Beach bars guide

Beach days usually end with a post-sand-and-surf drink—preferably somewhere that has coastal views and a menu full of neon-colored tropical cocktails. So what’s your style? Drinking brews in Venice with your shirt off and beer belly out? Wooing your date with mai tais and a romantic oceanside sunset in Santa Monica? Getting totally hammered on a rooftop patio in Hermosa Beach? Here's our guide to finding your perfect bar in every beach town.

MALIBU
Malibu beach bars, though located by the swankiest of all beaches, attract just as many beach bums, surfers and bikini-clad babes to the bars. Only here, you’ll see more celebs than rollerbladers.

Duke's Malibu Restaurant & Barefoot Bar
The surf’s always up at Duke’s, a Malibu restaurant and bar that sits so close to the Pacific that it has been known to be pummeled by the occasional wave. The Barefoot Bar—a glass-enclosed sand patio—serves up froufrou drinks along with stellar views of dolphins and seals frolicking in the surf.
21150 Pacific Coast Hwy., 310-317-0777

Malibu Pier Club
The pier’s vintage-style bar and beach-themed cocktails attract tourists and hot towheads looking for a post-surf drink. We like the Pom Pom—a refreshing cocktail made with vodka, pomegranate juice and lemon—and the mai tais, made from a super-secret Hawaiian recipe that’ll knock you off your beach chair.
Malibu Pier, 23000 Pacific Coast Hwy., 310-456-9800

Moonshadows
Instead of dolphin watching, do some wasted-celeb spotting at Moonshadows. The site of the infamous Mel Gibson incident of 2006, the bar attracts a mixed crowd of Santa Monica locals, Malibu beach bums and the random Pepperdine students who like to drink (yes, they exist).
20356 Pacific Coast Hwy., 310-456-3010

Paradise Cove Beach Cafe
The bustling Malibu beach bar and restaurant is right on the beach—as in, your toes are in the sand and you might see Matthew McConaughey jog past your lounge chair. The drinks are beachy too—try one of the flavored margaritas or a guava mojito alongside an order of fried calamari served in a martini glass the size of your head. Mmmm…
28128 Pacific Coast Hwy., 310-457-2503

The Sunset Bar
This romantic hillside hideaway might look fancy with its valet parking and candlelit tables, but this place is totally low-key. Snag a cushioned bench by the window, where there’s a killer view and enough seating for you and a group of your drunkest friends.
6800 Westward Beach Rd., 310-457-5521

SANTA MONICA
Santa Monica may not be the best place to lay down a towel—hello, pollution!—but it's got some great places to grab a drink, people-watch and catch the sunset.

Big Dean's Cafe
You’ll find flip-flops, tank tops and plenty of beer at this bar under the Santa Monica Pier. The courtyard is always crowded with picnic tables full of chatty tourists and locals drinking pints of beer. And, if the conversation gets stale, there are plenty of hotties on the beach to ogle.
1615 Ocean Front Walk, 310-393-2666

Coast Beach Cafe & Bar
Views of the ocean are perfectly paired with sweet white-peach Bellinis and mimosas at this romantic (read: expensive) spot on the beach.
Shutters on the Beach, 1 Pico Blvd, 310-587-1707

The Veranda Bar at Casa Del Mar Hotel
Everything about the the Veranda Bar is stunning, from the art deco decor to the well-dressed clientele to the 20-foot-high ceilings that show off the dramatic sunset views. It's the perfect place to romance a date, but pray that you're paying for a lightweight—the fancy martinis here aren't cheap.
1910 Ocean Way, 310-581-5533

VENICE
By day you’ll find the tourists strolling the boardwalk while local surfers go by on beach cruisers. By night, you’ll find them all drinking together.

On the Waterfront Cafe
Along the touristy Venice boardwalk, you’ll see many things—a hemp shop, a man lifting weights in a silver Speedo and the Waterfront Cafe. Here locals and tourists spend afternoons on the sun-soaked patio throwing back German beers, snacking on fries and avoiding eye contact with Speedo man.
205 Ocean Front Walk, 310-392-0322

Nikki’s Local 72
For the fratty beach bums, Nikki’s is a mere longboard away from the sand and surf. On Sundays, there's a Bloody Mary bar and reggae music starting at 11 a.m.—right when you roll out of bed or need a break from the waves.
72 Market St., 310-450-3010

Venice Whaler Bar and Grill
Located right by the pier, the Whaler is a two-story sports bar with an upstairs patio and views of beach babes and rollerbladers wearing dad jeans. If you’re not into patio drinking, sun-soaking and people-watching, you can always move downstairs and catch the game.
2-10 Washington Blvd., 310-821-8737

MARINA DEL REY
Want to feel like you're on vacation in a whole different city? The small boardwalk on Washington Boulevard will make you feel like you're a kid again—only now you're allowed to drink!

Cabo Cantina
Located on the border of Venice and Marina del Rey, Cabo offers cheap drinks that can send you into a slur after one round. Plus, the inexpensive Mexican food and festive decor put everyone in party mode.
30 Washington Blvd., 310-306-2500

Baja Cantina
Shark ate your shoes and your shirt? Doesn’t matter; you’ll still get service at this beachside cantina. Head over for an afternoon of margarita sipping and tequila shots. Thankfully, a nap at the beach is only stumbling distance away.
311 Washington Blvd., 310-821-2252

MANHATTAN BEACH
Manhattan Beach bars include everything from taverns to posh open decks that overlook the ocean. Depending on your mood and your entourage, you could spend the night sipping cocktails under the stars or playing a game of pool.

Baja Sharkeez
When you’re too hungover to operate anything other than a beach cruiser, pedal over to Sharkeez. On weekends, stop in for the Kegs and Eggs breakfast—a Sharkeez specialty that includes bacon, eggs and 32 ounces of beer. There's also a do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar every Sunday.
3801 Highland Ave., 310-545-6563

The Skydeck at the Shade Hotel
When highrollers want to party by the beach, they head up to the Skydeck. It's a poolside party by day and an upscale cocktail party by night. The deck has seaside views, pricey drinks and beach talk without all the sand.
1221 N. Valley Drive, 310-546-4995

Shellback Tavern
After a day of sitting in the sun, you deserve a cold beer. And if you like your beer really cold—as in sub-29 degrees, borderline-frostbitten cold—you should check out the Shellback. The bar also welcomes board shorts and the sweet smell of suntan oil.
116 Manhattan Beach Blvd. 310-376-7857

HERMOSA BEACH
Mellow beach town by day, boozy party town by night! Hermosa has plenty of places to barhop, pub-crawl or patio-lounge.

Hennessey's Tavern
Hennessey’s rooftop deck overlooks the beach and all its babes. After sunset, the tavern gets crowded with locals who like to drink by the surf but don’t want sand in their shoes.
8 Pier Ave., 310-372-5759

Poop Deck
Drinking cheap beer and blacking out is a house specialty at Hermosa’s Poop Deck. Regulars come here for the Budweiser, pool table, beach proximity (a stone's throw from here) and sunset views.
1272 The Strand, 310-376-3223

Sangria
Every weekend, this pier-side Spanish restaurant dims its lights, clears the tables and transforms into a nightclub for the Hermosa party crowd. During the week, Sangria hosts live jazz music on the patio and Flamenco shows every Tuesday.
68 Pier Ave., 310-376-4412

LONG BEACH
From tiki huts to taco shacks to docked boats, laid-back Long Beach and its casual attitude make for great drinking. There are also plenty of neighborhood dive bars for those who like to relax away from the sun every now and then.
 
The Observation Bar on the Queen Mary
If you’re in the mood for drinks and live music amid slightly stuffy art deco interiors, hop aboard the Queen Mary. You probably won’t find umbrellas in your drink or pirates at your side, but you will find a full bar and panoramic views.
1126 Queens Hwy., 562-435-3511

Puka Bar
A tropical cocktail heaven for the people of Long Beach. This tiki-themed bar and lounge offers gigantic fruity drinks that’ll knock you right off the bar stool—don’t let the pretty umbrellas or playful garnishes deceive you. The bar also has resident DJs to set the tiki mood or turn the hut into a full-on dance party.
710 W. Willow St., 562-997-6896