The Resy Hit List: Where In L.A. You’ll Want to Eat Right Now
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.
Consider it your essential resource for dining in Los Angeles: a monthly-updated 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
- For the Bread Lovers. Of course, pasta is king at Felix, but a meal at the Italian hotspot isn’t complete without a round of chef Evan Funke’s Sicilian sfincione focaccia. Editor Jamie Feldmar gets the lowdown on the popular rosemary-showered bread, which took the chef nearly five years to perfect. Check it out, and pore over more Resy Spotlight stories here.
- Groundbreaking Mexican Seafood. Michelin-starred Mexican seafood stall Holbox has built a fervent following — the perennial lines snaking through the bustling Mercado la Paloma are proof. Contributor Erin Mosbaugh highlights six of the restaurant’s most essential dishes, from a Yucatan-inspired octopus taco to a fresh sea urchin and scallop ceviche, that keep customers coming back time and again. Read more Dish By Dish stories here.
- Eating Through the City. New year, new you. With 2025 in full swing, it’s time to get out of your comfort zone (geographically, that is) and explore the bounty of restaurants across all of L.A.’s different neighborhoods. Follow these recommendations to the coolest spots in Pasadena, West Hollywood, Downtown L.A., and on the Westside, and check out more guides here.
- The Latest and the Greatest. In the spirit of embarking on novel adventures in the new year, discover some of L.A.’s newest restaurants on Resy, from a trendy Koreatown supper club with live music, to a Downtown stunner with pan-Latin fare and breathtaking city views, and a modern Indian hotspot with Bollywood-inspired cocktails. Plus, get all the tips for finally landing a spot at the toughest tables with our One Who Keeps the Books series.
New to the Hit List (Jan. 2025)
Si! Mon, YESS, Budonoki, Rasarumah, Lasita, Good Alley, Komal, Bar Etoile.
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1. RVR Venice
There’s much buzz surrounding RVR (pronounced “River”), and for good reason. Not only is the Japanese-Californian izakaya a welcome return for acclaimed chef-owner Travis Lett (formerly of Gjelina and MTN) after a years-long hiatus, but it also more than hits the mark with excellent food and drink, plus cool vibes (think a wall full of vinyl records). Executive chef Ian Robinson, formerly of Skippa in Toronto, prepares an exciting menu of hyper-seasonal dishes influenced by farmers markets (grilled Japanese sweet potato dressed with miso butter and showered with katsuobushi), binchōtan charcoal-grilled meats and seafood, and hand rolls that play with everything from bluefin tuna to natto. And the dynamic wine program from Maggie Glasheen (formerly of Anajak Thai) is not to be missed.
2. Bar Etoile Melrose Hill
The stars have aligned at this new addition to the bourgeoning Melrose Hill scene: Jill Bernheimer of longstanding wine shop Domaine L.A. co-owns this Parisian-inspired nouveau bistro, along with with front-of-house pro Julian Kurland (The Rose, Native). In the kitchen, chef Travis Hayden (Voodoo Vin, Rustic Canyon) whips up a sophisticated menu with house-made charcuterie, a Caesar-inspired steak tartare, and a juicy rotisserie chicken with a pomegranate béarnaise that takes days to prepare. Unsurprisingly, there’s an impeccable wine list, boasting about 200 bottles, many of which are natural and French. The space is stunning, too, with cozy monochromatic banquettes and a large zinc-coated bar in the center of the room.
3. Mala Class Eagle Rock
It’s not often that you’ll find a stellar Sichuan restaurant outside of the San Gabriel Valley, let alone one in Eagle Rock. That’s what makes Mala Class a unicorn of sorts. As its name suggests (mala is the numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns), chef-owner Michael Yan and partner Kevin Liang, both formerly of New York’s Han Dynasty, are here to teach you a lesson in heat—and they’re wonderful teachers. The complex flavors of spicy dishes like aromatic beef noodle soup and dan dan noodles keep you coming back for bite after bite, despite the sweat on your brow, and even the non-spicy items like cumin-flecked enoki mushroom fries are a wonder. The cheerful space, behind a green-hued facade, with verdant plants as decor, make Mala a casual spot for a date or catch-up.
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. Si! Mon Venice
The moment you step into Si! Mon, you instantly feel transported to Panama’s beaches. This upscale Central American restaurant’s laid-back patio, surrounded by lush greenery, wicker chairs, and red terra cotta walls is a welcome break from the bustle of Venice Beach a block away. Here, chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas (who also helms the lauded Panama City restaurant Lo Que Hay) makes magic happen in the kitchen. This isn’t the kind of place with tortillas or tacos, but rather, a collection of flavors and textures you’re unlikely to find elsewhere in L.A. From the shatteringly crisp yuca tostadas — square-shaped and layered with tuna carpaccio, cachuca aioli, and smokey achiote oil — to the craveable fried chicken drumsticks, lollipopped and dusted with Vietnamese-inspired herbed salt, the offerings here make for a memorable meal out.
6. Lasita Chinatown
This modern Filipino restaurant is a fixture of Chinatown’s Far East Plaza for all the right reasons. It’s a dreamy place in hues of peachy pink — a nod to Philippine sunsets — coupled with a joyful atmosphere perfect for date night and celebratory meals alike. The concept seems simple enough: rotisserie paired with natural wines. But Lasita is much more than that. Executive chef Nico de Leon has a deft hand, resulting in an incredibly crispy pork belly lechon that’s kicked up with lemongrass and garlic, and a juicy chicken inasal married with garlic mojo and toyomansi sauces. While the menu is à la carte, there’s an option to make the meal into a fête with a multi-course pamilya (family) feast for up to 10 people.
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. Ètra Melrose Hill
Come to this popular Italian spot on any given weekend, and you’ll see throngs of people waiting outside, glasses of wine in hand, waiting to be seated. Once inside the moody, minimalist space (right next door to equally adored daytime counterpart Café Telegrama), the knowledgeable staff guides diners through the menu, helmed by chef Evan Algorri, formerly of New York’s Lupa, Marea, and Bouley. Don’t miss the pastas—especially the creamy rigatoni guanciale number—the charred pork chop rubbed in porchetta spice, and a tonnato-forward beef tartare that will keep you smiling throughout the night.
11. Bridgetown Roti East Hollywood
Chef Rashida Holmes has built a fervent following for her pop-ups (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 dishes sing, like 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 a playlist of soul and hip hop that keeps the upbeat vibes going all day long.
No reservations. Find more info here.
12. Yess Restaurant Arts District
There are quiet theatrics surrounding this Zen-like modern Japanese spot in the Arts District from acclaimed chef Junya Yamasaki (previously of London’s Koya and L.A. food truck Yess Aquatic). Situated in a stark white building that once housed an old bank, the cavernous space is visually arresting with its concrete floors, exposed beams, and a cypress bar that wraps around nearly the entire restaurant. Yamasaki and his staff, donning all-white outfits, flit back and forth, grilling meats over binchotan charcoal, operating a shaved ice machine, and suggesting sake pairings to diners. The fruits of their labor — with impeccably sourced seafood and produce — result in simple but excellent dishes: slices of hay-smoked steelhead trout paired with thinly sliced apple, fresh walnuts and wasabi; crispy-skinned rockfish over a roasted pumpkin puree, and more.
13. Wildcrust Eagle Rock
Pizza never gets old in L.A. … it just keeps getting better. Case in point: this pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar success story, the latest contender in the city’s already mighty pie scene. Chef Miles Okabayashi (formerly of République and New York’s Torishin and Perry Street) takes his experience at Michelin-starred restaurants and channels it into his passion: wood-fired Neapolitan-style sourdough pizzas. His process involves a 48-hour fermented dough that results in a pillowy soft, chewy, and charred crust, with unique toppings including a braised lamb with tzatziki, mint, and feta. But don’t sleep on his other hits, including duck leg croquettes and a perfectly grilled duck breast. The space itself is a warm and inviting stunner, with communal tables and sage green accents, filled with folks on dates, friend hangs, and family outings alike.
14. Good Alley Rosemead
When there’s an SGV restaurant with a long line, the best course of action is to join it, and Good Alley is no exception. Ever since the northern Chinese restaurant, from the team behind Ji Rong Duck House, opened in a Rosemead strip mall last year, it’s been drawing crowds. Its specialty is guan tang bao, a larger, thicker-skinned predecessor of xiao long bao (soup dumplings), with fillings like Kurobuta pork, crab meat, and truffles. Don’t stop there: the Chinese burger is a wonder, with a hefty portion of Wagyu beef stuffed into a flaky thousand-layer pancake pocket. And you might find yourself wanting to linger in the modern digs, with comfy pale gray booths and hanging woven basket lamps adorning the space.
No reservations. More info here.
15. Komal Historic South Central
Inside of the busy Mercado La Paloma food hall, the Komal stall glistens with its hand-laid tiled wall in hues of yellow, brown, and white — a reflection of the indigenous corn Fátima Juárez uses in her dishes, hearkening back to her memories of Mexico City and Oaxaca. Juárez nixtamalizes corn she sources directly from farmers in Mexico and makes masa on site, for pre-Hispanic dishes like the hard-to-find tlacoyo — thick, oval-shaped, blue-corn tortillas filled with beans and topped with slivers of cactus — and quesadillas with squash blossom flowers peeking out on a spread of sweet corn sofrito. Her tortillas are available here, and are also featured across the market at Holbox, the Michelin-starred Mexican seafood stand where Juárez and her husband Conrado Rivera worked before setting up their own shop just steps away in September.
No reservations, more info here.
16. Budonoki Silverlake
It’s not every day you find a restaurant that seamlessly melds Japanese fusion cuisine with the electric atmosphere of a ’90s nightclub. Budonoki’s team insists on having fun — the nostalgic R&B playlist and shochu cocktails served in adorable animal-shaped mugs help with that — and those good vibes are contagious. Bring a friend or date to try Thai chef Dan Rabilwongse’s (formerly of Bouchon, Hayato, and Tsubaki) creative izakaya fare, sprinkled with Southeast Asian and French flavors. Try the sour Thai pork sausage paired with arancini-like crispy rice balls, and an Asian take on creamy gnocchi made with rice cakes, shimeji mushrooms, and grated truffles. The best part? The menu is tight enough that a group of four our six can try it all in one go.
17. 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.
18. A TÍ Echo Park
This modern Mexican pop-up, roving around L.A. since 2021, has finally entered its next chapter: a residency in Echo Park. The dimly lit restaurant and bar (with a fun playlist ranging from nostalgic hip hop to R&B) is a playground for chef Andrew Ponce’s (formerly of Bestia, Jon & Vinny’s and Taco María) farmers market-influenced take on upscale Mexican food. His tiny-but-mighty menu sings with dishes like crispy duck mole with house-made blue corn tortillas, and an amplified hard-shelled taco made with braised beef shank that pays homage to Tito’s Tacos. While everything is a labor of love, including bar director Dave Fernie’s Japanese-laced Latin cocktails (like a michelada punched up with dashi), Ponce aims to keep things casual with simplified menus and an easygoing atmosphere that fits nicely in the neighborhood.
19. Rasarumah Historic Filipinotown
After chef Johnny Lee closed his popular Cantonese restaurant Pearl River Deli in early 2024, he left a hole in L.A.’s dining scene. But by November, he returned with a fresh concept — Chinese Malaysian fare — and new partners (the Last Word Hospitality team, who are behind Found Oyster, Barra Santos, and Queen St.). At Rasarumah, tender Wagyu beef cheek rendang, fresh herbs, and pickles are stuffed into flaky roti, pork jowl satay arrives on the skewer, and a coconut ice cream sundae is layered with pandan jelly noodles and red bean. A set of indoor marquees are emblazoned with playful phrases, and an upbeat playlist of soul and Afrobeats waft through the jewelbox space, surrounded with leafy plants and a poppy checkered floor.
20. 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 Seco feel like it could’ve been plucked out of New York.
Discover More
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