A sprawling restaurant with a mix of indoor and outdoor seating, Sagebrush brings a little bit of everything to Calabasas nightlife. There’s entertainment (a mix of live bands, live karaoke, and DJs, all from a dedicated stage) and the bar (lined with televisions to catch the somewhat-local teams in action), but for warm-weather happy hours, the outdoor seating is the highlight. Order a hand-squeezed margarita, the Tijuana egg rolls, and watch the afternoon turn to evening while under the stars.

The great jazz trumpeter Herb Alpert set up shop in a secluded strip mall along Beverly Glen Boulevard, combining jazz with modern American cuisine and a top-shelf bar program. Countless artists have set foot on the stage here, but even without a big name performing, the menu is worth the trip. The hibiscus margarita is a hit, and the “More & More Paloma Amour” (which takes its name from Alpert’s 1965 song “More & More Amor”), uses grapefruit juice and club soda (rather than the traditional grapefruit soda) to make the drink less sugary and more refreshing.

As someone who grew up in the northeast L.A. neighborhood, co-owner Gabriel Paredes knows how much Highland Park has changed over the years. He opened Nativo during the pandemic and relyed on generations of family recipes and a tarp-shaded backyard-style patio that welcomes area newcomers and long-time residents alike. Drinks like a tequila-based cosmopolitan and the “Cucurrucucu”, a paloma-style cocktail that adds pamplemousse to the mix (and whose name may be inspired by the 1950s song “Cucurrucucú Paloma”), make it an easy choice for an evening. Pull up a wicker chair under the strings of lights in the back, order a drink and some mole tater tots, and cheers to the night.

What started as a modest eatery in Bell Gardens almost 40 years ago has developed into a network of more than a dozen outlets throughout central and eastern Los Angeles County. In Downey, the restaurant’s dramatic interiors (arched ceilings and multicolored lighting) make for great visual stimulation, but a summertime happy hour may be best spent on the patio. Sit in one of El Pescador’s banquette couches and sip on a margarita flight (all featuring Milagro Tequila) from Cantina 11, the restaurant’s bar. (In addition, the owners of El Pescador also operate Ola Restobar, less than two miles away. Stop in for the margarita sippers, stay for the 18-inch burrito.) 

The grand dame of Hollywood Boulevard turns 95 this year, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate there with cocktails. The Barish, the latest restaurant from Nancy Silverton, is a modern Italian steakhouse with an excellent bar program, while The Historic Lobby bar is a more casual option (and an Instagrammer’s dream). While both are fantastic options for a cocktail hour, true cocktail connoisseurs know to head to The Spare Room and the Tropicana Bar. The former has an adventurous mix of concoctions to go with its two bowling lanes, but for a springtime happy hour, the latter is hard to top. Grab a Milagro margarita, lounge next to the famous pool, and feel miles away from the tourist-laden street.

The least fussy of the neighborhood rooftop bars, Mama Shelter, is a favorite spot for groups of friends wanting to avoid a clubby energy. The 360-degree view of Hollywood means that guests can get glimpses of the Hollywood sign, the downtown skyline, and (on a clear day) the ocean. Reserve a table for the full meal experience, or grab a spot on the communal couches, and order a mexican mule (featuring Milagro Silver, ginger beer, and lime juice) and relax before a night out in L.A.’s “Vinyl District.”

The art-forward eatery in downtown Los Angeles may be best described as a balancing act. The spicy margarita packs a punch of heat from Serrano chiles, but is balanced by the cool of cucumber. The outdoor seating is somehow both tree-lined and unmistakably urban, and weekend brunch can wind people up, but the Sunday night jazz performances are a good way to ease into the workweek. While the bar is known for art installations on its walls, happy hour here is also a quick walk from the downtown arena, so you can pair art appreciation with a basketball or hockey game.

While Hauser and Wirth is a global name, its Los Angeles gallery features, in its center, a must-visit dining destination. The high ceilings and ample natural light give Manuela a spacious, breezy feel, and the locally sourced menu items and extensive cocktail menu are just what you need post-exhibit. After all, if you’re going to debate the meaning of a work of art, it’s always more fun to do so with a cocktail in hand.

The front patio at Beelman’s is separated from the street by just a small picket fence, but that boundary is enough to make the summer happy-hour experience here feel removed from the downtown bustle. The plant-based pub has a wide range of dishes available during happy hour, and pairing a Milagro margarita with the mix-and-match taco plate or the “tachos” (tater tots piled high with cashew cheese and soyrizo) is a relaxing way to spend a summer afternoon.

In the midst of West L.A.’s daily traffic apocalypse, this Tex-Mex local favorite has a massive selection of tequilas and tacos on standby. Pair a happy-hour Milagro margarita with a few tacos, including a rare-for-L.A. menu of “puffy tacos” (a San Antonio specialty), and watch through the massive front windows as commuters tear their hair out along Wilshire Boulevard. It’s a popular stop to watch the local teams on television or choose from the bar’s selection of board and card games, but the Skee-Ball lanes are the biggest non-spirit attractions.

Part performance venue and part backyard, the Arts District favorite offers up two distinct experiences to visitors. Start outside in the beer garden, where cocktails come from a 1954 Spartan trailer. Picnic tables and benches turn happy hour into the world’s hippest courtyard party and as the sun sets, watch the indoor space turn into a popular venue. Club nights and performances fill the space, with its own bar and banquette seating along the walls. Order a “paloma faith” (their take on a classic paloma featuring Milagro Silver), grab a bench seat (or a table for your friends – it’s first come, first served), and relax under the city skyline.

Bordering the Fashion District, this downtown hotspot is a combination of dance music, spirits (its nickname is the “House of Agave”), and tacos. Show up earlier in the night during happy hour for an El Chamuco (a take on the classic El Diablo with ginger beer and crème de cassis) and watch the space fill up as night falls and the DJs start to spin. Somewhere between a bar with a dance floor and a club with quality drinks, Pattern Bar is a favored place to dance on a sweaty summer night.

Located steps from the Culver City metro stop, the first California outpost of the growing Etta empire is focused on a menu of Italian offerings centered around the eatery’s wood-fired stove. The ‘etta’rita is the drink here, coupling Milagro’s blanco tequila with lime and Cointreau, and adding a bit of kick with a Tajin-salted rim. Heading to happy hour with friends? Get the porrón (a Spanish-style pitcher with a spout) of ‘etta’rita — their house margarita made with Milagro Silver — and you’ll be given a group instant photo as a keepsake.

“Airy” might not be the word most closely associated with pubs, but this Irish bar and restaurant is just that. With a patio along a pedestrian-friendly stretch of Culver Boulevard and full open-air seats along the sidewalk, this downtown Culver City spot takes advantage of its location. While darker liquors are unsurprisingly the specialty here, ordering a lighter cocktail — a paloma or margarita, maybe? — is an easy choice for a hot summer day.

Venice Beach’s Hotel Erwin has a rooftop bar tailor-made for summer happy hours. It’s as close to the ocean as a rooftop joint can get — less than a block separates the Erwin from Venice Beach — making sunsets at High a magnet for visitors and locals alike. Summery drinks are a must here, which makes the “Thyme For Some Action” (Milagro tequila, ginger, honey, grapefruit, thyme, and lime) a go-to. If you’re going with a group, reserve the VIP booths in advance — they’ve got the best views in the house.