Looking for a Halloween hangout with a little more history than your typical haunted bar? Hollywood Distillery lets you sip locally made spirits inside a former mortuary, right across the street from the famous Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Located on Santa Monica Boulevard, the distillery occupies a building that dates back to the 1920s and once operated as a Pierce Brothers Mortuary. Today, instead of preparing the departed for their final journey, the historic space produces small-batch spirits in one of Hollywood’s most unexpected transformations.
And with Hollywood Forever Cemetery just across the street, it’s hard to imagine a more fitting setting for a Halloween drink.
From funeral home to spirits hotspot
Hollywood Distillery opened its doors in 2025, becoming the first working distillery in Hollywood in nearly a century. The project began in 2016, when founders Larry Neuberg, Jeff Zarrinnam, and Ferris Wehbe set out to bring locally crafted spirits back to the neighborhood.
The building’s unusual past is part of its appeal. After serving as a mortuary, the property was used for film prop storage and other purposes before being transformed into a working distillery.
Today, its industrial-style interior houses a massive copper still, bourbon barrels, and a tasting room where visitors can explore the art of distilling. It’s a far cry from the building’s original purpose, but its history gives the space a distinctive atmosphere.
What can you drink at Hollywood Distillery?
The distillery makes its spirits using California-sourced ingredients, with a lineup that includes vodka, gin, bourbon, and rye whiskey.
Visitors can sample the spirits in the tasting room or book a guided tour and tasting to learn more about how they’re produced.
If you’re looking for a Halloween outing with a little old-Hollywood history and a suitably spooky backstory, this former mortuary is worth adding to your list. Just remember to make your visit about the spirits in your glass, rather than the ones across the street.
📍Where: 5975 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90038
