Going out to eat in Los Angeles is a lot of things: It’s a fashion show, an interior design workshop, a colorful, creative art exhibit. Los Angeles restaurants (many of which have a Michelin star) epitomize elegance and style, and the kitchens and chefs have crafted food to match. Diners can expect locally grown, fresh California produce, handmade pasta, and juicy cuts of meat. Plating is just as important as the food itself in Los Angeles; the city’s mantra might as well be looks just as good as we taste. Your approach to eating in Los Angeles restaurants should be to indulge in decadence. Here are seven Los Angeles restaurants where you should book your next dinner reservation.
Photo: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock
Essential Los Angeles Restaurants for an Elegant Night Out on the Town
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- 8 Gorgeous LA-Area Hotels With Rooftop Pools, Award-Winning Bars, and Five-Star Service
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1. n/naka
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At n/naka chef Niki Nakayama specializes in Japanese kaiseki cuisine – the art of preparing a series of small, delicate, complex dishes. This multi-course feast has featured, in the past, mackerel sashimi,smoked daikon, and porcini risotto. The key to n/naka – what really makes it special – is that the menu is changing constantly – even from night to night, which means that you’ll get the same dish there twice. The restaurant even sources in-season vegetables from its own organic garden.
Where: 3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Price: $$$$
2. Bestia
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Often lauded as the best Italian cuisine in Los Angeles, Bestia is housed in an industrial building outfitted with unfinished tile and meathood chandeliers. The meat for charcuterie plates are aged in-house, and the chocolate budino tart is legendary. But this is such a hard reservation to secure Los Angeles for wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta, and steaks the size of a grown man’s open fist. The chic rustic setting adds to this restaurant’s enduring cool factor.
Where: 2121 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
Price: $$$
3. Maude
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With paintings and drawings covering the white brick walls, and blue velvet chairs, Maude feels like a comfortable living room. Afterall, the restaurant is named for chef and owner Curtis Stone’s grandmother. The nine course tasting menu includes caviar and black truffle pasta, but although the food is the height of elegance, Stone hopes that the ambience of the restaurant is still friendly and welcoming.
Where: 212 S Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Price: $$$$
4. Night + Market Song
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This lively restaurant is where big groups of friends gather to feast on Thai street food, paired with a selection of interesting natural wines. Walking in the door, you’ll immediately notice the high energy of the dining room, so come here if you’re in the mood to party. On the menu at Night + Market Song, guests will find larb (spicy salads made with minced meat), snacks like grilled pork jowl, and braised short ribs.
Where: 3322 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
Price: $$
5. Animal
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The focus of this meat-centric restaurant is offal – all those parts of the animal that are usually (at least in America) thrown out. Think pig ear and sweetbreads, but also slightly more familiar dishes like bone marrow and chicken liver. The influences at Animal are global, stretching from China to India. There is a tostada on the menu, as well as dolma fried rice.
Where: 435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Price: $$$
6. Bottega Louie
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High ceilings, spotless white walls, and a polished marble floor point to Bottega Louie’s sophisticated reputation. The menu covers all the Italian classics – from burrata pizza to carbonara – but the star of the restaurant is undoubtedly the shop’s pastry line up: Beignets, decadent chocolate mousse, a rainbow assortment of macarons (which are available to order online, too) are among the colorful treats locals and visitors line up to taste.
Where: 700 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Price: $$$
7. A.O.C.
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California ingredients meet French cuisine at this Brentwood wine bar. Reliably delicious small plates that are meant to be shared with friends over a bottle of wine is what A.O.C is all about. The Spanish-style architecture of the building and the locally famous patio are particularly welcoming. Try the fried chicken and a cheese platter.
Where: 8700 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Price: $$$
Where to stay in Los Angeles
Photo: Santa Monica Proper
After all that eating, you’re going to need a comfortable room to wind down in. Luckily, these highly rated Los Angeles hotels are stylish and practical – offering rooftop pools to escape the city as well as luxurious beds where you’ll feel comfortable ending the night.
We hope you love the spaces and stays we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.
The Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel
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The luxurious lobby of The Beverly Wilshire, with its opulent chandelier and weekly-changing floral displays, captures old Hollywood glamor that has been updated for today. Celebrities and real life royalty have stayed here, but the staff is famously friendly to everyone who walks through the door.
Where: 9500 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Santa Monica Proper
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Luxury meets laid back beachy vibes at the Santa Monica Proper. With the beach just a few blocks away, there’s an ocean view from the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. Vintage wooden furniture and a pool decked out in neutral toned lounge chairs adds to the hotel’s sophisticated but relaxed atmosphere that calls out to people who appreciate sophistication without stuffiness.
Where: 700 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
1 Hotel West Hollywood
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Located on the legendary Sunset Strip, this hotel with a rooftop pool feels like an oasis away from the chaos on the street below. Most of the furniture is made from reclaimed wood, which might be a big draw the traveler considered with sustainability. However, the people who will really want to book a room at the 1 Hotel West Hollywood are wellness fanatics: The hotel offers personal training, a spa, yoga classes, and even FaceGym – a workout focused entirely on sharpening your features. 
Where: 8490 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069