My Favorite Rooftops in Los Angeles
Note that I said favorite, as in personal preference.
As the temperature rises and Memorial Day weekend inches closer, rooftop season is in its soft launch period. A cold drink and a killer view remind us every summer why we pay these LA rent prices.
If you’re trying to catch me outside this summer, I’m probably at one of these spots:
For a Tropical Drink at Sunset
Broken Shaker at Freehand Hotel (DTLA)
Though downtown is littered with rooftop bars, it’s hard to compete with the Broken Shaker’s views. It’s fairly small, so I prefer sipping a drink or two at the beginning of the night or to cap off some day drinking.
If you want tiki vibes without the appropriation, the cocktail menu leans into the tropics with a tequila, mescal, and rum-forward reimaginings of classics. Though I love a good rum drink, I’m currently obsessed with the Glorious Basterd, a Penicillin-adjacent drink with surprising pops of Fernet and Italicus.
Happy Hour: Mon–Thurs 3pm–6pm; $14 specialty cocktails and a $20 burger and beer combo
For Your Out-of-Town Friends/Family
Perch (DTLA)
If you’re showing someone to LA and you want a “Wow” moment, you have to go to Perch. It’s on every list for a reason. In all the years I’ve been going to this restaurant, I’ve never noticed a dip in service, food, or drink quality. Do I have a salmon gnocchi pesto problem? Maybe, but that’s between me and my bank account!
You can sit down to a formal dinner or snag a cozy lounge area for drinks and apps for a group. They have ambient live music, often from industry session musicians, that somehow never overwhelms your ability to hold a conversation. If you want a little privacy, there’s an additional private patio upstairs that’s perfect for everything from birthday dinners to romantic proposals.
Happy Hour: Mon–Fri 4pm–6pm; $9 highballs, $7 wine, and $5 beer with small bites $5–9
For A Breathtaking View
Castaway (Burbank)
Okay, so this isn’t a rooftop, but it’s hard to exclude the best view in Los Angeles. Honestly, Castaway’s drink menu is more compelling than the food, but the happy hour will make you a regular. The cocktail presentations and flavor combinations are always fun and imaginative, from Belle’s smoky reveal to the spirit-free creamsicle Tangerine Sherbert.
Happy Hour: Mon–Thurs 4pm–6pm
For a Melanated Good Time (x2)
For Good Tunes and the Wine Curious
Sauced at STILE Hotel (DTLA)
Atop the former Ace Hotel, this New York transplant brings the best of New York with it. Home to a bevy of pop-ups, Sauced is a wine bar that can turn up or help you wind down. It’s definitely an intimate venue, so make sure you get your tickets early so you can be part of the fun!
One of the draws for Sauced is how they approach their menu. For food, you can expect a lean offering of charcuterie, cheese, or oysters. For the wine, you’re getting service from people somewhere in between a bartender and a sommelier. They guide you through some options with taster pours to help you find your Goldilocks wine.
Happy Hour: N/A
For Happy Hour
Grandmaster Recorders Rooftop (Hollywood)
With Mama Shelter closed, Grandmaster Recorders is the place to be in Hollywood if you’re over the clubbier vibes of rooftops like Bar Lis and Dream. Despite being sky-high, the vibe is down-to-earth with views of the Hollywood sign and the Capitol Records building.
The biggest draw? One of the best happy hours of any rooftop spot in the city. You can’t really compete with $10 spritzes and pizza by the slice on a balmy July day. If you want a little more space to groove, there’s always Studio 71 downstairs.
Happy Hour: Tues–Fri 5pm–7pm; $10 Slushes, Spritzes, and Sangria; Bottomless Pizza on Sundays 2pm–8pm
For An Expertly Crafted Cocktail
Bar Florentín (DTLA)
For the discerning drinker, Bar Florentín offers a mixologist’s approach to a rooftop bar. When drinks creep up in price, it’s always nice to see the work that went into it. You can’t go wrong with their Florentiní, and there’s also a lean food menu with pizza (gluten-free dough available!), charcuterie, salads, and desserts.
The indoor/outdoor flow leaves room for a lively dancefloor and cozy lounge areas. With its speakeasy vibes, you might miss the bar’s entrance in an alleyway that’s most easily approached through a parking lot (a neon green sign leads the way, and a video on their IG Highlights can help). The indoor/outdoor flow leaves room for a lively dancefloor and cozy lounge areas.
Happy Hour: Daily 5pm–7pm; $10 Golden Hour Spritz
For Luxurious Ocean Views
HALO Rooftop Bar at Fairmont Breakers (Long Beach)
The crown jewel of the Fairmont’s renovations, HALO Rooftop Bar is the perfect place for a fancy night out. Long Beach brings the heat with its restaurants and bars, but the laid-back beachy vibe can make it hard to find a spot for those special nights without getting on a freeway.
The tropical interior is drenched in green tiles, and the harbor views can only be outdone by Castaway. On a clear day, you can see everything from Catalina to DTLA while you order from the second bar outside. They’re still building out their cocktail menu, but service is fun, light, and unpretentious.
Happy Hour: N/A
For a Poolside Beveragino
Bar Clara at Hotel Per La (DTLA)
Other than the Broken Shaker, this is the only other poolside bar I frequent. Their debut menu last year was a little hit or miss, but it’s been reined in as a tight menu anyone would enjoy in a cabana. Don’t sleep on the prawns, and don’t even think about turning your nose up at their frozé!
Happy Hour: Weekdays 12pm–3pm; $12 Margs, Collins, and Sangria with 25% off small bites.
Keeping My Eye On…
ÜCA at The Delphi (DTLA)
Even though the rooms at The Delphi are surprisingly bland, its main floor will have you ready to move in. From live jazz at the cafe to DTLA’s sleeper brunch hit Denae’s, I’m confident that this new Tulum-inspired rooftop experience won’t miss either.
Remember to check these out with this handy Google Maps list!
What are your favorite rooftops in LA?