The most beautiful rooftop bars in Los Angeles

Los Angeles’ rooftop bars mix jaw-dropping views over the Hollywood Hills, expertly crafted cocktails and a generous dash of the city’s trademark creative energy. Los Angeles is renowned for its year-round warm weather, and the bars and restaurants that perch atop the city’s crop of beautiful hotels are undoubtedly the best places to catch an eyeful of the sprawling southern California city, both day and night.

From a sun-soaked terrace where you can dance to classic rock and country tunes to a citrus-fresh cocktail menu at one of Los Angeles’ top restaurants, here is our pick of the best rooftop bars in LA.

Hollywood

Desert 5 Spot

Best for: Dancing, country and rock and roll lovers
Location: 6516 Selma Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Price: £££

Desert 5 Spot is undoubtedly one of the best rooftop bars in Los Angeles for dancing, with its classic rock and country tunes played by the Desert 5 House Band and DJs that keep the music going late into the night. The bar occupies the rooftop of hip boutique hotel Volume Hollywood, and takes inspiration from 1970s Palm Springs and its surrounding desert – think shrub-studded corners, old-school jukeboxes and neon signs. There’s plenty of seating to enjoy the 360-degree views over the Hollywood Hills and downtown, while cacti, yucca and vintage art as well as various themed events heighten the upscale desert vibe. Desert 5 Spot also launched a second outpost in Brooklyn, New York in 2024.

Bar Lis at Thompson Hollywood

Best for: Live jazz performances and traditional bistro bites
Location: 1541 Wilcox Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Price: £££

Located on the edge of Sunset Boulevard down Wilcox Avenue, this stylish bar sits on the rooftop of the 11-storey Thompson Hollywood hotel. Bar Lis brings a slice of the Cote D’Azur to the heart of Hollywood with its art deco interiors and menus serving traditional bistro bites such as steak frites and spicy vodka rigatoni. On the wraparound terrace, choose between bar-facing stools and flower-flanked banquettes for large parties. Walk-ins are welcome here, but bookings are recommended on Tuesdays when the Jazz Eclectic LA series presents live performances from emerging and established artists. Wednesdays are often dedicated to various wellness workshops like sound bathing.

Grandmaster Rooftop

Best for: History buffs and music lovers 
Location: 1518 North Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028 
Price: £££

Set in the historic Grandmaster Recorders studio where musicians such as Stevie Wonder, David Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens of the Stone Age and many other legends have recorded, Grandmaster Rooftop is a must-visit in Hollywood’s New Vinyl District. Sitting away from the tourist-frequented streets and showcasing the area’s musical heritage, guests will find vintage records and pedals at the entrance before discovering the 4,000-sq ft terrazzo-lined rooftop with prime views over the Hollywood Hills. Drinks here are served with creativity and honour the musical heritage, with names like Sympathy for the Devil and Times Like These – and are best soaked up by moreish grazing dishes including crispy fried chicken tenders with smoked hot honey.

West Hollywood

Merois at Pendry West Hollywood

Best for: Special occasions
Location: 8430 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Price: ££££

Michelin-starred Austrian-American chef Wolfgang Puck is behind the elegant Merois, located at the rooftop of Pendry West Hollywood hotel. An open-air bar sits adjacent to the fine dining restaurant, where you can gaze over downtown and Sunset Boulevard while sipping upscale cocktails. The sweet stuff here is also legendary: don’t miss the crustless Basque-style cheesecake torched and caramelised on the exterior, with a light and airy interior.

The Roof at The West Hollywood EDITION

Best for: A ritzy rooftop
Location: 9040 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Price: £££

One of the few spots in LA to offer undisturbed views over the ocean and the city all the way from Santa Monica to downtown, The Roof at The West Hollywood Edition easily slides into the list of LA’s best rooftop bars just for the setting alone. Try tequila and smoky mezcal-based cocktails with inventive ingredients such as wasabi salt. The food menu spans vegetarian tacos and bites from the raw bar such as like the seafood tower filled with oysters, king crab and ceviche. Order the Penicillina (penicillin), which mixes tequila with citrus and honey flavours, topped with with a float of hibiscus mezcal. Paired with a skyline view, it’s  our favourite cure-all.

Culver City

Bar Bohémien

Best for: Natural wine atop a buzzy food hall
Location: Citizen Public Market, 9355 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA 90232
Price: ££

Citizen Public Market, housed in the former home of Los Angeles’ Citizen Publishing Company, has been on a mission to showcase LA’s grassroots culinary entrepreneurship since opening in 2020 and has become one of the city’s best-loved food halls in the process. Inside, you’ll find free-range organic fried chicken from Go Go Bird, quality acai bowls from Sustainabowl and, up on the rooftop patio, Bar Bohémien. The bar has a glamorous, turn-of-the-century feel that chimes with the building’s architecture. The menu reels off cocktails, orange wine, hard seltzers and spirits, sipped beneath strings of festoon lighting.

Margot

Best for: An industrial-chic setting 
Location: 8820 Washington Boulevard Suite 301, Culver City, CA 90232, United States
Price: ££

Culver City’s modern retail complex The Platform mixes culinary pop-ups, high-end boutiques and striking design. Locals will quickly tell you, however, that its rooftop restaurant and bar is the place to go. The open-air set-up has bleached wood tables, a copper tiled bar, braided seating and steel windows. Order an Amalfi spritz with elderflower cordial and a light pink grapefruit soda, while a dedicated negroni selection uses gin, mezcal, vodka and whisky to make the classic. There’s a set pre-theatre menu of traditional Italian plates available Tuesday to Saturday.

DTLA

Cabra Restaurant & Bar at The Hoxton

Best for: Frozen cocktails and Peruvian-style small plates
Location: 1060 South Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015, United States
Price: £££

At Cabra, you’ll find a drinks menu featuring frozen cocktails, craft beers, sparkling wines, refreshing whites and chilled rosés in a buzzy open air setting. Rattan chairs, ocean blue parasols, strings of fairy lights and plants furnish the rooftop, with a Peruvian-style menu of small plates from chef Stephanie Izard. Standouts include chicken and beef empanadas, chorizo skewers, wood-fired cauliflower and a zesty avocado dip. Make it your choice for a warm-up before an evening at nearby Grand Central Market.

Broken Shaker at Freehand Los Angeles

Best for: Relaxed rooftop drinking atop the Freehand Hotel 
Location: 416 West 8th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Price: £££

Broken Shaker is a relaxed rooftop bar in the heart of downtown, where groups gather by the pool deck for cocktails with small bites. Drinks here are made to impress, and there’s no denying that they’re some of the best in town: the bar is a James Beard Award finalist, and it won Tales of the Cocktail’s Best American Hotel Bar. The serves are made with homemade elixirs and combinations you won’t find anywhere else, from hibiscus kombucha with rosemary essence to charred Meyer lemon juice with grated nutmeg. Broken Shaker’s indulgent Fireside Chat mixes an Old Fashioned with a toasted s’more, mixing bourbon, Crème De Cacao, marshmallow demerara, chocolate bitters, and whipped cream.

Arts District

LA Cha Cha Chá

Best for: Palm Springs meets Acapulco vibes
Location: 812 East 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Price: £££

Parking up for a drink at LA Cha Cha Chá feels like you’ve escaped to a Mexican villa with its pared-back, plant-filled aesthetic. Sharing the same finish as its sibling location in Mexico City, the design is Palm Springs meets Acapulco. Wooden fixtures, terracotta tiles and pastel tones are met by some 150 plants (including some special rare varieties that green-fingered fans will enjoy), scattered across various private nooks. Rotating plates include ceviche and tostadas, served with cocktails such as a strawberry milk punch with almond, sumac, brandy and tequila, or an inventive old fashioned mixes blue corn masa, corn whiskey and elote liqueur. It’s ideally located in Arts District, so you can walk to a range of galleries and breweries beforehand.

Glendale

MYA Rooftop at The Glenmark

Best for: Groups and events, cigar aficionados
Location: 1100 North Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA 91202
Price: £££

Most rooftop bars in Los Angeles are on the west side, but MYA is a welcome treat for those looking for a prime rooftop in Glendale near Pasadena. Situated atop boutique hotel The Glenmark, this sprawling rooftop offers panoramas over the mountains and the city, lounges with fire pits, and tables for dinner selections, speciality cocktails and premium spirits. It is one of few locations where you can enjoy cigars in a dedicated section, with humidors planned to be added soon. The large space, bespoke specialty cocktails and a range of food and drink packages make it ideal if you want to plan a party, too.

Santa Monica

Calabra Restaurant and Bar at Santa Monica Proper

Best for: Sunset ocean views
Location: 700 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Price: £££

Perched within walking distance from the beach, Calabra is primed for looking out over the ocean. The rooftop restaurant and bar is a hotspot for catching stunning sunsets in the evening, with local crowds that come dressed to impress. Pick between biodynamic wines from California, South Africa and Argentina and Old World wines from vintage ports in Portugal and France. There is also a range of small-batch spirits and rare sake selections with flavours of cantaloupe, mandarin orange, and umami. The all-day menu is served mezze-style with herb-packed dips plated with warm grilled breads, fresh fruits and salads, and various other Mediterranean light bites.

Élephante

Best for: A breezy coastal address
Location: 1332 2nd Street Rooftop, Santa Monica, CA 90401, United States
Price: Cocktails from 18 USD

With Santa Monica Beach’s golden sands on the doorstep, Italian restaurant and bar Élephante is the sort of place you’d recommend to your coolest friend. Sweeping ocean views are dotted with staggering palm trees and best enjoyed from the comfort of cushion-topped scoop chairs. If you’re visiting with a big group, cocktails can be made into a punchbowl, and the brunch menu is served until 3pm daily – the breakfast pizza with egg, ham, parmesan, provolone cheese and cream is a firm favourite.

Still thirsty? Check out or LA city guide for hotel recommendations and the city’s greatest art galleries.