Early into my tenure as a new line-dancing enthusiast, I found myself in Chatsworth, alone on a Friday night. I was looking for action — the country dance kind. It was not yet dusk when I entered the Cowboy Palace Saloon, which hosts line dancing on most nights. Suddenly, L.A. felt very far away. In the parking lot, men were flicking cigarettes into the hot summer air. The space was almost dreamlike, with leather boots hanging above the bar table. American flags strung up. A cue ball clattered on a pool table.
In the bar area, I stumbled upon a crowd in denim vests and leather-soled boots dancing in unison. They were line dancing, warming up the dance floor before the live band started their set. A man told me that on any given Friday night, this is the wildest bar in America. I believed him.
The appeal of line dancing is simple: It’s a partnerless dance. And still, it naturally fosters community. Scared? Saddle up anyway. If you fumble, the line will keep moving — feet brushing, stomping, rocking it back — and soon enough, you’ll find your rhythm again.
In Los Angeles, line dancing has a storied legacy. “In the early ‘90s, there used to be country dance bars all over L.A.,” says Sean Monaghan, one of the founders of queer line dancing night Stud Country. While the popularity of line dancing has seen dips since then, the scene is once again experiencing a revival, partly due to the 2021 closure of country western institution Oil Can Harry’s in Studio City. Deeply feeling its absence, the community filled the void with pop-up line dancing nights scattered across L.A.
”People want to share their joy,” Monaghan says of these gathering spaces.
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to [email protected].
No one is born a cowboy; they become one. You can see that in the zeitgeist. Pop stars like Chappell Roan, Post Malone and Beyoncé are making country albums and singles. Sabrina Carpenter released a line-dancing tutorial to accompany her hit song “Man Child.” Cowboy boots and camouflage have become fashionable in the L.A. nightlife scene too, littered across wine bars and nightclubs. Queer-themed line-dancing nights are popping up at queer bars across the city, from Dude Ranch at Micky’s WeHo to Hogtied at Precinct. Line-dancing has experienced a Gen-Z makeover in L.A. with TikToks showing line dancers accessorized with Labubus.
Today you can try line dancing at several country western bars around town, each one as eclectic and unique as the dances themselves. Each of these events on the dance floor will have you feeling like you’ve been teleported to a rollicking barn party — and may just make you want to abandon your life for the Old West.