The Best Bars in Downtown Los Angeles

Fifteen floors above Fifth Street with a French bistro format and a rooftop terrace that faces the full downtown skyline. Best visited at dusk when the light drops behind the buildings to the west. The bar programme leans classic — well-made negronis, a decent Champagne selection, and a Pisco sour that shows up on every table. Go on a Tuesday when the lines are manageable and the views are yours.

Order: Pisco sour or the house negroni with Carpano Antica

Through the back of Cole's French Dip and down a short corridor sits one of the most serious cocktail bars in Los Angeles. The Varnish opened in 2009 and has never needed to update its formula: a small room, low lighting, and bartenders who have been making classic cocktails exceptionally well for fifteen years. Every order goes through a brief conversation about what you actually want — let them guide you, they mean it.

Order: Ask for the bartender's pick — describe what you are in the mood for and trust the result

A narrow bar attached to one of the city's best taco spots, with an agave list that runs deeper than most dedicated mezcalerias. The staff know their producers and will talk about them at length if you let them. Order a mezcal flight before you start in on the cocktails. The bar fills up fast after 8pm on weekends — arrive at opening or be patient about it.

Order: The mezcal flight — three pours across different regions and production styles

The bar at Bavel operates independently of the restaurant next door and runs its own cocktail menu built around Middle Eastern spices and spirits. The pomegranate molasses old fashioned has become one of the most discussed cocktails in the city. Brick, warm light, and plants hanging from exposed beams — the space is beautiful in the way Downtown LA does well when it commits to a concept.

Order: Pomegranate molasses old fashioned or the za'atar gin sour

A live music venue with a bar that takes itself seriously and a sound system that takes itself even more seriously. Resident books acts on the smaller end of notable — you will hear people who are about to be much bigger. The craft beer selection is better than you would expect from a music venue, and the back patio is one of the better outdoor drinking spaces in this part of downtown.

Order: Whatever local craft lager is on draft — they rotate the list regularly

Arcade games and a bar that serves better food and drinks than the concept suggests. Button Mash is genuinely fun in a way that most bars that use the word "fun" in their marketing are not. The cocktails are simple and executed correctly. Go on a weeknight if you want to actually play anything — weekend nights turn into a full bar scene where the games become secondary.

Order: The house frozen marg or a can of Tecate with a shot of mezcal alongside

The 71st floor of the US Bank Tower puts you above the cloud layer on marine layer mornings and gives you an unobstructed view of Los Angeles on clear nights. The bar programme is serious — this is not a views-only operation. Make a reservation; walk-ins are accepted at the bar seating only and those spots go early on weekends. Worth the investment for a significant evening.

Order: The LA Sunset cocktail — they make it look intentional and it tastes the part

A 1970s house party that never ends, hidden behind a refrigerator door entrance. The concept sounds gimmicky until you are inside and realise the execution is genuinely excellent. Three interconnected spaces with period-correct details that go well beyond surface decoration. The cocktail list commits to the era — Harvey Wallbangers, Sloe Gin Fizzes, and a white Russian you will order without embarrassment.

Order: Harvey Wallbanger or the period-correct white Russian

Built inside a 1910 power plant, The Edison is the most architecturally distinctive bar in Downtown LA. The industrial bones — turbines, generators, original tile floors — have been preserved and turned into one of the more memorable interiors in the city. Cocktails are strong and creative without being inaccessible. Live entertainment on weekend nights; book ahead if you want a table rather than a spot at the bar.

Order: The Edison Cocktail — their signature, built for the setting

The best dive bar within range of downtown, operating on the principle that a bar needs nothing more than cold beer, good music, and enough space to have a conversation. R Bar has been holding that position for years without wavering. Cash only, unpretentious, and reliably full of people who know exactly what they want from a bar. Go late and stay later.

Order: PBR and a shot of Jameson — this is not the place for a craft cocktail