Best special-occasion restaurants for a date in Los Angeles
For the anniversary, the birthday, the big news.
201 spots · Jump to the list
For the anniversary, the birthday, the proposal. Every restaurant here sits at the top of the price range and treats dinner as the whole event. Book well ahead, mention what you're celebrating when you do, and plan for a longer meal than usual.
This guide ranks 201 special-occasion restaurants in Los Angeles, from Santa Monica to Venice and Koreatown / Mid-City. 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.
Izakaya Hachi
4.8(10)Torrance · $$$$
The Golden Bull
4.8(9)Santa Monica · $$$$
Black Market Liquor Bar
4.8(6)$$$$
The Penthouse at the Huntley
4.8(5)Santa Monica · $$$
Ospi Venice
4.8(4)Venice · $$$
Kincaid's Fish, Chop & Steakhouse
4.7(25)Redondo / Hermosa Beach · $$$
Koi
4.7(24)West Hollywood · $$$
The Raymond Bar 1886
4.7(24)Pasadena · $$$
Alisa Wine & Friends
4.7(23)Venice · $$$
Gabin Korean Grill
4.7(21)Koreatown / Mid-City · $$$
Cecconi's
4.7(21)Beverly Hills · $$$
Kusano
4.7(20)Culver City · $$$$
Fia
4.7(18)Santa Monica · $$$
Capo
4.7(15)Santa Monica · $$$
Park’s BBQ
4.7(15)Koreatown / Mid-City · $$$
Casa Ipanema
4.7(15)Downtown Los Angeles · $$$$
Ellie's
4.7(15)Long Beach · $$$$
Saddle Peak Lodge
4.7(12)$$$
Catalina Kitchen
4.7(12)Palos Verdes · $$$
Henrietta
4.7(11)Silver Lake / Echo Park · $$$
Rustic Canyon
4.7(10)Santa Monica · $$$
Katsuya Brentwood
4.7(6)West LA / Brentwood · $$$
Ivy at the Shore
4.7(6)Santa Monica · $$$
The Tasting Kitchen
4.6(24)Venice · $$$
Showing 25–48 of 201 spots
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is Izakaya Hachi in Torrance, rated 4.8 out of 5. The Golden Bull and Black Market Liquor Bar round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best special-occasion restaurants?
- Santa Monica (6), Venice (3) and Koreatown / Mid-City (2) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for The Golden Bull, Ospi Venice and Kusano.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a big night out: drinks first, then the big dinner, then something sweet. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.