A night of live music in Pasadena →
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.8 mi
5:30 PMDinner
2
0.7 mi
7:00 PMThe show
3
8:30 PMNightcap
← Los AngelesDate night guide · Los Angeles
Best live music venues for a date in Los Angeles
Eat early, catch the set, stay for one more.
137 spots · Jump to the list
Live music takes the pressure off a date: there's always something to react to, and nobody has to carry the conversation. The list runs from jazz clubs to bars with a band in the corner. Check the lineup before you go, eat beforehand, and leave time for a drink afterwards to talk about the set.
This guide ranks 137 live music venues in Los Angeles, from Long Beach to Pasadena and Santa Monica. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
Nights people planned here
Published date nights with a stop on this list.
Make a night of it
Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.
A night of live music in Long Beach →
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.8 mi
5:30 PMDinner
2
0.1 mi
7:00 PMThe show
3
8:30 PMNightcap
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Arroyo Chophouse
4.9(26)Pasadena · $$$
Harvelle’s
4.9(24)Long Beach · $$
The Tap Room
4.9(14)Pasadena · $$$
1642 Beer and Wine
4.9(12)Silver Lake / Echo Park · $$
Alex's Bar
4.9(7)Long Beach · $
Roe Seafood - Restaurant
4.8(24)Long Beach · $$$$
George’s Greek Café
4.8(23)Long Beach · $$
The Garden at The Penthouse at Mastro's Steakhouse Beverly Hills
4.8(15)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, Jazz, Etc.
4.8(10)$$$
Primo Italia
4.8(10)Torrance · $$$
KingsRow Gastropub
4.8(9)Pasadena · $$
The Stache
4.8(9)Long Beach · $$
Secret Island
4.7(12)Long Beach · $$
Manila Inasal
4.6(24)Silver Lake / Echo Park · $$$$
Flx Biergarten
4.6(20)Catalina Island (Avalon) · $$
Bar Jubilee
4.6(15)West Hollywood · $$
Palms Thai
4.6(8)Hollywood · $$
Kavahana
4.5(26)Santa Monica · $
Kulturas
4.5(25)Pasadena · $$
Delilah Los Angeles
4.5(19)West Hollywood · $$$
Somerville
4.5(16)$$$
Santa Monica Farmers’ Market
4.5(11)Santa Monica · $
Dante Beverly Hills
4.5(8)Beverly Hills · $$$
Michael's
4.5(8)Santa Monica · $$$
Showing 1–24 of 137 spots
Good to know
- What's the best place for live music in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is Arroyo Chophouse in Pasadena, rated 4.9 out of 5. Harvelle’s and The Tap Room round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best live music venues?
- Long Beach (6), Pasadena (4) and Santa Monica (3) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable live music venues in Los Angeles?
- Yes — Harvelle’s, 1642 Beer and Wine and Alex's Bar are all $$ or under.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill, Jazz, Etc., Delilah Los Angeles and Somerville, while Bar Jubilee takes walk-ins.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a night of live music: dinner, then the show, then nightcap. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.