Lanea’s outdoor seating takes over the sidewalk in front of the Santa Monica restaurant, furnishing it with protective barriers and eight tables, enough seating for about 40 guests. On weekends, a satellite dining area is set up on Third Street Promenade in front of the Apple Store for enjoying $11 cocktails and tacos that start at $2.50. Lanea takes the temperatures of patrons as well as staff who wear masks and gloves, use UV-light to sanitize, and offer hand sanitizer. 

This modern Mexican restaurant in Venice boasts a spacious sun-washed patio with additional outdoor seating of 50 seats on the parking lot. Fueling festivities is an extensive agave collection curated by Raul Yrastorza (El Carmen, Las Perlas) and mezcal and tequila cocktails. Reservations are available via Resy and walk-ins are welcome.

Mister O’s parking lot has 37 tables (picnic tables, two-tops and four-tops) spaced eight to nine feet apart that can seat up to 192 customers. Sports or movies are silently projected onto the wall. Customers like to chill with thirst quenchers like the Lemongrass Is Always Greener vodka and strawberry-lemongrass cocktail and the Space Cadet gin and passion fruit cocktail. Reservations are recommended, especially on Fridays and Saturdays.

Since the scene-y L.P. rooftop is now operating at 60 percent capacity and doesn’t take reservations, there’s occasionally a line out front on La Cienega where people are waiting spaced six feet apart. But parties of four or six friends can reserve a table adjacent to the rooftop bar at the more secluded Las Palmas patio pop-up, whose decor, cocktails, and food are inspired by the warm vibes of Tulum, Mexico. Helping to keep things safe are dedicated sanitization staff, temperature checks, and cashless transactions.

West Hollywood bar-restaurant Employees Only transformed its adjacent parking lot into a park called Summer Social Club, with astroturf, large umbrellas, and 18 picnic tables that can accommodate 50 to 60 guests — perfect for sipping on gin cocktail Cucumber Retrograde or celebrating Tiki Thursdays. Reservations aren’t required, but are recommended since space is limited, especially when they host pop-ups such as the Bad Jew, Golden Rice, Neighborhood BBQ, and more. Temperatures are taken at the door and menus are QR coded.  

The Melrose Avenue cocktail bar has only offered takeout and some sidewalk seating during the pandemic, but on April 2 it’s finally opening its newly designed open-air courtyard in the back with 10 tables (38 seats) and serving Umbrella Co. classics. Walk-ins are welcome but reservations can be made via Resy, Thursday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10:30pm and Sunday for all-day brunch from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Margaritas “with the good shit” are the big sellers at chef Walter Manzke’s Mid-City taqueria. Sidewalk seating comprised of actual booths and two-tops stretches westward from the restaurant to nearly the end of the block with the blessing of neighboring businesses. Most are tables that Manzke took from his other restaurant Republique and painted to match Petty Cash. Guests’ temperatures aren’t taken, but the employees get their temperatures checked every day and tested for coronavirus every other week.

Harlowe’s romantic, twinkly lit outdoor patio offers 30 seats, so reservations are encouraged on OpenTable, Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Settle in and order from a wide variety of liquid offerings — 17 wines by the glass or bottle, bottled and draft beers, and several cocktails. Happy hour is from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesday to Friday with deals such as $8 well and $9 specialty cocktails, and a few appetizers. Or stay for a French-Moroccan dinner by Chef T. Nicholas Peter, formerly of Little Door. 

This West Adams brewery/bar by Jason Eisner (Block Party in Highland Park) offers a 6,000-square-foot patio for outdoor drinking but only on the weekends from noon to 9 p.m. Seating is first come, first serve. Cool down with five draft beers that are made on-site from a 10-barrel system. Got a favorite? Take a growler to go for $20. Plant-based food offerings include Detroit-style pepperoni or cheese pizzas from the food truck parked on the patio.

Boneyard Bistro alumni and owners of former British pub Buchanan Arms were about to transform it into a tiki bar when the pandemic halted plans. Currently it’s a pirate-themed Polynesian pub with a meat-tastic menu including house-cured and smoked pastrami Thursdays and tiki cocktails. The back patio is outfitted with astroturf, wind sail shades, and bamboo fencing. However, there are only six tables, with an additional two out front. Happy hour goes off Tuesday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

The Alcove’s bricked outdoor patio is a favorite of the brunching set, but now Big Bar regulars are enjoying the al fresco experience. The homey setting, which occupies one of the oldest houses in Los Feliz, pairs well with patio pounders off the bar’s cocktail menu, such as the Boo Radler, a gin and grapefruit radler cocktail. The restaurant-slash-bar has cut down its patio seating to 102 seats with 29 tables. Sanitizer stations are also available throughout the property.

Freehand Hotel’s rooftop bar has always been one of the best places in the city for drinking cocktails poolside with a view. The pool area can accommodate 30 guests for groups of six, or 13 if drinking solo. Non-hotel guests must spend a minimum of $35 during hours before 7 p.m., which is not an issue when ordering a dish, a beer, and a cocktail such as the Thirst Trap mezcal-white wine spritzer. There are also 11 tables (42 seats) by the bar. Reservations are required.

Innovative and fun cocktails, such as a pina colada soda and a tequila tepache, can now be enjoyed outdoors at Thunderbolt in Historic Filipinotown, along with Southern-inspired breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Six tables (three on the patio and three on the sidewalk) are up for grabs via Tock with a $10 deposit. The bar/restaurant enforces social distancing, a mask mandate, and a six-person max per party. Pro tip: Stop by the bottleshop to peruse the highly-curated inventory of spirits.

Previously, this sexy Arts District cocktail den was only seating first come, first serve on the sidewalk out front, which accommodates 30 seats. But now reservations can be made for via Tock with a $15 deposit. Customers check with the host for a seat, place and pay for their order, and then wait at their table for food and drinks. The bar thoughtfully provides hand sanitizer and an envelope to store masks while you drink. The 12 cocktails on offer include bottled and to-go options, kegged and frozen, as well as bites such as fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies spritzed with banana liqueur.

 In addition to its outdoor back patio, which features live music on Wednesdays and Fridays, Here and Now has outdoor seating in front on Santa Fe Avenue with eight tables and 15 in the back — accommodating 70 people. Cool down with a pandan pistachio pina colada. Here and Now takes temperatures at the door, turns away anyone with a temperature over 99.5F and only seats parties of fewer than six.

The Raymond will take walk-ins if any of its 30 tables are available, but it’s best to make a reservation. Customers have to call the restaurant when they arrive at the front door where a manager or host will greet them and take their temperature. After everyone is cleared, they’ll be seated at one of the three patios (west, east, or south with a fireplace). Happy hour is Tuesday to Sunday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and features $7 cocktails, such Moscow mules, 1926 cosmopolitans, and Cuba Libres.