Food Blogger
May 19, 2026
Los Angeles takes its bar concepts seriously. While other cities are happy with a solid cocktail program and some nice lighting, LA wants a story, a theme, and an experience you can’t get anywhere else. The result is a city full of bars that are as much about the atmosphere as the alcohol.
Here are the best themed bars in Los Angeles for anyone looking for a night out with genuine personality.
Bar Jubilee — Rock ’n’ Roll Circus (West Hollywood)
Bar Jubilee brings a Rock ’n’ Roll Circus theme to the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood — hand-painted carnival murals, moody circus-inspired art, and a cocktail menu where every drink is named after a circus archetype. The Mind Reader, the Bearded Lady, the Bear on a Unicycle — these aren’t just clever names, they’re drinks built around techniques like milk washing and fat washing that justify the circus tent.
What sets Bar Jubilee apart from other themed bars is that the theme enhances the experience rather than replacing it. The cocktails are legitimately excellent, the four distinct spaces (main bar, Red Room, pool lounge, patio) give you room to move, and there’s no cover or membership required. It’s immersive without being a theme park.
The weekly programming adds layers too — Jazz Wednesdays and 2000s Top 40 nights show that the theme is flexible enough to support different moods on different nights.
Good Times at Davey Wayne’s — 1970s House Party (Hollywood)
You enter through a refrigerator door into a backyard that looks like it was pulled straight from 1977. Davey Wayne’s commits fully to the ’70s house party concept — wood paneling, shag carpet, lawn chairs, and a disco ball. The drinks are fun and accessible, and the outdoor area is one of the best bar patios in Hollywood. Best on warm nights.
Beetle House — Tim Burton Vibes (Hollywood)
Dark, whimsical, and a little unsettling — exactly what you’d expect from a bar themed around the aesthetic of Tim Burton films. The cocktails have names that match the decor, and the interior is packed with enough detail that you’ll notice something new every visit. Great for Halloween season but fun year-round.
Tiki-Ti — Classic Tiki (Los Feliz)
Tiki-Ti is tiny, legendary, and family-owned since 1961. There’s no gimmick here — just a small room with incredible tropical cocktails served by people who’ve been making them for generations. The wait to get in can be long, but it’s worth it. This is the gold standard of tiki bars in LA.
Clifton’s Republic — Forest Lodge Fantasy (Downtown LA)
A multi-story bar built to look like a Pacific Northwest forest lodge, complete with a two-story redwood tree and a tiki lounge hidden upstairs. Clifton’s is more spectacle than speakeasy, but the sheer ambition of the design makes it worth experiencing at least once.
The Formosa Cafe — Old Hollywood Glamour (West Hollywood)
Reopened after a renovation that preserved its 1925 bones, the Formosa Cafe is themed around Old Hollywood history. The cocktails are craft-caliber, the booths feel like time capsules, and the walls are covered with photos of the stars who used to drink there. It’s nostalgia done right.
What Makes a Themed Bar Work
The best themed bars in Los Angeles share a common trait: the theme serves the experience, not the other way around. A good theme creates an atmosphere. A bad theme creates a gimmick. The bars on this list — and Bar Jubilee especially — understand that the drinks, the service, and the space have to stand on their own. The theme is the cherry on top.
If you’re looking for a night out in LA that feels like more than just drinking in a room, any of these spots will deliver. Start with Bar Jubilee on the Sunset Strip if you want to craft cocktails with genuine creativity in a space that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
