Courtesy of @ladescargala via Instagram.
There are so many best bar lists filled with the trendiest lounges and top mixologists, but this year Esquire magazine wanted to do something a little different. They declared that “we’re not really going to bars for wizardry right now. We just want a damn drink—and a jukebox, please, if that’s not asking too much.”
So instead of ranking bars around the U.S. in “the normal way,” Esquire asked some of their favorite writers in America “Where do you go for a drink when the world’s giving you the blues?” And lo and behold, L.A. scored big on this unusual list of best bars to drink your blues away.
La Descarga
La Descargain East Hollywood is a hidden Cuban-inspired rum bar and speakeasy that delivers a fully immersive nightlife experience. Tucked behind an unmarked door and winding staircase, it transports guests to old Havana with live jazz, salsa, and burlesque performances, often complete with a fire-twirling performance.
The bar specializes in expertly crafted rum cocktails and rare rum flights, offering a carefully curated selection that celebrates Caribbean tradition. With its moody decor, vibrant energy, and theatrical flair, La Descarga is a much-needed transportive escape.
James Beard Award–winning journalist and musician, Bill Esparza, says the bar strikes “a chord with the Latino community as a place for dancing salsa, cumbia, reggaeton, and other Caribbean beats. The cocktails are classic: daiquiris, mojitos, and rum old-fashioneds delivered by a pair of Zapotec men, Luis Cruz and Rigo Garcia, who made their way up from barbacks to lead bartenders.”
📍 Location: 1159 N Western Ave Hollywood, CA 90029
Farmshop
Farmshop in Santa Monica is a stylish farm‑to‑table restaurant, bakery, artisanal market, and of course, bar. It uses fresh, sustainable, locally‑sourced ingredients from California, and their philosophy emphasizes strong relationships with farmers and artisan producers. Farmshop’s bar focuses on a curated cocktail experience with premium ingredients and has become a neighborhood gathering place.
The playwright David Mamet says, “To chew the rag about the top note or bouquet of a cask-strength rum is most enjoyable. Not only does one get to talk to a human being about something besides politics, one gets to drink the damn thing.”
📍 Location: 225 26th St #25, Santa Monica, CA 90402
Dan Sung Sa
Dan Sung Sa in Koreatown channels the gritty charm of Seoul’s late-night tent pubs, serving up Korean small plates and ice-cold soju in a dimly lit, graffiti-covered space. Beloved by local Angelenos and K-Pop stars alike, it’s the kind of place where you might end up clinking soju glasses with a stranger or a celebrity.
The menu features nearly 100 anju dishes meant for sharing, from spicy rice cakes to grilled skewers and sizzling pork belly. Affordable, authentic, and always buzzing, Dan Sung Sa is a late-night landmark in L.A.’s Koreatown.
Writer and branding expert, Khuong Phan, says Dan Sung Sa is perfect for “taking a load off and escaping for a few hours, and having a damn good time. Most crucially for your well-being and sanity, Dan Sung Sa is built for communing. So you’re going to connect with your pals here, and you and those pals are going to share everything, because, like life, Dan Sung Sa is best experienced with others.”
📍 Location: 3317 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020