The Resy Hit List: Everywhere In L.A. You’ll Want to Eat in June 2024
There’s no question we hear more often: Where should I go eat? And while we at Resy know it’s an honor to be the friend who everyone asks for restaurant advice, we also know it’s a complicated task. That’s where the Resy Hit List comes in.
We’ve designed it to be your essential resource for dining in Los Angeles: a monthly-updated (and now expanded!) guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Five Things In Los Angeles Not to Miss This Month
- Pride Month. It’s been 54 years since the first L.A. Pride Parade took place along Hollywood Boulevard in 1970—and it’s been growing ever since. To keep the fête going, support LGBTQ-owned restaurants all month long, including N/Soto, Kismet, and Union, among others. (Which, here’s tips on scoring a table at N/Soto.)
- Special Access to a Hot Spot. Amex is hosting its “40 Nights of Platinum” dinner series, providing Platinum card members access to exclusive reservations at sought-after Resy tables. L.A.’s first event will be at Dante Beverly Hills on July 8 and 9. Book your reservation here. (And keep an eye out for the next event at Pijja Palace in late July.)
- Table for One. While date night might get all the attention, there’s beauty in dining alone. Writer Oren Peleg chronicled his solo eating adventures throughout L.A., with an accompanying guide to some of the best spots to strike up conversations with strangers. Find more Letters of Recommendation here.
- A New Parisian-Inspired Burger Spot. The team behind Santa Monica’s Bar Monette recently added a chic sister restaurant next door. Burgette is all moody vibes by the ocean, with stellar French wines, cheese and charcuterie boards, and two types of burgers. Chef Sean MacDonald takes a Parisian approach to the latter, adding Mimolette cheese and cornichons to a reimagined Big Mac. Check out more new restaurant openings here.
- Where to Eat for Juneteenth. There are plenty of Black-owned restaurants in L.A. — from Linden to Chulita and Camphor, among others — to visit throughout the month while celebrating Juneteenth. While you’re at it, read about the legacy of longstanding New Orleans-inspired favorite Harold & Belle’s and the family-run Tunisian spot Barsha in Hermosa Beach, too.
New to the Hit List (June 2024)
Boston Lobster, Night+Market SAHM, Philippe The Original, Budonoki.
1. baroo Arts District
When chef Kwang Uh and Mina Park unveiled their third iteration of Baroo last summer, the fermentation-driven Korean restaurant looked strikingly different from its previous stripped-down (as in, strip mall) versions. The couple took their time revamping and refining. As a result, the Baroo of today is remarkably warm for a dining destination, and continues to dish out some of Los Angeles’ most innovative food. Upon arrival, each diner is presented with a beautifully engraved box bearing chopsticks, a seven-course menu of seasonally-informed dishes, and the option to add a beverage pairing. For $110 a head, it’s a steal that everyone living in (or visiting) Los Angeles should take advantage of.
2. N/Soto Mid-City
Think of this as the little sister to N/Naka, the Michelin-starred Japanese kaiseki restaurant that“Chef’s Table” propelled to fame nearly a decade ago. N/Soto, which got its start as a pop-up before finding a permanent home in Mid City in April of 2022, is much more casual than its zen-like counterpart. Similarly helmed by chef-owners Niki Nakayama and Carole Iida-Nakayama, it focuses on upscale izakaya fare that runs the gamut from sushi to grilled meats to comforting rice bowls. Its stalwart dishes include a miso-baked bone marrow paired with a pan-fried umeboshi onigiri, and agedashi mochi punctuated by tempura-battered shiso. The inventive cocktail program incorporates Japanese ingredients and spirits, and includes a robust non-alcoholic drinks menu that shouldn’t be missed.
3. Soban Koreatown
Upon entering Soban, your eyes dart to the giant tubs of fermenting foods that line the bar. These are the building blocks of this homey Korean restaurant’s cuisine, where the three signature dishes are galbi jjim (braised short rib), eundaegu jorim (braised black cod), and ganjang gejang (soy-marinated raw crab). Pick one to share—or several if your party is four or more—alongside an order of the exemplary seafood pancake. Soban is women-run and family-owned, both facts that can be felt in the cozy dining room. (It’s also where director Bong Joon Ho famously celebrated alongside his cast after winning Best Picture for Parasite in 2020.)
4. Dudley Market Venice
Fisherman-owned and operated is not a distinction you’ll find often in Los Angeles, perhaps anywhere besides Dudley Market. Situated mere steps from the Pacific, this beachy Venice restaurant is known for its seafood, of course, which changes based on what’s freshly caught (and, oftentimes, aged on-site). Expect oysters, sashimi and crudo, steamed shellfish, fish tacos, and, because Dudley is for the people, a burger. The wine program is a major focus here as well, functioning as an additional draw for Westside scenesters. Do note, that from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday through Sunday, the restaurant plays host to Hooked—champion barista Nicely Abel’s overperforming coffee shop—and serves as a lovely setting to enjoy a cup.
5. Tsubaki Echo Park
In a city brimming with salads, Tsubaki’s Japanese Caesar — laced with bonito threads, nori, panko, and miso-parmesan dressing — is a strong contender for the best. Their charcoal-grilled chicken oyster skewers, dabbed with yuzu kosho, are a bona fide signature L.A. dish. Simply put, chef Charles Namba’s food at this compact Echo Park izakaya is consistently dynamite. But the sake list adds a whole new dimension: Namba’s partner is Courtney Kaplan, whose sake expertise and dedication to craft breweries is showcased here and at next-door sake bar, Ototo — whose sake program was the first to win a James Beard award. Take your time reading Kaplan’s descriptions; “sake whisperer” doesn’t even begin to describe her work.
6. Phillipe The Original Chinatown
One of L.A.’s biggest claims to fame is the invention of the French dip sandwich. While there’s been a longstanding debate over who, exactly, is responsible for this glorious creation, many fans credit 106-year-old Philippe as the progenitor. The old-school, counter-service landmark is beloved for its puffy French rolls, dipped in a beefy au jus and then stuffed with your choice of meat, including pastrami, leg of lamb, or roast beef. The sandwiches aren’t complete without a squirt of their own hot mustard (tagline: “It’s hot … but good”), which has garnered a cult following in its own right. While there’s often a line— a testament to the restaurant’s staying power—it moves with the swiftness of a well-oiled machine.
No reservations. Find more info here.
7. Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen Eagle Rock
Prior to the arrival of Aunt Yvette’s Kitchen in Eagle Rock last fall, one had to travel to Little Ethiopia to satisfy a craving for tibs, wat, and injera. Now, Yvette and Russell Platoff, career chefs who have long dreamed of opening their own spot, have Eastsiders lining up to eat with their hands. Despite the restaurant’s small footprint, the interior is thoughtfully put together, with details like zebra-print chairs, tree trunk tables, and a green-tiled bar. As for what to eat, heed your server’s advice and spring for a vegtable combo, plus a protein of choice. Finish with a scoop of berbere ice cream, which highlights Ethiopia’s distinctive spice blend in surprising and delicious fashion.
8. Boston Lobster Rosemead
For the past decade, Boston Lobster has attracted long lines in the San Gabriel Valley, for good reason. The Chinese-Vietnamese seafood restaurant, which moved into bigger and more upscale digs in 2022, is most popular for its signature dish: lobster (actually shipped in from Boston) that’s stir fried with sliced scallions and jalapeños, resting over a bed of noodles. It’s a family-style meal that’s complemented by other worthy dishes, like shaking beef and clams with basil. The lively vibes, lazy Susans, and fish tanks filled with live geoduck and king crab make this the kind of place you’ll want to bookmark for your next celebratory meal out with a group.
No reservations except for a private room. Call (626) 288-4388 for more info.
9. Quarter Sheets Echo Park
Chef Aaron Lindell and pastry whiz Hannah Ziskin are a culinary couple that compliment one another quite well. Case in point: Quarter Sheets, their pizza and cake restaurant that puts childlike joy front and center. The pizza is crunchy-crispy, chewy, and high on flavor — loosely inspired by the pies of Detroit, but really, it’s Lindell’s own Los Angeles-style invention. (Quarter Sheets serves bar pies, too, on Wednesdays and Sundays.) The cakes come in Princess and seasonal slab form, alongside other ever-rotating desserts, like ice cream and pie. Both Lindell and Ziskin are masters of their craft, and their pairing is about as perfect as it gets.
10. Queen St. Raw Bar & Grill Eagle Rock
Chef Ari Kolender had an immediate hit in Found Oyster, the tiny East Coast-style seafood counter he opened in 2019, serving raw bar platters and lobster bisque rolls. Then, last year, the chef unveiled his sophomore restaurant Queen St. in Highland Park, bringing us yet another stellar seafood destination—and this time, with more seats (meaning reservations, too). Here, Kolender hones in on his Charleston roots with Southern-leaning dishes such as hushpuppies with trout roe and Cantabrian anchovy and tomato bread pudding, in addition to certified crowd-pleasers like yellowfin tuna frites. Sheralyn’s Derby Pie, a decadent chocolate-pecan number, is the chef’s grandmother’s recipe. Order it à la mode.
11. Mariscos Jalisco Various
12. NIGHT+MARKET SAHM (Venice) Venice
When chef-owner Kris Yenbamroong opened his third Thai restaurant, in Venice, in 2018, Westsiders no longer had to trek across town to get a taste of his unapologetically spicy and boldly-flavored dishes. The kitschy Venice outpost has the same low-key party vibes as his other spots in Silver Lake and West Hollywood, complete with red lighting casting a ruby hue over vibrant flower and animal print-covered tables. Night+Market’s biggest draw is its beloved drinking-food dishes — think grilled fatty pork jowl married with a spicy and citrus-y jaew dip, and crispy rice salad kicked up with sour pork — that pair wonderfully with its extensive natural wine selection.
13. Budonoki Silver Lake
Stepping into Budonoki feels like you’ve been transported to an underground nightclub, complete with ‘90s R&B jams and glowing purple lights. This playful izakaya, from Thai chef Dan Rabilwongse (whose impressive resume includes Bouchon, Hayato, and Tsubaki) melds Japanese, French, and Southeast Asian flavors in a buzzy space perfect for a night out. Shochu-forward cocktails laced with ingredients like cherry blossom bitters come in adorable mugs shaped like penguins and octopi. Small plates like naem highlight sour Thai pork sausage paired with arancini-like crispy rice balls, and the crudo that makes Hokkaido scallops its star is dressed in an addictive citrus vinaigrette. The best part? The menu is tight enough that a group of four our six can try it all in one go.
14. Azizam Silver Lake
When Azizam owners Cody Ma and Misha Sesar began hosting pop-ups in 2021 that showcased their homestyle Persian and Iranian cooking, they quickly gained a loyal following. That eventually led to the opening of their permanent Silver Lake location in February. At their casual counter-service restaurant, popular dishes like kofteh tabrizi, a baseball-sized beef and rice meatball studded with dried stone fruit and walnuts, have become a mainstay. While its cozy sage green patio surrounded by hanging plants is a welcome spot for solo diners, it’s worth getting a group together to get a chance to sample all the winning dishes, including house-baked barbari flatbread dotted with sesame and nigella seeds, and a flaky and creamy Shirini Napeloni dessert layered with seasonal jam.
No reservations. Find more info here.
15. Poltergeist at Button Mash Echo Park
Poltergeist is so singular that it’s impossible to pigeonhole it into any culinary category. The unrestrained Echo Park restaurant led by chef Diego Argoti, who also runs the Estrano pop-up and has worked in the kitchens of Bestia and Bavel, offers an amalgamation of global flavors, including Southeast Asian, Italian, and Latin American. The green curry bucatini, kicked up with the flavors of a pistachio muhammara and apple chutney, and the Thai Caesar salad—a frisée dressed with lemongrass and plated with a towering green-speckled puffed rice—exemplify the familiar-yet-surprising flavors Argoti plays with. And the fact that the restaurant sits inside of Button Mash barcade, where guests dine amid the dings and clacks of vintage pinball machines and blaring punk rock, is nothing short of a perfect pairing.
16. All Time Los Feliz
Weather, produce, lifestyle, nature. These are some of the most common factors that drive people to Los Angeles, and All Time embodies all of them. Citrus and fig trees line the perimeter of the entirely outdoor dining room, part of which is fashioned like a greenhouse. Simple, satisfying California cooking is served all day, starting with an exemplary berry scone and an expertly crafted breakfast burrito in the morning, followed by an enormous leafy salad (appropriately dubbed the “Good Ass Salad”), burrata toast, crispy fish over rice, and lots of wine in the evening. As a bonus, All Time is also minutes away from the entrance to Griffith Park, making it a wonderful place to unwind after a hike. As an additional bonus, The Cook Book of All Time was just released in April, and captures the effortless chic of the restaurant on the page.
17. Michael’s Santa Monica Santa Monica
Michael McCarty was one of the pioneers of the California cuisine movement, alongside game-changers like Alice Waters, Jeremiah Tower, and Wolfgang Puck. Ever since his eponymous Santa Monica restaurant opened in 1979, McCarty’s been bringing in a wealth of talent, including big-name chefs like Nancy Silverton, Sang Yoon, and Brooke Williamson. Executive chef Job Carder is now running the show, honoring tradition by focusing on fresh, local, and seasonal produce, and bringing new heavy hitters to the menu, like housemade pappardelle with aged wagyu bolognese and grilled loup de mer with morels and fresh garbanzo beans. The garden patio is one of the most charming spaces at Michael’s, but make sure to check out its impressive collection of fine art inside.
18. Botanica Restaurant Silver Lake
Soon after opening in 2017, Botanica swiftly cemented its status as a Silver Lake staple for its vegetable-centric cooking and its shop-within-a-restaurant utility. Owned by former food writers Emily Fiffer and Heather Sperling, the restaurant is at once bubbly and soothing, with a transportive patio to boot. And although it’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, from Wednesday through Sunday, it offers a whole lot: baked goods in the pastry case, three meal services a day, a full bar, and a tinned fish-focused happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. The latest big news out of the kitchen is the arrival of the Botanica burger—grass-fed beef with pink chicories, pickled shallots, aioli, salsa verde, and goat gouda on pan de mie—the restaurant’s first ever in seven years of operating. It’s very tasty and very on brand.
19. Angelini Osteria Beverly Grove
Angelini is tried and true, a Beverly Grove staple by Italians, for Italians. It’s also for all lovers of Italian cuisine, which, who isn’t? Humming on Beverly Boulevard since 2001, this classically-styled osteria, overseen by chef Gino Angelini and his wife Elizabeth, is known for its lasagna verde and tagliolini limone. Other very nice dishes include the warm swordfish carpaccio, chopped salad, and fried zucchini flowers in tomato sauce. The atmosphere is charmingly weathered and European-feeling, both inside and out, and the regulars are manifest. It’s ideal for date night, dinner with in-laws, a business lunch, or even a chic solo vibe. Do note, portions are small, so order more, then share it all.
20. Alta Adams Adams Blvd
Photo courtesy Alta Adams
“California soul food” is how chef Keith Corbin describes his cooking here, which pulls from West Africa, the South, and Los Angeles itself. That translates to cornbread with honey butter, spicy purple sweet potato soup, fried chicken with Fresno hot sauce, and oxtails and rice, in the tight-knit community of West Adams. The dining room is cozy and warm, with colorful printed pillows to lean on, and art curated by next-door gallery Band of Vices. Cocktails are a highlight, too, including a “teenie tini flight” of three 1.5 oz. martinis, and a Cognac-based sour with candied yam syrup and spiced sweet potato liqueur.
Photo courtesy Alta Adams
