The Resy Hit List: Where In L.A. You’ll Want to Eat Right Now
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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
- Now on Resy: In case you missed it, we’ve added a bunch of great spots to our roster, both new (welcome, Almost Famous Chai) and already iconic, including Chez Jay (read up on their storied history if you’re not familiar), Not No Bar, Ima, Ethio Kitchen & Coffee, and The Ranch Club. (Chez Jay’s parking lot, however, remains first-come, first-serve. Sorry about that.) Grab that table now, and explore Resy’s newest additions and the latest restaurant openings here.
- Pass the Cranberry Sauce: Somehow, we find ourselves in November, with Thanksgiving lurking just around the corner. And despite your annual promises, this is not the year you buy a meat thermometer and learn how to baste a turkey. Luckily, Playa Provisions is offering a $90 Thanksgiving feast, the Ritz-Carlton is throwing a Thanksgiving Day brunch, and there’s a special three-course menu you can book at 1 Pico at Shutters on the Beach. Or, stay in and pre-order FIG’s Thanksgiving dinner to-go, which comes with your choice of pumpkin or apple pie. And if you’re looking for a place to celebrate that’s not explicitly turkey-themed, we’ve got a full guide here, along with plenty of others.
- Save the Date: Damián turns five this month, and to celebrate, it’s teaming up with Mexico City’s Contramar to throw a prix-fixe dinner on November 8th and brunch on November 9th. Get your tickets (and hurry!). Celebrity food icon Phil Rosenthal (you might recognize him as the host of “Somebody Feed Phil” on Netflix) has a new cookbook out and is hosting a one-night-only dinner at The Milky Way in Pico-Robertson, where attendees will be treated to a three-course meal, plus a Q&A with Rosenthal, with the option to purchase a signed copy of “Phil’s Favorites.” Snag your tickets now, and check out all of our November events here.
- Staycation Time: Between hosting your entire extended family for Thanksgiving (even the side with the picky eaters) and all the fall activities, we get it: the burning desire to sneak away for a mini-escape. Preferably, with beds you don’t have to make and top-tier restaurants just an elevator button away. Fortunately, as Resy’s Lizzie Takimoto has explained, we’re living through the Golden Age of hotel restaurants, and with spots like Ka’Teen, Dante, Volante, and Sirena, it’s hard to disagree. Read her piece, and check out our guide to splurge-worthy dining, too, while you’re at it.
New to the Hit List (November 2025)
Betsy, The Georgian Room, Kusano, Bub & Grandma’s Pizza
1. Betsy Altadena
Photo courtesy of Betsy
Altadena isn’t going anywhere, and Betsy’s here to prove it. Originally dubbed Bernee, the burgeoning restaurant was forced to close in January 2025, barely a month after it opened, due to the devastating Eaton Fire. Miraculously, the building survived, though Bernee did not. Now it is reborn, and rechristened as Betsy (named for the grandmother of owner Tyler Wells, previously of All Time.) To say that Betsy is a cozy neighborhood spot where charred snap peas, blistered focaccia, and grilled steaks all pass through the custom-built hearth is true, but also an understatement: it’s a triumph, both for a neighborhood in the midst of rebuilding, and for all who appreciate thoughtful live-fire fare.
Photo courtesy of Betsy
2. baby bistro Victor Heights
Perched on the edge of Chinatown, Baby Bistro joins its Alpine Street neighbors Perilla, Baker’s Bench, Cassell’s, and Heavy Water Coffee in what is quickly becoming one of the city’s quirkiest courtyards, and a must-visit destination for in-the-know diners. A self-described “bistro of sorts,” the former roving pop-up is the brainchild of chef Miles Thompson (formerly of Michael’s and Konbi) and co-owner Andy Schwartz, a seasoned wine pro from Lolo in East Hollywood. Set in a restored 100-year-old Victorian bungalow, the intimate 35-seat dining room feels plucked from a different era (or maybe just Europe), with its warm-wood interior, built-in wine shelves, and rustic outdoor seating. The menu is focused and tight, with eight-ish dishes that rotate with the seasons. Currently, there’s a warm weather turnip-and-tofu number, and a refreshing cucumber and squid combo. Or you could just ask them to fire the whole menu. Yeah, maybe do that.
3. Beethoven Market Mar Vista
Two years (and many hours of construction) later, Beethoven Market has undergone a stunning transformation from beloved neighborhood grocery into a Mar Vista hotspot with a rustic-chic vibe that Nancy Meyers would approve of. The California-Italian menu has everything you need for a mellow summer hang, including handmade pizzas and pastas; focaccia smeared with whipped ricotta and avocado tree honey; and suppli al telefono, crispy little fried rice ball stuffed with fior di latte cheese — plus a stunning patio space. Knowing how much this space meant to the neighborhood, owner Jeremy Adler also ensured the protection and preservation of the building’s bones. Luckily, they’re quite beautiful, particularly the original wooden ceiling and its gorgeous soaring beams, which remain intact today.
4. Bub & Grandma’s Pizza Highland Park
Bub & Grandma’s comes full circle as Andy Kadin, the bread genius behind L.A. ‘s cult favorite bakery, finally lands his own pizzeria in Highland Park. If you’ve consumed gluten at a restaurant here — crusty loaves of sourdough, baguettes that catch butter in all the right places — it’s very likely that you’ve eaten Kadin’s handiwork. After years of supplying restaurants across the city, he’s returned to the space that started it all, the former Town Pizza spot on York Blvd., where you can now order a variety of 18-inch pies made with naturally fermented dough. Classic cheese gets the job done, but the specialty toppings shine, like braised greens paired with prosciutto breadcrumbs, or a bolognese pie topped with a savory beef and pork sauce straight out of a red-saucey kitchen.
No reservations; more info here.
5. Holbox Historic South-Central
Unless you’ve been living under a rock (no judgment), you know about Holbox. The groundbreaking mariscos stand inside Historic South Central’s Mercado La Paloma food hall has earned nearly every accolade imaginable, from a Michelin star to a James Beard Award nomination for chef-owner Gilbert Cetina. Yes, Holbox’s stellar reputation precedes it, but that’s not what makes it so special. Whether you’re ordering from the walk-up counter or sitting down for a nine-course tasting menu (offered for dinner on Wednesdays and Thursdays), you can expect exceptional coastal Mexican seafood paired with farm-fresh California produce. You’ll want the kanpachi and uni tostada, a tower of silky yellowtail studded with melt-in-your-mouth sea urchin. You’ll want the scallop aguachile, which arrives bathed in a spicy lime-green marinade. Honestly, you will want everything on the menu. Don’t resist it.
6. Darling by Sean Brock West Hollywood
At Darling, James Beard Award-winning chef (and certified audiophile) Sean Brock embraces two of his passions: live-fire cooking and high-fidelity tunes. Spontaneity burns bright at this West Hollywood restaurant, where the 12-dish menu rotates monthly and DJs spin rare vinyls from Brock’s personal archive. To start, there are oysters from Japan, served with a splash of tangy-sweet Weiser melon juice. Larger-format dishes include bone-in strip steak prepared over the flames of a custom wood-burning grill, and a dry-aged burger that’s become a hot commodity: only 24 are made each night. Like the food menu, cocktails from bar director Jason Lee (previously of Pijja Palace and N/Soto) highlight hyper-seasonal ingredients and change monthly, like the “Eggplant,” a roasted-vegetable spin on the piña colada.
7. Daisy Sherman Oaks
Chef Alan Sanz (previously of Maizano and Pujol), award-winning beverage director Max Reis, and owner Matt Egan, the dynamic trio behind Mírate, No. 12 on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025 list and the prettiest place in Los Feliz to enjoy mezcal cocktails, have officially landed in the Valley. Their newest restaurant pays homage to traditional Norteño cantinas, while also infusing the trio’s signature playful, and, at times, mystical spirit. “A vortex through time and space has opened in Sherman Oaks, and otherworldly cocktails await those who dare to step inside,” Daisy’s website reads. Vintage Mexican artwork adorns the walls, alongside taxidermy bison heads. Vaquero, or cowboy, energy pulses throughout the multi-level space, finding its way onto the menu through dishes like the crab-topped tostada de cangrejo with smoked chile aioli. Oh, and there will be Tequila. Lots of it.
8. The Georgian Room Santa Monica
Santa Monica’s Georgian Room encapsulates everything you want out of an old-fashioned Hollywood haunt: gorgeous lighting, plush booth seating, self-important rules (please, no pictures inside), and a world-class Caesar salad. Push the buzzer, descend down the stairs, and step into a resurrected Prohibition-era speakeasy where Clarke Gable, Judy Garland, and Bugsy Siegel once held court. After decades dormant, it’s been retrofitted as an Italian steakhouse that still retains a mysterious, under-the-radar feel. Dry-aged steaks are buttery, caviar is available in 10-gram increments (and comes with tater tots), and on Sunday, there’s a $65 prix-fixe spaghetti dinner. Utter perfection.
9. Buvons Long Beach
Buvons sits quietly in Long Beach’s Zaferia district. It’s a women-owned natural wine bar, shop, and French-Mediterranean restaurant, and each part of that operation is imbued with a true sense of care — you get the sense that you’ve stumbled upon something really special here. The enchanting garden patio, open for lunch and dinner, is ideal for snacking on freshly shucked oysters, house-made pâté, or pasta alla norma, a traditional Sicilian dish with silky-tender fried eggplant. Buvon’s thoughtful selection of small-production, low-intervention wines is handpicked by the staff, so you’ll want to take your time with it — check out the rare bottles from Jura, Burgundy, and Champagne that are seldom found elsewhere in Long Beach.
10. Sora Craft Kitchen Fashion District
Chef Okay Inak cut his teeth at fine dining juggernauts Per Se, Eleven Madison Park, and Mélisse, before launching his first solo restaurant — a labor of love that Inak and his wife, Sezen Vatansever, made possible with self-financing and most of their life savings. Here, Inak performs an extraordinary one-man show: as the restaurant’s sole staff member, he operates the entire 16-seat dining room himself — prepping, cooking, food running, serving, and cleaning — which suffuses the restaurant with an aura of genuine, one-of-a-kind hospitality. Regional Turkish specialties and recipes passed down from the Turkey-born chef’s family are on display here, like içli köfte, a luxurious satchel stuffed with spiced beef and laced with Aleppo pepper-infused butter. Save room for something sweet, such as the peynir helvasi, or cheese halva, which uses housemade cheese and arrives atop a gossamer bed of pistachios.
11. Only The Wild Ones Venice
A pandemic-era pop-up and Heather Tierney’s reverence for Japanese listening bars formed the genesis of this downstairs component of Venice’s newest destination. Professional DJs and neighborhood regulars take turns spinning records, pulled from the restaurant’s formidable collection. This Westside block party is the ideal setting for drinking natural wines—Fres.co’s “Fire Fuego” skin-contact Sauvignon Blanc tastes like peach candy—and snacking on veggie-forward dishes like sweet corn ravioli and sumac-scented hummus on flatbread. Or, ascend the building’s staircase to find Force of Nature, Leena Culhane’s (of Crudo e Nudo) ethereal speakeasy celebrating female winemakers. The wood-fired pizzas served within come from Fiorelli Pizza below, hoisted up, delightfully, by an old-fashioned pulley system.
12. Manuela Arts District
Amid the Arts District’s busy streets and hectic freeway entrances lies this farm-to-table restaurant, where seasonal vegetables and Californian cooking appropriately rule the day. Nestled within the renowned Swiss art gallery Hauser & Wirth, Manuela (which also has a location in New York) is the picture of an urban sanctuary: its lush garden blooms year-round, teeming with native plants, flowers, herbs, and produce that’ll eventually make its way to your plate. There’s a delightful Southern twinge to the food here, embodied best in the cast iron cornbread that’s made with a dash of cane syrup, or the brunch-exclusive shrimp and rice grits. The cherry on top comes in the form of an excellent beverage program, where classic martinis and Negronis are taken to the next level via house-made bitters and tonics.
13. Cannonball South Pasadena
The talent at this new South Pasadena bistro does the talking while you dive in. Helmed by Matt Molina and Joe Capella, two titans of the L.A. dining scene, Cannonball is the latest addition to their already impressive portfolio, which also includes Hippo, Triple Beam Pizza, and Everson Royce Bar. Their latest is moody and sophisticated: walls are painted in a heavy dark blue and Art Deco lighting fixtures twinkle overhead. The globally-influenced menu (think fideos alongside potstickers) pays homage to Molina’s previous hits, including a burger outfitted with a four-inch thick patty made of prime chuck, and golden, flaky biscuits slathered in honey butter. At the bar, Capella flexes his beverage expertise, with a wide-ranging selection of international wines and crafted cocktails.
14. RVR Venice
Like chef-owner Travis Lett’s previous ventures (Gjelina, Gjusta, that impossibly tasteful apartment on the Westside the restaurant group casually rents out, etc.), RVR is a certified hit. Sure, the stylish Japanese izakaya (pronounced “river”) feels light-years away from the smoke-filled dens of Tokyo. (Between its dreamy Abbot Kinney digs and the floor-to-ceiling vinyl collection, RVR shares more DNA with Japanese listening bars than the country’s drinking taverns.) But fussy details like that tend to fade away while you’re eating roasted mushrooms draped in miso butter, or gyoza stuffed with Peads & Barnetts pork belly. At the helm at RVR are executive chef Ian Robinson and wine director Maggie Glasheen (previously of Anajak Thai), who’ve teamed up for a robust menu of hand rolls, binchōtan charcoal-grilled meats and seafood, and ramen served with house-made noodles.
15. Bar 109 Melrose Hill
Bar 109 is the kind of moody, intimate hangout that makes you want to cancel your real plans, text your best friend, and settle in for the night. Tucked into Brian Baik’s much-anticipated Corridor 109, this Melrose Hill gem is the cocktail bar this neighborhood has been waiting for. The marble bar glows under dim lighting; elliptical communal tables somehow make strangers feel like friends. Superstar bartender Kayla Garcia (previously of Beard award-winning Kumiko in Chicago and Echo Park’s Thunderbolt) is doing remarkable things with cocktails — the Mikan Old Fashioned is a dreamy, bright take on the classic, while the Sanshito brings together citrus and rum to create tropical bliss. Baik’s debut bar bites are a lot of fun, too, including a velvety smoked salmon dip, crispy fish sandwich, and wagyu hot dog.
More info here.
16. Lucia Fairfax
Over on Fairfax, owner Sam Jordan has brought Los Angeles something it’s never seen before: Lucia, a fine dining emporium serving bold, invigorating takes on Caribbean food. Classics, like coconut fried chicken, are served with fermented chili aioli and coconut milk powder. Red snapper escovitch is fried until gloriously crispy and golden, with tender meat within, and arrives doused in a delightful surprise: a pineapple-habanero sauce that’s sweet, acidic, subtle, and bright. And the 118-seat dining room is a stunner: some booths are illuminated by cavernous sculptures that look like the Hollywood Bowl. Make sure to try a few of beverage director Melina Meza’s signature cocktails, like the Oxtail Old-Fashioned, which incorporates oxtail-washed bourbon and rye.
17. Café Tondo Chinatown
Café Tondo is proof that it is, in fact, possible to romanticize an all-day café situated beneath the metro. On the outskirts of Chinatown next to the A Line station (in the former Oriel space), this Mexico-City inspired café charms by day with freshly baked conchas and café de olla spiced with piloncillo and cinnamon. As the sun sets, Café Tondo morphs into one of the coolest bars in the city. Weekly jazz, bolero, and DJ sets invite guests to linger long into the night. Beverage-wise, there are meticulously selected wines by the glass, beers, and micheladas, complemented by small, shareable plates like empanadas and gildas. Thanks to stunning design work by Aunt Studio, Café Tondo’s ambience is equally inviting; its intimate space filled with hand-crafted wooden tables, exposed ceilings, and warm, earthy tones.
18. Kusano Culver City
In a strip mall on Jefferson Blvd. where Culver City meets Palms sits this completely unassuming omakase restaurant without any tricks up its sleeve — just fantastic nigiri served by a certified sushi veteran. While other places rely on flashy gimmicks or overpriced accoutrements (we’re looking at you, gold leaf), Kusano bothers itself not with such theatrics. For $160, guests are treated to a one-man show from chef Yasu Kusano, a legend who’s done stints at Gonpachi and Yasu, and is credited by KinKan’s Nan Yimcharoen as being her sushi mentor. Kusano himself does it all effortlessly: he takes orders, chats with customers, deftly slices fish, and even busses tables. The menu showcases pristine fish with minimal flourishes — fatty chu-toro comes with a brush of soy sauce; a spritz of lemon complements hirame’s clean, delicate taste. Craftsmanship and skill over spectacle, that’s the motto.
19. Tonkatsu Marushichi Torrance
If Japan sounds a bit far to travel for lunch, head to Torrance instead. This Tokyo tonkatsu specialist (try saying that ten times fast) recently launched its first U.S. location in the South Bay. And like Mattel’s Barbie, the signature color here is pink: that’s the color you’ll find on the outermost layer of its pork. It’s the result of many luxurious hours cooking at low temperature, which keeps the meat tender and juicy. Marushichi’s trademark tonkatsu comes in three forms: in a bowl, served over steamed rice; as a sandwich, with the deep-fried pork cutlets nestled between fluffy slices of white bread; and smothered beneath a thick, gravy-like curry. The takeout-only joint is everything you could want from a casual lunch spot, but mainly, located within driving distance and not across the Pacific.
No reservations; more info here.
20. Men & Beasts Echo Park
Run by husband-and-wife duo Minty Zhu and Alex Falco, this new-age Chinese restaurant and tea lounge in the former Cosa Buona space lifts its name from an ancient Confucius quote: “Without feelings of respect, what is there to distinguish men from beasts?” The quote’s underlying philosophy is subtly woven into Men & Beasts’ offerings: the restaurant specializes in vegan versions of traditional Chinese dishes and dim sum staples. Crispy pan-fried dumplings are stuffed with faux-pork and shiitake mushrooms; instead of crab, rangoon puffs contain broccoli, truffle oil, and tomato soup. Beyond inventive dishes, the adjoining tea lounge offers an immersive gong fu cha tea ceremony featuring jade green and oolong selections.
Kat Hong is a food writer living in Los Angeles. Follow her on Instagram or check out her very professional website. While you’re at it, follow Resy, too.
