$50-75

Nested in the center Newport’s ritzy Fashion Island, Roy’s offers a high-end dining experience which combines the freshest Pacific ingredients with European culinary techniques and Asian spices. While the service is not always spectacular, the food speaks for itself, from perfect lobster potstickers to perfect scallops to a dangerously palatable Hawaiian-style cosmopolitan. The atmosphere is dressy, yet comfortable, with a hipster musical playlist, older women wearing Chanel and pearls, and young girls in trendy boutique dresses. This is less of a place to be seen or treated like royalty, and more of a place to enjoy quality cuisine.

Antonello Ristorante serves Italian favorites to Santa Ana residents in a classy, but family friendly environment. The landscape paintings adorning the walls lend the air of vacationing in an Italian villa. Antonello Ristorante’s expansive menu features all traditional Italian courses, from antipasti through secondi. Local favorites include the antipasti Prosciutto, with slices of Italian Parma Prosciutto, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and Marinated Olives. No Italian experience is complete without the Primi, or pasta course. With options such as Ravioli Magro with Spinach, Ricotta, and San Marzano Tomatoes, Fettuccine with Porcini Mushrooms, Fresh Tomato, and Truffle Oil, as well as a Chef’s …

Sutra Lounge offers guests an unabashedly tantric culinary experience in a sensual setting. The enticing atmosphere aims to seduce diners, and the 10,000 square foot restaurant and lounge is adorned with rich colors and comfortable banquettes. From the aphrodisiac-inspired menu to the flavorful libations, Sutra promises a total dining and entertainment experience for the mind and body.

Cuistot of Palm Desert is an illustrious diamond in the rough. Renowned Chef Bernard Devrieux is a native of France dedicated to crafting the finest of old world French cuisine. This restaurant boasts a vast wine selection of over 650 international varieties and in-house sommelier. Embark on an exceptional dining experience with starters such as the Avocado Fan with warm goat cheese in a shallot, drizzled with olive oil and cracked black pepper dressing. Premium entrees include the Young Duck Oven Roasted with Spices, Roasted Rack of Lamb, and the California Roasted Quail Stuffed with Sweetbreads. Seafood lovers will rejoice …

Ristorante Mamma Gina has been serving authentic Florentine cuisine in Italy since 1956 and in California since 1986. Located in Palm Desert, this restaurant offers a wine bar with an exceptional happy hour menu that runs from opening until closing. The lunch and dinner menu is comprised of soups, salads, appetizers, Paninis, pastas, and entrees. The Brodetto Di Pesce Fresco is a specialty: Cioppino style fish stew with fresh catch of the day, calamari, mussels, clams, scallops, and shrimp in a light saffron and tomato sauce. Another favorite is the Gnocchi Al Gorgonzola: Homemade potato dumplings with a gorgonzola cheese …

Theme park dining usually means overpriced, tasteless food in small portions. However, the Napa Rose located in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa delivers park goers a sophisticated, delicious meal. Views of Disney’s California Adventure park can be seen through the glass windows, but no park ticket is necessary to dine here. Head chef Andrew Sutton changes the menu seasonally, providing fresh ingredients in his dishes. For appetizers, the Starter to Share consists of Large Seared Shrimp in Garlic Sauce, Pork Spare Ribs with Soy Glaze, and Lemongrass Chicken Skewers. To keep the food at the right temperature, a hot …

For 30 years Café Pierre has offered the Manhattan Beach area consistent, authentic, and exciting cuisine. The restaurant has perfected the seamless integration of food and service, stemming from Chef and Owner Guy Gabriele’s passion for food and wine. The menu is mostly French and Italian, with subtle influences from Asia, South America, and the Middle East. Dishes such as Steak au Poivre and Linguini Frutti di Mare remain authentic to their traditional roots while integrating Gabriele’s signature twist on each dish. Recognizing the pleasures in pairing food and wine, Café Pierre offers an engaging wine list with over 600 …

Established in 1968, 21 Oceanfront is located on the oceanfront, across from the Newport Beach Pier. The great view, exceptional seafood and excellent service make the restaurant a remarkable dining experience.

Located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles’ Theatre District, Noe has established itself as an elegant oasis in the midst of the city’s hustle and bustle since opening in July 2003. Executive Chef Rebert Gadsby's acclaimed "Progressive American" cuisine marries a gentle Japanese aesthetic with French-inspired dramatic artistry. This new age bistro offers a fresh and frequently changing menu that has earned the restaurant many accolades. Impressing diners and critics alike, this gourmet eatery is intricate in the detail of its décor and food.They even have an extensive wine list and unique cocktails. Enjoy a sophisticated, satisfying, and beautifully …

For over fifty years, the Buggy Whip has remained a prime destination for fine dining in Los Angeles. The classic cuisine and even more classic atmosphere hark back to an older time, when dining was entwined with elegance. Diners may savor an old-fashioned cocktail before favorites such as aged Filet Mignon and stone crab claws, all the while relaxing among regal red leather booths while live piano plays every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in the background. Especially in trend-conscious LA, The Buggy Whip's reliability and consistency can be quite refreshing.

Jer-ne Restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton is one of Los Angeles' only waterfront restaurants. With an exquisitely classical appearance it’s no surprise that the food tastes just as luxurious. Executive chef Fabian Ludwig has over twenty years culinary experience and it shows in the delicate yet tantalizing dishes he creates. Offering, brunch, lunch, and dinner there are many delicious dishes to choose from including the Maine lobster gratinee and the New York Reuben. With so many different menu options why wouldn’t you want to go try Jer-ne?

The Ritz offers a taste of Europe in both ambiance and cuisine, with an extensive menu and a high level of service. Open since 1977, the Ritz has consistently offered an elegant setting for patrons to linger over an exquisite meal. The acclaimed menu offers Continental cuisine including an extensive selection of steak and seafood, as well as more unique items ranging from Escargots in Crute to Bavarian Rotisserie-Roasted Duck. Impeccable service and an outstanding wine list round out an elegant dining experience at the Ritz.

Tucked in a remodeled 1924 Craftsman-style firehouse in the peaceful community of Silver Lake, the Edendale offers exquisite cuisine in a comfortable, unassuming setting. Accented with fresh flower arrangements, cozy armchairs, antique sconces and walls of old black and white photos, the setting has the potential to make single diners and large groups alike feel like they are home. As is only fitting in this comforting setting, Executive Chef Paul Downer offers an amazing array of comforting dishes including Ahi Tartare, a Fried Green Tomato Salad, and the signature Edendale Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese with chili garlic bread crumbs …

Located in a converted house on Glenneyre Street in Laguna Beach, Cafe Zoolu is at one with the surrounding neighborhood and its residence. Located next to a local health club and only two blocks from the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Café Zoolu is noted among locals for a magnificent appeal drawn from the location, the décor, and the food. Great veal chops, and world famous grilled swordfish are what have earned Café Zoolu its high regard and recognition. The cozy restaurant has only 11 tables, so reservations are mandatory for those looking to dine on the fresh seafood and …

Old world Tuscan dishes are the specialty at Ago Restaurant located on Melrose Avenue and Clinton Street in the heart of West Hollywood. Guests can be reassured that they will dine on great Italian food at a restaurant that is co-owned by the Godfather himself, Robert Di Nero. The Chef and co-owner, Agostino Sciandri, grew up in the lush countryside of Tuscany where he learned to perfect his Northern Italian culinary style. At Ago, guests can experience the full progression of an Italian dinner, starting with an Antipasti of Buffalo Mozzarella Caprese, or the Polipo e Patate, grilled octopus in …

Welcome to the Persian cuisine of Darya. The distinctive home-style menu features recipes dating back centuries. The meats, grains, herbs, fruits, vegetables, and spices in these dishes combine to create a sum far greater than its parts. The food is aromatic and flavorful, yet subtle. Darya offers authentic dishes native to specific regions, with spices and flavors, which reflect each area's unique accent.

Boasting a decidedly contemporary and chic décor, BOA Steakhouse is a refreshingly unpretentious steakhouse. Serving classic steakhouse fare in a particularly un-classic setting, BOA brings a fresh, modern face to the “surf and turf” dining concept. While you’ll find all the old favorites—petit filet mignon, dry-aged New York strip, Maine and Australian lobster—creative fare also peppers the menu. Begin with the Table-Side Prime Steak Tartare, and then move on to favorites like the Chilean Sea Bass and the American Kobe Beef Flat Iron Steak. But the ultimate decadence may just be the foie gras butter you’ll find gracing your Kobe …

Located in the trendy Melrose district of West Hollywood, Pizzeria Mozza touts some of the biggest names in the culinary world: founding partners Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. With a trio like that at the helm, you know you can expect something good. If you’re not feeling like pizza try Nancy’s chopped salad or Monday’s dish of the day, featuring Ricotta cannelloni. With a fun, informal atmosphere Mozza offers the opportunity for a fantastic meal. Avoid the hassle of waiting and be sure to book in advance.

Lola’s in West Los Angeles is a popular hangout featuring eclectic cuisine that combines classic comfort food with the glitter and glam of new Hollywood. The bar is famous for creating the Apple Martini, and along with that signature cocktail, the bar serves up well over 50 other custom Martinis. That is right, over 50! Brunch on the weekends is immensely popular as well, and it is no wonder, with 10 flavors of mimosas and 7 unique bloody marys. Nevertheless, enough about the booze, the food at Lola’s is just as popular as the drinks. Dishes like the Baked Brie …

On Melrose, along a popular strip of hip West Hollywood restaurants, Lucques retains its standing as an ideal spot for lunch, dinner, and drinks. In its eighth year, the restaurant excels with its short-list of savory French-Mediterranean cuisine combining subtle, yet distinct, flavors with fish, poultry, and meat. Executive Chef Suzanne Goin uses seasonal ingredients to create dishes that are inventive, fresh, and flavorful. While not extensive, the selections are sufficiently unique to appease finicky Angelenos and most likely tantalize them to return. The wine list is extensive and hand selected by co-owner Caroline Styne.