15 Restaurants Perfect for a Special Occasion
Whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or bougie mother-in-law that you want to impress; we’ve compiled a menu of memorable restaurants at a range of price points sure to suit the occasion.
Inn of the Seventh Ray
Location: Topanga
Price: $$$
Let’s get this out of the way - we’ve all heard that this is the place to go for an anniversary (or even a wedding), and we know that to be true. It’s gorgeous. It’s romantic. It’s candle-lit. They have waterfalls for goodness sake. Need we say more?
Casa Ipanema
Location: Downtown LA
Price: $$
This restaurant brings Brazil’s flair for entertainment, delicious cuisine, and stylish design to Los Angeles. Come for the Brazil-Latin dishes and stay for the upscale ambiance. To top it off, visit on a Friday to get lit…up by a fire dance performance as you dine.
Castaway
Location: Burbank
Price: $$$
A classic Los Angeles special occasion spot, Castaway has been serving good food and even better views since 1962. Don’t let the established date fool you - the restaurant underwent a $10 million upgrade in 2017 and now includes features like a Himalayan salt-lined dry aging room (does this sound like a spa fixture to anyone else?). If you’re not up for dinner, have an elaborate cocktail in their high-end cocktail lounge, The Green Room.
Barton G.
Location: West Hollywood
Price: $$$
If you are aiming for an unforgettable presentation, this is the place for you. The dishes are 90% spectacle - let’s just say the salmon comes with a sword, and that might be one of the least exciting things on the menu. There’s really nothing else in LA quite like this whimsical spot.
Cicada Restaurant and Lounge
Location: Downtown LA
Price: $$$$
Step back in time at this art deco restaurant and dance hall. Only open on show nights, usually Fridays and Saturdays, enjoy a three-course dinner followed by live big band music and dancing. If you’re itching to cut a rug, forget dinner and just get admission to the show and dance floor. Make sure to dress in glam to keep the venue’s vibe classy.
Esperanza Cocina de la Playa
Location: Manhattan Beach
Price: $$$
Re-opened this June with a new “Mexican coastal villa” on the second floor (pardon the dad joke, but it must be a big floor), this beachy-chic restaurant offers delightful Sonoran dishes in a gorgeously designed setting. Located just blocks from the beach, parking can be a pain, so factor in extra drive time or take a rideshare (and indulge in another exquisite cocktail while you’re at it).
Vibrato Grill Jazz
Location: Beverly Crest
Price: $$$
Whether you’re actually classy or faking it ‘til you make it, a jazz supper club is just the ticket. Tucked away in the hills just off Mulholland Drive, this cozy spot brings top notch jazz performers to the stage every night Tuesday-Sunday. The mood-lit ambiance and delicious menu pair perfectly with the music for an elegant night out.
Mrs. Fish
Location: Downtown LA
Price: $$
Rather than on the rooftop like its sister restaurant, Perch, Mrs. Fish is underground. At the bottom of a mural’d stairway, you’ll enter what feels like an art gallery meets aquarium, with live fish drifting through a tank over the sushi bar (yes, we see the irony). Arrive early to enjoy the mezzanine-level whiskey bar and stay late on Tuesdays for live music.
Firefly
Location: Studio City
Price: $$$
True to name, this restaurant’s romantic evening ambiance is reminiscent of a garden full of fireflies (lightning bugs, anyone?). On the covered patio you’ll find an outdoor fireplace, views, and intimate four-seater cabanas. If your date is more of a bookworm than a garden worm, stop in for cocktails in the moody library lounge instead.
Bistro Na’s
Location: Temple City
Price: $$
Don’t be fooled by the unassuming strip mall location of this restaurant. The moment you step inside you’ll enter an experience reminiscent of the last Chinese imperial dynasty. In a formal Chinese courtyard setting, you can sample royal Manchu cuisine - delicious, authentic, and often beautiful dishes. Ask around and you’ll find that this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in greater LA.
Descanso
Location: Downtown LA
Price: $$$
Teppenyaki showmanship meets Mexican cuisine at this new downtown hot spot. You’ll have your meal cooked right in front of you - onion volcano style on the plancha. Arrive a bit before your reservation to snag a cocktail or margarita flight at the beautifully designed bar.
Vespertine
Location: Culver City
Price: $$$$$
The only restaurant on this list with a Michelin star (and it has two!), this restaurant is in its own league. Self-described with words like reverie, evocative, and culinary symphony…in short, it’s fancy af. Guests go on a guided adventure through the garden, kitchen, and two seating areas where they’re served 12 courses over the course of about 3 hours. If you’re looking for a one of a kind experience (and a price tag to match), this is it!
Casablanca Moroccan Kitchens
Location: Hollywood
Price: $$
If you’ve never tried Moroccan food before, stop, drop, and make a reservation right now (but make sure to come back to finish reading and like this post). This culinary gem is a Moroccan escape right in our backyard of Hollywood. With a vibrant ambiance and delightful flavors you’re sure to make a good memory here. If you’re lucky you might even catch a belly dance!
Muse
Location: Santa Monica
Price: $$$
Bienvenue to this cozy upscale French restaurant new on the SaMo scene. The whole place has a golden hue - from the elegant interior design to the satisfied glow you’ll be leaving with. Start with the brioche and end with the Vanilla St. Honoré - oh lá lá!
Verse
Location: Toluca Lake
Price: $$$
Aptly named, this restaurant is also a music studio that hosts live music every night for diners to enjoy and artists to record. Located in a nondescript nearly windowless black building with just a V on the door (ignore your anxiety, you’re in the right place), the schedule is also somewhat of a mystery - you won’t know who will be performing or exactly when. Relax, though - every guest is guaranteed live music and delicious food.
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