Photo by Shelby Moore, courtesy of La Dolce Vita

How to Spend a Perfect 72 Hours Eating Your Way Through L.A.

By Kelly Dobkin Updated: May 20, 2025

Clocking in at just over 500 square miles, a city as sprawling and diverse as Los Angeles can hardly be summed up in just one visit. It’s a mecca for food lovers — where you’ll find everything from regional Mexican fare to killer Korean BBQ to Thai delicacies to some of the best sushi you’ll ever eat (and that’s just scratching the surface). But it’s also a cultural destination, home to countless museums, historic theaters, and legendary comedy and sports venues.

Not to mention (duh), it’s gorgeous here; with 75 miles of sunny coastline, year-round perfect weather, rolling hills and mountains, and so much more. While you can’t do it all in one shot, if you happen to find yourself here over a long weekend (say 3-4 days), we’ve put together some of the best meals to help you make the most of your short time in the City of Angels.

Any Angeleno you plan to visit will immediately ask you what neighborhood you’re staying in, and for good reason. Rush-hour traffic (and, well, traffic in general) can make a few miles feel like a few years worth of commuting. So, strategically, we’ve put together a guide that moves from west to east, keeping you close to LAX for the first 24 hours and allowing for a weekday beach day — less traffic, just trust us. (And we didn’t even include that most hallowed L.A. tradition: an immediate post-arrival stop at the In-N-Out Burger that’s adjacent to LAX grounds.)

When the weekend kicks into full gear, you’ll head east to take in tacos, downtown skylines, scenic hikes, and maybe even a cocktail or two. And if you need even more inspo, our Resy Hit List always has more of what’s essential around town.

Here’s everywhere you need to eat, drink, and see in 72 hours in Los Angeles.

Kelly Dobkin is an L.A.-based writer/editor and former New Yorker. She has contributed to Bon Appétit, Grub Street, Michelin, Here Magazine, and is a former editor at Thrillist, Zagat, and Eater. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter. Follow Resy, too.

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An Appetite for Adventure

Thursday Dinner to Friday Lunch

Photo courtesy of Cobi’s

Cobi's Santa Monica

Dinner at Grandma’s (With Nasi Goreng)

What began as a pandemic era pop-up is now one of the West Side’s most sought-after reservations. The charming vibe inside Cobi’s will make you feel like you’re having dinner at Grandma’s house (in a good way). Lined with floral wallpaper, and filled with twee details like mismatched chairs and vintage dishware, the menu offers up a mix of South Asian, Thai, and Malaysian classics like nasi goreng, beef rendang, and more. Or, go with two omakase-style options. After a stressful day of travel, the fewer decisions you have to make, the better. After dinner, you’ll be walking distance to the beach if you want to take a sunset stroll.

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Lucky Tiki West Hollywood

Drinks at The Lizard King’s Lair

A tiki speakeasy above a hot dog stand? Take our word: It’s actually so much fun. Located above the reincarnated icon Tail o’ the Pup in West Hollywood, Lucky Tiki was formerly Jim Morrison’s recording studio. But the vibe these days is full Polynesian, complete with a grass-skirt-lined bar, carved wooden bar stools, a beaded doorway, and heavy tiki theme-appropriate decor throughout. If you can snag a table (they do take walk-ins if you can’t book a table in advance), make sure you can find the buzzer located inside a pickle barrel just before the stairs. Once inside, order up show-stopping drinks like The Ghost of Jim Morrison, which is made with rum and a blackberry shrub, served with flaming rosemary; or an Elvis in Hawaii, a take on the King’s favorite sandwich but in drink form.

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Great White – Venice Venice

Start your morning off right.
Photo courtesy of Great White

A Friday Beach-Vibe Breakfast

Perhaps the most quintessential breakfast/brunch spot on the West Side, you can’t go wrong starting your day at this chic Aussie-inspired cafe. Its original Venice location, just steps from the beach, offers a bright, lofty space and plentiful patio dining to complement its sprawling menu. For breakfast, go full Aussie with the avocado toast (topped with Fresno chili, radishes, and chili oil), cure a hangover with their tater tot-and-bacon laced breakfast burrito, or for something a little lighter, try the chickpea scramble with avocado cucumber salsa, spinach, and tahini. Grab a seat on the patio and load up on Bloody Marys as you people-watch the characters spilling out from nearby surf shops and skate parks.

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The Lobster Santa Monica

Lunch With a View

For sweeping views of the uber-touristy Santa Monica Pier (without actually stepping foot inside the chaos), grab a window seat at The Lobster. The historic restaurant, dating back to the 1920s, has been revitalized in recent years with a menu that includes both classics like clam chowder, oysters, and Maine Lobster as well as chef Govind Armstrong’s signature dishes like wild Dungeness crab gumbo and grilled halibut. But for lunch, you can’t go wrong with a classic lobster roll, served with pickled cucumber and fries, before heading back down to the beach to catch the sunset.

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