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Pork jowl, rice, Taiwanese pickles at Kato in Downtown.
Pork jowl, rice, and Taiwanese pickles at Kato in Downtown.
Wonho Frank Lee

14 Splurge-Worthy LA Restaurants Perfect for Special Occasions

Save up and savor these exquisite LA dining experiences

by Cathy Chaplin and Eater Staff Updated
2 comments / new
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Pork jowl, rice, and Taiwanese pickles at Kato in Downtown.
| Wonho Frank Lee
by Cathy Chaplin and Eater Staff Updated
2 comments / new

Whether celebrating a new job, an important anniversary, a milestone birthday, or just surviving the week, head to the places on this list for exquisite culinary experiences paired with thoughtful service. Advanced reservations, and sometimes even monetary deposits, are required at most of these restaurants, so plan ahead for a night of revelry. Here now are 14 splurge-worthy restaurants in Los Angeles.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process. If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Morihiro

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Acclaimed chef Morihiro Onodera brings his classic sushi style to Atwater Village. The omakase experience at this Michelin-starred spot goes for $400 per person and features seasonal delicacies imported from Japan. Reservations are available on Tock.

3133 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 522-3993
(323) 522-3993

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Gwen

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Brothers Curtis and Luke Stone’s Michelin-starred steakhouse Gwen is just the place for those who associate red meat with celebrations. Dine amid the glass-enclosed dry-aging rooms with views of the kitchen’s roaring fire pit. The house-made charcuterie is particularly of note, as well as any of the fine cuts of beef, like the 30-day-aged ribeye and New York strip. The duck-fat potatoes make for a shareable side dish. Reservations are available on Resy.

6600 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 946-7500
(323) 946-7500

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Providence

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Providence orchestrates one of the most pleasurable gastronomical experiences in the city. Chef Michael Cimarusti’s exceptional cooking is perfectly matched with Donato Poto’s warm and efficient service. Seafood is chef Cimarusti’s forte, so be prepared for dazzlingly fresh fish, scallops, and sea urchin preparations. The chef’s tasting menu is priced at $295 per person. Reservations are available by calling the restaurant directory or on OpenTable.

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
(323) 460-4170
Dining area in Providence.
The updated dining room at Providence.
Daniel Collopy

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Antico Nuovo

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Chef Chad Colby’s Antico Nuovo is the perfect spot for a lower-key celebratory dinner. It’s impossible to go wrong with anything on the Italian menu, offering freshly baked focaccia bread with all the trimmings, handmade pasta that change with the seasons, and larger mains including branzino and pork ribs. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

4653 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 510-3093
(323) 510-3093
Ravioli di nonna at Antico Nuovo.
Ravioli di nonna at Antico Nuovo.
Wonho Frank Lee

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Manzke

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Walter and Marge Manzke’s Michelin-starred restaurant is a must-visit for diners chasing the good life. The $295 tasting menu draws influences from Los Angeles and abroad, with nods to Latin America, Asia, and Europe woven throughout. The cocktails from bar director Shawn Lickliter make for an impressive opening to what is one of the most thoughtful fine dining meals in LA. Reservations are available on Tock.

9575 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
(424) 500-9575
(424) 500-9575
Oyster and caviar with a blue petal in a white bowl.
Oyster and caviar at Manzke.
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

Sushi Kaneyoshi

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There are many exquisite omakase experiences to be had in Los Angeles and the one served at Sushi Kaneyoshi is arguably the best. Chef Yoshiyuki Inoue serves an edomae-style progression in a hidden-away basement in Little Tokyo. The menu is priced at $300 per person. Reservations are available on Tock.

250 1st St B1, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 277-2388
(213) 277-2388

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Orsa & Winston

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Find Japanese and Italian influences throughout Josef Centeno’s five-course tasting menu priced at $125 per person. The menu at this Michelin-starred restaurant includes seasonally-driven crudo, vegetables, pasta, fish, and dessert. The $49 supplemental seafood porridge is a must. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANK BUILDING, 122 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-0300
(213) 687-0300

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Kato Restaurant

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Chef Jon Yao draws from his Taiwanese roots and Los Angeles upbringing at Kato in Downtown. Dinner starts at $275 per person and can include dishes like pigs ears, fish maw soup, and pork jowl rice with Taiwanese pickles. Reservations are available on Resy.

777 S Alameda St Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 797-5770
(213) 797-5770
Fish maw, Dungeness crab, caviar in a small white bowl and plate at Kato in Downtown.
Fish maw soup at Kato in Downtown.
Wonho Frank Lee

Also featured in:

Hayato

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Head to the Row DTLA for a hyper-traditional kaiseki dinner orchestrated by chef Brandon Go. A meal at two-Michelin-starred Hayato focuses on washoku (traditional Japanese cooking), lasts nearly three hours, and costs $350 per person. Reservations are available on Tock.

1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 395-0607
(213) 395-0607
Sushi at Hayato in Downtown LA.
Sushi at Hayato in Downtown.
Cathy Chaplin

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Damian

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Dinner at Enrique Olvera’s Damian feels like a portal to Mexico City. The dining room’s lush yet industrial vibe hits a inviting note, while the kitchen prepares modern Mexican fare that feels at home in LA, offering lobster al pastor with pineapple butter, sea urchin tostadas, and hibiscus meringue for dessert. Reservations are available here.

2132 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 270-0178
(213) 270-0178
A top-down image of a white plate with the hibiscus meringue from Damian.
Hibiscus meringue at Damian.
Damian

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N/Naka

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Chefs Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama serve a modern kaiseki experience for $310 per person. The menu changes with the seasons, along with the chef’s whims, while the flow of the meal adheres to Japanese traditions. The three-hour experience is beautifully orchestrated and paced just so, leaving diners pampered, satisfied, and feeling thoroughly justified for indulging in something so extravagant. Reservations are available on Tock.

3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 836-6252
(310) 836-6252
Abalone pasta at N/Naka in Palms.
Abalone pasta at N/Naka in Palms.
Cathy Chaplin

Mélisse Restaurant

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Fine-dining chef Josiah Citrin and chef de cuisine Ken Takayama know how to dazzle diners at this two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Snag a seat in the 14-seat dining room for an eight-course, two-and-a-half-hour culinary experience that can include a seaweed tart with smoked salmon and roe, A5 wagyu beef with morels and pickled ramps, and more. The meal costs $399 per person and reservations are available on Tock.

1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-0881
(310) 395-0881

Shunji Japanese Cuisine

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Chef Shunji Nakao is settling in nicely to Santa Monica after moving from his original West LA location in 2022. For the most exquisite experience, book a seat inside the chef’s tasting room that fits just six diners. The $280 omakase is served personally by Nakao and comes with hot and cold small dishes, sashimi, and a variety of nigiri sushi. Reservations are available on Tock.

3003 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

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Pasjoli

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Come to Dave Beran’s Santa Monica bistro for polished takes on French classics. The pressed duck for two ($198) comes with roasted duck breast, a salad topped with crispy duck skin, and duck leg bread pudding. Don’t miss the chocolate souffle for dessert. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

2732 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
(424) 330-0020
(424) 330-0020
Chef Dave Beran at Pasjoli plating a pork belly dish with his head bent down.
Chef Dave Beran.
Wonho Frank Lee

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Morihiro

3133 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Acclaimed chef Morihiro Onodera brings his classic sushi style to Atwater Village. The omakase experience at this Michelin-starred spot goes for $400 per person and features seasonal delicacies imported from Japan. Reservations are available on Tock.

3133 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 522-3993
(323) 522-3993

Gwen

6600 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Brothers Curtis and Luke Stone’s Michelin-starred steakhouse Gwen is just the place for those who associate red meat with celebrations. Dine amid the glass-enclosed dry-aging rooms with views of the kitchen’s roaring fire pit. The house-made charcuterie is particularly of note, as well as any of the fine cuts of beef, like the 30-day-aged ribeye and New York strip. The duck-fat potatoes make for a shareable side dish. Reservations are available on Resy.

6600 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 946-7500
(323) 946-7500

Providence

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Providence orchestrates one of the most pleasurable gastronomical experiences in the city. Chef Michael Cimarusti’s exceptional cooking is perfectly matched with Donato Poto’s warm and efficient service. Seafood is chef Cimarusti’s forte, so be prepared for dazzlingly fresh fish, scallops, and sea urchin preparations. The chef’s tasting menu is priced at $295 per person. Reservations are available by calling the restaurant directory or on OpenTable.

5955 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170
(323) 460-4170
Dining area in Providence.
The updated dining room at Providence.
Daniel Collopy

Antico Nuovo

4653 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004

Chef Chad Colby’s Antico Nuovo is the perfect spot for a lower-key celebratory dinner. It’s impossible to go wrong with anything on the Italian menu, offering freshly baked focaccia bread with all the trimmings, handmade pasta that change with the seasons, and larger mains including branzino and pork ribs. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

4653 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 510-3093
(323) 510-3093
Ravioli di nonna at Antico Nuovo.
Ravioli di nonna at Antico Nuovo.
Wonho Frank Lee

Manzke

9575 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035

Walter and Marge Manzke’s Michelin-starred restaurant is a must-visit for diners chasing the good life. The $295 tasting menu draws influences from Los Angeles and abroad, with nods to Latin America, Asia, and Europe woven throughout. The cocktails from bar director Shawn Lickliter make for an impressive opening to what is one of the most thoughtful fine dining meals in LA. Reservations are available on Tock.

9575 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
(424) 500-9575
(424) 500-9575
Oyster and caviar with a blue petal in a white bowl.
Oyster and caviar at Manzke.
Wonho Frank Lee

Sushi Kaneyoshi

250 1st St B1, Los Angeles, CA 90012

There are many exquisite omakase experiences to be had in Los Angeles and the one served at Sushi Kaneyoshi is arguably the best. Chef Yoshiyuki Inoue serves an edomae-style progression in a hidden-away basement in Little Tokyo. The menu is priced at $300 per person. Reservations are available on Tock.

250 1st St B1, Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 277-2388
(213) 277-2388

Orsa & Winston

FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANK BUILDING, 122 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Find Japanese and Italian influences throughout Josef Centeno’s five-course tasting menu priced at $125 per person. The menu at this Michelin-starred restaurant includes seasonally-driven crudo, vegetables, pasta, fish, and dessert. The $49 supplemental seafood porridge is a must. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANK BUILDING, 122 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-0300
(213) 687-0300

Kato Restaurant

777 S Alameda St Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Chef Jon Yao draws from his Taiwanese roots and Los Angeles upbringing at Kato in Downtown. Dinner starts at $275 per person and can include dishes like pigs ears, fish maw soup, and pork jowl rice with Taiwanese pickles. Reservations are available on Resy.

777 S Alameda St Building 1, Suite 114, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 797-5770
(213) 797-5770
Fish maw, Dungeness crab, caviar in a small white bowl and plate at Kato in Downtown.
Fish maw soup at Kato in Downtown.
Wonho Frank Lee

Hayato

1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Head to the Row DTLA for a hyper-traditional kaiseki dinner orchestrated by chef Brandon Go. A meal at two-Michelin-starred Hayato focuses on washoku (traditional Japanese cooking), lasts nearly three hours, and costs $350 per person. Reservations are available on Tock.

1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 395-0607
(213) 395-0607
Sushi at Hayato in Downtown LA.
Sushi at Hayato in Downtown.
Cathy Chaplin

Damian

2132 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Dinner at Enrique Olvera’s Damian feels like a portal to Mexico City. The dining room’s lush yet industrial vibe hits a inviting note, while the kitchen prepares modern Mexican fare that feels at home in LA, offering lobster al pastor with pineapple butter, sea urchin tostadas, and hibiscus meringue for dessert. Reservations are available here.

2132 E 7th Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90021
(213) 270-0178
(213) 270-0178
A top-down image of a white plate with the hibiscus meringue from Damian.
Hibiscus meringue at Damian.
Damian

N/Naka

3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Chefs Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama serve a modern kaiseki experience for $310 per person. The menu changes with the seasons, along with the chef’s whims, while the flow of the meal adheres to Japanese traditions. The three-hour experience is beautifully orchestrated and paced just so, leaving diners pampered, satisfied, and feeling thoroughly justified for indulging in something so extravagant. Reservations are available on Tock.

3455 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 836-6252
(310) 836-6252
Abalone pasta at N/Naka in Palms.
Abalone pasta at N/Naka in Palms.
Cathy Chaplin

Mélisse Restaurant

1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Fine-dining chef Josiah Citrin and chef de cuisine Ken Takayama know how to dazzle diners at this two-Michelin-starred restaurant. Snag a seat in the 14-seat dining room for an eight-course, two-and-a-half-hour culinary experience that can include a seaweed tart with smoked salmon and roe, A5 wagyu beef with morels and pickled ramps, and more. The meal costs $399 per person and reservations are available on Tock.

1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-0881
(310) 395-0881

Shunji Japanese Cuisine

3003 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Chef Shunji Nakao is settling in nicely to Santa Monica after moving from his original West LA location in 2022. For the most exquisite experience, book a seat inside the chef’s tasting room that fits just six diners. The $280 omakase is served personally by Nakao and comes with hot and cold small dishes, sashimi, and a variety of nigiri sushi. Reservations are available on Tock.

3003 Ocean Park Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Pasjoli

2732 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405

Come to Dave Beran’s Santa Monica bistro for polished takes on French classics. The pressed duck for two ($198) comes with roasted duck breast, a salad topped with crispy duck skin, and duck leg bread pudding. Don’t miss the chocolate souffle for dessert. Reservations are available on OpenTable.

2732 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
(424) 330-0020
(424) 330-0020
Chef Dave Beran at Pasjoli plating a pork belly dish with his head bent down.
Chef Dave Beran.
Wonho Frank Lee

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