There are so many unique restaurants in Los Angeles that the trick isn’t finding them, but rather determining which ones actually worth visiting. Many spots are trendy and cater to the Instagram scene, but serve lackluster food.
Despite this, there are plenty of unique places to eat in LA. In fact, the LA area alone has more than 26,000 restaurants across all budgets, cuisines, and aesthetics.
To make sense of the seemingly endless options, I’ll break down some of the more unique and memorable dining experiences that offer something special in addition to great eats.
Unique Restaurants in Los Angeles
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Comedor Tenchita
website | neighborhood: Mid-City (get directions) | cuisine: Mexican | price: $$ | best for: barbacoa
Comedor is run by Doña Melchor, a 76-year-old cook from Tlacolula who’s been catering in the Oaxacan community for over a decade. On Sundays, she runs Comedor, a backyard restaurant in residential LA.
Don’t let the low-key factor fool you. This is a legit restaurant that posts their menu every week on Instagram. Some standouts are the mole, made fresh daily, and the barbacoa. The tyluada is another must-order and comes with the most corn-forward tortillas ever. And if there’s a bartender serving tepache, get it. It’s a fermented drink like kombucha, but less funky.
Holbox
website | neighborhood: Historic South-Central (get directions) | cuisine: seafood | price: $$ | best for: ceviche & smoked kampachi
Dining at Holbox was one of the most memorable dining experiences in LA. It’s located inside the Mercado la Paloma food hall and features a Yucatan-inspired menu of seafood dishes like fresh ceviche, scallop tostadas, and langosta al carbon.
The vibe is quite chill given the restaurant’s accolades. It’s a recent Michelin star winner and has been nominated for a James Beard Award. You have to order at the counter as this is not a sit-down restaurant, but the food is plated fancier to make up for it.
Pro tip: Holbox offers an eight-course tasting menu on Thursdays and Fridays with a reservation, but it doesn’t come with cocktail or wine pairings because alcohol is not permitted in the food hall.
Damian
website | neighborhood: Arts District (get directions) | cuisine: Mexican | price: $$$ | best for: duck carnitas & tetela
Damian is a vibey eatery that, while pricey, is truly exceptional. They’re making creative and authentic Mexican dishes that you’re guaranteed not to find elsewhere, making them worthy of being on this list of unique restaurants in Los Angeles.
Their menu is always changing, but if it’s available, start with the salmon tostada, which has a spicy salmon roll quality thanks to the chicatanta fire ants that are ground into the sauce, infusing it with a complex heat.
If money is no object, splurge on the duck carnitas (or get the app for happy hour). It’s the best duck I’ve ever had, and the fat melts into the taco fixings creating a rich flavor.
Mom Please
website | neighborhood: Playa Vista (get directions) | cuisine: Ukrainian/European | price: $$ | best for: pelmeni chicken
Mom, Please is an adorable European cafe making classic brunch and lunch dishes like dumplings, cabbage rolls, and syrnyky (farmer’s pancakes). The beef and cabbage rolls are savory and overstuffed, and the chicken pelmeni dumplings have a juicy filling and tender, buttery dumpling dough.
Pro tip: They have a sister restaurant with the same menu in the Miracle Mile neighborhood called Fusion Kitchen. Since it’s near a lot of popular museums, it’s a more central location than Mom, Please.
Burgers Never Say Die
website | neighborhood: Silver Lake (get directions) | cuisine: American | price: $ | best for: smash burgers
Burgers Never Say Die is making my favorite smash burgers in the city. They come with ultra-thin edges that get so crispy, crispier than I’ve ever had.
This place gets busy, especially over the weekend, so I suggest calling ahead so you don’t have to wait. Stick with the triple stack but add an extra slice of cheese and a side of shoestring fries.
Pro tip: I love LA’s smash burger scene. For the Win and The Win-Dow are two other spots with great versions.
Saffy’s
website | neighborhood: East Hollywood/Little Armenia (get directions) | cuisine: Middle Eastern | price: $$ | best for: skewers
Saffy’s is a swanky Middle Eastern spot that’s more casual than the owners’ other two iconic LA restaurants, Bestia and Bavel. The restaurant is open for dinner, and they have a cute day time coffee and tea shop that serves pastries, bread, and brunch plates.
For brunch, get the potato curry bourekas, which are super fluffy and not too sweet. The challah french toast is to die for and comes with fried sage leaves and Vermont butter. The dinner menu has tons of appetizers and a few large plates, though it’s their skewers that everyone raves over.
Millet Crepe
website | neighborhood: Sawtelle (get directions) & Little Tokyo (get directions) | cuisine: crepes | price: $$ | best for: creme brûlée crepe
Whatever you expect from a creperie, be prepared for that to change. That’s because Millet Crepe does things differently. Instead of a traditional crepe that you eat with a fork and knife, these are rolled up like an ice cream cone and stuffed with Asian-inspired ingredients.
Their creme brûlée crepe is a must-order and comes with custard and your choice of fillings like Nutella strawberry, green tea and mochi, and salted caramel walnut.
Pro tip: Introverts rejoice! You order at the tablet instead of with a staff member.
Yangban
website | neighborhood: Arts District (get directions) | cuisine: Korean fusion | price: $$ | best for: matzo ball soup
Yangban is run by husband-and-wife chef duo Katianna and John Hong. Trained by Michelin-star restaurants, their food is influenced by seasonal California ingredients as told through the lens of their Korean American upbringing.
The matzo ball soup is one of the best items on their menu, as are the acorn beignets, which come with caramelized onion, gruyere, and local country ham. The wings are perfectly cooked with a moist center and crackling skin, though beware–they don’t mess around with the gochujang.
Pro tip: Yangban is attached to a cute grab-and-go convenience store, so save time to peruse for souvenirs!
Baroo
website | neighborhood: Arts District (get directions) | cuisine: Korean fusion | price: $$$ | best for: tasting menu
Baroo was recommended by a food critic I follow on IG for their fermentation-forward Korean dishes. It’s run by husband-and-wife duo Kwang Uh and Mina Park and features a tasting menu with your choice of wine, Korean spirit, or NA pairings.
The menu is inspired by the different cuisines the owners experienced at each stage in their lives. The flavors are Korean-forward, though they incorporate French and Japanese techniques and ingredients.
The menu when I last visited included squash soup with cappuccino foam and a cheese-topped rice cake that looked exactly like salmon skin. While you never know what you’re going to get, it’s sure to be a cool dining experience in Los Angeles.
Pro tip: They can offer vegetarian and vegan tasting menus with advanced notice.
Pikunico
website | neighborhood: Fashion District (get directions) | cuisine: Japanese fried chicken | price: $ | best for: golden chicken sandwich
If you find yourself hungry in the cool shopping area, Row DTLA, definitely stop by Pikunico. It’s a Japanese fried chicken joint, and if you think you know what that tastes like, think again.
It’s nothing like karaage, but rather is less breaded with super soft chicken. It doesn’t have that crackling crunch, but rather a less-spicy Nashville hot chicken coating. Get two ranch sauces, not because the chicken is super spicy, but because the ranch is that good.
Hanbat Shul Lung Tang
website | neighborhood: Koreatown (get directions) | cuisine: Korean | price: $ | best for: oxtail soup
A Korean friend who lives in LA recommended this spot to me. She said don’t judge a book by its cover since it’s in the back of a sorta run-down shopping mall. The food is so good it’s in its third generation of ownership, with the grandson now running the show.
If you’re looking for truly unique dining experiences in LA, this is it. They only offer one dish: an oxtail soup that comes with your choice of meat and a deeply flavorful broth. Go for the brisket, it’s juicy and melts in your mouth. The kimchi banchan it comes with is the best I’ve had, earthy and pungent just as it should be.
Pro tip: There’s a free parking lot around back.
Borit Gogae
website | neighborhood: Koreatown (get directions) | cuisine: Korean | price: $$ | best for: barley rice
This is another spot recommended by my Korean friend. It specializes in barley rather than rice (“bori” means barley in Korean). You can order a la carte, or for ~$30 pp you can have the set menu with barley rice.
Stick with the set menu so you can try a variety of small plates like their tofu red bean soup and kimchi pancakes. If you’re hungry enough, get an order of the grilled beef ribs or Napa wraps with pork.
Cento Pasta Bar
website | neighborhood: Mid-City (get directions) | cuisine: pasta | price: $$$ | best for: corn agnolotti
Cento has been in the LA food scene since 2015 when owners Avner Lavi and Santos Uy started making pasta from their pop-up location in Mignon. Today they have their own brick-and-mortar where they’re cranking out gorgeous pastas with unique ingredients, like their signature beet pasta and squid ink mafaldine.
Don’t miss their spicy pomodoro with ricotta and basil oil or their corn agnolotti. The latter has sweet roasted corn notes and the perfect balance thanks to the acidity from creme fraiche.
Saucy Chick Goat Mafia
website | neighborhood: Pasadena (get directions) | cuisine: Mexican-Indian | price: $$ | best for: chaat nachos
If the name implies anything, know that this is one of the most quirky restaurants in Los Angeles. I first tried them at Smorgasburg before they rebranded and opened their brick-and-mortar.
They’ve recently been named one of Los Angeles’ Best Restaurants, notably for their pibil-marinated rotisserie chicken and mouthwatering birria. However, I think it’s their chaat nachos that are life-changing. They are a bed of hand-rolled, buttery soft para crisps topped with beans, ambli molasses, crema, lime-spiced coconut, and fresh mint.
Chi Spacca
website | neighborhood: Hancock Park/Hollywood (get directions) | cuisine: Italian | price: $$$$ | best for: NY strip steak
Chi Spacca is owned by celebrity chef Nancy Silverman, and her team is doing Italian differently than most. There’s no pasta, and while you might think that would leave a big hole in their menu, the opposite is true. I find it quite refreshing.
Spacca is Italian for “she who cleaves,” so their menu is inspired by how an Italian butcher might cook. Dishes like NY strip florentina steak, housemade charcuterie, and octopus are executed to perfection, and their signature focaccia stuffed with cheese is crispy and addictive.
Lasita
website | neighborhood: Chinatown (get directions) | cuisine: Filipino rotisserie | price: $$ | best for: rotisserie chicken
Lasita is part Filipino rotisserie house, part natural wine bar. The juicy chicken is brined, stuffed, and marinated with lemongrass, garlic, spring onion, and ginger. The toyomansi dipping sauce is aromatic and seeps into the meat like a dream. Pair it with the chicken fat rice and pickled veg for a true feast.
République
website | neighborhood: Miracle Mile (get directions) | cuisine: French | price: $$$ | best for: pastries
République is one of the most unique restaurants in Los Angeles because it’s located in a beautiful historic building that was built by Charlie Chaplin in the 1920s. Originally intended to house offices with a picturesque courtyard, husband-and-wife duo Walter and Margarita Manzke have restored the building and made the courtyard the heart of the dining room.
By day, République is a cafe and bakery pumping out bountiful pastries made by Margarita, a James Beard-nominated pastry chef. In the evening, the space is transformed into an upscale restaurant with communal tables and a modern French menu.
Mazal
website | neighborhood: Lincoln Heights (get directions) | cuisine: Israeli vegan | price: $$ | best for: hummus & pita
While it may not look like much from the outside, Mazal is worth a visit if you’re looking for well-executed Israeli dishes that cater to a veggie-loving crowd.
They’re making classic dishes like hummus, labneh, and falafel using plant-based ingredients and authentic preparation methods. Order the hummus with pita and snag a few small plates. The Moroccan carrots are tender, zesty, and perfectly spiced. Oh, and sit on the patio for a more date-worthy experience.
Bacari
website | neighborhood: Silver Lake (get directions) + more locations | cuisine: Mediterranean | price: $$$ | best for: tapas
There are six Bacari restaurants around the LA area, but I suggest the Silver Lake location. This is by far one of the coolest places to eat in LA. You’re basically eating in a huge atrium surrounding a massive tree with a relaxing souk-like vibe.
Believe it or not, the quality of the ambiance actually matches the food. It’s mostly Italian, but with a nod to Mediterranean cuisine as a whole. Split the Mediterranean street corn, Brussels sprouts, and hummus with braised ground lamb.
Ceviche Project
website | neighborhood: Silver Lake (get directions) | cuisine: Latin American | price: $$$ | best for: rotating ceviche
The Ceviche Project is an intimate seafood-focused spot with great ambiance and an ever-changing menu of ceviches, tostadas, and raw bar items. If it’s available, get the scallops on the half shell and the Mayan octopus and shrimp tostada. Everything is beautifully plated and I love that you can sit at the bar and watch them make ceviche to order.
DAMO
website | neighborhood: Koreatown (get directions) | cuisine: tea | price: $ | best for: einspener lattes
DAMO is a modern teahouse quietly serving coffee and einspener (cream topped) lattes alongside curated Korean snacks and mochi waffles. Even if you’re not a tea lover, try their hogicha latte. It’s not overly earthy, but rather toasty and subtle.
Pro tip: If you’re hungry, the Korean sweets sampler is a great bang for your buck and allows you to try a variety of authentic Korean desserts.
Night + Market
website | neighborhood: Venice (get directions), West Hollywood (get directions), & Silver Lake (get directions) | cuisine: Thai | price: $$ | best for: nam khao tod
Night + Market is a mini chain of authentic Thai restaurants in LA. Chef Kris Yenbamroong grew up working in his family’s restaurant, which catered to celebrity clientele. That experience helped him create his own style of Thai cooking, fusing the bustling streets of Bangkok with California’s laid back vibe. The result is boldly-flavored dishes meant to be enjoyed throughout the night over natural wine and cocktails with friends.
I love Night + Market’s nam khao tod crispy rice salad. It has great textured and is very ginger forward, making it feel refreshing. Their fried chicken with poblano chile is also a must get. It’s perfectly crisp, but has an interesting twist of earthiness thanks to the pepper.
Lemon Grove
website | neighborhood: Hollywood (get directions) | cuisine: Mediterranean | price: $$$ | best for: rooftop dining
Lemon Grove is one of the most unique restaurants in Los Angeles thanks to its absolutely stunning rooftop setting. You’ll take an elevator to the top of The Aster hotel and be met with a huge plant-filled space. There are lounge areas scattered around a bar. The restaurant takes up the back corner.
Upon entering you’ll notice a bunch of planters taking up the back area opposite the restaurant. That’s where Lemon Grove grows a lot of its own produce for the kitchen. This farm-to-table ethos oozes from the menu, where you’ll find a lot of vegetable-forward dishes.
Some of my favorite items on the menu include the perfectly-cooked Brussel sprouts, chicken chermoula, and burrata with the freshest pesto. For dessert, don’t miss the banana bread cake if it’s available! And as for drinks, I love the Cactus Flower cocktail with mezcal and prickly pear.
Wanderlust Creamery
website | neighborhood: 9 locations around LA | cuisine: ice cream | price: $$ | best for: ice cream with Asian flavors
Wanderlust is a Filipino-owned SoCal ice cream chain known for making unique flavors inspired by travel, particularly Asian. You’ll find a super creamy texture serve in cups, cones, pints, and even flights of three.
My favorite flavors are the passionfruit cacao, Vietnamese coffee rocky road, and abuelita malted crunch chocolate ice cream. However, try whatever looks good to you and pick your top three (because the flight is a no-brainer!).
Zhengyalov Hatz
website | neighborhood: Glendale (get directions) | cuisine: Armenian | price: $ | best for: vegan wraps
I would have never discovered Zhengyalov Hatz if a colleague hadn’t recommended it to me. He said it’s dope because they only serves on dish. With that kind of confidence, I had to visit.
Named after the football-shaped Armenian flatbread, Zhengyalov Hatz serves vegan wraps stuffed with 15 different minced herbs. The flavors read predominantly spinach to me, but there’s more complexity to it thanks to greens like beetroot leaves, sorrel, cilantro, scallions, and more.
You have to like spinach-like flavors to be into this dish, but if you are, you’ll be in for one of the most satisfying meals you’ve had in a while. Each flatbread is made with love that you can really taste. And if you’re craving something sweet, you can wash it down with paxlava, a regional baklava variation that’s less flaky and more dense than the well-known version.
Magic Castle
website | neighborhood: Hollywood Hills (get directions) | cuisine: American | price: $$$ | best for: dinner and a show
Magic Castle, also known as the Academy of Magical Arts, is hands down one of the most unique restaurants in Los Angeles. That’s because it’s not so much a restaurant, but rather a private club for professional magicians where you can happen to get dinner. Only members and their guests, or large groups of 20+, can access the club and its dining room.
If you’re looking to score an invite, you have a few options. You can buddy up with the magicians at Black Rabbit Rose (which also has a killer Thai-Chinese takeout window, from what I’ve heard) and see if they’ll invite you, or you can spend a night at the Magic Castle Hotel. I also heard you can Instagram DM magicians playing the night you want to go and try to score tickets.
Once you’re in, you’ll walk through the hidden bookcase door to the downstairs bar. From there you’ll enjoy excellent cocktails while exploring the rooms, many of which will have magicians doing close up magic shows.
When dinner is ready, you’ll sit down in the upstairs dining room and enjoy an old school-American menu of dishes like slow cooked prime rib and rosemary citrus chicken. While this won’t be the most inventive meal you’ve ever had, they’re doing the basics like filet mignon quite well.
What you really come for is the live performance after dinner. You’ll get to enjoy the 3-act magic show in a theater, followed by more time to peruse the close-up magicians around the building while sipping more cocktails. This place stays open late, so pace yourself and enjoy the ever-changing roster of magicians!
Pro tip: There’s a strict cocktail attire dress code and no pictures allowed inside!
Parks BBQ
website | neighborhood: Koreatown (get directions) | cuisine: Korean | price: $$$ | best for: high quality Korean BBQ
I was brought to Park’s by my Korean friend who lives in LA. She said this is the fancy place you went growing up when you got good grades. “Fancy” is a loose concept when comparing Korean BBQ joints, as I wouldn’t call Park’s fancy but rather fancier than other spots. However, this “fancy” reputation speaks to the quality of the meat.
This is not an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) BBQ restaurant, but rather you focus on getting combos or single orders of their prime meat cuts. My go-tos are the brisket, bulgogi, and short ribs.
However, what makes Park’s one of the most unique LA restaurants is the fact that it has a larger spread of banchan than most other K-BBQ spots. You’ll get about 12 of the traditional side dishes served with your meal. These range from the classics like kimchi and fish cakes to the more authentic acorn jelly and okra.
Park’s also has great side dishes worth ordering. For example, they make the best steamed egg I’ve had at any Korean restaurant ever and really complex soups. All in all, Park’s is one of my favorite restaurants in LA!
Magpies Softserve
website | neighborhood: Silver Lake (get directions), Highland Park (get directions), & Tarzana (get directions) | cuisine: ice cream | price: $ | best for: chef-y soft serve
I grew up eating soft serve ice cream, so Magpies hits a nostalgic cord for me. But what makes this one of the most unique restaurants in Los Angeles is that fact that they make chef-y versions of the ultimate dessert comfort food.
For example, my go-to is vanilla and chocolate twist. Magpies zhuzhes it up by making it a malted chocolate and sweet cream. Similarly, you’ll find unique flavors like pandan, milk tea, and corn almond that are a nod to co-owner, Rose’s, Korean-American roots.
Smorgasburg
website | neighborhood: Fashion District (get directions) | cuisine: varies | price: varies | best for: food festival
If you’re looking for a cool dining experience in Los Angeles and you’re visiting on a Sunday, you have to check out Smorgasburg. It runs every Sunday from 10 AM-4 PM and is one of the highlights of my LA trips.
They have this festival down to a science. Given the number of food vendors they squeeze in, it’s surprising how the flow makes it feel less crowded. It’s free to enter, includes free parking, and has a family-friendly beer garden. Plus it’s in Row DTLA, so there are a bunch of shops you can peruse once you’re full.
There are over 100 vendors, so I haven’t been able to try them all. That said, Lei’d Cookies is a tropical cookie shop with unique flavors like mango sticky rice, matcha mochi, and my favorite, guava goat cheese. I also enjoy Mao Bao for their colorful dumplings and Chimmilier for their saucy Korean fried chicken.
More cool places to eat in LA
Whew, there you have it: My list of unique restaurants in Los Angeles. There are a lot of other great places to eat, so check out my full map for more ideas.
More to explore in California
After you check these unique restaurants in Los Angeles off your list, check out my other guides for places to explore near the City of Angels.
