6 L.A. Bars That Will Never Go Out Of Style

Bars that have defined and firmly established themselves in the city’s social landscape.

L.A. is always rapidly changing, with trendy new bars and restaurants popping up every minute! It can be dizzying trying to decide on which watering hole to get your drink on, depending on your mood.

Luckily there are some Angeleno gems that will never go out style: bars that have defined and firmly established themselves in the city’s social landscape. Here are a few L.A. bars that will never get eclipsed by the next best thing.

1. Seven Grand

515 W 7th St #200, Los Angeles, CA 90014 (map, website)

Seven Grand established itself as a DTLA staple a while ago. How can anyone not be into the both plush and preppy gentlemen’s club feel? With over 200 brands of whiskey and artfully handcrafted cocktails, Seven Grand is the place to go for class and vintage cool. My personal favorite thing about the bar is the delicious cherries they use in cocktails, of which I always order a cup of on the side.

Bar Jackalope is the uber-cool Japanese whiskey bar within the bar. In true speakeasy fashion you need to tap on the door in the back then put your name down on the waitlist to get in. Once you’re in, Bar Jackalope is dark, sexy and intimate, where whiskey connoisseurs can have a field day trying international and domestic whiskeys.

If you’re ever in DTLA during the day, don’t miss happy hour at Seven Grand. $6 cocktails and $5 beers are impossible to beat for a bar this classy.

2. The Edison

108 W 2nd St #101, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA (map, website)

The Edison is another staple in DTLA that continues to draw in solid crowds every weekend. Located downstairs in an old power plant, The Edison is dark, grand and gets everything right with the Gatsby vibes. Inside, there’s big band music swinging, burlesque shows and tons of dimly lit corners to stay entertained. The bar calls itself an “Industrial Cathedral” and it does an amazing job bringing the glamorous, steampunk-like aesthetic to life.

In order to maintain the vintage ambience, there’s a slightly strict dress code of dress shoes, collared shirts and cocktail attire. Don’t wear ripped jeans or athletic wear. Consider a trip to The Edison like going back in time and don only your best for a snazzy night out in the 1920s.

3. H.M.S. Bounty

3357 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA (map, website)

H.M.S. Bounty will never go out of style because it’s so not in style in the first place, like at all. Entering this hole-in-the-ground inside the ground level of grungy Gaylord apartments is like going back in time. It’s so dark and not hip that even occasional celebs come here to drink without being bothered.

Once you get over the fact that you’re drinking in what feels like a tacky cruise ship from the 80s, everything about H.M.S. is chill and just right. You can dine on strip steaks and straightforward pub grub. The bartender is a badass Thai lady named Annie who gets you everything you need quickly without lingering. Whenever you need to grab a drink in a place that’s as unpretentious as possible, H.M.S. will always be there in the heart of Koreatown.

4. Dirty Laundry

1725 N Hudson Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA (map, website)

Dirty Laundry was a real speakeasy in Hollywood during Prohibition. It seems like the bar has only gotten cooler and more exclusive since then. It still requires a password to enter (which you can cop on @DirtyLaundryBar on Instagram) and it’s a difficult hole in the ground to locate for first-timers. But once inside, it’s dim, sexy and vintage with artfully crafted cocktails and jazzy music.

As with any cool hotspot in Hollywood, expect long lines, crowding and slightly stuck-up dress codes.

5. The Abbey

692 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (map, website)

Sexy and wild, The Abbey is your friend who is always down to party any night of the week. The Abbey is no doubt the glittering star of West Hollywood’s gay district, as it’s where most people end up after a fun night in WeHo. It could easily be the most cracking club in Los Angeles on any Friday or Saturday night.

We love the large, ominous venue with multiple bars, dance floors and lounge space both indoors and outdoors. On weekends it’s completely packed wall-to-wall with hot gays, lesbians and everyone in between coming in hot to dance, drink and have a good time. As a world class gay club, The Abbey gives every other straight bar in town a run for its money.

6. Culver Hotel

9400 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232, USA (map, website)

The lobby bar at the refurbished Culver Hotel resurrects Old World Hollywood glam to the max. Everything from the floor to ceiling glitters and glows. Live jazz music plays in the grand lobby every night at 7:30 and there’s even a happy hour from 4-7.

Upstairs the Velvet Lounge is plush and welcoming that mixes speakeasy with Parisian boudoir. Sink into leather armchairs and loveseats with a classy drink for the ultimate luxe jetsetter vibe; if you’re into that kind of thing.

Nadia Cho

Communications Associate

As the empowered female behind the blog: International Women of Mystery, Nadia reps Team JST traveling the world in search of exclusive features on hidden gems and cool hotspots. You can find her exploring metropolitan cities or lounging on tropical beaches.