L.A. on New Year's Eve
 

We will be in LA for New Year's Eve and I am looking for somewhere to eat dinner. We will get in around noon on Friday and will be getting up early for the parade the next day so we aren't looking for a late night. Maybe an certain area or attraction we can visit in the late afternoon and then dinner.Thank You.

If you're going to be staying up in Pasadena for the Rose Parade, I'd get up there by late afternoon (well, no later than 4 PM-- and a note: traffic will be NIGHTMARISH on LA-area roads) and then have the hotel concierge help you find a restaurant in the area-- especially in the fun Old Town Pasadena area. Lots of good eateries in Pasadena (if you give some favorite cuisine types and the amount you want to spend per person, you will get better suggestions). If you're not staying in Pasadena, then please indicate where and you can get more concrete recommendations.

For an attraction to visit in the Pasadena area prior to having dinner, I strongly recommend two hours at the lovely Norton Simon museum on Colorado Blvd.

From there you can walk on to the restaurant district around Colorado Blvd, too, although taking the car along for the few blocks might be more convenient afterwards. Closest to the Norton Simon Museum is Il Fornaio, which serves great Italian cuisine.
One block further East, there is hip Mi Piace, also an Italian restaurant.

Another activity option in the neighborhood would be a visit to the Huntington Library displaying a Gutenberg bible and early editions of Shakespeare's works along with a small but high quality art exposition.
It is located in San Marino and housed in a beautifully landscaped park that invites for a stroll.

Thanks. We are staying by LAX.

"By LAX" meaning El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Marina del Rey, or the immediate LAX area (i.e. Westchester)? Whatever the case, you'll be getting up REALLY early and driving those 27-odd miles to get parked and situated up in Pasadena, unless you got some kind of coach service up there.

I can't really recommend anything good in the LAX area. In Marina del Rey, there are places like Café del Rey, the Warehouse, Tony P's, jer-ne at the Ritz-Carlton (people either love or hate this place) and even the Cheesecake Factory. Venice Beach has some cool places nearby like Joe's, Amuse Café, Hana Sushi, etc. They'll all be busy with people getting their New Year's Eve meal before heading somewhere to get plastered (and hopefully stay off the streets).

Frankly, you might just head up to Santa Monica, walk around and see the Pier and that glorified outdoor mall, the Third Street Promenade, then head back, stop on the way in Marina del Rey and grab dinner, then head back to your hotel.

Make reservations somewhere so you won't be wandering about. How much do you want to spend?

If you're staying by LAX, I would recommend heading to Manhattan Beach. You could take a walk on the Strand, walk around the pier area and shops, and have dinner at the many restaurants either downtown MB or on Rosecrans Blvd. There are many choices.

Downtown MB: Fonz's (steaks), Italian: Mama D's, Mangiamo, Talias (all very good). French: Cafe Pierre come to mind. Beaches is an American/Californian restaurant adjacent to the pier with okay food and killer views. There are also sushi, hole-in-the-wall Mexican and a few pubs, depending on your interests.

On Rosecrans, you'll find more of the "chain" restaurants: Flemings Steakhouse, McCormick & Schmicks seafood, Wolfgang Puck, Houstons, Cozymel's Mexican, Il Fornaio (Italian). Our personal favorite is Lido, a little bistro in the Bristol Farms plaza area.

There are many more options, these are just a few of our favorites. However, I also highly recommend choosing a place and making reservations ASAP.

Thank you so much for the information and help. The idea of going to Santa Monica and then Marina del Rey for dinner sounds fun.
We don't really want to spend a fortune but with it being New Year's Eve we might have to spend a little more than normal. I will start calling on some of the suggestions about reservations. Thanks.

Manhatten Beach sounds like fun as well. I have never been there so that would be different. Thanks for the ideas.