Activities

Where to Go Dancing in Los Angeles

9.25.26

Sometimes you want to dance. Here’s where to do it in LA.

  • No Vacancy
    • Hollywood
    • Vibe: Gatsby in Hollywood
    • Old Hollywood still shimmers at this house-turned-bar. The classic glam style meets lively late night dancing with DJs and burlesque performances. Choose your vibe from a number of rooms or the outdoor patio!
  • Break Room 86
    • Koreatown
    • Vibe: 80s Throwback
    • This 80s themed retro spot brings the big hair, big moves, and big vibe. Imagine your favorite 80s songs, leotard-wearing go go dancers, and live performances all in one speakeasy. The best part? There are hidden rooms inside the speakeasy itself! 
  • Club Tee Gee
    • Atwater Village
    • Vibe: Chat & Chill
    • Head to this spot 5 different times for 5 different experiences - happy hour, comedy, live music, lunch, or nightclub. For peak dancing, be there around 11pm when the dance floor heats up with DJs and disco balls. Take a breather in the large patio, then head back in!
  • General Lee’s
    • Chinatown
    • Vibe: Tropical Mystere
    • Choose your favorite of the two floors - one with high-energy dancing and the other with a lounge feel - both with beautiful, moody decor. Plan ahead because weekend lines (to get in and to use the bathroom) get long!
  • Good Times at Davey Wayne’s
    • Hollywood
    • Vibe: Your Fun Uncle’s House
    • Nobody makes a day-to-night transition like Davey. From lounging in the yard to sing-dancing along with oldie favorites, it’s a vibe start to finish. As you can imagine, this spot attracts a multigenerational crowd, so your knees won’t be the only ones cracking.
  • Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
    • Koreatown
    • Vibe: Speakeasy Disco
    • It’s all bright lights and disco balls at this 70s themed speakeasy nightclub. Pass through the ATM entrance and hop onto the light-up dance floor. You might even catch a performance on stage!
  • Bar Lubitsch
    • West Hollywood
    • Vibe: Kitchy Cool Basement
    • If you’re not catching a concert or comedy show, head to the back room to get your groove on under the glow of several chandeliers. Take a breather on the enclosed patio before heading back in when you hear your favorite song!
  • Avalon Hollywood
    • Hollywood
    • Vibe: Expansive Events
    • This club/event venue is huge, and offers roomy dance floors to do your thing without bumping too many elbows. That is, unless you end up in a mosh pit at Emo Nite. Check out their event calendar to find the perfect night to dance to your favorite genre!
  • La Cita
    • Downtown LA
    • Vibe: Electric Latin
    • From the red-lit patio to the indoor string lights and lasers, the vibe is electric at this Latin nightclub. The DJs will have you dancing all night. Just watch your belongings, since there have been recent reports of pickpocketing.
  • Bar Sinister
    • Hollywood
    • Vibe: Sultry Vampire Den
    • Dress to impress (black/alt dress code enforced) for a visit to this alternative bar. Dance to DJs and live music - goth, industrial, and the like - on the first floor. For an even sultrier experience, visit the second floor’s Purgatory BDSM/fetish room.
  • Zebulon
    • Frogtown
      Vibe: Cool Without Trying
    • Zebulon is technically a live music venue, but depending on the night, the whole place can turn into a dance floor. The calendar jumps between bands, DJs, dance parties, and other events, so check what’s happening before you go. This is one where picking the right night matters.
  • Akbar
    • Silver Lake
      Vibe: Queer Neighborhood Institution
    • Akbar has been holding down its corner of Silver Lake since 1996. The front room is for drinks and catching up; the back room is where the dancing happens. There’s a steady rotation of DJs, queer parties, disco, house, pop, and themed nights, so check the calendar if you’re specifically coming to dance.
  • LOST
    • Downtown LA
      Vibe: DTLA After Dark
    • LOST is a cocktail bar that gets progressively more dance-y as the night goes on. Expect DJs, a packed room on the right night, and more of a bar-to-dance-floor experience than a full nightclub production. A good one to keep in your pocket for a Downtown night out.
  • Honey’s at Star Love
    • East Hollywood
      Vibe: Sapphic Night Out
    • Honey’s is a queer, lesbian-focused bar tucked inside Star Love, with plenty of room to hang out and a checkerboard dance floor when you’re ready to stop talking. The programming rotates between DJs, parties, karaoke, comedy, and live performances, so take a quick look at what’s on before heading over.
  • The Lincoln
    • Venice
    • Vibe: Westside After Dark
    • Best nights: Friday & Saturday
    • The Lincoln is one of the few Westside bars where you can reliably end up dancing. It starts out feeling like a neighborhood cocktail bar, then gets louder, darker, and significantly more crowded as the night goes on. Come later if dancing is the actual plan.
  • Circle Bar
    • Santa Monica
    • Vibe: Dive Bar Dance Floor
    • After a long hiatus, Circle Bar is back on Main Street. The setup is simple: a big oval bar, DJs, live music, and a dance floor. It’s currently only open Thursday through Saturday, with the specific DJ and live sets changing, so check what’s happening before you go.
  • The Short Stop
    • Echo Park
    • Vibe: Late-Night Echo Park
    • The Short Stop has DJs every night, but Monday is the one to know. Motown on Mondays is a long-running weekly party with soul, funk, disco, and Motown taking over the dance floor. If that’s not your thing, go another night. The music changes, but the dance floor remains.
  • The Continental Club
    • Downtown LA
    • Vibe: Underground DTLA
    • Head below street level for this basement cocktail bar in Downtown LA. Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are DJ nights, while Thursdays lean live jazz, so choose accordingly. If dancing is the priority, Friday or Saturday is probably your safest bet.
  • Desert 5 Spot
    • Hollywood
    • Vibe: Hollywood Honky-Tonk
    • If your preferred form of dancing involves cowboy boots, start here. Wednesdays have beginner line dancing lessons followed by cowboy karaoke. Fridays pair beginner lessons with live country music and DJs, while Saturdays add intermediate line dancing into the mix. Basically, pick your night based on how confident you are in your two-step.

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