Forget the velvet ropes and overpriced bottle service of West Hollywood. The true cocktail renaissance in Downtown Los Angeles thrives behind unmarked back doors, inside century-old subterranean bank vaults, and through secret arcade corridors. Here are 5 vetted, currently operating speakeasies defining LA’s underground cocktail culture.
1. Crane’s Bar Downtown (Inside an 810 S. Spring St Bank Vault)
Address: 810 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Status: Open • Walk-ins welcome
The Entry: Head down the subterranean stairs of the historic 1920s Title Guarantee & Trust building and enter through a massive, reinforced 30-ton steel bank vault door.
Crane’s Bar strips away modern speakeasy pretension, delivering a raw, unpretentious underground tavern with classic rock vinyl, cold craft beers, and top-tier bourbon selections enclosed within solid steel security walls.
2. Death & Co LA (Arts District Cocktail Sanctuary)
Address: 818 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Status: Open • Standing Room walk-in / Main Salon reservations
The Entry: Enter through the unassuming wooden door at 818 E. 3rd Street in the DTLA Arts District.
Featuring two distinct subterranean-inspired experiences—the intimate Standing Room for walk-ins and the moody, velvet-draped Main Salon—Death & Co crafts an encyclopedic menu of bespoke cocktails organized by sensory flavor profiles and spirit intensity.
3. Bar Jackalope (Japanese Whisky Salon Behind Seven Grand)
Address: 515 W 7th St, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90014
Status: Open • Limited 18-seat capacity
The Entry: Walk through Seven Grand to the rear smoking patio, locate the wooden door with the carved brass jackalope plaque, and press the buzzer.
An intimate Japanese-style whisky haven featuring over 120 rare single malts, private barrel bourbons, and hand-carved ice sphere service set to quiet vinyl jazz in a serene tea-house ambiance.
4. The Wolves (1911 Alexandria Hotel Parisian Salon)
Address: 519 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Status: Open • Dinner & Late Night Cocktails
The Vibe: Step into a stunning Belle Époque Parisian salon crowned by an authentic domed Tiffany-style stained glass ceiling salvaged from a 1911 passenger railway station.
Every bitter, vermouth, liqueur, and seasonal amaro is crafted completely in-house using organic Southern California botanicals, citrus, and wild mountain herbs.
5. The Slipper Clutch (Retro Speakeasy Behind Bar Clacson)
Address: 351 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Status: Open • Wednesday–Sunday Nightly
The Entry: Walk into Italian aperitivo bar Bar Clacson on historic Broadway, locate the subtle back door marked “EMPLOYEES ONLY”, and step into an 1980s neon-washed arcade speakeasy.
Created in collaboration with cocktail master Eric Alperin, The Slipper Clutch mixes high-end craft draft cocktails, vintage pinball machines, rock ‘n’ roll energy, and a hidden outdoor smokers’ corridor right in the heart of Downtown LA.
Historical Note: Before closing, pioneering speakeasy The Varnish (formerly behind Cole’s French Dip) helped ignite the modern Los Angeles craft cocktail movement under Sasha Petraske and Eric Alperin. Its spirit lives on through the next-generation establishments curated in this guide.
