9 Spots For A Laid Back Date In Los Angeles
Presented by
Monkey Shoulder
Finding a time to meet your date is hard enough. When it’s time for the actual date, it should be fun, relaxing, and low-pressure. To make that happen, you need the right combo of a fun atmosphere, a laid back vibe, and enough things to talk about that you won’t end up spending 10 minutes on the weather. Together with Monkey Shoulder, we’re helping you Stick It To Stuck Up on your next date, with these easygoing LA spots for a non-stuffy date. Order something to eat, some Monkey Shoulder whisky to go with it, and get to know your date.
This airy bar in Culver City is on the rooftop of popular food hall Citizen Public Market, which gives you the chance to walk through the hall and pick up some snacks before heading upstairs for sunset drinks. We love the creative cocktails with bitters, the simple wine list, and the shaded patio for brunch dates.
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When you need a surefire backdrop for an open-air date, turn to this reliable spot. The views of downtown are unbeatable, the string lights automatically add a bit of romance, and there are always good people watching opportunities. If you’re staying for dinner as well as drinks, try the juicy steak frites and the filet mignon au poivre.
This Arts District restaurant is mostly outdoors, with a gorgeous garden patio flanked by greenery. It’s inside the Hauser & Wirth gallery, so if you’re worried about conversation starters, start with some art before you sit down for dinner. Plates are meant for sharing, from the burrata and cream biscuits, to the wood-fired okra and colorful farmer’s market cauliflower.
A lot of evenings end at this neighborhood cocktail bar, but the best ones start here too. Pull up a stool to the low-lit bar and hang out with the friendly bartenders until your date arrives. The specialty cocktails are as good as the classics here, so you can’t go wrong whether you order an old-fashioned or a Robot Sex on the Beach (yes, you read that right).
There’s a comfortingly old-fashioned tavern feel at Charcoal, with its private wood booths and high wood-beamed ceilings. Unwind with a cocktail and beef tartare with black garlic aioli at the bar, where you can spy the huge meat locker full of goodies. Pick what you want before heading to a booth for dinner - we like the house-smoked lamb ribs, koji-rubbed pork porterhouse with umeboshi, and yukon potatoes baked in the coals.
This spacious, dimly-lit Ktown cocktail den has it all, from fruity, tiki-leaning drinks like the Wanderlust to the sophisticated Old Money, which gives it to you straight with Monkey Shoulder, demerara, ginger and bitters. You won’t feel rushed to leave as you chat away the hours in a comfy leather barstool.
photo credit: Kim Fox
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If you’re wondering what to order at this bar-restaurant, apparently Larry David usually gets the roasted veggie burger with grilled pineapple relish and piquillo peppers. You can’t beat the two-and-a-half hour happy hour and the relaxed atmosphere at this overlooked spot in West LA.
This open-air DTLA bar and restaurant has some good classic cocktails and a big outdoor area to hang out in. Linger awhile and order the blue corn tacos for dinner, or the southern fried chicken with waffles for brunch. If you’re there during a Dodgers game with a sports lover, grab an order of the wings.
Sit on the large patio at this tapas cafe and get the Manchego and fig cheese board, fire-roasted broccoli, and a pappardelle de paella for two. We love the Monkey See Monkey Do, a heady, delicious Monkey Shoulder scotch cocktail with orgeat and lemon.