El Compadre

El Compadre is an old-school Mexican restaurant in Hollywood that’s one of the best and most consistent parties in town.

Orsa & Winston is an Italian-Japanese restaurant in DTLA that’s just as good for a casual lunch as it is for a special occasion dinner.

Tumbi is a modern Indian restaurant right off The Promenade in Santa Monica and an unexpected bright spot in a rather bleak area for good food.

Animal, on Fairfax, is a restaurant that gets almost everything right.

Hollywood Thai spot Jitlada is one of LA’s most essential restaurants.

Triple Beam is an excellent pizza-by-the-slice joint in Highland Park.

Honey Hi serves healthy, gluten-free food in Los Feliz. More importantly, it’s a great neighborhood cafe.

Le Comptoir is a tiny prix-fixe restaurant in Koreatown that feels like a dinner party with friends.

Little Fatty in Mar Vista serves modern Taiwanese food in a neighborhoody atmosphere.

Giorgio Baldi is an Italian restaurant in the Palisades and one of the most insane celebrity hideouts in the city.

Matsuhisa is the Beverly Hills restaurant that launched the Nobu empire, and there’s no sushi place that feels more LA.

Bäco Mercat is still the ideal mix of casual and cool.

Majordomo in Chinatown is one of the rare LA restaurants you’ll walk out of genuinely surprised.

Gjelina in Venice is one of LA’s most iconic restaurants, but it also doesn’t feel nearly as special as it did when it opened.

Joan’s On Third is as much a part of LA as tourists trying to find the Hollywood sign.

RBTA is a casual robata spot in Highland Park.