The patio at David Chang’s epic “Majordomo”
Los Angeles is emerging as one of the world’s food capitals. Although the Michelin Guide doesn’t put it in the same category as New York, Paris, London or Tokyo, the melting pot that is Los Angeles, is turning out fabulous dining options at every price point.
We’ve compiled a list of our favorites and ones that we are excited to go to. The list is compiled from various publications, guides and word of mouth. Special shout out to food-blogger, @jessie_eats for her input and validation of the list.
The restaurants on this list will either be in the “Epic Meals” section (Fine Dining part of the list) or in the “Local Flavor” section of this site. For “Epic Meals” we provide two ratings on a 100 point scale: one just based on the overall food/experience and one that takes into account the price of the meal. For the “Local Flavor” section, we use a four star rating system and also provide two ratings: Overall (price not factored) and Four Star Life (price factored).
Below is a list by price category. For the full, sortable list, click here (link coming soon)for the download. We will make regular updates to this list as new restaurants come up and if there are closures.
Fine Dining ($500+ for dinner for 2 with wine/drink pairing)
- Dialogue (Santa Monica) [Tasting Menu]
- Hayato (Downtown/Chinatown) [Omakase Sushi]
- Mori Sushi (Santa Monica) [Omakase Sushi]
- N/Naka (Culver City) [Tasting Menu]
- Providence (Hollywood) [Tasting Menu]
- Somni (Beverly Hills) [Tasting Menu]
- Sushi Ginza Onodera (West Hollywood) [Omakase Sushi]
- Urasawa (Beverly Hills) [Omakase Sushi]
- Vespertine (Culver City) [Tasting Menu]
Special Occasion ($300 – $500 for dinner for 2 with drinks)
- Auburn (Hollywood) [Tasting Menu]
- CUT (Beverly Hills) [Steakhouse]
- Kali (Hollywood) [Tasting Menu]
- Kato (Santa Monica) [Tasting Menu]
- Le Comptoir (Koreatown) [Tasting Menu]
- Maude (Beverly Hills) [Tasting Menu]
- Nozawa Bar (Beverly Hills) [Omakase Sushi]
- Q Sushi (Downtown LA) [Omakase Sushi]
- Shunji (Santa Monica) [Omakase Sushi]
- Sushi Tsujita (Santa Monica) [Omakase Sushi]
Date Night ($200 – $300 for dinner for 2 with drinks)
- APL Steakhouse (Hollywood) [Steakhouse]
- Bavel (Downtown/Chinatown) [Middle Eastern]
- Bazaar by Jose Andres (Beverly Hills) [Spanish]
- Bestia (Downtown) [Italian]
- Capo (Santa Monica) [Italian]
- Employee’s Only (West Hollywood) [American]
- Kali (Hollywood) [Tasting Menu]
- Majordomo (Downtown/Chinatown) [Asian Fusion]
- Orsa & Winston (Downtown/Chinatown) [Tasting Menu]
- Osteria Mozza (Hollywood) [Italian]
- Otium (Downtown/Chinatown) [American]
- Republique (Midtown) [American]
- Rossoblu (Downtown/Chinatown) [Italian]
- Rustic Canyon (Santa Monica) [American]
- Shibumi (Downtown/Chinatown) [Omakase Sushi]
- Spago (Beverly Hills) [Fusion]
- Sushi Tsujita [Omakase Sushi]
- Trois Mec (Hollywood) [French]
Dinner with Friends ($100 – $200 for dinner for 2 with drinks)
- Aburiya Raku (West Hollywood) [Japanese]
- Asanebo Sushi (Studio City) [Sushi]
- Atrium (Thai Town/Los Feliz) [Asian]
- Birdie G’s (Santa Monica) [American]
- Broken Spanish (Downtown/Chinatown) [Mexican]
- Cassia (Santa Monica) [Vietnamese] (Review)
- Cecconi’s (West Hollywood) [Italian]
- Eataly (Century City) [Italian] (Review)
- Felix (Venice) [Italian]
- Gracias Madre (Beverly Hills) [Mexican]
- Guerilla Tacos (Downtown/Chinatown) [Mexican]
- Here’s Looking at You (Koreatown) [Brunch]
- Hippo (Highland Park) [Mediterranean]
- Kismet (Thai Town/Los Feliz) [Turkish]
- Kobawoo (Koreatown) [Korean]
- Little Sister (Downtown/Chinatown) [Thai]
- Lukshon (Culver City) [Asian]
- Ma’am Sir (Thai Town/Los Feliz) [Filipino]
- Nightshade (Downtown/Chinatown) [Asian]
- Otono (Highland Park) [Spanish]
- Park’s BBQ (Koreatown) [Korean]
- Pasjoli (Santa Monica) [French]
- Pizzeria Mozza (Hollywood) [Italian]
- Scopa (Venice) [Italian]
- Shin Sushi (Studio City) [Sushi]
- Terroni (West Hollywood) [Italian]
- The Exchange (Downtown/Chinatown) [Israeli]
- The Rose (Venice) [Italian]
Casual Dining ($50 – $100 for dinner/lunch for 2 with drinks)
- Alta Adams (Culver City) [American]
- Badmaash Fairfax (West Hollywood) [Indian]
- Chengdu Taste (East LA) [Chinese]
- Chichen Itza Restaurant (Downtown/Chinatown) [Mexican]
- Coni’Seafood (Ingelwood) [Mexican]
- Destroyer (Culver City) [Vegetarian]
- El Cholo (Koreatown) [Mexican]
- Genwas Korean BBQ (Hollywood) [Korean]
- Gjelina (Venice) [Italian]
- Guelaguetza (Koreatown) [Mexican]
- Jitlada (Thaitown/Los Feliz) [Thai]
- Jon & Vinny’s (West Hollywood) [Italian]
- Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong (Koreatown) [Korean]
- Lasa (Downtown/Chinatown) [Filipino]
- Loterian Grill (West Hollywood) [Mexican]
- Luv2Eat Thai Bistro (Hollywood) [Thai]
- Newport Seafood Restaurant (Pasadena) [Seafood]
- Night + Market (West Hollywood) [Thai]
- Nong La Cafe (Hollywood) [Vietnamese]
- Petty Cash (West Hollywood) [Vegetarian]
- Pizzana (Brentwood) [Italian]
- Salazar (Silver Lake/Echo Park) [Mexican]
- Seongbukdong (Koreatown) [Korean]
- Sqirl (Silver Lake/Echo Park) [Brunch]
- Stella Barra (Santa Monica) [Italian]
- Tartine Bianco (Downtown/Chinatown) [American]
Fast Casual (less than $50 for two people)
- APL BBQ (Hollywood) [Barbeque]
- Baroo (Santa Monica) [Asian]
- Bludso’s Bar & Que (Hollywood) [Barbeque]
- Cacao Mexicatessan (Glendale) [Mexican]
- Din Tai Fung (Century City) [Chinese]
- Gish Bac (Midtown) [Mexican]
- Gjusta (Venice) [American]
- Guisados (Downtown/Chinatown) [Mexican]
- Highly Likely (Culver City) [Brunch]
- HomeState (Thai Town/Los Feliz) [Mexican]
- Howlin’ Rays (Downtown/Chinatown) [Southern]
- Huckleberry’s (Santa Monica) [Brunch] (Review)
- Joy (Highland Park) [Chinese]
- Killer Noodle (Santa Monica) [Japanese]
- Kogi BBQ (Culver City) [Korean]
- Konbi (Silver Lake/Echo Park) [Japanese]
- Los Orginales Tacos Arabes (East LA) [Mexican]
- Mariscos Jalisco (East LA) [Mexican]
- OB Bear (Koreatown) [Korean]
- Pikunico (Downtown/Chinatown)
- Porridge & Puffs (Koreatown) [Brunch]
- Sapp Coffee Shop (Thai Town/Los Feliz) [Thai]
- Sonoratown (Downtown/Chinatown) [Mexican]
- Superfine (Downtown/Chinatown) [Italian]
- Tacos 1986 (Downtown/Chinatown) [Mexican]
- Tito’s Tacos (Culver City) [Mexican]
- Tsujita Annex (Santa Monica) [Japanese]
- Tsujita Noodle (Santa Monica) [Japanese]
- Yarrow (Midtown) [Brunch]