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The Best Bars In Venice

From dive bars to dance parties and tiki themes, these are the 10 best places to grab a drink in Venice.

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Ashley Smiths
January 23 2024

Venice’s bar scene is a mix of laid-back outdoor patios, dimly-lit bars with solid cocktails, and the occasional clubby venue where Happy Hour spills into dancing to 2010s hip-hop remixes. If it’s Saturday night and you’re leaving dinner on Abbot Kinney with no concrete plans, don’t order that $50 Uber to the Eastside just yet—here are the best bars in Venice.

Hinano Cafe

Hinano Cafe

Bar

Venice

$

A flip flop’s toss from the beach, Hinano Cafe is a well-worn dive bar that’s been open since the 60s and has no interest in rebranding itself anytime soon. This is the kind of place you come for cold beers after a long beach day or just for a moment of peace from the chaos that is the Venice boardwalk. Don’t expect fancy craft cocktails here because there aren’t any— play a game of pool, have a few beers, and order their legendary burger, which is one of our favorites in town. Cash only.

High Rooftop Bar at Hotel Erwin

High Rooftop Bar at Hotel Erwin

Bar

Venice

$$

A beautiful ocean view can add a lot to cocktail hour, which is why it’s worth braving the chilly Pacific breeze (and occasional touristy crowd) at Hotel Erwin’s High Rooftop Bar. The rooftop bar’s cocktails are relatively simple but delicious, like a standard margarita on the rocks, an espresso martini, and smoky mezcal negronis. Make a reservation to nab one of the comfy couches (ideally under a heater) and take in the sunset with a plate of fries and a few drinks.

The Lincoln

The Lincoln

Bar

Venice

$$

The Lincoln is far from the Abbot Kinney crowds, but that doesn’t stop this place from getting packed on weekends. This cocktail bar looks like a mix between a beach bungalow and a dark tool shed with Edison bulbs and tin panel walls. Mood lighting aside, there is a great outdoor patio (which feels closed off from the loud traffic on Lincoln Blvd.) and solid drinks for every taste, from fancy fruit-infused cocktails to the simple “World’s Best Dad” combo that includes a Miller High Life and shot of whiskey.

Gran Blanco

Gran Blanco

Bar

Venice

$$

If you speak a little Spanish you might piece together that this bar is run by the same people as Great White, except the theme here is less Aussie and more Acapulco. Located off the boardwalk, Gran Blanco looks like a Tulum beach bar with its all-white interior and disco ball. Reservations are strongly encouraged for dinner, but walk-ins at the bar are welcome if you don’t mind drinking on your feet until someone gets up. Order the Nomalizo, a jalapeño-watermelon-mezcal concoction, or the excellent espresso martini made with reposado tequila. Also: the food here is quite good and available at the bar.

Townhouse Venice

Townhouse Venice

Bar

Venice

$$

There’s a lot of history behind Townhouse, starting with the fact that it’s over 100 years old and its lower level, the Del Monte, was an actual Prohibition Era speakeasy. These days Townhouse is more speakeasy-themed and exists as a rowdy two-story bar full of college students and young professionals looking to kick off the weekend with tequila cocktails or catching a live act at Del Monte. Booths are available on the ground floor if you’re here to catch up with friends, but this very loud venue can make carrying a conversation difficult without straining your vocal cords.

Belles Beach House

Belles Beach House

Polynesian

Venice

$$

Belles Beach House is technically a restaurant that serves good tiki-adjacent cocktails, but it’s the experience of drinking here that earns it a place on this list. At Belles, we suggest leaning into the unsubtle tropical beach theme and ordering a mai tai, piña colada, or any drink poured into a tall decorative mug. That’s why you’re here. Besides feeling like you time traveled to 1970s Waikiki, this boardwalk bar offers other campy amenities such as punch bowl drinks, tequila-spiked slushies served in coconut shells, and a DJ playing tropical house music as you completely lose sense of which continent you are on.

Wurstküche

Wurstküche

German

Venices

$$

Going out with a large group sounds fun in theory until the actual planning begins. That is, unless you go somewhere like Wurstküche. This Euro-centric beer hall has long tables for people to gather, a wide assortment of grilled sausages ranging from pork bratwurst to pheasant with herbs de provence, a whole lot of imported beer, and some of the best Belgian fries in the city. Bonus: everyone orders at the counter so no need to split the check 12 ways.