8 bars in Santa Monica, editor-picked for bars open past midnight. Bars going past midnight on friday or saturday. All bars in Santa Monica.
Chez Jay ★ 4.4
ocean-avenue · 1657 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Hours: Mon 17:30-00:00; Tue-Thu 14:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 14:00-02:00; Sun 14:00-00:00
Chez Jay has kept its nautical dive-bar dining room on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica since 1959, a city Historic Landmark of steaks, peanuts and lore.
Tip: The sandy-floored front room is the landmark bit, designated by the city in 2012; the Backyard patio opened in 2019.
The Georgian Room ★ 4.4
ocean-avenue · 1415 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Hours: Wed 17:00-22:00; Thu 17:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-02:00; Sun 17:00-21:00
The Georgian Room, in the 1933 Georgian Hotel on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, pairs Tuscan chophouse cooking with live jazz around a Steinway grand.
Tip: Friday and Saturday it runs to 02:00 with live music; Spaghetti Sunday closes the week with a set menu.
The Daily Pint ★ 4.3
pico · 2310 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Hours: Daily 14:00-02:00
The Daily Pint stocks more than 500 whiskies behind a Pico Boulevard dive-bar front in Santa Monica, with sharp rotating taps, pool and shuffleboard.
Tip: Ask the bartender to steer a whisky flight; the beer list turns over constantly and skews serious.
Elephante ★ 4.3
downtown · 1332 2nd Street, Rooftop, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Hours: Mon-Thu 10:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 09:00-01:00; Sun 09:00-00:00
Elephante stacks a coastal Italian kitchen onto a 2nd Street rooftop in Santa Monica, whipped eggplant, pizzas and pasta with the ocean over the rail.
Tip: Go before sunset for the light and stay for the DJ; weekend mornings it runs ricotta pancakes from 09:00.
The Gaslite ★ 4.2
mid-city · 2030 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Hours: Daily 06:00-02:00; karaoke nightly
The Gaslite has held its Wilshire Boulevard corner in Santa Monica since 1962, a come-as-you-are karaoke dive open 06:00 to 02:00 with free popcorn.
Tip: It bills itself as Southern California's longest-running karaoke; sign up early because the nightly list fills by 21:00.
Not No Bar ★ 4.2
main-street · 2424 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Hours: Mon 17:00-01:00; Thu-Sun 17:00-01:00; closed Tue-Wed
Not No Bar plays throwback Euro disco over wood-fired pizza on Main Street in Santa Monica, bar director Kent Thompson's cocktails until 01:00.
Tip: Friday and Saturday are fully walk-in; the patio never takes bookings and the room goes 21-plus after 22:00.
Santa Monica Brew Works ★ 4.2
mid-city · 1920 Colorado Avenue, Suite C, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Hours: Mon-Thu 12:00-23:00; Fri-Sat 12:00-00:00; Sun 12:00-21:00
Santa Monica Brew Works pours ten house taps in its Colorado Avenue taproom, 310 Blonde to PCH Porter, with Emmy Squared pizza serving till late.
Tip: Monday is all-day happy hour; the Emmy Squared after-hours menu runs Friday and Saturday from 21:00.
The Bungalow ★ 4.0
ocean-avenue · 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Hours: Wed-Thu 17:00-00:00; Fri-Sat 17:00-01:00; Sun 17:00-22:00; closed Mon-Tue
The Bungalow sprawls through a beach-house maze at the Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica, cocktails, DJs and pool tables with ocean air off the bluff.
Tip: Dress code loosens early; go at 17:00 for a patio sofa because the queue after 21:00 on weekends is real.