You might not necessarily think of Los Angeles as being a whiskey city. That’s because its drinking identity has been shaped more by historical tiki institutions, velvet-roped hotel bars, and precision-focused mixology rooms like The Varnish that helped spur the cocktail revolution here. Whiskey never disappeared, but it often existed in the margins while agave and spritz culture claimed the spotlight.

Still, a thriving whiskey world has grown quietly across the city, including a downtown institution, a 75-seat Eastside bar with a deep bottle collection, a Playa Vista lobby bar pouring Japanese single malts, a Santa Monica cocktail haven, and a Beverly Hills spot with a $20,000 Macallan pour. Spread across neighborhoods rather than clustered in one location, these spots have weathered trend cycles by opening the good stuff and serving regulars who are curious to try something new. If you know where to look, LA reveals itself as a genuine whiskey city.

Seven Grand (Downtown)

Seven Grand, which opened in 2007 in a vibrant corridor of DTLA, is arguably the city’s most influential whiskey bar,  a place where long-term collectors, service-industry lifers, and curious newcomers all drink from the same list. The bar’s lively main area can hold upward of 150 people, with a glorious whiskey wall and a selection routinely floating in the hundreds, depending on what general manager Adam Kloos has opened (right now, rarities include Nikka ‘Miyagikiyo’ 2019 and Bowmore 29).

“When we first opened, it was really a bunch of whiskey nerds,” Kloos says. “They cast a wide net, and their interests were varied, so they never really honed in on being ‘the best bourbon bar.’ They just wanted everything they could get their hands on.” 

For even more of a niche experience, wait until Bar Jackalope reopens to the public. The 50-person lounge in the back is currently undergoing renovation, but it still hosts whiskey tastings every other week from brands like Balcones, Hatozaki, and Wild Turkey. They even have two working highball machines, in case you’re in the mood for something bubbly.

Grain Whiskey Bar (Playa Vista)

On the other side of town, so close to the beach that there’s actually sand in the parking lot, you’ll find Grain. Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson opened the bar in 2014 as part of a food complex that includes a restaurant, cafe, and ice cream counter.

Bar Manager Liam Odien joined in 2019, right around the time a private collector picked through their list and made off with some choice bottles. Luckily, Odien has restocked the shelves with an emphasis on some lesser known names. “Smaller, more regionally defined producers are important to me, and those are sort of what we focus on in terms of rarity,” he says, referring to releases from Corbin Cash distillery in Merced County, and grain-to-glass distillery Wright & Brown in Oakland. 

That said, the bar also has some rarities like Hibiki 21, E.H. Taylor Amaranth “Grain of the Gods,” and their very own year-and-a-half-old infinity bottle seeded with around 60 whiskeys, including a big helping of different expressions of Pappy Van Winkle 

The Chestnut Club (Santa Monica)

The Chestnut Club, which has been around since 2014, is smack dab in the middle of Santa Monica Boulevard—a half-hour walk will land you at the iconic Santa Monica Pier. It’s known primarily as a polished cocktail room—date-friendly, stylish, and designed for long, comfortable evenings.

What’s less obvious at first glance is that the bar keeps one of the most balanced whiskey lists on the Westside. Pours from around the world include single malts from Brenne (France) and Kavalan (Taiwan), while American classics like Blanton’s and private barrel picks from Elijah Craig are also on rotation.

Unlike many of the other bars on this list, Chestnut Club is on the spacious side, so larger groups can often snag a booth or standing room. The extra breathing room also makes it one of the few Westside whiskey spots where you can linger over multiple pours without feeling rushed or crowded.

Thirsty Crow (Silver Lake)

Back across town on the Eastside, the Thirsty Crow is one of Silver Lake’s longest-running neighborhood institutions. Opened in 2010 and seating roughly 75 inside (plus a small sidewalk patio), it’s a true dive—dim, intimate, and always ready with a beer-and-a-shot combo.

The crowd can get a little rowdy on weekends, so if you’re in the mood for cocktails, expect a bit of jostling for tiramisu-infused rye, a barrel-aged Old Fashioned, or a Paper Plane made with Angel’s Envy.

That said, bar staff have also curated a robust whiskey list of tried and true classics from across Scotland, Ireland, and Japan. And on the American side, BTAC labels like Thomas H. Handy, George T. Stagg, and William Larue Weller are all available at humane prices. 

“Something that's good doesn't mean that it should be limited to only those who can afford it,” says bar manager Taylor Johnson. At roughly $70 a pour, “you’re not going to miss rent trying it.” Amen to that.

Wolf & Crane (Little Tokyo)

Wolf & Crane opened in 2014 in the heart of the city’s historic Little Tokyo, a five minute walk away from the Japanese American National Museum and right next to the very entertaining Japanese Village Plaza.

It should come as no surprise, then, that it remains the city’s most committed Japanese whisky bar, with an incredibly deep list including things like Hibiki 30 Year Old, Yamazaki 25 Year Old Mizunara Cask, Shinshu Mars Komagatake 30 Year, Ichiro's Malt 15 Year, Nikka 9 Decades, and many others.

“Our whisky program philosophy is pretty simple: keep up to date on new Japanese releases, and keep only the best of the best,” says GM Jason Valdez. With that in mind, the bar also makes an effort to keep prices at an affordable level. “We want people to try these great whiskies, not have them collect dust on the wall,” Valdez says.

The bar also offers pours of private barrel picks from Maker’s Mark, Komagatake, and Weller, as well as cocktails ranging from classic (a Japanese Old Fashioned with Hibiki) to refreshing (Toki highballs).

The Whisky Bar (Beverly Hills)

Part of Beverly Hills’ restaurant-and-hotel corridor, The Whisky Bar opened in 2011 as the Ten Pound Bar, named after the ten-pound Scottish note which had the Macallan distillery printed on it. True to its name, the bar was exclusively a Macallan institution, but after the host hotel changed hands during COVID, the lineup expanded. 

That doesn’t mean the bar has left its roots behind, however. There’s a portrait of the Macallan estate on the wall, and their top shelf currently holds Macallan 62, 65, and 72—their “prized possession,” according to lead bartender Sean Sugrue. “That’s our most expensive offering right now, which has to be one of the most expensive in the country [at] $20,000 a pour,” he says.

Worry not because there are other, more accessible whisky selections. But they all match the upscale vibe of the Maybourne Hotel, which is The Whisky Bar’s home base. Low lighting, a cigar bar (guests only), and an outdoor patio overlooking a villa—it doesn’t get more Beverly Hills than this.