Catch views of the downtown skyline from the interior bar at Cara Cara, a Californian restaurant on the 15th floor of the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
50 of the best rooftop restaurants and bars to soak in city views
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Nothing beats a view of Los Angeles from above. Peer downtown and you’ll spy City Hall and the US Bank Tower. Head toward Hollywood and you’ll glimpse its rolling, mansion-dotted hills and its eponymous sign tucked between them. Keep going west and you’ll eventually spot the Pacific coastline with its jutting piers, foaming shores and jagged cliffs. And there are countless more neighborhoods between those horizons that boast their own spectacles.
As for where to soak in the sights, you have a slew of options. There’s the reward of hiking to the top of a trail, but as summer approaches, L.A.’s rooftop restaurants and bars prove more tempting, offering incomparable vistas alongside sparkling pools, creative cocktails, prime people-watching and, of late, memorable meals. While delicious food can be a bit of an anomaly for rooftops, where the focus is often on socializing and drinking, several newcomers stand out with worthwhile culinary programs in addition to remarkable views.
In downtown, a hospitality group led by Issa Rae is offering a lush, Mexico City-inspired nightlife option, complete with tacos and churros to fuel late-night dancing. At the Original Farmers Market, you can pair views of the historic marketplace with a panko-oyster topped hand roll. And in Westchester, you can order hyperseasonal ceviche as airplanes roar overhead.
From hidden vine-wrapped nooks to sprawling patio spaces, here are the best restaurants for dining outside in L.A.
Perched in these uplifted environments, it’s hard not to be enveloped by a sense of optimism. It’s similar to looking out the window on a descending flight home, silently naming landmarks as they come into view and chuckling at the blinking brake lights on the zigzag of freeways below. With a distanced and wider perspective, you’re reminded of all the reasons you love this city.
We get a little loose with the definition of rooftop for this guide, including a multilevel terrace and pool in Silver Lake and a farm-to-table restaurant at the edge of Malibu Pier, but we promise you’ll be grateful for these liberties once you take in the panoramas. Some are perfect for a dinner date, while others are great for catching up with friends over drinks and a few are best suited for dancing after dark. Here are 50 of the best rooftop restaurants and bars, overlooking Disneyland resort, Laguna Beach, downtown L.A., Santa Monica, Culver City, Venice and beyond, ranked by height. — Danielle Dorsey
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Spire 73
Downtown L.A. Californian $$$
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
There’s a shift in perception that occurs in the way you view Los Angeles, and even your place on this Earth, when you are 73 floors up on the rooftop lounge of the tallest building west of the Mississippi. For one, airplanes seem really, really close. Few other places in the city offer views over the tops of L.A.’s iconic skyscrapers and actually make you feel as if you are scraping the sky from the 1,100-foot (counting the spire) Wilshire Grand Center.
One thing: The menu at Spire 73 is weighted toward snacky share plates rather than serious cuisine. (For fine dining with a non-rooftop view, head down two flights for the hotel’s La Boucherie steak and seafood house on the 71st floor.)
Spire 73’s “mixologist-inspired” (versus mixologist-made?) cocktails run $23 to $27 and go down easy as you watch the glow of the sun setting across the city.
The best-realized dish was the seared salmon with spring vegetables. The most fun? Spire 73’s rooftop s’mores. Yes, the Graham cracker could have been better, but it’s a not a bad night out when you can set a marshmallow aflame campfire style on a Sterno-flamed mini-grill as the stars twinkle above, the city’s lights flicker below and your fellow diners pose for selfies.
One thing: The menu at Spire 73 is weighted toward snacky share plates rather than serious cuisine. (For fine dining with a non-rooftop view, head down two flights for the hotel’s La Boucherie steak and seafood house on the 71st floor.)
Spire 73’s “mixologist-inspired” (versus mixologist-made?) cocktails run $23 to $27 and go down easy as you watch the glow of the sun setting across the city.
The best-realized dish was the seared salmon with spring vegetables. The most fun? Spire 73’s rooftop s’mores. Yes, the Graham cracker could have been better, but it’s a not a bad night out when you can set a marshmallow aflame campfire style on a Sterno-flamed mini-grill as the stars twinkle above, the city’s lights flicker below and your fellow diners pose for selfies.
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La Lo La Rooftop
Downtown L.A. Tapas Cocktails $$
(Shawn Scott)
Located on the 34th floor of the AC Hotel, just across the street from Crypto.com Arena and the L.A. Convention Center, La Lo La Rooftop bar is smack dab in the middle of downtown, with breathtaking, almost-360-degree views of the entirety of Los Angeles. The buzzy tapas bar is a favorite destination before or after an event at Crypto.com, with swooping string lights, bright and fruity cocktails, crowd-pleasing bites and a slate of recurring events such as weekend brunch or live DJs on Friday and Saturday nights. And a tip: Check ahead of your visit to see if there are any games or events happening at Crypto.com Arena — traffic and parking can get pretty hairy in this area.
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Yamashiro
Hollywood Hills Asian $$
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Located 250 feet above Hollywood Boulevard and overlooking the Hollywood Hills, downtown skyline and Pacific coastline, Yamashiro isn’t technically a rooftop, but it evokes the same feeling from its multilevel, wraparound patio and historic bungalow (request a seat by the floor-to-ceiling windows and you won’t miss the view). Built in 1914 as a replica of a palace in the Yamashiro Mountains near Kyoto, Japan, the grounds remain well preserved with a garden and koi pond that you’ll glimpse if you decide to stroll the expansive property before or after your meal.
Now partially owned by Nick Cannon, Yamashiro recently updated its menu, which resembles one you might find at Cheesecake Factory for its length, though the dishes typically fall into a modern pan-Asian category, including lobster karaage, pork bao buns, sashimi pizza and loaded cut rolls, plus steak and seafood entrees. There’s a sake list, but the cocktail menu proves more interesting with Japanese whisky and gin featured heavily throughout. Valet parking is $15, or you can try your luck along a narrow stretch of Sycamore Avenue, but prepare yourself for the uphill climb.
Now partially owned by Nick Cannon, Yamashiro recently updated its menu, which resembles one you might find at Cheesecake Factory for its length, though the dishes typically fall into a modern pan-Asian category, including lobster karaage, pork bao buns, sashimi pizza and loaded cut rolls, plus steak and seafood entrees. There’s a sake list, but the cocktail menu proves more interesting with Japanese whisky and gin featured heavily throughout. Valet parking is $15, or you can try your luck along a narrow stretch of Sycamore Avenue, but prepare yourself for the uphill climb.
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Hive & Honey
Irvine American $$
(Timothy Kwon / Hive & Honey)
Hive & Honey is a buzzy bar perched on the 16th floor of Marriott Irvine Spectrum. A host positioned at the elevator bay of the hotel directs the flow to the roof, where a panoramic outlook over Irvine means there isn’t a bad seat in the house, if you can get one. Reservations are recommended since this rooftop bar is popular with groups who settle in on sofas and order bottle service. Those on a date night can grab a high-top table for two to order small plates, while singles circulate with cocktails served in honey-bear bottles. A live DJ spins on weekends, and ambient-colored lighting adds to the party atmosphere. There are clear views of Irvine’s Great Park, the Irvine Spectrum and Saddleback Mountain. The menu features indulgent bar food, and the rooftop’s name hints at the honey kept on hand for many of its cocktails. The Old Fashioned uses rye whiskey infused with honeycomb, while the Bees Knees is made with house-made honey syrup, orgeat, lemon and gin.
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Perch
Downtown L.A. French $$
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The brunch crowd comes out in hordes to this 15th-floor, French-inflected restaurant where you’ll be treated to live jazz and clear downtown views in addition to a la carte and prix fixe menus with hits like flaky baked brie, crab benedict and shrimp scampi, as well as cocktails like bloody marys, bellinis and mimosas. After you’ve filled up on pitchers of sangria, head one floor up to Perch’s 16th-floor bar to keep the party going. Pro tip: You can also order a cocktail at the rooftop bar if you failed to make a reservation and need somewhere to kill an hour while you wait for your table.
In a neighborhood full of skyscrapers, Perch’s rooftop bar feels like a garden in the city with nearly 360-degree views. With mismatched cushions lining wrought-iron benches, trees wrapped in string lights and brick fireplaces, it’s easy to lose an afternoon or evening here. It’s definitely a go-to spot for postwork drinks and couples looking for a backdrop for their hard-launch post on Instagram, but those factors don’t detract from the ambiance. Craft cocktails lean into the garden theme, like the citrusy Summer Solstice and a cucumber-basil Le Jardin.
In a neighborhood full of skyscrapers, Perch’s rooftop bar feels like a garden in the city with nearly 360-degree views. With mismatched cushions lining wrought-iron benches, trees wrapped in string lights and brick fireplaces, it’s easy to lose an afternoon or evening here. It’s definitely a go-to spot for postwork drinks and couples looking for a backdrop for their hard-launch post on Instagram, but those factors don’t detract from the ambiance. Craft cocktails lean into the garden theme, like the citrusy Summer Solstice and a cucumber-basil Le Jardin.
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Cara Cara
Downtown L.A. Californian Portuguese $$
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Gracing the 15th floor of the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel, Cara Cara serves some of the best rooftop cuisine you’ll find in the city. The restaurant from chef Suzanne Goin and restaurateur Caroline Styne shares the same California-influenced perspective as their lobby-level Caldo Verde space, where you’ll find large-format dishes and multicourse Sunday suppers with celebrity chefs like Carla Hall and Phil Rosenthal.
Upstairs at Cara Cara, the seating spills across an indoor-outdoor bar area to a covered patio to a lower level of wraparound seating with tables, couches, umbrellas and fireplaces. The all-day menu makes it tempting to stick around as the sun sets, with dishes meant for sharing, such as piri piri fried chicken, a selection of tacos and focaccia pizzas, plus entrees like Dungeness crab pasta and grilled branzino topped with tangerine butter. Cocktails are creative and fruity with fresh ingredients, such as a chile cucumber gimlet and a passion fruit caipirinha with mezcal. A few spirit-free cocktails are available, as well as wines by the glass, with an emphasis on California and Spanish labels.
Upstairs at Cara Cara, the seating spills across an indoor-outdoor bar area to a covered patio to a lower level of wraparound seating with tables, couches, umbrellas and fireplaces. The all-day menu makes it tempting to stick around as the sun sets, with dishes meant for sharing, such as piri piri fried chicken, a selection of tacos and focaccia pizzas, plus entrees like Dungeness crab pasta and grilled branzino topped with tangerine butter. Cocktails are creative and fruity with fresh ingredients, such as a chile cucumber gimlet and a passion fruit caipirinha with mezcal. A few spirit-free cocktails are available, as well as wines by the glass, with an emphasis on California and Spanish labels.
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The Roof at West Hollywood Edition
West Hollywood Mexican $$
(Nikolas Koenig)
Perched above Sunset Boulevard on the 14th floor of the West Hollywood Edition hotel, the roof here offers seating that’s sandwiched between an infinity pool and a glass-wall border with a garden hedge, giving guests sparkling views of downtown, Mid-City, Beverly Hills and much of the Westside. Should it get too breezy on the exterior, there is an indoor bar with stools and cobalt-blue couches. As it caters to model-slash-influencer-slash-podcast host-slash-producer types who are largely preoccupied with capturing photos for the ’gram, you might not see too many patrons digging into the food menu, but it’s one worth exploring, with a broad Baja Mexican theme. The Dungeness crab nachos drenched in a melted cheese mornay sauce are a standout. There are also tacos, ceviche and guacamole, in addition to a trio of tortas. The cocktail menu leans into agave spirits and refreshing, herbaceous flavors, including a banana-infused espresso martini.
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Broken Shaker
Downtown L.A. Californian $$
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
L.A.’s outpost of Miami’s lauded Broken Shaker bar sits on the 14th-floor rooftop of downtown’s Freehand Hotel, dotted with palm fronds, cactuses and bulb lights for a sunny vibe, and drinks and bites that match the atmosphere. The cocktail list leans tropical and fruity with options such as La Bomb Colada, a piña colada take with tequila, limoncello, ancho verde, coconut and pineapple. The food menu offers poolside L.A.-inspired classics: coconut curry shrimp skewers, carne asada fries, falafel burgers, fried fish tacos and ceviche.
There’s limited seating at the bar and its scant tables, but for the ultimate rooftop experience, opt for the cordoned-off pool area (even if you don’t intend to swim): Access to the pool and its lounge chairs aren’t limited to hotel guests, but it is first come, first served. A poolside happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., with discounted cocktails, bites and a burger and beer combo for $20. Note: Kitchen hours are limited, with food served only from 12 to 7 p.m. most nights of the week and from 1 to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
There’s limited seating at the bar and its scant tables, but for the ultimate rooftop experience, opt for the cordoned-off pool area (even if you don’t intend to swim): Access to the pool and its lounge chairs aren’t limited to hotel guests, but it is first come, first served. A poolside happy hour runs Monday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., with discounted cocktails, bites and a burger and beer combo for $20. Note: Kitchen hours are limited, with food served only from 12 to 7 p.m. most nights of the week and from 1 to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
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Bar Clara
Downtown L.A. Spanish $$
(Bar Clara)
This landmark 12th-floor rooftop in a historic building — formerly the L.A. headquarters of Bank of Italy (which later became Bank of America) — is immediately recognizable for its poolside replica of the face of underworld god Orcus, based on an architectural folly in a northern Lazio, Italy, garden. Located at the far end of the pool, its gaping mouth occasionally serves as a cool-weather firepit, and its backdrop is downtown L.A.’s skyscraper horizon. Hotel Per La’s showcase dining room might be the ground-floor Per L’Ora restaurant, but the rooftop patio at Bar Clara is where you want to soak up the al fresco life, especially around sunset. The abbreviated Mediterranean-esque menu has a few bar snacks (the harissa-seasoned fries are addictive), salads (fattoush, say) and mains ( skirt steak with Calabrian chile chimichurri if you’re hungry), but it’s an ideal location to start the evening with a first round or two of drinks.
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Rooftop by JG
Beverly Hills Californian $$$
(Rooftop by JG)
Sitting 12 floors up on the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills hotel, the astonishing views at Rooftop by JG are the centerpiece, accompanied by a muted emerald-and-white palette across the seating and decor. The open-air rooftop has a seafood-focused menu that ranges from a sashimi sampler platter to a lobster burger and a vaguely Cuban-inspired chicken and vegetable dish. As the sun sets, Rooftop by JG shifts from a place for families and business meetings to an intimate date spot where you can gaze out to see as far as downtown L.A. The cocktails are beautifully presented with vibrant colors, edible flowers and an embossed “WA” interlocking logo on the ice cubes, but the flavors don’t always match up, with some leaning syrupy or even medicinal. On the other hand, the robust list of spirit-free drinks features hand-pressed juices, La Colombe coffee and teas and well-concocted mocktails like How to Tai a Tai and Honest to Goodness — spins on a virgin Mai Tai and a jolting sweet tea with mint.
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Rooftop at the Wayfarer
Downtown L.A. Mexican Californian
(Eddie Sanchez / Hungry in L.A.)
With a shallow wading pool (complete with a floating rubber ducky), scalloped umbrellas and fire pits, the 12th-story rooftop at the Wayfarer is a convenient day-to-night destination. A bacon breakfast burrito beckons as the day begins, guacamole and ceviche are ideal for snacking and salmon al pastor or steak frites are a few of the entree options, with three-course prix-fixe lunch and brunch menus. The cocktail menu is tiki-inspired, with large-format scorpion bowls available for groups, in addition to a few frozen options and even a couple of warm cocktails for those chilly downtown nights. If you’re up for another adventure after your meal, head to the Wayfarer’s underground speakeasy, Lilly Rose, where you can order tea-based cocktails in an off-kilter “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired setting.
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Top of the V
Anaheim Spanish $$
(Ralph Esposito / VRX Studios)
Top of the V sits on the 12th floor of the Viv, formerly the Radisson Blu Anaheim, with a menu from executive chef Edgar Beas that’s as much a draw as the sweeping views of Anaheim.Plush seats and dim lights set the romantic mood, with velvet curtains pushed back to reveal a bird’s-eye view of Disneyland and California Adventure. Chef Beas worked under three-Michelin-starred chef Martín Berasategui in Spain and takes inspiration from the Basque region for his dishes, like pulpo a la plancha, with tender octopus that‘s braised and then charred with pimentón, potato espuma, olive oil and lemon puree; or Carrillera, braised beef cheek Beas serves in a bright piquillo pepper puree. Enjoy a full Basque Country experience with the five-course tasting menu ($125 per person), available until 8 p.m. for parties of one to four, or the Siesta Sunday menu, a three-course brunch ($65 per person) served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The wine list from food and beverage director Mark Steiner leans toward Old World profiles, but you also can’t go wrong with a glass of sangria. At 9:30 p.m. the lights go down so you can take in Disneyland’s fireworks show, which is when you should order the decadent Basque cheesecake, incredibly creamy and perfectly scorched.
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Harriet's
West Hollywood Californian $$$
(Wonho Frank Lee / Harriet’s Rooftop)
On the 11th floor of 1 Hotel West Hollywood, Harriet’s looks out over the center of the city and, on a clear day, as far as the beach, with glass walls and potted plants partitioning guests without disrupting the view. There’s no pool on the rooftop, but with string lights, fringed umbrellas and green-striped booths, it feels like a place where you could easily laze away an afternoon in the sun. Cocktails (all $21 a pop) help the time slip by, like herb-y Garden Party with tequila, yuzu sake, lemongrass, and grapefruit. The food here is better than average for a rooftop, with prices that add up quickly, but there are plenty of vegetarian options, including a roasted shishitos and roasted soy mushroom bao buns. For dinner, try one of the decorated sushi rolls, galbi-style short ribs or teriyaki chicken. The dress code stipulates that crowns, tiaras and sashes are not welcome, indicating that the rooftop might also be a popular option for bachelorette and bridal parties.
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Merois
West Hollywood Global $$$
(Christian Horan Photography)
On the 11th floor of the Pendry Hotel is a Californian Art Deco haven. Merois is Wolfgang Puck’s fourth restaurant in West Hollywood and sits on the uppermost floor of the Pendry Hotel. From the colorful, seashell-shaped booths to the bird of paradise plants lining the walls, Merois’ design is immediately captivating. There are two dining areas: One faces the hotel pool by the bar and bleeds around the corner into the indoor dining area. From here, you can catch a glimpse of the Hollywood Hills in between high-rise buildings. In the indoor dining room, the closer to the windows you are, the better views you have looking southeast to downtown L.A. and southwest to Baldwin Hills. It does get quite dark in the enclosed dining room once the sun goes down, but the booths make for an intimate retreat as you gaze out through the south-facing windows. Puck’s menu marries pan-Asian influences with California seasonality, including a raw bar with crispy rice and tuna tartare and a selection of dim sum with a standout fried lobster spring roll.
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Bar Lis
Hollywood Bar Bites $$
(Michael Mundy)
A few months ago, a friend celebrated her birthday at swanky Bar Lis, the 11th-floor rooftop on Thompson Hollywood, reserving a seating area in the interior that’s arranged with velvet jewel-toned furniture, fanning palms and framed photos of vintage Mediterranean beach scenes. A server took our food and drink orders instead of us having to order at the bar, and we promptly fired off several rounds of grilled country bread (with creamy burrata, confit leeks and charred nora pistou), French fries, Dungeness crab cakes and buffalo chicken wings to pair with Bisous, a crushable tequila cocktail with watermelon, mango, lime, Aperol and fire water bitters. At 10 p.m. we were politely shooed away as staff moved furniture to make room for a dance floor. Roaming the rooftop, you’ll encounter a fountain overflowing with foliage near the bar and a glass-walled terrace that overlooks Hollywood and its still-lush hills. As the midnight hour closed in, the terrace offered a breather as the dance floor became more and more raucous, rivaling that of any street-level club. Bar Lis is a great weekend option if you want an oontzy soundtrack, but I prefer to visit the lounge on Tuesday evenings for live jazz or Wednesdays.
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Cabra
Downtown L.A. Peruvian $$
(Keni Rosales / Cabra)
On the 10th floor of the Hoxton hotel, Cabra showcases the best of what downtown’s rooftop restaurants have to offer — an extensive menu with food that you’ll want to make a reservation for, punchy cocktails and classic skyline vistas. It isn’t easy to create an intimate dining room on top of a hotel that also provides expansive views from all sides. But the sophomore L.A. restaurant from Chicago chef Stephanie Izard manages to create a cozy, friendly environment set against a cityscape backdrop. Like Girl and the Goat, Izard’s first L.A. restaurant, in the Arts District, Cabra’s menu is big on flavor; here, the focus is Peruvian. (Both Girl and the Goat and Cabra have original locations in Chicago.) Fat, flaky empanadas are served with a huacatay mayo, the bass ceviche is splashed with leche de tigre and the crab causa is layered with aji potato. If you ask to sit by the pool, cocktails — from the classic Pisco sour to Pass the Honey with bourbon and apricot — will be poured into plastic cups, so you can chill in a lounger by the water. Not a bad scenario for weekend brunch.
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Dante
Beverly Hills Italian $$$
(Giada Paoloni/Dante)
One of New York’s latest exports to L.A. is Dante, a rooftop bar and restaurant on the ninth floor of the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills. If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation or get a seat at the bar, opt for one of Dante’s signature cocktails. A handful of martinis and negronis are available, such as a caviar martini with half an ounce of caviar and the Last Sip negroni that was developed with Italian chef Massimo Bottura. Sample martini options during the daily Martini Hour, when they’re discounted to $10 each from 3 to 5 p.m. The food menu unfortunately leaves a bit to be desired: You may be enticed by the restaurant’s poolside wood-fire oven, but the pizza doesn’t particularly stand out, with crust that’s a bit too salty and soggy. If you’re stopping in for afternoon drinks or happy hour, just skip ahead to the dessert menu: in particular, the panna cotta served with a perfectly tart berry sauce was a surprisingly memorable treat.
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Desert 5 Spot
Hollywood Bar/Nightclub $$
(Michael Mundy)
First things first — there’s no dedicated food menu at this rooftop bar on the ninth floor of the Tommie Hollywood hotel. The agave-focused beverage menu, on the other hand, gets creative not just with ingredients but by naming the cocktails in honor of country hits like “Walk the Line” (with mezcal, cucumber, mint and lemon) and “Jolene” (with tequila, watermelon, strawberry, agave and lime). The decor feels like a meticulously designed, ’70s-inspired Pioneertown Airbnb, with mismatched jewel-toned furniture and cover bands crooning Fleetwood Mac hits on the indoor stage. There’s also a wraparound patio with a pool that’s open to the public every Sunday from 2 p.m. to sunset and a mechanical bull that makes special-event appearances. Desert 5 Spot definitely attracts the club crowd on Friday and Saturday nights; it offers karaoke on Wednesday nights, line dancing lessons every Friday and happy hour with discounted drinks and tacos until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. It’s one of the better people-watching venues in Hollywood (which is truly saying something), attracting cowboys in Stetson hats, TikTok celebrities and tourists in equal measure.
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Level 8
Downtown L.A. Global Bar/Nightclub $$$
(Michael Mundy)
Head a couple dozen floors down from La Lo La Rooftop to Level 8, a labyrinthine dining and nightlife destination from Mark and Jonnie Houston (No Vacancy, Break Room 86) that’s taken over the eighth floor of the Moxy / AC Hotel across the street from Crypto.com Arena downtown. Inside, you’ll find far-ranging food and drink concepts, such as Que Barbaro, a live-fire restaurant rooted in South American cooking traditions from chef Ray Garcia and Sinners y Santos, a church-themed bar with dripping candles and stained glass, where a wrestling ring is set up on hydraulics for lucha libre matches. A few options are entirely al fresco with sweeping downtown views, including cocktail-focused Golden Hour,, which offers a pool and a view beneath a rotating carousel bar, and Mother of Pearl, a Champagne and raw bar from chef Joshua Gil.
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Calabra
Santa Monica Mediterranean Californian $$
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Stepping out of the elevator into Calabra, the seventh-floor rooftop on the Santa Monica Proper hotel, you’ll catch one of the restaurant’s best views of Santa Monica Beach as you walk to the dining area. While the rooftop offers unobstructed views of the sky, the height of bordering walls and planters makes it difficult to take in the neighborhood sights. The only other places to catch a view are near the bathrooms behind the dining area or by the pool as a hotel guest. But the panoramas aren’t the only reason to visit Calabra. The Mediterranean-skewing menu beckons with an array of dips served with fresh grilled naan and phyllo-baked feta with a crispy-crunchy crust and a soft, creamy interior. Seared salmon, whole branzino and a house burger round out the large-format options, and a baklava sundae and Lebanese rice pudding are worth saving an appetite for. Cocktails like the Washed Ashore, with tequila blanco, pear brandy, pear liqueur, blue spirulina, lemon and lime, embrace the beach atmosphere.
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Ella
Beverly Hills Californian $$
(Sixty Beverly Hills)
With a pool flanked by cabanas, striped umbrellas, fireplaces and hanging wicker chairs, the seventh-floor rooftop at Beverly Hills’ Sixty Hotel is a vibe. Ella, with food supplied from the lobby-floor restaurant with the same name, helps you extend your fun in the sun with tacos, tuna tartar , pizza and a house burger. Cocktails lean tropical and sweet, such as Cuban Koala with tequila, prosecco, kiwi and lime.
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I|O Rooftop
Hollywood Global $$
(The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood)
The seventh-floor I|O Rooftop on the Godfrey Hollywood hotel features 12,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including two bars, a pool with loungers and umbrellas, a glass-wall border with barstools tucked underneath and palm trees that reinforce your place in the sky. Standard rooftop bites such as chicken wings, guacamole and chips and a house burger are on offer, in addition to a sushi menu with nigiri, sashimi and specialty rolls. A selection of wines by the glass and beer is available, but it’s hard to resist sipping a frozen margarita on a sunny rooftop.
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Lost
Downtown L.A. Mexican Cocktails $
(Jennifer Johnson)
Issa Rae’s hospitality group is behind this seventh-floor rooftop in downtown L.A., and you’ll find their Hilltop Coffee shop and newly opened Downtown Dough pizzeria on the ground floor. With astroturf, potted palms and strung lights, it’s tempting to get lost in this Mexico City-inspired oasis, which further entices with a menu from chef Geter Atienza, including tacos, ceviche quesadillas and churros. Cocktails like the Triple Weight (tequila, walnut liqueur, Mr. Black, cold brew) combined with late-night DJ sets will keep you dancing until the wee hours.
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Videre
Beverly Grove American $$
(Roberto Amado-Cattaneo III)
At the edge of Beverly Hills and next to Fairfax, Videre is a seventh-story rooftop restaurant and bar on the Kimpton Hotel Wilshire. That means you’ll be sharing space with ritzy tourists, but also that the open-air restaurant is open every day, so you can start or end your week by grazing and lounging in the sun with 360-degree views that stretch to Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood sign. The something-for-everyone menu offers bagels, pastries and pancakes for breakfast; seared prawns and a crab Benedict for brunch; and salads, skewers and large-format plates such as yellow tomato and saffron pasta and roasted half chicken over polenta-style corn. A three-course prix fixe lunch is available on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is only $30, with options such as burrata topped with chile ginger vinaigrette, a fried chicken sandwich and chocolate chip cookies. The craft cocktail menu puts a California spin on classic drinks, including a guava jasmine mimosa and a bourbon old-fashioned with California amaro and California citrus-infused maple syrup. Just around the corner from Television City, it makes sense that the rooftop frequently hosts reality show watch parties, including for “The Bachelorette” and “Love Island U.S.A.”
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Lemon Grove
Hollywood Californian $$
(The Aster)
On the sixth floor of Aster membership club, Lemon Grove is open to all with Hollywood views that include the nearby Capitol Record building. The menu from Beauty & Essex vet Daniel Pfiefer-Kotz is vegetable-forward with standouts such as burnt rainbow carrots topped with herby labneh and roasted cauliflower with salsa macha and salsa verde, though hearty options such as short rib rigatoni pasta and miso-honey-grilled salmon promise to satisfy carnivorous diners too. Head to the bar and lounge area for happy hour Wednesday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with $12 negronis and other classic cocktails, $10 house wine and $8 beer. DJs spin every Friday from sunset to 11 p.m. and movies are screened on Saturday evenings.
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Flora Rooftop
El Segundo New American $$
(Flora)
On the sixth floor of the AC Hotel’s South Bay location in El Segundo sits Flora Rooftop, bordered by blooming herb and flower gardens, with draping lights, umbrellas, a lengthy central fire pit with communal seating on both sides and plenty of plush couches and chairs. There’s something calming about watching the planes fly in and out of nearby LAX, and the garden-inspired cocktails and cuisine make a visit here feel truly immersive. Shareable plates include truffle fried mushroom, carne asada fries and flatbreads. Cocktails are floral and herbaceous, with garnishes picked straight from the rooftop garden.
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Butterfly
Culver City Mexican Cocktails $$
(Katrina Frederick)
Peer out over Culver City and beyond at Butterfly, a lush, sixth-floor perch atop the Shay Hotel from José Andrés’ restaurant group, with the Mediterranean Zaytinya restaurant anchoring the ground floor. The food leans casual with chips and dips (try the queso fundido with spicy chorizo), a handful of taco options (the Baja-style crispy rockfish is a standout) and ceviches, while cocktails span Andrés’ iconic salt-air margarita, a Oaxacan negroni and a host of mezcal concoctions. A neon-lighted sign in the shape of a butterfly makes for an ideal selfie station, or settle into a lounger and relax by the pool.
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High Rooftop Lounge at Hotel Erwin
Venice American $$
(Phillip Silverstein)
On the fifth floor of Hotel Erwin and offering pristine panoramas of the Venice Boardwalk and beach, it’s easy to see why High Rooftop Lounge has elbow-to-elbow crowds on weekends. The move is to plan a visit in advance with a few friends and reserve VIP oceanfront seating. Outside of the views and mingling with crowds that include tech bros, boho influencers and out-of-town bridal parties, High Rooftop has a full bar with a handful of frozen and hot cocktails in addition to signature drinks, wine and beer, with a food menu that spans crispy fish tacos, flatbreads and a California burrito stuffed with NY strip steak, fries and Oaxacan cheese, plus eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles and a seafood tower for brunch. The sunset views prove some of the best in the city, but for me, the rooftop is most appealing Monday to Thursday from 1 to 4 p.m., when happy hour discounts cocktails to $12 and a chicken katsu sandwich with fries to $15. It’s also one of the only times I can cozy up to the ledge without fighting back crowds.
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The Roof Garden at the Peninsula
Beverly Hills European $$
(Ryan Forbes)
It’s easy to get distracted on your way to the fifth-floor Roof Garden at the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel. Hotel guests milling around the lobby have that vaguely distracted “they might be famous” air, and in the Living Room, clusters of women in sloping hats and circle skirts delicately pluck scones from tiered towers. Take the elevator to the Roof Garden that’s just a few steps down from the hotel pool and cabanas. The food here is light and inoffensive, with the usual frittatas, toasts and omelets on the breakfast menu, and slightly more exciting choices offered all day, including seared scallops in a black garlic aioli and charred octopus with chorizo. An arrangement of striped umbrellas blocks out the sun and the hedges obscure all but the tallest palm trees from view, but the cozy space and relaxed atmosphere still make for an above-average al fresco setting. This feels like somewhere a transplant would take a visiting friend or relative who wants to experience a slice of Beverly Hills without outrageous prices or formal attire required.
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The Fifth
Anaheim American $$
(The Fifth)
This Anaheim rooftop bar and restaurant can be found on the fifth floor of Grand Legacy at the Park, directly across the street from Disneyland on South Harbor Boulevard. The open-air outdoor space is the perfect place to grab a drink post-Disney, and the bar even offers a 10% discount to cast members and Magic Key holders. A lively nightclub crowd gathers Tuesdays through Thursdays for Late Nites at the Fifth, offering cocktail specials and a live DJ from 10 p.m. to midnight. Standard bites like mozzarella sticks, breaded and deep fried, and entrees like a craft burger served on a brioche bun are available. The best nights to visit are Tuesdays, when the bar hosts Tiki Tuesday and serves $14 classic tiki drinks such as Three Dots & a Dash and Jungle Bird, or any night fireworks are scheduled at Disneyland, since the Fifth has a perfect outdoor view of the show.
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Mother Tongue
Hollywood Eclectic $$
(Danielle Dorsey / Los Angeles Times)
This fourth-floor restaurant and rooftop that sits atop a bougie fitness club has a globally inspired menu from acclaimed chef Michael Mina and executive chef Fernando Darin, with dishes that are centered around wellness and functionality. That means you can order a plant-based spread with walnut muhammara, whipped avocado and beet hummus; hand-cut steak tartare with confit tomato and pine nuts that claims to be anti-inflammatory; or roasted Colorado lamb en papillote that’s purported to support the mind and cognition. The house cocktails, such as the Lost in the Jungle with mezcal, cucumber, kale, agave and lime, feature seasonal fruit and herbs and aren’t too sweet. The space feels like you’re on a perpetual coastal European vacation with scalloped umbrellas and potted palms paired with a teal-and-terracotta color palette. Views span Hollywood Hills and the famous sign, and the interior is nearly as charming with a plush Art Deco vibe.
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Topside Roof Deck
Newport Beach Californian $$
(Sarah Mosqueda / O.C. Times)
Lido House opened in 2018, on the site formerly occupied by Newport Beach City Hall, and the boutique hotel’s fourth-floor Topside Roof Deck has been a champagne-sipping hot spot ever since. Outfitted with navy-striped lounge furniture, Topside offers views of the city and overlooks the hotel’s saltwater pool. While the atmosphere is reminiscent of a casual beach house, there is a dress code forbidding tank tops and board shorts, making Topside an obvious choice for a nightcap after dinner at the Mayor’s Table restaurant downstairs. Executive chef and partner Riley Huddleston oversees all of the hotel’s food and beverage concepts and has curated an almost exclusively French sparkling wine list as well as a thoughtful zero-proof cocktail menu. Huddleston recently added more substantial offerings to the rooftop food menu, including yellowtail ceviche with pickled watermelon or baked feta dressed in mole poblano. Topside closes at 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday but stays open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, when reservations are highly recommended.
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Grandmaster Recorders
Hollywood Italian $$
(Grandmaster Recorders )
On the third floor of this restaurant that once served as a recording studio for greats like Stevie Wonder and David Bowie, diners are invited to embrace rock-star-level decadence with Roman-style pizza slices topped with porchetta and pineapple, plump pork-and-veal meatballs, goat cheese and squash arancini and house-made gelato and sorbetto in flavors that change by the day. An array of craft cocktails is available, including a seasonal slushy and frozé on tap — do as the cherry-red “live baby live” sign demands and order a couple (or a few?). Forest-green umbrellas, heat lamps and string lights make this a vibey destination regardless of the time of day. If you want to take things up a notch, head to the bottom floor for dancing under the disco ball at Studio 71.
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Skybar at the Mondrian
Hollywood Hills West American $$
Skybar utilizes WeHo’s hilly terrain to its advantage. Sitting at the top of the hill, Skybar looks south to Los Angeles from the Sunset Strip. While you can’t see the view from the bar itself, stepping out to the bouncer-protected pool deck will grant you views of the Beverly Center and Beverly Hills. There’s plenty of seating, including wide hammocks, cushioned lounge chairs and nooks with large windows overlooking the city.
The beverage menu is perfect for those who prefer their drinks sweet with sparse alcohol, including fruit slushies in tall flutes and a chamoy-candy-inspired Tamarindo Duro cocktail. Skybar keeps the party going from dawn till dusk on weekends when it hosts daytime pool parties and rotating DJs.
The beverage menu is perfect for those who prefer their drinks sweet with sparse alcohol, including fruit slushies in tall flutes and a chamoy-candy-inspired Tamarindo Duro cocktail. Skybar keeps the party going from dawn till dusk on weekends when it hosts daytime pool parties and rotating DJs.
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Bar Funke
Beverly Hills Italian $$
(Eric Wolfinger / Funke)
Perched on a third-floor rooftop, atop Funke’s two floors that serve delicate, heritage-minded handmade pastas and pizzas, Bar Funke lets diners partake in the full menu from Mother Wolf and Felix chef Evan Funke, and is a slightly easier reservation to score than the downstairs dining room. The light-pink marble bar practically glows around sunset, a chic setting for a Negroni featuring the chef’s favorite olive oil, boulevardiers tinged with single-origin coffee and grappa sours made with rhubarb. Walk in and sit at the bar and you’ll be met with a brief food menu that echoes the regional Italian dishes being served downstairs but is missing the signature pastas, with dishes that skew smaller and more snackable. While stools at the bar are limited, tabletops covered in white tablecloths allow for breezy views of the garden-hedged rooftop, a bevy of palm trees and the neighboring Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
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Cork & Batter
Inglewood American $$
(Wonho Lee)
Cork & Batter can get lively — especially if you visit before a game or concert at the nearby SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome, YouTube Theater or Kia Forum. The three-story restaurant shares a parking lot with adjacent Sonder Lüm hotel, making it an obvious stop for Inglewood tourists.
The string-lighted roof features comfortable couches, wicker seats and fire pits to stave off the South Bay breeze, plus big-screen TVs — one can only imagine the energy watching a live football game while cheers float over from the stadium next door. The food menu attempts a take on elevated bar bites but falls squarely into average territory with sliders, wings, flatbreads and salads that are all just fine. The most commonly ordered item might be the Margarita Tree — a vertical hanger with four bottles of Patrón attached. Each one is filled with your preferred flavor — watermelon, mango, prickly pear, tamarind and more. A second location of Cork & Batter centered around Western barbecue recently opened in Simi Valley.
The string-lighted roof features comfortable couches, wicker seats and fire pits to stave off the South Bay breeze, plus big-screen TVs — one can only imagine the energy watching a live football game while cheers float over from the stadium next door. The food menu attempts a take on elevated bar bites but falls squarely into average territory with sliders, wings, flatbreads and salads that are all just fine. The most commonly ordered item might be the Margarita Tree — a vertical hanger with four bottles of Patrón attached. Each one is filled with your preferred flavor — watermelon, mango, prickly pear, tamarind and more. A second location of Cork & Batter centered around Western barbecue recently opened in Simi Valley.
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E.P. & L.P.
West Hollywood American $$
(E.P. & L.P.)
E.P. & L.P.’s third-floor rooftop is one of the most spacious in all of L.A., offering views of the Sunset Strip and Hollywood Hills, plus plenty of foliage to make you feel like you’ve made a nest among our iconic palm trees. Downstairs, Level 2 is an immersive cocktail bar that offers rotating experiences — right now it’s Hearbreak Saloon, a country sports bar that screens games live and hosts trivia nights. Weekday happy hour brings deals in the form of $13 craft cocktails, $11 house wine and rotating slushies, plus a $10 Nashville hot chicken sandwich, while brunch offers standards including avocado toast, a lobster Benedict and brisket hash. The rooftop also is the venue for Melrose Rooftop Theatre, where you can catch classic and recently released blockbuster films screening after dark most days of the week, including bar access for cocktails, food and movie snacks like popcorn and candy.
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Rooftop Lounge
Laguna Beach Californian $$
(Wales Communications)
Laguna Beach’s La Casa del Camino Hotel is home to the third-floor Rooftop Lounge, a destination popular among locals and vacationers. Just steps from Cress Street Beach, enter through the Spanish-style hotel lobby and go up the stairs to the right to get to the ocean views. This bar is beach-casual and opens at 11 a.m. during the week and at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, making it the perfect place to grab breakfast after a morning surf session. The Rooftop Lounge is known for fresh fruit mojitos made with Mahina Platinum rum and available in flavors like tropical, mango, berry or classic mint. The food menu offers appetizers such as hamachi crudo with pickled daikon radish, Fresno chile, wakame, ginger and yuzu, and more substantial fare like a Nashville hot chicken sandwich, with sweet ’n’ spicy comeback sauce, pickles and slaw. As an added bonus, Rooftop Lounge is dog-friendly.
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Eden on Brand
Glendale New American $$
(Eden on Brand)
The food served at Eden on Brand’s three-story restaurant is largely on point. I recommend the burger, which leans on truffle flavor a bit, but if that doesn’t bother you, you’ll be rewarded by a simple, good-quality patty with aged cheddar cheese and a mountainous frizz of potato strings on a peppery brioche bun. It’s reminiscent of the very good Everson Royce Bar burger, though at $30, it’s considerably pricier. But you’re paying for the plush banquettes and clubby feel, right? Speaking of which, there was a covering on the roof during my visit, which is great for bad weather but also meant the views were less than panoramic. The ambience, while sleek and airy, felt more like a breezy terrace.
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Élephante
Santa Monica Italian $$$
(Jakob N. Layman/Élephante)
Élephante feels like a scene from a summer vacation in the south of Italy. The Sunset Room is a high-demand dining area with vistas of Santa Monica that roars with conversation, making it difficult to hear at your table. However, should you wish for a quieter enclave, the Cactus Room, toward the entrance of the restaurant, allows for more connection at the expense of the view.
In keeping with the Mediterranean theme, the menu features light yet flavorful pastas, salads and fluffy-crust pizzas smeared with tomato sauce and copious amounts of olive oil. Many of the items are shareable, including the drinks: Any of the sweet yet strong craft cocktails can be super-sized into a punch bowl, perfect for celebrations. And the whipped eggplant dip and salted Puccia bread are group favorites to keep coming back for.
In keeping with the Mediterranean theme, the menu features light yet flavorful pastas, salads and fluffy-crust pizzas smeared with tomato sauce and copious amounts of olive oil. Many of the items are shareable, including the drinks: Any of the sweet yet strong craft cocktails can be super-sized into a punch bowl, perfect for celebrations. And the whipped eggplant dip and salted Puccia bread are group favorites to keep coming back for.
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Terra
Century City Italian $$
(Eataly L.A.)
Atop the Italian bazaar Eataly at Westfield Century City sits Terra, the third-floor terrace restaurant with a focus on wood grilling. The menu offers charred dishes including lamb chops, rotisserie chicken and skewers pierced with king trumpet mushrooms and stuffed pork shoulder, as well as house-made pastas. For a larger group, consider ordering the grigliata di pesce, a grilled seafood platter with swordfish, calamari, shrimp, clams, snow peas, caponata and Sicilian panelle.
As day turns into night, the vibe morphs from a place for drinks with the girls to a dimly lit date-night spot. There’s seating inside, but with string lights, heat lamps, fire pits and an open-air grill to keep you warm, the spacious patio is the move. Take your pick from tables, lounge-y couches or stools at the greenhouse-inspired bar, but the closer you are to the barriers of the roof, the more you can see north to the Los Angeles Country Club, with office buildings to the west. Regardless of where you’re sitting, fire-kissed Italian cuisine and a comfortable setting make Terra worth returning to.
As day turns into night, the vibe morphs from a place for drinks with the girls to a dimly lit date-night spot. There’s seating inside, but with string lights, heat lamps, fire pits and an open-air grill to keep you warm, the spacious patio is the move. Take your pick from tables, lounge-y couches or stools at the greenhouse-inspired bar, but the closer you are to the barriers of the roof, the more you can see north to the Los Angeles Country Club, with office buildings to the west. Regardless of where you’re sitting, fire-kissed Italian cuisine and a comfortable setting make Terra worth returning to.
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Margot
Culver City Italian $$
(Margot)
Don’t sleep on Culver City’s rooftop scene. For one, Margot’s third-floor rooftop is stumbling distance from Butterfly, which you’ll also find on this list. Secondly, while the view is mostly obscured by the flowering rosemary and lavender bushes that border the space, it still stands out as one of your best elevated options for just about any occasion. Ask to sit at the edge of the patio if you want a view, but even listening to the occasional Metro train buzz by below makes for a pleasant visit. Each table is allotted its own heating lamp, and there are cozy couches for those who plan to linger longer over drinks, plus an interior that recalls a greenhouse with glass panels throughout. The menu’s influence is hard to pin down beyond seasonality, but raw seafood, piled-high salads, grilled vegetables, pastas and entrees like a bone-in pork chop and rack of lamb are all worth exploring. I particularly enjoyed the grilled prawns, puffy with Calabrian chile butter and given a pleasant sharpness thanks to pickled shallots. Cocktails are refreshing and fruit-forward — go for the mango or prickly pear spritz if you prefer a low-alcohol option, or the olive oil martini if you need something stronger.
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Tomat
Westchester Californian $$
(Wonho Frank Lee)
It’s not unusual for L.A. restaurants to boast farm-to-table sourcing, but this spot just a few miles from LAX takes it a step further with a third-floor rooftop garden complete with an olive tree and herbs. On the rooftop, freshly opened for the summer season, pull a stool up to the glass-walled partition and watch the sunset spotted with airplanes taking off and landing at nearby LAX. The menu from husband-and-wife team Harry Posner and Natalie Dial blends influences from their time in London and Posner’s Persian heritage, with Japanese and plenty of local influence thrown in. Start with fluffy barbari bread paired with tomato butter, split mains like Rancho Gordo black-eyed peas with maitake mushrooms and black cod with suva curry, but save room for desserts such as sticky toffee pudding and saffron ice cream. The beverage menu spans an approachable wine list, sake and cocktails that follow a similar seasonal approach. Trivia is hosted on the rooftop every Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m., with awards for first and second place.
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LA Cha Cha Chá
Downtown L.A. Mexican $$
(Betty Hallock)
It always feels like a vacation when you’re sitting at the aqua-tiled bar on LA Cha Cha Chá’s downtown rooftop. The restaurant is up only one flight of stairs from the street-level entrance but is just as transporting as any high-rise terrace. Surrounded by lush plants and strung with patio lights, Cha Cha Chá (sister restaurant to Mexico City’s Terraza Cha Cha Chá) overlooks Traction and Third streets with views of the downtown skyline on the horizon. The house cocktails lean tropical, almost all of them made with tequila or mezcal. A refreshing Cantarito with tequila blanco, grapefruit and soda is served in a terracotta jar with a chile-salt rim. The “modern Mexican” menu from executive chef Paco Moran means botanas such as guacamole with jalapeño oil (add chapulines for an extra $5) and bone marrow esquites with chapulin aioli and large plates including creamy pollo Poblano served with roasted cauliflower and chimichurri, and double-bone pork chop with a chicharrón and frisée salad. It’s a solid menu for an ebullient crowd that keeps the party going, whether it’s Friday lunch or Saturday night cocktails.
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Malibu Farm Restaurant
Malibu Californian $$
(Malibu Farm)
The Pacific Coast Highway has reopened, making for an easy drive to Malibu Farm Restaurant on the Malibu Pier. Sitting high above shore, Malibu Farm will transport you to a a yacht in the Hamptons. The restaurant from Helene Henderson sources liberally from her home garden and offers sustainable options on its seafood-rich menu. In addition to catch-of-the-day fish tacos, grass-fed steak and lobster mac ’n’ cheese, a range of plant-based items is available, from a tofu banh mi to a coconut ceviche. The bar menu features simple, ingredient-forward concoctions organized by fruit or flavor — for example, Papaya features papaya-strawberry-infused tequila, organic agave, lime juice and a lava sea salt rim. A selection of beer and wines by the glass and bottle is available, and at the end of the pier, Malibu Farm Cafe boasts a full coffee menu with more casual food options that you can take to-go or enjoy on the second-story terrace that overlooks the open sea.
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Openaire
Koreatown Californian $$
(Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times)
It’s all about that big, lush, beautiful greenhouse at Openaire, on the second floor of the Line Hotel in Koreatown. Have you heard of Instagram? I imagine you’ve seen it posted there once or twice. It’s great to sit at an exterior table to soak up the rays and get that true rooftop experience. Just be aware that Openaire, while it certainly has alcohol, feels more like a restaurant than a club.
Food options from chef Josiah Citrin (Citrin, Mélisse) are decent. A respectable ahi tuna tartare comes swimming in citrus and creamy avocado, and the veggie burger, while a bit loose texture-wise, features a house-made patty that tastes pleasantly earthy, almost smoky. I’ll take it over Impossible meat any day of the week.
Food options from chef Josiah Citrin (Citrin, Mélisse) are decent. A respectable ahi tuna tartare comes swimming in citrus and creamy avocado, and the veggie burger, while a bit loose texture-wise, features a house-made patty that tastes pleasantly earthy, almost smoky. I’ll take it over Impossible meat any day of the week.
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Bar Bohémien
Culver City Cocktails $$
(Wonho Frank Lee / Bar Bohémien)
Bar Bohémien is just one flight up from the bustling Citizen Public Market food hall and won’t grant you far-off vistas, but arriving at the narrow space with tucked-away booths and a plant-lined patio feels like you’ve discovered a secret, no matter how busy it might be. Convincing faux ivy overflows from the slatted roof to frame the interior bar area, and an arched Art Deco window offers a ledge and bar stools for taking in a view of Culver Boulevard below. Outside, tall hedges offer privacy, while a canvas roof covering means the noon sun won’t blind you should you decide to stop by during the day. The craft cocktail menu gets creative with seasonal fruit, aromatics and herbs, including From L.A. With Love, with tequila, passion fruit, amaro, lime and grapefruit topped with prosecco. Short but thoughtful wine and beer lists are available as well.
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Marco Polo Trattoria & Bar
Silver Lake Italian $$
(Silver Lake Pool & Inn)
You’ll find Marco Polo Trattoria & Bar is on the winding, jungle-like second-floor terrace of the Silver Lake Pool & Inn. However, the neighborhood’s only rooftop pool is just a few steps above it with lounges, couches and an additional bar area. It’s the combination of both venues being so close and accessible that makes the quirky, retro-inspired inn a tempting setting for a staycation. Marco Polo offers breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner menus, including a coffee bar, light Italian-inspired plates, creative cocktails and wines by the glass and bottle. Swimming and lounge chairs are reserved for hotel guests, but limited tables are available to reserve to enjoy poolside cocktails or bites. Wednesday pasta parties price rotating pastas at just $15 each, happy hour extends all night on Thursdays and Sunday brunch features bottomless bubbles for $25 per person (with a two-hour limit).
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Mozambique
Laguna Beach South African Seafood $$
(Mozambique)
Pet parrots greet guests at this South African-inspired restaurant in Laguna Beach. You can book your choice of a labyrinth of private dining rooms and lounges, but the most coveted spot is on the second-floor veranda rooftop that overlooks Pacific Coast Highway and the Laguna Beach coastline. The menu highlights Portuguese traditions and wood-fired steaks, but Mozambique is best known for its peri-peri dishes featuring African bird’s eye chile peppers. A crowd gathers Thursday through Sunday for live music ranging from reggae to jazz, and happy hour is offered daily at 3 p.m. (until 6 p.m. on weekdays, 5 p.m. on weekends) with $8 margaritas and $15 plates of peri-peri chicken and prawns.
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Sora Temaki Bar
Fairfax Japanese $$
(Jesse Hsu)
A new rooftop destination has opened at the Original Farmers Market. Find the hand-roll concept from owner Vincent Benoliel in the second-floor space above his Cal-Italian Satva restaurant. Here, temaki is topped with Wagyu imported from Japan and uni caught in Santa Barbara, with classic sushi rolls, sashimi and starters like red snapper with truffle yuzu rounding out the menu. The cocktail menu leans classic — my order flips between a passionfruit margarita and a mojito, depending on the mood. Views of the surrounding parking lot and Trader Joe’s across the street may be a little underwhelming, but there’s something invigorating about sitting above the bustling, almost-century-old market. The interior counter, where chefs place warm hand rolls on wooden blocks for you to grab from, is my preferred seat.
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Updates:
2:53 p.m. May 23, 2025: This guide was updated May 23, 2025, including the removal of Mama Shelter, Spruzzo, Agua Viva, Highlight Room, Canopy Club, Coco Club and Reunion, and the addition of Butterfly, Tomat, Lost, Sora Temaki Bar and Level 8. Updated information was added throughout.
1:28 p.m. Aug. 29, 2024: This guide was updated Aug. 30, 2024, including the removal of Upstairs at the Ace Hotel and Sant’olina, both of which closed, and the addition of Coco Club, Videre and Mother Tongue. New information was added to Canopy Club, High Rooftop Lounge at Hotel Erwin, Bar Funke, Cork & Batter and E.P. and L.P entries.
3:01 a.m. Sept. 15, 2023: This guide was updated Sept. 15, 2023, including the addition of Dante and Marco Polo Trattoria and Bar. New information was added to the Bar Bohémien and La Lo La Rooftop entries.
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