Los Angeles diners obsess over food. We build weekends around brunch reservations, drive across town for one perfect taco and debate the right way to order at our favorite sushi counter. Every neighborhood has its heroes, and every year a few new names rise to the top.
Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat in L.A. County 2025 captures exactly that energy, where the city’s hungriest (and most opinionated) diners are actually spending their money and leaving their love. The rankings are powered by Yelp Elites, the platform’s most active food reviewers, based on thousands of detailed posts between August 2024 and August 2025.
The list spans everything from hole-in-the-wall seafood counters to sleek sushi bars, but a handful of spots dominated the conversation this year. These destinations stand out for their flavor, creativity and pure good vibes.
Here are the five spots that came out on top of the list of 100—plus the top 20 right below"
1. Holbox (Downtown LA)
Inside the unassuming Mercado La Paloma, Holbox turns Mexican coastal cooking into fine art. Chef Gilberto Cetina Jr. plates seafood with precision: ceviches layered with scallops and citrus, grilled octopus with a touch of smoke and lobster aguachile with a zing of lime and heat. It’s casual enough for a weekday lunch yet refined enough to make you linger. Every bite feels like a trip to the coast.
2. Howlin’ Ray’s (Chinatown)
Still worth the wait, still the gold standard, Howlin’ Ray’s brought Nashville hot chicken to L.A. and never looked back. The sandwich is juicy, crunchy, perfectly spiced and balanced by a buttery bun that somehow holds it all together. A true must-try.
3. UMIAI Hand Roll & Sake Bar (Pasadena)
At UMIAI, sushi becomes performance. You sit, you watch and you eat the hand roll the second it lands, because that’s how it’s meant to be consumed: while the rice is still warm, the nori still crisp and the fish impossibly fresh. Tuna belly, crab and yellowtail all shine under soft lighting and a pour of cold sake.
4. Broken Mouth (DTLA)
Korean flavors meet Hawaiian comfort fare at Broken Mouth, a secret little spot with star power. Chef Tim Lee’s garlic shrimp plates, furikake rice and updated Spam musubi represent fusion done right. It’s not fancy, but it’s generous and made with heart.
5. Yama Sushi Marketplace (Chatsworth)
Tucked into a strip mall in the Valley, Yama Sushi Marketplace could pass for a neighborhood joint, until you taste the fish. The omakase balances traditional cuts with playful twists, every piece sliced and served with quiet confidence. Whether you’re grabbing a takeout bowl or sitting at the counter, it’s clear you’re in the hands of masters who care about every detail.
Top 20 places to eat in L.A. County according to Yelp:
- Holbox
- Howlin' Ray's
- UMIAI
- Broken Mouth
- Yuma Sushi Marketplace
- Jus’ Poke
- Hangari Kalguksu
- Banh Mi Hoa Phat
- Taco Nazo
- NAM Kitchen
- Heng Heng Chicken Rice
- Pizzeria Sei
- Langer’s Delicatessen
- Porto’s Bakery & Cafe
- Tendon Tempura Carlos Junior
- Ammatoli
- Marugame Monzo
- Danbi
- Basil & Co
- Waka Sakura