Medically reviewed by Dr. Ariella Morrow, MD, Medical Director · Last reviewed October 27, 2026
The easiest way to find an AA meeting in LA is the official LA Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous meeting search at lacoaa.org, or the free Meeting Guide app from AA. Both are kept up to date by AA itself and let you search by neighborhood, day, time, language and meeting type, in person or online.
This guide is for anyone thinking about going to a meeting for the first time, coming back after a while away, or trying to help someone they love take that step. We will cover how to find a meeting, the different kinds of meetings, what to expect when you walk in, other support groups across the city, and how to tell when it’s time to add professional help.
How to find an AA meeting in Los Angeles
We don’t list meeting times here, and that’s deliberate. Meetings move, change formats and close, so any list copied onto a blog goes out of date quickly. These official resources are the most reliable places to look:
- LA Central Office of AA. The LA Central Office meeting search lists more than 3,000 meetings a week. You can filter by region, day, time of day, language, format, meeting type and accessibility, and choose in-person or virtual meetings. The office also runs a 24/7 help line at (323) 936-4343 if you’d rather talk to someone.
- Meeting Guide app. AA’s free Meeting Guide app for iOS and Android pulls listings from more than 500 AA service entities and refreshes them twice a day. It is handy when you are out and want a meeting nearby in the next hour.
- Spanish-speaking meetings. The LA Central Office points Spanish speakers to the Oficina Central Hispana de AA, and its own search includes a Spanish language filter.
Tip: if a listing looks wrong or a meeting isn’t happening, the Central Office asks people to let them know so the directory stays accurate.
Types of AA meetings
Not every meeting looks the same, and it’s normal to try a few before one feels right. The LA Central Office glossary of directory terms explains the labels you’ll see. Here are the most common:
| Meeting type | What it is | Good for |
| Open | Anyone interested in AA can attend, including people who don’t have a drinking problem, as long as they respect members’ anonymity. | Family members, friends, or anyone who wants to see what AA is like |
| Closed | Limited to people who have a desire to stop drinking. You can go to a closed meeting even if it’s your first one. | People who want a setting with only others in the same situation |
| Speaker | One or more members share their story of drinking and recovery. | First-timers who would rather listen |
| Big Book | The group reads and discusses AA’s basic text, the Big Book. | People who want to understand the program |
| Step study | The group focuses on one of the Twelve Steps, often using the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions book. | People working the steps |
| Discussion | Members share on a topic, often chosen by the chair. | People who want to talk and connect |
You can also filter for meetings that fit who you are. The LA Central Office search includes options such as LGBTQ, gay, lesbian, transgender, women, men, young people, newcomer, people of color, and atheist/agnostic meetings. Language options include Spanish, Armenian, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Tagalog and more.
AA meetings by area
LA is huge, and the best meeting is often the one you can actually get to. The LA Central Office search lets you filter by region, so you can stay close to home, work or a treatment program. A few starting points:
- Hollywood. Search the Hollywood, East Hollywood and West Hollywood regions. These central neighborhoods are easy to reach from much of the city.
- Mid-City and Koreatown. Look under Mid-City, Mid-Wilshire and Koreatown.
- West LA and Santa Monica. Regions include West LA, Santa Monica, Venice, Westwood and Brentwood.
- The Valley. Try Sherman Oaks, Studio City, North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Encino and Woodland Hills, among others.
- Downtown. Search Downtown LA, plus nearby Echo Park and Silverlake.
Traffic and parking are real factors here. If getting across town is a barrier, a virtual meeting or one within walking distance is a perfectly good choice. Building a sober routine also means finding things you enjoy doing; our guide to sober things to do in Los Angeles has ideas.
What to expect at your first meeting
Feeling nervous is completely normal. Here is what usually happens:
- You can just walk in. There is no sign-up, and you don’t need to tell anyone you’re coming. According to the LA Central Office, the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
- It’s free. There are no dues or fees. A basket may be passed for voluntary contributions, and you don’t have to put anything in.
- There’s a simple structure. Meetings often open with a reading, then move into a speaker, a reading from AA literature, or open sharing, and close at a set time.
- You don’t have to talk. You can say “I’ll just listen today” or simply pass. Some meetings ask newcomers to introduce themselves by first name only, but it’s always optional.
- What’s said there stays there. Anonymity is a core part of AA. People use first names and don’t share who they saw or what was said.
- People may offer phone numbers. Members often share numbers with newcomers. You can take them without committing to anything. Over time, many people ask someone to be their sponsor, a member with more time in recovery who helps them work the steps.
If the first meeting doesn’t click, try another. Different groups have very different feels.
Other support groups in LA
AA is one option among several. NIDA describes mutual help groups as peer-led groups that are free, not time-limited, and that many people find useful on their own or alongside professional care. Other groups that meet across LA include:
- Narcotics Anonymous (NA). A 12-step fellowship for people recovering from drug use. Use the NA meeting search.
- SMART Recovery. A science-based, non-12-step approach focused on self-management skills. Find in-person and online groups with the SMART Recovery meeting finder.
- Refuge Recovery. A mindfulness and meditation-based recovery community grounded in Buddhist principles. See Refuge Recovery.
- Al-Anon and Alateen for families. If someone you love drinks, Al-Anon Family Groups offers face-to-face, phone and online meetings for family members and friends.
For more on how peer support fits into recovery, read our post on community support in recovery.
When AA isn’t enough on its own
AA has helped many people, and research on mutual help groups, most of it on AA, shows they can support long-term recovery. But as NIDA points out, these groups are not led by healthcare professionals, so they are not the same as treatment. Some situations call for medical care first, with meetings alongside it:
- Withdrawal symptoms. If you drink heavily every day and get shaky, sweaty, anxious or sick when you cut back, stopping suddenly on your own may not be safe. Alcohol withdrawal can be serious, so talk to a doctor or a detox program before you quit.
- Past withdrawal complications. A history of seizures or severe withdrawal is a strong reason to get medical support.
- Co-occurring mental health conditions. Depression, anxiety, trauma and other conditions often need professional treatment alongside recovery support.
- Repeated attempts to stop. If you keep going back to drinking despite real effort, more structure may help.
Medically supervised alcohol detox in Los Angeles can help you get through withdrawal safely, and residential treatment gives you time to work on what’s underneath the drinking. Getting help at a Los Angeles rehab doesn’t replace meetings. Many people use both, and meetings are often a big part of life after treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be sober to go to AA?
No. The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking. You don’t need any amount of sober time to walk into a meeting. If you have been drinking heavily and feel unwell when you stop, please talk to a doctor too, because alcohol withdrawal can be serious.
Are there online AA meetings in LA?
Yes. The LA Central Office meeting search lets you choose virtual meetings, and some groups run hybrid meetings that you can join in person or online.
Is AA free?
Yes. There are no dues or fees for AA membership. Groups support themselves through voluntary contributions from members, and newcomers are never required to give.
Can I go to AA while in rehab?
Many people do. Mutual help groups often work well alongside professional treatment, and they can be a bridge to support after you leave. At Numa, support groups are part of the stabilization level of care. Your care team can walk you through how support groups fit into your treatment plan.
Get help at Numa Recovery Centers
If meetings alone haven’t been enough, or you’re worried about withdrawal, we can help. Numa is a private detox and residential rehab founded by people in recovery, with three LA locations: La Brea, 826 Mariposa and 832 Mariposa. We are accredited by The Joint Commission, licensed by the California Department of Health Care Services, and offer dual-diagnosis care, private and semi-private rooms, and chef-prepared meals.
Call to talk with our admissions team confidentially, or check your coverage online. We work with many PPO plans.
Call (888) 991-6862, verify your insurance online, or start the admissions process.
Sources
- Los Angeles Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous. Search for AA Meetings.
- Los Angeles Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous. Can’t Stop Drinking? / Newcomer FAQ.
- Los Angeles Central Office of Alcoholics Anonymous. Glossary of Directory Terms.
- Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. Meeting Guide app.
- SMART Recovery. Meeting finder.
- Al-Anon Family Groups. Find an Al-Anon or Alateen Meeting.
- Narcotics Anonymous World Services. Find NA.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Treatment.
