Best romantic restaurants for a date in Los Angeles
Low light, a good table, and nowhere to be afterwards.
131 spots · Jump to the list
The restaurant is still the date most people start with, and the right one does most of the work: a room that's quiet enough to talk, light low enough to relax, a table you're not hurried off. Every restaurant here was chosen for that feeling rather than for the food alone — though the food is good. Book ahead for a weekend, ask for a corner or window table when you do, and leave the rest of the evening open.
This guide ranks 131 romantic restaurants in Los Angeles, from Los Feliz / Griffith Park to Santa Monica and Downtown Los Angeles. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
The list
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
The Benjamin Hollywood
4.0(8)West Hollywood · $$$
Eden On Brand
4.0(8)Glendale · $$
Cara Restaurant
4.0(8)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$$
Mess Hall
4.0(6)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$
Peppone Restaurant
4.0(6)West LA / Brentwood · $$$$
Ghisallo
4.0(6)Santa Monica · $$$
Perle Restaurant
4.0(5)Pasadena · $$$
Gingergrass
3.9(24)Silver Lake / Echo Park · $$
Coucou
3.9(19)Venice · $$$
Little Fish
3.9(18)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$$$
Firstborn
3.9(17)Downtown Los Angeles · $$$
Marea Beverly Hills
3.9(7)Beverly Hills · $$$
Ètra
3.8(11)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$$
Ugo
3.8(8)Culver City · $$
Fia Steak
3.8(8)Santa Monica · $$$
La Boucherie
3.8(6)Downtown Los Angeles · $$$
Superba Food + Bread
3.7(26)Hollywood · $$
The Cove
3.7(23)Santa Monica · $$
Portofino Hotel
3.7(11)Redondo / Hermosa Beach
Gjelina
3.7(7)Venice · $$
The Nice Guy
3.6(23)West Hollywood · $$$$
Mama Lion
3.5(15)Koreatown / Mid-City · $$$
STAR LOVE
3.4(16)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$
Castaway
Burbank / Studio City · $$$
Showing 97–120 of 131 spots
Good to know
- What's the best romantic restaurant in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is The Benjamin Hollywood in West Hollywood, rated 4.0 out of 5. Eden On Brand and Cara Restaurant round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best romantic restaurants?
- Los Feliz / Griffith Park (5), Santa Monica (3) and Downtown Los Angeles (2) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Are there affordable romantic restaurants in Los Angeles?
- Yes — Eden On Brand, Mess Hall and Gingergrass are all $$ or under.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Firstborn, Marea Beverly Hills and La Boucherie.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a romantic night: drinks first, then dinner, then something sweet. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.