The 5 Best Los Angeles Bars

1. The Edison

Hollywood glamour isn't dead. It's at the Edison.

This historical Los Angeles bar lives inside the building that housed LA's first power company. The architecture and mechanical devices have been restored to their former glory and create a unique style known as "Industrial Cathedral". While that sounds like the proper style for latex corset and a platform cat suit – it's not. The Edison is the epitome of Hollywood's gilded past. The extensive drink menu includes pages of specialty cocktails. The bar serves fine drinking food such as Kobe beef sliders, homemade Bavarian pretzels, and shrimp, squid, and scallop ceviche.

2. Red Lion Tavern

Traditional German food paired with traditional German beer is always a winning combination. The Red Lion Tavern has served as the outdoor beer garden bar of Los Angeles for decades. Menu samplings include sausage platters, bratwursts, Hungarian goulash, beef, chicken, and pork schnitzels, and roast duck. Don't forget the Black Forest cake, strudel, and Bavarian pretzels to pair with your ale, lager, and pilsner.

3. The Veranda at the Figueroa Hotel

The Veranda is one of the best bars in Los Angeles – and the celebrities know it. The Veranda is often the landing place for those quiet little Hollywood after parties, with a kitschy decor swimming pool and seating under the stars.

The Figueroa Hotel offers more than just the Veranda, however. It's a piece of Morocco in Southern California. There are half a dozen gathering spaces tucked into the hotel, ranging from wide open with a dance floor, to comfortable lounge seating, to small and intimate rooms to really get to know someone a little better.

4. Whisky a Go Go

The Whisky a Go Go isn't just one of the most famous bars in Los Angeles – it's one of the most famous in the world. The bar started the go-go dancing craze during its early years. Its stage has seen the likes of the Doors, The Turtles, The Who, The Kinks, Motley Crue, The Ramones, Metallica, Nirvana, and many more. Many major rock acts consider their stint at the Whisky a major turning point in their path to stardom. The Whisky is a required stop for any rock enthusiast visiting LA. The bar offers live music by both headlining acts and emerging local talent in addition to DJ nights where girls dance in cages.

5. Nic's Martini Bar

Nic's Martini Bar is retro in a good way – the 60s. This Los Angeles bar actually has a shrine dedicated to the one and only Dean Martin. Indulge in a gorgeous steak, oysters stuffed with seaweed and garlic, and peppered grilled salmon with mango while sipping on handcrafted and perfected libations. Listen to smooth jazz, light R&B, funky soul while you eat and enjoy your company.

Once you're relaxed and loosened up, try a tasting flight into the VodBox – a walk-in freezer full of the best vodkas from around the world. To keep the chill away, ladies don swanky furs whilst the men put on heavy overcoats.

If you're ready to really the party, check out the best clubs in Los Angeles.