I'm flying into LAX on a Friday @ 12:30 pm and I have a 4-1/2 hour layover. Can someone suggest a good restaurant nearby for lunch? I am unfamiliar with the area, so I'm not sure how far to travel considering the traffic situation at that time on a Friday. This will not be an international flight, so I won't need the 3 hour ahead of time check in. I'd like something not fast-food and cost is not a consideration.

Thank you.

Hopefully Jean will check in -- she lives in Manhattan Beach, which should be perfect for your quest, just a few minutes south of the airport by cab, and a really nice little beach town.

Cafe Pieirre in Manhattan Beach is good (or was when I was there 2 years ago.
Flemings Primestreak House and McCormick & Schmicks are both in El Sequndo, slight upscale chains with decenet food, service.

Houston's restaurant in El Segundo is 10 minutes by taxi and very good.

Even for domestic flights, the security lines at LAX can be a disaster, so I would not venture too far from the airport with only 4 hours. Last month (Short flight, 6am on a Sunday morning, no checked luggage, printed boarding passes at home) it took us almost hour just to get through the first ID check at the escalator, then another 30 minutes to get through the line for the the metal detectors. We barely made our flight. Believe them when they say that you need at least 90 minutes.

The Encounter Restaurant is that space-ship-looking building in the middle of the airport that can be kind of fun. Chalet Edelweiss is a neat little Swiss/German restaurant just north of LAX on Sepulveda in Westchester.

Farm Stand, Second City Bistro and Good Stuff (www.eatgoodstuff.com) are a little farther in downtown El Segundo.

And then there's The Proud Bird, adjacent to the east side of the airport on Aviation Blvd. Their dining room has big windows looking to the north where you can watch the planes coming in very low and close to the restaurant on their landing approach.

http://www.theproudbird.com/

I heard my page! But lvk has already given good advice. I wouldn't venture farther than El Segundo, and I can add Deluca to lvk's list there. It's next door to Second City Bistro on Richmond Street.

I personally would not leave the airport w/ only 4 hours. It sounds like a long time -- but it really isn't at LAX. Which terminal(s) are you using.

Many thanks!