Picture a record store, a couple people flipping through records in silence. Yawn, boring. At De La Playa Records & Leisure in Highland Park, you can flip through records with one hand and keep sipping on some great zero-proof drinks with the other.
De La Playa is a vinyl shop and a non-alcoholic bar in the same space. According to LA Taco, it was started by three working DJs, John David Preap, Diego Guerrero and Jon Paul Lourenço, and opened in 2024. The records take you from the beachside to the poolside and everywhere in between: the shop’s website lists afrobeat, samba, bossa nova, house, tropical house and dancefloor music, with vinyl from around the world. Basically, if you want a good time they got something for you. At the opening, LA Taco reported about 3,000 rare records, including regional sections for Brazil, Venezuela and Japan put together with collaborators in those countries. You’re not just going to see records, you’re going for an experience.
Then there’s the bar. Our listing counts more than 100 non-alcoholic drinks, and LA Taco’s description at the opening included amaros, IPAs and de-alcoholized wines, along with zero-proof bottles and beers you can buy and share on site. It’s not just one mocktail in a club, it’s an entire menu with dozens of flavors and tastes that are made specific for people like us: those who want a good time, not a drunk time.
The space feels tropical and coastal, with a lot of plants, a nod to the founders’ Long Beach and Harbor Area roots. Guest DJs play vinyl, the music spills out onto the patio, and the shop hosts DJ sets and listening events all the time.
That’s why we love De La Playa here at Dry County. It’s a place made for good times and no alcohol. It’s not a place that just made one tiny option just to accommodate us. It’s not a boring record shop. It’s not a bar where you’re not really welcome. It’s a home to get your groove on and sip along with everyone else, no alcohol ever.
It’s at 110 S Ave 56 in Highland Park. If you need an idea for a first date, a low-key night with friends or a solo evening out just to meet new people, this is a must try.