When you think of art, odds are what comes to mind is the stroke of a paintbrush, a perfectly molded sculpture, or the soothing twangs of a guitar. But art takes on many forms, and the chefs in these restaurants have perfected their expression in food. Top-tier culinary experiences are one of the most satisfying things to do in Los Angeles.
For savory eats, abstract plating, and a rich atmosphere, explore these fancy restaurants in LA.
Top 5 Most Fancy Restaurants in Los Angeles
Southern California’s cuisine scene is a symphony of culinary delights. Discover harmony in flavor pairings, delicate aromas, and textures that soothe and excite in equal measure. Experience the perfect rhythm of curated tasting menus, beautifully arranged on the plate. Your pleasure is the only priority in these romantic restaurants.
1. Mélisse (2 Michelin Stars)
Named after the French word for lemon balm, culinary experience Mélisse is Santa Monica’s most coveted French restaurant. With more than 11 accolades, including 2 Michelin Stars, chef patron Josiah Citrin is a culinary master and Los Angeles legend.
Opened in 1999, the restaurant is famed for its signature dishes, such as Royal Osetra caviar and Liberty Farm’s duck rouennaise. The exclusive dining room has just 14 seats, immersing you fully in a chef- and sommelier-led culinary adventure.
2. Providence (2 Michelin Stars)
Providence has 2 Michelin Stars and a spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Meals are served in a dining room that feels like a deep-sea paradise thanks to its dimly lit, matte interior and wave-inspired furniture.
Chef Michael Cimarusti’s dedication to his craft is matched only by his commitment to sustainability. In his own words, “We use only wild-caught, sustainable products, mostly from American waters, and look to highlight their finest qualities.”
3. n/naka (2 Michelin Stars)
Foodies and fans of the extraordinary Netflix show, Chef’s Table, may recognize Japanese restaurant n/naka and remember celebrity chef owner Niki Nakayama's powerful origin story. One of only 20 women in history with 2 Michelin Stars, her food sings with a unique blend of Japanese flavor and Californian seasonality.
This is one of the most unique restaurants in Los Angeles that you should dine in. Reservations take place once a month in advance on Sundays only — but it’s unlikely you’ll make it on your first attempt. Keep trying, though, because the 13-course modern kaiseki experience and minimalist Japanese design create an unforgettable feast for every sense. Vegetarians rejoice, for n/naka is one of the few fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles with a meat-free tasting menu.
4. Sushi Ginza Onodera (2 Michelin Stars)
With 2 Michelin Stars and countless other accolades, Sushi Ginza Onodera is West Hollywood’s most exclusive spot for sushi. Flavor notes balance between fragrant, rich, and seductively sweet in a never-ending 23-course menu.
Nothing mesmerizes us more than quirky temptations, and Sushi Ginza Onodera emphatically delivers. A highlight is the top-notch service. Servers have the lightest touch, dancing around tables as they deliver culinary excellence.
5. Otium
There are no boundaries at LA’s Otium. The lines between indoors, outdoors, kitchen, and dining room are blurred. The formal elements of fine dining are pared back for an elegant experience that’s all about contemporary American dishes.
Executive chef, Timothy Hollingsworth, is a graduate of Thomas Keller’s lauded French Laundry, a 3-star destination of epic magnitude that many cite as the pinnacle of North American cuisine.
The Best of the Rest - Michelin Star Restaurants
There are enough fancy restaurants in Los Angeles to keep a gastronaut’s taste buds tingling all year round. Whether a fine dining establishment is your idea of an indulgent treat or a weekend must-have, add these LA staples to your list.
6. Hayato (2 Michelin Star)
This seven-seat, one-sitting-per-night restaurant is one of the hardest spots to secure a reservation in LA. If you’re looking to escape into a dream-like haze of flavor, texture, and aroma, it’s worth it.
Los Angeles’s Hayato is chef patron Brandon Hayato Go’s debut eatery, shining a spotlight on traditional Japanese techniques in a resplendent 14-course tasting menu — also known as a kaiseki meal. Let him take you on a gourmet journey of California’s finest produce as you witness the chef’s spellbinding skill right before your eyes.
7. Orsa & Winston (1 Michelin Star)
Sample the delicacies at Orsa & Winston, where the intricacy of Japanese cuisine marries bold Italian flavors. Chef Josef Centeno curates a five-course tasting menu of epicurean treats. You can add an exquisite beverage pairing, explained by knowledgeable yet approachable sommeliers.
In a flourish of creativity, the drink flight isn’t limited to wine. You and your guests can opt for a beer or sake accompaniment if it’s more your style.
8. Sushi Kaneyoshi (1 Michelin Star)
Sushi Kaneyoshi isn’t easy to find — even after you’ve dined there once or twice. However, this Michelin-starred hidden gem exceeds all expectations. The minimalist dining room is a cunning misdirect that tricks you into thinking you’re experiencing the ordinary. Then the food arrives.
Immaculate, handmade pottery are vessels for each of the 20 dishes, made using traditional Edomae techniques.
9. Redbird
LA’s Redbird is a downtown LA hotspot for modern American cuisine, with a cocktail-led drinks list that entices discerning patrons from all backgrounds. The unpretentious dining room features eye-catching industrial-inspired design elements but retains a sumptuous coziness that slows down time and reassures you that it’s a good idea to order one more divine cocktail.
This fine dining establishment is wheelchair accessible, which we love. Inclusivity and diversity enrich our culture.
10. Camphor (1 Michelin Star)
Chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George’s French-Asian fare at Camphor is a welcome addition to downtown LA’s bustling arts district. Our favorite part of Camphor, other than the gorgeous food and drink, is the bathroom. Stepping into it is a surreal experience that feels like sauntering into a gilded disco ball — oh, and the bidets are heated. Now that’s what we call luxury!
11. Gwen (1 Michelin Star)
Los Angeles’s Gwen is one of the first fine dining restaurants locals will sing the praises of if you ask for a recommendation. With its butchery, prime, and Wagyu cuts, and homemade charcuterie, it’s a carnivore’s paradise and purveyor of primal elegance. Brothers Curtis and Luke Stone named the beloved steakhouse after their grandmother, who taught them how to cook.
12. Maude (1 Michelin Star)
The eatery Maude is Curtis Stone’s 24-seat fine dining restaurant in LA, with a frequently changing menu inspired by California’s produce and what’s available at local farmers markets in Los Angeles. Named for Curtis Stone’s other grandmother, there are many elements that make this luxurious eatery special. One stands out in particular.
After dinner, you’re guided to a room with a totally different ambiance for dessert, and it makes you feel more than a little bit special.
13. Kato (1 Michelin Star)
Kato has a gaggle of loyal followers who revere chef Jonathan Yao’s dizzying ability to pair disparate flavors and make them sing on the plate. With 1 Michelin Star and a litany of other accolades, Kato is a true LA diamond you have to experience to believe.
American Cuisine
We love the bold and diverse flavors of international cuisine, but sometimes a classic American restaurant is what we need for our famine.
14. Mar'sel
Mar’sel is a pretty portmanteau of the Spanish word for sea, "mar," and the French word for salt, "sal." This upscale Michelin Guide-approved eatery is nestled down the meandering road leading to the upmarket Terranea Resort, waiting to make your culinary dreams come true. Choose from a menu of American classics, including filet mignon, melt-in-the-mouth scallop, and kale salad.
15. Spire 73
Spire 73 is the tallest open-air bar (that’s right, 73 stories high!) in the Western Hemisphere, with picturesque panoramic views. This exclusive rooftop lounge has welcoming fire pits, absurdly stylish seating, and a generous menu of cocktails, whiskey, champagne, spirits, beer, wine, small plates, and bar bites.
16. Cafe 27
Topanga’s Cafe 27 is another top spot for those seeking fancy restaurants with views of Los Angeles. Organic coffees, specialty lattes, fresh juices, breakfast, and lunch American-style make it an LA local’s favorite spot for brunch any day of the week.
17. Merois
Culinary master Wolfgang Puck’s Merois is an exquisite combination of French, Asian, and Californian flavors and produce, served alongside glimmering cityscape views. This 5-star restaurant in Los Angeles is proof that it’s possible to deliver 100% on both style and substance.
18. Lemon Grove
Inspired by California’s agrarian heritage, Lemon Grove is chef Marcel Vigneron’s tribute to local produce. On The Aster’s rooftop overlooking the Capitol Records building, it’s designed for long lunches and decadent dinners with loved ones.
The fancy LA restaurant offers an oasis of calm in the heart of the city. Its outstanding service includes exquisitely presented plates, such as short rib rigatoni pasta, duck confit, and black velvet cake.
19. Castaway
If you’re looking for somewhere to bring your besties to feel like stars, Castaway is the perfect choice. The food is American, with classics, such as crab cakes, roasted half chicken, and salmon tartare.
Drinks include everything from ingenious cocktails to punchy IPAs. But it’s the views of the endlessly optimistic California sun setting over downtown LA and the northern Valley that keep you coming back.
20. The Strand House
Big booths made for intense conversation and unabashed laughter, wall-to-wall glass windows overlooking Manhattan beach, and Chef Chris Park’s coastal SoCal cuisine. These elements make The Strand House a go-to for locals seeking a modern, unpretentious dining experience that still has a wow factor.
21. Manzke
Innovation is the name of the game at the French eatery Manske, where eclectic flavors blend with a warm and soothing ambiance. Try the 10-course tasting menu that pairs French techniques with Mediterranean and Californian flavors, finished with an Asian flourish.
22. Spago of Beverly Hills
Another one of Wolfgang Puck’s outposts — his flagship, in fact — Spago of Beverly Hills showcases ultra-fresh farm-to-table fare in an elegant dining room and courtyard. Bluefin tuna sashimi, wild field mushrooms, and summer squash are indulgent highlights of the seasonal cuisine you can savor at Spago.
International Cuisine
The world's blend of cultures is evident in its food. International cuisine gifts us a brief glimpse into tastes we may not have been able to appreciate before. Check out these iconic foreign restaurants.
23. Cabra (Peruvian)
Celebrated chef Stephanie Izard creates her family-style sharing plates with heart, soul, and love. Izard’s Cabra is an ideal place for a fabulous evening of mouthwatering Peruvian flavors before one of our shows.
Plates include ceviche and papas huancaina and are generous but fresh and delicate enough that you won’t leave feeling stuffed. Instead, you exit full of pizzazz and ready to ride a never-ending wave of live entertainment and joviality.
24. Nobu Malibu (Japanese and Peruvian)
Nobu Matsuhisa and Robert De Niro’s Nobu is a world-changing amalgamation of Japanese techniques and Peruvian ingredients that’s taken the world by storm. If you haven’t already, its black cod with miso is a must-try for any foodie, pairing the unctuous fragility of cod with miso’s toasty funk.
There are around 40 outposts across the globe, but insiders say Nobu Malibu is the best. Some even credit this brand with popularizing the more relaxed, laid-back style of fine dining restaurants that’s so popular today.
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Planning your Los Angeles itinerary? Make time for a Cirque du Soleil show while we’re in town!
25. Yamashiro Hollywood (Japanese)
Yamashiro Hollywood feels like a portal to Japan and is much more than an LA restaurant. It’s an event space, a movie set, and an enchanted zen garden with a history as rich as the city itself.
Come to sample the extraordinary food, gaze in wonder at the 600-year-old pagoda, and whittle away the evening with a sensual Japanese-inspired cocktail infused with the finest whisky.
26. Rooftop By JG (Latin, Asian, and American Fusion)
Rooftop By JG is elevated in both senses of the word. It’s a stunning rooftop garden with neutral decor and mind-expanding views, and every element of the dining room is dripping with opulence. Let chef Jean-George Vongerichten guide you along a journey through Latin American and Southeast Asian flavors, with the flair of New York and the freshness of Cali produce.
27. Paradise Cove Beach Cafe (American and Spanish)
Paradise Cove is a spot that locals wish they’d kept secret — but we’re glad they didn’t! This rare beachside gem serves up American-Spanish cuisine as beautiful as the stunning ocean vistas from its glorious outdoor patios.
Pop culture enthusiasts, get ready to clutch your oversized beach hats. Paradise Cove Beach Cafe is the backdrop for the Beach Boys’ Surfin Safari album, many of Marilyn Monroe’s iconic photos, and music videos by Britney, Coldplay, and Madonna — plus a slew of movies and TV shows.
28. San Laurel (Spanish)
With charming decor and a comforting ambiance, San Laurel is a taste of Spain on the California coast. Its bright, open-plan dining room sits across from the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Broad Museum of Contemporary Art.
29. Damian (Mexican)
Expect the unexpected at this upscale restaurant in Los Angeles, where Mexican flavors meet Hollywood glamor. With Baja seafood dishes so tasty they bring a tear to your eye, an inspired cocktail list, and mouth-watering famous duck carnitas. This restaurant is truly a hidden gem in Los Angeles that you'll want to visit again and again to try everything they have to offer.
30. Calabra (Mediterranean)
LA’s Calabra combines stunning ocean views with scintillating Mediterranean-Californian dishes, including diver scallops with lemon and feta spinach, Greek fries, and charred octopus. This stylish fine-dining restaurant showcases the best of Californian wine and Old World classics, alongside elevated cocktails and craft beers.
31. Ardor (Mediterranean)
WeHo’s Ardor is a picture of green and gold backlit radiance, with the feel of a luxury spa and the essence of high quality. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the flavors of king crab tagliatelle, Aleppo-crusted shrimp, and sweet potato curry will linger in your heart and mind for years to come.
32. Pasjoli (French)
For gourmands seeking a touch of French bistro, Pasjoli can make your dreams come true. Taste the tantalizing indulgence of pressed duck and chocolate souffle, paired with a delicate Burgundy or bombastic Bordeaux.
33. Chi Spacca (Italian)
Italian food is one of the food grails of the world, and we’re talking about more than pizza and pasta. The marriage of fragrant herbs, searingly fresh produce, and a fiery grill have led experts to hail Chi Spacca as a speakeasy for meat.
Savoring Los Angeles: A Culinary Odyssey for the Senses
Now that you’re an expert in fancy restaurants in Los Angeles, you’ll be the star of the show the next time you’re in charge of booking a night out.
Looking for somewhere spectacular, endlessly optimistic, and otherworldly to bring a group of discerning friends? Explore our shows in Los Angeles, where you’ll indulge in a buffet for every sense. From witnessing impossible feats of contortion, strength, and precision to gasping at the astounding costumes and breathtaking visual storytelling, prepare to be spellbound.