ERB is one of those mythical places that just gets everything right. This restaurant/bar in the Arts District has fantastic cocktails, a massive wine and beer list, and bar food that’ll change the way you think about bar food—including one of the best burgers in the city. And yet, it’s the massive back patio that keeps us coming back. With a mix of small and big group tables, plus tons of space to stand and mingle, hanging out in this string-lit backyard is an ideal Friday night plan.

Say hello to the best daytime patio in Los Angeles. This outdoor cafe/bike shop in Frogtown has been open for a few years now, but their sprawling, graffitied patio has only gotten better with age. There are long, shaded picnic tables filled with friends drinking beer and pitching pilot scripts, families fueling up on breakfast sandwiches or burgers before biking down the river, and solo laptop warriors there to soak up rays, listen to records, and maybe get a little work done.

We never thought we’d say this, but the most romantic patio in LA might be in Westwood. Violet is a big French restaurant in the Village that serves expensive, fussy dishes that are pretty good across the board if you’re into the finer French things. The trout amandine, for instance, holds plenty of moisture and the almonds on top have the right amount of toast. But the real attraction here is the tucked-away back patio with lots of foliage, brick walls, and tile rooftops.

El Cid is unknown to many, and that’s what makes it so special. Walk through the standalone door frame on Sunset in Silver Lake, step down the steep staircase, and you’ll pop out on a patio you’ll never want to leave. With two separate levels, plenty of seating, and old black-and-white movies projected on the walls, this is the ideal spot to take a table over with friends for brunch or stop in for a quick nightcap and snacks after a date.

Located on a quiet side street a few blocks from Hollywood and Highland, this upscale pizzeria feels a world away from the chaotic neighborhood it resides in. While we’d come here regardless for the excellent Neapolitan pizza, the incredible back patio is the reason we’ll stay all night. With red brick walls, string lighting, a full fireplace, this space has all the features you want in a great patio, but it’s the glass window that peers into the pizza kitchen that takes it to a different level.

Benny Boy Brewing takes everything stereotypically macho —beers, brews, fire pits, and of course, the namesake boy—and throws them together, creating a cool Lincoln Park hangout spot that feels like a grown-up summer camp. Equal parts brewery, cider house, and beer garden, this is the perfect place for big groups to gather ‘round, split beer flights, and contemplate taking an axe throwing class together.

From the thatched tunnel entrance and the ethereal club music to every server repeatedly reminding you that it’s “Tulum-themed,” there’s a lot going on at Ka’Teen. If you’re looking to get dressed up and have a messy, over-the-top night out in Hollywood, Ka’Teen is where to be. The mostly outdoor space is great for big groups, there’s a $495 bottle of Dom Perignon on the menu (if that’s your energy), and as for the food, the Yucatan-style menu has several bright spots.

The days of Topanga Canyon’s LSD-fueled, counter-culture commune might be long gone, but there’s no denying this place is still weird as hell. Driving up from PCH, you’ll pass crystal shops and home-made art installations. It’s a fantastic, fascinating day tip and one that’s made even better by having lunch at Cafe 27. The almost entirely outdoor space is built into the side of a hill with a multi-level patio that feels like you’re eating inside the tree-house of your childhood dreams.

The food at Mírate can be hit-and-miss, but it does have one major superpower: its courtyard. This labyrinth of a Mexican spot in Los Feliz looks like a luxurious, multi-story treehouse built for a billionaire evading the IRS in the jungle. The massive tree rising through the middle warrants a moment of quiet appreciation usually only reserved for mountain peaks or a perfectly ripe avocado. Stop by for a few tacos and some very impressive cocktails.

Superba in Venice has always been a nice fallback for chicken-pasta-salad brunches, lunches, and dinners, but the new location on Sunset in Hollywood is an absolute destination. The food is good—they’ve got vegetable-y breakfasts with eggs that let you know they’re fresh and baked goods that remind you why the restaurant’s full name is Superba Food + Bread. And later in the day you’ll find salads, hulking sandwiches, pastas, and meatier things—most of which come with generous sides.

When you book a table at Le Great Outdoor in Santa Monica, you’re basically signing up for a backyard barbecue. The kitchen at this entirely outdoor spot in Bergamot Station's parking lot has nothing more than a couple of grills, and the dining room is just a hub of picnic tables. Friends drink nebbiolo and talk about flying to Amsterdam on Delta points, dogs and babies run free, and families pass around giant platters of goat cheese-topped tartines and blistered lamb chops.

When you enter Fia from the street, the first thing you’ll see is the patio. It’s gigantic—an incredible space in Santa Monica that’s cozy and romantic, filled with wooden furniture, aggressive string lighting, and enough pine trees to make you feel like you’re on the Mendocino coastline. It's one of the best outdoor spaces on the Westside. The Italian-ish food is just OK, but the burrata, raw bar, and pastas get the job done.

Whether you’re visiting LA and want to see CAA agents screaming into their cell phones, or find screaming CAA agents cathartic, Tower Bar is a must-visit. Located in The Strip, this iconic industry spot is a rare hallowed ground where celebrities, fresh-faced newbies, and their anxiety-riddled representation all commingle and get as drunk as possible, together. The outdoor patio by the pool is a certifiable scene, so be sure to bring your sunglasses. You’ve got some eavesdropping to do.

Santa Monica has miles of beaches and yet only one patio that’s truly worth your time - Big Dean’s. This classic sports bar has been around since the 1970s, and though the design has changed throughout the years, the fantastic front and back patios remain better than ever. Big Dean’s is where you go on a lazy Saturday to watch some sports and end up staying all afternoon, drinking beer and eating one of our favorite burgers in Santa Monica.

The patio at Michael’s is the best on the Westside. Eating here feels like taking a journey in the jungle, but with white tablecloths and without all the bugs. The atmosphere is great, half the crowd has been coming here since they opened 35 years ago, and it’s the kind of place where the owner makes the rounds before holding court at his regular table. The California farm-fresh food isn’t going to change your life, the burger, roasted chicken, pork chop, and vegetable sides are tasty and fresh.

If anyone chooses a regular patio over a patio that looks out over the ocean, they are not to be trusted. Which is why, when given the opportunity, you should never pass up an afternoon at Ballast Point. Sure, the atmosphere is one ice luge away from being a Phi Kappa Alpha recruitment party, but once you get up to the second-floor patio, none of that matters. With panoramic views of Long Beach harbor and the coast, this is what drinking in California is all about.

Eating dinner at this upscale Mexican restaurant in the Arts District feels like a dream set in a future where all restaurants come with concrete slab seating, expansive industrial patios, and as many plants as an arboretum. Damian is an ideal place to eat boundary-pushing Baja seafood in the city. That includes dishes like lobster al pastor with pineapple butter, nopal-topped tlayudas, and a dry-aged branzino that belongs in the Smithsonian.

There’s only one place where you’re allowed to eat in Malibu with your feet in the actual sand, and that place is Paradise Cove. Sure, its gigantic bar food menu isn’t exactly memorable and the pricey parking lot might make your blood boil on a busy weekend, but the joy of watching your parents realize they’re eating chilaquiles or BBQ quesadillas on a private beach on the Malibu Coast is worth the hassle. No matter the hour, be sure to order a pina colada.

It’s not every day you’re going to be able to convince yourself (or anyone else) to drive up into the Burbank hills for brunch or a fancy dinner, but when it involves The Castaway, anything is possible. Yes, price points can get a little high here ($100 a head if you really want to get after it), but the meat-heavy menu is good (the charcuterie and cheese bar is a particular bright spot) and the views from the patio simply can’t be beat.

The backyard at this West Adams Thai spot is the perfect place for a fun group meal. It looks like they hired Fran Fine from The Nanny as the landscaper, offered a couple of shots of tequila, and let her decorate the place. It’s ridiculous, over-the-top, and visually stunning, all at once. No matter what you end up eating, a few hours of socializing over Thai beers and cocktails in this kitschy, colorful garden will make your life feel briefly euphoric.

Ddong Ggo might be the smokiest patio in Los Angeles, but that’s also why it’s one of the best. This huge Korean spot serves bar food like kimchi seafood pancakes and honey-fried chicken to fired-up crowds in its outdoor dining room. You’ll see those dishes on every table, along with multiple towers of Hite beer and several overflowing ashtrays. You might not spend the whole night here, but it’s a great place to kick off a rowdy, booze-fueled adventure.

Much like a 2003 romance/drama starring Diane Lane, Bacari Silver Lake is inspired by life in Tuscany. The sprawling courtyard is shaded by a thicket of trees, there are large, rustic tables in every corner, plus plenty of fire pits to keep you warm. It’s farmhouse chic, in the way we wish our shared backyard could be (we’re working on it). The menu is slightly less focused—there are Italian pizzas and burrata caprese, alongside shrimp ceviches, lamb kabob, and Oaxacan pasta.

If you’re looking to get a little rowdy, this outdoor beer garden in Silver Lake is always one of your best options. The space is large (though it fills up quickly), and people come here to do one thing - drink heavily. What’s one boot of beer when you can have two?

De Buena Planta, a plant-based Mexican restaurant on Abbot Kinney, now has a second location in Silver Lake. It’s in a huge 5,000-square-foot space on Sunset Blvd. (in that little strip mall between Same Same Thai and Ceci’s Gastronomia) and packs in a tiki bar, tropical plants, and colorful patio furniture. Respectfully, it feels nothing like the Eastside— greenery everywhere you look, people are doing shots of rum in the corner, and yes, there’s enough room for you and everyone you know.

Say hello to the best patio in Los Angeles. A dinner (or lunch, or brunch) here feels like you’ve left LA and are weekending in Austin. The laid-back space is almost entirely outdoors - save for a semi-indoor bar and a little area where you can smash your face against the glass and watch them make their tortillas. The drinks, tacos, and grilled meats are excellent, and the entire patio is full of people who are doing that rare dinner activity - having a legitimately good time.