before you head to a bar

  • Do you take reservations, or is it walk-in only?
  • Is there a cover charge or minimum spend on weekends?
  • What’s the dress code, if any?
  • How late is the kitchen open, if you want food with your drinks?
  • Is parking available nearby, or should I plan for rideshare?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these bars?

We started from bars in Los Angeles with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency, and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Do any of these bars take reservations?

Yes. Death & Co, Apotheke and Redbird all note reservations in their reviews and site information, and reservations are strongly recommended at Death & Co in particular.

Which bar is best for a quiet conversation versus a livelier night?

Wolf & Crane and Good Clean Fun read as calmer, conversation-friendly spots in reviews, while Apotheke and Redbird’s later hours draw a livelier crowd.

The bottom line

Good Clean Fun is the safe default on sheer rating, while Redbird’s setting and scale make it the pick for a group night out. Whichever you choose, check whether reservations are open before you show up on a weekend.

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