Carla Torres

August in L.A. is hot AF—which makes it the perfect time to have ice cream. Every day. Multiple times a day, even. And why wouldn't you indulge when you've got Eleven Madison Park veterans slinging pints, parlors that have been churning cream for literally a century, and plant-based scoops (rivaling the real stuff) loaded with Rocky's ceremonial matcha. Can't decide among the top 26 artisanal ice cream, gelato, soft-serve, and paleta makers in the city? Have them all! We're not here to judge. It’s hot out there! RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Updated August 2026: Since our last update, Fatamorgana Gelato in Studio City has closed, and we've opted to remove Handel's from the list. Coming in hot—or cold—are newcomers All Chill, Henry's Secret Ice Cream, and Ecco un Poco gelateria, which claim our top three spots. The rest of our rankings have shifted a bit, and Awan just introduced new seasonal flavors, so be sure to get to one of their locations pronto. Note: Capri Gelato & Coffee Bar closed its Marina del Rey location. Time Out has also instituted a sitewide change in how most listings are structured. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

In Hawaii, poke (pronounced poh-keh) is an everyday food. You'll find it in many permutations at the deli case at Foodland, sold by weight at local fish markets, alongside rice and mac salad at food trucks and, less often, at high-traffic tourist spots and hotel restaurants, where fresh ahi is harder to guarantee (though still advertised). Authentic poke is a simple dish in the truest sense: cubes of just-caught ahi or octopus (salmon poke is more of a mainland invention) with shoyu, white onions, green onions, sea salt and limu (seaweed). The fish is the event—everything else is meant to enhance its freshness. Which is what makes great poke in Los Angeles such a tall order. We're 2,500 miles from the water ahi loves to swim in. The window between hyper-fresh and not isn't very big. Still, the spots on this list have figured out how to stay inside that window, often by flying their fish in from Honolulu several times a week. The top picks don't bury ahi under overpowering spicy mayo, crunchy onions and a trifecta of sauces. They let the fish speak for itself. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Updated July 2026: This annual update adds Ohana Superette, Ry's Poke Shack, and Island Rootz Cafe, along with older sibling and longtime favorite Aunty Maile's. Sweetfin is out; despite the convenience factor, the chain's consistency and freshness haven't held up. It's also worth noting that Ali'i Hawaiian Grill has closed its Torrance location. How we review at Time Out.

From a nature perspective, Los Angeles has it all: ocean, mountains, forests, the Hollywood sign (that’s nature, right?). While there’s a certain set that is willing to hike miles upon miles for insane views, gourmands would much rather do so with the help of an air-conditioned elevator, sitting pretty on a beautiful perch with a cocktail in hand and a delicious dish on the way. For a city as sprawling as L.A., you’d think we’d have an endless list of rooftops that’d take you years to get through. Nope. For that reason, many spots skip going above and beyond (pun intended) and charge a premium just for the sunset view. That said, here are the rooftops we think are worth getting dressed up for. To be clear: it's better to leave the athleisure at home for most of these. Do bring your sunglasses, though.   RECOMMENDED: The best rooftop bars in Los Angeles Updated August 2026: Since our last update, the beloved downtown rooftop restaurant Cha Cha Chá has closed, as well as The Rooftop Beverly Hills. Also coming off the list are 71 Above and The Penthouse at The Huntley since they’re technically not rooftops (though they offer incredible views of L.A.). As for new blood: Westchester hidden gem Tomat, Calabra at the Santa Monica Proper, The Roof at EDITION and the recently-opened Sushisamba and Gemma all join the ranks. Worth noting, too, that Catch has had a face-lift and menu refresh for its 10th anniversary. Gotta stay tight to be relevant in a city like LA! How we review at Tim

Hot take: Los Angeles is the best taco city in the country. California is home to more people of Mexican descent than anywhere else outside of Mexico. Our taco evolution predates our freeway system—the 110 wasn't built until 1940, but by the 1930s, tamale and taco wagons were already a Sunset Boulevard fixture, and by the 1950s, L.A. was producing taco innovations of its own that would, decades later, get co-opted by one of America's most notorious fast-food chains. Yep, the hard-shell taco, popularized at Mitla Cafe in San Bernardino (opened in 1937), was the original Glenn Bell inspiration for what would become Taco Bell. Then came the regional waves: Sonoran-style flour tortillas, Tijuana-style adobada al pastor, Sinaloan-style mariscos, Oaxacan tlayudas, Yucatecan cochinita pibil… all of which contributed to a regional Cal-Mex style that would eventually spread across the country. And yes, any self-respecting Angeleno will tell you Cal-Mex is superior to Tex-Mex. But that's not what this is about. RECOMMENDED: The best Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles This is about the taqueros (and taqueras!) who have made tacos part of L.A.’s DNA. The ones grilling over mesquite in industrial parking lots, hand-stretching Sonoran tortillas to impossible diameters, and quietly outclassing $15 chef-driven tacos with $3 sidewalk ones. No matter where in L.A. you are, there's a good taco nearby, guaranteed. Read on for where to find them.  Updated June 2026: This update brings in two Son

When it comes to sushi, Los Angeles is (unsurprisingly) a sea of options. It's no wonder when you consider that the first sushi bar in the U.S., Kawafuku, was established in L.A. in the mid-1960 and, according to historians, was responsible for the sushi boom that would change the way Americans looked at and ate raw fish. It may come as no surprise that the California roll was also an L.A. invention, or that Studio City is the birthplace of tuna crispy rice (credited to Katsuya Uechi). RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Given our sushi legacy, every Angeleno has at some point asked: Where can you find the best sushi in L.A.? And like everything in this city, the answer is: it depends. Are we talking omakase? À la carte Edomae-style? How much are you trying to spend? Are you a purist or a modernist (e.g. how do you feel about truffle oil on sushi)? The list below is our guide to all things sushi in Los Angeles. We’ve front-loaded the high-end omakase spots ($250 and up), though there are many ways to play without sacrificing quality. From the Valley to the South Bay, prepare to leave no nigiri unturned.  How we review at Time Out

A good sandwich is like sex. When done right, you feel completely satisfied, daydream about it for days after, and can't wait to have it again. Lucky for us, Los Angeles is one of the great sandwich cities in the country. In fact, the French dip was (ironically) birthed here over a century ago, or at least that's the tale according to Philippe Mathieu of Philippe the Original, which you'll find on this list. Also on this list: a newer player who's reimagined the French dip sans-roast-beef—boy do we hope that thing sticks for the next hundred years. Of course, there's so much more to discover when it comes to iconic sandwiches in the City of Angels. You'll find Vietnamese shops slinging incredible banh mi, old- and new-school Jewish delis honoring (and reinventing) pastrami, and Italian subs in every conceivable form. Simply put, our sandwich game is on lock. For your mouth-watering pleasure, here are L.A.'s very best sandwich shops (excluding the bagel and fried chicken varieties, which deserve lists all their own). Updated June 2026: For this update, we’ve removed the now-closed Gwen / The Pie Room as well as All'Antico Vinaio and Uptown Provisions. Joining the list are Henrietta, Sogno Toscano, and Gjusta. We've also reformatted each entry to make the most useful info easier to find at a glance. For more on our editorial policies and ethics, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

You know the saying "only boring people get bored"? Charles Bukowski—L.A.'s poet laureate of dive bars and cheap wine—lived by that ethos. He also lived in East Hollywood, drank at the same few spots (looking at you, Musso & Frank's), and probably never drove 45 minutes for tacos. If you’re reading this, you’re probably seeking more stimulation than Bukowski, and the country's most sprawling food mecca has it in spades. The best meal of your life might be in a strip mall off the 10, a Little Tokyo office building basement, or walking distance from LAX. You may have to drive, but you won’t have to fly, because generations of immigrants have turned L.A. into a city where you can eat your way around the world without ever leaving town. Our list of L.A.'s best restaurants spans the Michelin-starred, the buzzworthy, the under-the-radar, and the mom-and-pop spots you might otherwise overlook because that Law Brothers or Chris Hemsworth billboard caught your eye. If it's on the list, we think it's worth the drive, the hype, and the price—and worth coming back to again and again. We promise you won’t get bored. Best L.A. restaurants at a glance: Best for inventive Thai: Anajak – a recently renovated 44-year-old institution passed from parents down to former Imagineer turned James Beard Award–winning chef Justin Pichetrungsi. (Sherman Oaks; $100+ pp) Best place to hit up during a layover: Tomat – one of the city’s most sustainable restaurants, minutes from LAX (Westchester; $50+ pp)

Los Angeles is renowned for its weather. It can get chilly in the evening (always pack a sweatshirt!), but alfresco dining is a delight year-round. Whether you're surrounded by oak trees, staring out at the Pacific Ocean, or nestled among ivy and string lights, L.A. puts on a show when it comes to patio flair. While Angelenos don't need many bells and whistles to have a fantastic meal outdoors (shoutout to good old-fashioned tables on the sidewalk, Crudo e Nudo and Little Dom’s to name a few), the L.A. restaurants below are worth a special trip for the setting alone. A handful lean harder on ambiance than on food, and we've noted where that's the case. Updated May 2026: There have been lots of closures since our last update, sadly. Namely, Amour, Stephanie Izard’s Cabra, Michael Mina’s Mother Tongue, Melody, and downtown darling Cha Cha Chá. We’ve also opted to remove Gracias Madre, Perilla LA, Zizou, and Spago Beverly Hills from the list—the food-and-ambiance math simply didn’t add up, as far as we’re concerned. Newcomers include Cosetta, Cobi’s, Beethoven Market—give it up for the Westside, am I right?—and Inn of the 7th Ray in Topanga. We’ve also revised the order to account for taste as much as the visual experience. How we review at Time Out. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to things to do outside in Los Angeles

It’s widely agreed upon that Los Angeles is the best Korean barbecue destination outside of Korea. Most of the gems are packed into a few blocks of Koreatown, where you can't walk down the street without whiffs of beef and pork enticing you toward a nearby sizzling tabletop grill. You know the drill: red meat comes to the table, you (or a server) work the tongs, and small bowls of banchan keep showing up while the soju flows. More often than not, the meal also includes a bubbling stew, a pile of corn cheese, and a finale of kimchi fried rice scraped tableside. It's no wonder KBBQ is the city's default dinner move. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles For this guide, I've rounded up the spots worth the drive, the wait, and the dry-cleaning bill. On the list, you’ll find many Koreatown institutions, plus a few key picks farther afield. Whether you're hosting out-of-towners, celebrating a birthday, or planning a meaty date night, there's a spot here for you. Updated April 2026: This update welcomes MUN Korean Steakhouse and Patio, Pigya, Dae Sung Ro, and Baekjeong to the list. We've also said goodbye to Mapo Chicken and Jae Bu Do—while both are delicious, KBBQ purists would argue that chicken stir-fry and a seafood grill aren't quite the same as barbecue. Rankings have been revised with authenticity in mind. Park's BBQ remains the gold standard, but factoring in price, Soowoon Galbi delivers a comparable experience without punishing your wallet, so it’s been promoted

Ah, Santa Monica. The muscle beach from Rocky III. The iconic pier from Forrest Gump. The place where Barbie enters the real world. A beautiful, sun-blasted, deeply vibes-forward beach city within a city. But what you really need to know about Santa Monica is that there's an overwhelming amount of good food to be had here, beyond the pier and promenade tourist traps, cooked by chefs who live and breathe Santa Monica and can be spotted at the farmers' market every Wednesday. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants on the Westside From Southeast Asian to omakase to Italian to Californian and everything in between, Santa Monica is a culinary destination in its own right. This guide is by no means exhaustive, but these are the Santa Monica restaurants we think you shouldn't miss. Updated March 2026: Birdie G’s, Berbere, and Socalo have closed their doors and have been removed from our list. Huckleberry has also been removed. Holy Basil and Cosetta, which opened in the last year, have been added, as well as Jyan Isaac Bread, Tartine, and Fia Steak. We’ve also revisited many of the restaurants on the list, reordered and revised them, and added a slew of new tips.  Food and drink venues included in most guides now have star ratings, with five stars corresponding to “amazing,” four to “great” and three to “good,” and we’ve also standardized how most listings are structured. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out how we review at Time Out.

There's no better setting to spill the tea than over an actual pot of it. The English pastime of afternoon tea might just be the city's most underrated excuse to gather your friends, settle into a plush chair and gossip for two hours straight over finger foods á la sandwiches and scones, rare teas, and—at most spots—a glass of something bubbly. What was once the domain of a five-star hotel lobby has bloomed (pun intended) into a full-on tea scene, stretching from Beverly Hills to the San Gabriel Valley. Whether you're after a confectionery interpretation of Hollywood award season’s red carpet, a psychic tea reading, or a harpist serenade, there's a version of afternoon tea for every mood and budget. Here's the tea on afternoon tea in Los Angeles.  Updated April 2026: Sugarbird Sweets Cafe in Glendale has shut its doors and therefore has been removed from the list. Price points and seasonal offerings have been revised. Our rankings reflect where to get the most steep for your spend. For more on our new policies, feel free to check out How we review at Time Out.

There are a few prerequisites to calling yourself an Angeleno: hiking Runyon Canyon, dismissing the Walk of Fame for anything other than the Chinese Theatre, and waiting in line for brunch. In a city where the weather is good ten months out of the year, a line for brunch is just part of the hang. And it’s only the beginning. Whether you’re nursing a hangover, planning a sunny first date, or just looking for a meal that’s going to get you through the week, this list has your number. Sure, you’ll find solid eggs Benedict. But also, the thickest French toast you've ever seen, duck confit—wait for it—chilaquiles, and cocktails that make day-drinking fun again. Don’t worry, you won’t be the only one shooting food-porn. Read on for what we think are the best brunches in Los Angeles. RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Updated April 2026: After one-too-many tries hoping for something better, we’ve opted to remove BlueJam Cafe from our list. Newcomers include the low-key Aussie café Blueys and celeb fave Little Dom’s in Los Feliz. As for rankings, you know the deal—restaurants ebb between good and great all the time. Our changing order reflects the reality that some classics fall behind and others surge ahead. How we review at Time Out.

Genelle Brooks-Petty and her husband Julian didn't need to open a scoop shop. She's an interior designer and Leimert Park neighborhood council member; he's an entertainment lawyer at Warner Music. Plus, they've got two daughters (busy bees!). But the husband-wife team who met attending business school at Howard University aligned early on their core values: culture, community and cream. So naturally, servicing the community Genelle grew up in—Leimert Park, a historic Black neighborhood that happened to be lacking a decent ice cream shop—wasn't just a no-brainer, it was a necessity. In many ways, their fate was written on Genelle and Julian's wedding day when they were given an ice cream machine as a gift. Lucky for everyone, this wholesome inspiration resulted in an ice cream shop that consistently churns out the most unique and mouthwatering scoops in all of L.A.   It wasn't all chill opening up All Chill. The city and the state put up roadblocks. It was a true community effort, which included support from an encampment that originally occupied a good chunk of the sidewalk out front (before it was rebuilt). Genelle walked over and said, "Hey guys, we're opening up an ice cream shop, would you mind scooting over?" Before you knew it, the encampment residents were working together to clean the sidewalks, brooms in hand, while also spreading the good word to anyone walking by: "we got a new ice cream shop!" Five years later, All Chill is more of an ice cream bakery than it is a

Bradley Ray walked into Eleven Madison Park cold, staged for a day, and left with a job as a pastry cook. By the time he opened NoMad in New York, he'd risen through the ranks to pastry sous chef at EMP. At NoMad, he spent seven years perfecting the legendary dessert dubbed "Milk & Honey." It's also where he met colleague and best friend Henry Molina, who died of cancer in 2022 and after whom Henry's Secret Ice Cream is named. The two were obsessed with ice cream, spent thousands of hours churning out the good stuff (at NoMad, most desserts had ice cream), and moved to LA together to open NoMad. Despite NoMad not working out, Ray fell in love with the sunshine and produce and never looked back. Ray had stints at Antico Nuovo (where he began spinning pints of ice cream to accompany pizza-to-go during the pandemic), and Etta and Asterid, before tiring out altogether and doing the private chef thing for a while…till he got sick of that too. So he started doing what any former EMP pastry chef would do: slinging pints out of his trunk in an Arcadia Vons parking lot. A nudge from Lawrence Longo (Prince Street Pizza, Bar Next Door) encouraged Ray to use the facilities of the shuttered Hall Pass Ice Cream space to do his drops. Word caught on fast, and Henry's Secret Ice Cream is still trying to keep up with growing demand. (At this point they're looking for a bigger production facility and have the vision to turn the current spot into a liquor store, but for pints of ice cream.) As

Stumble into this West Third gelateria, and you'll be tempted to ask about the large framed photographs of corgis posing in front of In-N-Out, Handy’s and other iconic California joints. This will lead to husband-and-wife team Alessandro Restelli and Alejandra Unger possibly telling you all about their love affair, which began in Buenos Aires. He's Italian and she's Mexican, and when they considered where in the world they should open a gelateria, Los Angeles was at the top of the list.  You’d be remiss to come to Ecco un Poco and not get the Bronte pistachio, made with special pistachios from the volcanic slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, where mineral-rich soil and a certificate of origin—champagne rules, essentially—give the nut a flavor you simply cannot reproduce anywhere else. The hazelnuts, too, come straight from Piedmont, another protected geographical indication producing “the best hazelnuts in the world.” Purists will appreciate the traditional and milky fior di latte (sweet cream), and those seeking novelty will appreciate sorbets centered around seasonal fruits. During my last visit, that included watermelon, melone (cantaloupe), and peach. What sets the sorbet here apart is the maximalist treatment: made with 45 to 50 percent real fruit when most shops settle for 15 to 25 percent. In other words, you can really taste the fruit. And look out for granita (Italian ice), only available during the summer months. Recently, strawberry, lime and almond were on deck. Come

You know what they say: good things come to those who wait. That's true for Ohana Superette fans who had a poke-shaped hole in their heart after the concept (originally housed inside sandwich shop Black Hogg) shut down during the pandemic. Well, after a five-year hiatus, husband-and-wife team Eric and Miriam Park resurrected the Silver Lake poke shop in its own dedicated space—right next door to their cafe Bodega Park—and our hearts (and bellies) are full of poke once again. The Parks have a standing annual family tradition: Christmas in Hawaii. It's no wonder, then, that their poke shop is an homage to the Hawaiian value of family (which is what "ohana" translates to). Here, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are flown three to four days a week from Honolulu (they also use local fishermen to supplement when necessary), and poke is made to order. The ahi gets a very traditional, very minimal treatment. Exhibit A: alaea (red volcanic sea salt), shiso, green and white onion, and sesame let the fish do the talking. It’s a wonderfully herbal alternative to classic shoyu, though we have no notes on the classic, either. Folks who like their poke hot will delight in the Thai chili ginger or the spicy mayo blend with Sriracha and masago. Neither is too overpowering. Chilled sweet white shrimp with Thai chili and cilantro is a delightful underdog—for when you've had too much tuna, if that's even possible. Bowls come in regular and large sizes, with rice and your choice of two banchan. About th

You used to need to fly to Oahu's North Shore to try Ry's Poke Shack—the poke shop Netflix made famous on Street Food USA. Now you just need to wait in line. The Hawaiian transplant has locations in Huntington Beach and Pasadena, both serving made-to-order poke with fish flown in from the island five days a week. All you really want from poke is ultra-fresh fish and solid rice, and Ry's excels on both counts. There's salmon, but you're here for the ahi, which gets various treatments. I like the classic shoyu, the gingachurri (think a gingery chimichurri) and the garlicky, gently spicy Lao style. You could go for the Mayjah bowl, which gets you two poke styles, but if variety is what you're after, the way to play is to get poke by the pound—a quarter-pound of each style you want to try, with a side of rice. If you're in the South Bay or on the Westside and don't want to make the drive, you can stop by the newly opened Ry's Fish Market in Lomita—though be warned: the poke there is scooped out of the display case, not made to order like in Huntington Beach or Pasadena.

Going through 220 pounds of ahi in your first week of business is a major flex, especially when you're still in soft-opening mode, switching from manual ordering to digital POS and a menu that changes on a whim. Welcome to Island Rootz, the low-key strip mall Hawaiian spot from the husband-and-wife team behind Big Island transplant Aunty Maile's. The vibe is family-forward in the most literal sense: owners of neighboring restaurants drift in for a post-shift meal and hang, Aunty Maile's employees bring their mom on her day off, and strangers get treated like they’ve been coming for years. Poke is made fresh daily, with more than double the options of its older sibling. Beyond the Hawaiian, shoyu, sesame and furikake styles you'll find at Aunty Maile's, there are also spicy garlic, wasabi with masago and limu, kimchi and dynamite (a surprisingly light spicy mayo with masago). Expect new options to pop up at any given time based on what co-owner Jun Tsukiyama is cooking up in her head. Poke aside, there are just as many musubi evolving options, including a hash brown and ketchup iteration that has no business being as good as it is, plus chicken katsu, garlic shrimp and other plate lunches. Poke bowls and plate lunches are served with rice and mac salad. Bookend your meal with something sweet—lilikoi fruit tea to start, pandan pudding to finish. 

If you're in WeHo, you can't beat a Friday hotel bar scene like The Roof at the EDITION, where the setting and the cocktails are as beautiful as the people. Perched on the 14th floor of Ian Schrager's ultra-vibe-y EDITION, you’re basically in a glass box 14th floors above the Sunset Strip. What’s more? I've yet to try a cocktail I didn't love. In order of preference, and from lightest to boldest: the Flor de Luna (Union Mezcal, hibiscus, falernum, lime, plum), the Jalisco Spicy Margarita (a straightforward rendition with Lost Explorer Blanco, jalapeño, St. Germain, agave, lime, habanero), and the El Camino Old Fashioned (Ilegal Mezcal, Patrón Reposado, Doc Swinson's bourbon, Ancho Reyes chile, and chocolate). As for the food, the SoCal take on Mexican is high-quality and crowd-pleasing, from honey-Tapatío-soaked wings with cilantro ranch to a handful of raw and taco offerings. I particularly enjoyed the aji amarillo hamachi tiradito, the six-hour duck confit tacos with candied cacao nibs and the Pacific striped bass tacos with morita aioli. Burger lovers can rejoice in the EDITION's rendition with Angus, pepper jack, poblano and chipotle spread. Of course, the views are stellar and—on a clear day—far-reaching. Come during golden hour.  Should you want to soak in the pool and rooftop vibes all day long? Snag a day pass via ResortPass—pricing is variable, starting at $100 depending on the date. And the full menu is available at the pool. 

If you desire prime panoramic views of Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills, the 12th-story vantage point of the swanky Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is the place to find them. Enter Gemma, the newest iteration of the hotel's rooftop restaurant and lounge, which opened in May as a full reset: new menu, new lewk. Gone is the onyx bar and shimmery velvet-jungle aesthetic. Instead, a marble stone bar, plants galore and sculptural yellow lantern-inspired floor lamps set the earthy-meets-Hollywood-golden-age vibe. As for the food, chef Peleg Miron (the Waldorf's executive chef since 2022) pulls from Southeast Asia, Hawaii and Southern California for a menu that leans into raw fish (sashimi, sushi rolls) and dim sum (wagyu beef wontons with truffle black vinegar, lobster wontons with chili ponzu, shrimp har gow). Yes, crispy rice on the menu is somewhat predictable at a place like this, but the wagyu permutation is not. Definitely worth ordering. So is the citrus soy tuna tartare layered with avocado and served with lotus chips. Entrees include Singaporean noodles, orange chicken, whole branzino and kaffir lime-forward Thai curry with generous portions of branzino and shrimp. For those here to see and be seen (you’re not alone), Petrossian caviar is on offer. As are the Scorpion Bowls—multiple rums, cognac, gin, passion fruit and citrus in a large, hand-painted tiki bowl—which fall right in line with the "refined tiki spirit" cocktail program. If you're avoiding mixing your spirit

Catch is a paradox. You’ll find A-listers, finance bros, tourists, families, and date-nighters all at neighboring tables. The variety of clientele is part of the fun. It also looks and feels like nothing you remember pre-April 2026, when Catch celebrated its 10th anniversary with a top-to-bottom overhaul. Gone is the yin garden-greenhouse aesthetic. Instead, Catch has entered its yang era. Think dark wood, gold frames encasing portraits of dogs dressed to impress, floor-to-ceiling auburn velvet curtains, and a tri-color marble bar where you'd half expect to find a suited-up Barney Stinson ready for a night on the town. This incarnation feels more like a steakhouse than a place for fresh catch, but don't be fooled—tuna is still flown in five times a week from Tokyo's Toyosu Market. The menu has changed, too, but the quality hasn’t. Crudo di Catch—salmon, tuna, and hamachi in a yuzu vinaigrette—delights as a new signature cold dish, served alongside the forever-favorite truffle sashimi. It takes a lot for me to get excited about a salad, but the baby bok choy with muscat grapes, candied sunflower seeds, and creamy sesame vinaigrette well exceeded my expectations. Other exciting new additions include cornflake-crusted chicken and Kaluga caviar bao buns with wasabi-avocado ranch and house pickles, bluefin tuna and Kaluga caviar nicoise rice cakes with whipped egg yolk and Castelvetrano olives, and Wagyu gyoza. Speaking of Wagyu, don’t you worry—the signature hot stone Wagyu fried

When Walter Soto injured his back while working in construction, he didn't know what he'd do for work. The happy accident led the Tijuana-born-and-raised chef to return to his teenage taquero roots—he began training in Culiacán, Sinaloa, under Don Alfredo Valdez when he was just 17—and open a no-frills cash-only trailer in 2017, slinging Sonoran-style burritos and tacos in Boyle Heights. El Ruso now resides in Los Feliz on Hillhurst Avenue and remains one of L.A.'s best Sonoran-style options, mainly due to its tortillas. Soto's former partner, Julia Silva, is responsible for the tortilla magic, and even sources the flour from Tijuana (going so far as to drive down occasionally). These are chewy, thin-but-not-too-thin tortillas that are the perfect vessel for Soto's exquisitely grilled meats. Case in point: the chile colorado (shredded beef) gets cooked overnight and paired with dried California chiles for a deeply flavorful, gently piquant mouthful that never tips over into hot. I'm also partial to the asada and chile relleno tacos. Tacos will set you back $5 a pop—two is plenty. Toppings include stewed pintos, cheese, guacamole, cilantro and onions—mix and match as you please. But the real star on the menu is the sobaquera, a Sonoran-style burrito made with a gargantuan, paper-thin, hand-stretched flour tortilla that takes incredible dexterity to make.

Birria stew. Birria tacos. Birria quesadillas. It's all birria de chivo (goat) all the time at this Boyle Heights family-owned gem that's been churning out the Zacatecan specialty since 2003. A meal here feels utterly familial—a novela on the TV, plates of meat-laden tortillas at every table, and the unmistakable aroma of slow-braised goat hanging in the air. Tortillas are handmade and the birria tastes like it's been perfected over generations, which it has. Although birria patriarch Silverio Moreno passed in 2022, his wife and kids continue his legacy, and the recipe hasn't budged: heartwarming consommé, insanely tender goat that falls off the bone in stringy, deeply seasoned shreds, and a hot chile de árbol salsa you can't get enough of. Ordering both a plate of birria and tacos is the move if you've got the appetite for it. What's more, Birrieria Nochistlan is open daily, unlike the traditional weekend schedule most other birria vendors follow. Cash only, so come prepared.

It feels like home the second you walk through the door. Well, that, or a party. The staff are lively, open and fun-loving, and their mood is infectious. Patrons from all walks smile, laugh and even dance, all to the scent of chargrilled meats that get slid into handmade award-winning flour tortillas. Dishes get brightened by cabbage and a rainbow of house salsas, and topped by entire strands of grilled green onions. Sonoratown specializes in—you guessed it—Sonoran-style fare, which means tacos, quesadillas and chivis (think: soft chimichangas oozing cheese) all packed with fresh and straightforward ingredients that will have you planning a Northern Mexico vacation with every bite.

Chef Debbie Lee's new-school take on a Korean gastropub in Highland Park—a fusion of her Northern Korean heritage, Southern upbringing, and decades in Los Angeles—is as unconventional as it is deeply personal. Photograph: Stan LeeYi Cha The chef-owner, who has appeared on Food Network Star, Chopped, and Morimoto's Sushi Master, darts around the long, narrow dining room delivering platters of jangjorim (wet beef jerky) and fish jerky to tables, sharing her story in the process. Kimchee is made with salt and shrimp, the Northern Korean way, as opposed to the fish-and-oyster style down south. Paired with tofu and crispy pork belly, it's a delectable dish—best with a side of barley rice, which holds sentimental value for North Koreans since the communist regime banned white rice at markets (barley’s the next best thing). RECOMMENDED: The best restaurants in Los Angeles Debbie's not trying to do Korean the OG authentic way; there are plenty of great restaurants in Koreatown for that, she'll tell you herself. At Yi Cha, she's putting a modern spin on what Korean food looks like. This, of course, earns her the occasional side-eye from Korean aunties, but also a devoted Korean couple who drives from Venice, orders the whole menu, and calls their leftovers meal prep for the week. Photograph: Stan LeePick Me Up cocktail from Yi Cha A lineup of cocktails and Korean spirits pair well with the food, which, as you can imagine, has a lip-smacking quality to it. The menu is sectioned off