11 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles, California

Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant is a modern L.A. classic. Spago centers on a buzzing redbrick outdoor courtyard (with retractable roof) shaded by 100-year-old olive trees, and a daily-changing menu that offers dishes like smoked salmon pizza or off-menu schnitzel. Dessert is magical, with everything from an ethereal mango soufflé to artisanal cheeses. Opt for the tasting menu as it comes with a personal tour of the kitchen, and if you’re lucky, a meet and greet with Wolfgang Puck himself.

This small and dimly lit, romantic spot in Santa Monica is full of adventurously global options, like Singaporean chili crab cake or black cod with a fermented black bean marinade. The new American cuisine, which is centered on the restaurant's wood-fired oven, also features standouts like braised lamb shank with sweet potato, pomegranate, labneh, zhough, and flatbread. Another option for groups of four or more: the restaurant will craft a custom T&R Supper family-style menu with off-menu dishes like wood-fired goat with Moroccan accompaniments or a dry-aged standing rib rack. Book T&R Suppers at least seven days in advance.

With vintage decor, grand chandeliers, gilded walls, and luxe jewel tones, the Hollywood outpost of popular New York "clubstaraunt" Beauty & Essex more than lives up to its Tinseltown address. Hidden speakeasy-style behind a collector's storefront (beware impulse pricey jewelry purchases on the way out), this gigantic celebrity-frequented restaurant with a double-height main dining room with skylight, a ground-floor courtyard, and a patio on the second level, isn't all just glam smoke and mirrors. Start with delicious cocktails at a small elegant bar before being ushered to your table in one of the several dining spaces where the eclectic menu includes signature dishes like grilled cheese and tomato soup dumplings, tuna poke Wonton Tacos, Thai barbeque mushroom, and oven-braised chicken meatballs. There's also a pre-theater prix fixe menu.

Accommodating Century City's growing legions of agents and lawyers, Craft, around since 2007, is a major film industry hangout. At the helm is Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio, who whips up shared plates like roasted octopus and foie gras with apple butter. Boutique produce goes into the plethora of side dishes, and desserts may include triple chocolate sunflower cookies or house-made ice creams and sorbets. In its open, airy dining room, deals are brokered over lunches made with seasonal ingredients.

Michael’s, a Santa Monica institution, was one of the first to introduce "California cuisine" to a then-skeptical public more than four decades ago. Its rotating menu runs the gamut from 30-day dry-aged Wagyu bolognese with pappardelle to Japanese amberjack crudo with sweety drop peppers. The expansive space features a stunning plant-lined patio with a retractable roof, which attracts a well-heeled crowd without being stuffy. The happy hour menu is a steal.

With a modest, you’ll-hardly-notice-it’s-there exterior and a small, packed-like-sardines interior, you're likely to have to wait in line to get into Petit Trois. But the wait is worth it for the incredible classic French dishes inside. When you're finally eating the steak tartare, you'll forgive the restaurant for any momentary hassles.

This indoor--outdoor restaurant has served Venice for more than four decades but constantly reinvents itself, serving mouthwatering California cuisines and offering multiple patios, a full bar, and a bakery. Creative types sip espressos and tap on keyboards under the macramé chandeliers, while young families gather out back to snack on smoked radiatore carbonara and crispy brussels sprouts. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, Rose is a sophisticated yet unpretentious wonderland in the heart of Venice.

A Santa Monica mainstay, the seasonally changing menu at this farm-to-table restaurant consistently upends norms and has even earned a Michelin nod. The homey, minimalist space offers sweeping views of Wilshire Boulevard. On any given night, the menu of California cuisine may include lamb merguez with freekeh or Brandt prime sirloin steak with grilled broccoli. Everything is made in-house, down to the sea salt. Ask the knowledgeable staff for suggested pairings from the never-ending wine list.

Fans of Lisa Vanderpump and the Vanderpump Rules reality show on Bravo will instantly recognize SUR as the backdrop for the series's endless drama, broken relationships, one-night stands, and countless drinks. The actual restaurant serves a melange of new American items that range from fried goat cheese balls to prime pork chops. Set right in the heart of West Hollywood, the restaurant is a great launching pad for a rowdy night out or the last drink before a one-night stand of your own.

This farm-to-table eatery uses all local ingredients to whip up creative cuisine in a chic environment. Savory musts include the oysters with grapefruit mignonette, as well as the outstanding Mediterranean sea bass. Upon entry you'll notice a wood-beam ceiling, brick-laden bar, and hanging Edison lights that set the stage. Open for lunch and dinner with a revolving weekly special, the Arbour's cocktail menu includes a mezcal paloma emblematic of its Pasadena roots.

The coolest kid on the Pasadena block, the Raymond 1886 is carved out of an old Craftsman cottage and has an expansive patio with long wooden tables and hanging lights. Chefs dish out everything from roasted acorn squash with "forbidden" rice to braised beef cheeks with mole sauce. Inside can be a little more claustrophobic, but makes for a perfect spot for intimate daters to get a little closer. Be sure to explore the daring seasonal cocktail menu, with intriguing names like the Princess Ain't Here and the Shepherd's Betrayal. Don't miss the truly killer chilaquiles on the brunch menu.