The 31 Hottest Restaurants in LA Right Now, November 2015
More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends, and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? Restaurant obsessives want to know what’s new, what’s hot, which favorite chef just launched a sophomore effort. And while the Eater 38 is a crucial resource covering old standbys and neighborhood essentials across the city, it is not a chronicle of the ‘it’ places of the moment.
Thus, we offer the Eater LA Heatmap, which will change continually to always highlight where the crowds are flocking to at the moment. In this month’s installment, we had a slew of new eateries that opened in late September or October. Those restaurants are: Burgerlords, Viviane, The Fiscal Agent, BCN, Sanger’s & Joe, Maia, Estrella, Pok Pok, Sausal, Button Mash, Le Petit Paris, Seoul Sausage Downtown, Trois Familia, and the newly remodeled Nick & Stef’s. To see which spots got taken off the list, check this forum post to lament your picks or argue that they should’ve stayed on.
1 Leona
Nyesha Arrington has the perfect sized restaurant just steps from Venice Beach in the former Canali Cafe location. The environs are gorgeous, to say the least, with an elegant touch to a modernist space that’s both airy and comfortable. Arrington’s fare shows her mastery of simple presentations, evincing an unexpected depth of flavor. This one’s already packed to the gills, so show up early or nab a reservation.
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2 Cassia
Bryant and Kim Ng have settled down in their large Santa Monica space with Rustic Canyon’s Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan at their side, and the early word has been positive all around. So far, everyone has been praising the lovely space and the spot-on orders from the kitchen at this heralded Westside restaurant. The only question is, will you be able to get a table? With so many seats and so many different kinds of experience from inside and outside the building, it shouldn’t be too difficult. [Photo by Wonho Frank Lee]
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3 Hatchet Hall
Brian Dunsmoor has finally opened his own concept, this time at the old Waterloo & City in Culver City. With expansive digs and a polished Americana look, the kitchen is churning dishes that might remind one of the old Hart & the Hunter days. Also, check out the Old Man bar tucked away in the back from some top notch drinks. [Photo by Wonho Frank Lee]
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4 Clifton’s Cafeteria
Enough has been said about this massive project in Downtown, but here’s a recap: a nearly 80 year institution gets a $14 million remodel from Andrew Meiren (The Edison). It’s opening officially today, October 1, and features bars and a cafeteria downstairs. More concepts and eateries will open in the coming months, but until then, bask in the unique, historical space with the crowds at your heels.
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5 The Arthur J
David LeFevre has taken the familiar steakhouse concept and nearly perfected how it’s presented. With a tidy and design-forward room filled with all the right midcentury details, this Manhattan Beach spot has an approachable yet creative menu to boot. The menu boasts a T-bone steak for two, prime ribeye, and even whole steamed lobster, plus spot prawns or foie gras as toppings. Sides include king trumpet mushroom fricasee and farro risotto, for a departure from the standard mashed potato and asparagus game. [Photo by Wonho Frank Lee]
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6 Aburiya Raku
This Las Vegas transplant is probably going to be the best izakaya to open in Los Angeles this year. Between the fresh and grilled fish, composed plates, and binchotan robata skewers, you have the ideal late night pub in West Hollywood.
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7 B.S. Taqueria
Ray Garcia’s brand new taqueria in Downtown might be one of the best new Mexican restaurants to open in LA this year. With heirloom corn tortillas made to order, plus innovative fillings like clams & lardo, or bologna (plus more traditional things like carne asada and carnitas), this might be a terrific place for a casual lunch with office co-workers. Dinner time boasts a daily large-format special, like a massive pork leg covered in salsa verde. [Photo by Wonho Frank Lee]
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8 Jon & Vinny’s
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo have finally completed their ode to Italian-American cuisine, and the results are pretty fantastic from the get-go. The pizzas, pastas, meatballs, and salads are razor sharp in their execution, though it’s also a credit to high-quality ingredients. The interior sort of belies the menu, with a sleek minimalist ambiance that lets the LA sun in through its skylights. Open breakfast to dinner, it’s one of the best all-day restaurants to open in LA. [Photo by Wonho Frank Lee]
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9 Alexander’s Steakhouse
This Bay Area transplant is bringing a fresh perspective on the steakhouse genre to Pasadena, with a heavy Japanese wagyu-inflected menu and a chef’s tasting menu available for a more complete culinary experience. The minimalist design makes this a classy new place for a business meeting or celebration in the 626. [Photo by Wonho Frank Lee]
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10 Maple Block Meat Company
Culver City has a great new barbecue spot under the direction of Adam Cole, who’s worked everywhere from The Bazaar to the Langham. Order up at the counter, where’s your likely to find pitmaster Cole slicing the meat himself. The brisket and ribs are top notch while the sides have a chef’s touch.
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11 Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill
New York City transplant Blue Ribbon has finally opened a restaurant in Los Angeles, with a full line up of sushi and hot plates. The vibe is much larger and brighter than their original underground location, but the Bromberg brothers have imported much of the same approach to Japanese cooking. And that fried chicken is always worth an order.
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12 Petty Cash Arts District
Walter Manzke’s populist Mexican-American restaurant has taken over the former Fifty Seven space in Downtown. The cocktails are strong, the tacos are all made with love, and the vibe is about as Arts District as you can get.
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13 Broken Spanish
Ray Garcia has done a masterful job of taking over the former Rivera space, infusing a more casual atmosphere and installing an innovative take on Mexican cuisine on the menu. Try the lamb neck tamales or the mushrooms, laden with black garlic and placed over griddled masa. The rebonada smeared with foie gras is a great starter while the moronga topped with peach and arugula might surprise you with how good it is. Michael Lay, formerly of Faith & Flower, puts a creative drink menu together, including a deconstructed Paloma.
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14 Simbal
This modern Southeast-Asian restaurant tucked away in Little Tokyo has some of the most exciting cuisine this part of town has seen since Spice Table had to shut down. Chef Shawn Pham, who trained at fine dining spots and even Vietnam, brings a creative sensibility to dishes like a banh mi salad, chili jam mussels, and more. The airy, minimalist digs make the place an ideal spot for a fashionable date.
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15 Osso
Formerly One Eyed Gypsy, the large venue has now been turned into the kind of restaurant where food lovers prefer to go. With a tight cocktail and drink menu, plus a menu that spans just a few more than a dozen items, consider the fried chicken, patty melt, cavatelli laden with market-fresh ingredients, and charcuterie platter boasting rich foie gras torchon. Come for dinner, come for snacks and drinks, or bring a big party. This is the versatile Arts District restaurant that the neighborhood needed.
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16 Forman’s Tavern
This newest rustic entry from Acme Hospitality takes over the former Lucy’s 51 in Toluca Lake. The fare is solid pub food while drinks are going to center mostly around high quality brown liquor. It’s a comfortable place to don your flannel during the fall and winter months ahead.
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17 E.R.B.
The Silver Lake Wine folks are finally back in the restaurant business. Owner Randy Clement, who was once at Campanile, teams up with Mozza’s Matt Molina and barman Chris Ojeda for a terrific every day bar tucked away in Arts District’s southern side. Once the back patio opens, it’ll be the perfect place for all day drinking and snacking.
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18 Viviane
Michael Hung is back in the kitchen, this time serving a refined Continental menu inside a fully redesigned space inside the Avalon Beverly Hills. The elegant dining room still sports a mid-century modern look, which matches the fare perfectly.
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19 Trois Familia
Jon, Vinny, and Ludo are back at it, this time with a French-Mexican breakfast and lunch spot in Silver Lake. Already the crowds are packing it in, so get there early or be prepared to wait. They only serve from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.
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20 Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse
This Patina Group steakhouse has a full interior refresh, which makes one of the city’s best steakhouses one of the swankiest places to dine right now. Dry-aged steaks, strong martinis, and a glorious dining room. What’s not to like?
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21 The Fiscal Agent
Julian Cox finally has his own bar, this time an upstairs speakeasy in Studio City that sports some of the best cocktails in Los Angeles right now. If you’re hungry, they even have an elegant set of bar bites that you can share with your companions.
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22 BCN
This Spanish-style sandwich and flatbread joint in West Hollywood might be the best place for a casual meal in this part of Santa Monica Blvd. Drop by for a bikini (not the kind you wear).
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23 Burgerlords
This burger window comes from a Tumblr blog founded by Fred and Max Guerrero, who helped their father build The Oinkster. As basic as you could get (in a good way), the burgers are also really cheap for what they are.
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24 Estrella
Dakota Weiss has a trendy new restaurant in Sunset Strip and it’s packed to the gills. The fare is still finding its way, but the spot is already a place to see and be seen.
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25 Pok Pok LA
Andy Ricker’s flagship Thai restaurant is finally open in Chinatown and it’s a massive operation. The menu’s also huge, which means it’ll take some time for you to navigate. Go now before the waits get unbearable.
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26 Maia
In the same space as the old Yellowtail, the fare is mostly the kind of fusion Japanese food that existed before the switchover. So while the menu won’t wow foodie-types, it’s a sceney place to enjoy a weeknight meal.
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27 Sangers & Joe
A cheerful breakfast and lunch spot is always going to be welcome in a neighborhood like Pasadena. Incorporating world flavors and a quality coffee setup, this is a bustling daytime cafe that works any day of the week.
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28 Sausal
A rustic kitchen in El Segundo, Sausal might be the most compelling new restaurant to open in this part of the South Bay in a long time. Channeling early Spanish California, the menu boasts plenty of roasted and grilled dishes that will carry you through a cold winter.
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29 Button Mash
Already a ridiculously popular place in Echo Park, this arcade bar also touts a full menu from Starry Kitchen. Nothing beats a plate of garlic noodles and tofu balls downed with some craft beer after taking on the pinball machines for an hour.
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30 Le Petit Paris
This gorgeous space in Downtown has more to look at than talk about on the plate right now, but that’s changing as people come in for the fare, which is mostly French-influenced. Eventually, this just might be the Historic Core answer to Bottega Louie that Downtown always wanted.
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31 Seoul Sausage Company
This Sawtelle spot now has a full-on restaurant in Little Tokyo, sporting fusion Korean-American fare in a group-friendly spot. Try a few sausages and share a ramen-spicy rice cakes bowl washed down with some Korean-inspired cocktails.
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