Los Angeles: where to start? It’s a megacity, and its bar culture has only one other rival in the US – New York. Hotel bars, rooftop bars and sleek celebrity-filled clubs all spring to mind when talking about LA nightlife, but there are also hundreds of cool dives, tequila bars, pop-ups, wine bars and hipster hang-outs too. Don’t be afraid to go off the beaten track if you find an area you click with.

West Hollywood hosts the city’s most exclusive venues. Sunset Strip has all the big names: Chateau Marmont, the Sky Bar at the Mondrian, the Standard, Sunset Tower... There’s also the candle-lit Hyde Bar – more intimate than the hotel bars, but same celeb clients.

All the hotels offer world-class cocktails, skyline views of southern LA and the chance to rub shoulders with the beautiful people. Drinking in West Hollywood promises to be a stand-out experience, whether you’re there for the luxury, celebrity or the mixology. But don’t forget your sunglasses to keep the flashbulb glare out of your eyes.

Downtown LA is edgier than Hollywood. Here’s where you’ll find all the latest enterprises and the pop-up bars – the latest success being Mignon wine bar. Downtown is all about word of mouth success, and you’ll need the spirit of discovery – and the latest updates from drinksin.com – to know what’s new and hot. A good bar is hard to find – literally! For instance, if you see a door marked with a cocktail glass at the back of Coles – that’s Varnish. There’s no signage for this critics’ choice bar, even though its bartenders are something most people would want to shout about.

Downtown LA is also hot for dive bars – but they’re just as formidable to find as their high-end neighbors. Bar 107 is the perfect challenge for anyone who wants to meet real Angelenos. Again, no signage – so if you work out how to get in, keep it top secret!

For an alternative LA, meet the art-school crowd in Silver Lake and Echo Park. Glendale Boulevard and West Sunset Boulevard are lined with DJ bars and cheap happy hours mean they hot up early in the evening.