Los Angeles has 300 clear days a year, which means the best rooftop bars in Los Angeles operate in conditions that no other American city can match for consistency. The light here at sunset is the reason the film industry moved to LA, and a good rooftop bar catches the full benefit of it. We spent a week across DTLA, West Hollywood, Hollywood, and Santa Monica to identify the 10 that are worth your evening.
The Best Rooftop Bars in Los Angeles for Downtown Views
Downtown LA built a proper skyline over the past 20 years and the rooftop bars that face it from above are among the best urban views in the country. These three are the top options.
01
Perch LA
Downtown LA$$$French Inspired / Panoramic
On the 15th floor of a Historic Core building, Perch faces the full DTLA skyline to the north and west. The French-inspired aesthetic is well-executed — dark wood, brass fixtures, and a wine and cocktail program that takes its European references seriously. The outdoor terrace wraps the building and offers different views from each section. The best position is the northwest corner for the sunset view toward Hollywood Hills.
Order: French 75 with Hendricks gin, fresh lemon, and Laurent-Perrier champagne
02
Upstairs at Ace Hotel
Downtown LA$$$Pool Deck / Creative
The Ace Hotel rooftop in Broadway Historic District is the kind of DTLA rooftop that earns its reputation by actually being good rather than just being in the right postcode. The pool deck faces the full Historic Core skyline and the cocktail program is one of the most creative in the city. The crowd is creative industry and music-adjacent. A resident DJ plays from 7pm on weekends at a volume that allows conversation, which is a rarer quality than it should be.
Order: Mezcal Negroni with Montelobos, house sweet vermouth, and a smoked orange peel
03
The Rooftop at Hotel Figueroa
South Park DTLA$$$Pool Bar / Social
Hotel Figueroa's rooftop pool bar is the most reliably excellent hotel rooftop in Downtown LA, which is a competitive category. The Moroccan-influenced design gives the terrace a warmth that most DTLA rooftops lack. The cocktail menu is extensive and well-priced for the setting. The Staples Center view from the south terrace makes this the best-positioned rooftop in the city during Clippers or Lakers games when the city's energy is concentrated in this block.
Order: The Figueroa Punch, a house rum and hibiscus cocktail served over a large format ice sphere
The full Los Angeles bar guide
Every bar category in Los Angeles, from Silver Lake cocktail bars to Venice Beach hidden gems. Our complete LA guide.
Best Rooftop Bars in Los Angeles for West Side and Hollywood
The best rooftop bars in Los Angeles span a city that is 40 miles across. These four cover the West Side and Hollywood, which means a different character and crowd from Downtown.
04
High Bar at Dream Hollywood
Hollywood$$$$Hollywood Hills View / Sleek
On the 11th floor of Dream Hollywood, High Bar faces the Hollywood Hills with the HOLLYWOOD sign visible on a clear night from the north terrace. The cocktail menu is sleek and well-executed. The crowd is entertainment industry and the bar knows it — the service is attentive without being obsequious, the pacing is right for a long evening, and the sound design keeps the energy up without sacrificing conversation. Reserve the terrace table on the north side at least a week in advance.
Order: Hollywood Sunset, a smoky mezcal and passion fruit cocktail with chili salt rim
05
Mama Shelter Rooftop
Hollywood$$Playful / Accessible
Mama Shelter on Cahuenga is the honest version of the Hollywood rooftop bar — a place designed for people who actually want to enjoy themselves rather than be seen doing it. The cocktail menu is shorter and more fun than the hotel bars nearby. The crowd is genuinely mixed, the prices are fair for Hollywood, and the ping-pong tables and board games give the terrace a character that most rooftop bars are too self-conscious to attempt. Best on a Sunday afternoon.
Order: Frozen Frose on the terrace, the house frozen rose with peach and lemon
06
Ysabel Rooftop Terrace
West Hollywood$$$$Spanish / Sophisticated
Ysabel in West Hollywood operates a rooftop terrace above its Spanish-influenced restaurant that attracts a decidedly industry crowd and does not apologize for it. The cocktail program is serious and the bar team understands the Spanish influence they are working within — vermouth, sherry, and proper citrus appear throughout the menu rather than as affectations. The terrace fills quickly and the vibe rewards those who arrive by 7pm.
Order: Catalonian Spritz with Manzanilla sherry, Cocchi Americano, and grapefruit soda
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Coastal and Silver Lake: More LA Rooftops
The final four cover the coastal side of LA and the east side neighbourhoods, which have developed their own versions of the rooftop bar that are worth knowing about.
07
Herringbone Rooftop
Santa Monica$$$Coastal / Seafood-Forward
Santa Monica's best rooftop bar faces the Pacific from a position above the Third Street Promenade with the ocean visible from the west terrace. The cocktail program complements the seafood kitchen below and runs to 14 drinks with a rotating specials menu. The crowd is a genuine mix of Santa Monica residents, beach visitors, and Westside professionals. Arrive before the sunset for the full western sky experience that makes LA rooftops unique.
Order: Santa Monica Gimlet with local distillery gin, fresh lime, and house elderflower cordial
08
Broken Shaker at Freehand LA
Koreatown$$$Creative / Multicultural
The LA outpost of Broken Shaker occupies the rooftop of the Freehand Hotel in Koreatown, which means the view spans a genuinely diverse Los Angeles from a neighbourhood that has not been gentrified into a single demographic. The cocktail menu is seasonal and draws on the neighbourhood's Korean and Central American food cultures in ways that feel genuine. The pool is small and the deck is compact, which keeps the crowd at a size that permits conversation.
Order: Korean Mule with soju, fresh ginger, cucumber, and house yuzu soda
09
Good Times at Davey Wayne's Rooftop
Hollywood$$Retro / Fun
Davey Wayne's is a 70s-themed bar on Hollywood Boulevard and the rooftop annex operates with the same commitment to the era. The cocktail menu takes the theme seriously without letting it compromise the quality. The prices are among the most honest in Hollywood. The crowd is there to have a good time rather than to impress anyone, which makes it one of the most reliably enjoyable evenings in the neighbourhood. No reservations on the rooftop — arrive before 8pm on weekends.
Order: Harvey Wallbanger, made properly with Galliano and fresh orange juice
10
The Bungalow
Santa Monica$$$Garden / Festive
The Bungalow at the Fairmont Santa Monica is not quite a rooftop but the elevated garden terraces above the Pacific Coast Highway offer ocean views that the technical definition should not disqualify. The bar is one of the most consistently well-run in the city, with a cocktail program that holds the same quality on a Tuesday in January as it does on a Friday in August. The Aperol menu here is the most comprehensive we have found on the West Coast.
Order: The Bungalow Spritz, a house Aperol variation with Lillet Blanc and grapefruit soda
Los Angeles rooftop bars: the full directory
All rooftop listings in Los Angeles, filterable by neighbourhood, price range, and occasion.
Los Angeles offers 12 months of viable rooftop bar season, which means the best options have had time to mature and develop drink programs that match their settings. Perch LA is the top pick for first-time visitors who want the full DTLA skyline experience. For residents, Broken Shaker at Freehand LA and Upstairs at the Ace remain the bars that consistently deliver on both cocktail quality and atmosphere.
LA's geography means choosing the right neighbourhood matters more here than in other cities. Downtown, Hollywood, and Santa Monica are 45-minute drives from each other in traffic — plan accordingly rather than trying to cover multiple areas in one evening.
The Best Bars in Los Angeles
Our complete LA guide across all 8 bar categories, from Silver Lake cocktail bars to date night spots in WeHo.
