Carla Torres

When it comes to sushi, Los Angeles is (unsurprisingly) a sea of options. It's no wonder when you consider that the first sushi bar in the U.S., Kawafuku, was established in L.A. in the mid-1960 and, according to historians, was responsible for the sushi boom that would change the way Americans looked at and ate raw fish. It may come as no surprise that the California roll was also an L.A. invention, or that Studio City is the birthplace of tuna crispy rice (credited to Katsuya Uechi). RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Given our sushi legacy, every Angeleno has at some point asked: Where can you find the best sushi in L.A.? And like everything in this city, the answer is: it depends. Are we talking omakase? À la carte Edomae-style? How much are you trying to spend? Are you a purist or a modernist (e.g. how do you feel about truffle oil on sushi)? The list below is our guide to all things sushi in Los Angeles. We’ve front-loaded the high-end omakase spots ($250 and up), though there are many ways to play without sacrificing quality. From the Valley to the South Bay, prepare to leave no nigiri unturned.  How we review at Time Out

A good sandwich is like sex. When done right, you feel completely satisfied, daydream about it for days after, and can't wait to have it again. Lucky for us, Los Angeles is one of the great sandwich cities in the country. In fact, the French dip was (ironically) birthed here over a century ago, or at least that's the tale according to Philippe Mathieu of Philippe the Original, which you'll find on this list. Also on this list: a newer player who's reimagined the French dip sans-roast-beef—boy do we hope that thing sticks for the next hundred years. Of course, there's so much more to discover when it comes to iconic sandwiches in the City of Angels. You'll find Vietnamese shops slinging incredible banh mi, old- and new-school Jewish delis honoring (and reinventing) pastrami, and Italian subs in every conceivable form. Simply put, our sandwich game is on lock. For your mouth-watering pleasure, here are L.A.'s very best sandwich shops (excluding the bagel and fried chicken varieties, which deserve lists all their own). Updated June 2026: For this update, we’ve removed the now-closed Gwen / The Pie Room as well as All'Antico Vinaio and Uptown Provisions. Joining the list are Henrietta, Sogno Toscano, and Gjusta. We've also reformatted each entry to make the most useful info easier to find at a glance. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

You know the saying "only boring people get bored"? Charles Bukowski—L.A.'s poet laureate of dive bars and cheap wine—lived by that ethos. He also lived in East Hollywood, drank at the same few spots (looking at you, Musso & Frank's), and probably never drove 45 minutes for tacos. If you’re reading this, you’re probably seeking more stimulation than Bukowski, and the country's most sprawling food mecca has it in spades. The best meal of your life might be in a strip mall off the 10, a Little Tokyo office building basement, or walking distance from LAX. You may have to drive, but you won’t have to fly, because generations of immigrants have turned L.A. into a city where you can eat your way around the world without ever leaving town. Our list of L.A.'s best restaurants spans the Michelin-starred, the buzzworthy, the under-the-radar, and the mom-and-pop spots you might otherwise overlook because that Law Brothers or Chris Hemsworth billboard caught your eye. If it's on the list, we think it's worth the drive, the hype, and the price—and worth coming back to again and again. We promise you won’t get bored. Best L.A. restaurants at a glance: Best for inventive Thai: Anajak – a recently renovated 44-year-old institution passed from parents down to former Imagineer turned James Beard Award–winning chef Justin Pichetrungsi. (Sherman Oaks; $100+ pp) Best place to hit up during a layover: Tomat – one of the city’s most sustainable restaurants, minutes from LAX (Westchester; $50+ pp)

Los Angeles is renowned for its weather. It can get chilly in the evening (always pack a sweatshirt!), but alfresco dining is a delight year-round. Whether you're surrounded by oak trees, staring out at the Pacific Ocean, or nestled among ivy and string lights, L.A. puts on a show when it comes to patio flair. While Angelenos don't need many bells and whistles to have a fantastic meal outdoors (shoutout to good old-fashioned tables on the sidewalk, Crudo e Nudo and Little Dom’s to name a few), the L.A. restaurants below are worth a special trip for the setting alone. A handful lean harder on ambiance than on food, and we've noted where that's the case. Updated May 2026: There have been lots of closures since our last update, sadly. Namely, Amour, Stephanie Izard’s Cabra, Michael Mina’s Mother Tongue, Melody, and downtown darling Cha Cha Chá. We’ve also opted to remove Gracias Madre, Perilla LA, Zizou, and Spago Beverly Hills from the list—the food-and-ambiance math simply didn’t add up, as far as we’re concerned. Newcomers include Cosetta, Cobi’s, Beethoven Market—give it up for the Westside, am I right?—and Inn of the 7th Ray in Topanga. We’ve also revised the order to account for taste as much as the visual experience. How we review at Time Out. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do outside in Los Angeles

It’s widely agreed upon that Los Angeles is the best Korean barbecue destination outside of Korea. Most of the gems are packed into a few blocks of Koreatown, where you can't walk down the street without whiffs of beef and pork enticing you toward a nearby sizzling tabletop grill. You know the drill: red meat comes to the table, you (or a server) work the tongs, and small bowls of banchan keep showing up while the soju flows. More often than not, the meal also includes a bubbling stew, a pile of corn cheese, and a finale of kimchi fried rice scraped tableside. It's no wonder KBBQ is the city's default dinner move. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles For this guide, I've rounded up the spots worth the drive, the wait, and the dry-cleaning bill. On the list, you’ll find many Koreatown institutions, plus a few key picks farther afield. Whether you're hosting out-of-towners, celebrating a birthday, or planning a meaty date night, there's a spot here for you. Updated April 2026: This update welcomes MUN Korean Steakhouse and Patio, Pigya, Dae Sung Ro, and Baekjeong to the list. We've also said goodbye to Mapo Chicken and Jae Bu Do—while both are delicious, KBBQ purists would argue that chicken stir-fry and a seafood grill aren't quite the same as barbecue. Rankings have been revised with authenticity in mind. Park's BBQ remains the gold standard, but factoring in price, Soowoon Galbi delivers a comparable experience without punishing your wallet, so it’s been promoted

Ah, Santa Monica. The muscle beach from Rocky III. The iconic pier from Forrest Gump. The place where Barbie enters the real world. A beautiful, sun-blasted, deeply vibes-forward beach city within a city. But what you really need to know about Santa Monica is that there's an overwhelming amount of good food to be had here, beyond the pier and promenade tourist traps, cooked by chefs who live and breathe Santa Monica and can be spotted at the farmers' market every Wednesday. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants on the Westside From Southeast Asian to omakase to Italian to Californian and everything in between, Santa Monica is a culinary destination in its own right. This guide is by no means exhaustive, but these are the Santa Monica restaurants we think you shouldn't miss. Updated March 2026: Birdie G’s, Berbere, and Socalo have closed their doors and have been removed from our list. Huckleberry has also been removed. Holy Basil and Cosetta, which opened in the last year, have been added, as well as Jyan Isaac Bread, Tartine, and Fia Steak. We’ve also revisited many of the restaurants on the list, reordered and revised them, and added a slew of new tips.  Food and drink venues included in most guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good,” and we’ve also standardized how most listings are structured. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

There's no better setting to spill the tea than over an actual pot of it. The English pastime of afternoon tea might just be the city's most underrated excuse to gather your friends, settle into a plush chair and gossip for two hours straight over finger foods á la sandwiches and scones, rare teas, and—at most spots—a glass of something bubbly. What was once the domain of a five-star hotel lobby has bloomed (pun intended) into a full-on tea scene, stretching from Beverly Hills to the San Gabriel Valley. Whether you're after a confectionery interpretation of Hollywood award season’s red carpet, a psychic tea reading, or a harpist serenade, there's a version of afternoon tea for every mood and budget. Here's the tea on afternoon tea in Los Angeles.  Updated April 2026: Sugarbird Sweets Cafe in Glendale has shut its doors and therefore has been removed from the list. Price points and seasonal offerings have been revised. Our rankings reflect where to get the most steep for your spend. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out.

There are a few prerequisites to calling yourself an Angeleno: hiking Runyon Canyon, dismissing the Walk of Fame for anything other than the Chinese Theatre, and waiting in line for brunch. In a city where the weather is good ten months out of the year, a line for brunch is just part of the hang. And it’s only the beginning. Whether you’re nursing a hangover, planning a sunny first date, or just looking for a meal that’s going to get you through the week, this list has your number. Sure, you’ll find solid eggs Benedict. But also, the thickest French toast you've ever seen, duck confit—wait for it—chilaquiles, and cocktails that make day-drinking fun again. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one shooting food-porn. Read on for what we think are the best brunches in Los Angeles. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Updated April 2026: After one-too-many tries hoping for something better, we’ve opted to remove BlueJam Cafe from our list. Newcomers include the low-key Aussie café Blueys and celeb fave Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. As for rankings, you know the deal—restaurants ebb between good and great all the time. Our changing order reflects the reality that some classics fall behind and others surge ahead. How we review at Time Out.

Venice Beach has been through a lot. At the turn of the 20th century, Tobacco millionaire Abbot Kinney had a vision of creating the Italy of America (hence the Venice canals)—a high-minded and creative seaside utopia—only for it to become a wasteland dubbed "the slum by the sea" by the 1950s. The decades that followed brought bodybuilders, skateboarders, punk culture, and a crack epidemic that got dark for a while. Then came the skate park, then the tech boom, and Abbot Kinney Boulevard's transformation into one of the most recognizable shopping streets in the country. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles right now Despite the turns of fate, Venice has remained an artistic, bohemian enclave where the vibe always comes first. The Doors famously met here. Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac hung out here. And Leonardo DiCaprio's favorite pasta spot is here (ahem, Felix). From taco trucks to modern izakayas to one of the city’s only Panamanian restaurants, eating in Venice Beach is a guaranteed good time.   Updated April 2026: Since our last update, we’re sad to report that Lincoln Boulevard standout Camp Pho has closed. Cafe Gratitude has also been removed. Meanwhile, RVR, Barrique, Market, and La Isla Bonita join the list. Time Out has also instituted a sitewide change in review policies. All food and drink venues included in guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good.” We’ve also standardized how most l

Fact: L.A. County is home to the most diverse, high-quality array of Chinese cuisine in the country. While many of the area’s best Chinese restaurants are in the San Gabriel Valley—and technically outside city limits—you’ll still find plenty of excellent, more centrally located options in Chinatown, West L.A. and Silver Lake, among other neighborhoods. In recent years, a newer generation of chefs has also expanded the definition of Chinese food, blending old family recipes with seasonal, high-quality ingredients and uniquely L.A. flourishes.  L.A. has plenty of Cantonese, Taiwanese, Shanghainese and Sichuan heavyweights, plus dim sum options and cross-regional specialists that wear multiple hats. For the purposes of this guide, I looked for destination-worthy bangers, and I found them in spades, albeit only in certain styles and categories.  Whatever you’re in the mood for, you’ll probably find something to love in my carefully researched guide to the best Chinese restaurants in L.A.—from a farm-to-table Chinese eatery to the best no-frills, cash-only storefronts. For planning purposes, I’ve indicated with an asterisk (*) all places located within city limits—so you can find a great Chinese meal even when where you live, work and play isn’t all that close to the SGV. Updated February 2026: With Chinese New Year fast approaching, there's no better time to explore L.A.'s vast and unrivaled Chinese dining scene. This year, we've trimmed the fat off our guide, removing a few spot

The Los Angeles food scene is hard to keep up with. How do you know when to prioritize something new over something tried-and-true? Maybe you have a celebration that demands a Michelin Star splurge (check out our comprehensive Michelin Star guide), or maybe you're working your way through our list of L.A.'s Best Restaurants and don't want to get sidetracked. Either way, that's what we're here for—to log the miles across the 88 towns that make up Los Angeles County and seek out the new spots that actually demand an investment of your time and coin.  Updated March 2026: For this update, we’re featuring the brick-and-mortar return of the beloved Fiorelli, the hotly anticipated Larchmont diner Max & Helen’s from Phil Rosenthal and Nancy Silverton (clocking one of the longest waits in L.A. dining history), and Holy Basil’s migration to the Westside. Plus, Hermon residents (approximately 3,500) just got their first namesake neighborhood restaurant. All the new restaurants on this list have opened within the last 6 to 9 months, most closer to the six-month mark. That said, there's plenty on our shortlist we haven't made it to yet (and the pedigree speaks for itself): Wilde’s, the new Los Feliz home of Sarah Durning, one of our Best Young Chefs; Corridor 109, Brian Baik’s long-awaited Korean-inflected fine dining experience in East Hollywood; and the other Nancy Silverton affiliated-project Koreatown pasta bar Lapaba. Ready, set, eat! 

Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, which means many of L.A.’s most desirable restaurants have been booked solid for weeks—spontaneity rarely pays off in this town. But before you resign yourself to a sad prix fixe of charcuterie, Caesar salad, and filet mignon, take heart: there are still great last-minute tables to be had. You’ll find panoramic city views, a candlelit canyon hideaway, and multi-course feasts that feel like a true special-occasion splurge. Because Valentine’s Day should be an excuse to shake things up, not settle for blasé—nor stay in and rewatch Heated Rivalry. You’ve got the rest of the year for that. RECOMMENDED: The best bars in L.A. to toast to your sweetheart 

Nearly 2,000 years ago, well before refrigeration, Japanese fisherfolk preserved their catch by wrapping it in fermented rice and salt and stashing it in darkened storerooms. This proto-sushi was called narezushi. "Soko" means "storeroom" in Japanese, which is exactly what this eight-seat sushi bar tucked away in the lobby of the super swank Fairmont Miramar used to be. That is, before Masa Shimakawa, a Hokkaido native and veteran sushi chef (formerly of Nomi at the Park Hyatt Chicago and ONYX at the Four Seasons Westlake Village), transformed the property's storage closet into a shrine for fish. As a diver and avid fisherman, it's no wonder Shimakawa's reverence for undersea creatures is alive and well in every bite. Simply watching him slice into flesh and handle rice is a treat, as is the chef's choice omakase ($185 for six courses or $160 for five). On a recent visit, the five-course delighted with a firefly squid and Maine lobster alongside earthy white asparagus, crisp watermelon radish and a bright tosa-zu gelee. The starter does what a starter should—waking up the palate for what follows: an unadulterated tuna trio of akami, chu-toro and o-toro alongside a garden of shiso and other herbs. The protein party continues with a hot mid-course of exquisitely prepared Miyazaki A5 wagyu and black cod alongside pickled veggies. The five-course omakase rounds things out with five pieces of seasonal (often off-menu) nigiri, miso soup and dessert. If you get lucky, there might ju

This Marina del Rey strip mall haunt with tinted windows has mysteriously flown under the radar, despite being around for nearly 20 years. Once you find it, you get why it's gatekept. It's a shoes-off, sit-on-the-floor situation, though sunken tables mean your legs won't cramp. Don't judge this sushi joint by its no-frills aesthetic or its laminated, spiral-bound, picture-filled menu—Irori is serious when it comes to raw fish. The sushi bar (also sunken) features the only chairs with backs in the restaurant, and it's my favorite place to watch the chefs at work—a meditation in precision—as they prepare sashimi, nigiri, rolls and temaki. Heads up: they will watch you too and enjoy every bite with you. Hot plates hit just as hard, namely the shrimp shumai, wagyu gyoza and hamachi kama. Arrive well into the day and items on the specials board will likely be crossed off, especially Hokkaido uni or sumi ika (cuttlefish). The options here are plentiful, regardless, from ocean trout topped with olive pearls and truffle oil to kamasu (barracuda) to ishigakidai (spotted knifejaws), which has the subtlest taste of uni (since that's what knifejaws eat). Best of all, the omakase menu changes daily and starts at $100, which is an incredible bang for your buck, as is the $32 sushi lunch combo.

Sogo Roll Bar is a hand roll and maki bar from the people behind Bar Covell and L&E Oyster Bar, with sushi master Kiminobu Saito of Sushi Note overseeing. This second outpost of the Los Feliz casual sushi bar on York Boulevard is one of the few places to score sushi in Highland Park. (It's also an occasional celeb-sighting spot, but we won’t say who because, well, decorum.) If you want temaki, you’ll have to sit at the bar, where the rolls come within seconds of being prepared (while the nori is still crisp). But Sogo goes beyond temaki. Any of their rolls can be prepared as temaki or maki, and the non-roll items excel, particularly the baked crab or the tuna crispy rice, and a black cod that arrives beautifully tender and slightly charbroiled. The quality of the fish is in line with Sushi Note, though fair warning: this is not a place for sushi purists. You won’t find a single piece of nigiri here (except for special events when chef Saito visits for the night—peep their Instagram for announcements). Like the neighborhood, the rolls here are dressed up with hipster flair. Expect lots of umami, acid and heat—I particularly liked the snapper with pops of wasabi, yuzu and lemon. If you're a wasabihead, try the salmon ikura and see if you can keep from crying. You can order à la carte or opt for roll sets. The wine list is inspired, thanks to the heavy influence of the oenophiles behind Bar Covell—it's structured (there's a printed menu, for one) and it rotates every couple of m

Gjusta has lived many lives since opening in 2014. The Venice bakery-deli hybrid—conceptualized by the same team behind neighborhood sibling Gjelina—is a hyper-local mainstay for those who live a block away (guilty), a mandatory pitstop for non-Westsiders finding themselves anywhere in the vicinity, and a bucket-list destination for out-of-towners. I’ve run (wholly unprompted) into East Coast friends on a layover. Once upon a time, Gjusta served dinner, but it has since found its sweet spot as a pure daytime operation. Because there are fewer hours in the day to house the masses, the shop relies on a ticket-number system reminiscent of a European supermarket or an old-school New York deli. Sure, the line can get unruly at times, and patrons occasionally bicker over numbers, but the unflappable staff manages to deftly de-escalate and make the hangry happy. The menu is famously fluid. For a while, the exquisitely cooked chili or herb (my pick) rubbed whole rotisserie chicken—served with crispy potatoes, wild arugula, and a trio of vibrant sauces: tzatziki, harissa, and chimichurri—mysteriously disappeared without explanation. It has thankfully returned and makes for a stellar group meal or a premium to-go situation for anyone looking to skip meal prep. The salmon rice bowl goes through a slightly different iteration every year, with some seasons proving stronger than others, and while the beloved chopped salad was recently 86’d, we’re shamelessly hoping it will make a heroic co

Italian may be the most romantic of the romance languages, and on any given night, the quaint alfresco patio at this breezy, all-day Santa Monica café is packed with actual Italians. They come to the self-proclaimed “lifestyle cafe” for perfectly al dente pasta, a stellar wine list, and hyper-authentic schiacciate (Tuscan-style sandwiches) built on fresh, airy focaccia from Culver City’s Bianca Bakery. Because Sogno Toscano originally got its start as a premium ingredient importer, everything here is dressed with oils and components shipped straight from the old country; you’ll definitely want to ask for a bottle of their signature olive oil for the table, and grab another from the retail shelf to take homeOther menu highlights include the Sardinian artichoke and wild arugula salad topped with 24-month Parmigiano Reggiano, and customizable taglieri (charcuterie boards) of all types and sizes. But the massive, though perfectly balanced, sandwiches remain a primary draw. The premium price tag reflects that imported quality—sandwiches start at $26, with a wagyu pastrami combo hitting $35—but given their generous size (one sandwich easily makes a meal for two), you’re getting your money’s worth. The absolute standout is the Tuscan tuna, loaded with yellowfin tuna conserva, lemon aioli, cornichons, and bright O’vesuvio tomatoes—though you can’t go wrong with any of the plethora of prosciutto di Parma, prosciutto cotto, or silky mortadella and stracciatella options. As you’d expect

Don't let the name fool you—this gourmet sandwich counter hidden in the back of an exceptional neighborhood wine and spirits shop churns out high-end, Italian countryside-style sandwiches on your choice of pillowy ciabatta or a crispy baguette. A tight, curated menu of just seven options manages to deliver across the entire sandwich spectrum. High-end highlights include the sopressata salami with manchego and sundried tomato spread, but the true MVP is the homemade tuna salad sandwich with Emmental cheese, which sells out every single day (unless it's Coachella weekend). Our take on the bread debate? Opt for the shatteringly crisp baguette over the denser ciabatta without hesitation. Properly topped off with EVOO and balsamic, and served with a little side of salt-cured olives and crunchy cornichons, these builds leave just one question: need we say more? Actually, yes, call ahead, place your order. It's the only foolproof way to beat the inevitable lunch line and guarantee yourself that coveted tuna sandwich before it sells out. Also, while you’re here, peruse the fantastic wine and imported goods collection. 

If the name Beethoven Market rings a bell, it’s because before becoming Mar Vista’s most talked-about neighborhood restaurant, it was a local grocer under the same moniker. Mar Vista resident and restaurateur Jeremy Adler (who is also a partner at Cobi’s in Santa Monica) bought the space and transformed it into the kind of place he’d want to be able to walk to a few times a week for a meal. That’s exactly what Beethoven Market is—a casual Cal-Italian restaurant that you and your wallet never tire of. The vibe: A stunning wraparound bar grounds the modern-yet-rustic indoor space and is the energetic fulcrum—though Beethoven Market is currently in the process of reinstating its liquor license, so the bar looks a bit naked without bottles adorning the glass shelves. Outdoors features a different centerpiece: a 50-year-old olive tree. Heat lamps make it a suitable space year-round in a part of town that often runs cooler thanks to the marine layer. Lemon trees and greenery ensconce the patio, and seating is comfortable and plentiful. It’s dog-friendly, too. You’ll encounter everything here from a group of UCLA students on a girls' night out to three generations of family to first-daters demurring over the last chicken-stuffed olive.  The food: About those chicken-stuffed olives… they’re tastefully fried and you need them (listed on the menu as olive ascolana). Focaccia with whipped ricotta and avocado tree honey is another non-negotiable. From there, there are many ways to enjoy

Topanga is a weird and wonderful place, and the Inn of the Seventh Ray is utterly transportive. Despite going on half a century, it remains one of the canyon's best-kept secrets for good reason. Dinner plays out like a fairytale: enter through a vine-covered archway, wind down brick pathways to your table, and dine beneath grand old sycamores and oaks draped in twinkling lights, alongside a flowing creek (rain-dependent) and chirping frogs (kiss the girl, anyone?).  While the New Age haven now aims to attract a more mainstream clientele, it hasn't lost touch with its hippie roots—vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes happily coexist alongside grass-fed filet mignon with garlic mashed potatoes and black-vinegar-braised short ribs with BBQ-spiced carrots. The locally sourced, organic menu pairs nicely with a biodynamic wine list (which received a 2025 award of excellence from Wine Enthusiast), and dinner might also include crispy shrimp cakes, grilled octopus or a creamy black truffle risotto. Weekend brunch is great too, especially the whole-grain Belgian waffles. After a year and a quarter of intermittent closures due to the fires and landslides, Topanga Canyon Boulevard is finally fully open again, meaning there's no longer an excuse to skip this canyon gem. Don't skimp on the à la carte bread service either, featuring house-baked rustic bread with fennel butter.

You might just miss Lucia—sandwiched between rolling shutters—if it weren't for the golden snake door handle and fun-house mirrors that catch the eye as you stroll down Fairfax Avenue. Follow the snake inside, and a whole other world opens up: the Afro-Caribbean culinary diaspora, set in what feels like the golden era of Atlantis (the lost empire, not the hotel). Towering shell domes crown palm-patterned velvet booths along the edges of the room, all with direct views of the white terrazzo bar anchored by 18-foot sculptural palms. Should you want a bit more privacy and quiet (a DJ spins every night beginning at 8pm), a rear dining area with non-shell booths is just as vibey. Owner Sam Jordan, formerly of Olivetta and Issima, originally tapped Top Chef Canada semi-finalist Adrian Forte (also Drake's private chef) to conceptualize the menu. But Lucia has changed quite a bit since it opened last May, and that's a good thing. Gone is the photo-driven fare claiming the Caribbean label—caviar bumps and sauced-up coconut fried chicken. Instead, newly appointed executive chef and Miami native Cleophus "Ophus" Hethington, a two-time James Beard "Emerging Chef" finalist, is bringing his Trinidadian roots to an evolving menu. The result is Afro-Caribbean comfort cuisine with a modern twist you can't get anywhere else in L.A. To start, opt for the hefty spiced Jamaican bun with coconut butter and sorrel-apricot jam, or the hearty wagyu beef patty with hot sauce and mango calypso. Mango i

Three years in, Angelenos still descend on Sunset Boulevard thirty minutes before opening, hoping to snag a seat at Donna's, the Eastside red-sauce neighborhood joint that's worth all the hype and then some. The place feels like Cheers, if Cheers were set in Echo Park and had a cast of hipsters. The intimate dining room is both rustic and retro, and you could spend the whole dinner getting lost in the floral wallpaper and knick-knacks you'd find at your nonna's house. But you could also very well get lost in what is one of the best garlic breads and one of the best fusilli alla vodka renditions in town. The bread, country sourdough sourced from local baker Out of Thin Air, is piled with garlic, oregano, parsley, and parmigiano. It’s decadent enough to last the meal and perfect for sopping up vodka sauce once you've stirred the dollop of whipped ricotta into your fusilli. The menu reads like a greatest hits of Italian-American classics: fried calamari, shrimp scampi with head-on blue Caledonian prawns, stracciatella, spaghetti and meatballs (meatballs available à la carte), linguine vongole with a kick of Calabrian chili, veal piccata, lasagna, and branzino. We haven't met a dish here we haven't loved, all the way down to the cannoli, tiramisu, and panna cotta. The bar holds up its end, too. Leading the program, Karla Flores Mercado wants to know your name and your poison; as you'd intuit, negronis, spritzes, and martinis reign here. Guests are properly sent off with a shot

Dae Sung Ro is a small but mighty K-Town BBQ joint known for its K-pop party vibes and kalbi tacos—yes, you read that right, tacos. Here, you can order a side of tortillas with onion and cilantro to turn your KBBQ into a Mexican fusion dish. But let’s be honest, meat and soju is the name of the game at DSR, where the vibe is best described as neo-industrial garage band. You'll understand what we mean when you start knocking back soju shots with your server and joining in on a singalong with the table nearby. The DSR combo ($88) feeds three and gives you a good bang for your BBQ buck: your choice of wagyu brisket or beef belly, plus kurobuta pork belly, house beef, marinated short rib, and either chadol doenjang or gochujang stew (both are delightful, but I'm partial to the chadol). Banchan is limited, and some á la carte dishes like dried filefish, cuttlefish, and fish cake soup aren't available until after 8pm—but that's not the case for incredibly thick pork jowl, radish kimchi fried rice, or steamed egg, which you'll definitely need to have a complete experience here. One thing to know before you go: DSR is one of the smokier spots in K-Town, so keep the suede and leather at home and tuck anything you want to protect from the barbecue smell inside your chair, which doubles as a cubby.

MUN Korean Steakhouse and Patio is an upscale Koreatown spot with two distinct vibes under one roof—a sleek, all-black indoor dining room equipped with smokeless grills, and a 4,000-square-foot dog-friendly stringlit patio out back. The menu leans heavily into prime cuts with glorious marbling—ribeye, aged boneless short rib, hanging tender (tossi), and chuck tail flap. It's the kind of beef program you'd expect at a high-end chophouse. But it's the cauldron-style cooking that sets MUN apart: they grill the pork belly on the raised center, let the fat render down into the moat, then drop kimchi into the pool of pork fat to caramelize. Along with yuzu highballs and blackberry sage margaritas. Combos vary from the Steakhouse to the Patio. For MUN Steakhouse, the OMG Combo ($200) feeds four and includes prime beef belly, prime ribeye, seasoned hanging tender, seasoned short ribs, pork belly, and pork jowl—plus the endless procession of banchan, which includes wonderfully meaty king trumpet mushrooms. Out back, MUN Patio swaps the yang steakhouse aesthetic for a campground-meets-pojangmacha vibe, complete with a DIY ramen bar and treats for your four-legged friends. Try the Pabulous combo (pa’ kimchi and pork belly, fried rice and jajangmyeon) and the two newest additions to the menu: the Arirang Saap ($49 regular; $69 large)—a Thai-style pork bone tower drenched in tangy chili-lime sauce, and the Awe-ssam ($49)—a build-your-own-bite situation with sweet and spicy bulgogi, ssam w

Chef Debbie Lee's new-school take on a Korean gastropub in Highland Park—a fusion of her Northern Korean heritage, Southern upbringing, and decades in Los Angeles—is as unconventional as it is deeply personal. Photograph: Stan LeeYi Cha The chef-owner, who has appeared on Food Network Star, Chopped, and Morimoto's Sushi Master, darts around the long, narrow dining room delivering platters of jangjorim (wet beef jerky) and fish jerky to tables, sharing her story in the process. Kimchee is made with salt and shrimp, the Northern Korean way, as opposed to the fish-and-oyster style down south. Paired with tofu and crispy pork belly, it's a delectable dish—best with a side of barley rice, which holds sentimental value for North Koreans since the communist regime banned white rice at markets (barley’s the next best thing). RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Debbie's not trying to do Korean the OG authentic way; there are plenty of great restaurants in Koreatown for that, she'll tell you herself. At Yi Cha, she's putting a modern spin on what Korean food looks like. This, of course, earns her the occasional side-eye from Korean aunties, but also a devoted Korean couple who drives from Venice, orders the whole menu, and calls their leftovers meal prep for the week. Photograph: Stan LeePick Me Up cocktail from Yi Cha A lineup of cocktails and Korean spirits pair well with the food, which, as you can imagine, has a lip-smacking quality to it. The menu is sectioned off