I think almost everyone would agree that Los Angeles is a tough city for dating. Everyone is so busy, and the people you meet at bars and clubs may not exactly be what you would consider “quality”.
But, there are actually plenty of single people in the same boat who don’t necessarily want to do the club/bar scene. Here are the top ways I’ve discovered to meet quality single people in L.A.
COVID NOTE: Unfortunately, many of these events are on hold during the pandemic. Some are still going on but double-check before attending.
1. Volunteer
It’s hard to think of a place where you’d meet a better type of person than at a volunteer event. There are tons of great young single people who sacrifice their nights and even weekends to volunteer. Here are some organizations to volunteer with:
- Hope for LA: Has a calendar where you can sign up for volunteer opportunities around L.A.
- The Compton Initiative: This is a HUGE event that happens every few months. The goal is to beautify parts of the Compton community.
- Heal the Bay: Has volunteer cleanup events.
- The Sierra Club Los Angeles: Volunteer to help the environment in Los Angeles.
- Orange County Sierra Singles: For singles in O.C.
- Habitat for Humanity: Build houses for the poor.
- Much Love Animal Rescue: Guys, there are tons of women who volunteer for animal rescue organizations. This is just one of them. They show rescued animals on Main Street in Santa Monica every Sunday.
- The People Concern: Volunteer to serve meals to the homeless on the West Side
- Tree People: Caring for trees and nature in Los Angeles.
Of course, there are many, many more volunteer organizations, ranging from political, environmental, animal rescue and so forth. Just Google what you’re interested in and you’re bound to find a cause that interests you in L.A.
I’ve been impressed at how many young single women are at these volunteer events. At many volunteer events I’ve been to, it’s been mostly single women there. Guys, time to step it up! Not only will you be doing something good for the world, but you could meet someone special.
2. Attend Church / Religious Gatherings
If you think that only your grandma and old people go to church in L.A., think again. Many of today’s churches cater to young people and feel more like rock concerts than church. Here are some churches in L.A. with lots of young people:
- Vintage Church: This is a church that meets in Santa Monica and the West Side with lots of young professionals. I know lots of single people who go here and they love it. For their events, check out their community Facebook page.
- Mosaic: Worship in the heart of Hollywood that resembles a rock concert, but with solid preaching. Much of the congregation consists of young singles with a lot of artistic types.
- Reality LA: Also in Hollywood with lots of young single folks.
- Pacific Crossroads Church: Highly educated congregation of professionals in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Modern worship. Meets in Santa Monica on Sunday mornings and downtown L.A. on Sunday afternoons.
- Bel Air Presbyterian Church: Used to have a legendary singles group called The Foundry for singles in their 20s and 30s. That is no more but the church is still there.
- The Loft LA: Small church in mid-Wilshire consisting of almost all 20’s and 30’s singles. Unconventional services with audience surrounding the preacher.
- CrossRoads LA Fellowship Connect: This is a Facebook group devoted to Christian singles in their 30’s and up. It has members from various local churches including Vintage.
- Saddleback Church: Huge mega-church in Orange County led by Rick Warren. All ages, with a variety of services including one that has modern music.
- St. Monica Catholic Community: If you’re Catholic, many people have told me that this church in Santa Monica has great events for singles.
- Renew Church LA: Very young, culturally diverse (Asian, African-American, white) church meeting at West Los Angeles College in Culver City.
- Venice Church: Good vibe with modern worship music and practical sermons.
- Zoe Church: The home church of such celebrities as Chris Pratt, Justin Bieber, Hailey Baldwin, Selena Gomez, and Ashley Benson.
Please note that it is hard to meet people by simply going to church on Sundays and leaving afterward. There are just too many people and Sunday service is not conducive to meeting them. Your best bet for meeting people is to join a smaller church group that meets outside of church.
There are also wonderful people at synagogues, mosques, and places where people of other religious beliefs meet.
3. Learn Swing / Salsa / Ballroom Dancing
Imagine a room full of single people, and all you have to do is walk up to someone and ask them to dance – no drama or creepiness involved. That’s partner dancing, where people want to ask you to dance, and want to be asked to dance. It’s one of the best ways I’ve found to meet single people of all ages.
Granted, you’ll have to invest some time taking lessons and fumbling around as a beginner. But once you get proficient, you’ll meet a ton of people. You won’t regret it!
I’m personally into Swing dancing. The best resource for swing dancing in Los Angeles and Orange County is swingdance.la. It has a complete calendar of swing dance events. For lessons, go here. If you embark on this journey, I guarantee you’ll meet lots of young single people! Here’s more info on why Swing dancing is a great way to meet single people.
The salsa scene is huge in LA, but I feel it has a somewhat higher barrier to entry for beginners. For salsa, check out Vida Salsera.
For ballroom, there is Third Street Dance in mid-city near the Beverly Center, Arthur Murray in Sherman Oaks, and the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association.
This might sound crazy, but don’t rule out country line dancing (yes, it exists in L.A.) The most famous place that I know of is Cowboy Country Saloon in Long Beach. There are single people of all ages there and free lessons before the band goes on. It’s pretty fun if you don’t take yourself too seriously.
4. Attend In-Person Dating Events
I’m not a huge fan of dating sites and apps (although many friends of mine have found dates that way). I always preferred meeting people in person.
Match.com offers members just that opportunity with their Match.com Events. These are real-life events that you can attend for a reasonable fee on top of your regular membership. The events range from low-cost mixers at a bar to weekend ski trips.
Everyone in these events is there to meet someone, so you won’t feel out of place striking up a conversation with someone. I highly recommend Match.com events for singles in L.A.
5. Attend Fundraisers and Galas
It would be hard to find a better group of successful professional (and often attractive) people than at fundraising galas and events. Galas are usually held in hotel ballrooms or cool locations like museums, and everyone is dressed to the nines looking amazing. But, there are also informal fundraising events held in swanky mansions in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and so on. Oh, and these fundraisers often have incredible food.
Some examples of organizations on the West Side that have fundraising galas and events are The People Concern (homelessness), Harvest Home (pregnant homeless women), and Claris Health (pregnancy counseling). Find organizations in your area that are fighting for causes that you believe in and they will almost certainly have fundraising events with like-minded people.
6. Try Online Dating
Online really is where people who want to date are these days – especially busy people who don’t have time (or don’t enjoy) the bar/club scene.
The downside of online dating is that you will be judged in less than ten seconds on your profile photo. If you are not photogenic or your photo isn’t good, you won’t get good results. On the other hand, I know so many people who’ve met their significant others online!
Here are some dating sites that I am familiar with and recommend:
- Probably the biggest dating site in terms of number of members is Match.com, which is one of the reasons I recommend it. There are a wide variety of folks on this site, and it does work if you invest the time in good photos and a good profile. Out of all the dating sites, I personally have gotten the most dates from match.com. As I previously said, I like the in-person mixers they put on in Los Angeles and Orange County.
- eHarmony goes with the philosophy of “quality over quantity”, giving you a small number of matches that are supposed to be a better fit. I have friends who have done well here and even met their significant others on eHarmony:
- ChristianCafe is a Christian-owned dating service. If you’re looking a Christian, check this out!
- Coffee Meets Bagel is a mobile app that requires a Facebook account. You get a group of free profiles every day at noon, and you can pay to contact more people. There are a lot of solid high-quality professionals here who want to find someone to date seriously. Coffee Meets Bagel does work! I have lots of friends who have gone on dates using this app.
- Bumble is another mobile dating app with a similar interface to Tinder, where you swipe left to skip and right to approve. I will say that your physical appearance is very important on Bumble. A very high percentage of the women on there are models, actresses, yoga/Pilates instructors, fitness coaches, and so forth. Others are successful business owners/leaders. My female friends say similar things about the guys on there. You’ll definitely have to step up your game (and profile photo) if you want to get any responses.
Disclosure: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. I test or research each service before endorsing it. I own this site and the opinions expressed here are mine.
7. Join Meetup Groups / Facebook Groups
If you’re not doing Meetup.com groups, you’re missing one of the easiest ways to meet single people. Sure, sometimes the events are lame, and maybe the folks that show up are not exactly your cup of tea, but stick with it and find a Meetup that fits your demographic. Just sign up for a group that matches your interest (hiking or photography or whatever), or go straight to these Meetup groups which have a very high percentage of singles:
- New York / LA Mingle Meetup
This is an active, post-COVID social group on Meetup.com that features happy hours at hip bars, often in Santa Monica. - Los Angeles Single Professionals & Friends
- Mix Professionals with Fun Events
- No Flake Singles and Friends LA
- Los Angeles Free Concerts
Even if you don’t meet someone special, these often meet in cool venues (hip restaurants and bars) that are fun to discover and experience.
In a similar vein, here’s a Facebook group with real-life events in L.A. for folks interested in meeting friends from around the world and speaking different languages:
What I’d like to emphasize with these groups is to give them a chance. You might go once or even twice and think a group is lame, but stick with it at least a few times. Good people do show up to these but sometimes it takes time.
8. Use a Matchmaking Service
If you’re too busy to go out and meet people organically, or just not into that, a matchmaking service can get you results faster.
One service in Los Angeles is Matchmakers in the City. I’ve met them and they are super nice and legit!
If you’re looking for a Christian, check out ChristianMatchmakingLA.com.
9. Walk a Dog
If you live in a neighborhood that has a decent concentration of young single people (i.e., beach cities, downtown LA, and hip neighborhoods like Silverlake or Atwater Village), walking the streets with a cute dog can be a great way to meet people! I just got a very cute dog and can say that you will meet new people when you go out and walk it.
Dogs are great ice-breakers and give you something to talk about. If you don’t have a dog, I’m sure you have friends who’d love to let you walk theirs!
10. Join Outdoor Clubs / Athletic Teams
Want to meet single people who are in good shape? Join a sports team or club! Here are some ideas:
- Volleyball: I joined a volleyball class at Santa Monica College, and it was filled with young single people. Even better would be to join a beach volleyball team.
- Kickboxing, martial arts, karate, Krav Maga
- Kickball: I didn’t even know they had kickball for adults, but a friend of mine is on a team and she loves it.
- Yoga: Tons more women than men.
- Hiking: Somehow there are always significantly more women than men on group hikes that I go on. Check out the Los Angeles Hiking Group Meetup.
- Running: Check out the LA Running Club or many clubs like this.
- Biking: Bike shops usually run beginner-intermediate bike rides for free. Check one near you.
- 5K Races: Even if you’re not in great shape, you can run a 5K with a little training. There are plenty of “couch-to-5K” programs out there. These races always have lots of young, fit professionals.
Search on Google for more information on sports that you are interested in.
I’ve never believed that the gym was a great place to meet single people (and you can actually get kicked out if folks complain about you if you do), but I recently went to a gym class that required a partner. A lot of people showed up alone and they just paired up with other singles. I thought this might be the one good way to meet single people at the gym. Note, there were significantly more women than men in the class, so guys, check this out!
For the women, reader Jeremy says below in the comments that you should check out any major chain gym at 8:30 PM or later where there are tons of single guys.
11. Take Continuing Education Classes
If you want to meet people interested in the same hobbies or topics as you are, try taking a class. Community colleges have really inexpensive classes. Just be sure to take a class that is truly useful or interesting to you though, as there may or may not be single people there, depending on what topic you choose.
- Santa Monica College Community Education: The intro photography class there had lots of young single folks. I’ve also taken volleyball and kickboxing classes there. Check with your local community or state college for continuing education classes.
- Language classes: I’ve taken classes at the Santa Monica Language Academy. Lots of young single folks take classes there. Check out language classes near you.
- Cooking classes
- Art classes: Check out these “paint and wine” classes.
12. Meet Other Book Lovers at a Book Store
If you’re more of a bookstore person than a bar person, and if you have some cajones, you might be able to strike up a conversation with a cute girl/guy at your local independent bookstore. There’s an old meme where a girl says she’d rather have a guy buy her a book than a drink, so maybe there’s something to this!
Bookstores are becoming fewer and farther between, so you’ll know that anyone you meet at one will be really into books.
I think you’ll have better luck at smaller independent bookstores rather than Barnes and Noble or an Amazon store. My recommendation is Village Well in Culver City because they’re also a coffeehouse and they have lots of young single people!
The seating is very communal, so it’s easy to strike up a conversation with the person next to you.
Other recommended bookstores include Pulp Fiction Comics in Culver City, Alias Books East in Atwater Village, Book Alley in Pasadena, Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena, and of course, The Last Bookstore in Downtown LA!
13. Attend Outdoor Food Events
Outdoor food events tend to attract masses of hungry young single people. A prime example is Smorgasburg in the Arts District near Downtown L.A. First Fridays in Venice used to be another example before the pandemic. The atmosphere there had more in common with Lollapalooza than L.A. to me.
With the fun atmosphere, it wouldn’t be too hard to meet people at these types of events given a little courage and charm.
14. Meet People at High-End Grocery Stores
Don’t dismiss this one. It really is a thing! Young single people who are financially well-off and who are concerned with keeping fit tend to do their grocery shopping at high-end, health-conscious, supermarkets like Erewhon, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Sprouts. These stores have tons of single people shopping around dinner time on weeknights.
The New York Times says Erewhon is “L.A.’s Hottest Hangout” and “the unofficial hangout for the young, beautiful and bored”. Visit one after work and see for yourself.
Check out this story in the Los Angeles Times that says Ehrewhon is better than Tinder (tip: it was helpful that the woman wore a conversation piece, i.e., the Dodgers cap, to help jump-start the conversation).
Granted, approaching someone at a grocery store out of the blue takes some cajones, shall we say, but I know folks who’ve done it successfully. You might try asking for advice on something, or give your advice if someone looks like they’re having trouble deciding.
15. Use Your Network of Friends
One of the best ways to meet people is through your existing friends. Why? Because the hard work is done – you’re pre-approved as part of the “group” and you’ll get much more consideration than a stranger would.
When you get an invitation, go even if you don’t want to, or especially if you don’t want to. You know that birthday party that someone invited you to, but you don’t know anyone else there? Well, go to that party. Same with that wedding, where you only know the bride or groom and no one else. Go to that wedding. You know those annoying Facebook events that people keep inviting you to and that you keep deleting? Go to those Facebook events. Utilize your network of friends to meet new ones.
I know it’s difficult and awkward to go to a party when you only know one person, so here are some tips to meet people at parties where you don’t know anyone.
But when you go, make it your first priority to have fun, not necessarily to meet someone. A person having fun is attractive, and worst case, you’ll have a good time and some good practice for the next event!
Bonus Idea: Become a Social Connector
So far, I’ve listed places and events to find single people at. But why not create your own fun? Hosting a party is a great way to meet new people if you can encourage your friends to bring their friends. It also makes you look really good because as the host, you have high social proof.
I get the best results in terms of fun and participation when I pick a theme for my party. When you have a timeframe in mind, Google that date to see what that date is famous for. For example, once I planned a party that happened to land on National Milkshake Day, so it had a 50’s theme and we served burgers and milkshakes. It was a huge hit!
It almost doesn’t matter what the theme is: it could be Chinese New Year, Peruvian independence day, national Salami day, or whatever. The important thing is to pick a theme! It makes it so much more fun and guides you on how to decorate and what food to serve. And, you’ll get a lot more interest than if you just a have generic party.
Or, be a social organizer, planning events like Hollywood Bowl nights, bike rides, hikes, and so forth. Encourage people to bring their friends.
What do you think of these ideas? Any other good places to meet quality single people in Los Angeles that you know of? Here’s a list of hot spots in Santa Monica and Venice for singles. Here are some tips for meeting more single people when you go out. – Brian
Please Leave a Question or Comment
The website for Salsa is VIDASALSERA.COM, which translates into Salsa Life. There’s a typo on your website – Viva instead of Vida. Thanks.
Hi Dena,
Thank you for the correction! Fixed now.
Best,
Brian
Meetup Groups are a great way to meet people – after all everyone going there is looking to meet others as well. I’ve met a ton of people at those events and recommend it!
Thanks for sharing!
The author is correct about churches- the ratio is for every 20 single women, there is one single man. Guys will not have an issue finding women there. The same goes to volunteerism: I wish men would show up. As for the gym, I work out 6 days a week at various time in the evening, at various gyms and I don’t see single men.Jeremy , what cities do you suggest working out?
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These ideas are “ok” but I sure wish there was something better. You’re just as likely to meet someone at the grocery store or anywhere else as you are using the ideas above. I feel like there has a be some kind of event or place where it’s understood don’t come unless you are single and looking for a date. Here in LA it’s hard being a single guy without a big social network.
For any ladies reading this, I can you tell you a foolproof idea that will score you some very handsome men quickly. It’s really simple. Sign up at large chain gym (such as LA Fitness, 24hr Fitness, Planet Fitness, etc) and go there at night (around 8:30pm or later). I swear, I SWEAR the place has nothing but desperately single men who spend their nights building muscle just wishing a decent looking lady would ask them how to use a machine. I promise, just ask something simple like “how do you use this” or “am I doing this exercise right” and they will be all over you. The ratio of men/women is like 20/1, the odds are ridiculously in your favor, the guys who come at night tend to be in really good shape and honestly they are pretty horny and desperate for some female interaction. Any decent looking women can get a good catch in there, you would have to be atrocious to fail. But like I said, you have to say something first so that they know it’s ok to hit on you. If you just sit there with a solemn face then nothing will happen because those are the most shy and scared guys you will ever meet in your life. Nobody is more scared to ask a women out than those muscle heads who LOOK like they are drowning in “meow”, trust me, they aren’t or they wouldn’t be hanging out in a gym on a Friday/Saturday night. I know, trust me I’m one of those guys and I wouldn’t be there, I’d be on a date getting laid. The fact that I’m standing there with no girlfriend around and no ring on my finger… I’m totally single and tbh desperate.
I only wish there was an equivalent of this advise for men, a place that was mostly good looking women just waiting for a single guy to come along and make the slightest advance. But I don’t know of any such place.
Hi Jeremy,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I’ve totally been there, and I agree that LA is a tough town for dating without a big social network as you said.
There actually are some places in LA with a lot of attractive single women, but there are barriers to entry, or else tons of guys would show up and ruin it.
The first place is church… I talking about modern big churches with a lot of single people like Vintage, Mosaic, and Reality. There are definitely a lopsided percentage of women there looking for good guys. If you’re Jewish, I’m sure there are similar synagogues. The caveat here is that you have to get involved, not just show up one Sunday or whatever. You need join a weekly group, go to the activities, etc.
If you’re not religious, do you like animals? I went to an animal rescue event and 95% of the volunteers were women. I’m sure they could use more volunteers! (I’ll add a link in the article to the organization).
A lot of other volunteer organizations have more women than men…
Another place with a disproportionate number of single women is social dancing events. I’m mainly familiar with Swing and Salsa events. There are often more women than men. But of course, you need to take lessons. But that’s also good because it keeps a majority of guys out!
I’m not big into online dating apps, but many have had success with that, so it’s worth trying. Personally, I’ve always liked the in-person events put on by Match.com for LA members. There’s a small additional fee, but everyone there is single and looking. https://tinyurl.com/y9cm46ko
All of these things take effort, except maybe the online dating thing. There’s no getting around that. You have to either invest some time an effort into getting plugged into some community with single people, or take the time to build a social network, as you said… or become really gung-ho and start talking to strangers in supermarkets (and I have some friends that do that too).
Anyway, best wishes and good luck! Keep getting out there and don’t give up! – Brian
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This year, I went to three fundraising galas/events and met great people there. I’ve added this to the list! – Brian
None of your suggestions work, believe me I’m a 39yr old in LA, I have tried all of those things, not one works, all the groups things are a ratio of 2 girls to 20 guys, school and educational things are little more than wasting money on a roll of the dice where the odds are astronomically against you, I honestly could pick apart every single one of these “suggestions” being that I’ve tried all and found none to work. And even your bonus doesn’t work, I used to own a dogwalking/petsitting business and never met anybody other than clients.
Really? You’ve been to fund raisers and galas and silent auctions? PUH lease. I don’t buy that shit for a second. Stop complaining, get happy and love yourSELF and then maybe somebody will wanna spend time with you. Shit.
I’m a 5’2 Hispanic woman who works as an Executive Assistant during the day and single mom of a 13yr old at night. I’m 42 years old, who’s physique is about average. (not thin, but not too thick either) and wondering where I can actually meet quality good looking men in the LA area with open minds! I’ve been out of the loop for about 15yrs. Not super confident, and unfortunately would like a higher grade of man than I have dated in the past. I don’t really like the club scene (but can go on occasion), and I really don’t have many friends I can just hang out with. I don’t want to sit in a bar alone, looking creepy and desperate sucking on a straw. I don’t go to church, so that definitely rules that out. I don’t do one night stands and I’ve tried dating sites, but have been made to feel unattractive as most on there are looking for model material, which I am not (nor are they most of the time) or am approached by really OLD men, or guys who look like they’ve just escaped prison. I mean, like many women, I am attracted to a lil of a bad boy too, but geez. I do consider myself “cute” at the very least. I understand first impression are looks, (even with me) but if these guys would just look past that and actually try to get to know a girl, they may be pleasantly surprised – but they don’t. I too have preferences (white boys/hispanics who look a lil bad like Charlie Hunnam yum!), BUT I am realistic too – so that doesn’t mean I wont at least answer a question or spark a conversation with someone because I am not initially attracted to them.
I’m looking for suggestions on where to hang out, meet up, sign up to meet quality good looking men for dating or even to find friends to hang our with that could lead to more. Please help as its been a while, and I am losing hope.
Thank you for sharing your story. Difficulty meeting people later in life is a frustration that many people have.
I have two suggestions. The first is to check out athletic classes or activities such as martial arts classes, biking clubs, running clubs, and so forth. These often have more men than women. As a side benefit, you’ll get in great shape!
Another activity I’d recommend is partner dancing such as Salsa or Swing. Some Swing events such as Rusty’s Rhythm Club and the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association offer lessons and have an older crowd. For more info check out http://swingdance.la. At the very least you’ll have fun and expand your network of friends if you go often enough.
Hope this helps,
Brian
Hi there I’m a 26 year old white that ii feel fits your needs:)
a “white” hahahah. twilight zone vibes.
Hi. I’m a 53 year old white male who you may be interested in. Have two adult kids and no drama in my life. just looking for a respectful committed relationship.
Hello there ,im a latina, single mother (43) of 3 old kids. just the youngest (18) lives with me. im a good woman looking for a good man.
Hi Zully. It would be nice to meet you but I’m not sure how we can get in contact with each other.
Hi Zully,
If you are up for it, I can send you Frank’s email address privately.
Best,
Brian
Hi Brian,
A friend just sent this article to me. Thanks!
I’m a single 5 ‘ lady but finding finding its hard to find chrustian guys. Especially during this pandemic which makes it harder.
I help take care of older family member and work and try to meet folks online.
I’ve tried the different church groups but since I’m older than 20s and 30s, then like Rebecca I also find either old guys are attracted, or single guys who don’t intend anything serious.
I’m slender and more of a dancer or kickboxing at gym but lots of places are closed now.
I think of self as maybe more on the ‘cute’ side and have a fun quirky nerdy sense of humor.
I work a lot because of telework but am really intretested in finding ways to meet men who would also like a committed respectful and healthy relationship.
And who also don’t look like they just escaped from jail, is looking for someone to care for their child(ren), or way older than myself (closer to 40s) .
If you have any suggestions please let me know. Thanks!
Hi S. Leigh,
Yes, the pandemic has made it very hard to meet single people for sure. Although I prefer meeting people in person, right now I think the best way to meet the type of single people you’re looking for is through online dating apps. Make sure you have up-to-date, good photos of yourself posted.
Best,
Brian
Beyond hilarious especially the bar part. Reminds me of my gf. She’s out at bars every night BY HERSELF mostly, not sucking on a straw but doing double shots!