Black Market Liquor Bar earns its Studio City regulars

Black Market Liquor Bar sits on Ventura Blvd and has built a steady reputation over 832 reviews and a 4.5-star average. That kind of track record on a restaurant row this competitive means people keep coming back.

The room has a curved brick ceiling that makes it feel like an actual bar rather than a converted retail space. The menu runs global small plates, so you can eat well here without it turning into a full dinner production. The craft cocktail program is the main draw for a lot of regulars, and it holds up.

There is a patio if you want outside, and the place does live music on some nights. It works for groups, which matters when you are trying to land somewhere on a Friday with six people and no backup plan. That said, reservations are worth making on weekends. Walk-ins are fine earlier in the week, but this place fills up.