The 2025 edition of Frieze has hit Los Angeles, so in celebration, we’re sharing a guide to the best Restaurants & Bars in town right now. Below, a list of some of the top eateries can direct you to unforgettable dishes, sensational spaces, and more, including like Gwen, Desert 5 Spot, Mother Wolf, Belles Beach House, and more.
Girl & The Goat
Downtown
Courtesy of Girl & The Goat.
Experience the culinary artistry of chef Stephanie Izard at Girl & The Goat, where innovative New American dishes with global and local flavors are served in a trendy setting. Since its beginnings on Chicago’s famed Restaurant Row in 2010, Girl & The Goat has captivated diners with its bold, flavorful creations, treating guests like family while offering an ever-changing menu of seasonal delights. With its Los Angeles location, Girl & The Goat brings its vibrant energy and adventurous spirit to the West Coast dining scene. Chef Izard and her team showcase California’s bounty of produce and long growing seasons, infusing their dishes with local inspiration while maintaining the global influence and bold flavors that define the Girl & The Goat experience.
What we love: Booking the private dining room.
Book your reservation HERE.
Mother Wolf
Vinyl District
Courtesy of Mother Wolf.
Mother Wolf in Los Angeles is a mosaic of the culinary traditions of Rome. With hyper-seasonal antipasti and traditional handmade pasta, Chef Evan Funke pays homage to the eternal city through a menu that weaves together the ancient, pastoral, and urban flavors of Italy. Mother Wolf maintains long-standing relationships with a close-knit network of local family farms, incorporating seasonal ingredients of California into the flavors of la Cucina Romana.
What we love: Sipping on the S.P.Q.R.
Book your reservation HERE.
Damian
Arts District
Courtesy of Damian.
Brought to Los Angeles by the famed Chef Enrique Olvera, Damian offers Mexican cuisine with seasonal Californian produce. Focused on fresh coastal fare and iconic Mexican dishes, menu items include homemade tortillas, striped bass ceviche, smoked clams, Tlayuda, and more. Small batch spirits from skilled Mexican artisans are served alongside a curated wine list, including the house brand Dramian. Designed in collaboration with Alonso de Garay and Michaela De Bernadi, Damian resembles a warm and inviting Mexican patio, with industrial accents that blend into the repurposed warehouse space.
What we love: Enjoying dinner on the enclosed back patio.
Book your reservation HERE.
Desert 5 Spot
Hollywood
Photo by Michael Mundy, courtesy of Desert 5 Spot and tommie Hollywood.
Named after the desert five-spot—a wildflower that grows in the Mojave Desert—the open-air rooftop bar Desert 5 Spot perches atop Hollywood VOLUME. Across 7,000 square feet of space are a pool, bar, indoor and outdoor cocktail lounges, and expansive views that stretch as far as the eyes can see. Along the perimeter, cacti and yucca plants surround the venue, with bright pops of red and yellow décor paying homage to 1970s vintage Palm Springs. As an ode to the eccentric charm of Pioneertown, retro signs and neons light up the place, as guests enjoy cocktails, beer, shareable bites, and curated live music performed on an inside stage.
What we love: Stopping by the bar’s taco truck stand for a fresh, do-it-yourself snack.
Book your reservation HERE.
Belles Beach House
Venice Beach
Photo by Jakob Layman, courtesy of Belles Beach House.
Venice Beach sweetheart Belles Beach House serves Hawaiian Izakaya cuisine in a sleek, retro Tiki Bar and transports guests in Los Angeles to the laid-back island vibes of Hawaii. The restaurant has spaces for every variety of beach enjoyer, with their outdoor covered patio bar, indoor restaurant, and alfresco dining area. Guests can also book the Oli Kai Room, Larry’s Room, or the Windward Patio for their private events.
What we love: Savoring the Crispy Rock Shrimp.
Book your reservation HERE.
Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant
Hollywood
Photo by Wonho Frank Lee, courtesy of Gwen.
Michelin-star-rated Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant in Los Angeles combines an old-world, European-style butcher shop with an elegant American steakhouse. Chef Curtis Stone partnered with his brother Luke Stone to create a cross between world-class butchery and elegant fine dining, all inspired by their maternal grandmother Gwen. The brothers, who both started their careers in a butcher shop, were first exposed to livestock farming on their grandmother’s farm outside of Melbourne.
What we love: Shopping the on-site charcuterie store.
Book your reservation HERE.
Manuela
Arts District
Courtesy of Manuela.
Located inside the Hauser & Wirth gallery, Manuela offers a stimulating combination of art, food, sustainability, and community. Created by Iwan and Manuela Wirth, the 5,000-square-foot restaurant welcomes visitors to California-inspired cuisine and a program of culinary and cultural events. Inside, the founders’ love for art continues on the restaurant’s walls, as they’re adorned with commissioned works by artists like Mark Bradford, Paul McCarthy, and Dieter Roth. And in the private 14-seat dining room, diners enjoy a mural by Raymond Pettibon.
What we love: Savoring the seafood options.
Book your reservation HERE.
Sinners y Santos
Downtown
Photo by Michael Kleinberg, courtesy of Sinners y Santos.
Enter the realm of sin and idolatry at Sinners y Santos, a cheeky nightlife venue in Los Angeles and wrestling theater conceived as a 19th-century cathedral on the eighth floor of the Moxy Hotel DTLA. Upon arrival, guests must admit their sins through a confessional to gain admission. The space features original brickwork walls lined in Venetian plaster, wrought iron chandeliers and sconces, and distressed oak millwork. A massive Gothic millwork bar is set against a stained glass backdrop and surrounded by prayer candles flickering alongside saints adorned in Lucha Libre wrestling masks. A DJ booth disguised as a pipe organ sets the tone with electrifying beats and swirling smoke. Guests are treated to surprise performances, including acrobatic displays atop a wrestling ring suspended above the bar.
What we love: Booking the space for a private event.
Book your reservation HERE.
Élephante
Santa Monica
Photo by Jakob Layman, courtesy of Élephante.
Embark on a journey to the sun-kissed shores of coastal southern Italy without leaving the heart of Santa Monica at Élephante. The rooftop bar and restaurant’s delightful Italian fare is meant to be enjoyed alongside the restaurant’s panoramic ocean views and fiery sunsets. The beach house’s trio of bars offers a tantalizing array of hand-crafted cocktails inspired by the vibrant flavors of Italy, as well as an extensive wine list.
What we love: Enjoying from the restaurant’s Express Lunch menu.
Book your reservation HERE.
Bar Lis
Hollywood
Bar Lis, photo by Michael Mundy, courtesy of Thompson Hollywood.
Atop the Thompson Hollywood hotel rests Bar Lis, a chic rooftop lounge that effortlessly captures the spirit of the French Riviera. Conceptualized and operated by Ten Five Hospitality, the new space features indoor and outdoor spaces to eat, sip, socialize, and dance in while reveling in stunning panoramic views and cultural programming. Inside, a chic Bernadette Blanc-designed space greets guests to stunning features from the start, including thirty full-grown cypress trees lining a 60-foot walkway, a ten-foot antique water fountain overflowing with flowers, and a sensual mix of blue velvet banquettes and blush-striped settees. Guests can expect to enjoy sumptuous Cote D’Azur flavors in sharable dishes while engaging in a weekly roster of lively entertainment.
What we love: Ordering a bottle to your table and sharing dessert.
Book your reservation HERE.
Bestia
Arts District
Courtesy of Bestia.
In 2012, husband and wife Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis opened Bestia—their first restaurant focused on a multi-regional Italian cuisine with a “from scratch” approach. With pizzas made in an Acunto oven, handmade pastas, and pastries, the restaurant also welcomes guests to an unforgettable atmosphere of contemporary designs inside a building made of industrial materials.
What we love: Sharing the Grilled Caledonian Prawns.
Book your reservation HERE.
Bavel
Arts District
Photo by DYLAN + JENI, courtesy of Bavel.
In April 2018, husband and wife Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis opened Bavel to showcase their Middle Eastern roots in Israel, Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt. Utilizing slow cooking techniques with aromatic woods, spices, and pickling, the restaurant offers a new perspective on the complex cuisines, joining the owners’ first restaurant, Bestia.
What we love: Enjoying a selection of dips and spreads.
Book your reservation HERE.
Majordōmo
Chinatown
Photo by Molly Matalon, courtesy of majordōmo.
Opened in January 2018, Majordōmo hit Los Angeles with large-format dishes, table-side components, and plenty of noodles. By Momofuku creator David Chang, Majordōmo takes a different approach compared to his other restaurants, with a series of instant classics like the boneless short rib and the bo ssäm.
What we love: Splitting several “Bing” snacks to share.
Book your reservation HERE.
A.O.C.
West Hollywood
Courtesy of A.O.C.
In 2002, A.O.C. launched a unique concept—only small plates and wine by the glass. Owners Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne enhance a farmers’ market–inspired menu with a cocktail program to remember. Regulars note the lively cocktail hour, and don’t miss the dishes baked in a wood-burning oven.
What we love: Ordering the grilled whole fish.
Book your reservation HERE.
Kismet
Los Feliz
Courtesy of Kismet.
Known as a casual all-day rotissere restaurant from chefs Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, Kismet serves reimagined Mideast flavors for today’s California. The natural wine list complements a family-style menu, welcoming guests to its comforting location on Hollywood Boulevard.
What we love: Ordering a whole chicken and a few sides.
Book your reservation HERE.
Cecconi’s
West Hollywood
Courtesy of Cecconi’s.
In 2009, internationally known Cecconi’s opened in West Hollywood to bring L.A. the Italian food it craves. Offering an extensive Italian wine and classic cocktail menu, the restaurant is elevated by its outdoor terrace with retractable roof, and its indoor bar and chic dining room.
What we love: Enjoying the private dining space, the Butterfly Room.
Book your reservation HERE.
n/naka
Palms
Courtesy of n/naka.
Opened by Chef Niki Nakayama to celebrate the art of cooking, n/naka serves dishes that highlight natural flavors. Building off of the traditional Japanese dining philosophy kaiseki, Nakayama has thoughtfully curated seasonal plates with a California twist.
What we love: Looking forward to the Japan Miyazaki Wagyu Beef A5.
Book your reservation HERE.
République
Mid-City
Courtesy of République.
Walter and Margarita Manzke opened République in a unique building built by Charlie Chaplin and designed by architect Roy Sheldon Price. Merging Walter’s love of French and California cuisines with Margarita’s expertise in pastries, the restaurant is a treat, offering delicious flavors and dynamic dishes.
What we love: Stopping by for brunch on the weekend.
Book your reservation HERE.
