10 Epic and Stunning Santa Monica Rooftop Bars (2024)

There’s something about rooftop bars that you just don’t get at the ground level. The drinks are the same, but the energy is just different. Maybe it’s the altitude?

Whatever it is, Santa Monica rooftop bars are a popular place to enjoy nights and weekends.

So, let’s dig into some of our favorite rooftop bars in Santa Monica that you can enjoy with local friends and family, or while you are visiting from out-of-town during your California vacation.

The Best Santa Monica Rooftop Bars

The Penthouse at the Huntley Hotel

• Address: 1111 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
• Website

Located on the roof of the Huntley Hotel is The Penthouse, one of the best rooftop bars in Santa Monica. If you’re a cocktail geek and love trying new, innovative drinks, you’ll love the Penthouse.

The panoramic views from the Penthouse may be the best you get in the city. If you’re looking for a fun brunch spot, this is also a great option.

Seaside on the Pier

• Address: 250 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• Website

The name is no exaggeration. As the address states, it’s on the Santa Monica Pier itself. This rooftop lounge offers a birds-eye view (second only to the Ferris wheel).

If you want something a bit more laid back than a hotel rooftop, Seaside on the Pier caters towards AM equally as well as it does to PM. Take in the sun’s rays at brunch or come back for the sunset; there’s no wrong answer.

Elephante

• Address: 1332 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• Website

Every meal and drink is made better by a rooftop, but it just seems that Elephante’s Italian cuisine suits a rooftop even more perfectly. In the heart of downtown, you have lots of options for nightlife, but Elephante holds its own in a sea of choices.

The cocktail menu is simple but doesn’t feel too short. You pay one price for shaken cocktails and another for stirred, with classics being the same price as stirred and draft cocktails being the cheapest of all.

Calabra at Santa Monica Proper

• Address: 700 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401- Entrance on 7th St
• Website

Heads up: This is one of the top rated rooftop bars in Santa Monica! You will want to grab a reservation to experience this beauty.

Above the Santa Monica Proper Hotel is the Calabra Rooftop. Considered among the best rooftop restaurants in Santa Monica, Forbes deems it one of the best outdoor hotel restaurant patios in Southern California. There is a serious amount of competition for that honor, so the distinction holds weight. There is an indoor and outdoor section so you can enjoy your rays or a quiet evening in (or one after the other)!

You’ll be paying around $20 per cocktail (with a few being more expensive), but Calabra uses lots of craft and interesting liquors, so the price isn’t unreasonably steep. Beer comes in around half that price, and basic wine finds itself somewhere in the middle. For the wine connoisseur, you’ll find more expensive and more exclusive options on the menu that may be more to your liking.

The place is really popular, so it can be a good idea to book a spot online before heading to Calabra.

So there you go, plenty of option for you to pick the right rooftop lounge in Santa Monica, either casual and trendy or upscale and refined, this list will surely point you in the right direction when you’re looking the perfect views paired to the best drinks.

NOT A Rooftop Bar, but worth noting–

The Bungalow

• Address: 101 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• Website

The Bungalow, located on the grounds of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, is a hotspot and has been for some years now. Because of this, it tends to be crowded. If you’re an extrovert, you’ll love it. There are two levels, one on the “roof” and one on the ground.

Being a Santa Monica hotspot, it can be a bit pricey.

However, it won’t be the most expensive on this list as it goes for an upscale beach vibe, toeing the line of casual and high-priced. Fans

of complex, lighter liquors will love the Locals Only. If you’re looking for a darker liquor base, go for the Stay Peachy.

Want to secure a spot at the Bungalow? You can also make a reservation online.

More Santa Monica Roof Top Bars

• The Albright
• High Rooftop Lounge at Hotel Erwin
• LouLou Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge
• Coco’s Roof Top at Sonder The Beacon

Roof Top Bars that have Permanently Closed

• Sonoma Wine Garden
• ONYX Rooftop Bar at The Shangri-La

Venice Rooftop Bars

• Cabo Cantina Venice
• Venice Whaler
• Canopy Club (Culver City)

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