Travis Lett's Gjelina in Venice has been the Westside's wood-fire vegetable room since 2008. The pizzas and roasted vegetables built the template.
Signature dishes: Wood-fired pizza, Roasted vegetables
Must order: Lamb sausage and pumpkin pizza from the wood oven, then the roasted Brussels sprouts.
Tip: Walk-in queue for the patio is fine before 19:00; after that, book or eat at the takeaway counter next door at Gjelina Take Away.
Address: 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291, Los Angeles
Ludo Lefebvre's 20-stool bistro on Highland Avenue runs walk-in only and pours strong Bordeaux. Petit Trois is the most-imitated counter in Los Angeles.
Signature: Big-Mec burger, Omelette
Order: The Big-Mec burger at lunch or the bouillabaisse at dinner.
Tip: 20 stools, no bookings at the original; the larger Sherman Oaks sibling takes reservations and pours the same wines.
David Chang's Majordomo in Chinatown, Los Angeles, runs Korean-leaning family-style sharing plates and a whole duck that requires a 48-hour pre-order.
Signature: Bing bread, Whole roast duck
Order: Bing bread with chickpea hozon to start, then the family-style whole duck.
Tip: Reserve duck 48 hours ahead by phone; otherwise sold out by 18:00. Bar seats walk-in serve the full menu.
Jonathan Yao's Kato in Row DTLA serves a Taiwanese-American tasting menu and earned a Michelin star in 2022. The 12 courses change every six weeks.
Signature: Beef noodle soup course, Stinky-tofu canape
Order: Whatever beef noodle course is on the tasting menu that month.
Tip: The bar at Kato pours a tight Loire-and-Riesling list; sit there even if dining in the main room.
Jenee Kim's Park's BBQ in Los Angeles Koreatown grills USDA Prime short rib over real charcoal in a buttoned-up dining room with reliable banchan.
Signature: LA galbi, Marinated short rib
Order: Marinated boneless short rib (yangnyum galbi) and the seafood pancake to share.
Tip: Banchan refills are free and generous; ask for the live abalone if it's on the spec sheet by the door.
Jitlada in East Hollywood, Los Angeles has been LA's southern Thai room since the 1980s. Owner Jazz Singsanong runs the dining room front of house.
Signature: Crispy morning glory salad, Southern Thai curry
Order: Crispy morning glory salad and the kua kling fried curry, ordered Thai-hot.
Tip: Ask for the green Southern Thai menu, not the laminated one; it's a different restaurant once you do.
The Lopez family's Guelaguetza in Koreatown, Los Angeles has cooked Oaxacan moles, tlayudas and clayudas for the city since 1994. A James Beard winner.
Signature: Mole negro, Tlayuda
Order: Mole negro over chicken, and a tlayuda to share.
Tip: The Lopez family runs a moles-by-the-jar takeaway out the side door; carry one home on the plane.
