3 1/2 Stars Restaurants

Locanda del Lago serves authentic cuisine from Bellagio and the Lake Region of Northern Italy. This Santa Monica locale overlooks Third Street Promenade and brings a taste of Italy to this coastal town. Since its opening in April of 1991, Lago has provided some of the tastiest dishes to foodies, celebrities and locals alike. Their warm décor and seasonal menu along with an air of casual class enhance the dining experience. Come out to Lago where Europe meets the West Coast and enjoy the outdoor patio for people watching and genuine California sunshine as well as some of the most … Learn More »

Joe’s is an intimate, neighborhood spot in Venice Beach serving delectable French-California cuisine. The restaurant’s namesake and Chef, Joe Miller, offers and innovative, seasonal menu with dishes such as Kurobuta Pork Loin & Red Roasted Pork Belly with autumn shell beans, roasted onion, and tamarind mustard jus, and Porcini Mushroom Ravioli with wild mushrooms, reggiano parmesan broth, and white truffles. The restaurant’s wine list offers a collection of quality vintages from small boutique wineries, housed in the newly renovated 2,000 bottle wine cellar. The dining room offers a comfortable yet upscale setting, while the outdoor patio, complete with a calming … Learn More »

Sai Sai’s menu is an exercise in culinary play. Tucked inside the Millenium Biltmore Hotel, this sophisticated restaurant stands out with its adventurous gastronomic creations, Zen-inspired décor, and eager staff. Chef David Bartnes has crafted a daring Asian fusion menu, seamlessly blending distinctive regional cuisines into a global pastiche that is both strikingly original and evocatively familiar. Exotic experiments like Kobe Short Ribs with Potato Gnocchi or the pairing of maguro sashimi with caramelized pear are surprising and satisfying. With noteworthy lunchtime bento boxes, prix fixe menus for theater goers, and in house infused sakes, Sai Sai supplies a variety … Learn More »

555 East is a classic steak house, full of old world style, charm, and superior beef. Dedicated to the art of dining well, 555 East offers choice cuts of USDA Prime beef prepared to perfection, complemented by a wine list with over 600 selections. In addition to succulent and tender steaks, the menu boasts a varied offering of appetizers and accompaniments, from grilled artichokes to fresh oysters, as well as equally succulent seafood, live Maine lobster, and Colorado Rack of Lamb. The ambiance is classic and charming, with marble floors and wood paneling, and on most evenings a low buzz … Learn More »

The menu at One Pico features modern American cuisine with a seasonal bent. Chef Andri Tscharner sources ingredients from local farms, weaving the seasonal produce into stunning, refreshing creations. Dishes might include such succulent renditions as Black Truffle Risotto with Butter Poached Maine Lobster, Snap Peas, and White Truffle Oil; Wild King Salmon with Artichokes, Swiss Chard, Applewood Bacon, and Bouillabaisse Sauce; or Colorado Lamb Loin with Heirloom Carrots, Braising Greens, Chick Peas, and Black Olive Jus. Enjoy Tscharner’s fresh, contemporary cuisine in a casually elegant setting, surrounded by windows that offer gorgeous views of the Santa Monica beach. Learn More »

Classy meets comfortable at Whist, located at the Viceroy Santa Monica, a restaurant offering elegant Coastal Mediterranean cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Not only do menu items offer variety, but in order to ensure individual levels of comfort guests are offered several choices in seating locations including the traditional formal dining room, casual poolside tables as well as private chef cabanas for a more intimate experience. Whist is an eatery known for its significantly stylish décor which fuses vintage and modern furnishings. The restaurant excitedly welcomes new Executive Chef, Tony DiSalvo to the team, who uses his vast … Learn More »

Ammo's newly redesigned interior offers a sleek, dramatic stage on which Owner and Executive Chef Amy Sweeney’s culinary performance unfolds. Turning to the seasons for inspiration, Sweeney’s menu is constantly changing, weaving vibrant, seasonal produce into delectable dishes. During early summer you might find Baby Artichoke pizza with fontina, teardrop tomatoes, baby red onion, and mint; or wood-oven braised Wild Bass with baby artichokes and peewee potatoes. Regardless of the season, the menu showcases stunning creativity and equally stunning quality, accompanied by an eclectic wine list that promises to accompany even the most unique of creations. Learn More »

Offering modern American cuisine, The Belvedere has long been regarded as one of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles. Serving up unique dishes alongside impeccable service and sophisticated atmosphere is what keeps this hotspot as popular as ever as each year passes. Under the direction of Executive Chef Bill Bracken, The Belvedere was recently voted "Best Hotel Restaurant in the Continental US and Canada" by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine, and it is the only hotel restaurant in North America with a AAA Five Diamond Award. Come see what everyone is talking about at The Belvedere. Learn More »

Gaze out over the marina and allow your mind to drift lazily like the boats against the docks as you savor the fresh and tantalizing fare Executive Chef Niederkorn serves up daily. Only twenty minutes from the harried rush of LAX, Café Del Rey transports diners from the bustle of humanity to the calm oasis of a foreign seaside town. Chef Niederkorn presents elegantly prepared and simply adorned seafood dishes that shine by their own freshness and flavor. The Black Spaghetti is made with prawns, calamari, lobster, and bay scallops; and the Mediterranean Meatloaf is taken to another level by … Learn More »

Dining on the patio of Café Pinot gives guests a grand view of the urban skyline and the lush romantic Central Library garden located in Downtown LA. Enjoy warm afternoons and summer nights out on the terrace, while eating Café Pinot’s French-California cuisine. This restaurant is perfect for dining before an event at the Staples Center or the Music Center because of its close location. A delicious Café Pinot dish to try is the Three Mustard- Crusted Farm-Raised Rotisserie Chicken with crispy Pinot fries. If guests decide to have lunch at Café Pinot, then get the Pan-Seared Prime Hanger Steak … Learn More »

CocoPalm embraces guests with a heady Havana experience starting with its greeters, Toucan twosome Ricky and Lucy, and continuing with the interior’s brilliantly hued artwork and Chef Felipe Castro’s flavorful Cuban and Spanish cuisine. Perched atop a hillside alongside the San Gabriel Valley in Pomona, 10 minutes east of Downtown Los Angeles, CocoPalm combines an enviable location with unparalleled valley views, which serve as stunning accompaniments to the savory cuisine and colorful décor of this popular restaurant. Whether a table for two or two hundred, CocoPalm is a destination restaurant seeking to wine, dine, and entertain it guests with generous … Learn More »

Catal Restaurant is a foodie’s paradise in the midst of the dining chaos that is Downtown Disney, in Anaheim. Sophisticated and calm, Catal presents guests with the welcomed opportunity to escape the crowds, settle in, and experience a tantalizing menu of Mediterranean specialties and lavish libations. The restaurant’s balcony offers panoramic views of all the goings-on below, while Chef Weber keeps all eyes happily on the plate with his thoughtful spread of delectable tapas and entrée dishes. Savor favorites like the House-Made Crispy Pork Chicharrones, the Lantern Scallop Tartare, and the Paella Mixta. And let’s not forget to top off … Learn More »

Nested in the center Newport’s ritzy Fashion Island, Roy’s offers a high-end dining experience which combines the freshest Pacific ingredients with European culinary techniques and Asian spices. While the service is not always spectacular, the food speaks for itself, from perfect lobster potstickers to perfect scallops to a dangerously palatable Hawaiian-style cosmopolitan. The atmosphere is dressy, yet comfortable, with a hipster musical playlist, older women wearing Chanel and pearls, and young girls in trendy boutique dresses. This is less of a place to be seen or treated like royalty, and more of a place to enjoy quality cuisine. Learn More »

Shades Restaurant and Bar embodies the unpretentious elegance of its Huntington Beach location. Formerly the Palm Court, this fixture of the Hilton Waterfront has been given a vibrant new personality through its recent renovation. The restaurant’s lively atmosphere is interpreted differently by its seating options: warm amber lighting and wood accents make for a chic indoor dining experience while the outdoor patio, with its ocean views and sunny tables, is the essence of coastal casual. Chef Jeff Littlefield’s menu is dictated by seasonality, resulting in a quietly sophisticated cuisine that is the epitome of fresh. A meal at Shades is … Learn More »

Antonello Ristorante serves Italian favorites to Santa Ana residents in a classy, but family friendly environment. The landscape paintings adorning the walls lend the air of vacationing in an Italian villa. Antonello Ristorante’s expansive menu features all traditional Italian courses, from antipasti through secondi. Local favorites include the antipasti Prosciutto, with slices of Italian Parma Prosciutto, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and Marinated Olives. No Italian experience is complete without the Primi, or pasta course. With options such as Ravioli Magro with Spinach, Ricotta, and San Marzano Tomatoes, Fettuccine with Porcini Mushrooms, Fresh Tomato, and Truffle Oil, as well as a Chef’s … Learn More »

Sutra Lounge offers guests an unabashedly tantric culinary experience in a sensual setting. The enticing atmosphere aims to seduce diners, and the 10,000 square foot restaurant and lounge is adorned with rich colors and comfortable banquettes. From the aphrodisiac-inspired menu to the flavorful libations, Sutra promises a total dining and entertainment experience for the mind and body. Learn More »

Ristorante Mamma Gina has been serving authentic Florentine cuisine in Italy since 1956 and in California since 1986. Located in Palm Desert, this restaurant offers a wine bar with an exceptional happy hour menu that runs from opening until closing. The lunch and dinner menu is comprised of soups, salads, appetizers, Paninis, pastas, and entrees. The Brodetto Di Pesce Fresco is a specialty: Cioppino style fish stew with fresh catch of the day, calamari, mussels, clams, scallops, and shrimp in a light saffron and tomato sauce. Another favorite is the Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola: Homemade potato dumplings with a gorgonzola cheese … Learn More »

Spencer’s Restaurant in Palm Springs offers contemporary American cuisine with a French-Pacific Rim influence. The award-winning wine list boasts a multitude of international and local varieties. The interior is both modern and warm with rich earth tones and stone accents reminiscent of the surrounding desert landscape. Guests passionately recommend the Pan Fried Lake Superior White Fish, served with Lemon Caper Butter, Wilted Spinach, and Root Vegetables. Other menu entrees incorporate a collection of steak, poultry, and seafood concepts. For dinner, guests have the option of ordering from a special prix-fixe menu featuring an appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $38 per … Learn More »

Sandwiched between a temple and a clothing store on West 3rd Street, A.O.C. Wine Bar doesn't look like much from the outside. Inside, however, there is a great deal to dazzle the wine and food lovers of Los Angeles. Born of the collaboration between Chef Suzanne Goin and Sommelier Caroline Styne, both of Lucques fame, A.O.C. offers a unique dining experience. With the aid of the distinctive cruvinet wine storage system, Styne can offer over fifty wines by the glass, half glass, and carafe. Diners can sample from this list while trying some of Goin's small plates, which vary from … Learn More »

Located on Lido Peninsula at the Historic former site of The Sea Shanty & Delany's, Bluewater Grill Seafood Restaurant and Oyster Bar is your classic fish house. Specializing in Mesquite-Charbroiled seafood, house made chowders with an Oyster Bar serving raw oysters and clams on the half shell. Learn More »