There are many spots to grab a drink in Los Angeles, but there’s something about a great wine bar. Whether you’re looking for a glass of classic, Old World-style wines or to venture into the trendy world of orange and skin contact wines, there are a number of places in LA that offer a wonderfully curated wine list. Here are the best wine bars in Los Angeles, from bright and friendly neighborhood bars to the dark and moody date night spots.
The 17 Best Wine Bars in Los Angeles
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Published Mar 4, 2022
Melanie Wine Bar
1. Melanie Wine Bar
This new intimate wine bar in Beverly Grove is always lively, despite the moody interior vibe. There are more than 30 wines by glass curated from around the world and they’re always happy to pour a taste before you commit. Stay for the food menu, especially the Salt Spring mussels with vadouvan curry and the crab pasta.
8310 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048; melaniewinebar.com
Sydney Bensimon
2. Bar Covell
Bar Covell has been one of the city’s go-to wine bars for over a decade, and for good reason. Instead of perusing a wine list, guests at this cozy spot are welcome to chat with the bartender about the flavor profile they’re looking for and the bartender will pour you something that will fit that profile.
4628 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027; barcovell.com
3. Augustine
Augustine has one of the largest wine-by-the-glass selections—and not just in the Valley. They pour wines from all over the world (although the list largely focuses on wines from Europe) and there’s a small but solid rotating food menu including larger plates like a Kurobuta pork chop and steak au poivre with frites. To see what makes Augustine even more special, though, check the blackboard for the daily list of the vintage wines they’re offering by the glass—there are not many other places in the city where you can taste wine from 1990 by the glass.
13456 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423; augustinewinebar.com
Tabula Rasa
4. Tabula Rasa
With a chill vibe, this dimly lit, cozy wine bar is a popular spot that makes wine approachable and fun, though it can get pretty crowded and loud on the weekends. There’s usually live music on Sundays so grab some friends and kick back with a glass of skin contact wine. Another reason why we love this place? Tabula Rasa also does Giving Tuesdays, donating a portion of their sales to a different charity every week. The food menu is small, but their Cuban sandwich has its own loyal fans.
5125 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027; tabularasabar.com
Good Clean Fun
5. Good Clean Fun
Downtown LA’s newest wine bar opened inside Cognoscenti Coffee (which still serves coffee during the day) with mostly outdoor seating. The vibe is fun and approachable, from the hand-drawn wine glasses to the over-the-top names of the menu items like “rawww oysters” and “transcendent white bean hummus”. The wine menu leans heavily but not exclusively on natural wines, and you’ll find anything from Pet Nats to piquettes.
868 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, CA 90014; goodcleanfundtla.com
Bar Bandini
6. Bar Bandini
The dark and industrial interior of this Echo Park neighborhood bar makes this another popular date night spot (or to end a date night—Bar Bandini stays open until 2 a.m.). The wine bar has a good list of all natural wines, including a few on tap from carbonic wines to orange wines. There’s no kitchen but they do host food trucks or food pop-ups on a regular basis.
2150 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90026; barbandini.com
Jakob Layman
7. Esters
This bright wine bar is the wine bar Santa Monica needed, with relaxed and spacious seating available both indoors and outdoors. The wine list is diverse and there’s a rotating tasting flight on Sundays. Since the wine bar is opened by the Rustic Canyon Family, you’ll find a good farm-to-table food menu as well.
1314 7th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401; esterswineshop.com
Wonho Frank Lee
8. Enoteca 5
This Pacific Palisades wine bar comes from the husband-and-wife team behind the adjacent Italian restaurant, Cinque Terre West, so expect an Italian-focused wine list by the glass—though they offer California wines by the bottle. There’s a large selection of charcuterie board options as well as bar bites from pizzette to cheeseburgers. We’re also big fans of the generous happy hour on Tuesdays through Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
970 Monument St. #110, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272; enotecacinque.com
Wife and the Somm
9. Wife And The Somm
This husband-and-wife owned wine bar in Glassell Park has a gorgeous patio that’s perfect for chilling with a glass of wine. There’s a pretty extensive wine-by-the-glass selection including orange and chilled wines, and even some vintage wines. It’s worth staying for dinner with dishes like grilled shrimp with togarashi miso butter or housemade pasta—and the food menu helpfully lists the suggested wine pairings for each dish.
3416 Verdugo Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90065; wifeandthesomm.com
A.O.C.
10. A.o.c.
A.O.C. is more than just a wine bar—it’s also one of LA’s best restaurants. But thanks to Suzanne Goin’s small plates menu paired with wine director’s Caroline Styne’s curated wine list, this popular joint has quickly become a pioneering and enduring wine bar. There’s a diverse wine selection including a lot of biodynamic and organic wines to choose from on the list of 50 wines by the glass and over 300 bottles.
8700 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90048; aocwinebar.com
Melody
11. Melody
Set in a charming bungalow in Virgil Village, Melody has become a destination not only for their natural wine selection but also for the rotating food pop-ups they host. There’s always something fun on the wine-by-the-glass list as well as sake, vermouth and wine-based cocktails. Grab a seat in their courtyard and enjoy some of the most exciting food pop-ups in the city, from Mexican-inspired Jewish food to Ukrainian food to Japanese izakaya fare.
751 N. Virgil Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90029; melodyla.com
Stanley’s Wet Goods
12. Stanley’s Wet Goods
Stanley’s is probably the best independent wine store in Culver City, and it’s even better that there is a wine bar located inside the store. The vibe is always relaxed at this bright wine bar where patrons can grab a seat at the communal table or one of the small patio tables. Guests are welcome to order wines by the glass or grab a bottle from the shop and enjoy it there, accompanied by a menu of small plates.
9620 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; stanleys.la
Fiona Chandra
13. Oriel
Tucked on the outskirts of Chinatown, Oriel’s red neon on the exterior and the dimly lit interior gives it a film noir-esque vibe. With that and the moody music, this doubles as both the place to brood after a breakup or a romantic date night spot, with the French bistro menu featuring favorites like onion soup or moules marinières sure to cheer you up either way. The wine list is also predominantly French, but all different styles and varietals are represented including natural and orange wines.
1135 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012; orielchinatown.com
Lolo
14. Lolo
A natural wine bar with a small, charming patio, Lolo’s wine by the glass list is short but fun. The key is to come here with someone who’d share a bottle with you, then peruse the bottles displayed inside at the wine shop to enjoy at your table, accompanied by a plate of pasta or steak with chimichurri. If you’re not sure what you want, the staff is always on hand to help select the right bottle.
5140 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90027; lolowinebar.com
Ryan James Caruthers
15. Tilda
This natural wine bar was opened by local Echo Park residents as a friendly and casual gathering place for local wine lovers. There’s a short menu of small plates like flatbread and pinchitos (skewers). Tilda focuses on natural wines from California, but they do showcase producers from other parts of the globe.
1507 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90026; tildawine.com
Fiona Chandra
16. Holcomb
The large natural wine offerings and wine by the glass list that starts at $10 makes Holcomb a popular spot for locals to grab casual drinks. You’ll find plenty of orange or chilled red wine, as well as a few wines on tap here. There are small plates to accompany the wine including a nice cheese and charcuterie selection. Sit inside the sultry bar adorned with floral wallpaper or grab one of the dog-friendly sidewalk tables.
5535 York Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90042; holcombtradingpost.com
17. Wally’s Beverly Hills
Wally’s is one of the best known wine shops in Los Angeles, so you can expect their wine bars to have a great selection. Though they have a few locations, the expansive Beverly Hills location is our favorite. There are more than 50 wines by the glass (including a $850 glass of Screaming Eagle, because this is Beverly Hills) and an extensive—albeit not cheap—food menu that includes truffle egg for brunch or A5 wagyu for dinner.
447 N. Canon Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210; wallywine.com/restaurants
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