Silver Lake sits in east central Los Angeles between the Hollywood Freeway and the Glendale Freeway, with the Silver Lake and Ivanhoe reservoirs at its center and steep hills crossed by public stairways. It is known for its modern houses by Richard Neutra, Rudolph Schindler, John Lautner and Gregory Ain, along with Spanish Colonial Revival bungalow courts from the 1920s and apartment buildings along its main streets. Sunset Boulevard carries most of the shops, cafes and restaurants, with a second cluster along Silver Lake Boulevard.
Getting around
Metro Line 2 runs along Sunset Boulevard and connects to the B Line at Vermont/Sunset Station, and Metro Line 92 runs along Glendale Boulevard toward Downtown Los Angeles. The Hollywood Freeway (101) forms the southern edge of the neighborhood, the Glendale Freeway (2) forms the eastern edge, and Interstate 5 runs near the northeastern side. Hollywood Burbank Airport is the closest commercial airport.
Neighborhoods to know
Sunset Junction. The commercial stretch of Sunset Boulevard near Griffith Park Boulevard, with restaurants, coffee shops and the Tuesday farmers market close by, and Sunset Triangle Plaza a short way east.
Moreno Highlands. The hillside blocks around the reservoir, developed in the 1920s and 1930s. Much of the Silver Lake Residential Historic District is tied to this area, which holds houses from those decades on the slopes above the water.
Ivanhoe. The area north of the reservoir, first laid out in 1887. It is one of the older parts of the neighborhood, and the Ivanhoe basin shares its name.
Neutra Colony. A group of houses by Richard Neutra around Neutra Place and Silver Lake Boulevard built mostly between 1948 and 1962. These are homes, so this is a walk to enjoy from the sidewalk.
Micheltorena hills. Micheltorena Street holds works by Schindler, Lautner, Ain and Harwell Harris, including the Lautner house called Silvertop. Bungalow courts, mostly Spanish Colonial Revival and built from 1923 to 1927, are found across the neighborhood.
Things to do in Silver Lake
Silver Lake Reservoir Complex, Silver Lake Boulevard and Silver Lake Drive. Walking paths follow the perimeter of the two basins. A city master plan proposes reworking the complex as a public park over time.
Silver Lake Recreation Center, 1850 W. Silver Lake Dr. An indoor gym, outdoor basketball court, sports field and picnic tables. Open weekdays from 9 AM to 9 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM, closed Sunday.
Neutra VDL Studio and Residences, 2300 Silver Lake Blvd. Richard Neutra's own home and studio from 1933, largely rebuilt in 1963 after a fire. It opens to visitors for Saturday tours, listed under events below.
Neutra Colony and the modernist walk, Neutra Place and Silver Lake Boulevard. The local history post lists addresses for houses across the neighborhood, so you can plan a route from the reservoir up to Micheltorena Street. Please stay on the sidewalk.
Music Box Steps, between Vendome Street and Descanso Drive. This 133 step public stairway appeared in the 1932 Laurel and Hardy short The Music Box, and a plaque marks the site. The city named the intersection of Vendome and Del Monte Drive for the film in 2024.
Sunset Triangle Plaza, 3700 Sunset Blvd. A public plaza on Sunset that has hosted outdoor events, including free summer movie nights in past seasons.
Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd. A short drive west of the neighborhood, this hilltop city park holds Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, the Municipal Art Gallery and art classes. Green spaces are open daily from 6 AM to 10 PM.
Events and markets
Silver Lake Farmers Market. When: Tuesdays, 1:30 PM to 7 PM, year round. Where: 1500 Griffith Park Blvd., near Sunset Boulevard. A year round market just off Sunset, listed by LA County.
Off Sunset Festival. When: Sunday, May 2, 2027, noon to 7 PM. Where: Silver Lake; check the organizer's site for the street layout. A nonprofit street festival with live music, art and food.
Neutra VDL Saturday tours. When: Saturdays, 11 AM to 3 PM. Where: 2300 Silver Lake Blvd. Book through the organizer's calendar, which lists current ticket prices.
Music Box Steps Day. When: Each October, held since 1995. Where: Laurel and Hardy Park, the former Del Monte Triangle. A film history gathering run by the Silver Lake Improvement Association; check for the current date before you go.
Coffee in Silver Lake
LAMILL Coffee, 1636 Silver Lake Blvd. A coffee bar and kitchen run by a Los Angeles roaster, open daily from 7 AM to 3 PM.
Yala Coffee, 3814 Sunset Blvd. A specialty shop built around Middle Eastern flavors, known for coffee brewed over hot sand and a fig matcha latte. Open daily from 8 AM to 4 PM.
Picnic Coffee, 3116 Sunset Blvd. Espresso and lattes for here or to go, with online ordering for pickup. A flavored matcha is a regular on the menu.
Botanica Market, 1620 Silver Lake Blvd. The coffee counter at this market and restaurant runs Wednesday to Sunday from 9 AM to 4 PM, inside the market.
Places to eat
Pine and Crane, 1521 Griffith Park Blvd ($). A fast casual restaurant for Taiwanese cooking. Open from noon to 10 PM, closed Tuesday.
Silverlake Ramen, 2927 Sunset Blvd ($$). Bowls of traditional style ramen, plus vegan options, at the Sunset location.
Night + Market Song, 3322 Sunset Blvd ($$). Northern Thai street food. Dinner runs Thursday to Tuesday from 5 PM to 10 PM, with lunch Friday to Sunday.
Botanica, 1620 Silver Lake Blvd ($$). California cooking built around farmers market produce, with natural wine and cocktails. Brunch and dinner, Wednesday to Sunday.
Bacari Silverlake, 3626 Sunset Blvd ($$). Mediterranean influenced small plates, pizzas and cocktails, with weekend brunch and a weekday happy hour.
Cafe Stella, 3932 Sunset Blvd ($$$). A French bistro for steak frites, mussels and onion soup, with Bar Stella pouring cocktails and wine. Open nightly from 5:30 PM to 10:30 PM.
Hours, prices and event details checked November 2026.
Silver Lake questions
Where are the Music Box Steps?
They climb 133 steps from Vendome Street up to Descanso Drive in Silver Lake, and Laurel and Hardy Park is nearby. The stairs appear in the 1932 short The Music Box and carry a commemorative plaque.
When does the Silver Lake Farmers Market run?
LA County lists it on Tuesdays from 1:30 PM to 7 PM, year round, at 1500 Griffith Park Boulevard near Sunset. Check the market's own channels before a special trip, since hours can shift with the season.
Is there a city transfer tax in Silver Lake?
Yes. Silver Lake is inside the City of Los Angeles, so a sale owes the county tax, the city tax of 0.45%, and Measure ULA above the current threshold. Confirm a specific property on its tax bill or in ZIMAS.
Escrow notes for Silver Lake
Transfer tax. Silver Lake is a neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles, so a sale here owes the Los Angeles County tax of $1.10 per $1,000 of value and the city real property transfer tax of $2.25 per $500 of value (0.45%). Measure ULA is added for sales closing July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027: 4% of the full price above $5,400,000 and below $10,900,000, and 5.5% at $10,900,000 or more. The city adjusts those thresholds each year. A Los Angeles mailing address does not settle whether a property is inside the city; the property tax bill or the city's ZIMAS lookup does. Figures as of November 2026. Source: official page and the LA County Registrar-Recorder.
Our transfer tax calculator runs the county and city tax for any Los Angeles County price, and the free 2026-27 LA Transfer Tax and Measure ULA Cheat Sheet has every city rate on one page.
Buying or selling in Silver Lake? Send Iris the fully executed contract at iris@calwestescrow.com or call (323) 300-6122.
About this guide. Cal West Escrow wrote this guide to share general local information. No business paid to be included, and we do not accept free goods or services for mentions. A mention is not an endorsement, and hours, prices and events change, so check with each business before you go. Business names and trademarks belong to their owners. Transfer tax and other escrow notes are general information as of November 2026, not legal or tax advice. Cal West Escrow is committed to fair housing: this guide describes places, not people, and is not meant to suggest who should live anywhere.