Around Kavahana
2 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.8 mi
5:30 PMDinner
2
7:00 PMThe show
← Best live music venues in Los AngelesDate night guide · Los Angeles
A night of live music in Santa Monica
Eat early, catch the set, stay for one more.
8 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 8 live music venues in 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.
Around Santa Monica Farmers’ Market
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
< 0.1 mi
5:30 PMDinner
2
0.6 mi
7:00 PMThe show
3
8:30 PMNightcap
Around Michael's
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
< 0.1 mi
5:30 PMDinner
2
0.7 mi
7:00 PMThe show
3
8:30 PMNightcap
Live music venues in Santa Monica
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Kavahana
4.5(26)Santa Monica · $
Santa Monica Farmers’ Market
4.5(11)Santa Monica · $
Michael's
4.5(8)Santa Monica · $$$
Sirena Bar
4.5(6)Santa Monica · $$$
The Victorian
4.3(9)Santa Monica · $$
The Chestnut Club
4.0(18)Santa Monica · $$$
The Georgian Room
3.8(24)Santa Monica · $$$$
Harvelle's
4.3(23)Santa Monica · $$
Good to know
- What's the best place for live music in Santa Monica for a date?
- Our top pick is Kavahana, rated 4.5 out of 5. Santa Monica Farmers’ Market and Michael's round out the top 3.
- Are there affordable live music venues in Santa Monica?
- Yes — Kavahana, Santa Monica Farmers’ Market and The Victorian are all $$ or under.
- 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.