Historic Bars in Los Angeles

Sometimes there’s really nothing better than curling up and throwing back a few drinks in a place that has been around forever, and that’s where Los Angeles historic bars come into play. Sure, you could probably get a cheaper drink at that mass-market chain bar down the street, but how cool is it to sit in a tired old booth and think, “Cary Grant may have sat here,” or “John Belushi may have snorted a line off this table,” or “Lindsay Lohan….ah, who cares.”

There are several cool LA historic bars worth dropping in on, and they range from chic to incredibly budget friendly, so chances are good there’s one out there to suit everyone’s tastes. Over by the lovely Pacific Ocean, Townhouse and its basement counterpart The Del Monte Speakeasy have withstood the test of time, and together remain a lively and whiskey-charged Venice destination that’s been doling out fine spirits since 1915.

Then over in Hollywood, Barney’s Beanery transformed from its 20s-era roadhouse beginnings (where travelers could trade in their license plates for a free beer), to a gathering spot for Tinsel Town icons like Clark Gable and Errol Flynn, to a rowdy hangout for rockers like Hendrix, Joplin, and Morrison.

And, of course, who could forget the famed Chateau Marmont hotel, a French villa icon where John Belushi overdosed, Jim Morrison fell off the roof, and members of Led Zeppelin rode their motorcycles through the lobby?

The oldest bars in LA are spread across this fine city, and unlike so many made-up celebrities, they only get better with age.