Mark Peikert

Face it, Angeleno: It’s Chinatown. And the menus there are often worth the cross-city trek. If you’re still thinking of cash-only, lazy-Susan feasts, well, there are still plenty of those around. But these days, you’re just as likely to stumble on a great burger, a Filipino feast, a natural-wine bar or a cure-all cocktail lounge. That’s the fun of eating and drinking in this particular neighborhood: Despite its name, Chinatown refuses to stay in one culinary lane. The neighborhood’s three main plazas—Far East, Mandarin and Central—are packed with everything from decades-old institutions to newer spots that have made the area into a destination in its own right. Come hungry, bring cash and be willing to explore. We’ve rounded up the Chinatown restaurants and bars worth a visit, whether you want a bowl of beefy pho, a double-dipped French dip, Nashville hot chicken or a great glass of wine.  RECOMMENDED: See more in our full guide to things to do in Chinatown

Getting seats to the best Broadway shows usually requires quite a bit of advance planning. But what if you haven't planned, and you urgently need to see a show tomorrow or even tonight? Don't panic: There are plenty of options for last-minute tickets, especially if you’re willing to put in some legwork. It partly depends on what you're willing to pay and how much risk you're willing to take—and, of course, on plain old luck. If everything goes your way, you might even luck into cheap Broadway tickets, great seats or a chance to see hit shows that you would never have been able to get into earlier. Here is our insider guide to buying last-minute Broadway tickets. The day before the show: Enter the digital lottery Many Broadway shows—including Aladdin, The Book of Mormon and Hadestown—conduct digital lotteries for cheap tickets on the day before each performance. In most cases, you enter the lottery online, then wait until later the same day to find out by email if you've won; if you do, you'll need to reply to the ticket offer within an hour or you'll lose your chance. A few shows, such as Wicked, do their drawings on the morning of the show itself; others have drawings once a week, notably the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child $40 ticket lottery and the $10 Hamilton lottery, both of which happen on Fridays and cover the week ahead. For a full list of shows that offer lotteries, consult Broadway on a Budget or Playbill's Broadway and Off Broadway listings. The morning of the s

The Hollywood Bowl is getting a serious dose of South Central L.A. For emajendat, visual artist Lauren Halsey will turn the amphitheater into a technicolor fever dream, complete with a custom stage set and a lineup that’s basically a who’s who of adventurous music. Erykah Badu and the Alchemist headline, bringing their soulful R&B and dusty hip-hop production to the Bowl ahead of their forthcoming collaborative album, while Anderson .Paak spins as DJ Pee .Wee, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea joins in, and Charles Gaines Collective teams up with L.A. jazz outfit Black Nile and Devin Daniels. Catch the maximalist spectacle on September 29; talk about it for weeks afterward.

Attention proud nerds: Anime After Dark is about to tip nerd culture into a deliriously playful burlesque fantasia at The Slipper Room. Expect a high-gloss collision of cosplay and cabaret as performers bring JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Spy x Family, Pokémon, Cowboy Bebop, Revolutionary Girl Utena, Ghost in the Shell and Sailor Moon to life with wit, heat, and precision. Featuring Lychee Mynx, Happy Bun Bun, Storm Psycho 6, Mae B. Koi and more. 

Tap your toes and enjoy the music at the 15th Annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, with performances running from June 1 through July 1. The festival pops up at major venues across NYC, including Sony Hall, Blue Note Jazz Club and SummerStage in Central Park. This year's performances include Ledisi, Durand Bernarr, Big Freedia, UMI, Bestin Conrad, Shabaka Hutchins, Kokoroko, Cymande, Take 6, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Jose James, BLK ODYSSY Louie Vega: Elements of Life and more. Here's the full lineup with ticketing info. 

The Sierra Club has organized this inaugural Earth Day concert, dubbed Sierra Sessions. Hosted by KCRW DJ Novena Carmel, the night will feature performances by eco-conscious songwriters and storytellers, including Hurray for the Riff Raff, Irene Diaz, Dr. Lyla June, Rising Appalachia, Rozzi and more. Each artist will perform a few songs in the intimacy of Village Studios and share reflections on nature and life on Earth. If you can’t make it in person, the concert will be streamed on YouTube on Earth Day, when the various chapters of the Sierra Club will also host watch parties. If you can make it to the show, stick around afterward for an after-party.

Whether you’re excited about or terrified by artificial intelligence, it seems to be here to stay. Creatives can learn how to work with AI at RenderCon—which offers a deep dive into the future of media, art and technology as it relates to AI. Hosted by the Render Network, the conference hosts artists—including L.A.-based Refik Anadol, the mind behind soon-to-open Dataland—developers and industry leaders for two days of talks, panels and hands-on workshops focused on real-world AI production workflows. Expect practical insights, demos of cutting-edge new tools and networking opportunities.

Erstwhile podcast host and comic about town Marc Maron has been branching out into live music lately. He’ll bring both the laughs and the melodies with his Marc Maron Band for one night only this April 13 at Lodge Room. Joining him on the bill will be special guest comedians Blair Socci and Lara Beitz. 

Celebrate sustainability in action at the Earth Day 2026 Festival, a free gathering from noon to 6pm in Union Square. Expect a full afternoon of climate-focused, family-friendly programming, including interactive workshops, live performances, "climate art" and activities. Dozens of environmental nonprofits and green businesses will be on hand, alongside sustainable food vendors, to make it easy (and fun) to learn how to live a little greener. 

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of MoMA PS1 with a free Block Party on Saturday, April 18. Running from 10am until 6pm at the Queens location, the event will feature artists, musicians and local companies coming together to party across the plaza, courtyard, and galleries in honor of five decades of modern art. The event is free, but "A Mural Workshop with Lady Pink" and "Red Canary Song Presents Fly in Power" require additional RSVPs.

On April 18, 19, and 25 at the Broadway Comedy Club, veteran magicians Jim Vines and Carl Mercurio perform a comedic set of tricks and illusions that is especially tailored to delight young audiences—though the rest of the family is likely to enjoy it, too. And at just $25 a ticket, this is a surprisingly affordable Times Square outing for a larger group.

Timed to the United States’ 250th anniversary, the American Folk Art Museum's Folk Nation: Crafting Patriotism in the United States exhibition explores how vernacular art has shaped national identity. Using the museum’s collection, the show delves into the meanings of “folk,” “nation” and “patriotism” at the 2 Lincoln Square gallery. It offers a thought-provoking look at who is represented in American stories and how those stories change. The show runs April 10–September 13, then reopens October 8 and runs through February 28, 2027.

Step into the atmospheric Crypt of the Cathedral at St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave.) for Music in the Crypt, a hauntingly intimate concert from Grammy-winning Experiential Orchestra led by James Blachly. The program, shaped by the space’s resonant acoustics, features works by Franz Schreker, Caroline Shaw and Beethoven. Performances are scheduled for 7:30pm on April 10, and at 5pm and 7:30pm on April 11.

Discover new global perspectives at the inaugural CONDUCTOR Art Fair of the Global Majority, a boutique event spotlighting artists and galleries from historically underrepresented regions. Running April 30 to May 3 at Brooklyn's Powerhouse Arts (322 3rd Ave.), the fair brings together work from across Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Oceania and Indigenous nations. Curated by Adriana Farietta in collaboration with Powerhouse Arts, expect a showcase that challenges traditional art market narratives while celebrating the richness and diversity of global contemporary art. 

Sure, you could fly to Japan for cocktails. Or you could just head to Lincoln Park. This fall, Sushi-san’s underground Dojo is once again a passport to Japan’s cocktail scene with the return of Tokyo Last Call, a five-week pop-up bringing bartenders from some of the country’s most acclaimed bars to Chicago. RECOMMENDED: Two Chicago-area eateries made the New York Times list of America’s best restaurants, including this suburban Greek charmer Now in its third season, Tokyo Last Call runs October 8 through November 8, with each weekend dedicated to a different Japanese bar. And unlike previous editions, this year’s lineup is entirely Japan-based, making it a particularly concentrated tour of the country’s current cocktail culture. The series kicks off October 8–11 with Bar Nayuta and bartender Hiro Nakayama, followed by Kyoto’s Cocktail Stand Furek and bartender Ryuichi Saito from October 15–18. Bar Trench bartender Rogerio Igarashi Vaz takes over October 22–25, followed by The Bellwood’s Cole Nunley October 29–November 1. The series wraps November 5–8 with Yas Kawakubo of Punch Room Tokyo. Each visiting bartender will serve a four-drink menu built around spirits from House of Suntory, including Roku Gin, Hibiki Japanese Harmony, Toki and Toki Black whiskies. The cocktails will showcase each bar’s individual approach, while drawing on the traditional techniques and flavors that have made Japan’s cocktail scene such a global obsession. The Dojo itself dons a speakeasy atmosphere

Have you ever visited an iconic landmark and thought, "That's it?" You're not alone. A new study from luggage-storage company Stasher has examined Tripadvisor ratings for 665 attractions across the country, and there are some that travelers were less than enthused about. RECOMMENDED: These 10 U.S. hotels are a book lover’s dream come true The biggest mismatch belongs to a Los Angeles icon: the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It topped Stasher’s list of the country’s most overrated attractions, with an online popularity score of 94.4 out of 100 but a Tripadvisor rating of just 3.4 out of 5. That rating tied the Alamodome in San Antonio for the lowest among the 10 attractions on the overrated list. Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey came in second, followed by Plymouth Rock–Pilgrim Memorial State Park in Massachusetts. Not surprising, since it's just a rock. Six Flags Great America in Illinois, Six Flags Over Georgia, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags New England also made the cut. And perhaps the most unlikely addition was the Central Park Zoo. Coming in at No. 6, the pocket-sized zoo's location wasn't enough for some reviewers, apparently, who found it underwhelming. But if the Walk of Fame and Six Flags are supposedly not worth your time, where should you go instead? Stasher’s underrated list offers alternatives, led by the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. It earned a 4.8 Tripadvisor rating while registering an online popularity score of just 21.8.

Anyone with an airline app on their phone knows that people are always trying to convince you to book low-cost travel ASAP. But here's one sale that would actually lose you money if you didn't act on it now. The annual Vegas 5-Day Sale is back with more than 180 limited-time offers, including deals on hotels, restaurants, shows, attractions and even weddings. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Las Vegas on the Strip and beyond Running through Saturday, September 26, the sale offers savings of up to 60 percent on select resort stays, plus other deals designed to trim the cost of a Vegas getaway. So if your fall calendar is looking a little too responsible, here's your excuse. Among the biggest hotel deals are up to 60 percent off at Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Horseshoe Las Vegas and The LINQ Hotel + Experience, with an included $50 food and beverage credit. SAHARA Las Vegas is also offering up to 60 percent off stays, while MGM Resorts properties—including MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Park MGM, New York-New York, Luxor and Excalibur—offer 50 percent off room rates. There are plenty of ways to turn a hotel discount into an even more appealing package. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is offering up to 20 percent off rooms plus a $50 daily resort credit and free parking, while Wynn and Encore are offering up to 30 percent off resort rooms or 20 percent off tower suites, plus a complimentary buffet pass for two. The STRAT has rooms starting at $49 midweek and $99 on weekends, w

Mike Majlak has eaten burgers around the world. Now he’s decided to do something slightly more ambitious than posting a number between one and 10 about them: He’s opening a burger restaurant in Hollywood. The social media personality, bestselling author of The Fifth Vital and IMPAULSIVE podcast co-host is bringing his 10/10Burger concept to a brick-and-mortar at 1253 Vine St., set to open October 10. After all, if 10,000 hours makes you an expert at something, then Majlak can comfortably be called a burger expert after years of obsessing over what separates a merely good burger from one worthy of a perfect score.  RECOMMENDED: The best burgers in America to sink your teeth into The menu is straightforward. The signature 10/10Burger comes with one or two smashed beef patties, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles, a toasted potato bun and the brand’s signature 10/10 sauce. There’s The Old School, a classic burger with ketchup and mustard, plus a crispy chicken sandwich, homemade fries and a Cinnamon Toast Crunch milkshake to polish off the meal. “I’ve eaten hundreds of burgers around the world and spent my entire life figuring out exactly what makes the perfect burger,” Majlak said in a statement. “10/10Burger is a curation of everything I’ve learned along the way. We’ve taken this concept around the world to massive crowds, but having a permanent home in Los Angeles is a huge moment for me. I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and I’m excited for people to finally be a

California has officially declared September 25 to be Dolly Parton Day, which is perfect because we typically leave work on Friday afternoons quoting Parton in 9 to 5: "I need a drink, Roz. I'm takin' the rest of the day off." And we'll have plenty of options on 9/25 (get it: nine two five?), because the only thing unifying this country is our deep love for Parton and all she did.  RECOMMENDED: Grab a book and a drink at these L.A. literary events this fall Start your Dolly Day downtown with a lunchtime concert from Grand Performances and the DTLA Alliance. From noon to 1pm, Leslie Stevens and Andy Keathley will perform at 350 S. Grand Ave., with giveaways and a chance to learn more about bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Los Angeles. And while you're down there, pay homage to the exterior of Charlie's Bar in 9 to 5, located at 507 W. 6th St. Then head to Amoeba Music in Hollywood, where a portion of the store’s September 25 proceeds will benefit Dolly’s Imagination Library. Used books will be 30 percent off, and there’ll be a Dolly-inspired photo op. Schmitty’s, in West Hollywood’s Rainbow District, will also have a Dolly-themed photo booth, as well as her greatest hits playing throughout the day and Tennessee Tea drink specials. Guests are encouraged to dress as Dolly or embrace their best Western looks, so now you have a reason to commit to the fringe. Or at least ask someone if they're auditioning for Oklahoma! later. Parton's filmography also gets the tribut

As every New Yorker knows, space is at a premium. So why buy clothes, drink wine and listen to music in three different places when one storefront could offer all three at once? That’s the thinking behind Million Goods, a shop that has turned retail therapy into a full day out. RECOMMENDED: Grand Central commuters are about to get some great new dining options Part menswear boutique, part wine bar and part hi-fi listening lounge, Million Goods launched in 2024, with founders Drew Kaufmann and Matt Reyer building the Greenpoint space around a trifecta of good clothes, low-intervention wine and great sound. Photograph: Joe ThomasMillion Goods Now, the multi-hyphenate store has opened a dramatically larger flagship at 201 DeKalb Ave., bringing its particular brand of leisurely retail to a Fort Greene brownstone. Visitors can browse brands including Amomento, Berner Kühl, Document, Études Studio, MHL Margaret Howell, Nicholas Daley, OAMC Peacemaker, Ranra, Rold Skov, Soulland, Sunflower and ssstein, then settle in for a glass of wine or a cup of tea.  Million Goods continues to focus on small growers and low-intervention producers, with a compact, regularly changing list available by the glass or bottle. There’s also a small menu of snacks, keeping things loose and casual, especially in good weather when the backyard garden offers anyone not in a hurry to linger for another drink. Photograph: Joe ThomasMillion Goods The flagship boasts architecture and interiors by Gjergji S

Remember when it was exciting that Grand Central Terminal got a Shake Shack because finally there'd be something you wanted to eat on the go there? Those days are long gone, because this fall, Osteria Centrale and Mercato Centrale will open in the terminal’s southwest corner, bringing a 250-seat Italian restaurant and a gourmet market to the landmark. RECOMMENDED: A massive Southern comfort food restaurant is opening in Times Square Designed by The Rockwell Group, Osteria Centrale will occupy nearly 7,000 square feet and stay open daily from 11am to 2am. Its centerpiece is a 50-seat oblong bar, with mostly high-top seating and banquettes designed for everything from a quick spritz and snack to a full dinner. The restaurant is accessible from the Main Concourse near the staircase leading to 42nd Street. The menu is built around Italian osteria staples, with cicchetti, salads, antipasti, a mozzarella bar, tramezzini, pasta, focaccia sandwiches and larger plates. Expect dishes including branzino al cartoccio with olives and capers ($35) and stufato di manzo with root vegetables and rosemary ($34). If you’re feeling indulgent, three-tiered towers of salumi and formaggi start at $25. The $18 cocktails include the Positano Spritz with Aperol and sparkling wine, the Paloma Milano with tequila, Campari and grapefruit soda and the Centrale Espresso Martini, made with vodka, dark rum, Amaro Montenegro, espresso and a nitro infusion. There will also be wine, draft beer, spirits and zero

If you like your art fairs with a little more personality (and perhaps a round of mini golf?), the Other Art Fair is coming back to Los Angeles to save you. The Saatchi Art-presented fair takes over Santa Monica's Barker Hangar Monica September 24–27 for its 16th L.A. edition, bringing together 160 independent artists from 14 countries. RECOMMENDED: Sure, it has ‘Star Wars,’ but the Lucas Museum’s free library and gardens are just as stellar Nearly half of the exhibitors are L.A.-based, while 63 percent identify as women. The fair’s roster includes painters, photographers, mixed-media artists and printmakers, with work spanning everything from sun-drenched Palm Springs to vintage airline nostalgia and saturated figurative painting. Among the artists exhibiting are Isabel Araneda, Ella Freire, Laura Porcelli, Kiara Aileen Machado, Leticia Lorenzini and Xan Padron. And because now is the season of Dolly Parton, this installment includes a special exhibit for Dolly Parton Day on September 25, with "Self Made Icon: A Life in Rhinestones," a collection of artist tributes, all priced under $500. The DJ will be spinning Parton songs; the bar will be slinging "The Dolly Partini" and expect a lot of pink.    Photograph: Courtesy The Other Art Fair"Cup of Ambition" by Lisa Tse  This year’s fair also gets considerably more playful with The Other Open: Artist-Designed Mini Golf. Three female artists have created three playable holes, turning the fair into something between an exhibitio

Kato is celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with the kind of family reunion we can get behind: one that involves two acclaimed chefs, multiple courses and absolutely no tableside drama (or cheap wine). On September 24 and 25, the two-Michelin-starred Los Angeles restaurant will host chef Kevin Tien of Washington, D.C.’s Moon Rabbit for a two-night collaboration dinner honoring Zhongqiu Jie, the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time to celebrate family, abundance and the changing season. At Kato, that means hosting a pretty spectacular feast. RECOMMENDED: The New York Times named one dish from this Washington, D.C. restaurant among the best dishes of 2024 Kato chef-owner Jon Yao and Tien will team up on a multi-course menu for the occasion, with diners choosing wine, cocktails or nonalcoholic pairings. Each guest will also leave with a baked good as a memento to savor over breakfast the next day. (Or over the kitchen sink as soon as you get home.) Tien, who has been named a Food & Wine Best New Chef and received multiple James Beard Award finalist nominations, puts Vietnamese flavors and ingredients front and center while incorporating contemporary techniques, making his Washington, D.C. restaurant a destination in its own right. The collaboration also continues Kato’s annual Mid-Autumn celebration, giving diners a chance to mark the holiday through food while uniting chefs from opposite coasts. And while the event is inspired by the idea of reunion, you probably don’t need to bring the

The more you think about that old canard about Angelenos being shallow, beautiful idiots, the less sense it makes. Sure, New York City has an impeccable literary reputation (which NYC writers have spent a few dozen decades burnishing themselves), but L.A. has inspired everyone from Raymond Chandler and Eve Babitz to John Fante and Bret Easton Ellis. And there's no better time to cozy up with a great book (whether it's set in L.A. or not) than fall. RECOMMENDED: The best independent bookstores in L.A. Of course, fall in L.A. means something a little bit different, so instead of steaming cups of cider, you may want to set your sights on a crisp glass of bubbles or an icy martini. Something to take the sting out of those notorious Santa Ana winds that sent Joan Didion back to her bed. And while Book Soup and The Last Bookstore are always good for a visit or an author signing, there are a few other book-friendly places to pop into for a sense of reader kinship. These L.A. book clubs make happy hour a literary event In San Pedro, The Tipsy Bookworms meets at local bars to discuss its monthly selection over drinks, including a TBA scary book for October, just in time to share spooky season with other readers and tipplers. The group describes itself as casual and low-pressure, and members voting on what to read next. On September 26, Grain of Salt LA brings an immersive read-along to P.F. Candle Co.’s Echo Park flagship. The evening combines books, cocktails, food, book signings and

Los Angeles has landed two spots on The New York Times’ 2026 Restaurant List, with Komal in South L.A. and Jacaranda on Melrose joining the annual roundup of 50 restaurants across the country, selected by the Times’ dining team. The two once again remind the country that our restaurant scene does not come with a single dress code or playbook. RECOMMENDED: L.A.’s Chinatown is officially one of the coolest neighborhoods on the planet Komal, located at Mercado La Paloma near USC, is all about the magic of masa. The restaurant mills its own corn and turns it into Mexican dishes that the Times praised for being both generous and elegant. Quesadillas and molotes are among the standouts, showcasing the kind of cooking that can make a humble tortilla feel considerably more important than your average taco-night carb bomb. Then there’s Jacaranda, which takes the opposite route into L.A. dining glory. Chef Daniel Patterson’s Melrose restaurant serves a California-focused tasting menu in a room that feels more like an extremely chic dinner party than a temple to haute cuisine. The restaurant emphasizes seasonal California ingredients, with menus that can lean heavily into vegetables, seafood and foraged ingredients. Jacaranda is also refreshingly unconcerned with the idea that fine dining has to be silent, serious and accompanied by someone whispering the words “amuse-bouche.” The room is art-filled and music-forward, with a playlist that can veer into ’90s alternative and punk. That’s

Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery is about to become the setting for one very unusual night at the opera. On September 25, Death of Classical, Green-Wood and the Metropolitan Opera team up for an immersive preview of Lincoln in the Bardo, a new opera based on George Saunders’s Booker Prize–winning novel. The evening begins at sunset with a journey through Green-Wood’s historic grounds, where musicians, dancers, actors and other performers will create a theatrical netherworld inspired by the novel’s restless spirits. After the procession through the cemetery, audiences will gather for an intimate performance featuring stars from the upcoming Metropolitan Opera production, followed by a conversation with composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek, moderated by music journalist Amanda Petrusich. Saunders' book is set during the Civil War, after the death of Abraham Lincoln’s 11-year-old son, Willie. The president visits his son’s grave, while Willie’s spirit remains trapped in the bardo (a realm between life and death) along with a chorus of other dead souls.  RECOMMENDED: SNL alum Bowen Yang is Broadway’s new Mary Todd Lincoln in Oh, Mary! Photograph: Courtesy The Metropolitan OperaLincoln in the Bardo The opera marks another major collaboration between Mazzoli and Vavrek, who have previously worked together on acclaimed operatic projects. The Metropolitan Opera will give Lincoln in the Bardo its world premiere on October 19, making this Green-Wood performance a chance t