Great neighborhood watering holes populate just about every corner of this massive city, playing to locals who know when to follow the neon lights and weekend karaoke sounds. Best of all, these dependable haunts are frequented by true regulars who have often been working the jukebox for decades and know everyone in the place by name — though there are always plenty of first-timers and wandering souls around, too. Sure, they’re called dive bars, but the truth is these places are all about low-key fun, stiff drinks, a sense of community, and — on the right night — a little bit of anything-can-happen magic.
Here are 20 of Los Angeles’s best dive bars. Copper Bucket The Copper Bucket is a Reseda staple, first opened in 1951. Drinkers still come through to this family-owned dive for the delightfully kitschy wood paneling, neon signs, shuffleboard, and weekend crowds.
Drinks are what you might expect: draft beers or brews by the bottle, and plenty of affordable well cocktails. A post shared by Joshua Wintringham (@jdwdigital69) Fox Fire Room For a dive bar that looks like it’s right out of a 1970s television sitcom, drop by this Valley Village lounge that’s replete with saloon doors, wood-paneled walls, well-lit dart boards, and even a cushion running along the edge of the bar top to rest weary barfly elbows. Locals flock here to enjoy strong pours while watching a game and singing karaoke.
For those looking for an early start, the saloon doors swing open at 8 a.m. on.
