Where to eat

One of LA's most celebrated Italian restaurants in the Arts District, turning out bold house-made pastas, charcuterie, and wood-fired pizzas in a lively industrial-chic space. Helmed by chef Ori Menashe, getting a table has been genuinely difficult since opening in 2012.

Authentic Thai restaurant in Santa Monica with a focused menu of curries, stir-fries, and traditional dishes. Located on Santa Monica Boulevard near the beach area, offering both lunch and dinner service.

Multi-faceted restaurant and bakery built in a 1928 Charlie Chaplin office space, featuring towering ceilings and mission-like archways. Chef-owned by Walter and Margarita Manzke, serving European heritage dishes with Californian ingredients and an all-day café.

Authentic Korean cuisine in Koreatown featuring raw crab marinated in Soban's own mild homemade soy sauce. Recognized as the best Korean restaurant in LA by Timeout, delivering traditional flavors in a focused dining experience.

Soban delivers unforgettable Korean dining with an exceptional banchan spread and phenomenal braised dishes. Every meal arrives with generous sides; braised short ribs and kimchi jjigae define the neighborhood's best Korean food.

A 12-seat counter Korean restaurant in the Arts District with only one seating per evening at 6:30pm, founded by Kwang Uh and his wife Mina Park. Named Los Angeles Times Restaurant of the Year in 2024.

Upscale Korean BBQ with granite tabletops, koi ponds, and expansive outdoor patio that evokes a rainforest setting. One of Koreatown's most sophisticated grilling experiences featuring premium cuts and traditional preparations.

A Venice institution on Abbot Kinney Boulevard serving locally-sourced, produce-forward cuisine. The roasted chicken and seasonal vegetable dishes anchor a menu that defined LA's pizza-pasta-vegetable restaurant scene.

Tasting menu restaurant by chef Ki Kim in Koreatown offering fine dining with Korean flavors and ingredients, rivaling upscale French and Scandinavian Michelin-starred restaurants with its culinary sophistication.

From Dave Chang and Momofuku, this restaurant showcases California's bounty through knockout large-format dishes like whole plate short rib and smoked bossäm. A sleek, industrial setting with a sun-soaked patio serves groups of all sizes.

Two Michelin-starred restaurants under one Santa Monica roof: Mélisse at two stars for the full French tasting menu, and Citrin at one star for something looser. Run by chef Josiah Citrin.

Family-friendly Italian restaurant in Larchmont Village with seasonal, local ingredients and classic dishes including pizza, pasta, and dry-aged rib eye. Chef Cameron Slaugh leads the kitchen; weekend brunch and Bloody Mary cocktails are standouts.

The standard-setter for Korean BBQ in LA, Park's sources beef like a steakhouse and grills it tableside with meticulous attention to doneness. When Korean chefs visit LA, this is where they get taken.

Located in an Arts District warehouse, Damian elevates Mexican cuisine with fine dining presentation and an industrial-chic aesthetic. The contemporary menu pays homage to Mexico City roots, making dinner here feel like a complete experience.

A warehouse-set Mexican fine dining restaurant in the Arts District with an industrial-chic aesthetic and contemporary menu rooted in Mexico City culinary traditions.

James Beard Award-winning Oaxacan restaurant featuring mole flights and live music nights. One of the most significant restaurants in Los Angeles with small plates, regional specialties, and a lively atmosphere.

The first market stand in Los Angeles to earn a Michelin star, located inside Mercado La Paloma in Boyle Heights. Specializes in fresh ceviche and seafood prepared with contemporary technique.

Chef Niki Nakayama's one-Michelin-star, multi-course tasting in an unmarked house with a zen garden. A destination meal, and one of the hardest, most rewarding reservations in LA — book far ahead.

Premier Korean BBQ restaurant specializing in high-quality meat cuts and extensive traditional side dishes. A Koreatown destination for those seeking premium grilled meats in an authentic setting.

A Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in Little Tokyo featuring a 12-seat counter with only one seating per evening beginning at 6:30pm. Intimate dining focused on precision and quality.

Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant earns two Michelin stars for dishes like crispy-scaled black bass with lobster and sauce américaine. The epitome of celebrity-fueled glamour and sophisticated French cuisine.

An upscale Middle Eastern restaurant in the Arts District designed for communal eating. Serves wonderfully flavorful mezze and large-format entrees, with za'atar lamb and wood-fired bread as standouts.

Mediterranean restaurant from the same restaurateurs as Bestia, featuring hummus and baba ghanoush spreads, flatbreads, and a lamb-neck shawarma that has become one of the city's signature dishes.

A flower-filled pink restaurant on Santa Monica's Main Street serving refined South Asian dishes. Expect lines even with reservations, but the food justifies the wait.

Contemporary Mexican fine dining in a warehouse setting in the Arts District, featuring creative interpretations of traditional Mexican cuisine with an industrial-chic atmosphere and Mexico City-inspired menu.

West Hollywood institution since 1970s with red booths, checkered tablecloths, and a bustling bar serving East Coast-style Italian fare. A time capsule of old Hollywood where serious drinkers and romance still happen.

Located in elegant Brentwood as part of the Brentwood Country Mart, Farmshop is a top brunch destination in Los Angeles with a focus on seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients.

One of LA's best Iranian restaurants specializing in succulent charbroiled meats and hearty stews, with standout beef koobideh. Generous portions and lively neighborhood energy make it a true West LA institution.

Chef Jon Yao's two-Michelin-starred restaurant executing Asian-inflected cooking in a polished Downtown dining room. A standout destination for contemporary Asian cuisine with refined technique and sophisticated presentation.

A contemporary bistro from chef Nyesha Arrington featuring classic French technique infused with cross-cultural accents from her own family heritage. Signature dishes include wagyu beef tartare inspired by her Korean grandmother and lamb meatballs with plantain chips and piri piri.

Chef Kris Yenbamroong's loud, fun, party-plastic-tablecloth room built around fiery northern Thai dishes and a serious natural-wine list. The opposite of takeout pad thai.

A tiny taqueria doing San Luis Río Colorado-style tacos and burritos with flour tortillas made from Sonoran flour and mesquite-grilled carne asada. Cheap, specific, and beloved — order the Burrito 2.0.

Tiny 800-square-foot East Hollywood institution since 2011, famous for buckwheat pancakes made with cactus flour, cocoa nibs, and toasted coconut. Airy outdoor patio draws hip crowds for vegan, vegetarian, and carnivore-friendly breakfast and lunch.

Chef Vittorio Lucariello's Southern Italian restaurant featuring handmade pastas and fire-grilled seafood with uninterrupted ocean views. A beachfront destination rooted in Cucina Napoletana tradition overlooking the Pacific.

Chef Adam Perry Lang draws inspiration from nostalgic chophouses with sophisticated renditions of old-school staples. Begin with an iceberg wedge or shrimp cocktail before moving to Lang's signature short rib and prime steaks.

A legendary deli on Lincoln Boulevard in Santa Monica famous for its exceptional Italian sandwich. Expect a line and grab a number at the counter, but the wait is worth it.

Modern Mexican restaurant in Santa Monica with an extensive mezcal and tequila bar, hearty vegan options, and tasty margaritas. One of the best Mexican spots in all of LA.

Three decades on Channel Road in Santa Monica, this small, loud, family-run Italian restaurant is where the industry eats when it does not want to look like it is trying. Intimate and consistently excellent.

A casual Boyle Heights taqueria making handmade tortillas with braised meats in the style of home cooking. From humble beginnings, it has expanded to multiple LA neighborhoods while maintaining authentic simplicity.

LA's first market stand to earn a Michelin star, Holbox sits inside Mercato La Paloma. Serves ceviche and ceviches in an unpretentious market setting, proving excellence doesn't require formality.

Nancy Silverton's flagship, anchored by a mozzarella bar that draws nightly crowds. A restaurant that helped define modern LA Italian cooking.

Old-school Italian restaurant on Washington Boulevard in Venice built on neighborhood patronage and authentic Italian tradition. A Venice institution known for professionally executed Italian-American classics.

Premium Korean BBQ institution operating since 1986, beloved by locals and critics for marinated short ribs (galbi). Koreatown staple offering traditional Korean barbecue in a casual setting.

Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant defining California fine dining with signature smoked salmon pizza and tasting menu classics. An essential LA culinary institution featuring innovative contemporary cuisine.

Polished Japanese-influenced bistro in the Arts District by hospitality veterans Charles Namba and Courtney Kaplan. Contemporary approach to Japanese flavors in an upscale, thoughtfully designed setting.

Chef Joshua Whigham's handsome neighborhood Spanish bistro features a runaway hit coca—an Iberian flatbread with blistered, crisp edges topped with oyster mushrooms, caramelized onions, and salsa verde.

A tiny blue shack on PCH that looks abandoned but serves the best Thai food on the beach. Casual, authentic, and unforgettable in its setting and flavor.

Popular Venice spot on Abbot Kinney Boulevard serving pizza and seasonal salads with a quaint patio atmosphere. An ideal lunch or dinner destination in bohemian Venice Beach.

Sister restaurant to Gjelina offering farm-to-table execution ideal for lunch or takeaway. They smoke their own fish—cured and smoked mackerel, salmon, and trout served open-face on fresh-baked bread—alongside light, cheesy, addictive chicken parm.

A hole-in-the-wall fast-casual eatery tucked in Chinatown's Far East Plaza serving LA's hottest Nashville chicken sandwiches. Spicy, crispy, and worth the wait despite the line. Cash recommended.

One of Hollywood's most iconic restaurants since 1919, Musso & Frank offers legendary martinis and steaks in a time capsule setting. Booth seats where literary figures once drank; classic dishes like turkey à la king and Welsh rarebit remain exceptional.

Iconic Hollywood restaurant operating since 1919, offering legendary martinis and steaks alongside old-fashioned dishes like turkey à la king and Welsh rarebit. Waiters have legendary tenure and professionalism.

Historic seafood restaurant opened in 1923 positioned at the Santa Monica Pier junction, delivering 180-degree Pacific Ocean views. An iconic LA dining experience combining historic charm with oceanfront location and fresh seafood preparations.

An intimate Hermosa Beach wine bistro with an innovative, globally-influenced menu and reasonably-priced wine list that has quickly become a local favorite.

The rooftop cocktail bar and pool deck atop the Freehand hotel in the historic 1924 Commercial Exchange building. A James Beard Award finalist and a destination in its own right.

Intimate French bistro on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake serving classic French cuisine in a cozy, atmospheric setting. Known for escargot and French wine by the glass.

A tiny blue shack that looks like a bait shop on PCH, Cholada serves the best Thai food on the beach. Solid pad se ew and authentic preparations stand out in an area dominated by overpriced chains.

A tiny blue shack on PCH in Malibu that looks abandoned but serves the best Thai food on the beach. Unassuming exterior belies exceptional cuisine.

Arts District restaurant accepting reservations and walk-ins for dinner service Monday through Sunday, plus Sunday brunch. Features a selection of wines from around the world with focus on small producers, rotating craft beers, and innovative cocktails paired with elevated American cuisine.

A Thai Town institution boasting some of the most scrumptious Thai food in LA. The lunch specials are solid, but the desserts are exceptional—try the fried banana with coconut ice cream or mango sticky rice.