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For the full (stuffed, really) experience: Carlitos Gardel.
Grilled meats and red wine from Carlitos Gardel on Melrose Avenue.
Farley Elliott

17 Date-Worthy LA Restaurants That Are Actually Open on Monday Nights

Find a great, celebratory place to eat on Monday, because not everyone can eat out on prime weekend evenings

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Grilled meats and red wine from Carlitos Gardel on Melrose Avenue.
| Farley Elliott

Most of the time, Monday night dinner is made for comfort food in simple surroundings, or even (gasp) having dinner at home. For many, it’s a recharge day after a long weekend at hip bars and hot spots across the city, but for those really in-the-know diners, Monday night represents a chance to beat the crowds while still eating well at some of greater LA’s top restaurants. These are places that work for date night or off-weekend anniversaries, restaurants where the service, drinks, and decor help to pull the whole meal together — and where it’s possible to actually get in, without waiting for months on a reservation list. Here’s where to score a table on Monday nights around Los Angeles.

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Petit Trois le Valley

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Classic French fare always tastes better on a whim, like a Monday night dinner in the Valley. Ludo Lefebvre’s enduring bistro has both the look and the charm of a Parisian restaurant, with hefty fare like steak frites, escargots, and trout almondine paired with the excellent cocktails and wine list.

Petit Trois in Sherman Oaks.
Petit Trois in Sherman Oaks.
Wonho Frank Lee

Sushi Note

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The Valley's low-key wine and sushi spot is a secret find on Monday evenings, where locals can take in quality omakase and nigiri paired with a thoughtful wine list. The modest interior and somewhat hushed vibe with jazz tunes make it a solid date night.

A glass of wine and sushi platter at Sherman Oaks’ Sushi Note
Sushi and wine from Sushi Note.
Sushi Note

Union Restaurant

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Pasadena can’t get enough of Union, the Italian spot known for its locavore approach to vegetables and its comforting menu of fresh pastas. Because this place is so hard to get into on weekends, Monday night may be your best bet.

Spaghetti chitarra at Union.
Spaghetti chitarra at Union.
Wonho Frank Lee/Eater LA

Wolfgang Puck always knows how to make a room feel like it contains all the energy in the world, like the towering fish bowl that looks out into the Southland from its Sunset Strip perch. Merois feels like an indulgent thing for a Monday, but with easier tables and an unexpected formality, the menu is a crowd-pleasing, Asian-inflected assemblage (like a fantastic roast duck) only Puck could pull off. Make sure to get the chocolate souffle for dessert.

Outside patio at Merois.
Outside patio at Merois.
Wonho Frank Lee

Alimento

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Longtime neighborhood favorite Alimento is and has always been the kind of place where Silver Lake has gathered for excellent pasta and terrific wine. It’s a bonus that they choose to open on Monday, a night for locals to pop in and have great food from chef Zach Pollack, like chicken liver mousse or handmade tortellini.

Alimento
Alimento in Silver Lake.
Dylan + Jeni

Carlitos Gardel Argentine Steakhouse

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Deep red wines and robust steak cuts (or around-the-world sampler platters) make for an invigorating night at Carlitos Gardel, the Argentinian spot hiding in plain sight along Melrose. While there are other steakhouses to enjoy for opulence and people-watching, the dim and cozy corners of Carlitos Gardel make for an ideal evening of red meat, wine, and possible canoodling.

For the full (stuffed, really) experience: Carlitos Gardel.
Grilled meats and more from Carlitos Gardel.
Farley Elliott

Spartina

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Stephen Kalt's enduring Melrose Avenue Italian restaurant has morphed into one of the city's most underrated date gems. A wide menu of California-Italian salads, appetizers, pizzas, and pastas makes it approachable while the nicely appointed indoor and outdoor dining rooms give it versatility for dates or larger groups.

Spartina ravioli with uni in a bowl.
Uni-topped ravioli from Spartina.
Spartina

Antico Nuovo

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Chad Colby's intimate, warm dining room might be the best-looking restaurant in town to lack any open windows. But most diners won't care when plates of polished handmade pasta and grilled proteins arrive on the wide wooden tables. Peruse the long wine list filled with vintage finds for the ideal Monday date night.

Ravioli di nonna at Antico Nuovo.
Ravioli di nonna from Antico Nuovo.
Wonho Frank Lee

Tsubaki

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For refined Japanese cooking, it’s hard to think of a better place than Tsubaki. The diminutive Echo Park restaurant (and attached sake bar and snacks spot Ototo) is perfect for a Monday night celebration, dining over dry-aged sashimi, silken tofu, and grill-kissed meats.

Tsubaki, Echo Park.
Tsubaki, Echo Park.
Pascal Shirley

Here's Looking At You

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Koreatown’s most ambitious restaurant is back after a near closure that was saved when owners Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener crowdsourced funds to pay for a reopening. The seasonal food is an example of LA’s global dining lens at its finest, with stellar cocktails to boot. Try the frog legs with salsa negra or the uni panna cotta starter.

Here’s Looking at You restaurant in Koreatown, Los Angeles, California
Here’s Looking at You, Koreatown
Shant Kiraz

Camphor

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One of LA's cherished Monday-open restaurants, Camphor is an upscale French bistro with intricate fare by chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George. The dining room has soaring ceilings and a modern dining room filled with well-dressed patrons. Typically Mondays can feel casual, but with roasted chicken drizzled with silken sauce, crunchy baby gunpowder shrimp, and fancy steak tartare, Camphor is an early week splurge worth taking.

Baby shrimp gunpowder at Camphor restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles
Baby gunpowder shrimp from Camphor
Wonho Frank Lee

Yangban Society

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Yangban Society in the Arts District is now a dinner-only spot from chefs Katianna and John Hong, and they're now open every day of the week, including Monday. The revised menu still offers a set tasting menu that gives diners an array of the restaurant's Korean American cooking, or opt to order a la carte, like the fantastic sweet-spicy chicken wings or the tremendous charcoal-grilled sea bream.

A wooden booth with marble table and white painted brick beneath a family photo inside a restaurant.
Upper dining area of Yangban Society.
Wonho Frank Lee

Harold & Belle's

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One of LA’s enduring Creole restaurants, Harold & Belle’s is a lovely family-run place for bowls of file gumbo, jambalaya, and other New Orleans favorites in the heart of South LA. Third-generation owners Ryan and Jessica Legaux make sure the restaurant features more than enough Southern hospitality to make any night of the week feel special.

Here Is The Harold & Belle’s Restoration We’ve All Been Waiting For
Harold and Belle’s
Harold & Belle’s

Pasjoli

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There may be no finer Santa Monica restaurant than Pasjoli, with its upscale French cooking from celebrated fine-dining chef Dave Beran and impeccable service standards. Monday nights are a great opportunity to relax and watch one of Los Angeles’s best restaurants turn out plate after plate of unrivaled French fare.

Pasjoli, Santa Monica, dining room.
Pasjoli, Santa Monica.
Wonho Frank Lee/Eater LA

Belles Beach House

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A place that defies the seasons, Belles Beach House is a portal to the warmer waves of the islands out in Venice, with an expansive, energetic dining room that feels more like a resort lounge. Bites are izakaya-inspired with a dose of Hawaiian flavor, while the cocktails hew sharply to the Tiki variety. The restaurant is so spacious that finding a table shouldn’t be difficult on Monday nights.

Belles Beach House interior with lounge chairs and exposed ceiling.
Dining room of Belles Beach House in Venice.
Wonho Frank Lee

The Arthur J

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There’s not a lot of pretension at the Arthur J in Manhattan Beach, it’s just that the compact dining room and high-quality food make it hard to score a weekend table. On Monday nights the steakhouse is a different place almost entirely, a beachside option for locals to celebrate with grilled steaks and wine.

Tomahawk steak from the Arthur J.
Tomahawk steak from the Arthur J.
Mary Costa

Hermosa Beach hasn't had this nice of a date spot in years, with solid Asian American cooking served in a pretty, dimly lit dining room. Order up some of the fresh crudo and milk bread before dining into more izakaya-inspired fare.

Sunlight dining area at Ryla with painted murals and set tables.
Back dining room of Ryla in Hermosa Beach.
Wonho Frank Lee

Petit Trois le Valley

Classic French fare always tastes better on a whim, like a Monday night dinner in the Valley. Ludo Lefebvre’s enduring bistro has both the look and the charm of a Parisian restaurant, with hefty fare like steak frites, escargots, and trout almondine paired with the excellent cocktails and wine list.

Petit Trois in Sherman Oaks.
Petit Trois in Sherman Oaks.
Wonho Frank Lee

Sushi Note

The Valley's low-key wine and sushi spot is a secret find on Monday evenings, where locals can take in quality omakase and nigiri paired with a thoughtful wine list. The modest interior and somewhat hushed vibe with jazz tunes make it a solid date night.

A glass of wine and sushi platter at Sherman Oaks’ Sushi Note
Sushi and wine from Sushi Note.
Sushi Note

Union Restaurant

Pasadena can’t get enough of Union, the Italian spot known for its locavore approach to vegetables and its comforting menu of fresh pastas. Because this place is so hard to get into on weekends, Monday night may be your best bet.

Spaghetti chitarra at Union.
Spaghetti chitarra at Union.
Wonho Frank Lee/Eater LA

Merois

Wolfgang Puck always knows how to make a room feel like it contains all the energy in the world, like the towering fish bowl that looks out into the Southland from its Sunset Strip perch. Merois feels like an indulgent thing for a Monday, but with easier tables and an unexpected formality, the menu is a crowd-pleasing, Asian-inflected assemblage (like a fantastic roast duck) only Puck could pull off. Make sure to get the chocolate souffle for dessert.

Outside patio at Merois.
Outside patio at Merois.
Wonho Frank Lee

Alimento

Longtime neighborhood favorite Alimento is and has always been the kind of place where Silver Lake has gathered for excellent pasta and terrific wine. It’s a bonus that they choose to open on Monday, a night for locals to pop in and have great food from chef Zach Pollack, like chicken liver mousse or handmade tortellini.

Alimento
Alimento in Silver Lake.
Dylan + Jeni

Carlitos Gardel Argentine Steakhouse

Deep red wines and robust steak cuts (or around-the-world sampler platters) make for an invigorating night at Carlitos Gardel, the Argentinian spot hiding in plain sight along Melrose. While there are other steakhouses to enjoy for opulence and people-watching, the dim and cozy corners of Carlitos Gardel make for an ideal evening of red meat, wine, and possible canoodling.

For the full (stuffed, really) experience: Carlitos Gardel.
Grilled meats and more from Carlitos Gardel.
Farley Elliott

Spartina

Stephen Kalt's enduring Melrose Avenue Italian restaurant has morphed into one of the city's most underrated date gems. A wide menu of California-Italian salads, appetizers, pizzas, and pastas makes it approachable while the nicely appointed indoor and outdoor dining rooms give it versatility for dates or larger groups.

Spartina ravioli with uni in a bowl.
Uni-topped ravioli from Spartina.
Spartina

Antico Nuovo

Chad Colby's intimate, warm dining room might be the best-looking restaurant in town to lack any open windows. But most diners won't care when plates of polished handmade pasta and grilled proteins arrive on the wide wooden tables. Peruse the long wine list filled with vintage finds for the ideal Monday date night.

Ravioli di nonna at Antico Nuovo.
Ravioli di nonna from Antico Nuovo.
Wonho Frank Lee

Tsubaki

For refined Japanese cooking, it’s hard to think of a better place than Tsubaki. The diminutive Echo Park restaurant (and attached sake bar and snacks spot Ototo) is perfect for a Monday night celebration, dining over dry-aged sashimi, silken tofu, and grill-kissed meats.

Tsubaki, Echo Park.
Tsubaki, Echo Park.
Pascal Shirley

Here's Looking At You

Koreatown’s most ambitious restaurant is back after a near closure that was saved when owners Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener crowdsourced funds to pay for a reopening. The seasonal food is an example of LA’s global dining lens at its finest, with stellar cocktails to boot. Try the frog legs with salsa negra or the uni panna cotta starter.

Here’s Looking at You restaurant in Koreatown, Los Angeles, California
Here’s Looking at You, Koreatown
Shant Kiraz

Camphor

One of LA's cherished Monday-open restaurants, Camphor is an upscale French bistro with intricate fare by chefs Max Boonthanakit and Lijo George. The dining room has soaring ceilings and a modern dining room filled with well-dressed patrons. Typically Mondays can feel casual, but with roasted chicken drizzled with silken sauce, crunchy baby gunpowder shrimp, and fancy steak tartare, Camphor is an early week splurge worth taking.

Baby shrimp gunpowder at Camphor restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles
Baby gunpowder shrimp from Camphor
Wonho Frank Lee

Yangban Society

Yangban Society in the Arts District is now a dinner-only spot from chefs Katianna and John Hong, and they're now open every day of the week, including Monday. The revised menu still offers a set tasting menu that gives diners an array of the restaurant's Korean American cooking, or opt to order a la carte, like the fantastic sweet-spicy chicken wings or the tremendous charcoal-grilled sea bream.

A wooden booth with marble table and white painted brick beneath a family photo inside a restaurant.
Upper dining area of Yangban Society.
Wonho Frank Lee

Harold & Belle's

One of LA’s enduring Creole restaurants, Harold & Belle’s is a lovely family-run place for bowls of file gumbo, jambalaya, and other New Orleans favorites in the heart of South LA. Third-generation owners Ryan and Jessica Legaux make sure the restaurant features more than enough Southern hospitality to make any night of the week feel special.

Here Is The Harold & Belle’s Restoration We’ve All Been Waiting For
Harold and Belle’s
Harold & Belle’s

Pasjoli

There may be no finer Santa Monica restaurant than Pasjoli, with its upscale French cooking from celebrated fine-dining chef Dave Beran and impeccable service standards. Monday nights are a great opportunity to relax and watch one of Los Angeles’s best restaurants turn out plate after plate of unrivaled French fare.

Pasjoli, Santa Monica, dining room.
Pasjoli, Santa Monica.
Wonho Frank Lee/Eater LA

Belles Beach House

A place that defies the seasons, Belles Beach House is a portal to the warmer waves of the islands out in Venice, with an expansive, energetic dining room that feels more like a resort lounge. Bites are izakaya-inspired with a dose of Hawaiian flavor, while the cocktails hew sharply to the Tiki variety. The restaurant is so spacious that finding a table shouldn’t be difficult on Monday nights.

Belles Beach House interior with lounge chairs and exposed ceiling.
Dining room of Belles Beach House in Venice.
Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps

The Arthur J

There’s not a lot of pretension at the Arthur J in Manhattan Beach, it’s just that the compact dining room and high-quality food make it hard to score a weekend table. On Monday nights the steakhouse is a different place almost entirely, a beachside option for locals to celebrate with grilled steaks and wine.

Tomahawk steak from the Arthur J.
Tomahawk steak from the Arthur J.
Mary Costa

Ryla

Hermosa Beach hasn't had this nice of a date spot in years, with solid Asian American cooking served in a pretty, dimly lit dining room. Order up some of the fresh crudo and milk bread before dining into more izakaya-inspired fare.

Sunlight dining area at Ryla with painted murals and set tables.
Back dining room of Ryla in Hermosa Beach.
Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps