Look past the cold glamour of Hollywood, and L.A.’s true spirit lies in its diverse archipelago of dance halls, lounges, bars and pop-up community hubs that cater to clubbers from most every subculture and demographic. Being a well-rounded Angeleno means kicking off Friday night with a KCRW-core soul set at the Lodge Room in Highland Park, then meeting friends at La Cita for a goth cumbia bonanza and finally, by 2 a.m., inexplicably cheering on your kooky DJ cousin at Catch One in Mid-City. Although the COVID-19 crisis shuttered a number of establishments in 2020, the dogged support of L.A.’s nightlife communities kept many clubs standing strong. Here’s a list of essential places to jump-start your weekend — but only you can decide where the night will take you.

Publisher:

Los Angeles Times

Author:

Suzy Exposito, Kenan Draughorne, August Brown

Story Date:

2/23/2023

Story Category:

Top/Best/Coolest Lists

Places in Story:

56