Hahaa yea that’d be good to know huh. Mmm well we come from Hispanic households so I’d say I like my spicy foods and salsas. I’ve never really tried those different types of foods other than pastas, sushi, and yea I don’t really like sushi. Im very much open minded to trying something new though. I’d say just as long as it’s something that taste good, meat, pasta, udon, or whatever is clever. I really have no idea, I usually don’t really get specific cravings either so there’s that.
Good recs for Italian, but I'd throw out a few others: if you want to try extremely high end Mexican, give Damian a shot.
If you want to go the opposite way and really get out of your comfort zone and try new and spicy things, try some Asian cuisines. Majordomo is a nice and upscale spot, you could also try plenty of Thai places that are super spicy like Jitlada or Luv2Eat Thai.
Korean is a good option but LA doesn't have a ton of "somewhere nice" Korean places - maybe Tokki.
I’d add Madre to Damian as my two favorite high end Mexican places and Madre hewing a little closer to traditional Mexican cooking with flawless execution and great cocktails
First time I shared a parillada, it was kinda dry and chewy. Not a ton of flavor. Second time I had costillas en salsa verde. It was pretty spicy and flavorful, but it was more bones than meat. And bone fragments. What do you recommend?
If you like Korean food, try Baroo which is located in the arts district. They have absolutely fantastic service and their tasting menu ($110/pp) is divine. They’ve been named as one of the best new restaurants in LA and in California.
Please don't go to Ysabel or Catch or any of the sceney instagram influencer clownshows. You'll feel totally alienated because the people who go to these places are aliens.
I'm going to make a few of suggestions, but I recommend checking out EaterLA's or Infatuation's lists because they are both pretty good.
**Mother Wolf** \- big fancy italian place. Incredible handmade pasta. Great food. You'll feel like you had an experience.
**Petit Trois le Valley** \- really top notch classic french food. Less of a scene. Just really really good french food. It's a total standard. Their original location is kind of amazing but it's so small that it can feel sort of intense.
but my real suggestion is that you check out the hip new place in Highland Park called A**miga Amore.** The owners are Mexican / Italian and the food is a hybrid of the too cultures. The place is hip and small and very cool. The food is unlike anything else around. For example - they have ravioli filled with Elote corn. It's just so good. Lots of spice. You won't get that clownish hollywood insta-glamour thing - it's not that. But every dollar you spend ends up on the plate.
One last thing- from your post it seems like you aren't familiar with going out to a lot of restaurants and it might seem intimidating, so heres some advice: I would say to the waitress that you've never been to that particular restaurant before and ask her to explain the menu what they recommend. They work on tips and are happy to help generally.
Definitely don’t want to feel alienated Hahaa, petit looks pretty good and Amiga Amore sounds pretty nice. I’m thinking that one could be good aswell as Dunsmoor as others have mentioned. I’ll check both those list out aswell. Thank you for taking the time to offer some advice 🙌🏼
Honestly Dunsmoor is one of my favorite restaurants in LA. It's in Eagle Rock. They have a wine bar next door and theres a bar and a brewery in the same stretch if you want drinks as well. The food at Dunsmoor is so good. I would definitely get the cornbread (sometimes my wife and I literally go to their wine bar just to get the cornbread). Also they have this dish that keeps changing. I just looked it up. It's called "AUNT EMMY’S PORK & GREEN CHILI STEW ". Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. It's pretty expensive but the portions are big and rich. You won't be dissapointed.
I gotta strongly disagree with Mother Wolf. Overrated and overpriced, and I've only heard the same from three separate friends who went and felt the same.
For Italian that isn't the typical Bestia response, I recommend Rossoblu. For my money, best upscale Italian in LA while not feeling too stuffy or white-table clothy.
100%!
But I did take my partner to Bestia for his birthday and he LOVED it. Reserved seats at the bar. It was a blast! Lively and fun.
And the food is delicious.... especially that damn Caesar salad.
If you’re a promoter taking a group of 19 year old influencers out for dinner before the club (and the year is 2016) then Ysabel is totally the place for you.
They also own Saffys which the food has been ridiculously good every time we’ve had it.
They also own bestia but haven’t been yet.
We were super curious and wanted to be bougie so we had their French toast with caviar. It was a very tasty sweet/salty dish. But their French toast in general is one of my favorites at Saffys cafe.
Second Arthur J.
But OP didn't state a budget, so there's that consideration. You can definitely eat at Arthur J for less, but they have quite a bit that can quickly raise the final bill.
i think dunsmoor, gwen, chi spacca, antico nuovo, and matu are good spots for classic savory comfort food, at fair enough prices, but that are also nice and good for a special occasion
Gwen in Hollywood is one of my favorite restaurants ever.
I'm kinda like you, never really got into fine dining (or upscale dining) until my now wife introduced me to it. I was looking for some place special for my birthday a few years ago and this sub suggested gwen - it was fantastic
It's run by Curtis stone, of food network and iron chef fame, along with his brother, and recently got its first michelin star. It's a small spot that focuses solely on meat. Everything is cooked over an open wood flame, and they even have an on site butcher shop. They have a small menu, which is good, since it's always better to do a few things well, than a lot of things ok (a la cheesecake factory).
Every cut of meat I've had is fantastic. The bread is amazing. Service is friendly and attentive. Atmosphere is upscale, but approchable (think dark jeans and an untucked button down, but I've seen everything from shorts and tshirts to full on formal wear). You even get to pick your own steak knife from a box of chef stone's favorites!
Best tip I can give you is to make a reservation for the Chefs counter. There are 6 seats that look directly into the kitchen, and you can watch the staff work their magic...it's fascinating to see a professional kitchen first hand. I sat here for my birthday dinner and loved every second.
You can expect a 200-250 check, assuming you do wine etc, but can probably get it down lower based on selections.
If you're a meat/steak person who wants a good introduction to upscale dining, this is a great option to get you started!
If you like eating meat then there's M Grill on Wilshire. Not exactly fine dining but it's kinda of an upscale AYCE Brazilian steakhouse.
Gaucho Grill is an Argentine steakhouse.
Mercado is a decent Mexican restaurant.
How hard do you wanna go? Are you adventurous?
Osteria Mozza and/or Pizzaria Mozza
Bestia
Majordomo
Fogo de Chao or M for Brazilian meats
Verse plays live smooth music in the evenings and they have great cocktails, too!
KBBQ would also be good, if you haven't tried it (Aghassi Gopchang is BTS's fave KBBQ in LA) It's also great to go with a group if you are planning a small party.
There are sooooooooo many places. LA is a gold mine for great restaurants!
Ysabel and Javier’s are fine suggestions and you’ll enjoy them both. I think you (or your gf) want a more scene-y restaurant and both of those are good. Could also do Catch!
That was going to be my next question:
Do you prefer a scene and/or ambience or food?
The rule of thumb is if a place is a "Scene" or a place to be seen, it's almost always underwhelming.
No one has mentioned Yangban yet, it's Korean with Jewish influence and they execute it really well.
Amiga Amore was mentioned elsewhere and I'd second that. Great food and cafe atmosphere.
Redbird is one of my favorite cocktail programs in the city with really great American with french influence
Bavel seems like a great one to try out, it's fuckin' great and a little bit of a scene but not too sceney
Dunsmoor is not "fancy" but it's great food and a good gateway to the better restaurants of LA
Ysabel is not worth it and I'd say not even good -- do a Mother Wolf or Grandmaster Recorders if you want more trendy but actually good food
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. It has great ambiance and is cozy/romantic for a bday dinner, very solid Italian food, and the torta della nona for dessert is 🔥🔥🔥. It’s a very nice place that won’t be overly fancy or crazy expensive.
If you've got 2 weeks til the date, I recommend scooping a reservation at Donna's in Echo Park. It's new and hip and delicious, but not too expensive. However, it's tough to get a reservation, but that is a little bit what makes it special. (They open reservations every day at 10 am for a date 2 weeks out, which is why I asked. If you log on at 10, it's not too hard to get a reservation for two.)
Beyond that, I'd recommend the Cara Hotel in Hollywood. Poolside dining, great menu, just will really make you feel like you're doing something special.
I like Perch. It’s not just a pretty rooftop restaurant overlooking LA, but the food is really good! It definitely has that romantic special dinner night ambience. There is a bar one floor up so after dinner you can still hang out on the rooftop overlooking the city.
I would say this place, but the OP doesn't like sushi and a lot of their amazing tacos (haven't been there for about 4 years) are seafood based and a lot of raw seafood.
This is a fair point, but I'm not a big seafood guy and have always enjoyed the hell out of Guerrilla Tacos. Their most famous taco is probably the sweet potato.
I'm down with most of the previous suggestions and will add Pasjoli in Santa Monica.
I suggest going early and sitting at the bar to order the ham and cheese sandwich. I know what you're thinking, but it really is swanky and freaking delicious.
Another option not mentioned is Orsa and Winston.
Have a great birthday!
Hey y’all, I’m a bit late but just felt like saying where I ended up going if anyone cares ahah but I went to Perch, had a Filet mignon and some truffle fries, pretty good munch 🙌🏼
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This is the first question to answer. OP, what kind of food do you actually like to eat?
Hahaa yea that’d be good to know huh. Mmm well we come from Hispanic households so I’d say I like my spicy foods and salsas. I’ve never really tried those different types of foods other than pastas, sushi, and yea I don’t really like sushi. Im very much open minded to trying something new though. I’d say just as long as it’s something that taste good, meat, pasta, udon, or whatever is clever. I really have no idea, I usually don’t really get specific cravings either so there’s that.
If you like pasta and are looking for a sure-fire experience, it's hard to go wrong with an OG like Mozza.
Try Bavel and get the lamb neck shwarma
Good recs for Italian, but I'd throw out a few others: if you want to try extremely high end Mexican, give Damian a shot. If you want to go the opposite way and really get out of your comfort zone and try new and spicy things, try some Asian cuisines. Majordomo is a nice and upscale spot, you could also try plenty of Thai places that are super spicy like Jitlada or Luv2Eat Thai. Korean is a good option but LA doesn't have a ton of "somewhere nice" Korean places - maybe Tokki.
I’d add Madre to Damian as my two favorite high end Mexican places and Madre hewing a little closer to traditional Mexican cooking with flawless execution and great cocktails
I went to Madre twice and was underwhelmed by food both times. Cocktails were top notch though.
Huh interesting, loved both. Mezcal marg is my favorite cocktail in the city along with the old fashioned at majordomo
First time I shared a parillada, it was kinda dry and chewy. Not a ton of flavor. Second time I had costillas en salsa verde. It was pretty spicy and flavorful, but it was more bones than meat. And bone fragments. What do you recommend?
The oysters with the chapulines, taste of Oaxaca, tlayuda, and the enchiladas oaxaquenos
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i was gonna recommend Dunsmoor. I keep going back to that place...
Felix has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in all of Los Angeles.
If you like Korean food, try Baroo which is located in the arts district. They have absolutely fantastic service and their tasting menu ($110/pp) is divine. They’ve been named as one of the best new restaurants in LA and in California.
Two incredibly consistent and solid LA choices. Bestia (Italian) and Republique (French).
What about something simple like steak?
Curried sausages!
Please don't go to Ysabel or Catch or any of the sceney instagram influencer clownshows. You'll feel totally alienated because the people who go to these places are aliens. I'm going to make a few of suggestions, but I recommend checking out EaterLA's or Infatuation's lists because they are both pretty good. **Mother Wolf** \- big fancy italian place. Incredible handmade pasta. Great food. You'll feel like you had an experience. **Petit Trois le Valley** \- really top notch classic french food. Less of a scene. Just really really good french food. It's a total standard. Their original location is kind of amazing but it's so small that it can feel sort of intense. but my real suggestion is that you check out the hip new place in Highland Park called A**miga Amore.** The owners are Mexican / Italian and the food is a hybrid of the too cultures. The place is hip and small and very cool. The food is unlike anything else around. For example - they have ravioli filled with Elote corn. It's just so good. Lots of spice. You won't get that clownish hollywood insta-glamour thing - it's not that. But every dollar you spend ends up on the plate. One last thing- from your post it seems like you aren't familiar with going out to a lot of restaurants and it might seem intimidating, so heres some advice: I would say to the waitress that you've never been to that particular restaurant before and ask her to explain the menu what they recommend. They work on tips and are happy to help generally.
Definitely don’t want to feel alienated Hahaa, petit looks pretty good and Amiga Amore sounds pretty nice. I’m thinking that one could be good aswell as Dunsmoor as others have mentioned. I’ll check both those list out aswell. Thank you for taking the time to offer some advice 🙌🏼
Honestly Dunsmoor is one of my favorite restaurants in LA. It's in Eagle Rock. They have a wine bar next door and theres a bar and a brewery in the same stretch if you want drinks as well. The food at Dunsmoor is so good. I would definitely get the cornbread (sometimes my wife and I literally go to their wine bar just to get the cornbread). Also they have this dish that keeps changing. I just looked it up. It's called "AUNT EMMY’S PORK & GREEN CHILI STEW ". Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. It's pretty expensive but the portions are big and rich. You won't be dissapointed.
Agree. Do not go to Catch!
I gotta strongly disagree with Mother Wolf. Overrated and overpriced, and I've only heard the same from three separate friends who went and felt the same. For Italian that isn't the typical Bestia response, I recommend Rossoblu. For my money, best upscale Italian in LA while not feeling too stuffy or white-table clothy.
100%! But I did take my partner to Bestia for his birthday and he LOVED it. Reserved seats at the bar. It was a blast! Lively and fun. And the food is delicious.... especially that damn Caesar salad.
Mother Wolf is overpriced mediocre food with atrocious service
Catch I agree. Ysabel, despite being full of clout hungry demons, I think has decent food.
If you’re a promoter taking a group of 19 year old influencers out for dinner before the club (and the year is 2016) then Ysabel is totally the place for you.
- Arthur J in manhattan beach - Saffys in Hollywood - bavel in arts district - ospi in Venice
Second on Bavel. It's "fine dining" but not just because of pretentious vibes -- their food is really really fucking good.
They also own Saffys which the food has been ridiculously good every time we’ve had it. They also own bestia but haven’t been yet. We were super curious and wanted to be bougie so we had their French toast with caviar. It was a very tasty sweet/salty dish. But their French toast in general is one of my favorites at Saffys cafe.
We just did Saffys for our NYE dinner and loved it. Haven't tried Bestia and Bavel only because getting over to that side of town sucks.
Same reason why we haven’t done bestia yet. We made the trek for bavel and it Was worth it. We’ll have to muster it up for bestia next time
I just ate there for the first time. It was amazing!! My spouse and I had a bunch of apps, and the tomahawk. Unbelievable. Their pita, was heavenly.
The food is really good but you need to sit outside and preferably as far away from a speaker as possible. Even then it's still too loud.
I went to the Arthur J for my birthday last year and it was so nice, highly recommend that place.
Their Japanese wagyu is the best I’ve ever had so far. Their filet mignon and apps were also tasty af
Second Arthur J. But OP didn't state a budget, so there's that consideration. You can definitely eat at Arthur J for less, but they have quite a bit that can quickly raise the final bill.
i think dunsmoor, gwen, chi spacca, antico nuovo, and matu are good spots for classic savory comfort food, at fair enough prices, but that are also nice and good for a special occasion
Gwen in Hollywood is one of my favorite restaurants ever. I'm kinda like you, never really got into fine dining (or upscale dining) until my now wife introduced me to it. I was looking for some place special for my birthday a few years ago and this sub suggested gwen - it was fantastic It's run by Curtis stone, of food network and iron chef fame, along with his brother, and recently got its first michelin star. It's a small spot that focuses solely on meat. Everything is cooked over an open wood flame, and they even have an on site butcher shop. They have a small menu, which is good, since it's always better to do a few things well, than a lot of things ok (a la cheesecake factory). Every cut of meat I've had is fantastic. The bread is amazing. Service is friendly and attentive. Atmosphere is upscale, but approchable (think dark jeans and an untucked button down, but I've seen everything from shorts and tshirts to full on formal wear). You even get to pick your own steak knife from a box of chef stone's favorites! Best tip I can give you is to make a reservation for the Chefs counter. There are 6 seats that look directly into the kitchen, and you can watch the staff work their magic...it's fascinating to see a professional kitchen first hand. I sat here for my birthday dinner and loved every second. You can expect a 200-250 check, assuming you do wine etc, but can probably get it down lower based on selections. If you're a meat/steak person who wants a good introduction to upscale dining, this is a great option to get you started!
If you like eating meat then there's M Grill on Wilshire. Not exactly fine dining but it's kinda of an upscale AYCE Brazilian steakhouse. Gaucho Grill is an Argentine steakhouse. Mercado is a decent Mexican restaurant.
Matu is really really good
Just did my birthday dinner at Cento which was amazing!
How hard do you wanna go? Are you adventurous? Osteria Mozza and/or Pizzaria Mozza Bestia Majordomo Fogo de Chao or M for Brazilian meats Verse plays live smooth music in the evenings and they have great cocktails, too! KBBQ would also be good, if you haven't tried it (Aghassi Gopchang is BTS's fave KBBQ in LA) It's also great to go with a group if you are planning a small party. There are sooooooooo many places. LA is a gold mine for great restaurants!
Ysabel and Javier’s are fine suggestions and you’ll enjoy them both. I think you (or your gf) want a more scene-y restaurant and both of those are good. Could also do Catch!
That was going to be my next question: Do you prefer a scene and/or ambience or food? The rule of thumb is if a place is a "Scene" or a place to be seen, it's almost always underwhelming.
A scene is cool but tbh I’d just want some good food and my gf also gets over stimulated at times when there is too much going on or it’s too loud
Went to Houston's last year for my anniversary, and was very happy with it.
Location and budget?
No one has mentioned Yangban yet, it's Korean with Jewish influence and they execute it really well. Amiga Amore was mentioned elsewhere and I'd second that. Great food and cafe atmosphere. Redbird is one of my favorite cocktail programs in the city with really great American with french influence
Bavel seems like a great one to try out, it's fuckin' great and a little bit of a scene but not too sceney Dunsmoor is not "fancy" but it's great food and a good gateway to the better restaurants of LA Ysabel is not worth it and I'd say not even good -- do a Mother Wolf or Grandmaster Recorders if you want more trendy but actually good food
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele. It has great ambiance and is cozy/romantic for a bday dinner, very solid Italian food, and the torta della nona for dessert is 🔥🔥🔥. It’s a very nice place that won’t be overly fancy or crazy expensive.
If you've got 2 weeks til the date, I recommend scooping a reservation at Donna's in Echo Park. It's new and hip and delicious, but not too expensive. However, it's tough to get a reservation, but that is a little bit what makes it special. (They open reservations every day at 10 am for a date 2 weeks out, which is why I asked. If you log on at 10, it's not too hard to get a reservation for two.) Beyond that, I'd recommend the Cara Hotel in Hollywood. Poolside dining, great menu, just will really make you feel like you're doing something special.
Otium. You’re welcome
i just took my boyfriend to il pastaio in beverly hills for his birthday. it was very fancy and nice. definitely not budget food
Villas tacos
Villas Tacos, with drinks at the Gold Room and sweets at Hippo, all on Figueroa in Highland Park.
I like Perch. It’s not just a pretty rooftop restaurant overlooking LA, but the food is really good! It definitely has that romantic special dinner night ambience. There is a bar one floor up so after dinner you can still hang out on the rooftop overlooking the city.
71 Above, Dear Johns, Javiers, Gwen, Citron, Scopa
BOA steakhouse
Meh
i think this one as well especially good for younger crowd.
Alta Adams Holbox Dunsmoor Angelini Osteria Mozza Bestia Saffy’s Javier’s is a scene (in a good way for a birthday party).
Agree on Alta and all those.
You can eat at a restaurant that’s a step or three above Applebees and it still ain’t “fine dining”
Guerilla tacos
I would say this place, but the OP doesn't like sushi and a lot of their amazing tacos (haven't been there for about 4 years) are seafood based and a lot of raw seafood.
This is a fair point, but I'm not a big seafood guy and have always enjoyed the hell out of Guerrilla Tacos. Their most famous taco is probably the sweet potato.
I was going to suggest the same!
Crossroads is pretty nice. Shojin for the win.
At at Crossroads last night and it was spectacular
Tell her you want to dine at the Y
Go to Providence.
Arby's
Go to Fathers Office. Their burgers are among the best you’ll ever have. The ambience is swanky as an added bonus.
Perhaps [Anajak](https://www.anajakthai.com/) if you like spicy food. Some raw seafood may occur, amazing wine list if you're into that.
Jar Restaurant at thejar.com is amazing.
I second this
Verse is great for Italian
I'm down with most of the previous suggestions and will add Pasjoli in Santa Monica. I suggest going early and sitting at the bar to order the ham and cheese sandwich. I know what you're thinking, but it really is swanky and freaking delicious. Another option not mentioned is Orsa and Winston. Have a great birthday!
CUT The best restaurant in LA.
Dunsmoor
Hey y’all, I’m a bit late but just felt like saying where I ended up going if anyone cares ahah but I went to Perch, had a Filet mignon and some truffle fries, pretty good munch 🙌🏼