Best First-Date Bars in Los Angeles (2026)
Where you can get two seats, hear each other and keep it to one drink, or turn it into a night.
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The best first-date bar in Los Angeles isn't the one with the hardest reservation or the most elaborate cocktail list. It's the one close enough that neither of you arrives annoyed, with lighting that does you both a favor, a realistic way to get two seats, and enough personality to carry the first ten minutes.
LA dates are won or lost on geography. Pick the neighborhood first, then the bar. Crossing the city for a 45-minute wait isn't romantic; meeting somewhere you can order one drink, split a snack and decide whether to keep going is.
We favored bars that work early in the evening and flagged the ones that get loud later. The list mixes polished cocktail rooms, relaxed wine bars, patios, old-LA institutions and a few bars with something to do besides talk. It's organized by area, not ranked, because the right bar ten minutes away usually beats the "best" bar across town.
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Los Angeles First-Date Bars at a Glance
| Bar | Neighborhood | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Covell | Los Feliz | An easy, conversation-first wine date | Walk in; get there early on Friday or Saturday |
| Vandell | Los Feliz | Polished cocktails before dinner, or instead of it | Book on Resy, or arrive right at opening |
| Mírate | Los Feliz | A date you hope runs past one round | Reserve a table, or walk in for the bar and communal seating |
| Big Bar | Los Feliz | An afternoon or early-evening patio date | Walk in; skip peak weekend brunch hours |
| Tabula Rasa | Thai Town | Serious wine in a laid-back room | Walk in; happy hour is the easiest window |
| Real Charmer | Virgil Village | A playful date in a moody room | Go early, and check whether there's programming that night |
| Bar Besito | Silver Lake | Shared plates and a cozy room | Reserve for weekends; happy hour runs 3 to 5 p.m |
| Bar Bandini | Echo Park | Natural wine and an effortlessly cool room | Walk in; check Instagram for event nights |
| Bar Flores | Echo Park | Sunset drinks on a lively patio | Walk in early; no reservations |
| Bar Henry | Echo Park | A straightforward cocktail date | Walk in, earlier on weekends |
| 1642 | Historic Filipinotown | A low-key date with character | Eat first and check the music schedule |
| Thunderbolt | Historic Filipinotown | Cocktail people who also want dinner | Closed Tuesdays; arrive early Thursday through Saturday |
| Good Housekeeping | Highland Park | A tucked-away, conversation-first date | Walk in; use the alley entrance or go through Café Birdie |
| Gold Line | Highland Park | Music lovers and a livelier first round | Go early if you want to hear each other |
| Checker Hall | Highland Park | Drinks that can turn into dinner | Reserve a table for certainty, or walk in early |
| Capri Club | Eagle Rock | An unfussy early evening | No reservations; arrive near opening or expect a wait, especially on weekends |
| The Grant | Glassell Park | A reliable, low-friction cocktail date | Walk in; weekday happy hour is ideal |
| The Spare Room | Hollywood | Breaking the ice with an activity | Opens at 8 p.m. and is closed Tuesdays and Sundays; book a lane ahead |
| Stir Crazy | Melrose | Wine and dinner, kept casual | Reserve for prime evening hours |
| Bar Benjamin | Melrose | A dressed-up date short of a full dinner | Reserve on Resy; open Tuesday through Saturday |
| The Roger Room | Beverly Grove | A romantic cocktail date | Walk in; get there early Thursday through Saturday |
| Lucky Tiki | West Hollywood | A playful, escapist date | Reservations on Resy; Sundays are the best bet for walk-ins |
| Bar Next Door | West Hollywood | Sunset Strip drinks minus the club scene | Go early in the evening; the room is small |
| Dante Beverly Hills | Beverly Hills | A scenic, dressed-up first date | Reserve around sunset, or start at Martini Hour |
| Cardinale du Vin | Pico-Robertson | Adventurous wine drinkers and shared food | Reserve; Saturdays bring vinyl DJ sets |
| The Normandie Club | Koreatown | Dependable cocktails in central LA | Walk in early for an easy booth |
| HMS Bounty | Koreatown | A casual, affordable date with personality | Walk in; aim for a booth |
| The Prince | Koreatown | Retro romance and a meal | Walk in; earlier is better for a booth |
| Bar 109 | Melrose Hill | Clean, focused cocktails and a serious bar snack | No reservations; walk in near opening |
| Apotheke | Chinatown | A glamorous cocktail date | Evenings only and not every night, so check hours and plan your ride |
| The Wolves | Historic Core | Atmosphere and serious cocktails | Walk-in only; check the current schedule before you go |
| Mignon | Historic Core | An intimate glass of wine | No reservations; walk in early, ideally during happy hour |
| Bar Jackalope | Financial District | Whiskey drinkers and a hidden room | Reserve ahead and go on a weeknight; the schedule changes, so confirm the day |
| Death & Co | Arts District | A bookable, cocktail-centered date | Book ahead |
| Everson Royce Bar | Arts District | Patio drinks with food and easy logistics | Open Tuesday through Saturday; arrive early for a patio table |
| Force of Nature | Venice | A hidden-feeling Abbot Kinney date | Open Wednesday through Sunday and closes by 9 or 10 p.m., so plan an early date; reservations help |
| Old Lightning | Venice | Spirits enthusiasts and an intimate splurge | Reserve well ahead and dress the part; no beachwear |
| Accomplice | Mar Vista | Flexible Westside drinks and food | Arrive right at 5 p.m. for weekday happy hour; the small bar fills fast |
| Bodega Wine Bar | Santa Monica | Low-pressure Santa Monica wine | Walk in or reserve; happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m |
| Offhand Wine Bar | Santa Monica | Natural wine and a good soundtrack | Walk in early |
| The Chestnut Club | Santa Monica | A dark, polished cocktail date | Open Tuesday through Saturday; reserve, or go on a weeknight |
| The Wellesbourne | West LA | Quiet conversation and comfortable seating | Arrive early to claim a sofa near the fireplace |
| neat. | West LA | Whiskey and mezcal, minus the tasting-room formality | Eat first, or across the street |
| Tiny's Hi-Dive | West LA | A playful, inexpensive date | Walk in; open daily until 2 a.m |
| Night on Earth | Cahuenga Pass | New-school cocktails and a livelier mood | Go early in the evening |
| The Rendition Room | Studio City | A quiet speakeasy-style date | Reserve online; it closes around 10 p.m |
| Firefly | Studio City | A romantic patio and a bigger evening | Reserve and request the patio |
| Oy Bar | Studio City | Cocktails and unfussy bar food | Evenings only and closed early in the week; walk in after opening |
| Daisy Margarita Bar | Sherman Oaks | Margaritas, food and a social mood | Reserve a table or try the bar; weekend brunch makes a good daytime option |
| Augustine Wine Bar | Sherman Oaks | Wine, small plates and real conversation | First come, first served; walk in early, especially on weekends |
First-Date Bars in Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Echo Park
The Eastside's deepest bench of date bars. Hillhurst and Vermont in Los Feliz and Sunset Boulevard through Echo Park are walkable, so a second stop is easy if the first one goes well. Big Bar, Tabula Rasa and Bar Besito run early-evening deals covered in our guide to the best happy hours in Los Angeles.
Bar Covell
4628 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
There's no printed wine list. You tell the bartender what you like and they pour from a huge by-the-glass selection, which hands a first date an instant icebreaker. The room is dark and warm, and it works as well for one glass as for three. Best for: An easy, conversation-first wine date. Plan: Walk in; get there early on Friday or Saturday.
Vandell
1966 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
The Bar Flores team's Hillhurst cocktail bar is low-lit and retro, with a short list of bar bites and a Negroni made with vintage 1970s Campari. It's one of the hardest seats in the neighborhood right now, so plan ahead. Best for: Polished cocktails before dinner, or instead of it. Plan: Book on Resy, or arrive right at opening.
Mírate
1712 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
A multi-level, plant-filled Mexican restaurant with two bars, one of them a mezcaleria, and one of the city's strongest agave programs. Start with a drink at the bar; if it's going well, order tacos and stay. Best for: A date you hope runs past one round. Plan: Reserve a table, or walk in for the bar and communal seating.
Big Bar
1927 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
Alcove's string-lit patio on Hillhurst is one of the nicest outdoor spaces on the Eastside, and the bar side is calmer than the brunch crowd next door. The bartenders actually talk to you, and the seasonal menus lean playful. Best for: An afternoon or early-evening patio date. Plan: Walk in; skip peak weekend brunch hours.
Tabula Rasa
5125 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
A roomy natural wine bar on Hollywood Boulevard with booths, a back patio and a daily 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour. Get the Cuban sandwich if one glass turns into dinner. Best for: Serious wine in a laid-back room. Plan: Walk in; happy hour is the easiest window.
Real Charmer
864 Virgil Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90029, USA
Red light, a bubbling stone fountain, a checkerboard floor and free self-serve popcorn do a lot of the atmosphere work for you. It's from the team behind Bar Covell and Capri Club, and it's at its most intimate early, before the room fills up. Best for: A playful date in a moody room. Plan: Go early, and check whether there's programming that night.
Bar Besito
1710 Silver Lake Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
A small Spanish tapas and wine bar where everything on the drinks list comes from Spain: wine, vermouth, sherry and cider. Order a couple of plates and it quietly becomes dinner. Best for: Shared plates and a cozy room. Plan: Reserve for weekends; happy hour runs 3 to 5 p.m.
Bar Bandini
2150 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
A small, dark room on Sunset with natural wine poured from kegs, good craft beer and a little patio. It has atmosphere to spare and zero dress code. Best for: Natural wine and an effortlessly cool room. Plan: Walk in; check Instagram for event nights.
Bar Flores
1542 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
An upstairs bar on Sunset with a cozy front room and a plant-filled patio that does the romantic work around sunset. Cocktails lean Latin, and there's a short menu of Oaxacan-inspired bites. Best for: Sunset drinks on a lively patio. Plan: Walk in early; no reservations.
Bar Henry
1228 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
A small, low-key cocktail bar at the Angelino Heights end of Sunset. It fills up on weekends, but the crowd stays calmer than at the louder bars down the street. Best for: A straightforward cocktail date. Plan: Walk in, earlier on weekends.
1642
1642 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
A narrow, women-owned neighborhood bar on Temple Street with wine, craft beer and live music. There's no kitchen, and the music starts later in the evening, so come early if you want to talk. Best for: A low-key date with character. Plan: Eat first and check the music schedule.
Thunderbolt
1263 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026, USA
Southern-leaning cocktails and food from the Park's Finest barbecue team, in a bright, friendly room where Echo Park, Historic Filipinotown and Downtown meet. It's one of the best bars in the city, and it never acts like it. Best for: Cocktail people who also want dinner. Plan: Closed Tuesdays; arrive early Thursday through Saturday.
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First-Date Bars in Highland Park, Eagle Rock and Glassell Park
Figueroa in Highland Park is the easiest bar strip on this list for a two-stop date: Good Housekeeping, Gold Line and Checker Hall sit within about a block of each other.
Good Housekeeping
5631 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042, USA
Tucked behind Café Birdie on Figueroa, you reach it through the restaurant or the alley off Avenue 57. Inside it feels like a small living room with classic cocktails and friendly bartenders, which makes it one of the easier places in the neighborhood to actually talk. Best for: A tucked-away, conversation-first date. Plan: Walk in; use the alley entrance or go through Café Birdie.
Gold Line
5607 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90042, USA
Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf stocked this bar with about 7,500 of his own records, and the drinks lean toward Japanese whisky highballs. The volume runs closer to house party than library, so pick it when you want the music to carry part of the night. Best for: Music lovers and a livelier first round. Plan: Go early if you want to hear each other.
Checker Hall
104 N Ave 56, Los Angeles, CA 90042, USA
A bar and Mediterranean-leaning restaurant on the second floor of an old Masonic lodge, right above the Lodge Room music venue. It's roomy and relaxed early, then packed when a show lets out, so timing decides which version you get. Best for: Drinks that can turn into dinner. Plan: Reserve a table for certainty, or walk in early.
Capri Club
4604 N Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041, USA
An old red-sauce joint reborn as an Italian aperitivo bar, with red leather booths, a wide-open front window and snacks like arancini and pancetta-wrapped dates. Spritzes, Negronis and amari are the point, and nobody expects you to order dinner. Best for: An unfussy early evening. Plan: No reservations; arrive near opening or expect a wait, especially on weekends.
The Grant
3515 N Eagle Rock Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90065, USA
The Bar Bandini owners run this handsome, low-key cocktail bar in a restored historic building on Eagle Rock Boulevard. A daily 4 to 6 p.m. happy hour makes it an easy weeknight first date. Best for: A reliable, low-friction cocktail date. Plan: Walk in; weekday happy hour is ideal.
First-Date Bars in Hollywood, West Hollywood and Beverly Hills
Cocktail rooms along Hollywood Boulevard, Melrose, La Cienega and the Sunset Strip, plus a Beverly Hills rooftop and a wine bar just south in Pico-Robertson. Parking is the tax here, so rideshare if you can. Dante is also our top pick in the best rooftop bars in Los Angeles.
The Spare Room
7000 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, USA
A gaming parlor on the Hollywood Roosevelt's mezzanine with two vintage bowling lanes, handmade board games and a proper cocktail bar. A game gives a nervous first date something to do with its hands, and the room is polished enough to still feel like a night out. Best for: Breaking the ice with an activity. Plan: Opens at 8 p.m. and is closed Tuesdays and Sundays; book a lane ahead.
Stir Crazy
6903 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA
A tiny Euro-Californian wine bar and restaurant in the space of a longtime Melrose coffeehouse, with a wine list that punches far above the room's size. It's less hushed than a candlelit cocktail den and easier to settle into for a whole evening of shared plates. Best for: Wine and dinner, kept casual. Plan: Reserve for prime evening hours.
Bar Benjamin
7174 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046, USA
A low-lit second-floor lounge above The Benjamin with savory, almost meal-like cocktails, like a Gibson made with everything-bagel gin and a tomato Negroni. There's no standing room, so it never turns into a scrum at the bar. Best for: A dressed-up date short of a full dinner. Plan: Reserve on Resy; open Tuesday through Saturday.
The Roger Room
370 La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA
Look for the neon "Psychic" sign on La Cienega next to Largo, then step into a small, dim room that has been one of the city's best cocktail bars for well over a decade. It's romantic and serious about drinks, and it doesn't lean on a speakeasy gimmick. Best for: A romantic cocktail date. Plan: Walk in; get there early Thursday through Saturday.
Lucky Tiki
8512 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
Getting in is half the fun: buzz the intercom hidden in a pickle barrel below Tail o' the Pup, then head upstairs to a maximalist tiki room. You can even bring a Tail o' the Pup hot dog up with you. It's very themed, so save it for a date who'll enjoy the theater. Best for: A playful, escapist date. Plan: Reservations on Resy; Sundays are the best bet for walk-ins.
Bar Next Door
9159 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
A small, laid-back cocktail bar on the Sunset Strip, set in the old office of Marilyn Monroe's talent agent, with drinks named for nearby LA landmarks. It feels like a neighborhood bar on a street that mostly isn't one. Best for: Sunset Strip drinks minus the club scene. Plan: Go early in the evening; the room is small.
Dante Beverly Hills
225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, USA
The ninth-floor rooftop at the Maybourne, with views toward the Hollywood Hills, a wood-fired pizza oven and the martinis that made the New York original famous. The daily $10 Martini Hour from 3 to 5 p.m., with a live pianist, is the easiest way in. Best for: A scenic, dressed-up first date. Plan: Reserve around sunset, or start at Martini Hour.
Cardinale du Vin
8912 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035, USA
A cozy wine bar where Old World bottles meet Thai-inspired plates from a Bangkok-born chef; the green curry with roti is the order. The list is easy to navigate, and the mood stays low-pressure. Best for: Adventurous wine drinkers and shared food. Plan: Reserve; Saturdays bring vinyl DJ sets.
First-Date Bars in Koreatown and Melrose Hill
Koreatown runs late and walks well, especially Sixth Street around Normandie, so it's an easy place to add a second stop. Bar 109 sits just north on Western.
The Normandie Club
3612 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020, USA
A dark, handsome bar in the 1920s Hotel Normandie, with leather banquettes, mosaic floors and classics-leaning cocktails from the team behind Death & Co. It reads like a date the moment you sit down, and one round never feels like a commitment. Best for: Dependable cocktails in central LA. Plan: Walk in early for an easy booth.
HMS Bounty
3357 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010, USA
A nautical bar on the ground floor of the 1924 Gaylord on Wilshire, with old booths, a model of the Bounty behind the bar and some of the friendliest prices in central LA. The restrooms are down in the Gaylord's old lobby, which is half the fun. Best for: A casual, affordable date with personality. Plan: Walk in; aim for a booth.
The Prince
3198 1/2 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90005, USA
Red booths, chandeliers and a preserved old-LA room you've probably seen in Chinatown, Mad Men or New Girl. The Korean bar food, especially the fried chicken, makes it easy to turn drinks into dinner. Best for: Retro romance and a meal. Plan: Walk in; earlier is better for a booth.
Bar 109
641 N Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004, USA
A dim, minimalist cocktail bar on Western with refined, classics-leaning drinks and some of the best bar food on this list, including a standout burger. Few distractions, good lighting and a short walk from the restaurants around Melrose and Western. Best for: Clean, focused cocktails and a serious bar snack. Plan: No reservations; walk in near opening.
First-Date Bars in Downtown LA, the Arts District and Chinatown
Downtown is more spread out than it looks on a map, so pick one cluster (Chinatown, the Historic Core or the Arts District) rather than planning to walk between them. Death & Co, The Wolves and Bar Jackalope are also in our guide to the best cozy bars in Los Angeles.
Apotheke
1746 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012, USA
An apothecary-themed cocktail bar on North Spring, with a menu sorted into categories like aphrodisiacs and painkillers and a great patio. It's a polished, see-and-be-seen room, so it suits a dressed-up date more than a casual one. Best for: A glamorous cocktail date. Plan: Evenings only and not every night, so check hours and plan your ride.
The Wolves
519 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA
An ornate, old-world room in the Alexandria Hotel building on Spring Street, with spirit-forward cocktails and enough architecture to fill any pause in the conversation. Best for: Atmosphere and serious cocktails. Plan: Walk-in only; check the current schedule before you go.
Mignon
128 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA
A small Parisian-style wine bar in the Pacific Electric Building on Sixth, with midnight-blue walls, small-producer wines and a short French menu. It's the cozy counterpoint to Downtown's bigger cocktail bars. Best for: An intimate glass of wine. Plan: No reservations; walk in early, ideally during happy hour.
Bar Jackalope
515 W 7th St #200, Los Angeles, CA 90014, USA
An 18-seat, Japanese-style whisky den hidden inside Seven Grand, with flights poured by the house whiskey experts and a far calmer mood than the busy bar outside. Pick it when whiskey is a shared interest, not just a drink order. Best for: Whiskey drinkers and a hidden room. Plan: Reserve ahead and go on a weeknight; the schedule changes, so confirm the day.
Death & Co
818 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013, USA
The LA outpost of the New York original, down a flight of stairs into a low-lit room built for serious cocktails. The long menu gives you something to talk about from the first minute. Best for: A bookable, cocktail-centered date. Plan: Book ahead.
Everson Royce Bar
1936 E 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021, USA
A dark front bar and a big string-lit backyard with picnic tables and bocce, plus one of the city's best-known bar burgers and very good biscuits. It has its own parking lot, which in the Arts District is no small thing. Best for: Patio drinks with food and easy logistics. Plan: Open Tuesday through Saturday; arrive early for a patio table.
First-Date Bars in Venice, Santa Monica and West LA
The Westside sprawls, so stay in one pocket: Abbot Kinney and Washington Boulevard in Venice, Santa Monica's inland bars, or the stretch of Pico in West LA where neat. and Tiny's Hi-Dive are a short walk apart. Tiny's kitchen runs until midnight, and it's one of the Westside picks in our late-night food guide.
Force of Nature
1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291, USA
Walk through Only the Wild Ones on Abbot Kinney and up a narrow staircase to a tiny lounge with a balcony over the street. The focus is small-batch wines made by women, plus a few snacks, and it feels a world away from the boulevard below. Best for: A hidden-feeling Abbot Kinney date. Plan: Open Wednesday through Sunday and closes by 9 or 10 p.m., so plan an early date; reservations help.
Old Lightning
2905 Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292, USA
A reservation-only bar hidden behind Scopa Italian Roots on Washington Boulevard, built around one of the deepest collections of rare and vintage spirits anywhere. There's a dress code and you check your phone at the door, which makes it either the most focused first date imaginable or far too much for a casual one. Best for: Spirits enthusiasts and an intimate splurge. Plan: Reserve well ahead and dress the part; no beachwear.
Accomplice
3811 Grand View Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, USA
An L-shaped bar inside Little Fatty with a cocktail list that changes constantly, and you can order the restaurant's Taiwanese comfort food right at your seat. One stop covers drinks and dinner if the night goes well. Best for: Flexible Westside drinks and food. Plan: Arrive right at 5 p.m. for weekday happy hour; the small bar fills fast.
Bodega Wine Bar
814 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
A big, buzzy wine bar on Broadway that works as a coffee shop by day, with dozens of wines by the glass and a food menu worth ordering from. The background noise takes some pressure off a first conversation. Best for: Low-pressure Santa Monica wine. Plan: Walk in or reserve; happy hour runs 4 to 6 p.m.
Offhand Wine Bar
3008 Santa Monica Blvd Ste A, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA
A Black-owned natural wine bar from the Westside Winos collective, with vinyl on weekends, regular DJs and visiting winemakers. It's a coffee shop by day, and the evening mood stays relaxed and neighborly. Best for: Natural wine and a good soundtrack. Plan: Walk in early.
The Chestnut Club
1348 14th St, Santa Monica, CA 90404, USA
Chesterfield booths, leather banquettes and low light from the team behind Old Lightning and Scopa, with a serious spirits list. It's calm on weeknights and mobbed on weekends, so pick your night accordingly. Best for: A dark, polished cocktail date. Plan: Open Tuesday through Saturday; reserve, or go on a weeknight.
The Wellesbourne
10929 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
An English-manor fantasy on Pico with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a working fireplace and big leather sofas across several rooms. There's real seating everywhere, so you can actually hear each other. Best for: Quiet conversation and comfortable seating. Plan: Arrive early to claim a sofa near the fireplace.
neat.
11780 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
A dark, cozy Pico bar devoted to whiskey and mezcal, where you can taste your way through pours instead of committing to one cocktail. There's no food, but Don Antonio's and The Talpa are right across the street. Best for: Whiskey and mezcal, minus the tasting-room formality. Plan: Eat first, or across the street.
Tiny's Hi-Dive
12012 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, USA
A Chicago-themed dive with red leather booths, year-round Christmas lights, a jukebox, pool, skee-ball and Italian beef. The games give you something to do besides size each other up, and the drinks are cheap. Best for: A playful, inexpensive date. Plan: Walk in; open daily until 2 a.m.
First-Date Bars in Studio City, Sherman Oaks and the Valley
Ventura Boulevard is the spine here, with Studio City and Sherman Oaks a short drive apart. Night on Earth sits at the top of the Cahuenga Pass, an easy meeting point if one of you is coming from Hollywood.
Night on Earth
3256 Cahuenga Blvd W, Los Angeles, CA 90068, USA
The Thunderbolt team's Valley bar has a neon-blue bar, curvy leather banquettes and a long list of cocktails that riff on classics. There's no kitchen, so eat first or grab a slice from the pizzeria next door; weekend DJs turn up the volume later. Best for: New-school cocktails and a livelier mood. Plan: Go early in the evening.
The Rendition Room
4349 Tujunga Ave #3, Studio City, CA 91604, USA
A 1930s-style speakeasy hidden behind a bookshelf at Vitello's, the old-school Italian restaurant, where a host walks you back from the front. It's small, quiet and romantic, so plan rather than wing it. Best for: A quiet speakeasy-style date. Plan: Reserve online; it closes around 10 p.m.
Firefly
11720 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604, USA
There's no sign on Ventura, just an ivy wall and a valet. Inside are a book-lined bar up front and a heated patio with a fireplace and twinkle lights out back. It leans more restaurant than bar, so it suits a date you expect to go long. Best for: A romantic patio and a bigger evening. Plan: Reserve and request the patio.
Oy Bar
12446 Moorpark St, Studio City, CA 91604, USA
The Jeff's Table team took over an old wood-paneled saloon on Moorpark and filled it with strong cocktails and Jewish-ish bar food, from latkes to a pastrami quesadilla. Casual, a little irreverent and fun. Best for: Cocktails and unfussy bar food. Plan: Evenings only and closed early in the week; walk in after opening.
Daisy Margarita Bar
14633 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, USA
From the Mírate team, a dark, neon-lit cantina on Ventura pouring a dozen inventive margaritas alongside a full regional Mexican menu. The upbeat room keeps a first date from feeling like an interview. Best for: Margaritas, food and a social mood. Plan: Reserve a table or try the bar; weekend brunch makes a good daytime option.
Augustine Wine Bar
13456 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, USA
The Bar Covell owners' Valley wine bar is dim and conversation-friendly, with dozens of wines by the glass (including rare older vintages) and small plates like charcuterie and a grilled Caesar. Best for: Wine, small plates and real conversation. Plan: First come, first served; walk in early, especially on weekends.
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