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Petit Grain Boulangerie Link Open for: Breakfast, Lunch Price range: $$ The most compelling new bakery to open in 2024 comes from baking instructor Clémence de Lutz and her partner and chef Tony Hernandez. Operating from a small 1,000-square-foot slot in Santa Monica, the talented duo behind Petit Grain produces some of the city’s finest viennoiserie, from pan au chocolat to classic croissants, using a blend of local flours and plenty of French butter. Petit Grain’s creations are wonderfully flaky and undergirded by a nutty complexity. Cut a croissant through the center to reveal a mesmerizing fractal spiral; peering at the kaleidoscopic interior long enough can induce a pleasant hypnosis. Fruit-topped Danishes and custardy quiches highlight the season’s ripest produce, whether strawberries, stone fruits, leafy chard, or leeks. Sourdough pan loaves are burnished with dark brown crusts, ready to slice at home for supremely good sandwiches. The formula isn’t that complicated — high-quality ingredients with sound technique — but those alone don’t always result in great baking. Petit Grain’s community-minded approach (they were very active in feeding displaced folks and first responders during the recent wildfires) and whimsical menu (there’s almost always something new to taste every morning) make this bakery worth visiting as often as possible. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Petit Grain does tend to sell out, especially of its more popular pastries, so arrive early if looking to guarantee the best selection.
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The Best Bakeries in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors Pasjoli Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Years out from opening in 2019 as a French fine dining restaurant, chef Dave Beran’s Pasjoli has settled into a new rhythm as a neighborhood bistro — and it may be the best iteration of the restaurant yet. Warm light from pendants overhead bounces off the brick walls, casting a soft glow onto diners below. A semi-open kitchen offers a glimpse of the chefs at work, plating crudo in a shallow puddle of olive oil and near-perfect circles of beef tartare. The upscale French roots are still there, in dishes like a rich French onion souplette that may be more cheese than soup, and delicate crepes caviar in beurre blanc. But Beran’s also brought a casual playfulness to the menu that makes Pasjoli feel more confidently itself than ever. Chicken cordon bleu is served as chicken wings, deboned and stuffed with cheese and ham, alongside a Buffalo beurre blanc dipping sauce. The PJ Burger, a favorite of Pasjoli’s former bar menu, now lives on full-time at the restaurant, topped with bone marrow aioli and a thick slice of white cheddar. Tableside pressed duck, carefully wheeled through the dining room, is still a show-stopper as the bird transforms into roasted duck breast and duck legs confit. Mains span bistro-style favorites, like steak frites in a peppery au poivre that doubles as a great french fry dip, and a masterful roast chicken with fatty olives and charred lemon to squeeze on top. For dessert, duck makes a surprise appearance in the form of duck-fat caramel on the PJ Sundae, dotted with nuts and draped over a yolk-heavy vanilla ice cream. To drink, dry a glass (or bottle) of wine off the well-curated menu, or ask for the cocktail card, which encourages guests to order a one-of-a-kind drink customized by the bartenders to their preferences. Pasjoli is what a Los Angeles bistro should be, with a warm, welcoming dining room where it’s easy to spend hours, and precise dishes that could rival any fine dining restaurant. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: French onion souplette, steak frites, roast chicken, and PJ Sundae
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The Best French Restaurants in Los Angeles Si! Mon Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Si! Mon swept into Venice’s beachside dining scene in late September 2023, bringing with it Panamanian flavors and dishes that span foodways from across Central America. Behind the menu is chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas, who grew up in Panama City and opened his seminal restaurant Fonda Lo Que Hay there. Now, in Los Angeles, Rojas has grappled with how to merge the flavors of his home city with the appetites of Angelenos. At every turn, he succeeds: The tightly composed menu zig-zags from buttery, briny starters like uni and littleneck clam shooters to razor-thin, achiote oil-splashed tuna carpaccio draped over a yuca tostada to double-fried green banana patacones served with a lip-puckering ajillo sauce. The pièce de résistance, however, is the gluten-free fried chicken drumsticks, which are lollipopped and dusted with a verdant seasoning salt comprised of pulverized roasted rice, shiitake mushrooms, and an intoxicating blend of alliums and herbs. (Diners also can’t go wrong with the crispy pork belly lettuce wraps served alongside coconut vinegar-spiked beans and the banana leaf-steamed kanpachi.) Planted in the former James Beach space, which has been done up with rich tropical colors and midcentury furniture, Si! Mon proves to be an unbeatable night out by the boardwalk. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager Must-try dishes: Fried chicken legs, little neck clam and uni shooter, Afro-Caribbean shrimp dumplings
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The Best Seafood Restaurants in Los Angeles Anajak Thai Cuisine Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Anajak Thai has been the object of tremendous media attention for good reason. Chef (and conceptual artist) Justin Pichetrungsi took over his father’s decades-old Sherman Oaks restaurant; kept its quirky, weathered interior adorned with artwork; and installed one of the best wine lists on the West Coast. The younger Pichetrunsgi adjusted the menu with top-quality seafood, such as hamachi, local farm-raised shrimp, and dry-aged fish fillets dressed with nam jim sauce and kept popular dishes like the pad kee mao, fried chicken, and Dungeness crab fried rice. The results are one of the most popular San Fernando Valley restaurants, especially on its Thai Taco Tuesdays when lines can extend to the dozens. — Matthew Kang, lead editor Know before you go: Every Tuesday is Thai Taco Tuesday; during winter, reservations are available, but during the summer months, as the weather warms up, be ready for a more free-for-all no-reservation situation.
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The Best Restaurants in the San Fernando Valley Toranj Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $$ The story of Toranj, one of Westwood’s most impressive Persian restaurants, starts at a sleepy Torrance strip mall at a place called Chicken Chick that opened in 2015. There, the Pirshirazi family served some of the South Bay’s best Persian cuisine with its rolled marinated “juicy” chicken that retains its flavor well after hitting the table. Unfortunately, Chicken Chick closed in September 2023 due to construction limbo with the landlord, leaving the Pirshirazis to focus on Toranj. The Westwood Village restaurant opened in 2019 serving Chicken Chick’s juicy chicken and a slew of other expertly grilled kebabs, like barramundi, beef koobideh, and filet mignon barg, with almost a half-dozen kinds of fluffy rice seasoned with barbarries (zereshk) and sour cherries (albaloo). The homey stews stick to the ribs like the tangy chicken fesenjoon or the hearty gormeh sabzi with veal, kidney beans, and herbs. To finish, relax into warm cups of black tea and dig into a plate of fragrant baklava. South Bay diners should be excited because Toranj is expanding to Manhattan Beach sometime in early 2025. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Southern California/Southwest Must-try dishes: Beef koobideh, chicken fesenjoon, gormeh sabzi
Toranj Mori Nozomi Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ At a time when it seems like Los Angeles’s sushi scene has reached a high-water mark, a plucky omakase counter from sushi chef Nozomi Mori has shaken things up in a big way. Though Mori doesn’t necessarily have decades of experience, she brings a fresh approach to an industry dominated by men, both here in the U.S. and in Japan. Adopting traditional Japanese tea ceremony techniques, Mori’s refined take on sushi comes with a high level of skill, both with rice seasoning and fish preparation, where she prefers seasonal highlights like hairy crab and bluefin tuna from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market. The experience of eating some of the best sushi in Los Angeles is amplified by Mori and her all-female team’s precision. Meals end with matcha tea and handmade wagashi, or colorful rice flour and red bean confections, providing the ideal finish to memorable omakase. The $250 price for dinner hasn’t changed since opening and remains a relative bargain compared to other top-tier sushi restaurants in Los Angeles, which can approach $400-plus. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Reservations release on Tock every Sunday at 10 a.m., so set a timer to secure a spot.
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The Best Splurge-Worthy Restaurants in Los Angeles Hakata Izakaya HERO Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ Across Los Angeles, there are quality izakayas, or Japanese drinking dens, with no-fuss cooking and varied menus meant to pair with sake, crisp beer, and shochu. Hakata Izakaya Hero, located along Westwood Boulevard in West Los Angeles, offers some of the best Japanese this side of the Pacific, featuring dumpling-stuffed grilled chicken wings, tonkotsu ramen, and chicken karaage. The tiny kitchen helmed by chef and owner Hiro Chiya churns out sizzling plates of sliced wagyu beef, whose mesmerizing aroma permeates the small, boisterous dining room and turns heads with its ASMR sounds. Larger parties can share the specialty intestines hot pot called motsu nabe, a trademark of quality izakayas but a rarity stateside. While ramen tends to be an afterthought at most izakayas, the versions here, based on thick, milky tonkotsu broth, accurately reflect the style from Hakata, located near the southeastern tip of Japan. With thin, chewy wheat noodles and a stellar broth, it’s one of the best bowls of ramen in town. Be sure to try at least a few of the daily specials, like seasonal sashimi, written on a single sheet of paper and posted on the front door. — Matthew Kang, regional lead, Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: The tiny dining room fills up quickly so reservations are recommended, though tables are easier to secure early on Sundays and Mondays. Just call the restaurant after 5 p.m. to book a table.
Matthew Kang Oy Bar Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ When Jeff Strauss opened Oy Bar in 2022, he took over the shuttered 50-year-old Oyster House and turned the longtime Studio City spot into what some consider a hip dive bar. But dive bars don’t have food or cocktails this inventive. But at Strauss’s nighttime spot (he also owns Highland Park’s popular sandwich spot Jeff’s Table), the room turns into a low-lit place where the rotating menu is not so much seasonal as suited to Strauss’s moods. He peruses farmers’ markets throughout the region and settles on dishes that answer the following questions: “What do I want to feed people right now?” “What do I want to eat myself?” “What do I want to celebrate?” Diners might find matzoh ball ramen or Oy Bar’s fish chowder, his version of bass en papillote includes Szechuan oil. The current menu has a crowd-pleasing steak frites with a shiro dashi (Japanese soup stock) pan sauce. The bar menu takes a similar experimental route with a Ford’s Gin and French vermouth concoction called the Freezer Martini. It’s as cold as it is refreshing. They’re slowly reopening the patio and calling it the “Vey,” as in “Oy Vey,” which translates to “dismay or grief” in Yiddish, to handle the seating overflow — Oy Bar is walk-ins only. The spot is better described as a Valley bar bistro that’s anything but dismal. Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: When you’re in the mood for dive bar vibes, but actually want good food.
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The Best Restaurants in the San Fernando Valley Vin Folk Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ In one of the least likely destinations for a new fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles, Vin Folk comes to a charming corner in Hermosa Beach just steps from the ocean, where chefs Kevin De Los Santos and Katya Shastova have garnered accolades for their modern bistro menu informed by Los Angeles’s diverse cuisines. A striking mussels tart builds the escabeche-cooked shellfish into a swan-like crust of puff pastry filled with shallot-leek cream, a nod to the chefs’ background at Somni. Headcheese toast makes for an elegant school lunch-style starter while a chopped Nicoise come dressed in a black bean dressing. Filipino and Russian flourishes appear in preparations like a spicy hrenovina, a tomato sauce from Siberia, wrapped with tatsoi (a leafy green similar to bokchoy) and topped tender beef tongue slices. The cooking is precise and delightful, bucking the trend of strict French interpretations and instead leaning on locally caught fish, seasonal produce, and an irreverent use of the global pantry. Most remarkably, De Los Santos and Shastova, along with partner and wine pro Christina Montoya, have created a more egalitarian approach to service, with each back-of-house cook switching into front-of-house positions to understand as many aspects of the restaurant’s culture as possible. Add them all into a fish bowl-like space, gleaming against the setting California sun, and an eager South Bay crowd hungry for something a bit fancier, and there’s a clear winner in Vin Folk. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that it’s already earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand (something of a misplacement as the restaurant can easily run $100-150 per person for dinner), and positive reviews from Time Out LA and the Los Angeles Times. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Reservations, typically not necessary in the South Bay, are highly recommended, as the dining room and patio are very small. They can be made on Resy.
Matthew Kang Pann’s Restaurant Link Open for: Breakfast, Lunch Price range: $ Just 15 minutes from LAX stands one of the most beautiful restaurant buildings in Los Angeles, an ode to glorious midcentury Googie style and the home of Pann’s diner. Designed by Helen Liu Fong, who also put together Johnie’s and Norm’s, two other classic Googie diners in Los Angeles, Pann’s serves very solid breakfasts and lunch to a boisterous cross-section of Angelenos. Opened in 1958 by George and Rena Panagopoulos, the high-ceiling space has been a set for numerous television and movie scenes. In the mornings, the chicken-fried steak will grace most of the linoleum tabletops and, by lunchtime, patty melts, Cobb salads, and fried chicken plates rule. There’s no better way to cap off a visit to Los Angeles or feel right back at home again after flying into town than by stopping at Pann’s in Inglewood. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: A nostalgic diner breakfast, with plenty of pancakes, bacon, and eggs.
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20 Classic Los Angeles Restaurants Every Angeleno Must Try Crossroads Los Angeles Link Open for: Lunch, Brunch, Dinner Price range: $$$ It’s no small feat to have a restaurant last for 11 years in Los Angeles, let alone one that serves a vegan menu in a formal room with white tablecloths. Crossroads Kitchen isn’t the type of restaurant that yells “vegan” from the top of its lungs. It’s the type of restaurant that encourages regulars and the vegan-curious to experience chef and owner Tal Ronnen’s quietly excellent vegan food while receiving some of the best service in town. It’s not uncommon to catch a glimpse of an A-list celebrity taking a bite of Impossible meat cigars wrapped in phyllo dough with a spicy almond milk yogurt. A startlingly hearty French onion soup sans beef broth, Neapolitan-style pizzas, and the spicy rigatoni pasta comprise some of the menu’s greatest hits. If a casual lunch or brunch is in order, Crossroads has that too, with fried chicken and waffles and a Benedict that showcases a runny tomato-based “egg” yolk. Whatever the meal, Crossroads embodies an unfussy elegance. The kind that might have diners wearing their date-night best to sit at the bar or casual jeans to feast on Ronnen’s seven-course winter dinner. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: Dining with a mix of vegans and non-vegans who are all looking in search of an impressive meal, and aren’t too price sensitive. Book a table: OpenTable
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Where to Eat Gluten-Free in Los Angeles Carlitos Gardel Argentine Steakhouse Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ A portal into the classy, romantic restaurant era of the 1990s, this Argentine steakhouse along Melrose Avenue has served old-school hospitality, well-grilled beef, and excellent wine since opening 28 years ago. Founded by the Bozoghlian family and now operated by two of matriarch Azniv’s sons — Max with front-of-house and Gerard in the kitchen — Carlitos Gardel has finally graduated to icon status. Start with plump shrimp over red chimichurri, followed by gently blackened sweetbreads and empanadas. The main event, a parade of carefully chosen wood-fired steaks, pairs well with creamed corn or sauteed mushrooms. Azniv was famous for her desserts, and Gerard worked in recent years to perfect the layered postre Gardel, a Genoise cake with dulce de leche and meringue. Why do so many Angelenos sleep on this restaurant when it rightfully deserves a place next to Musso & Frank, Dan Tana’s, and Tower Bar? Some questions cannot be easily answered, but just know that a night at Carlitos Gardel will be one easily enjoyed and remembered. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: A romantic night over steak and red wine.
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The Best LA Restaurants That Are Open on Monday Nights Two Hommés Link Open for: Dinner, Sunday Brunch Price range: $$$ Before sitting at Inglewood’s Two Hommés, take a moment to enjoy the neighborhood. The area surrounding Centinela and North La Brea Avenue brims with compelling restaurants and cafes, from Sunday Gravy and Kuku Cafe to Buna Coffee and 1010 Wines. Many Angelenos have lived here for generations, contributing to a close-knit community that is eager to support restaurants in the neighborhood. Two Hommés owners and chefs Abdoulaye Balde and Yaw Marcus Johnson built their following brick by brick, first as a pandemic pop-up that added a California lens to West African food before opening a permanent restaurant in 2023. The chefs took things slow, perfecting their sticky and vibrantly spiced honey chicken berbere bites; root beer-braised short ribs with whipped yams; and jollof rice, which can be topped with herby lamb chops, branzino, or barbecue jerk cauliflower. (The latter is deeply soulful and packs a slight heat.) As a bonus, the dining room got a modern refresh during the fall, making it an ideal place to order Two Hommés’ innovative dishes and the cooling Mezcalifornia cocktail made with Espadin mezcal, cucumber juice, and grapefruit syrup. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Must-try dishes: Spiced honey chicken berbere bites, root beer-braised short ribs, jollof rice
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The Best LA Restaurants That Are Open on Monday Nights Somerville Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Yonnie Hagos and Ajay Relan didn’t plan to open three restaurants within six months. Along with their popular rooftop bar Lost and pizzeria Downtown Dough, the longtime restaurateurs have a serious hit on their hands with Somerville, a supper club-style restaurant with Southern influences. People dress for Somerville. There is no formal dress code, but Somerville is the type of place to dust off a cocktail dress or supper jacket for sitting at the bar, walking over the white oak flooring, sitting in custom banquettes, and listening to live jazz with a grand piano on the modestly sized stage. For Somerville, the partners collaborated with actor and producer Issa Rae and studied Los Angeles history. They focused on Historic South-Central’s vibrant scene from 1921 to 1956, which was centered around the Dunbar Hotel (originally named Hotel Somerville) and Central Avenue’s bustling jazz venues. The area developed due to traveling Black musicians who were prohibited from entering Los Angeles’s white-owned bars and clubs. Somerville is pure Art Deco, accompanied by chef Geter Atienza’s (previously at Bouchon Bakery in New York and Broken Spanish) menu. His Parker house rolls, oysters, braised lamb shank, Black Angus burger, and wagyu strip loin with classic steak sauce options are popular. They’ve shied away from standard soul food, but some dishes hint at the cuisine, like the macaroni and cheese or the fried chicken and caviar sliders. Order a vodka-based Love Supreme cocktail, dedicated to John Coltrane, with Midori, Cointreau, and lemon while taking in the vibes. 4437 W. Slauson Avenue, View Park, CA, 90043. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: An excuse to get dressed up and go out Book a table: OpenTable
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The Best Los Angeles Restaurants for Your Wedding Day Jones Hollywood Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ The 30-year-old Jones still has it — an incredible space with the dark feel of a red-sauce Italian restaurant and bar, but way cooler. Though it’s possible to snag a table for cocktails or dinner, Jones hit a major snag in 2023 when an accident took out the restaurant’s eastern corner entrance. Jones was closed for three months for repairs and the cafe remains closed, but as a testament to its beloved status in West Hollywood, the community rallied around the restaurant and it reopened in February. Jones remains as popular as it was back in the early ’90s for its throwback menu of thin-crust pizza, linguine with clams, or a dry-aged New York steak. Down the meal with a glass of Sangiovese, a strong classic cocktail, or an Amstel Light. The apple pie served by the slice on a sizzling platter a la mode is still as good as ever. As a bonus for all of Los Angeles, the kitchen closes at 1 a.m. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: A throwback date night that’s a great excuse to put on a vintage suit or dress.
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Where to Eat Near LA’s Most Popular Music Venues and Concert Halls More Maps The Best Restaurants in Los Angeles’s Sawtelle Japantown The Best Brunch Destinations in Los Angeles The Best Late-Night Restaurants in Los Angeles Apollonia’s Pizzeria Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $$ Some restaurants throw around the term “New York-style pizza” loosely, serving slices that are lacking the thin, foldable bottom carriage that leads to a puffy crust with dark bubbles resembling a leopard’s fur. But at Mid-City pizzeria Apollonia’s, the East Coast inspiration is clear but not too heavy-handed, with cheese and meat-topped thin crust slices that don’t flop when folded. Owner Justin De Leon opened Apollonia’s in 2012 in a slim strip mall slot along Wilshire Boulevard. The pizzeria is all about consistency — instead of expanding to multiple locations across the city, De Leon has kept his focus on perfecting every element of the pies at this single location, from the fat to acid balance in the sauce to just the right amount of toppings on each pie (consider the requisite pepperoni, burrata, and hot honey). A thin layer of oil glimmers on top of blistered cheese, not heavy enough to require any napkin dabbing. Though Apollonia’s is rooted in the classic thin-crust pie, its toppings reflect the breadth of flavors that a Los Angeles audience wants: The Venustiano is topped with spicy arrabiata sauce, fresh mozzarella, Italian sausage, garlic, grape tomatoes, and fresh basil; the Dirty Agent comes with duck and bacon sausage. More recently, De Leon has expanded the shop’s lineup to include square slices with crispy cheesy edges and a crust that falls somewhere between Detroit-style pizza and focaccia. Slices are cash-only on-site (though full pies are available for pre-order), giving the restaurant a genuine corner pizza shop feel. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Apollonia’s is cash-only if ordering on-site
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16 Local Pizzerias to Order Delivery From Instead of the Big Chains Chi Spacca Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ Los Angeles isn’t quite known as a top-tier steakhouse town, but any collection of the best places for grilled meat in the city has to include Chi Spacca, previously an appendage of Nancy Silverton’s complex of restaurants that includes Pizzeria and Osteria Mozza. Opening chef Chad Colby, now doing some of the city’s top pastas and grilled meats at Antico Nuovo, conceived the menu at Chi Spacca. His initial impression mostly remains, with an Italian-oriented set of bistecca and costata alla Fiorentina slow-roasted over a wood fire grill placed right in the middle of the dining room; seasonal sides orient around the farmers market bounty. In the years since Colby’s tenure, fine dining veteran Armen Ayvazyan, previously at Auburn and the Rose Venice, has reinvigorated the menu while keeping its beloved classics. Nearly every table will start with the focaccia de recco, a melty cheese-laden flatbread served on a piping hot copper pan. Colby installed one of the city’s first artisanal salumi programs, where sausages and other forcemeats are aged on the premises and served on wooden boards. They’re still popular — and very expensive. In between, Colby’s array of British-style meat pies, like the bone marrow and beef, help allay any remaining hunger with a dollop of roasted meat, fat, butter, and potato. If there’s room left on the table, the steaks make an incredible centerpiece, dry-aged and sliced in the kitchen for all to share. Still, the pork tomahawk, served with its juicy belly fat on the bone, and covered with ample fennel pollen perfuming the meat with the ineffable aroma of an Italian meadow, could be the winner of the menu. Plain and simple, Chi Spacca is the definition of a California Italian steakhouse, a bastion of gluttony in the City of Angels. — Matthew Kang, regional lead, Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Reservations aren’t usually tough to get in LA, but the 50-seat Chi Spacca is one of the rare restaurants where prime tables around 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday are highly coveted. Book those as early as possible. Book a table: Capital One Dining*OpenTable * Book primetime tables set aside exclusively for eligible Capital One customers. Capital One Dining is the presenting partner of the Eater app.
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19 Essential Meat Dishes to Try in Los Angeles Musso & Frank Grill Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ A green sign off Hollywood Boulevard and Cherokee Avenue signals your arrival at Musso & Frank Grill. Walk through the retro car-filled parking lot before descending into the 105-year-old restaurant where you can catch glimpses into the loud kitchen and observe the slightly faded chandeliers, wall light sconces, 1930s art, and wood paneling. The customers might be casually dressed or donning a tuxedo before settling into a red leather banquette or a seat at the bar. There’s something about the pageantry of uniformed waiters and bartenders wearing white or red jackets; their skill and dedication are why management embroiders the number of years employed on their shirt cuffs. They gracefully move throughout the room with intention, always in a hurry to make diners feel important while dropping off a glass of pinot noir or baked escargot, crab Louie, filet of sand dabs, or an expertly cooked prime rib. One might overhear a newbie diner complaining about the peeling wallpaper or lack of new dishes, but quell the haters din by taking in a stirred martini. Musso & Frank is old-school Hollywood charm. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: A taste of old Hollywood
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The Best Restaurants in Hollywood Tev’s Kitchen Link Open for: Lunch, early dinner Price range: $$ Since it opened in January 2024, Tev’s & Family Kitchen has reached legendary status in Los Angeles. The business converted from a South LA sidewalk operation into a counter-service restaurant with plenty of seats and a robust takeout scene, where diners wait hours to try chef Tevin Love’s menu. Instagram and TikTok hold hundreds of videos showing containers full of Tev’s glistening oxtails, caramelized plantains, macaroni and cheese, jerk chicken, and sweet chili wings. Love changes the menu six times a week — every day that it’s open — meaning a Thursday visit could include things like Cajun chicken or jerk shrimp pasta while Friday features fried catfish or saucy chicken wings and tenders. Everything is packed with flavor and comes with a brightly colored sweet red (tropical punch), blue (blue raspberry), or lemonade Kool-Aid made on-site. The line is less crazed now that Love implemented online ordering, but that doesn’t stop regulars from making a pit stop whether going to lunch, to pick up dinner, or simply to sit down for a great meal from a family who truly loves feeding the neighborhood. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: The line at Tev’s Kitchen can get long and does sell out, so make sure to preorder if time is running tight.
Mona Holmes Roasted Duck by Pa Ord Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $ Roasted Duck by Pa Ord, which sits in the same space as the original Pa Ord opened by Lawan Bhanduram more than two decades ago, is a study of a restaurant with a singular, near-obsessive focus. The namesake dish permeates all sections of the menu: served with golden grains of fried rice, submerged in soup or herbaceous green curry, studded with bright chiles and basil leaves, and nestled alongside jade noodles and sauces. Perhaps for security, diners can also order dishes with chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp, but the headliner is clearly duck that arrives with its glistening, crackling skin smothered in a gravy-like sauce, falling apart at the touch. Chef Bob Vongsanikul, tapped by Bhanduram to open the restaurant, prepares each dish to order in the narrow, buttery space, and seats most of its visitors at the counter (a row of crispy ducks waiting to be cut hangs on a rack in the foreground). The duck special for one — sliced roasted duck, vegetables, a vinegary soy sauce with chiles, and a side dish like jade noodles or rice — is enough to serve two, giving the place a high affordability factor, too. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager Know before you go: The seating at Roasted Duck by Pa Ord is very limited, so be prepared to take the duck home, or head down the street to Barndsall Park for a picnic.
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The Best Dishes Eater LA Editors Ate This Year, Mapped HMS Bounty Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $ From a cameo on Mad Men to a roster of celebrity clientele, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, HMS Bounty is the stuff of legends. But it’s not just the decades of stories that make this nautical-themed Koreatown bar great. Some type of bar has stood on the ground-level space of the Gaylord apartment building that the HMS Bounty has occupied since 1924; first, it was the Fountain Room, before moving through iterations as the Gay Room, the Secret Harbor, and the Golden Anchor. The bar opened as the HMS Bounty in 1962, drawing its name from a British merchant ship that gained notoriety for being the site of a mutiny in 1789. The naval motif extends throughout the interior of the bar, with portholes on the walls, illustrations of vessels at sea, and a ship’s wheel hanging above the bar. HMS Bounty doesn’t look like it’s changed much since its opening: Red leather banquettes comprise most of the seating in the main space and back room, accompanied by a steadfast wood bar with tall stools and a few smaller tables. The prices also feel of another decade, with plenty of cocktails coming in at under $10, and a baseball steak, served with vegetables and mashed potatoes, clocking in at $18.99. The cocktails are strong, like a whiskey sour that’s heavy on the whiskey, but that’s just part of the charm here. Weekend evenings tend to get busy, but head over with a group on a weeknight, start with a round of boilermakers and French fries, before ordering steak dinners, one of the best Caesars in LA, and a round of martinis. Always end with dessert, especially the bread pudding, which is served warm with a scoop of ice cream. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: The bathrooms at the HMS Bounty are in the adjoining Gaylord apartment building; head out the side door of the bar and ask the apartment doorman for directions. There’s also a jukebox guests can control from their phones, download the AMI Music app for access.
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20 Classic Los Angeles Restaurants Every Angeleno Must Try Seong Buk Dong Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $$ Homestyle Korean food has become a rarity in Los Angeles over the years, with many immigrants retiring or turning over operations to escape the often challenging task of running a restaurant. Like South Korea itself, many restaurants will trim menus and specialize in just a few dishes to attract a tighter clientele, but Seong Buk Dong continues to be a versatile menu with all of the classics — bibimbap, soontofu, beef bulgogi, and pan-fried fish. Simple but well-made banchan comes at the start of every meal, including crunchy bean sprouts, thin strands of burdock root, and a scoop of apple-pocked potato salad. Korean restaurant veterans will be delighted by the spicy braised mackerel swimming in an ultra-savory sauce flavored by well-aged kimchi. Spoon some of the tender fish and aromatics over rice for an absolute flavor bomb, an ethereal mix of salty, sweet, and umami that represents the profound heart of Korean cooking. The braised beef short ribs are also among the best in town, the cut pieces slightly chewy on the edges but still melt-in-mouth tender. In the past few years, the dining room has even expanded into the next-door space, offering more tables that typically don’t fill until prime dinner hours. On the opposite end of the strip mall, huge crowds eagerly wait for a seat at the popular Dan Sung Sa pocha, a late-night drinking spot. Little do they know that the gem offering supreme Korean dishes is on the other side of the lot. — Matthew Kang, regional lead, Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: Godeungeo jorim (braised spicy mackerel), galbi jjim (braised beef short rib)
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The Essential Guide to Late Night Eats in LA, Summer ‘14 Goldburger Los Feliz Link Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $ Goldburger is the smash burger gift that keeps on giving in Los Angeles. Owner Allen Yelent opened his first Highland Park location with a charming covered patio in 2019, Los Feliz in 2021, and in Chinatown in 2024. (A fourth stand in Granada Hills is also in the works.) If the proliferation points to anything, it’s the sheer quality diners can find in any Goldburger. Yelent uses grass-fed meats from regenerative farms in California; his preferred cook offers a medium smash in the center, leaving a very juicy middle and lacier rim. The simplicity is what keeps regulars returning for single or double-layered cheeseburgers — most dressed with crisp shredded lettuce, crinkly pickles, and white onion — paired with traditional or curly fries and a bottle of Swell soda. It’s all you need in America’s burger capital. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: Goldburger
Rebecca Roland K-Team BBQ Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ The number of Korean barbecue restaurants throughout the Southland is astounding, from affordably priced all-you-can-eat meat fests to high-end establishments serving prime-grade Angus beef and A5 wagyu. K-Team stands out in a crowded market for its dedication to tradition and passion for pork. The superb follow-up restaurant to the perennially packed Park’s BBQ from Jenee Kim offers a top-notch selection of pork-centric cuts, including thick slabs of collar and slivers of belly that hit the grill frozen just like in Seoul. The beef tongue, which curls and caramelizes on the tallow-slicked grill, is also worthy of gracing every table. Regardless of which kind of meat one favors, tack on the myeonglan paste (pollack roe) that elevates every porky or beefy bite to greater heights and some herbaceous minari that is grilled alongside the meat. It’s these little delicious and authentic details that make K-Team the best new Korean barbecue spot in Los Angeles. — Cathy Chaplin, former Eater LA senior editor Must-try dish: Naengsam (thin-sliced pork belly)
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The Best LA Restaurants That Are Open on Monday Nights Budonoki Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ When longtime pop-up Budonoki went permanent in September 2023, Angelenos quickly realized something special had opened in Virgil Village. The dimly lit izakaya from partners Eric Bedroussian, Dan Rabilwongse, and Josh Hartley emanates a certain cool that’s hard to manufacture. All dark wood and neon lights, it’s not uncommon to find tables entirely obscured in food and drink as diners try to taste a bit of everything. Executive chef Rabilwongse’s experience at acclaimed restaurants like Urasawa, Bouchon, and Hayato comes through on a menu that blends Thai and Japanese flavors: The naem (Thai pork sausage) is a must-order for every meal, but don’t stop there. The best dinners at Budonoki are made up of as many dishes as is reasonable for the group size, like the grilled pork jowl, curry pan, and the Budo-Gnocchi, a take on gnocchi with rice cakes. For drinks, try the Matini, a take on a martini with sake and shochu, or the Hato with shochu, grapefruit, agave, and jalapeño. With Budonoki’s presence in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, the restaurant also offers a monthly night for the local community called Makanai Monday, where a full meal set is available for only $15. — Rebecca Roland, associate editor Must order dishes: Naem, Budo-Gnocchi
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The Best Desserts to Save Room for in Los Angeles Holbox Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $$-$$$$ Even with its counter dormant during a 2023 remodel, Gilberto Cetina’s jewel box of a mariscos restaurant, Holbox (pronounced ol-bosh), kept crowds gathered just outside the doors of Mercado La Paloma with a truck parked in front. There, diners could order from a tightened menu that included some of the 6-year-old restaurant’s greatest hits: the taco de pulpo en su tinta, “su tinta” referencing the ink-stained sofrito the curled octopus tentacle rests upon; limey, lip-puckering aguachiles and cocteles served with tostadas and Saladitas crackers, respectively; a smoked kanpachi tostada topped with bay scallop and zigzags of a nutty chile de arbol sauce. Its $130 8-course tasting menu, which features a rotating selection of Cetina’s most-loved dishes, returned last spring with a few more seats at the counter. Still, after its Michelin star recognition in 2024, better to make a reservation for the two dinnertime seatings, which are held on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. only. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager Know before you go: on the first of the month at 11 a.m. for the following calendar month.
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Where to Eat Near LA’s Most Popular Music Venues and Concert Halls Langer’s Delicatessen Link Open for: Breakfast, Lunch Price range: $$ There’s a reason why people make pilgrimages to try Langer’s pastrami and even corned beef: There is no better version anywhere in town. Yes, the No. 19 pastrami sandwich is amazing, but this long-standing deli’s pure pastrami on house-baked rye is simplicity at its best. Try the No. 44, served on griddled rye bread with hand-sliced pastrami, nippy cheese, and sauerkraut, for a decadent take on a Reuben sandwich. But don’t skip the rest of the classic Jewish deli menu either, from potato pancakes to cheese blintzes — it’s all very well executed in one of the best daytime dining rooms in town. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: No. 19 pastrami sandwich
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The Best Jewish Delis in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors Pijja Palace Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Pijja Palace, the runaway hit from first-time restauranteur Avish Naran, delivers to Angelenos something they didn’t know they needed: an Indian sports bar. Located on the ground floor of a Comfort Inn in Silver Lake, the restaurant’s raucous energy is undeniable, while its menu — a charming collision of Indian flavors and American bar standards — dazzles with an avalanche of flavor and spice from chef Miles Shorey. Nearly every table orders the malai rigatoni, a bowlful of ridged noodles that cling easily to a creamy tomato masala sauce. The thin-crusted bar pies are just as memorable, especially one slathered in an aromatic green chutney that rivals the rigatoni in popularity. Those in the know order the hush-hush Andy pie that comes topped with northern Makhini sauce, spicy pepperoni, fresh dill, onions, and honey. Dosa-battered onion rings, plenty of hot wings, and a luscious cardamom soft serve are on hand to round out every dinner. — Cathy Chaplin, former Eater LA senior editor Must-try dishes: Dosa onion rings, malai rigatoni, Pepperoni Playboy pizza, soft serve
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The Best Indian and South Asian Restaurants in Los Angeles Loreto Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$ Located a block from the Los Angeles River in the mostly residential Frogtown neighborhood is Loreto, the sister restaurant of Downtown LA’s Cha Cha Cha and counterpart to breezy daytime spot Mariscos Za Za Za. At night, chef Paco Moran serves some of LA’s best Mexican seafood in a stylish industrial space. Tostadas, ceviches, brochetas, and green curry albondigas made with shrimp and pork shine on the menu; Moran’s Nayarit-style zarandeado is grilled open-faced and served with black beans, rice, avocado, salsas, and homemade tortillas. Moran occasionally hosts special events where diners can taste experimental dishes, like shrimp and lobster dumplings, that sometimes end up on the permanent menu. Whether seated at the winding bar, private dining area, or on the beautifully lit patio, Loreto’s full of dazzling charm and delicious mariscos. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Best for: Impressing out-of-town guests Book a table: OpenTable
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The Best LA Restaurants That Are Open on Monday Nights Kato Restaurant Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$$ Already one of the most celebrated fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles, Jon Yao’s Kato continues to execute its vision of Asian-inflected cooking in a polished Downtown dining room. As accolades have piled up, including a Michelin star and the One to Watch designation by the World’s 50 Best restaurants, Kato seems to be headed to another stratosphere of attention with the soon-to-debut North America 50 Best Restaurants. Already, it’s been a regular part of the Eater Essential 38 (where it returns for this cycle) and Los Angeles Times’ 101 Best Restaurants, where it currently ranks at the top. But what is Kato? Yao launched his tasting menu as a humble strip mall spot in West LA at a modest sub-$100 price without any wine pairings, leaning on his upbringing in San Gabriel Valley and his parents’ history in Taiwan. Now, the 30-something chef is at his prime, occupying an expansive kitchen with all the tools of a modern restaurant, plus one of the best beverage menus in town. The cocktail menu alone makes Kato a regional drink destination; the balanced, refreshing milk punch is a must-order. On the plate, Yao meanders through classic Chinese dishes reformulated with modern luxury ingredients like fish maw soup and egg custard topped with caviar. A roasted and glazed quail conjures Beijing duck — placed over seasoned rice and stringy cordyceps fungus. At its core, Kato manages to exemplify the global influence of Los Angeles’s cuisines while balancing subtlety and grace in every thrilling bite. — Matthew Kang, regional lead, Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: The restaurant does not make any accommodations for most dietary restrictions. Most nights, the very good bar menu offers a smaller selection of dishes for about half the price of the full menu.
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The Best Restaurants in Downtown Los Angeles Bavel Link Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ When Levantine restaurant Bavel opened in 2018, its Arts District sister restaurant, Bestia, was already a stratospheric hit for its precise pizzas and pasta served in a sleek industrial setting. For their next debut, husband-and-wife chef team Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis chose to investigate Middle Eastern fare using flavor lines that cross Israel and Palestine, Turkey, Morocco, and Egypt. The accolades soon followed. Here, traditional hummus pools with olive oil tinted red from duck ‘nduja and creamy cannellini bean “hummus” gets punched up by lemon, garlic, and peppery zhoug; flaky, roti-like malawach comes with grated tomato and a runny egg; and no table finishes without showstopping mains like juicy slow-roasted lamb neck shawarma or its current tagine, coconut-curry lobster. The delicately composed desserts are not shy in flavor — think apple prune cake drowned in date-coffee sauce or a strawberry-ricotta cheese turnover nestled against a quenelle of pistachio ice cream. All of this can be had in its dining room with neutral brick walls, intricate floor tiling, and plants flowing from the ceiling overhead, or on the equally vibey front patio. — Nicole Adlman, Eater cities manager Must-try dish: The mercilessly meaty, smoky, sumac-dusted oyster mushroom kebab, which has never left the menu (don’t forget to douse it with Meyer lemon first). Book a table: Capital One Dining* * Book primetime tables set aside exclusively for eligible Capital One customers. Capital One Dining is the presenting partner of the Eater app.
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14 Do-It-All Restaurants For Meat Eaters and Vegans Alike Ray’s Texas BBQ Link Open for: Lunch, early dinner Price range: $$ Although Rene “Ray” Ramirez, the founder of Ray’s BBQ, passed away in 2022, his legacy lives on through his surviving wife Anabell, and sons Sebastian and Raul The team managed to preserve the same quality and distinct smokiness that kept Ray’s BBQ in business long before the newer wave of custom pit smokers became the norm. The marbled brisket is a must; the ribs have a wonderfully peppery crust that can be gently pulled apart by fingers or teeth. The baked beans are a meal on their own, while coleslaw detractors might be converted by Ray’s crunchy, lightly dressed version. The room is as casual as it gets with, many diners opting for a massive takeout box with various selections that are sure to impress their guests. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: Brisket
Matthew Kang Ditroit Link Open for: Lunch Price range: $$ Enrique Olvera’s semi-camouflaged back alley taco stand began its story in Los Angeles at the end of 2020. Since those uncertain first months, Damian and Ditroit have become finely embedded into Los Angeles’s Mexican, and specifically Chilango, oeuvre, shaped by a chef who changed the dining landscape in Mexico City before bringing his specific lens to Los Angeles. Ditroit’s lineup of tacos, flautas, and quesadillas has reshaped Angelenos’ conception of what Mexican street food can be: think cornflower-tinged quesadillas filled with melty quesillo and epazote; tacos with smoky suadero, crispy-edged carnitas under seedy salsa roja, or lightly battered eggplant; and the fish flauta, which packs machaca-style fish, cabbage, crema, and salsa verde into a fried corn tortilla. Visitors can’t go wrong washing it all down with a Mexican coke, or punctuating the experience with its soft serve of the moment, especially during hotter summer months. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager Must-try dishes: Suadero taco, carnitas taco
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The 38 Best Tacos in Los Angeles, According to a Local Expert Taquería Frontera Link Open for: Lunch, dinner Price range: $ Cypress Park’s all-day restaurant is Los Angeles’s perfect taqueria. Juan Carlos Guerra’s Taquería Frontera not only produces tacos, mulitas, tortas, quesadillas, and burritos, but maintains a lighthouse-like presence on a busy street corner with counter seating that looks right into the open kitchen. Diners stop in for a quick bite or linger while eating precisely dressed quesatacos with salsa, onions, birria, and Taquería Frontera’s signature cilantro crema, all wrapped in white parchment paper. Though all meats are well-prepared, the house specialty is the al pastor, which is impossible to miss on the north side of the kitchen. A worker is always present at the trompo, skillfully slicing pieces of pork and pineapple with a large knife and onto tortilla or bread. Even the nopales cactus emits a wonderful smokiness. There’s a lot to take in at Taquería Frontera, including the south-facing Selena mural, or the bright black and yellow marquee that shifts the mood during nighttime hours. All of the elements come together with delicious tacos at a reasonable price. More tacos, less borders indeed. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: Al pastor taco
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The 38 Best Tacos in Los Angeles, According to a Local Expert MIYA มีญ่า Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $ After Altadena’s devastating Eaton Fire on January 7, Miya is one of the few remaining restaurants on North Lake Avenue, slightly south of Altadena Drive. Its presence is the very definition of a miracle, as neighboring restaurants like Fox’s, Rancho Bar, and Side Pie were completely destroyed by fire. Named after his daughter, David Tewasart, the owner and co-founder of four Sticky Rice locations, reopened his homey Thai restaurant in late May. While temporarily closed, Tewasart’s landlord restored and industrially cleaned the space while installing commercial air filters. Though many Eaton Fire survivors still haven’t returned to their homes and are dispersed throughout Southern California, regulars showed up in recent weeks to support Tewasart’s business. (Tewasart also lost his home in the Eaton Fire.) He first opened Miya as a take-out only spot in 2023, then expanded it to a small sit-down restaurant that can seat 12 people. It’s an intimate spot to slurp khao soi noodles, with a bright burst of pickled mustard greens to contrast the slightly spicy broth. The fiery panang beef curry best partners with rice and a refreshing Thai iced tea. In the evening hours, look for the bright neon “delicatessen” sign that points you in the direction of a beloved space where people look for and build community. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Miya serves a plant-based menu every Tuesday
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The Best Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles, According to Eater Editors Pho Ngoon Link Open for: Lunch and dinner Price range: $ San Gabriel Valley is blessed with numerous incredible Vietnamese restaurants to add to the places specializing in regional Chinese cuisines. Credit the overall interest in quality Asian cuisines to the myriad banh mi spots and noodle joints littered across the 626, including celebrated Vietnamese restaurant Golden Deli. Out of these lot, Pho Ngoon is a paragon of a Vietnamese noodle spot, serving Northern dishes from the city of Hanoi. Without much surprise, the beef pho here is stellar, well-balanced with a choice of more typical thin rice noodles or the wider, more tender Northern noodles. Opt for hulking beef rib bones to channel one’s inner carnivore. Crispy egg rolls are also delightful, perhaps not as cherished as the ones from crosstown rival Golden Deli, but still well-packed and tasty. However, Pho Ngoon beats Golden in the broth department all day, every day, which is what most people want out of their pho restaurants. —Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Must-try dishes: Beef pho, spring rolls, and egg rolls
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15 Essential Restaurants in San Gabriel Bistro Na’s Link Open for: Lunch, Dinner Price range: $$$$ While the San Gabriel Valley has plenty of impressive Chinese restaurants specializing in everything from Sichuan cuisine to Cantonese classics, Bistro Na’s is in a category all its own. At the restaurant, chef Tian Yong prepares imperial Manchu cuisine rooted in the Qing dynasty’s (1644 to 1912) royal courts alongside what is probably one of the best Beijing (also referred to as Peking) ducks in the U.S. The Peking duck, which requires advanced reservation weeks to months in advance, is brought out whole before being carved to emphasize golden crispy pieces of skin meant to be dunked in granulated sugar and sauce, or wrapped in paper-thin pancakes. The rest of the menu is equally impressive, like Na’s Angus rib, which is served on the bone, and the Shaoxing wine-seasoned drunken chicken. While dessert may not be the first thing that comes to mind in most Chinese restaurants, Bistro Na’s gives as much attention to sweets as it does to the savory side of its menu. End the meal with a sweet fried rice cake or the lucky koi milk pudding served in the shape of a koi fish. It’s easy to forget the restaurant is part of a Temple City shopping center thanks to tall interior ceilings, intricate wood decorations, and framed instruments on the wall. While Los Angeles’s upscale Chinese scene has grown since Bistro Na’s opened, the restaurant still holds its throne as one of the city’s most distinctive dining destinations. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Know before you go: Call to reserve a duck if planning to order one, since it can sell out weeks to months in advance. If there’s no parking on the surface level, head to the back of the shopping center to find more spots underground.
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The Best San Gabriel Valley Restaurants Tacos La Carreta Link Open for: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Price range: $ José Morales has taken his popular Long Beach taco truck and opened a permanent location in Whittier, where fans line up throughout the day for possibly the best carne asada in Los Angeles. Morales learned the craft from his father, coming up as the next generation of Sinaloan-style carne asada taqueros. The modest but well-laid strip mall spot offers a fresh salsa bar to top tacos, vampiros, quesadillas, and chorreadas — a lard-laden specialty — all topped with smoky, wood-grilled steak meat. Don’t worry Long Beach denizens: La Carreta still operates the truck in the city’s northern stretches. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Must-try dish: Carne asada tacos
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