Best special-occasion restaurants for a date in Los Angeles
For the anniversary, the birthday, the big news.
202 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 202 special-occasion restaurants in Los Angeles, from Santa Monica to Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. 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.
Cecconi's
4.4(21)Beverly Hills · $$$
Esperanza Cocina de la Playa
4.4(21)Manhattan Beach / El Segundo · $$$
Sushisamba
4.4(20)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Fia
4.4(18)Santa Monica · $$$
Taylor’s Steakhouse
4.4(17)$$$
Chart House
4.4(16)Redondo / Hermosa Beach · $$$
Crudo e Nudo
4.4(16)Venice · $$$$
Capo
4.4(15)Santa Monica · $$$
Park’s BBQ
4.4(15)Koreatown / Mid-City · $$$
Ellie's
4.4(15)Long Beach · $$$$
Sushi Note Omakase
4.4(12)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Celestino Ristorante
4.4(11)Pasadena · $$$
Craig's
4.4(11)West Hollywood · $$$
Rustic Canyon
4.4(10)Santa Monica · $$$
The Hideaway Beverly Hills
4.4(9)Beverly Hills · $$$
Ammatoli
4.4(9)Long Beach · $$$$
The Golden Bull
4.4(9)Santa Monica · $$$$
Lucky's
4.4(8)$$$
Joliet Cafe & Bar
4.4(8)Playa Vista / Marina del Rey · $$$
1 Pico
4.4(8)Santa Monica · $$$$
Uchi
4.4(7)West Hollywood · $$$$
The Penthouse at the Huntley
4.4(5)Santa Monica · $$$
Perle Restaurant
4.4(5)Pasadena · $$$
Arden Restaurant
4.3(26)West Hollywood · $$$
Showing 73–96 of 202 spots
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is Cecconi's in Beverly Hills, rated 4.4 out of 5. Esperanza Cocina de la Playa and Sushisamba round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best special-occasion restaurants?
- Santa Monica (6), Beverly Hills (4) and West Hollywood (3) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Crudo e Nudo, Capo and Sushi Note Omakase, while Taylor’s Steakhouse takes walk-ins.
- 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.