A big night out in Santa Monica

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 25 special-occasion restaurants in Santa Monica. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.