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It's Saturday night and you want to meet someone new. You could swipe right on Tinder until someone agrees to go out, or perhaps you could put your fate in the universe's hands. While some neighborhoods cater to rowdy nights—West Hollywood and Hollywood, we're looking at you—we've got our favorite bars for striking up conversation with strangers...with it leading to possibly something more. As always, feel free to leave yours in the comments below.
Jumbo's Clown Room (Photo by Chris Loghry via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Jumbo's Clown RoomSure, going to a burlesque bar might not seem like a great idea when you're trying to hook up, but rest assured, Jumbo's is special. What's a better way to get to know someone than by sliding up next to them at the rail and taking turns tossing dollar bills on the stage? Jumbo's is a Hollywood institution, doesn't have a cover and the drink prices are better than some of those trendy Hollywood hotel bars. Plus, the women who dance here are all insanely talented, beautiful, fun and pick their own songs on an analog jukebox. This is a great place to meet new folks of any persuasion.
Jumbo's Clown Room is located at 5153 Hollywood Blvd. in East Hollywood, 323-666-1187
Ye Rustic Inn (Photo by dkharvie via the Creative Commons on Flickr)
Ye Rustic InnOftentimes, our favorite neighborhood dive bar ends up being the landing pad after a night out with buddies or even alone. Ye Rustic Inn lends itself to being the perfect storm to meet someone new because of the frenetic energy, the dim lighting, the laid-back attitude and the heavy pours. The bar brings out people from all walks of life (including many a celebrity spotting) and it's easy to strike up a conversation with a guest or bartender, or a casual sports watcher, because everyone seems at least a little tipsy and uninhibited. —Jean Trinh
Ye Rustic Inn is located at 1831 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz, (323) 662-5757
Every one of these bottles will lead to a good choice (Photo via Facebook)
BirdsWe have it on strong authority that Birds has been a decent spot to meet available strangers. It's an uncomplicated Franklin Village bar—next to two others, La Poubelle and Franklin & Co. if you strike out here—that serves American comfort food, drinks and good beer, plus has a great late-night happy hour on Wednesday and Thursdays from 11 p.m. until midnight. The bar usually gets a little congested at night, so there are plenty of chances to bump into a new person. They also have an outdoor patio that offers a breath of fresh air, or a place to sit and get to know a new friend.
Birds is located at 5925 Franklin Ave. in Franklin Village, 323-465-0175
The outside patio of the bar (Photo by Jean Trinh/LAist)
Good Times at Davey Wayne'sAs the name of the bar suggests, you can have a pretty good time at this Hollywood hangout. We've seen folks mingle around this indoor and outdoor '70s-themed bar, striking up conversations left and right with strangers. The vibe is so casual here as if you're just hanging out at a house party, so people feel more inclined to come up and talk to each other. Some of the spots in the bar that are perfect for meeting people include the dimly-lit, couch-filled living room, dark hallway and refreshing outdoor patio that's makes it feel like you're at your friend's BBQ. Plus, with the nightly entertainment shows, people end up shifting around the bar to check it out instead of staying locked in one corner, so you'll have the chance to see different people throughout the night. —Jean Trinh
Good Times at Davey Wayne's is located at 1611 N El Centro Blvd. in Hollywood, (323) 962-3804
Backstage Bar & Grill
Much like the other karaoke dives—like Brass Monkey and R Bar, two worthy K-Town contenders—Backstage has the ability to fuel both bad singing and bad decisions. This Culver City spot has stiff drinks, happy hour every day from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m., a solid menu of bar food til midnight, and the crowd gets pretty wild on the weekends—and sometimes other days. Win over potential suitors with your best pop karaoke, and expect the crowd to dance along with you. If you want to sing, be sure to sign up early!
Backstage Bar is located at 10400 Culver Blvd. in Culver City, 310-839-3892
The Eagle (Photo via The Eagle)
The EagleLooking for a place to wear your leather? Check out the Eagle, Silver Lake's gay leather bar. There's gay porn on the TV and they have cheap beer on Tuesdays. What more do you need? A patio? Well, they have one of those too. They also have nights with names like Sunday Swap Meat and Meat Rack, and if you think that their event Cub Scout sounds wholesome, you probably don't belong there.
The Eagle is located at 4219 Santa Monica Blvd in Silver Lake, 323-669-9472
Boardners (Photo via Facebook)
BoardnersThe thing about Boardners in Hollywood is that you can meet many types of people here. You can choose the more traditional front bar, order a bit of food, have a few drinks and see who you meet. Or, head down the alley and check out the B52 Club. On Saturdays, expect the goths and kinksters to show up for Bar Sinister. You'll find the type that like to be tied up upstairs. On Mondays, dance to dark wave and make eye contact with someone interesting when Love & Rockets plays.
Boardners is located at 1652 N Cherokee Ave. in Hollywood, 323-462-9621
A toasty, cozy neighborhood dive (Photo via Facebook)
The ChimneysweepFind this cozy neighborhood dive tucked in a Studio City strip mall. It has cheap drinks, dim lighting, plenty of bar seating and plush booths. Get yourself some free popcorn and indulge in some neighborhood karaoke, a friendly game of pool or conversation. This bar is quiet during the day, but always happening at night. And their beer selection isn't too shabby.
The Chimneysweep is located at 4354 Woodman Ave. in Studio City, 818-783-3348
Smog Cutter (Photo by Johanna Hyman/LAist)
Smog Cutter With cheap drinks, sweaty karaoke sessions and close, crowded quarters, Smog Cutter serves up a dive bar recipe for all kinds of late-night shenanigans. While long-time characters—which once reportedly included Bukowski—post up at the bar and around the pool table, as the night wears on the crowds of skinny-jeaned 20- and 30-somethings pack the room. As the night wears on, the drinks flow and the performances become more raucous, the odds of sharing an Uber ride with someone from The Cuttter tend to increase exponentially. —Danny Jensen
Smog Cutter is located at 864 N Virgil Ave. in East Hollywood
The cozy outdoor patio of The Bungalow (Photo courtesy of The Bungalow)
The BungalowThis sprawling, multi-room beachside bar offers plenty of cozy nooks and bohemian-inspired charm to inspire a summer fling—even in the middle of winter. Whether you're sipping potent mezcal cocktails around a firepit on the outdoor patio, getting your heart-racing over a game of ping-pong, or nestled on one of the blanket-wrapped couches inside one of the many rooms of this beachside hangout, there are plenty of opportunities to find an intimate moment. And if things go really well, you're already on the grounds of the Fairmont Miramar hotel—so, there's that. Sure, things can get a bit douche-y on some weekend nights, but hey, nobody said a hook-up bar should be a completely classy destination. —Danny Jensen
The Bungalow is located at 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, (310) 899-8530
