11 Best Cocktail Bars in Torrance

“Don't let the unassuming neon glow of the strip mall fool you. Once inside you'll be transported to a dive bar tiki paradise full of welcoming locals, cheap beer and limited distractions.
A throw back to simpler time when you were not overwhelmed with menu options or craft beer choices.
This is truly a slice of island paradise in an urban jungle“

“Every cocktail they add to their menu is a true delicacy. I’ve been coming here since they opened in March 2024 and it’s been fascinating to watch as they evolve; from enhancing their space with more decor, to switching up their robust selection of seasonal cocktails, and building a community that values ohana. The Hula Hula Room is the perfect place for your date, meet up with friends or family. Food is not served here, but you’re welcome to bring in takeout if you like.

Drink favorites: The South Blue, Pain Killer, Zombie, the Oaxacan Grog (seasonal)“

“Never had a bad meal or service!“

“Small bars usually offer a casual yet friendly and relaxing atmosphere.
• Staff Attitude: Most small bar staff are warm and welcoming. Unlike fine dining restaurants, they tend to be more engaging, often chatting with guests, recommending drinks, and even remembering regular customers’ preferences.
• Serving Speed: Since the main focus of a bar is alcoholic beverages, the food may take longer to be served compared to a regular restaurant. However, most bars offer quick-prep bar snacks to complement the drinks.
• Personalized Service: Some small bars provide customized cocktails based on customers’ tastes or offer hidden menu options to enhance the experience.“

“I have an unreasonable amount of affection for Nordstrom restaurants. West or east coast, if there’s a Nordstrom restaurant somewhere near me, I’ve probably eaten there. I’ve had a Nordstrom card forever. I’m the audience for this place. So Bazille in Torrance isn’t getting judged against some imaginary standard. I’m judging it against a lot of Nordstrom meals. And the frustrating thing is that the food here is mostly very good.

The chicken tacos are probably the thing I’ve ordered most. Crispy shells, ground chicken, avocado, cheese, greens, that cilantro chipotle situation happening on top. When everything is right, they’re fantastic. The flavor combination just works. They can get a little sloppy, the chicken has occasionally been aggressively salty and they don’t travel particularly well. My most recent delivery arrived with the tacos already getting soggy despite ordering the aioli on the side. Still good. Just nowhere near what they are fresh at the restaurant.

The cilantro lime chicken salad is essentially the same universe dismantled onto a plate and it’s another favorite. The chicken here is surprisingly good across the menu. The chicken katsu is solid, the burger is excellent and the kids’ menu is legitimately useful if you’re eating with young children rather than treating them as an inconvenience somebody accidentally brought into the restaurant.

The tomato basil soup deserves its own mention because that thing survived delivery beautifully. Piping hot when it arrived and tasted exactly as it should. Even the fries are good. Just do yourself a favor and ask for them without the rosemary unless rosemary on french fries happens to be your thing.

Where Bazille loses me is service. It’s wildly inconsistent. I’ve had one server here repeatedly who is fantastic. Warm, attentive, remembers what the table needs, everything you want. Then I’ve had visits where getting basic things feels like filing paperwork with a municipal government.

The host stand might be my least favorite part of the restaurant. The physical setup itself is awkward. There’s this strange barrier/bar arrangement where you’re never entirely sure where you’re supposed to stand or whether anyone has acknowledged you. The welcome can range from genuinely friendly to complete indifference. For a Nordstrom restaurant, where hospitality is supposed to be part of the proposition, that inconsistency is particularly noticeable.

And apparently I’m not imagining the service issue. Other recent reviewers describe staff chatting among themselves, difficulty getting refills and forgotten requests. That’s pretty close to the inconsistency I’ve experienced myself. I can’t speak to some of the more dramatic complaints in the reviews because they didn’t happen to me and I’m only reviewing what I’ve experienced.

The room itself is pleasant, although the architecture is a little peculiar and depending on where you’re sitting, the California sun can absolutely cook you through the windows.

But here’s the simplest test. Will I come back? Absolutely. There are too many things on the menu I genuinely enjoy, the kids can eat here and when you get one of the good servers, Bazille reminds you why Nordstrom restaurants have been such an oddly reliable part of my life for so long.

Fix the front of house consistency, pay a little more attention to execution and this could easily be a five. Until then, it’s a very solid four.“

“Muy buena comida y económica“

“This is a nice little place clean and classy, the bartenders are excellent! The bartenders are nice and attentive, the dj is great! Plays some really good music the whole night I definitely recommend this place and I will be coming back myself.“

“A classic Japanese hostess club located in the East Torrance area. If you can get past the private exterior, the experience is really unique. Basically, you go in to have conversations with well educated and pretty women. Although the women are stunning, this experience is clean and more about having a fantasy date than anything else.

It was pricey, but not as scary as I expected. The food was not really worth talking about (some snacks from Daiso?) but there’s a full bar. Worth checking out for an authentic Japanese experience!“

“Beautiful outdoor seat in the shade

Delicious margarita and enchilada de mole negro on happy hour. The mole is incredibly delicious!

Madre! Was recommended by a friend and I can't recommend it enough to you!“

“It is a great place to have a few beers and sing with friends. The songs could be better but when you are with the right people you will have fun no matter what. The servers were all very nice and helpful. They have darts and a bar too if you dont want to karaoke. All in all, second time coming here and singing my lungs out. Two thumbs up!“