The Resy Hit List: Everywhere In L.A. You’ll Want to Eat in Nov. 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 expanded!) guide to the restaurants that you won’t want to miss — tonight or any night.
Four Things In Los Angeles Not to Miss This Month
- Revival of a Beloved Bar: The Airliner’s storied history as a Lincoln Heights neighborhood bar goes back 100 years, and in its latest iteration, it’s become home to one of the most creative pan-Asian menus around. Contributor Khuong Phan waxes poetic about chef-owner Vinh Nguyen’s expressive craft and journey cooking from New York to L.A. kitchens in this essay. Find more of our Letter of Recommendations here.
- A Dinner to Remember: There’s an irresistible draw to the theatrics in the open kitchen at Yess Restaurant. In a beautiful photo essay, contributor Peter Lee captures the energy of the exciting modern Japanese restaurant in the Arts District — from chef Junya Yamasaki searing cuts of beef over smoking hay to telling whimsical stories about his adventures in procuring his ingredients. Check it out, and read more Resy Spotlights here.
- Japanese Food for the Soul: Rokusho, a new upscale Japanese comfort food restaurant with roots in Tokyo, has been making its mark in Hollywood. Attached to the famed Sunset Sound (where Prince and The Beach Boys once recorded), chef Carlos Couts is turning heads with his grilled meats over binchotan charcoal and crispy sushi cakes. Read about everything you need to know before you go, and pore over more Rundown stories here.
- Glimpse the Inner Workings of Alta Adams: In Stephen Satterfield’s latest Corner Table, he sits down with Alta Adams partners Keith Corbin and Daniel Patterson to discuss the origins and evolution of their beloved West Adams spot, which merges Southern soul food flavors and fresh California produce to create something wholly unique to L.A. Read all about it here.
New to the Hit List (Nov. 2024)
Seco Silverlake, Stir Crazy, Tonchin, Prince Dumpling, Belle’s Delicatessen & Bar.
1. 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.
2. Pijja Palace Silver Lake
This endlessly popular Indian-Italian sports bar is the kind of unicorn restaurant that could only be created in L.A. Nestled in a strip mall shared with a Comfort Inn, it’s a unique mashup (complete with hip hop and R&B on the speakers) devised by owner Avish Naran and chef Miles Shorey, who’ve taken a Desi approach to Italian American classics. The heavy hitters like the malai rigatoni — a creamy, tomato masala concoction — and green chutney pizza with a fenugreek-laced sauce are still as strong as ever. But we continue to advise that you make room for specials, turmeric and masala-spiced chicken wings, and refreshingly unique cocktails with ingredients like tamarind-infused rye and mango lassi.
3. Lee-Ga Koreatown
Nestled in the corner of a Koreatown strip mall is Lee-Ga, a stand-out purveyor of mul naengmyeon in a sea of restaurants that serve this beloved chilled buckwheat noodle soup, a summertime favorite. Chef-owner Woosuk Lee expertly makes the noodles fresh in-house, a rarity compared to other spots that rely on the pre-packaged variety, resulting in chewy strings that swim in a perfectly balanced broth that’s acidic, sweet, and savory. It would be a mistake to not also order some of the casual restaurant’s equally distinctive dishes, like its hefty mandu (the vibrant red kimchi dumplings are a must) and seolleongtang (ox bone soup). For being a newer Korean restaurant (it opened in 2022), Lee Ga has already made a name for itself in the community as one of the best.
No reservations. Find more info here.
4. Tonchin LA Hollywood
It’s a blessing that L.A. gets its very own Tonchin. The upscale ramen chain that started over 30 years ago in Tokyo first created a buzz stateside in New York and now continues its legacy with its first West Coast location in Hollywood. Tonchin is known for hand-kneading wavy and springy noodles from scratch, and simmering a much lighter, dashi-forward tonkotsu broth than some other ramen shops. But our favorite is the smoked dashi, a unique bowl you won’t easily find elsewhere, with the saline kick of clams, smoked fish oil, and tobiko fish roe. Its kakigori desserts are the perfect end to a meal, with refreshingly cold and fluffy shaved ice shrouded in flavors like ceremonial-grade matcha and red bean paste with a house-made honey cream.
5. baroo Arts District
6. Kuya Lord Melrose Hill
Even though Kuya Lord occupies a tiny 28-seat restaurant along a bustling section of Melrose Avenue, its presence is anything but small. Chef-owner Lord Maynard Llera (previously of Bestia) turned his Filipino pop-up, featuring southern Tagalog cuisine, into a brick-and mortar that recently earned him a 2024 James Beard award. Here, humble rice bowls are transformed into artworks, especially when paired with his signature dishes like lucenachon, an impossibly crisp-skinned Duroc pork belly that’s a marriage between Filipino lechon kawali and Italian porchetta. It’s a labor of love that takes a week to make. While you’re there, complete the meal with grilled blue prawns swimming in a garlic-crab sauce, and calamansi pie topped with a swirl of whipped pandan cream.
No reservations. Find more info here.
7. Holy Basil – Atwater Village Atwater Village
Ever since Holy Basil’s early pop-up days in 2020, the Bangkok-style street food restaurant has pushed the envelope of Thai cooking in L.A., and gained an ardent following as a result. (Case in point: Food & Wine recently named chef Wedchayan “Deau” Arpapornnopparat, who owns the restaurant with his wife Tongkamal “Joy” Yuon, as a Best New Chef this year.) It has since expanded to a stall in a Downtown food hall and a vibrant new 20-seat spot in Atwater Village. Arpapornnopparat crafts complex flavors that run from slight departures on the familiar — like an expertly wok-kissed pad see ew made with vermicelli — to the totally surprising, like a garlic-heavy wild shrimp aguachile that’s dressed with tomatillo and makrut lime.
8. danbi Koreatown
9. Belle’s Delicatessen & Bar Highland Park
With Belle’s Bagels’ reputation as the ultimate grab-and-go bagel shop in Highland Park secured, it made sense that the launch of its long-awaited Delicatessen & Bar would be one of the most exciting openings in L.A. The 60-seat all-day restaurant is a throwback to the delis of yore, with comfy brown leather booths and walls covered in framed photos that pay homage to famous Jewish delis throughout the country. The menu has grown to include fabulous sandwiches like a Reuben with hot pastrami, scallion latkes, and schnitzel plates (that come in both chicken and mushroom versions). At night, the bar plays with classic cocktails, having fun incorporating ingredients like fresh deli herbs and onion bagels into the creative drinks.
No reservations. More info here.
10. Stir Crazy Melrose
Stir Crazy, a surprisingly quaint restaurant and bar amid the hustle and bustle of Melrose Avenue, embodies hygge. From the warm light glowing from its vintage-style pleated sconces to its convivial service and atmosphere, the unpretentious energy feels like a cross between dining at a friend’s home and a comfy European cafe. The dishes are influenced by the farmers market, and can run the gamut from rockfish carpaccio with brown butter, shiso leaves, and slices of mango nectarines, to a simple grilled sausage with Japanese potato salad. Mackenzie Hoffman (formerly of Brooklyn’s Four Horsemen) has done a an artful job curating the wine list, amassing hundreds of naturally leaning bottles, so you’re bound to find something new you’ll enjoy.
11. Bridgetown Roti East Hollywood
Chef Rashida Holmes has built a fervent following for her Bridgetown Roti pop-ups over the last four years (even snagging a James Beard Award nomination in 2023), and her first brick-and-mortar further cements her already-stellar reputation. Across the street from Los Angeles City College, the vibrant Caribbean restaurant serves buttery rotis wrapped around curry shrimp aloo and flaky patties stuffed with curry-braised oxtail. It’s the little details that make the dishes sing, like the housemade spice pastes and seasonal cocobread sandwiches served on custom-baked bread from Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake. Holmes (previously at Botanica) draws inspiration from her mother and aunt’s cooking and her Barbadian heritage. The casual counter-service spot has bursts of bright color throughout, and a playlist of soul and hip hop that keeps the upbeat vibes going all day long.
No reservations. Find more info here.
12. Anajak Thai Sherman Oaks
When Justin Pichetrungsi took the reins of Anajak Thai in 2019, he propelled his family’s longstanding restaurant into a new era of cooking, snagging him a James Beard Award for Best Chef: California, among a bevy of other accolades. The transformation bridged old-school Thai cuisine with his modern interpretations (think slices of raw kanpachi in a nam jim seafood sauce, or southern-Thai fried chicken topped with caviar). Combined with an extensive wine list, the bustling party vibes of his walk-in-only Thai Taco Tuesdays, and upscale monthly omakase meals, Anajak 2.0 is nothing short of sensational. It’s become so popular that reservations can be hard to come by, but we have some tips from Pichetrungsi himself on how to score a table here.
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. Prince Dumpling Rosemead
In an unassuming strip mall in Rosemead, Prince Dumpling has been quietly building a following since its opening in January for serving up some of the best soup dumplings — with fillings like kurobuta pork, crab, and lobster — in the San Gabriel Valley. (Some argue it rivals Din Tai Fung.) That main draw is very clearly a labor of love: Walk into the casual space, filled with modern gray furniture and cozy banquettes, and the first thing you’ll see through a windowed room are the dumpling masters at work, rolling dough and pinching pleats. The results are fantastic, with paper-thin skin that doesn’t break until you take your first bite and the juices rush out. Its pan-fried and sesame-encrusted juicy pork buns are equally good, as well as the Shanghainese braised pork belly that’s lacquered in a sweet soy sauce.
More info here.
15. Birdie G’s Santa Monica
Birdie G’s is the kind of restaurant that has a little something for everyone. Owned by James Beard-nominated chef Jeremy Fox (of the Rustic Canyon family) and led by executive chef Matthew Schaler, the team melds together Eastern European, Southern, and Midwestern comfort food through a distinctly California lens. The results are wholly unique: think crispy-skinned rockfish over potato waffles in a lobster sauce, or slices of peaches stacked above a swirl of carrot ‘nduja. With vegan and gluten-free options, an extensive wine and cocktail list, and a thoughtful kid’s menu, Birdie G’s is welcoming to all. For design heads, the 5,000-square-foot space that the restaurant occupies inside of Santa Monica’s Bergamot Station Arts Center is a stunner—a collage of exposed steel beams, brick walls, concrete floors, walnut wood tables, and blue banquettes galore.
16. Camphor Arts District
Camphor hits all the right notes in the modern L.A restaurant landscape: cool, sleek, and surprising. The elegant French bistro, inflected with South Asian flavors, has snagged an impressive back-to-back Michelin star in the two years since opening; perhaps unsurprising, given that executive chef, Max Boonthanakit, has a fine dining pedigree. The menu is inventive and global in reach. De-shelled mussels and campanelle pasta swim in a creamy white wine and onion sauce, hidden beneath a mountain of crispy shoestring fries. Dashi-laced beef tartare is accompanied by lightly battered tempura basil and shiso leaves. There’s also an expertly crafted burger, and a truly creative cocktail menu worth perusing.
17. Dada Echo Park Echo Park
Dada is hard to pigeonhole, which is what makes visiting such a singular experience. It’s equal parts restaurant, serving Mediterranean-leaning fare punched up with Latino flavors (think wood-fired lamb chops with a yogurt-tahini sauce and salsa macha), a cocktail bar highlighting tea infusions and seasonal produce, and music destination. One thing is for certain: the artsy vibes are on point throughout the space. Enter through a back alley behind the streetfront Dada Market into a dimly lit bar with emerald green undertones, which extends into a brighter room with a second, raw oak-paneled bar and skylit dining area. The DJ booth and hi-fi sound system are the room’s centerpiece, and on Fridays and Saturdays nights, the space transforms into an electronic-pop hub with the potential for you to dance the night away.
18. Azizam Silver Lake
Soon after Azizam owners Cody Ma and Misha Sesar turned their homestyle pop-up into a permanent Silver Lake location in February, Los Angeles Times food critic Bill Addison deemed it “L.A.’s best new Persian restaurant in years.” At their casual counter-service spot, popular dishes like kofteh tabrizi, a baseball-sized beef and rice meatball studded with dried stone fruit and walnuts, have become a mainstay. The kuku sandevich involves a seasonal vegetable frittata (the latest iteration is herb and leek) stuffed into house-baked barbari flatbread dotted with sesame and nigella seeds. While the cozy sage green patio, surrounded by hanging plants, is a welcome spot for solo diners, it’s worth getting a group together for a chance to sample all the winning dishes, including a flaky and creamy Shirini Napeloni dessert layered with seasonal jam.
No reservations. Find more info here.
19. Seco Silverlake Silver Lake
One of the hottest spots in Silver Lake — evidenced by the hard-to-snag reservations and crowds hovering outside — is Seco Silverlake, a 25-seat daytime cafe that flips into a wine bar at night. From the same team behind neighboring restaurant Santo, both locations have Latino- and Asian-inflected menus by chef David Potes (formerly of Brooklyn’s Okonomi). Its small-but-mighty evening bites are memorable, like a hamachi crudo in a house-made ponzu and brown butter sauce, and a spicy vodka strozzapretti blanketed with bread crumbs and grated Parmesan. The natural wines are equally excellent, curated by sommelier Kae Whalen (formerly of Kismet) and guided by a knowledgeable staff. The vibrant atmosphere of the tiny, dimly lit bar, with indie and electronic songs filling the space, makes the trendy Barr Seco feel like it could’ve been plucked out of New York.
20. Linden Hollywood
Linden is full of surprises. The minimalist beige building on Sunset Boulevard isn’t much to look at, but walk inside and you’re quickly transported — lush green plants dangle from the ceiling and an impressive art collection adorns the walls. Third-generation chef Jonathan Harris channels his African American and Costa Rican roots, sprinkling in Jewish, Caribbean, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian influences — flavors he remembered from growing up in New York — into his menu. One of the most notable dishes is his wagyu pie, which reimagines the Jamaican beef patty in pot pie form, punched up with a drizzle of plantain chutney. For a nightcap, pop in to adjoining speakeasy Dot.Dot through a back entrance for cocktails and DJs.
