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 Torrance and Pasadena. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Sirena Bar
4.5(6)Santa Monica · $$$
The Enclave
4.4(26)Torrance · $
Scarlett
4.4(25)Beverly Hills · $$$$
South Coast Botanic Garden
4.4(22)Palos Verdes · $
The Exhibition Room
4.4(19)Long Beach · $$
Two Hommés
4.4(16)$$
Old Towne Pub
4.4(16)Pasadena · $
Smog City Brewing Company
4.4(13)Torrance · $
American Junkie
4.4(11)Redondo / Hermosa Beach · $$
Auld Dubliner
4.4(8)Long Beach · $$
Hinano Café
4.3(23)Venice · $
Carlitos Gardel
4.3(16)West Hollywood · $$$$
Gaucho Beach
4.3(12)Long Beach · $$
Pike Restaurant and Bar
4.3(11)Long Beach · $$
The Victorian
4.3(9)Santa Monica · $$
The Tower Bar
4.3(6)West Hollywood · $$$$
Maestro Pasadena
4.2(26)Pasadena · $$$
The Washington
4.2(25)Playa Vista / Marina del Rey · $$
Casablanca
4.2(25)Venice · $$
Lighthouse
4.2(25)Redondo / Hermosa Beach · $$
The San Franciscan
4.2(23)Torrance · $$
The Ordinarie
4.2(22)Long Beach · $$
The Queen Mary's Observation Bar
4.2(19)Long Beach · $$
La Traviata Restaurant
4.2(18)Long Beach · $$$
Showing 25–48 of 137 spots
Good to know
- What's the best place for live music in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is Sirena Bar in Santa Monica, rated 4.5 out of 5. The Enclave and Scarlett round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best live music venues?
- Long Beach (7), Torrance (3) and Pasadena (2) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable live music venues in Los Angeles?
- Yes — The Enclave, South Coast Botanic Garden and The Exhibition Room are all $$ or under.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for The Exhibition Room, Carlitos Gardel and The Tower Bar, while Gaucho Beach 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.