The Best Date Spots in Highland Park in Los Angeles

Start with bowling at Highland Park Bowl, then head upstairs for wood-fired pizza and cocktails. A secret entrance also leads to Lucky Tiki for rum drinks.

The 1927 building is open to all ages before 8pm and 21+ after. Reserve a two-hour lane package, or walk up for a one-hour lane, first come, first served. Doors open at 5pm Monday through Friday and at noon on weekends.

At Sam's Place, order at the bar while the owner walks you through that night's pours, then settle into a candlelit booth. Wood paneling and flannel curtains give the dim room the feel of a 1970s den.

Snack on salami with cornichon butter, or make a meal of spicy sweet potatoes and a bavette steak. There are no reservations, so walk in and find an empty booth.

Amiga Amore brings Mexican and Italian cooking together in dishes like elote agnolotti and linguine with duck carnitas. Add the chile de arbol toast with clams and chorizo, then choose between a drink at the bar or a table on the patio.

The space is tiny, so book a table on the website. Dinner runs Wednesday through Saturday, with brunch on Sundays.

Head upstairs to Checker Hall, set inside a former Masonic lodge with warm wood, plush seating, a pentagon-shaped bar and an open patio.

The menu mixes California and Mediterranean cooking. Start with the Carmen #6, a spicy margarita. The room gets busy late, once the music venue next door lets out. Doors open at noon daily, with happy hour from 4pm to 6pm.

Spend lunch or dinner on the backyard patio at Highly Likely, surrounded by olive trees and greenery. The cafe shifts into sit-down dinner service after 5pm, when the lighting dims and laptops are put away.

Evening dishes include koji chicken schnitzel, harissa meatballs and pappardelle bolognese, with a fig negroni on the drinks list.

Hippo is a neighborhood restaurant with Italian-leaning cooking, high ceilings and floral graphics across the walls.

Start with the crudos and a pasta, since the pastas are mostly made in house. Wood-grilled meats and gelato round out the menu, and there are cocktails or a small wine list. Have a few drinks here, then carry on to the bars nearby.

Head through the alley behind Arroyo Club to Good Housekeeping, a cocktail bar where a DJ spins records nightly. It works equally well for the first drink or a nightcap.

Look for milk-washed Earl Grey gin or coffee-infused Campari on the cocktail list, and expect a room that is social without being packed.

Share dan dan noodles and pork dumplings at Mala Class, a small Sichuan restaurant with a bright, plant-filled dining room.

The menu also has mapo tofu and mushroom fries dusted with cumin. Walk in and arrive in the early evening or at midday to shorten the wait.

DJs spin 1960s R&B and shoegaze Wednesday through Sunday at Johnny's Cocktails & Hi-Fi, a low-lit vinyl bar. Classic cocktails come with occasional twists, including a hibiscus whisky highball.

Settle into a banquette at The Hermosillo, Highland Park Brewing's bar and taproom, with more than a dozen craft beers on draft.

It is a neighborhood hangout, and beer know-how is optional. Tacos are on the menu, and a patio sits in the parking lot.