Nightlife in Los Angeles

Bars are the perennial meeting ground for all things social, romantic, and professional. Whether it’s hanging with friends, meeting a date, or blowing off steam with colleagues after a long day of work, Los Angeles bars are where everyone goes to meet, greet, and commiserate. While it may seem like very little separates the average bar from all the rest, an increasing number of Los Angeles bars are going out of their way to become unique and lure potential regulars by catering to their specific tastes and interests.

The best Los Angeles clubs are the ones that have been standing for years, since most nightclubs tend to come and go as quickly as drinks at the bar. Depending upon what type of scene patrons are interested in, there’s always a lot to choose from, be it dance clubs with the hottest DJ’s or clubs that cater to niche and alternative lifestyles. Ranging from low-key hipster hangouts to upscale dancehalls, nightclubs are almost ineffable. Somewhere between swanky lounge and mega-club, nightclubs are mostly populated by the nicely dressed who can't decide between chatting over tasty cocktails or dancing in a sea of sweaty people, so they opt for a place that will more than likely offer both options. In Los Angeles, a nightclub is generally a place where pretension is thrown to the wind and an art is made out of getting people wildly intoxicated.

Los Angeles pubs are renowned for their drinks and hospitality, serving up some of the best brews and Irish inspired feasts outside of Dublin. Some of their sumptuous offerings include Shepard’s Pie, pot pies, and a multitude of heapingly huge sandwiches. The regular beers on tap and Irish whiskeys are the perfect way to guzzle down those large helpings with friends and family. These pubs are, of course, where everyone in town flocks to on St. Patrick’s Day!

While the word summons images of rich, velvet couches, the glow of red lights and the flicker of candles, no one really knows exactly how to define a lounge. In Los Angeles, lounges range from kitschy rooms in hotel lobbies to resplendent and exclusive havens for the paparazzi magnets. While many of LA's lounges do serve as hideaways for the Hollywood elite, others are just as overflowing with night owls as any of the most popular clubs. Some double as smaller dance clubs and surround the slick dance floor with plush sofas, allowing the mellow to seamlessly blend with the energetic. Many Los Angeles lounges are attached to some of the best restaurants in town, offering patrons the option of eating in a private nook in lieu of the main dining room.

In a tradition as true as apple pie, nothing seems to go better with sports than an ice cold beer and a rowdy crowd. From blue-collar folk with sports on the mind to UCLA frat boys looking for a place to prowl for women without missing the Bruins action, Los Angeles's sports bars are as popular as Disneyland. Locals and tourists alike love packing into these often-tiny dives to watch their favorite sport, and the ubiquitous cocktails often make for an exciting experience. While most sports bars also feature a tasty menu of traditional pub fare, many of the sports bars in LA keep up with the glam of their surroundings by serving gourmet dishes as well. It seems that everyone in LA is a sports fan, since flat-screened televisions bright with games can be found in every setting, from Mexican cantinas to swanky hotel lounges.

From wannabe divas belting out "I Will Survive" to drunken duos singing "Summer Nights," karaoke is one of the most popular ways to spice up a night of drinking in almost any town. In Los Angeles, though, karaoke also serves as the practice stage for aspiring singers. Alongside goofy friends laughing at each other's drunken performances are people who take to the stage with hopes of an agent sitting quietly in the audience. As per usual, much of the Los Angeles karaoke scene erupts from mild-mannered-by-day Japanese restaurants that haul out the microphone when the sun goes down. But, due to it's popularity, karaoke also has come to be an institution in a variety of venues, ranging from dedicated nights at dive bars to constantly swarmed stages at live music clubs.