Best live music venues for a date in Los Angeles
Eat early, catch the set, stay for one more.
125 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 125 live music venues in Los Angeles, from Downtown Los Angeles to Hollywood and Beverly Hills. 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.
American Junkie
4.1(11)Redondo / Hermosa Beach · $$
Gaucho Beach
4.0(12)Long Beach · $$
The Victorian
4.0(9)Santa Monica · $$
The Tower Bar
4.0(6)West Hollywood · $$$$
Andy’s
3.8(16)Beverly Hills · $$$
Jazz Eclectic LA
4.8(8)Hollywood
Lodge Room
4.8(5)
Creative Jazz Fusion
4.8(4)Downtown Los Angeles
Drift Distillery & Smokehouse
4.7(24)$$
Troubadour
4.7(23)Beverly Hills · $$
The Baked Potato
4.7(15)Hollywood · $$
Hinano Cafe
4.7(6)Venice · $
The Dresden Restaurant & Lounge
4.7(6)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$
The Bellwether
4.6(26)Downtown Los Angeles
Rhythm Room L.A.
4.6(23)Downtown Los Angeles · $$
Harvelle's
4.6(23)Santa Monica · $$
Tramp Stamp Granny's
4.6(17)Hollywood
The Slipper Clutch
4.6(16)Downtown Los Angeles · $$
Sam First - Jazz Club & Bar
4.6(14)$$
El Rey Theatre
4.6(13)Mid-Wilshire / Miracle Mile · $$
Gold Diggers Bar
4.6(8)Los Feliz / Griffith Park
The Echo
4.6(7)Silver Lake / Echo Park · $$
Whisky a Go Go
4.6(5)West Hollywood · $$$
The Mint
4.5(18)Mid-Wilshire / Miracle Mile · $
Showing 73–96 of 125 spots
Good to know
- What's the best place for live music in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is American Junkie in Redondo / Hermosa Beach, rated 4.1 out of 5. Gaucho Beach and The Victorian round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best live music venues?
- Downtown Los Angeles (4), Hollywood (3) and Beverly Hills (2) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable live music venues in Los Angeles?
- Yes — American Junkie, Gaucho Beach and The Victorian are all $$ or under.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for 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.