After dark: A guide to nightlife in Los Angeles

Cliche as it maybe, who among us is going to turn down the chance of a roof top selfie with the Hollywood sign stealing the limelight in the background? Few of us will have the willpower. Happily, there’s reason to give it a whirl. Mama Shelter’s slice of LA real estate makes it one of the best rooftop bars in Los Angeles. Bringing the fun to their rainbow-tinted open air bar, ping pong and foosball tables keep things casual up top while DJs provide a suitable soundtrack. The views take in almost the entire city. But the joy doesn’t stop there. The food – and, importantly, the drinks make a trip up to the roof worth the while. They even reserve space on the menu for vegans. Legends.  

Look, there’s a theme bar for everyone in LA. All quirky, niche and too numerous to list here. So we’ve plumped for the heartwarmingly gorgeous 70s theme bar, Good Times at Davy Wayne’s. Dedicated to the founder’s father – and all who’ve lost their dads too soon. There’s an air of poignancy to the vintage pinball table and original 70s decor dotted around the place. You’ll need to track down a fridge door on El Centro – so there’s a little fun in just finding Davy’s. Once inside, expect the decade to slap you in the face and serve you a beer-based snow cone (that’s a slush puppie, to those of us not used to Stateside drinks). 

Keep your cool, and your cameraphone firmly stowed away if you book a table at West Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont. Definitely a place to start the night – rather than finish it, LA’s most famous hotel has been providing refuge – and photoshoot locations, to the world’s biggest celebrities since 1927. And that’s largely why you’ll be heading here. The paparazzi permanently camp outside. Julia Roberts has posed effortlessly on their rooftop and it’s the kind of place that inspires photographers to shoot coffee table books full of famous folk languishing in various rooms across the hotel. There’s a gift shop, but that’s also probably best swerved if you’re trying to seamlessly blend into the luxe background. 

From one of Los Angeles’ most exclusive nightlife spots to somewhere a little less picky when it comes to clientele. The Gaslite really can only be described as a Santa Monica dive bar. The beer’s cheap -and not just by LA standards, the karaoke gets wild and the popcorn is free. Though we all know the advice on bar-top snacks. That’s neither here nor there. Happy hour runs from 4pm-9pm daily. Buckets of beer are $14 and the bar is on the celebrity radar. Admittedly it’s been a decade since Jewel dropped in and created a viral video. But the Gaslite is the kind of place where anything can happen. Expect fun with a capital F.