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A tan view down the middle of a diner with a stone wall at one end and couples enjoying breakfast. — Clark Street Diner.

Where to Dine Solo in Los Angeles

Full entrees, comfortable bar seating, and quiet dining rooms to eat a meal by yourself in LA

by Matthew Kang and Karen Palmer Updated Aug 25, 2022, 1:18pm PDT

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Clark Street Diner.

| 101 Coffee Shop

by Matthew Kang and Karen Palmer Updated Aug 25, 2022, 1:18pm PDT

While going out to eat is often a social affair, a place to meet friends or loved ones to break bread, restaurants are also a place to find nourishment alone. Food writer M.F.K. Fisher popularized the notion of eating with yourself, but the whole thing really doesn’t have to be a big deal. There’s something pleasant and wonderful about not having to engage in conversation with a dining partner and just relax. Often, staff will find the right balance of bantering with customers and leaving them to enjoy the solitude. At these restaurants, there are usually handy bar seats that serve full meals and drinks, or dining rooms that feel conducive to dining by yourself. Here now, a guide to dining solo in Los Angeles.

ADDED: Clark Street Diner, Terroni, Tsujita, Covell, Kodo

REMOVED: Bludso’s BBQ, Craft Los Angeles, Pampas Grill, Du-Pars, Pho 87

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Kobee Factory

The quiet dining room of Kobee Factory, with its smattering of rickety tables, is a great place to enjoy a generously portioned plate of kebabs and other Syrian dishes in a Van Nuys strip mall.

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14110 Oxnard St, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Visit Website

Kobee Factory dining room with green walls. — Kobee Factory

Agnes

Pasadena’s expansive Agnes restaurant is a bit of a Swiss army knife, with a full dinner menu and handy lunch bill of fare that can be enjoyed at the bar. Try the tremendous braised brisket melt or a platter of cheese with charcuterie alongside a well-shaken cocktail.

Open in Google Maps

40 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105

Visit Website

A corner shot of a wide open restaurant kitchen, with wooden details at top, an open ceiling, and lots of floor space. — Agnes front counter and open kitchen area.

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Hail Mary Pizza

The bar-height seats looking out to Atwater Village’s Glendale Boulevard are a great way to have one of Los Angeles’s best pizzas. Hail Mary has a focused, simple menu of seasonal salads and New York-style pies served in personal sizes.

Open in Google Maps

3219 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Visit Website

A chef with tattooed hands moves a pizza from a plate into a takeaway box. — Hail Mary Pizza

Clark Street Diner

Sometimes it’s nice to be alone with one’s thoughts — and a giant stack of buttermilk pancakes. Or a plate of corned beef hash. Or a tuna melt on really good bread. Sidle up to a counter seat at this beloved retro-styled Hollywood diner, taken over by the Clark Street Bread group last year, and take a minute to read the paper (or catch up on your scrolling) as the diner buzzes in the background.

Open in Google Maps

6145 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

A tan view down the middle of a diner with a stone wall at one end and couples enjoying breakfast. — Clark Street Diner.

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Covell

When decision fatigue steps in, Covell is always a solid choice. Incredibly knowledgeable bartenders are always up for recommending the perfect glass of wine (and pouring a few tastes to make sure it’s the right one), and a compact menu of cheese and charcuterie plates and no-fuss dishes like Croque Monsieurs and Spanish tortillas make a solo evening at the bar a no-brainer.

4628 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anita C. (@cocktailwriter)

Also featured in:

Petit Trois

One of the original tiny restaurants in LA, the bar seating-only dining room of Petit Trois has all the energy and bustle of a full bistro, but with direct interaction with cooks, servers, and bartenders. Start with a piece of fresh baguette and soft butter, then bite into the saucy cheeseburger or trout almondine paired with a glass of wine.

Open in Google Maps

718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Petit Trois’ messy burger with bordelaise sauce and lots of cheese shown on a white plate in the restaurant. — Burger from Petit Trois.

Crossroads Kitchen

Vegan destination Crossroads has a wide bar where dining solo feels like the norm. Step up, order up a great cocktail, and check out some of the best plant-based food in the city, like homemade pastas, pizza, and scallopini milanese.

Open in Google Maps

8284 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Pasta from Crossroads. — Handmade pasta from Crossroads.

101 Noodle Express

Quiet SGV eatery 101 Noodle Express has a huge menu of crowd-pleasing favorites, though the dan dan noodles with beef roll are must-orders for anyone that hasn’t tried them. The portions are big enough that a solo diner will be able to take home leftovers too.

1408 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Visit Website

Dan dan noodles from 101 Noodle Express in a bowl. — Dan dan noodles from 101 Noodle Express.

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Terroni

There’s no better respite from an afternoon spent fighting throngs of shoppers at The Grove than snagging a bar seat at Terroni for a cocktail and a plate of fresh housemade pasta. The bartenders are chatty, the drinks are well-mixed, and pastas like homemade tagliatelli with a classic Bolognese or guanciale-studded bucatini all’amatricana replenish weary Grove-goers.

7605 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TERRONI LA (@terroni.la)

Also featured in:

Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant

The counter or the small booths at Langer’s are a great place to have a solo lunch in Los Angeles, with hefty pastrami sandwiches, comforting matzo ball soups, or loaded chili fries. Sit down and people-watch at one of LA’s most energetic lunch crowds.

Open in Google Maps

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Visit Website

Counter at Langer’s deli with patrons sitting. — Langer’s Deli counter.

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The Apple Pan

Counter-only seating always works for people eating solo, especially at the longtime burger destination Apple Pan. Order a hickory burger, fries, a soda, and a slice of fresh pie for a complete meal served in less than half an hour, though be prepared to wait during prime hours.

Open in Google Maps

10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Visit Website

Apple Pan’s counter with open kitchen. — Apple Pan

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Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles

A big bowl of steaming ramen equals superior comfort, and few do it better than Tsujita on Sawtelle. There may be a wait for a table, but once inside, simply allow the aromas of one of the restaurant’s signature ramen — ranging from charsiu to negi to vegan versions — take the edge off whatever ails.

Open in Google Maps

2057 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tsujita LA (@tsujitala)

Also featured in:

11 Excellent West LA Restaurants Serving Takeout and Delivery

Kodō

For an incredibly serene evening spent eating sushi and the like, head to Kodō in the Arts District. The restaurant’s warmly lit steel-and-marble bar is ideal for experiencing chef Yoya Takahashi’s creations, which range from sashimi to robata-grilled short ribs or live scallops.

Open in Google Maps

710 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Visit Website

An angled look at an L-shaped bar with golden underlighting. — The bar at Kodō.

Also featured in:

13 Essential Arts District Restaurants in Los Angeles

Hotville Chicken

The convivial family-like environment at Hotville Chicken makes it a great place to order up a quarter bird of Nashville fried chicken or a chicken sandwich. Find a quiet booth and enjoy one of LA’s best Southern specialties in solitude.

Open in Google Maps

4070 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Visit Website

Hotville chicken on a tray with checkered paper and pickles. — Hotville chicken.

Also featured in:

Sugarfish

Dine at the bar at Sugarfish and taste a full omakase with swift, attentive service and a parade of fresh fish with warm rice. Doing away with the formality of interacting with a sushi chef, nigiri or sashimi comes on clean white plates that are taken away immediately. Sugarfish remains one of the best quick solo dining experiences in town at its multiple locations.

Open in Google Maps

4722 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Visit Website

Sushi at Sugarfish Marina del Rey. — Sushi from Sugarfish.

Also featured in:

Otafuku Restaurant

Izakayas are always solo diner-friendly because of smaller portions and easy-to-customize meals. Otafuku, with its semi-hidden space and counter seats, is a great place to have an amazing Japanese feast by yourself. Try the grilled eel, soba noodles, and grilled chicken skewers, washing it down with cold beer.

Open in Google Maps

16525 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Visit Website

Otafuku Restaurant.

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Kobee Factory

14110 Oxnard St, Van Nuys, CA 91401

The quiet dining room of Kobee Factory, with its smattering of rickety tables, is a great place to enjoy a generously portioned plate of kebabs and other Syrian dishes in a Van Nuys strip mall.

Open in Google Maps

14110 Oxnard St, Van Nuys, CA 91401

Visit Website

Kobee Factory dining room with green walls. — Kobee Factory

Agnes

40 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105

Pasadena’s expansive Agnes restaurant is a bit of a Swiss army knife, with a full dinner menu and handy lunch bill of fare that can be enjoyed at the bar. Try the tremendous braised brisket melt or a platter of cheese with charcuterie alongside a well-shaken cocktail.

Open in Google Maps

40 W Green St, Pasadena, CA 91105

Visit Website

A corner shot of a wide open restaurant kitchen, with wooden details at top, an open ceiling, and lots of floor space. — Agnes front counter and open kitchen area.

Hail Mary Pizza

3219 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

The bar-height seats looking out to Atwater Village’s Glendale Boulevard are a great way to have one of Los Angeles’s best pizzas. Hail Mary has a focused, simple menu of seasonal salads and New York-style pies served in personal sizes.

Open in Google Maps

3219 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Visit Website

A chef with tattooed hands moves a pizza from a plate into a takeaway box. — Hail Mary Pizza

Clark Street Diner

6145 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Sometimes it’s nice to be alone with one’s thoughts — and a giant stack of buttermilk pancakes. Or a plate of corned beef hash. Or a tuna melt on really good bread. Sidle up to a counter seat at this beloved retro-styled Hollywood diner, taken over by the Clark Street Bread group last year, and take a minute to read the paper (or catch up on your scrolling) as the diner buzzes in the background.

Open in Google Maps

6145 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

A tan view down the middle of a diner with a stone wall at one end and couples enjoying breakfast. — Clark Street Diner.

Covell

4628 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

When decision fatigue steps in, Covell is always a solid choice. Incredibly knowledgeable bartenders are always up for recommending the perfect glass of wine (and pouring a few tastes to make sure it’s the right one), and a compact menu of cheese and charcuterie plates and no-fuss dishes like Croque Monsieurs and Spanish tortillas make a solo evening at the bar a no-brainer.

4628 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Anita C. (@cocktailwriter)

Petit Trois

718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

One of the original tiny restaurants in LA, the bar seating-only dining room of Petit Trois has all the energy and bustle of a full bistro, but with direct interaction with cooks, servers, and bartenders. Start with a piece of fresh baguette and soft butter, then bite into the saucy cheeseburger or trout almondine paired with a glass of wine.

Open in Google Maps

718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Visit Website

Petit Trois’ messy burger with bordelaise sauce and lots of cheese shown on a white plate in the restaurant. — Burger from Petit Trois.

Crossroads Kitchen

8284 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Vegan destination Crossroads has a wide bar where dining solo feels like the norm. Step up, order up a great cocktail, and check out some of the best plant-based food in the city, like homemade pastas, pizza, and scallopini milanese.

Open in Google Maps

8284 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Visit Website

Pasta from Crossroads. — Handmade pasta from Crossroads.

101 Noodle Express

1408 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Quiet SGV eatery 101 Noodle Express has a huge menu of crowd-pleasing favorites, though the dan dan noodles with beef roll are must-orders for anyone that hasn’t tried them. The portions are big enough that a solo diner will be able to take home leftovers too.

1408 E Valley Blvd, Alhambra, CA 91801

Visit Website

Dan dan noodles from 101 Noodle Express in a bowl. — Dan dan noodles from 101 Noodle Express.

Terroni

7605 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

There’s no better respite from an afternoon spent fighting throngs of shoppers at The Grove than snagging a bar seat at Terroni for a cocktail and a plate of fresh housemade pasta. The bartenders are chatty, the drinks are well-mixed, and pastas like homemade tagliatelli with a classic Bolognese or guanciale-studded bucatini all’amatricana replenish weary Grove-goers.

7605 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TERRONI LA (@terroni.la)

Langer's Delicatessen-Restaurant

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

The counter or the small booths at Langer’s are a great place to have a solo lunch in Los Angeles, with hefty pastrami sandwiches, comforting matzo ball soups, or loaded chili fries. Sit down and people-watch at one of LA’s most energetic lunch crowds.

Open in Google Maps

704 S Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057

Visit Website

Counter at Langer’s deli with patrons sitting. — Langer’s Deli counter.

The Apple Pan

10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Counter-only seating always works for people eating solo, especially at the longtime burger destination Apple Pan. Order a hickory burger, fries, a soda, and a slice of fresh pie for a complete meal served in less than half an hour, though be prepared to wait during prime hours.

Open in Google Maps

10801 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Visit Website

Apple Pan’s counter with open kitchen. — Apple Pan

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles

2057 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

A big bowl of steaming ramen equals superior comfort, and few do it better than Tsujita on Sawtelle. There may be a wait for a table, but once inside, simply allow the aromas of one of the restaurant’s signature ramen — ranging from charsiu to negi to vegan versions — take the edge off whatever ails.

Open in Google Maps

2057 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Visit Website

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tsujita LA (@tsujitala)

Kodō

710 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

For an incredibly serene evening spent eating sushi and the like, head to Kodō in the Arts District. The restaurant’s warmly lit steel-and-marble bar is ideal for experiencing chef Yoya Takahashi’s creations, which range from sashimi to robata-grilled short ribs or live scallops.

Open in Google Maps

710 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021

Visit Website

An angled look at an L-shaped bar with golden underlighting. — The bar at Kodō.

Hotville Chicken

4070 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

The convivial family-like environment at Hotville Chicken makes it a great place to order up a quarter bird of Nashville fried chicken or a chicken sandwich. Find a quiet booth and enjoy one of LA’s best Southern specialties in solitude.

Open in Google Maps

4070 Marlton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90008

Visit Website

Hotville chicken on a tray with checkered paper and pickles. — Hotville chicken.

Sugarfish

4722 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Dine at the bar at Sugarfish and taste a full omakase with swift, attentive service and a parade of fresh fish with warm rice. Doing away with the formality of interacting with a sushi chef, nigiri or sashimi comes on clean white plates that are taken away immediately. Sugarfish remains one of the best quick solo dining experiences in town at its multiple locations.

Open in Google Maps

4722 Admiralty Way, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

Visit Website

Sushi at Sugarfish Marina del Rey. — Sushi from Sugarfish.

Related Maps

Otafuku Restaurant

16525 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Izakayas are always solo diner-friendly because of smaller portions and easy-to-customize meals. Otafuku, with its semi-hidden space and counter seats, is a great place to have an amazing Japanese feast by yourself. Try the grilled eel, soba noodles, and grilled chicken skewers, washing it down with cold beer.

Open in Google Maps

16525 S Western Ave, Gardena, CA 90247

Visit Website

Otafuku Restaurant.

Related Maps