Date Night with Dine LA

A masterclass in escapist ambiance and meticulous service in the heart of Hollywood, Beauty and Essex delivers the aura, consistent attention to detail, and conversation-starting multi-ethnic menu that dream dates are made of. Amid elegant faux antique décor, couples bond over memorable Chris Santos creations like roasted cauliflower Bolognese or seared scallop, with fun house-made cookies and a boozy milkshake shot for dessert.

Hugging the Hollywood Hills, Yamashiro is a classic special-occasion spot famed for its storied setting and staggering views. Originally a private residence inspired by a Japanese mountain palace, this exotic 1914 landmark was once an exclusive haunt of early Tinseltown’s biggest stars and moguls. With meditative gardens featuring a 600-year-old Japanese pagoda, this unique Hollywood must-see is on the National Register of Historic Places. Its Dine LA dinner menu includes braised short ribs served with celery root mash, and Chilean sea bass with Champagne miso and sauteed bok choy – perfect for making a little history of your own.

Occupying the former Cathedral of Saint Vibiana, Redbird sets the scene for special evenings with rare refinement and restraint. Choose between Redbird’s stunning main dining room and more casual lounge area, a retractable-roofed courtyard with flickering fireplace, or a garden table beneath an olive tree oasis. Reminisce about years of mutual devotion or secretly picture a future together over Modern American masterpieces like barbecue smoked tofu, pork shank with collards and rice grits, or California sea bass.

For a more casual date, Bacari’s leafy Beverly Grove location serves small plates, pizza, and desserts in its marvelously understated dining room or on a truly incredible patio, shaded by mature trees. Reservations are recommended and it’s easy to see why, especially at a time when outdoor dining is particularly in demand. Delectable, Venetian-inspired “cicchetti” small plates here include caramelized Brussels sprouts, ricotta and beet gnocchi, and the bold Asian pear and Brie pizza.

Brentwood’s Imari is a new concept from celebrated restaurateur Philip Camino, under the culinary direction of Japanese-taught chefs David Schlosser (of DTLA’s Michelin-starred Shibumi) and Derek Wilcox (formerly of Shoji in NYC). Focused on traditional washoku cuisine, Imari’s prix-fixe dinner menu starts with hiyayakko tofu, preceding a choice of “sashimi of the moment,” anago and leek tempura, or grilled gindara. Choose shrimp and mentaiko or tuna avocado hand rolls, and finish with milk ice cream with sweet green peas. Small and intimate, with genuinely knowledgeable waitstaff, Imari makes even potentially awkward first-date ordering a breeze, as simply everything here is bound to impress.

It doesn’t get much more exclusive than Chef Josiah Citrin’s beloved Mélisse. Twenty years after its debut, this (recently announced) two Michelin starred restaurant reopened in 2019 as a 14-seat restaurant serving a seasonal tasting menu. Deliberately blurring the line between kitchen and dining room, Mélisse’s passionate chefs and service staff guide guests through a culinary experience that far transcends a mere meal. Only the most exquisite ingredients and techniques contribute to global flavors that reflect both Citrin’s French heritage and his California upbringing. With a Dine LA menu featuring golden Osetra caviar, Liberty Duck “Rouennaise,” and black bass “à la vapeur,” this cultured and nuanced gastronomic journey is the ultimate for that singularly special night.

True to its “Where Love Lives” motto, WeHo’s E.P. & L.P. is a one-stop date spot including a fine restaurant, spectacular rooftop bar, and novel rooftop movie theater. Marrying California produce to European culinary tradition, the E.P. dining room serves shareable delights like rigatoni alla vodka, wood-grilled dry-aged Angus steak, and coconut and feijoa pavlova. Take romance to the next level, literally, at the 4,000-square-foot L.P. rooftop, with its global munchie menu, tropical cocktails, and selfie-licious Hollywood Hills backdrop. Complete the experience at E.P. & L.P.’s unique Melrose Rooftop Theatre, where you can enjoy a movie under – and sometimes while rubbing shoulders with – the stars.

Opened in July by Sugarfish cofounder Jerry Greenberg, Matu brings beef-forward brilliance to Beverly Hills in scrumptious style. With an eye to not only taste but also health, sustainability, and humane farming practices, Matu’s focus is 100% grass-fed, pastured-raised Wagyu beef sourced from New Zealand’s pioneering First Light Farms. Matu’s five-course, rotating Dine LA steak menu features delicacies like braised beef served over celeriac puree, steak cooked over an open wood fire, and hand-cut steak tartare, all perfectly paired with a glass of Matu Reserve Cabernet and a dimly-lit, dream-date ambiance.

With its impossibly romantic courtyard and candlelit interior, WeHo’s Little Door is a discreet hideaway just made for dates. A private and authentic aura lingers amidst the brick/cobblestone floors and deep blue walls of this former abode, softened by ample, flowing greenery. At The Little Door, organic seasonal ingredients combine in creative Modern European preparations presented with impeccable pride. Start with Portuguese piri-piri shrimp, then savor generous portions of seared sea bass or king mushroom rice, leaving just enough appetite for divine coconut cheesecake. An expansive wine and cocktail selection ensures there’s always an apt libation to complete the mood. Seating is limited, so reservations are required.

The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood became an instant landmark on Cahuenga Boulevard upon opening in August. Like the luxury property itself, its SoCal-centric ALK restaurant and bar channels old Hollywood energy and retro chic, with smoky green and blush pink palettes punctuated by black-and-white finishes and bold design statements. Its Dine LA tasting menu includes nduja ravioli, chicken vesuvio, lobster risotto, and nostalgic banana cream custard. After dinner, head up to the astounding, 12,000-square-foot rooftop – the largest such venue in Hollywood – with its twin bars and fire pits. And, of course, at the Godfrey you can quite literally “get a room” after dinner.