Best Restaurants in Los Angeles 2026: MICHELIN, La Liste and Local Legends on One Map

Hollywood · Seafood tasting menu

Chef Michael Cimarusti has cooked here since 2005, and MICHELIN describes a seafood tasting menu built on sustainable fish, often wild-caught in American waters. It holds three MICHELIN stars and won the 2026 James Beard award for Outstanding Hospitality.

West Hollywood · Spanish contemporary tasting menu

Chef Aitor Zabala revived Somni, Catalan for dream, in West Hollywood as a personal tasting menu with Spanish influences. MICHELIN gives it three stars, and it entered North America's 50 Best in 2026.

Arts District (Row DTLA) · Taiwanese-influenced tasting menu

Chef Jon Yao's tasting menu at Row DTLA draws on his Taiwanese background, and MICHELIN promoted Kato to two stars in 2026. The same year it won the James Beard award for its wine and beverage program.

South Central (Mercado La Paloma) · Mexican seafood

Chef Gilberto Cetina runs this seafood counter inside Mercado La Paloma, cooking aguachiles, ceviches and tacos on house-made heirloom corn tortillas. It holds a MICHELIN star and placed #26 on North America's 50 Best 2026.

Covered by The Infatuation

Arts District (Row DTLA) · Japanese kaiseki

Chef Brandon Hayato Go serves a single seating a night of seasonal Japanese cooking, explaining each course to a handful of diners. MICHELIN gives it two stars and notes how hard a reservation is to get.

Santa Monica · Modern French

Chef Josiah Citrin's flagship has been in Santa Monica since 1999 and serves a modern French tasting menu. It holds two MICHELIN stars.

Culver City · Avant-garde tasting menu

Chef Jordan Kahn's tasting menu is served inside a red-steel building known as The Waffle. MICHELIN gives it two stars and calls the cooking inventive, at times whimsical, with careful technique.

Palms · Modern kaiseki

Chef Niki Nakayama serves her own take on kaiseki in a small room where, MICHELIN notes, reservations are hard to secure. It holds one MICHELIN star.

Santa Monica · Californian tasting menu

Chef Dave Beran's tasting menu on Main Street is built around themes such as the turn of the seasons, according to MICHELIN, which gives it one star. Beran won the 2026 James Beard award for Best Chef: California.

Downtown · Japanese-Italian

Chef Josef Centeno's downtown restaurant serves a prix-fixe menu mixing Japanese and Italian influences from an open kitchen. It holds one MICHELIN star.

Hancock Park (Melrose) · Italian

Nancy Silverton's Italian restaurant on Melrose pairs dark-wood paneling with a white marble counter, and MICHELIN warns to expect a wait. It holds one MICHELIN star.

East Hollywood · Filipino

Chef Lord Maynard Llera's fast-casual Filipino restaurant in East Hollywood focuses on the cooking of the Southern Tagalog region. Time Out describes rice bowls and family-style trays that add a chef's twist to Filipino classics.

Covered by Time Out Los Angeles and The Infatuation

Hollywood · Steakhouse and grill

Open since 1919, Musso & Frank is Hollywood's oldest restaurant, serving steaks and cocktails. The Infatuation calls it one of the city's most legendary dining rooms.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Inglewood · Soul food breakfast

This Inglewood diner has served Southern breakfast platters for close to four decades, with daily specials such as smothered oxtails. It received a James Beard America's Classics award in 2026.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Pico-Robertson · Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza

Chef William Joo and Jennifer So opened Pizzeria Sei in 2022, serving Tokyo-style Neapolitan pizza with a long-fermented, high-hydration dough. It ranked #2 on 50 Top Pizza USA 2026; the Pico Boulevard original now trades as Sei Pizza Bar.

Covered by Time Out Los Angeles

Westlake · Jewish deli

Open since 1947 and started as a 12-seat counter, Langer's is known for the #19, its pastrami sandwich, which The Infatuation ranks among the best anywhere. MICHELIN lists it as a Bib Gourmand.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Downtown (Fashion District) · Sonoran tacos

This downtown counter is known for flour tortillas and grilled meats in the style of Sonora, and the queue often runs down the block. MICHELIN lists it as a Bib Gourmand and singles out the chivichanga.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Alhambra (San Gabriel Valley) · Sichuan

A long-running Sichuan restaurant in the San Gabriel Valley that, according to MICHELIN, does not tone down its heat. It is listed as a Bib Gourmand.

Fairfax · Italian-American

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo opened this Italian-American cafe on Fairfax in 2015, with a long counter facing the open kitchen. MICHELIN lists it as a Bib Gourmand.

Hancock Park (Melrose) · Pizza

Nancy Silverton's pizzeria on the corner of Melrose and Highland has been open since 2006. MICHELIN lists it as a Bib Gourmand.

Highland Park · Mexican tacos

Chef Victor Villa started by serving tacos from his grandmother's house before opening this Highland Park taqueria. MICHELIN lists it as a Bib Gourmand.

Fairfax · Jewish deli

Still owned by the Canter family, this Fairfax deli is described by Time Out as a living relic of early 20th-century Los Angeles. The Infatuation notes it runs late into the night.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Koreatown · Oaxacan

For about three decades this orange Koreatown building has drawn diners from across the city for Oaxacan cooking. The Infatuation counts it among the best Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Chinatown · Nashville hot chicken

Johnny Zone, who trained with Thomas Keller and Gordon Ramsay, runs this Nashville hot chicken shop in Chinatown. The Infatuation says it lives up to the hype.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

Chinatown · French dip sandwiches

In business since 1908, Philippe claims to have invented the French dip sandwich. Time Out and The Infatuation both treat it as a Los Angeles landmark worth the trip.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles

West Los Angeles · Burgers and pie

Diners queue for a seat at the U-shaped counter of this old-school burger stand, which Time Out says has changed little over the decades. The Infatuation calls it an LA institution.

Covered by The Infatuation and Time Out Los Angeles