Diners' Choice: Californian restaurants in Los Angeles

OpenTable

Updated 05 November 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Californian cuisine in Los Angeles? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyses more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favourites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Melisse

4.9

4.9 (1998)

$50 and over

Californian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Chef & Owner Josiah Citrin has revived his Michelin 2-Star institution with an intimate, 14-seat restaurant with Chef/Partner Ken Takayama. In a setting that blurs the line between kitchen and dining room, Chefs and service staff guide guests through a 2.5-hour culinary experience.

Collaborating with California farmers from San Diego to Napa Valley, Chef Josiah sources the most unique and exclusive ingredients available. An 8-course tasting menu is bookended by canapés, amuse-bouches and mignardise, all of which showcase global flavors using both modern and classic techniques.

Top review

leonardvip

Dined on 21 Nov 2024

Exceptional tasty with great variety and creativity. This is THE best special occasion restaurant in Los Angeles. I have gone to Melisse for years and it never disappoints.

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Experience

Chef's Tasting Menu, December- $399

Experience

New Year's Eve - Chef's Tasting Menu

Experience

Christmas Eve - Chef's Tasting Menu

Canyons Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (552)

$50 and over

Californian

Hemet

About the restaurant

Let Canyons take you to the cutting edge of fine dining. Featuring only the best ingredients, the Canyons menu offers savory appetizers, creative entrées, fresh seafood, decadent desserts and an exquisite selection of wine.

Top review

Mimi

Dined 2 days ago

Great experience like always. David took care of us again. He is an excellent server! Great food!

Heritage

4.7

4.7 (728)

$50 and over

Californian

Long Beach

About the restaurant

Heritage is family owned and operated by Chef Philip Pretty and sister Lauren Pretty. Our lively indoor dining room was built in 1922 as a craftsman house. Walk inside to an open kitchen, request bar seating to watch us cook over a live fire Santa Maria grill. Located in the Rose Park neighborhood of Long Beach on the corner of 7th & Saint Louis Ave. Heritage Restaurant uses sustainable meat & seafood, and Farmer's Market produce. Growing our own produce at Heritage Farm right up the street. Certified blue, green, and maintain a zero-waste kitchen. One red and green star Michelin awarded. We serve a tasting menu only. We politely decline modifications. Please specify all dietary restrictions/allergies when booking your reservation. Our menu is seasonal, and subject to daily changes. We are reservation only, please call if you have any difficulty booking online. We look forward to hosting you!

Top review

Czarina

Dined 1 day ago

Overall a great experience! We went to Heritage for my husband’s birthday. I love that it is a tasting menu so I did not have to have decision fatigue. All of the food were fresh and delicious! Our server Marissa suggested the perfect wine for my husband. The service was great, and extra plus on their own urban farm! We would definitely go back again!

Farmshop LA

4.9

4.9 (565)

$31 to $50

Californian

Brentwood

About the restaurant

In 2010, chef Jeff Cerciello opened Farmshop in a space that denotes rustic elegance. Located in the beautiful Brentwood Country Mart, bordering Santa Monica, the restaurant has become a dining destination featuring the very best local ingredients, simply prepared, served in casual fine dining style.

Top review

Russvip

Dined 5 days ago

Always love this place. Super friendly staff -- from greeter to server to bus folks. Food was delicious -- I don't like mushrooms very much, for example, and their mushroom bolognese is TASTY! And the food is beautiful as well as tasty. It's not a cheap place, but for a reliable, tasty, quality meal, can't go wrong.

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Experience

Schramsberg Wine Dinner with Vintner Hugh Davies

Irie Restaurant & Lounge

4.9

4.9 (103)

$31 to $50

Californian

West Hollywood

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of West Hollywood, Irie Lounge and Restaurant offers guests the full sensory experience combining cannabis and California comfort food with a southern twist. Irie brings all of the farm/farmer's market to table freshness, but with the tanginess and smoked dishes that southern food is celebrated for. Whether consuming cannabis or not, our black-eyed pea hummus, dandelion Caesar salads, and dry-aged New York strip with charred treviso are dishes guests are celebrating us for.

Top review

Jack

Dined on 15 Nov 2024

I had a great time at Irie Restaurant & Lounge, West Hollywood’s gem of a cannabis café! The service was attentive, and the food was delicious, with plenty of plant-based options to choose from. That said, it would be even better with a bit more effort in offering a plant-based protein—just a little tweak to make the menu even more inclusive. The cannabis offerings were absolutely superb—great quality and variety. The dual-server system (one for food and drink, and another for cannabis) makes regulatory sense, but it can feel a bit confusing for first-time visitors trying to navigate all their options. Streamlining that process could elevate the overall experience from great to phenomenal. That said, Irie’s vibe, service, and offerings have already won me over. I plan to make regular visits! Highly recommend this wonderful spot for a unique and enjoyable dining and cannabis experience.

Cavatina at Sunset Marquis

4.8

4.8 (1369)

$31 to $50

Californian

West Hollywood

About the restaurant

Beauty in simplicity awaits at Cavatina, the cozy sanctuary of the Sunset Marquis.
Located just off the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood, CA, Cavatina blends Californian cuisine with an Italian twist. Under the creative vision of chef Luis Morales and reflecting the relaxed vibe of the Sunset Marquis, we offer delectable snacks, small plates, and entrées that promise a true culinary journey.
Signature dishes like oysters on the half shell, Hamachi, prime steak and many vegan and vegetarian options, create a dining experience unlike any other. Open to all, Cavatina welcomes guests and locals seeking a cozy bistro with great food and good company.
Join us daily for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and savor bold, seasonal dishes presented with creativity and care. We also host and cater special events, offering unique, customized menus for memorable occasions.
Stop by Cavatina today and discover an exceptional dining experience at Sunset Marquis.

Top review

Jackie

Dined 4 days ago

The Thanksgiving menu at Cavatina today was outstanding. I had the turkey and my husband the short ribs and both were absolutely delicious along with the side dishes and desserts. Our server David was excellent and took great care of us. Thanks for making our Thanksgiving very special!

Parkway Grill

4.8

4.8 (2453)

$50 and over

Californian

Pasadena

About the restaurant

The Smith Brothers trend-setter in regional American cuisine, Parkway Grill continues to define dining in the city and beyond. Parkway Grill specializes in a seasonal, market-driven approach to cooking that incorporates diverse influences and classic French technique. Throughout its over 30 years, Parkway’s innovative chefs have showcased an intriguing array of dishes using locally sourced ingredients.

Demonstrating the ultimate commitment to fresh produce, Parkway Grill planted its own organic vegetable and herb garden behind the restaurant, which continues to thrive for over 25 years on a piece of prime real estate in the heart of Pasadena.

Top review

Glenvip

Dined 1 day ago

Consistently an excellent restaurant. The ambiance is wonderful, especially during the holidays. The food is excellent, however, the daily special halibut, was a disappointment- quite dry.

Wally's Santa Monica

4.8

4.8 (108)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Experience Santa Monica’s favorite location for fine food and wine. Wally’s Santa Monica is a hybrid concept that encapsulates the finest food, beverages, and gourmet foods to provide a one-stop shop for everything delicious. From chill afternoon apps and cocktails, to decadent caviar service—whether you’re in a tuxedo, or just coming from the office—our vibe is ideal for any occasion that calls for enjoying great food and drinks. You can explore our peerless selection of rare spirits, extraordinary seasonal menu, over 100 wines available by-the-glass, and shop the gourmet counter for specialty meats, cheeses, and artisanal chocolates.

Top review

Amyvip

Dined on 22 Nov 2024

Every course was a hit. Service was attentive and friendly. A must visit!

LADiDa

4.5

4.5 (11)

$31 to $50

Californian

Beverly Hills

About the restaurant

Join us for Thanksgiving Weekend Brunch and festive weekend brunch from 10AM - 2PM on the following dates:
Saturday, November 30
Sunday, December 1
Saturday, December 7
Sunday, December 8
Saturday, December 14
Sunday, December 15

Welcome to a picturesque escape, perched atop the 6th floor surrounded by panoramic city views and the evening glow set by the city of angels. LADiDa, the new rooftop culinary concept at the SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills is a delightful blend of refined elegance and playful charm.

Indulge in shareable bites crafted from locally-sourced market ingredients and made fresh to order. At LADiDa, we combine effortlessly chic with laid-back California charm to curate a quintessential Beverly Hills dining experience with a cheeky flair— it’s all about appreciating the finer things in life while savoring life slowly.

Top review

Aram

Dined on 11 Nov 2024

smazing place . yummy food . very good service thank You

LULU - Los Angeles

4.8

4.8 (135)

$30 and under

Californian

Westwood

About the restaurant

Conceived with legendary chef and food activist Alice Waters and led by acclaimed chef, writer, and cookbook author David Tanis, Lulu is a shared celebration of good food that is good for the planet. Lulu is a restaurant committed to prioritizing sustainability through local, regenerative food and design. Our mission focuses on procuring food directly from small, nearby farms practicing regenerative organic agriculture, which results in wholesome, delicious food grown using methods that combat the climate crisis.

Our restaurant is named after a wise Provencal cook, Lulu Peyraud, whose cooking and hospitality at Domaine Tempier in Bandol, France has always inspired David and Alice.

Top review

Dorivip

Dined 5 days ago

Loved having the live jazz trio there during dinner. Such a beautiful setting! Had a delicious pomegranate mocktail. Didn't feel the missing alcohol at all. We had a hard time choosing which salad to get, so we got both the goat cheese salad and the beets. The baby gem lettuce was so crisp with a zippy dressing. So glad we got both. Will definitely be back!

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