Looking for the best bars and nightlife in Santa Monica? This beachside city has a stylish nightlife of oceanview rooftops, cocktail bars, and lively spots along the pier, Main Street, and downtown. This local guide covers Santa Monica’s nightlife scene, the best neighborhoods to go out in, the kinds of bars the city does well, and how to find where locals actually drink.
Santa Monica’s nightlife scene
Santa Monica’s nightlife is upscale-beachy — think oceanview rooftop bars, craft-cocktail lounges, and lively spots near the pier and Third Street Promenade, plus a more local, laid-back scene on Main Street and Ocean Park. It draws both tourists and Westside locals, with a coastal, see-and-be-seen-meets-casual vibe.
Best neighborhoods for bars & nightlife in Santa Monica
Downtown and the Third Street Promenade area have bars, rooftops, and lounges; Main Street and Ocean Park offer a more local, laid-back bar scene; and the pier and beachfront hotels have oceanview rooftop bars. Nearby Venice adds a bohemian nightlife. For how these areas compare, see our guide to the best neighborhoods in Santa Monica.
What Santa Monica does well: bars, breweries & more
Santa Monica does oceanview rooftop bars, craft cocktails, and beachy gastropubs especially well, plus wine bars and a relaxed Main Street scene. It’s a stylish, coastal nightlife town — more lounges and rooftops than a club district.
What to know about going out in Santa Monica
Downtown, the Promenade, and Main Street are walkable, and the Expo Line connects to DTLA; beach parking is pricey, so rideshare. The scene skews upscale-casual and coastal, with earlier closing than central LA. Rooftop bars are the signature move.
Where Santa Monica locals actually drink
The best bars change constantly — the hot new spot, the beloved dive, the patio that’s perfect right now — and the honest picks rarely match the tourist lists. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Santa Monica community, real Santa Monica neighbors share where they genuinely go out. Planning a night out? See our guide to the best things to do in Santa Monica too. Join your Santa Monica neighbors free and get real nightlife recommendations →
Where this fits in Santa Monica
The best bars here reflect the neighborhoods around them, so where you drink shapes the whole evening. The picks in this guide make the most sense once you know how Santa Monica is laid out. the Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park sit at the center of where locals actually spend their time, so planning a great night out around one of them rarely goes wrong. When you want something calmer, the beach bike path pulls you away from the busiest blocks, and Tongva Park is the kind of spot regulars mention but visitors miss. Anchor your plan to one of those and the rest of the day in Santa Monica tends to fall into place.
More Santa Monica guides
Santa Monica rewards people who dig a little deeper. These related guides map the same neighborhoods from different starting points: Best restaurants in Santa Monica, Date ideas in Santa Monica, Things to do in Santa Monica — enough to plan a whole day or two.
Ask a Santa Monica neighbor
The best tips never make the guidebooks — they come from neighbors who know which spot is worth it this week. That is what the Santa Monica community on Neighborhood Nurturers is for. Ask Santa Monica locals what they would do, or join free and get honest answers from people who actually know Santa Monica.
Frequently asked questions
What is the nightlife like in Santa Monica?
Stylish and beachy — oceanview rooftop bars, craft-cocktail lounges, and lively spots near the pier and Promenade, plus a laid-back local scene on Main Street.
Where are the best bars in Santa Monica?
Downtown and the Third Street Promenade for rooftops and lounges, Main Street and Ocean Park for a laid-back local scene, and the beachfront for oceanview bars.
Where do locals go out in Santa Monica?
Locals favor Main Street and Ocean Park’s laid-back spots over the busiest Promenade — Santa Monica neighbors share picks in our community.