What to Know

  • The seasonal bar will open in three Southern California locations in 2025
  • Sip at the Melrose Umbrella Co. pop-up from Oct. 1-Nov. 2
  • The Corner Door in Culver City will welcome the Black Lagoon from Oct. 1-Nov. 2
  • Oct. 3 is the opening date for the pop-up at The Ordinaire in Long Beach, with a wrap-up Nov. 2
  • Themed drinks like Griselda’s Revenge and Nocturna Colada are on the menu, while eerie decorations festoon each bar’s walls and tables

There are several snappy synonyms that swirl around places where people sip and socialize, but perhaps “watering hole” is one of the catchiest of all.

And while most bar names don’t have much to do with locations filled with H2O or a spot to splash about, one seasonal pop-up very much does: Black Lagoon.

It’s a Halloween-themed tavern that opens for a month or so in select cities across the country each fall, and it has murked ‘n lurked in Los Angeles over the last few years.

Now the seaweed-y scene is returning to Southern California with three locations and an early-October opening for each.

Well, you don’t need to be strewn with seaweed or have eeriely emerged from a deep and haunted lake to visit the Black Lagoon, but you should be prepared to encounter all sorts of dastardly decorations, as well as drinks that are both festive and frightful.

Founded by hospitality pros Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage just over a half decade or so back, the Black Lagoon is merrily murking into its fifth annual outing.

The Southern California locations for this ghoulish go-around include the Melrose Umbrella Co. on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, The Corner Door in Culver City, and The Ordinairie in Long Beach.

Returning fans know the drinks the sips will have a spooky air, and in 2025 the names tell the skin-prickling tale.

The Nocturna Colada features Mr. Black Liqueur, Kraken Black, Kraken Gold, Bitter Queens Coffee Cardamom Bitters, passionfruit, coconut, and pineapple, while the spirit-free Death’s Door boasts Giffard pineapple, miso falernum, lime, and soda.

“We wanted this year’s cocktails to push the boundaries of spooky creativity while also being approachable, fun and above all, delicious,” says co-founder Erin Hayes.

“It’s important to us that every drink feels like an experience, whether you’re sipping tequila, rum, or even a zero-proof cocktail.”

Plunge into the deep for an in-depth look at this stylish, autumnally awesome offering; you can get the details, addresses, and need-to-knows at this site.