9 speakeasies in Southern California

When Prohibition outlawed alcohol sales in the U.S. more than 100 years ago, under-the-radar bars called speakeasies sold booze to customers who were told to speak softly (or “easy”) so the illicit operations would not be discovered. 

Although today’s speakeasies are perfectly legal, they still bring a sense of nostalgia and mystery. All are hidden or disguised, some have dress codes or specific rules (“no name-dropping,” “one person per seat”), and others require reservations weeks in advance. Themes vary widely, from the Roaring ’20s and 1970s discos to piano bars and tiki rooms. Speakeasies also often feature creative mixologists behind the bar.

Be sure to designate a driver if you plan to drink alcohol.

On Melrose Avenue in Fairfax, a discreet sign on a steel door reads please knock before entering. A security guard resembling Jason Momoa opens the door, gesturing toward the carpeted stairs that lead to Bathtub Gin LA.

This spacious spot has plush velvet couches, a piano, candlelit tables, and, yes, a bathtub, which often doubles as a photo booth. The tub is “quite the lure on burlesque night, as the last dancer always does a tub performance involving a bucket of water,” says the bar's owner Dave Oz. Other entertainment includes live music and DJs, and the drink menu also offers an array of nonalcoholic sips.

The Blind Barber is a stylish working barber shop with a rotating barber pole, black chairs, mirrors, and hexagon-tiled floors. But behind the shop you’ll find a 1970s-themed speakeasy with a midcentury modern living-room nook, comfortable booths, inventive cocktails, and a killer grilled cheese menu.

At The Rendition Room, guests can sit in wingback chairs or private booths and quaff craft cocktails while listening to jazz. But show some class at this reservations-only speakeasy at the back of Vitello’s Restaurant: no shorts, sandals, ballcaps, or athletic wear.

Push open a gray door by the exit sign at Pitfire Pizza in Costa Mesa and you’ll find Pie Society, a small but welcoming speakeasy that seats about 40 people. Its drinks don’t break the bank: A Sunny Day Negroni is $12 and a Whisky Tea Highball costs $13. Another plus: reasonably priced pizza, salads, and appetizers from Pitfire.

Inside the Anaheim Packing House, look for a wall of sake barrels, which doubles as a secret door to The Blind Rabbit—a moody bar that also serves delicious food. Co-owner Leonard Chan says, “We’re hoping everyone who finds us is looking to warp themselves to a different time or place and forget about the daily grind.” Reservations required.

Located next to Costa Mesa’s Salty Bear Brewing, Cowboys and Poodles looks like a Western clothing shop. But inside there’s a full bar along with a disco ball, a stagecoach, bar seats with horse tails, and poodle statues. Try the Because You’re Worth It, a sweet martini made with chai cranberry, pistachio, and rosemary, or the Café Noir, their take on an espresso martini.

Upon entering Graceland Speakeasy—follow the colorful beer keg–lined path inside HQ Gastropub in Huntington Beach—your phone will be placed in a locker for the duration of your stay so you can truly be present inside the bright, comfortable space that serves up vibrant drinks, ’70s tunes, gourmet cuisine, and views of the pier.

The aptly named Prohibition in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter is marked only by a sign that reads Law Office, Eddie O’Hare, Esq. The host opens the door to a dark staircase that takes you to the dimly lit underground club, which features live jazz and blues throughout the week. Its extensive drink list includes classic cocktails and newer concoctions like a pisco sour made with matcha coconut.

“The allure of the speakeasy is simply escapism,” says beverage director and lead mixologist Ryan Andrews. “When you walk down the dark stairway to Prohibition, you don’t know what awaits; there’s intrigue in the mystique.”

You’ll find the entrance to The Grass Skirt inside what appears to be a travel agency. Enter through a walk-in freezer door and you’ll be transported to a spacious tiki restaurant with fire features and other theatrical effects. Naturally, you’ll find tiki-themed cocktails like mai tais and daiquiris, along with modern twists on tiki classics. There are also large bowls of spiked punch to share, as well as entrées and pupu-style appetizers.

Michael Goldstein, a Los Angeles journalist and playwright, is glad speakeasies are back to help us get through the new Roaring ’20s.