Best Late Night American Restaurants in Downtown LA
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
The Escondite
A hidden, live-music roadhouse with indulgent burgers, long happy hours, and a downtown skyline patio.
Notable Picks
8
Tucked on an industrial side street east of Skid Row, The Escondite is a roadhouse-style bar known for over-the-top burgers, loaded tots, and one of downtown’s most relaxed happy hours. Since 2011 it has pulled locals to its patio for discounted drinks, bar-food specials, and live music under the skyline.
Must-Try Dishes:
Captain Kangaroo Breakfast Burger, Nashville Hot Breakfast Sando, Baja Fish Taco Ensenada Style
What Makes it Special: A hidden, live-music roadhouse with indulgent burgers, long happy hours, and a downtown skyline patio.
Worthy Picks
#2
Far Bar
7.9
An Asian-fusion gastropub housed in Little Tokyo's historic Far East Building, built around shareable plates like pozole ramen and bacon fried rice that lean into cross-cultural mashups rather than playing it safe. The open-air alley patio with a 13-foot projection screen and a deep Japanese whiskey list make it a natural landing spot for groups who want to eat, drink, and stay loud on a weekend night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wasabi Fries, Bacon Fried Rice, Pozole Ramen
What Makes it Special: Asian-fusion gastropub in Little Tokyo's historic Far East Building with an open-air alley patio and deep Japanese whiskey selection
#3
464 Burgers
7.8
A no-frills late-night burger counter that’s become a Little Tokyo regular for messy, satisfying American comfort. Burgers skew indulgent, and the kitchen’s best work is in char, melt, and sauce balance. Ideal for quick hits rather than lingering meals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Classic smash burger, Loaded fries, Milkshake
What Makes it Special: Late-night burgers that nail char-and-melt comfort.
7.8
A pirate-ship-themed dive bar on 2nd Street in Downtown LA that doubles as a nightly live music venue covering folk, punk, and everything between—with a scratch-made pub kitchen that takes the food more seriously than most music bars bother to. The beer-battered fish and the burger hold up as actual meals, not afterthoughts to the drink menu. Best suited for nights when you want to eat real food, catch a band you haven't heard of, and not care what time it is.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beer Battered Fish & Chips, Beer Battered Fish Taco, Redwood Burger
What Makes it Special: Pirate-ship dive bar in DTLA with scratch-made pub fare and nightly live bands across genres from folk to punk rock
7.7
A 1960s-era cafeteria counter that carves roast beef and turkey to order, operating as a late-night gathering point in downtown LA's industrial corridor where cheap plates and loud DJ sets draw post-midnight crowds. The draw is the combination of old-school carved meat at cafeteria prices and a high-energy room that keeps going when most kitchens have closed—though street parking is strongly recommended over the on-site valet operation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carved Roast Beef Plate, Carved Turkey Plate, Pizza
What Makes it Special: Old-school 1960s-era cafeteria-style carved meat counter operating as a late-night landmark near downtown LA's industrial corridor