The Los Angeles Restaurants Loved By Team Resy
If there’s one thing you must know about the people who work at Resy, it’s that we genuinely love restaurants. We love how they bring folks together. We love how they help us celebrate. We love how they help us get through tough times. We love how they’re there for us. (And a large majority of us used to work in restaurants, too.)
So, we thought … why not share our favorite spots and Pro tips with our fellow Angelenos? Here are our picks from the past month or so.
A small hidden gem on the corner of Pico and Robertson that is easy to miss…
Pizzeria Sei is doing Japanese-style pizza, which bears some similarities to Neapolitan, but with a twist. I promise it’s delicious. This is definitely not for large groups, so go with your partner or best friend, split a few appetizers and two pizzas — one white, one red, because you need the full experience. If you’re lucky, the specialty pizza will be the potato pie, in which case that’s your order. There are about eight or so counter seats where you can watch the pizzaiolo hand-stretch the dough and spin the crust — quite an experience.
— Catt Flanagan, Senior Regional Manager
Modern Korean cuisine is having a moment…
In New York, Los Angeles, and beyond, but relatively few chefs are exploring the historic Korean Royal Court Dining of the Joseon Empire. Debbie Lee is one of them, at her long-term pop-up in Silver Lake named Joseon, which offers an affordable tasting menu reimagining royal cuisine. I’m not particularly well-versed in Korean history, but the latke-like egg-battered yam puffs, braised kalbi jjim with Weiser farms veggies, and hand-pulled kalguksu with the texture of gnocchi and a stuffed squash blossom on top were a welcoming introduction to this elegant and delicious cuisine. I’ll be geeking out over this one for a while.
— Jamie Feldmar, Resy Los Angeles Editor
While the banchan at Soban alone was worth a visit for a packed weeknight dinner…
The braised black cod stew (black cod, kabocha, potato, mu, dduk, tofu, onion) was a fiery respite on a cool, rainy night in Koreatown. Saving the ganjang gejang and galbi jjim for my next trip!
— Drew Nordstrom, Senior Manager, Strategic Partnerships
I just so happened to be in town on a Tuesday…
And got to Anajak Thai for Justin Pichetrungsi’s infamous Thai Taco Tuesday alleyway experience. Maybe this is my East Coast naïveté, but it felt like the quintessential L.A. experience — string lights along an alley, great music, some celebs, smoking grills, and a cool and casual service. The food was incredible — especially the whole grilled sea bream and carnitas tacos — all washed down with a super affordable white burgundy. I wish I could dine like that more regularly.
— Aaron Ginsberg, VP, Resy Strategic Partnerships
Although getting a reservation at Anajak Thai is not easy…
It is worth the wait. The staff is incredible and they treat you like family. And the playlist had me dancing in my seat with every bite. Impeccable taste in music. The papaya salad is everything you want in a Thai salad; it was refreshing, with the perfect combination of spicy and tangy. The fried chicken brought me straight back to my childhood. It was perfectly crispy, juicy, and full of flavor. The grilled cabbage was hands down my favorite dish of them all.
— Adriana Garza, Senior Restaurant Success Manager
I would sit in L.A. traffic for the pepperoni pizza…
At De La Nonna. The pizza is light, but crispy on the edges — a mix between Detroit pan pizza and a Sicilian slice. Skipping the whipped eggplant is absolutely criminal and I’d argue among the best in town. The best move is to go with a group a bit on the later side — split a few salads, pizzas, and don’t skip the cannoli. Then head next door to their sister cocktail bar Let’s Go! Disco and have yourself a night.
— Catt Flanagan, Senior Regional Manager
For impeccable bread and impeccable vibes…
Olivetta in West Hollywood is a gem. There are multiple dining and lounge areas, each uniquely designed. The sourdough bread is a must, and please do yourself a favor and finish your meal with the brown sugar budino. Don’t forget to grab a cocktail or two – there’s even a zero-proof cocktail list.
— Kayla Demma, Restaurant Success Manager
More From Resy
Our cozy, local go-to for delicious sushi on the Westside is…
Hama. Their main dining room is always lively (especially during happy hour!), but better than that, their team is very welcoming, even with two children under three years old in our party (thank you, Hama team!). Always get their crispy rice cakes and shrimp shumai. And am I “basic” if I order three to four options from the Basic Rolls section? Guess what: I don’t care.
— Nic Mercure, Senior Implementation Specialist, GDA
The vibes were great…
At Si! Mon. We had bites and drinks, and everything was really tasty. We sat in the back room, which is an elevated loft for private parties. We could still see the main interior of the restaurant, so we were still part of the music and fun from the other diners. I loved my mezcal mocktail. I will definitely be back.
— Jamie Schneiter Beran, Senior Restaurant Success Manager
The perfect plan is to bring a friend…
To Tonchin and go halves on the ramen and ban ban chicken noodles. It’s a moody, more upscale ramen spot from a team out of Tokyo. You cannot skip the bao and please save room for the “Tokyo Banana” dessert.
— Catt Flanagan, Senior Regional Manager
Go for the views…
Stay for the food. Yamashiro translates to “mountain palace” in Japanese and it’s truly the mountain palace of Hollywood, sitting atop the Hollywood Hills with stunning panoramic views of Los Angeles. Resy’s L.A. team members recently enjoyed dinner there, and it was incredible. Don’t forget to take photos.
— Kayla Demma, Restaurant Success Manager
