1438 Best Restaurants in California, USA

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.

Hakata-style tonkotsu (pork) and extra-intense chicken paitan ramen are the specialties of this modern-looking Japan Center restaurant that serves what many consider the city's finest bowl of ramen and has expanded into a 10-location chain. Long lines here can be daunting, but tables move pretty quickly inside the bustling yet relaxed space decorated with wood design elements and dangling Edison bulbs. A few izakaya small bites, rice bowls, beer, and both Japanese and locally made sake round out the menu.

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.

This steak house doesn't just feature the best views of the beach; it's also a great place to scope out A-listers. You may be paying for the ambience, but mouthwatering Wagyu steaks, Dungeness crab, and lobster mashed potatoes just seem to taste better when the ocean is nipping at your feet. Live jazz can be heard every night of the week, and a lively brunch on the weekends is always a scene as well. To score a reservation, try booking at least three weeks in advance.

Matū is a steak restaurant that features 100% grass-fed Wagyu beef from New Zealand. Diners are treated to a cavalcade of meaty options, but you should opt for the (surprisingly) affordable Matū dinner that comes with five courses and includes everything from steak tartare to eight-hour braised beef cheek. If you come for lunch, you can partake in the best Philly cheesesteak in the city made with the same exceptional beef.

The tastefully eclectic Mayan decor at this restaurant near the Skunk Train depot hints at the layers of complexity in the Yucatán-inflected cuisine based on the chef-owner's family recipes. Tamales, empanadas, sweet Mexican corn, fish tacos, and pork slow-roasted in banana leaves form the menu's backbone, with pork osso buco and the meatless, mildly spicy Thai burrito (or add coconut prawns) typical of the fusion plays.

This California-cuisine-centric restaurant might be named after the architect of the nearby Palace of Fine Arts, but it's very much a hip place for contemporary cooking. The menu wildly varies in terms of inspiration, from charred avocado to truffle spaghetti, but each dish is compelling and consistently executed perfectly. A horseshoe-shaped bar anchors the dining room and produces some of the neighborhood's finest cocktails. 

Since 1956, the Gillman family has been serving up its famous two-patty "Moo Burger"—so big it presumably still makes cow sounds. The convivial diner is also known for milk shakes and floats.

For quick healthy bite, Mendocino Farms offers a convenient selection of chef-created sandwiches, salads, soups, and sides with comfortable and abundant seating. Kids will enjoy the corner chalkboard area with free rein to doodle.

Look for the lines on busy Geary Street where Union Square blurs into the edges of the Tenderloin and you'll find what eager ramen fans consider the city's best bowl. This was the first U.S. outpost of a prominent Tokyo-based ramen shop, and the quality and consistency of its noodles and broths continue to be spectacular. The decor on the walls is primarily a series of graphics explaining the scientific aspects of ramen; if you want a doctorate in ramen, this is a good place to start.

Very few dining destinations in the Bay Area test the boundaries of what exactly is a "restaurant" quite like chef-owner Ryan Shelton's innovative tasting menu–only concept that moved in 2024 from its original intimate home on Fillmore to an expansive industrial space in SoMa. For 2+ hours, guests are fully immersed into the meal's themes, which range from Humpty Dumpty to Color Theory. Each dinner showcases 10-12 courses (like a baby pea and green goddess salad with a Parmesan flower vase for the "green" color dish on the Color Theory menu), along with various decor flourishes and multimedia elements to enhance the exceptionally creative experience.

After starting as part grocer/part lunch café/part tasting menu, this tiny Fillmore spot is now fully devoted to the elaborate tasting menus of chef-owner Ryan Shelton. Themes and dishes change every few months (it could be "flowers" or "Alice in Wonderland"), but the one constant is Shelton's incredible imagination and ability to transform those themes into elaborate, technique-driven composed dishes. Among San Francisco tasting-menu establishments, this one is probably the most relaxed and fun. The warm, intimate atmosphere (headlined by the giant woven fiber art on the wall) truly feels more like a dinner party at a friend's loft than a formal restaurant.

With a spacious front bar and dining area and an excellent rear patio, it's easy to just call this Oracle Park–area establishment one of the leading places for a pre-Giants game meal. However, the food and cocktails are so good that it's a neighborhood favorite even when it's the middle of baseball's offseason. Taco Tuesday with 10 different choices is always popular, but regulars love to come for multiple courses, maybe starting with ceviche, followed by pozole verde with slow-cooked pork or a plate of grilled octopus al pastor, then churros with chocolate dulce de leche for dessert.

For an authentic Ethiopian experience, you will enjoy dining at the family-owned Merkato. Classics like spongy injera bread, spicy beef, and grilled fish are meant to be enjoyed with your hands. The market has Ethiopian ingredients to purchase to make at home.

SoMa's dining scene took a major hit when Deanna Sison's unique contemporary Filipino concept closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and never reopened in its original home. Luckily, Mestiza 2.0 was unveiled in 2024 and is in an even better location, just a block from Oracle Park. Guests fill the delightful patio for "plant-forward dishes" (but not always vegetarian) like mixed vegetable coconut curry bowls and mushroom tofu sisig roti wraps at lunch, and jammy five-spice eggs and braised pork adobo in the evening.

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 charred octopus with ibérico chorizo. 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.

Tucked away on the bottom floor of a tattoo parlor, this funky little taco shop has a drink menu larger than the Mexican food lineup (but don't let that dissuade you). Place your order next to the wall of bottle caps, and then head to the pet-friendly street-side patio that draws a crowd for the hearty burritos wrapped in warm, soft tortillas and authentic salsas that range from traditional red salsa to chipotle cream. Prepare to wait a few minutes for those no-skimp octopus tacos, and thick steak burritos. On Friday and Saturday, this hole-in-the-wall cures late-night munchies with carne asada fries and a 10 pm last call.

A longtime darling for Angelenos, Milk Bar is a sweets shop that will cure any sugary cravings. The Milk Bar pie and cereal-milk soft serve are favorites, but you can also take classes with owner Christina Tosi to become your own baking master.

Despite the rotation of chefs over the years, those who have dined at this elegant Rancho Santa Fe eatery since 1985 can always count on haute cuisine of sophisticated comfort classics. Menu favorites include starters like deviled eggs and beef tartare and mains that range from Wiener schnitzel to mallard duck breast; other dishes rotate with the harvest from farms and purveyors. The elegant dining rooms are decorated like a French villa, adorned with vintage Delft-style tiles imported from Portugal. In summer, the romantic courtyard under the 100-year-old Chinese Oak Tree is the preferred dining spot. Visit on a Friday or Saturday evening for live piano.

A splashy contemporary steak house attached to a basketball arena? It sounds like a bizarre combination, but it truly works at chef Tyler Florence's glamorous restaurant on the side of the Chase Center. Guests dress up to impress, the Caesar for two is tossed tableside, and shaved truffles and caviar are everywhere, yet the restaurant nicely balances out all of the Vegas-like decadence with enough of a seasonal market backbone to not be too over-the-top. Pricey dry-aged steaks might be the menu centerpiece, but there are many tempting options for diners not interested in beef.

Step into the Oaxacan oasis that is Mírate for an irresistible menu of tacos, ceviches, and aguachiles. The glamorous restaurant, with multilevel dining rooms, brings a festive vibe to Los Feliz with an all-Mexican wine and spirits list while staying true to its Southern Californian identity. Must-try dishes include the yucca fries and the lamb flautas that arrive with baba ghanoush, feta, and saffron-pickled fennel.

Healthy, creative dishes and a friendly staff make this art-filled East Village café a local favorite for breakfast and lunch. Hungry San Diegans wait 30 minutes or more to enjoy fluffy scrambled eggs with chicken apple sausage or strawberry banana pancakes with a side of eggs and bacon. Also popular are Mexican-inspired dishes like chilaquiles, breakfast burritos, and quesadillas. Outstanding rosemary, cinnamon, brown, and gluten-free breads are handmade, and the Mission Mocha coffee and Mexican hot chocolate are like liquid desserts. Lunch favorites include the border-inspired chicken pesto sandwich, tortilla soup, and house quesadilla. Locations are also found in Mission Beach and North Park.

Fresh seafood and waterfront views are some of the many reasons to swing by this fun restaurant in the shadow of the Chase Center (which, confusingly, is not within the Mission Rock development at the other end of the Mission Bay neighborhood). Everything here is casual but is also a big step above typical pub grub, from local rockfish in the ceviche and fish-and-chips to Dungeness crab on the deviled eggs. Some tables go for a proper multicourse meal, while others enjoy all of the tempting small plates tapas-style. Even if it isn't a sunny day, patio heaters and awnings keep diners (mostly) warm.

Brandon Jew's ambitious, graceful restaurant offers the chef's delicious contemporary, farm-to-table interpretation of Chinese cuisine that sometimes tweaks classic dishes with a California spin (hot-and-sour soup with nasturtiums) or enhances fresh produce with unique Chinese flavors (local asparagus with smoked tofu). The elegant dining room—accented with plants and a chrysanthemum chandelier—provides beautiful views of Chinatown, while the tasting menu breathes new life into it.

Three local families—with a fishing history—joined nets in 2008 to provide the best catch in Point Loma; a wall menu showcases sustainable seafood caught mostly by them, off the shores of San Diego and Baja. The fisherman’s stew and fish tacos are on point, loaded with swordfish, octopus, calamari, and rock fish, while the tuna melt and breaded shrimp beckon a cold brew to wash it all down. Regardless of the time of day, there’s usually a line out the door on Fridays. At low tide, you can see oysters under the pier, reminding you that you're as close to fresh seafood as it gets. Bypass the small indoor dining space for a patio table overlooking the dock, but keep an eye on your fries. If your neighbor doesn’t grab them, a seagull most certainly will. 

Thanks to multiple plugs by Oprah, each day's fresh batch of English muffins often sells out, but the scones, croissants, breads, and other baked goods also inspire. Breakfast brings pastries and sandwiches with scrambled eggs, cheddar, and bacon between a buttermilk biscuit; the lunch menu expands to include soups, salads, pizzas, and more sandwiches—turkey-pesto focaccia, ciabatta chicken-Asiago panini, and vegan veggies among them. There are other Model Bakery locations in downtown Napa and Yountville.

Come here for straightforward steaks—top sirloin, New York, filet mignon, prime rib, and T-bone. The only catch is that the waiters cook them, and the results vary depending on their skill level; but generally things go well, and kids love the experience. Expect typical steakhouse sides like soup, salad, and rice pilaf. Vegetarians might want to look elsewhere. 

When the fog and wind roll into the Richmond, savvy locals dive straight into this all-you-can-eat joint serving Japanese shabu shabu and other hot pot options. Guests can pair an inventive soup base, like fire coconut crab or spicy miso, with the restaurant's signature perfectly marbled Wagyu beef or Kurobuta pork for a satisfying meal. There's a full bar and a karaoke option for large groups.

There's no mystery why this place is a locals' favorite—the cozy eatery offers a mouthwatering breakfast menu that includes everything from chicken fried steak to a sizzling garden skillet brimming with fresh vegetables. Lunch includes sandwiches, salads, and hot plates such as meat loaf with potatoes, veggies, and cornbread. Top picks are the ABC burger (avocado-bacon-cheese) or the massive Paul Bunyan breakfast with eggs, potatoes, bacon, ham, sausage, and pancakes or French toast. The restaurant has four locations—one in Hesperia, one in Helendale, and two in Victorville. Parking at this, the original location, on Mojave Drive can be challenging since it’s next to a hotel, with occasional riffraff.