The Best Nightclubs in LA

Considering the involvement of Insomniac, the company behind Electric Daisy Carnival, it’s little surprise that Academy is a bastion of on-point electronic dance music (EDM). Housed in an outwardly nondescript gray cube of a building on Hollywood Boulevard, the space is a longtime nightlife staple - previously as Qtopia, Vanguard, and Create - before being reimagined in 2017 by Insomniac and Exchange LA as Academy. Expansive yet intimate, it boasts a Funktion-One Sound System, indoor and outdoor patios, and 145 state-of-the-art customizable, curved LED ceiling panels that can truly transform both the room and your night.

Music Genre: EDM

Cover Charge: $20 – $50

Even if the walls of Avalon could talk, they’d probably still keep quiet about the dance-‘til-daylight debaucheries of the countless concerts, after-parties, and club nights hosted inside this historic 1,500-capacity theatre across from the iconic Capitol Records Building. Despite focusing on electronic music even before EDM became a global phenomenon, Avalon has always prided itself on offering a much more visual production than just a silhouetted DJ and two turntables.

After 4am-ish, the party usually moves upstairs to the more intimate, utterly beautiful Bardot, where the festivities continue through sunrise (note that Avalon stops serving alcohol between 2-6am).

Music Genre: EDM

Cover Charge: $20 – $40

The bold, vaudeville-inspired vision of actor David Arquette and The h.wood Group, Bootsy Bellows is one of those celebrity-studded hangs that requires either an insider hook-up or a fat wallet (the cheapest table service runs $1,500). Named after Arquette’s mother, a former burlesque dancer and pin-up model, the space shuns stereotypical dark hues and blinding lights in favor of a gentle peach palette accented by greenery – more Palm Springs than Palm Beach. Predictably, given its ownership, Bootsy Bellows offers unrivaled celeb-spotting potential. Much less predictably, it includes puppeteers and showgirl-style dancers alongside its DJ and live music performances (which have included Drake, Tyga, and Wiz Khalifa), making this ultra-exclusive spot one of contemporary LA’s most memorable after-dark offerings.

Music Genres: EDM, hip-hop, pop

Cover Charge: Reservations only

Opened in 1973 as Jewel’s Catch One, this Arlington Heights legend was the country’s first club to cater specifically to gay African Americans. Under owner/activist Jewel Thais-Williams, it survived systemic racism, the AIDs epidemic, and a suspected arson attack. America’s oldest Black-owned nightclub became Union seven years ago, but in 2018 rebranded as Catch One in honor of its storied past. Today, this multi-level bastion of inclusivity boasts three dance floors and a trio of bars, with prominent EDM events in the main upstairs ballroom, multiple other themed spaces, and a huge outdoor patio. A club that has hosted the likes of Madonna and Rick James today features intelligent lighting projectors, Funktion-One/EAW sound systems, and a substantial kitchen.

In keeping with its past as the Los Angeles Stock Exchange, the four-story Exchange LA envelops up to 1,500 guests in escapist Art Deco opulence. Besides an ultra-popular nightclub, this lavish space also hosts award shows, premiere parties, film shoots, fashion shows and more. A must-do for EDM fans, Exchange has hosted the likes of Don Diablo, Gareth Emery, and Tritonal.

DJs usually hit the decks around midnight and Exchange guests should expect to wait in line for up to an hour for big names. If all that dancing leaves you drained, LA Café across the street offers sustenance until 3am.

Music Genre: EDM

Cover Charge: $30-$50

Longtime LA clubbers will recall Hyde Sunset’s prominent WeHo corner location as the former Coconut Teaszer, a faded bastion for up-and-coming ‘90s bands including Stone Temple Pilots and Green Day. Hyde Sunset could not be more different from its predecessor. Conceived and operated by SBE Group, it’s an ultra-stylish hybrid restaurant/nightclub offering seasonal California cuisine by Top Chef alum Chris Crary till 10pm, at which point it morphs into a lively yet chic club that’s a magnet for influential artists, athletes, and other celebrities. The 400-capacity Hyde features tableside mixology and decanted bottle service, plus cutting-edge lighting designed by Steve Liberman and an expansive outdoor patio.

Music Genre: Hip-hop

Cover Charge: Bottle service only

Located just down the street from Exchange LA and similarly gorgeous and old-school opulent, The LA Reserve is a converted 1920s bank (hence the name) that's sophisticated and steeped in history. The LA Reserve includes the atmospherically illuminated vault area of the former Bank of America HQ, complete with one of those elaborate round doors that most of us have only seen in Hollywood heist movies. Drinks here are reasonably priced (by LA club standards), there are two separate dancefloors, and the staff are unusually cheerful and accommodating. Parking nearby can be challenging, so allow time or use a rideshare service.

Music Genres: Reggaeton, hip-hop, Top 40

Cover Charge: $10-$30 (expedited entry $40 at the door)

Opened in spring 2022, the lavish and lively $10 million MainRó “clubstaurant” is the first LA venture for hospitality magnate Romain Zago, owner of Miami’s renowned Mynt Lounge and Myn-tu. Delivering sensory overload from the moment you pass security, this 7,500 square-foot monument to ambition deftly integrates new and old, with touch-sensitive tables and moving 4K digital screens mingling with velvet booths and Vegas-style showgirls. While undoubtedly futuristic and over-the-top, MainRó maintains an air of timeless exclusivity enhanced by the appearance of utterly here-and-now celebrities including Brielle Biermann and Nikita Dragun. Imagine Moulin Rouge staged by Cirque du Soleil on New Year’s Eve in Miami Beach and you’re getting close.

Music Genre: EDM

Cover Charge: Reservations only

The avant-garde Nightingale Plaza comprises three distinct environments inside the old Greystone Manor space: a pumping main room; pair of more laid-back interior bar/lounges; and an outdoor garden oasis. With 20-foot ceilings and totaling 6,500 square feet, there’s always room here for self-expression or a little intimacy, even at its 500-person capacity. While futuristic on the outside, Nightingale’s interior includes the time-honored comforts of vintage leather, velvet sofas, and a sculpted fireplace, beneath a kinetic mirrored ceiling. With its chef-crafted menu, cultured mixology, and ultramodern sound and LED lighting systems, the innately refined Nightingale attracts celebrities, VIPs, and anyone else who can drop $1,000-$4,000 for bottle service – or knows someone who will.

Music Genres: Hip-hop, EDM, Top 40

Cover Charge: Bottle service only

Another super-exclusive, no-expense-spared creation of The h.wood Group, Poppy is a refreshingly imaginative concept far removed from formulaic big-city nightspots. Whimsical and mischievous, this upscale lounge transports guests to a surreal storybook setting in stark contrast to the concert-and-steel world without. Beneath its curved, upholstered ceiling frolics a bohemian cast of modern mermaids, human animals, and swinging storytellers, who wander dream-like through its opulent library and vibrant garden. A favorite of true L.A. A-listers, Poppy is infamously discerning about who is admitted into this WeHo wonderland - dress to impress, abandon any concept of budget, and be sure to have a Plan B for your night.

Music Genres: Top 40, EDM, hip-hop

Cover Charge: Bottle service only

Nestled in the heart of Hollywood, the DJ-driven Sound has thrived for a decade in the famously fickle nightlife market through constant, ears-to-the-ground evolution. With a more underground lineup than most of the clubs on this list - including leading deep house and techno DJs - its focus is firmly on music and partying rather than the see-and-be-seen scene often associated with LA nightspots. Amid custom video content and modern décor flecked with industrial flourishes, this 8,000-square-foot space features an expansive sunken dancefloor, elevated DJ booth, and spacious private tables with excellent sightlines to the stage. Sound also regularly co-presents major events at the Shrine Expo Hall in Downtown LA.

Music Genre: EDM

Cover Charge: $10-$65