The rooftop at 6500 Selma Avenue closed on February 2, 2025. For nearly a decade Mama Shelter ran a cheerfully chaotic operation on its top floor—foosball tables under string lights, patterned daybeds with tropical umbrellas, a pool table wedged between the bar and the view. The whole property shut simultaneously: hotel, restaurant, rooftop. The brand has announced plans for a Downtown LA location, but the Hollywood address no longer operates.
Karpo tracks which Hollywood rooftop bars are actually open right now, with live routes and current wait estimates so you don't waste an evening on a closed venue.
This article documents what the space was like during its final years, because dozens of outdated listicles still send people to Selma Avenue expecting a bar that no longer exists. If you're searching for a rooftop near you in Hollywood tonight, you'll need one of the alternatives that opened more recently.
Finding the entrance on Selma
Mama Shelter occupied a low-rise building one block south of Hollywood Boulevard, tucked between the Pantages Theatre district and the 101 freeway. The entrance sat mid-block on Selma Avenue, marked by quirky statement lighting and a screenplay-themed elevator that regulars used as a photo backdrop before heading up. You walked through a ground-floor restaurant with gumball machines and decorative ceiling art, then rode the elevator to the rooftop.
The building itself was never hard to spot—Parisian design cues and bright signage made it visible from the street—but first-timers often circled the block looking for parking. Weekday evenings offered the same views at half the weekend volume, which meant finding a spot on surrounding streets was considerably easier Monday through Thursday.
What the rooftop looked like
The rooftop spread across two zones: a dining area with table service and a lounge section where you had to order at the bar. Colorful patterned daybeds lined the perimeter under bright tropical umbrellas. Low theatrical lighting kept the space dim enough for date nights but bright enough to navigate the foosball tables without tripping. A projector played old movies on one wall. The pool table claimed prime real estate near the railing.
Sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills and the LA skyline stretched east and north, though a building next door blocked direct sunset views. The best light for photos came ninety minutes before sunset, when the hills turned golden and the sky hadn't yet gone dark. Instagram-worthy was the phrase most reviews used, and the daybeds delivered on that promise—tropical patterns, city backdrop, string lights overhead.
What people ordered
Cocktails like the Junglebird and Mama Got Fired were popular choices, sitting at the higher end of LA pricing. The rooftop ran a happy hour from 4pm to 6pm daily with discounted drinks and food, plus three-dollar oysters on Wednesdays. Bottomless mimosas cost thirty-five dollars per person during weekend brunch, which pulled a younger crowd.
Le Royale Burger—available with beef or Impossible meat—was the kitchen's anchor dish, often upgraded with truffle fries. The kitchen closed at 10:30pm while the bar stayed open until 2am, which meant late arrivals were limited to drinks and whatever bar snacks remained. Auto-gratuity appeared on every check along with a California health insurance charge, so regulars learned to ask for an itemized receipt to avoid over-tipping.
When to arrive and when to leave
Weekends required strategy. Arriving before 3pm secured rooftop seating without a wait; arriving after 9pm meant standing near the bar or circling for a vacated daybed. The lounge area had no table service, so every drink required a trip to the bar, which stacked up waits during peak hours Friday and Saturday.
Weekday evenings were the insider move—same views, same drinks, half the crowd. Happy hour from 4pm to 6pm was the sweet spot for value, though the space didn't fully come alive until after 8pm when the lighting shifted and the DJ booth started. Most people stayed two to three hours, long enough for a round of foosball and a few cocktails, then moved on to late-night spots along Hollywood Boulevard.
What it cost and how to book
Mama Shelter generally accepted walk-ins, though reservations were recommended for weekend groups. The rooftop operated from noon to midnight Sunday through Thursday and noon to 2am Friday and Saturday when it was open; the restaurant ran from 7am to midnight weekdays and 8am to midnight weekends. Cocktails cost what you'd expect at a mid-tier Hollywood rooftop—nothing cheap, nothing outrageous. The three-dollar oyster happy hour on Wednesdays was the best-value play, and the bottomless brunch at thirty-five dollars per person attracted the weekend crowd.
The entire property—hotel, restaurant, rooftop—closed permanently on February 2, 2025. Any guide listing Mama Shelter as open is outdated. The Hollywood location at 6500 Selma Avenue no longer operates under the Mama Shelter brand, and there's no timeline for the announced Downtown LA project.
Other Hollywood rooftops that are open
Bar Lis, Desert 5 Spot and Mother Tongue have all opened in Hollywood in recent years, part of the neighbourhood's expanded rooftop scene. They're newer, still operating, and offer similar skyline views without the trek to a shuttered address. Each has a different angle—Bar Lis skews sleeker, Desert 5 Spot pulls a younger crowd—but all three function as direct alternatives to what Mama Shelter used to offer.
Hollywood's rooftop bar landscape has changed considerably since Mama Shelter opened a decade ago. The neighbourhood now has enough options that losing one venue doesn't leave a gap. Check which ones are open tonight before you head out, because the Hollywood rooftop scene turns over faster than the listicles can keep up.
Please drink responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age.
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Ask Karpo first
Ask Karpo which Hollywood rooftop bars are actually open tonight, since outdated guides still list Mama Shelter months after it closed. Karpo will also show you live routes from wherever you are now and let you know if there's a wait at Bar Lis, Desert 5 Spot or Mother Tongue before you commit to the trip.
