01Choose a bar night or a live show
For food and drinks on the Sunset Strip, start with Rainbow Bar & Grill. For a live band, check the Viper Room, Whisky, Roxy or Troubadour calendars. Downtown, the Slipper Clutch and Redwood combine bars with live shows. Harvard & Stone offers another option in East Hollywood.
For independent music beyond the Strip, look at Permanent Records Roadhouse in Cypress Park, Zebulon in Elysian Valley and Moroccan Lounge near Little Tokyo and the Arts District. The Smell is an all-ages, alcohol-free alternative for a live show.
This guide was checked on 15 September 2026. Music policies differ by venue and event: a room that books rock bands may also host pop, electronic music or other styles.
Plan by area
02Sunset Strip and West Hollywood
Rainbow Bar & Grill
9015 W Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Sunset Strip restaurant and bar associated with rock music. A place for food and drinks; check its own announcements for events rather than assuming a nightly live concert.
Venue information and programme · Rainbow Bar & Grill listing
The Viper Room
8852 W Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Sunset Strip live-music club with rock among its bookings. Check its dated calendar for the band, tickets and entry arrangements; the venue advertises a 21-and-over policy.
Venue information and programme · The Viper Room listing
Whisky a Go Go
8901 W Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Sunset Strip concert venue with rock and metal bills. Choose a specific show from the calendar and check its admission details; performances and tribute nights vary.
Venue information and programme · Whisky a Go Go listing
The Roxy Theatre
9009 W Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Sunset Strip concert venue with rock, indie and a wider range of touring artists. Use the individual show listing for doors, ticket availability and age conditions.
Venue information and programme · The Roxy Theatre listing
The Troubadour
9081 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
West Hollywood live venue on Santa Monica Boulevard, with rock, indie and roots acts in its programme. Pick a dated concert; entry conditions depend on the event.
03Hollywood live music
Harvard & Stone
5221 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027
East Hollywood cocktail bar and live-music venue with rock and indie among its events. Check the dated programme: band shows, DJ nights and other events have different formats.
Venue information and programme · Harvard & Stone listing
Knucklehead
6202 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood bar and performance venue associated with rock, punk and alternative club nights. Check the organiser’s current event listing for the address and admission conditions.
04Downtown bars and live venues
The Slipper Clutch
351 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Downtown rock bar and live venue behind the Grayson. It advertises a 21-and-over policy; check the current bill for concerts and DJ nights.
Live shows take place upstairs. The venue describes the downstairs bar as separately open to the public, so check which floor your event uses.
Venue information and programme · The Slipper Clutch listing
Redwood Bar & Grill
316 W 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA
Downtown bar and live-music venue with rock, punk and heavier bands alongside other events. Choose a specific bill; afternoon and evening performances may have separate tickets.
Venue information and programme · Redwood Bar & Grill listing
Moroccan Lounge
901 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA
Concert venue near Little Tokyo and the Arts District with indie, rock and punk among a wider programme. Age limits vary by show, and the venue is cashless.
Venue information and programme · Moroccan Lounge listing
The Smell
247 S Main Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Downtown volunteer-run music and art space with independent and experimental shows. It is all ages and alcohol-free, with a vegan snack bar; this is a live-music option rather than a drinks bar.
05Cypress Park and Elysian Valley
Permanent Records Roadhouse
1906 Cypress Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90065
Cypress Park record store, bar and live venue with garage, punk, indie and heavier shows. Both the venue and record store are 21 and over; check the programme for public shows and private closures.
Venue information and programme · Permanent Records Roadhouse listing
Zebulon
2478 Fletcher Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Elysian Valley café, bar and concert venue with indie, experimental and heavier music among a broad programme. Check the event listing for tickets and entry conditions.
06Other music and nightlife
These venues appeared in earlier versions of this guide. Their current programmes need a more specific description: check the artist or music policy before choosing one for a rock night.
The Sun Rose
8430 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Live venue at the Sun Rose Hotel with a programme spanning jazz, soul, pop and other styles. Choose by artist; it is a broader concert option rather than a dedicated rock bar.
Venue information and programme · The Sun Rose listing
Desert 5 Spot
6516 Selma Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Hollywood rooftop country bar with live country music, line dancing and karaoke. This is a country option, with event details on its Los Angeles programme.
Venue information and programme · Desert 5 Spot listing
Keys
9039 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Sunset Strip nightclub focused on house music. Its location on a former rock-club site does not establish a current rock programme; choose it for its advertised dance events.
Venue information and programme · Keys listing
Hyde Sunset
8117 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Restaurant and late-night club on Sunset Boulevard, advertising resident DJs and bottle service. Its current programme is not verified as rock-focused.
07Check before planning a visit
Madame Siam
Hollywood nightlife venue listed by Houston Hospitality. A current rock programme and visitor entrance have not been verified in this audit; check with the operator before planning a visit.
08Historical venues
These entries document former clubs, not current nights out. A later business at the same address does not inherit the old venue’s music programme. Exact opening and closure years are omitted where the sources conflict.
Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco
Former Sunset Boulevard glam-rock club associated with the early 1970s scene. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Rodney Bingenheimer's English Disco listing
Raji's
Former Hollywood rock venue on Hollywood Boulevard. Later businesses using the name were separate incarnations. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Raji's listing
Gazzarri's
Former Sunset Strip rock club. Later venues on the site are different businesses with their own music policies. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Gazzarri's listing
Pandora's Box
Former Sunset Strip coffeehouse and music club associated with the 1960s scene and curfew protests. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Pandora's Box listing
The London Fog
Former Sunset Strip nightclub where the Doors performed early in their career. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · The London Fog listing
The Palomino
Former North Hollywood country club that also hosted rock performers. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · The Palomino listing
Madame Wong's West
Former Santa Monica branch of Esther Wong’s live-music venues, distinct from the original Chinatown location. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Madame Wong's West listing
Hong Kong Cafe
Former Chinatown restaurant-based punk venue, part of the area’s late-1970s music scene. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Hong Kong Cafe listing
The Masque
Former Hollywood basement punk club. The original Masque and its later offshoots were different venue phases. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · The Masque listing
The Starwood
Former West Hollywood music club that hosted punk, rock and metal during the 1970s and early 1980s. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · The Starwood listing
Jabberjaw
Former all-ages coffeehouse and independent music venue in Arlington Heights. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Jabberjaw listing
Madame Wong's
Former Chinatown restaurant and live-music venue run by Esther Wong. Its later brief revival does not establish current operation. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Madame Wong's listing
Al's Bar
Former punk and art-scene bar at the American Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Al's Bar listing
Cathay de Grande
Former Hollywood restaurant-basement venue associated with the 1980s punk scene. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Cathay de Grande listing
Club 88
Former West Los Angeles club that hosted punk and new-wave bands on Pico Boulevard. This is a historical listing, not a current place to visit.
Historical source · Club 88 listing
The Trip
Former 1960s Sunset Strip music club in the earlier Crescendo premises. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
Historical source · The Trip listing
The Anti-Club
Former Hollywood alternative-music venue remembered in artist Anthony Ausgang’s account of booking bands and exhibiting art. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
Historical source · The Anti-Club listing
Coconut Teaszer
Former Hollywood nightclub at Sunset and Crescent Heights. Its varied programme included an after-hours night supporting queer Chicanx punk performers. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
Historical source · Coconut Teaszer listing
FM Station
Former North Hollywood rock club documented in the performing band Parousia’s show archive. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
Historical source · FM Station listing
The Country Club
Former Reseda venue with country, punk, new wave and rock in its history. The exact closure date is unclear. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
Historical source · The Country Club listing
The Hullabaloo / Aquarius Theatre
Historical Hullabaloo and Aquarius phases of the Earl Carroll Theatre building. This archive entry does not describe the building’s current programme. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
Historical source · The Hullabaloo / Aquarius Theatre listing
Club Lingerie
Former Sunset Boulevard rock club, later replaced by a different venue. Historical listing; not a current venue recommendation.
09Before you go
Read the dated event listing for doors, age limits, admission and ticket availability. The Smell is all ages and alcohol-free; Permanent Records Roadhouse, the Viper Room and the Slipper Clutch advertise 21-and-over entry. Other rooms set age limits by show.
Moroccan Lounge is cashless. Elsewhere, check payment arrangements directly rather than assuming cash-only or card-only entry. Prices and door times can change between events.
Use current transport information for your return journey and allow time between areas. This is not a single walking route. If you need seating, step-free access or another accommodation, ask the venue about the specific room before buying a ticket.