In August, the Los Angeles Times spotlighted 21 new bars, proof that the city’s nightlife is thriving post-pandemic. Among them: Evangeline Swamp Room, a Chinatown lounge channeling New Orleans with live jazz, red-velvet booths, and oysters on ice.
Others lean into concept: a tropical speakeasy in Highland Park, a minimalist gin bar downtown, a maximalist karaoke spot in Koreatown. Each represents what nightlife in Los Angeles has always been a mosaic.
For locals, the surge in new openings is a sign of renewal. For visitors, it’s a roadmap to discover neighborhoods block by block, drink by drink.
