In and around Los Angeles, every restaurant that’s been around for more than a couple of decades seems to declare that Frank Sinatra was a regular. In the case of Dear John’s, this was actually true—and the steakhouse was a haunt for the crooner and his cronies from the time it opened in the early ’60s. Now, chef Josiah Citrin and the couple behind Rockenwagner Bakery have given the Rat Pack era steakhouse new life, with an old-school-cool ambience and delicious menu of classics with a twist, including a must-order chicken parm and “bougie” tots topped with creme fraiche, caviar and salmon roe.
The self-proclaimed “Heart of Screenland,” Culver City is a historic moviemaking town once located on the outskirts of Los Angeles. Today, it’s the current home of Sony Pictures Studios, as well as a growing hub for digital media and tech companies. Entertainment, media and tech’s outsized influence on downtown Culver City have kept the quiet Westside neighborhood’s main dining scene catering primarily to employees of Sony, Amazon, Apple, HBO and TikTok, while the major E Line-adjacent shopping hub Platform Culver City continues to showcase a handful of excellent, but pricey, dining options, like New York export Roberta’s.
When it comes to restaurants, there’s plenty to love in Culver City, both old and new alike. Newcomers like Citizen Public Market and well-known citywide favorites like Hatchet Hall forge a peaceful coexistence alongside local favorites like Tito’s Tacos and S&W Country Diner. While it remains to be seen whether the small city will ever become a true Los Angeles-wide dining destination, here’s where to dine, drink and snack in Culver City—from the sleepier Mar Vista-adjacent outskirts to the pedestrian-friendly streets of downtown Culver.
RECOMMENDED: Our full guide to Culver City