Diners' Choice: Californian restaurants in Los Angeles

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Californian cuisine in Los Angeles? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyses more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favourites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Canyons Restaurant

4.9

4.9 (553)

$50 and over

Californian

Hemet

About the restaurant

Let Canyons take you to the cutting edge of fine dining. Featuring only the best ingredients, the Canyons menu offers savory appetizers, creative entrées, fresh seafood, decadent desserts and an exquisite selection of wine.

Top review

Carolvip

Dined today

We have been here many times and it's always the same....great service, great staff and delicious food! Thank you Mayra and Eric for being our servers, thank you to David, Patrice and Anna for stopping by our table to help and say hello. We always feel like VIP's when we are here ❤️

Melisse

4.9

4.9 (1999)

$50 and over

Californian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Chef & Owner Josiah Citrin has revived his Michelin 2-Star institution with an intimate, 14-seat restaurant with Chef/Partner Ken Takayama. In a setting that blurs the line between kitchen and dining room, Chefs and service staff guide guests through a 2.5-hour culinary experience.

Collaborating with California farmers from San Diego to Napa Valley, Chef Josiah sources the most unique and exclusive ingredients available. An 8-course tasting menu is bookended by canapés, amuse-bouches and mignardise, all of which showcase global flavors using both modern and classic techniques.

Top review

leonardvip

Dined on Nov 21, 2024

Exceptional tasty with great variety and creativity. This is THE best special occasion restaurant in Los Angeles. I have gone to Melisse for years and it never disappoints.

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Experience

Chef's Tasting Menu, December- $399

Experience

New Year's Eve - Chef's Tasting Menu

Experience

Christmas Eve - Chef's Tasting Menu

Farmshop LA

4.9

4.9 (566)

$31 to $50

Californian

Brentwood

About the restaurant

In 2010, chef Jeff Cerciello opened Farmshop in a space that denotes rustic elegance. Located in the beautiful Brentwood Country Mart, bordering Santa Monica, the restaurant has become a dining destination featuring the very best local ingredients, simply prepared, served in casual fine dining style.

Top review

Kimberlyvip

Dined 6 days ago

Enjoyed a delicious lunch here with a friend visiting from London. Excellent, friendly service.

Parkway Grill

4.8

4.8 (2459)

$50 and over

Californian

Pasadena

About the restaurant

The Smith Brothers trend-setter in regional American cuisine, Parkway Grill continues to define dining in the city and beyond. Parkway Grill specializes in a seasonal, market-driven approach to cooking that incorporates diverse influences and classic French technique. Throughout its over 30 years, Parkway’s innovative chefs have showcased an intriguing array of dishes using locally sourced ingredients.

Demonstrating the ultimate commitment to fresh produce, Parkway Grill planted its own organic vegetable and herb garden behind the restaurant, which continues to thrive for over 25 years on a piece of prime real estate in the heart of Pasadena.

Top review

liza

Dined 5 days ago

Love coming during the holidays, the restaurant is always beautifully decorated and of course the food is always delicious

Heritage

4.7

4.7 (731)

$50 and over

Californian

Long Beach

About the restaurant

Heritage is family owned and operated by Chef Philip Pretty and sister Lauren Pretty. Our lively indoor dining room was built in 1922 as a craftsman house. Walk inside to an open kitchen, request bar seating to watch us cook over a live fire Santa Maria grill. Located in the Rose Park neighborhood of Long Beach on the corner of 7th & Saint Louis Ave. Heritage Restaurant uses sustainable meat & seafood, and Farmer's Market produce. Growing our own produce at Heritage Farm right up the street. Certified blue, green, and maintain a zero-waste kitchen. One red and green star Michelin awarded. We serve a tasting menu only. We politely decline modifications. Please specify all dietary restrictions/allergies when booking your reservation. Our menu is seasonal, and subject to daily changes. We are reservation only, please call if you have any difficulty booking online. We look forward to hosting you!

Top review

Mikevip

Dined 1 day ago

When I know a restaurant is good and I trust them I don't worry about what's on the menu because I know there's a 95% chance I'll love it. A few of the items on the tasting menu were things I would not normally have considered ordering anywhere but I was pleasantly surprised by each and every course. We made our reservation for the chef's table and got to observe the kitchen staff working hard to make every plate beautiful and delicious. Well several different servers delivered the courses our main contact for our meal was Jenni. She was wonderful.

Irie Restaurant & Lounge

4.9

4.9 (103)

$31 to $50

Californian

West Hollywood

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of West Hollywood, Irie Lounge and Restaurant offers guests the full sensory experience combining cannabis and California comfort food with a southern twist. Irie brings all of the farm/farmer's market to table freshness, but with the tanginess and smoked dishes that southern food is celebrated for. Whether consuming cannabis or not, our black-eyed pea hummus, dandelion Caesar salads, and dry-aged New York strip with charred treviso are dishes guests are celebrating us for.

Top review

Jack

Dined on Nov 15, 2024

I had a great time at Irie Restaurant & Lounge, West Hollywood’s gem of a cannabis café! The service was attentive, and the food was delicious, with plenty of plant-based options to choose from. That said, it would be even better with a bit more effort in offering a plant-based protein—just a little tweak to make the menu even more inclusive. The cannabis offerings were absolutely superb—great quality and variety. The dual-server system (one for food and drink, and another for cannabis) makes regulatory sense, but it can feel a bit confusing for first-time visitors trying to navigate all their options. Streamlining that process could elevate the overall experience from great to phenomenal. That said, Irie’s vibe, service, and offerings have already won me over. I plan to make regular visits! Highly recommend this wonderful spot for a unique and enjoyable dining and cannabis experience.

Wally's Santa Monica

4.8

4.8 (109)

$31 to $50

Californian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Experience Santa Monica’s favorite location for fine food and wine. Wally’s Santa Monica is a hybrid concept that encapsulates the finest food, beverages, and gourmet foods to provide a one-stop shop for everything delicious. From chill afternoon apps and cocktails, to decadent caviar service—whether you’re in a tuxedo, or just coming from the office—our vibe is ideal for any occasion that calls for enjoying great food and drinks. You can explore our peerless selection of rare spirits, extraordinary seasonal menu, over 100 wines available by-the-glass, and shop the gourmet counter for specialty meats, cheeses, and artisanal chocolates.

Top review

Vanessa

Dined 1 day ago

Had a great experience coming here for date night! First off, the service is amazing. So attentive to every detail. Every dish we tried was delicious. We're not big wine drinkers but if you are they have a bible sized menu of different wines they offer, and tons of options by the glass. Highly recommend!

Peppercorn Grille

4.8

4.8 (646)

$50 and over

Californian

Big Bear Lake

About the restaurant

We are family owned and operated, serving California cuisine. Our restaurant welcomes you to a warm and inviting ambience with intimate booths and table seating, as well as outdoor dining on our heated patio.
Enjoy one of the largest and most versatile menus on the mountain, including a full bar with and extensive wine list. Every item is prepared fresh to order! Our soups and bread are prepared daily. To start, try our signature New England clam chowder, our ever popular macadamia Maui crab cakes, fried calamari steak or our simple, but delicious spinach artichoke dip with tasty ciabatta toast. Choose from one of our specialty salads or our 10 inch thick crust pizzas, prepared fresh in our brick oven! We also proudly offer a large variety of Certified Angus steaks and burgers, Alaskan halibut and salmon, lobster, many other seafood dishes, chicken, pork tenderloin and rack of lamb. Most of our fabulous desserts are made in our own kitchen! Come and see why we are a local favor

Top review

Ana

Dined on Nov 30, 2024

The food and service was exceptional! The steaks were so juicy and tender. We had an amazing time!

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Popular dish

Warm Artichoke Spinach Dip

Vespertine

4.8

4.8 (150)

$50 and over

Californian

Culver City

About the restaurant

We are excited to share the return of Vespertine, Chef Jordan Kahn's otherworldy culinary narrative. More than a restaurant, Vespertine transports diners through the twisted steel and glass structure designed by acclaimed architect Eric Owen Moss. Food, beverage, music, and art are woven throughout, creating an immersive, multi-sensory evening.

Awards Include
2 Stars - Michelin Guide, 2019 - 2024
Green Star - Michelin Guide, 2024
Most Beautiful Restaurants - Condé Nast
World's 100 Greatest Places - Time Magazine
Atmosphere of the Year - World Restaurant Awards

Top review

Zainvip

Dined on Nov 27, 2024

I can’t stop thinking about this meal—even five days later! It wasn’t just food; it was a masterpiece. Each dish felt like a journey for both the palate and the mind. If you’re open to a truly immersive dining experience and willing to splurge, this is one indulgence that’s absolutely worth every penny. The staff was beyond incredible—gracious, attentive, and genuinely kind. They went above and beyond to make the evening unforgettable, even packing up my favorite emulsion to savor at home (and trust me, it was just as delicious the next day!). From start to finish, everything about this place exudes artistry and warmth. If you’re ready for an unforgettable culinary adventure, this is the spot. Yummm…

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Experience

New Year's Eve

Wally's Beverly Hills

4.8

4.8 (72)

$31 to $50

Californian

Beverly Hills

About the restaurant

Wally's continues to trailblaze the beverage and culinary scene with the opening of Wally's Beverly Hills encompassing a cheese, wine and spirits retail store: a world-class concept encompassing a cheese shop and a wine and spirits retail store within an elegant yet casual restaurant setting. Wally's Beverly Hills is designed to be a one-stop shop for everything delicious – including cheese, specialty meats, caviar, and artisanal chocolates. With our peerless selection of rare spirits, extraordinary gourmet fare, and a list of over 100 wines by-the-glass to explore, each trip to Wally's is a journey to the world's finest vineyards.

Top review

Doug

Dined 2 days ago

Wally's is first rate in every way Food and wine exceptional, The hostesses, waiters and sommeliers are all friendly and knowledgeable; The other guests fun to watch the entire Wally's experience 1st rate in every way.

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Experience

Wally's Three-Course Prix Fixe Lunch Menu

Experience

New Years Eve at Wally's Beverly Hills

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