64 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles, California

Simple, small, and understated, the best falafel spot in the neighborhood can be easy to miss. At Dune, patrons can revel in the piles of hearty chicken shawarma generously plated on homemade flatbread. Other menu items include tabbouleh and lamb, but, honestly, stick with the falafel—it’s second to none. Enjoy it al fresco in Dune's outdoor dining space along Glendale Boulevard, where people-watching is a favorite pastime. There's cold brew as well to perk you up before your weekend adventures.

All amigos are welcome at this retro-styled Mexican-American eatery known for its lively scene and potent flaming margaritas. The menu doesn’t stray too far from its 1975 original: mole-topped chicken enchiladas, sizzling fajitas, and street-style tacos are the best bets. Red vinyl booths and an excess of black wrought-iron grill work dominates the dining room. Director Quentin Tarantino is a reported regular. He’s joined by the in-crowd who come for the party atmosphere and reasonable prices. When the weather is fine, the shaded outdoor back patio away from bustling Sunset Boulevard is the spot for happy hour.

While you definitely should try the flat shoe-shaped dish El Huarache Azteca is named after—think somewhere between a flatbread and a tostada—you cannot go wrong with any of the other options at this family restaurant that’s been a fixture in the area since the '90s. Be ready to wait for your food to arrive, but all that thick masa tortilla, meat, veggies, crema, and salsa are well worth it.

This family-owned gelato shop has its roots in Italy and offers loads of flavors to cool shoppers off on hot Beverly Hills days.

Big hotel restaurants are rarely great, let alone adventurous with their dishes, but the Front Yard is an exception with its '70s living room look, excellent tunes, and star snacks including fried squash and waffles, 24-hour smoked carnitas in birria broth, and Rockefeller-style scallops. It has the kind of patio that makes you want to linger all day sipping the house rosé and throwing back fluffy cheese biscuits. It's quite a popular brunch spot as well. There are several oversized mains made to be shared including a whole branzino with chocolate mole and a fried chicken with a sweet and spicy chili sauce and mac 'n' cheese.

Its walls may be heavy with framed photographs of stars, and folks from the biz might regularly grace its tables for breakfast burritos and craft-your-own omelet, but this Cahuenga Pass diner is every bit as down-to-earth as your next-door neighbor, even after 40-some years. It gets pretty busy, but a plateful of that comfort cooking is worth the wait. If you’re in a rush, grab something caffeinated or a fruit smoothie from the Neighbarista.

A classic L.A. Mexican eatery, Guelaguetza serves the complex but not overpoweringly spicy cooking of Oaxaca, one of Mexico's most renowned culinary capitals. Inside, you'll find a largely Spanish-speaking clientele bobbing their heads to nightly jazz, marimba, and rock while wolfing down the restaurant's specialty: the moles. The intense flavors come from intricate combinations of nuts, seeds, spices, chilis, and bitter chocolate. Be sure to check out the pizza-like tlayudas topped with white cheese and tasajo (dried beef) or cecina (chili-marinated pork) and chorizo.

L.A.'s pandemic bagel boom is still going strong—even a New York Times critic admitted that some of the best are being baked in California these days—and Hank's hand-rolled bagels and bialys, especially the rosemary sea salt and salty chocolate chip flavors, are at the top of the game. Top them with creamy schmears, dip them in five types of salad including whitefish, lemony chicken, and potato, or mix and match ingredients like pickled onions, braised greens, and fontina to build a sandwich. To be honest, they're also pretty great fresh out of the oven and plain. Be aware that they close early if they sell out and all seating is outside. There are also locations in Burbank and Calabasas.

Founded by Santa Monica natives, Huckleberry brings together the best ingredients from local farmers and growers to craft diner-style comfort food with a chic twist. Nearly everything is made on-site, even the hot sauce and almond milk. The light, bright space is perfect for a quick brunch. Choose from savories like huevos rancheros with black bean puree or a Niman Ranch ham and Gruyère sandwich. Breakfast is served all day. Baked goods rotate frequently according to the seasonal whims of the pastry chef; the kouign amann is always a standout. Bonito Coffee Roasters coffee tempts from the extensive drink menu.

Drop in any day from 7 am to 5 pm to use the free Wi-Fi and score a quick cold brew or strong pour-over made from freshly roasted beans at this corner location. There’s indoor and outdoor seating where you’ll find a respite from Hollywood Boulevard. The small bites menu includes locally made pastries, oatmeal, and quiche.

Los Angeles is known for wonderful hole-in-the-wall eateries tucked inside tiny strip malls, and family-owned Jitlada is Exhibit A, specializing in delicious, spicy, southern Thai dishes. Consider this experience a dive deep into Thai cuisine made with the freshest ingredients. If the colorful yet low-key dining area doesn’t astound you, then the menu with more than 300 options just might.

This new vibrant seafood restaurant is known for dishes like Maryland-style crab dip, tuna tostada, crispy crab cake with house tartar sauce, dry-aged cheeseburger, fresh grilled fish, and brown butter cake with Chantilly cream and salted caramel sauce. Pair your meal with a nice selection of white, red, rosé, and bubbly wines by the glass and bottle.

If you’re in the mood for good old-fashioned fun coupled with hearty Mexican fare and delicious drinks, consider Los Amigos, whose legendary fruity margaritas—in nine flavors!—alone are worth the drive. Pair those with chili verde, taquitos, or a molcajete for two on karaoke night (four nights a week!), and you’re guaranteed a good time well into the night.

Tucked away from the frenzy of Hollywood, this Los Angeles outpost of the famous Naples-based pizza spot (featured in Eat Pray Love) attracts patrons of all varieties, from industry folks looking for hearty Italian classics to tourists needing respite from the touristing. L'antica serves comforting yet elevated Neapolitan pie and pasta dishes in an expansive and relaxed classic Italian-meets-modern-Californian indoor-outdoor space accented with lush greenery. You're here for the century-old authentic-Italian pizzas cooked in the signature stone oven, but you should try the pastas, the slow-cooked short rib, and the Italian-style spritz menu. You might care that this is also one of the very few places in L.A. to enjoy zucchini flowers. Weekday afternoon happy hour is a wonderful respite.

Family-run Marouch is somewhat of a rarity in Hollywood in that it deviates from all the usual fanfare and instead delivers a more casual and authentic home-cooking approach with a you're-part-of-our-family attitude. So, while it doesn't constantly reinvent itself a la buzzy Hollywood spots to get you to come back, you will return for the quality and flavor of the traditional Lebanese and Armenian meze plates that have been passed down in the family for generations. Saturday evenings are its busiest, but the owners encourage you to partake in the chaos, as that's when it feels the most like home.

While Masa of Echo Park does excellent “bistro pizzas,” as the restaurant calls them, it's mostly known for the delectable deep-dish pies that may just be the best you’ll find this side of Chicago. Be prepared, though—it can take a while to get seated and up to 45 minutes to get that deep dish you ordered, so it might be best to call ahead.

A friendly neighborhood Scottish pub, the Morrison comes with a bit of an upmarket flair, a kids' menu, and even dishes for your canine friends. And of course it serves a hearty, boozy brunch. Come here for a laid-back-pub vibe with slightly elevated dining.

The typical family backyard barbecues scattered throughout Echo Park—which has traditionally overlapped with L.A.’s historic Filipinotown—are transformed into fantastic dining at The Park's Finest. Slow-cooked meats and vinegar-based sauces are topped with longganisa sausage, ube, soy sauce, and banana leaves. The name doesn't lie—this truly is some of Echo Park's finest grub.

As the rooftop dinosaur and Lady Liberty statues suggest, this leprechaun-green roadhouse, tucked into the hillside of Pacific Palisades, is a maximalist ode to the past crammed with memorabilia ranging from British railway signs to cheeky bronze statuettes. An Old World portrait of a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in epaulets lords over the proceedings, along with Arnold's throne, which you can request to be seated in. Solid breakfast options include the chilaquiles with a generous topping of sliced avocado or the beyond-immense breakfast burrito. For lunch or dinner, come for the just-right fish and chips or the Pot of Gold burger, and try to resist adding the house-made potato chips and banana cream pie. Waitstaff are brisk and friendly and big band and Great American Songbook tunes keep the atmosphere lively.

This is not your typical Taiwanese restaurant; it's a fast-casual, often locally sourced restaurant housed in a modern setting and dedicated to best of Asian cuisine. The menu changes based on season, and the beverages menu features a carefully curated tea section. Expect longer waits during lunch and dinner rushes. 

As the first 100% plant-based Italian restaurant and wine bar in the whole country, chef Tara Punzone makes you believe her Caprese has real mozzarella, her meatballs come from cows, and her cacio e pepe is filled with dairy. The food is exceptional, the atmosphere screams New York, and the best part is that no animals were harmed for any of it.

An iconic 24/7 Inglewood landmark since 1952, Randy's Donuts is as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the taste buds. Instantly recognizable by its giant 32-foot doughnut sign perched atop the building, this walk-up stand has become a beloved photo op and a must-visit Los Angeles attraction, featured in countless movies and TV shows. But it's not just about the spectacle—Randy's really does serve up some of the best doughnuts in town. From classic glazed to inventive flavors like Nutella or s'mores (though we're partial to the cherry iced), these handmade, doughy delights are consistently fresh, toothsome, and irresistible. The no-frills service is quick and friendly, perfect for grabbing a sweet bite on the go (or smuggling into a Beyoncé concert). Try the Texas-sized options if you're with a group. Don't leave Inglewood without trying this delicious piece of local history.

Roscoe's is the place for down-home Southern cooking in Southern California. Just ask the patrons who drive from all over L.A. for reasonably priced fried chicken and waffles. The name of this casual eatery honors a late-night combo popularized in Harlem jazz clubs. Friday and Saturday nights, Roscoe's Hollywood location stays open until 4 am.

When The Valley contingent of the largest Iranian population outside of Iran wants a taste of home, they look no further than Sadaf, a pretty palace of modern Persian cuisine with white tablecloth levels of service. Combo platters heaped high with lean cuts of filet, chicken, lamb, or fish broiled over an open fire and fluffy basmati rice are the recommended play here if you eat meat. If you don't, you needn't stay away as there are lots of dishes with built around yogurt, fresh produce, beans, or rice. Opened in 2011, there is a sister restaurant in Thousand Oaks and one coming soon in Beverly Hills.

Featuring all locally sourced meat, seafood, and produce and a popular patio, this brunch and lunch spot proves that despite appearances, Californians love traditional meat-based staples and cocktails just as much as they love their kale salads and smoothies. If you're in doubt, just take a good look at this joint's hearty sandwiches.

A Southern California favorite that seems like a tourist trap at first blush but decidedly isn't, this Italian seafood haven has been serving up fresh fish since 1939. This freshness comes from its pedigree as the largest seafood distributor in the Southwest. Come for lunch or dinner, but make sure to take time to stroll around the market, read up on the history, and enjoy free tastings of the specials. The simple menu lets the freshness speak for itself, with options including pan-roasted branzino with butternut squash curry, as well as sandwiches (try the gorgeous Maine lobster roll on butter-toasted brioche), soups, plates for kids, and an oyster bar.

Bread is in this restaurant's name and should be front and center on your dining plan here as it's freshly baked and delicious, served with sides like fresh cheese and smoked trout. The light, bright, and open space and umbrella- and tree-filled patio is popular for coffee and baked bread and pastries early in the day; grain bowls, salads, and avocado toast for lunch and brunch (on weekends); and the oyster bar, sandwiches, pastas, and creative cocktails as lunch rolls in to dinner. Menus change with the season and cocktails are made with locally sourced spirits.

L.A. may not be known for barbecue but this no-frills saloon-inspired joint delivers juicy carnivore cuts like brisket, ribs, and sausage, plus southern sides (corn muffins, potato salad, and mac and cheese!) for when you feel like eating until the meat sweats kick in. The giant double-barreled smoker greets guests before they're even through the door. Try the wide variety of hot and barbecue sauces and finish with fried Oreos or Twinkies. You might just think you've died and gone to Texas though tri tip's roots are firmly planted on the Central California coast.

Muggles can feast on British pub fare and toast with butterbeer just like the boy who lived and generations of Hogwarts students at Three Broomsticks and Hog's Head, a snow-capped rustic tavern and bar found within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter section of Universal Studios. Wash down across-the-pond favorites—including shepherd's pie (there's also a vegan version), fish-and-chips, chocolate trifle, and bangers and mash—with four types of butterbeer (hot, cold, nondairy, and frozen). It's a great choice for diners with allergies as they have menus that cater to those who can't eat the top nine culinary allergens (milk, sesame, soy, tree nuts, etc.).

This is just the kind of over-the-top theme dining situation you'd expect from its prime location on Universal CityWalk and its mouthful of a name. The extensive menu caters to everyone with comfort foods including nachos made with Tater Tots instead of chips, and the steampunk decor includes a domed ceiling with a dirigible mural, industrial cogs, and smokestacks. There's a bar, multilevel dining rooms, and a retail shop to purchase house-made chocolates. Big groups with aching feet slide into comfy booths for fanciful cocktails (one is topped with a cotton candy cloud), over-the-top milkshakes and desserts and a robust selection of soups, salads, burgers, pastas, and larger entrées like vegetarian stir-fry or meat loaf. Gimmicky but unique are the options that use chocolate in savory applications. For example, onion rings come with chocolate aioli, sliders have chocolate covered bacon and wings are flash-fried in hot chocolate sauce.