Best Happy Hour Restaurants in Palms
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Madre Oaxacan Restaurant and Mezcaleria
Oaxacan specialties plus one of the Westside’s better mezcal programs.
Notable Picks
An Oaxacan-focused spot with a deep mezcal bench and a menu built around moles, tlayudas, and slow-cooked meats. The kitchen leans traditional but plates with polish, and the bar program makes it a natural linger-and-share destination. Multiple locations exist, but this Palms outpost is the one in 90034.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tlayuda con asiento, Mole negro over chicken or enchiladas, Carnitas or barbacoa tacos
What Makes it Special: Oaxacan specialties plus one of the Westside’s better mezcal programs.
#2
Phorage
8.1
A 12-year Palms fixture built on technique-forward pho using American wagyu bones and hormone-free proteins, with the oxtail and washugyu beef versions drawing dedicated repeat customers. The counter-service format keeps things moving, and the $10-20 price point delivers premium ingredients without fine-dining friction. Works best for solo bowls or small groups who want elevated Vietnamese without ceremony.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oxtail Pho, Wagyu Pho, Imperial Rolls
What Makes it Special: Modern Vietnamese kitchen combining traditional pho techniques with premium proteins like wagyu and oxtail
8
A single-ingredient concept that actually delivers—ten years of building an entire menu around Maine lobster, from butter-drenched Connecticut-style rolls to a grilled cheese and tomato bisque combo that regulars treat as a standing order. The all-day happy hour and craft beer list turn it into a low-key game-day hangout where the lobster-to-bun ratio stays honest and the price stays below most LA competitors. Loud, compact, and unapologetically casual—show up for the lobster, not the ambiance.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Roll, Lobster Tacos, Lobster Grilled Cheese
What Makes it Special: A lobster-focused casual spot that builds its entire menu around one ingredient, from rolls to quesadillas to grilled cheese
Worthy Picks
7.8
A Palms neighborhood pizzeria that pairs specialty pies—like the Spicy Bear—with a rotating craft beer lineup and a daily happy hour anchored by bar seating and a communal table. It works best for groups splitting shareable starters and pitchers on a weeknight, with weekend brunch adding a second reason to show up. Outdoor seating and a laid-back sports-bar energy keep it functional without trying to be more than the corner spot it is.
Must-Try Dishes:
Garlic Knots, Brussels Sprouts, Spicy Bear
What Makes it Special: Neighborhood pizzeria pairing creative pies like the Spicy Bear with craft beer and daily happy hour at the bar and communal table.
7.8
A speakeasy-format cocktail bar built on house-made syrups and mixers, with a rotating menu rooted in post-Prohibition drink recipes served beneath dim lighting and white subway tile. The intimate room and French bistro seating keep the volume low enough for actual conversation, which is why it pulls couples and small groups rather than crowds. Works best when you want to hand the drink decision to a bartender who takes the craft seriously.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oldfield's Hemingway, Old Fashioned, Secret Stash
What Makes it Special: Speakeasy-style cocktail bar where every syrup and mixer is made in-house, with a rotating menu of post-Prohibition-era drinks served amid French bistro barstools and white subway tile.
A family-owned Palms pub that programs its week like a community calendar — trivia, karaoke Wednesday, live bands Friday and Saturday, all no cover — keeping Motor Ave regulars rotating through from noon on. The kitchen runs a tight Irish comfort lineup built around shepherd's pie and a full Irish breakfast, paired with pints in a dimly-lit, high-volume room that rewards groups who want to settle in and stay loud. It works best when you lean into the pub energy rather than fight it.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shepherd's Pie, Full Irish Breakfast, Fish and Chips
What Makes it Special: Family-owned Irish pub on historic Motor Ave with weekly trivia, karaoke, and live music drawing a loyal neighborhood crowd since day one.
#7
Bigfoot West
7.8
A rustic log cabin whiskey bar in Palms built around 100+ whiskies and craft cocktails made with fresh-squeezed juices and in-house infusions—the drinks program is the main event, with bar food like tacos and empanadas filling a supporting role. It runs loud on live music nights in a small room, so plan for early arrivals or off-nights if conversation matters. Works best as a group outing destination where the whiskey flight does the talking and the cabin atmosphere sets the tone.
Must-Try Dishes:
Toasted Marshmallow Cocktail, Whiskey Flight (60+ Small Batch Bourbons), Tacos
What Makes it Special: Rustic log cabin bar with 100+ whiskies and craft cocktails made from fresh-squeezed juices and in-house infusions
Vibes:
Late Night Legends
Birthday & Celebration Central
Happy Hour Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
A karaoke-first bar and grill running a 50,000-song library nightly from 8 PM alongside 33 rotating taps and a full gastropub menu built around shareable plates like cheesesteak eggrolls and oversized pretzels. The polarized review profile—one-third five-star, one-third one-star—signals a venue that delivers strong nights for groups who came to sing and drink but frustrates anyone expecting consistent kitchen execution. Works best when you treat it as a karaoke destination with food, not a restaurant with karaoke.
Must-Try Dishes:
Western Bastard Burger, Chicken Wings, Philly Cheesesteak Eggrolls
What Makes it Special: Full gastropub kitchen with 33 beers on tap and nightly karaoke with a 50,000-song library starting at 8pm