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 Beverly Hills to Long Beach 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 Tower Bar & Restaurant
4.3(4)$$$
The Buffalo Club
4.3(4)Santa Monica · $$$$
Bo Beau Kitchen + Roof Tap
4.3(4)Long Beach · $$$
Barrique Venice
4.3(4)Venice · $$$$
Maestro Pasadena
4.2(26)Pasadena · $$$
Donna's
4.2(26)Silver Lake / Echo Park · $$$
Damian
4.2(25)Downtown Los Angeles · $$$
Mírate
4.2(24)Los Feliz / Griffith Park · $$$
Palma Ristorante
4.2(19)Burbank / Studio City · $$$
La Traviata Restaurant
4.2(18)Long Beach · $$$
Manuela Restaurant
4.2(18)Downtown Los Angeles · $$$$
ADKT
4.2(16)Mid-Wilshire / Miracle Mile · $$$
The Penthouse at Mastro's
4.2(16)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Mastro’s Penthouse
4.2(13)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Baltaire
4.2(13)West LA / Brentwood · $$$$
Lunetta
4.2(10)Santa Monica · $$$$
The Rooftop at The Sun Rose
4.2(6)West Hollywood · $$$
THE Blvd Restaurant and Lounge
4.1(26)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Sky Room
4.1(24)Long Beach · $$$$
Esperanza Cocina de la Playa
4.1(21)Manhattan Beach / El Segundo · $$$
Sushisamba
4.1(20)Beverly Hills · $$$$
Taylor’s Steakhouse
4.1(17)$$$
Chart House
4.1(16)Redondo / Hermosa Beach · $$$
Crudo e Nudo
4.1(16)Venice · $$$$
Showing 97–120 of 201 spots
Good to know
- What's the best special-occasion restaurant in Los Angeles for a date?
- Our top pick is The Tower Bar & Restaurant, rated 4.3 out of 5. The Buffalo Club and Bo Beau Kitchen + Roof Tap round out the top 3.
- Which Los Angeles neighborhoods have the best special-occasion restaurants?
- Beverly Hills (4), Long Beach (3) and Downtown Los Angeles (2) have the most spots in the top 24.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Barrique Venice, Damian and Crudo e Nudo, 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.