8 Best Nightlife in Echo Park, Los Angeles

This romantically lit hole-in-the-wall is easy to miss, but you should aim to check it out if you're a discerning wine connoisseur or looking to experience the best of California's microbreweries. Perfect for first dates, come here to experiment with craft beers or to warm up with wine while listening to some live old-time fiddle tunes.

There are plenty of reasons to stop by Mohawk Bend: 72 craft beers on tap, a wide range of California-only liquor, a vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu that includes tailored-to-your-wants pizza, and a buffalo cauliflower that—rumor has it—started the whole trend. There might be a long line to get into this 100-year-old former theater in the evenings, but it’s worth it.

Echo Park is peppered with music venues, but if you want to be in the heart of the neighborhood's live music scene, you should head to the Echo. With a full bar and recurring theme nights, the spot hosts cutting-edge music from both up-and-coming local and touring acts as well as well-known bands.

Latina-owned Bar Flores may look like any indoor--outdoor bar you'll find in sun-kissed Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, but the elevated cocktails served here are very Los Angeles. Formerly, the pop-up speakeasy Sip, Bar Flores found its home in Echo Park back in 2012 and has established itself as a popular local hangout. Margarita Wednesdays are a must; the back patio has a taco stand in case you get hungry.

A small selection of constantly rotating wine and beer ensures you'll get to try something new and interesting each time you visit. A record player serves as the main source of music—while the idea may seem twee, it's the heart of a popular Tuesday night record club, where patrons bring in their own vinyl.

If you're looking for that everybody-knows-your-name bar vibe in L.A., look no further than the Douglas where owners Dave and Johnny warmly wave to patrons, new and old alike, entering the front patio. Bonus that the draft beers and hard kombuchas are affordable enough to keep you coming back. The food is casual and no-nonsense, with chicken wings that are done right and served with house-made blue cheese, crowd-favorite breakfast burritos, and homemade falafels. Be prepared to rub elbows with Dodgers fans on game night.

This bar is part fancy Brooklyn café where you might study or linger and lounge over cold drinks with friends and part Instagram-worthy L.A. cocktail bar populated with cool locals. Chicken enchiladas and fajita bowls share the menu with roasted beef hummus and charcuterie. This being an L.A. watering hole, movie and TV show inspirations are everywhere, and being one of the filming locations for popular show The L Word is a frequently dropped accolade. Dana’s Night is held here once a month to provide a venue for the local queer community. The outdoor patio is a newer addition and perfect for those nice Southern California summer nights, and board games are on hand to encourage those linger and lounge vibes.

Tucked into Echo Park’s more residential area where its only other commercial companions are a cactus shop, a tiny neighborhood market, a juice store, and sister property Bacetti, Tilda may not be at the center of the city's buzzing nightlife scene. But wine connoisseurs would agree that it’s the perfect place to sample California natural wines as well as offerings from Italy, Austria, and France. Pair your favorites with the wine bar's modest selection of simple fare.