West Hollywood

The Flowering Tree

A great vegetarian restaurant popular at lunchtime. Great soups, sandwiches, and veggie tacos, washed down with free cucumber water.

Vegetarians and vegans from the world over swear by Real Food Daily. Watch your favorite health and eco-conscious celebrity seal a deal over a seitan stir fry before darting off in their Mercedes SUV. Branches in Santa Monica and West Hollywood.

Garden of Taxco

"Eees not hot, eees spi-i-i-i-cy." You may be surprised that this restaurant doesn't have a menu, until the waiter comes to perform the menu for you. They have beef, chicken, fish, or vegetarian entrees, usually three or four of each.

A great spot for breakfast or lunch.

The Newsroom Cafe

A great place to refuel when hitting the shops on Robertson Blvd. Eclectic menu features tandoori chicken salad, Maui veggie burger, various smoothies, wheat grass shots and so forth.

Western-style steakhouse features a huge, ‘country’ bar and even a mechanical bull for those ready for a faux bull-riding adventure. The menu is vast and surprisingly inexpensive. And again, the saloon is a longtime trendy destination along the Sunset Strip for raucous good times.

. Housed in a mega space on the Sunset Strip, formerly home to the uncomplicated, Irish watering hole known as Dublin’s, the glitzy, beach-themed restaurant and lounge features sunset colored walls, white plastic furniture, a sand pit and many other ocean-related décor. Menu offers modern American cuisine, but the buzz-worthy ‘scene’ is surely what will draw patrons initially. The grand opening party was held November 28 ’06, so word of mouth on the food and the experience has just begun to matriculate.

Chef Agostino Sciandri – with a Hollywood assist from Robert DeNiro, among others – continues to delight with his chic, Italian trattoria. A sophisticated interior with blond wooden tables, white tablecloths and cozy, rustic décor add an authentic touch. Chops, pasta and fish underscore the menu. House specialties include mixed fried fish, Tuscan-style chicken and Bistecca alia Fiorentina. Allure still thrives since its ’97 debut as evidenced by the crowded bar scene and bustling dining room.

An indescribably trendy Japanese restaurant, popular with young hot celebs and those who want to be them or at least catch a glimpse. Reservations are recommended, as is dressing the part.

Upscale, post-modern steakhouse located inside The Grafton Hotel - smack dab in the middle of the Sunset Strip. Classic steakhouse cooking fills up the menu.

A culinary fixture on the Sunset Strip since 1971 Mirabelle remains a popular fine dining bistro courtesy the Germanides Family. Understated in décor modern interiors with a supper club vibe the cooking is the real star here. Signature dishes include classic crab bisque, Chilean Seabass, Filet Mignon and chocolate soufflé. Besides the dining room and patio there is also an oft-visited bar/lounge.

This new French brasserie hasn't been on the scene for long, but has quickly made a name for itself as one of LA's coolest restaurants. The staff can be occasionally snooty, but come for the food which is top notch.

Unashamedly post-modernist, with Latino/east-Asian cuisine and a choice of white-party indoor dining or outdoor seating among the oversized flowerpots.

Il Sole

Located in the always-bustling Sunset Plaza on the Sunset Strip, Il Sole is an unfussy and cozy Italian eatery that attracts an abundance of celebs and the like happy to avoid a big crowd, as well as anyone who desires an unpretentious, neighborhood restaurant for good pasta and a glass of wine. Menu highlights include linguine with shrimp in spicy tomato sauce, spinach-ricotta ravioli and wild Mediterranean Sea bass. Reservations highly recommended.

The Ivy

Fantastic food, but known even more for it's endlessly famous clientele. Many a power deal has been made over a bowl of corn chowder.

Designer Dodd Mitchell’s sleek, Japanese-style bar/restaurant on the Sunset Strip mixes Hollywood glitz and inventive cuisine. The sushi bar is crowded. The robata bar is crowded. Women are scantily clad. Men ogle. The outside patio is crowded and the scene is distinctive Hollywood hip. No longer one of the ‘buzz-worthy’ destinations on the restaurant scene, Katana remains a solid choice for appetizing Japanese fare with an equally stylish clientele and interior design.

Excellent, California-style cuisine in an upscale atmosphere, widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the city.

Since 1964 this revered, Italian eatery has been packing them in – from Hollywood powerbrokers and cinema stars to anyone that craves exquisite food in one of the coolest hangouts in Los Angeles. The waiters all look to have been there from day one, so a patron knows they’re in for a great culinary experience. The tiny bar in front of what is a tiny restaurant is often crammed three deep. It’s still a place one could be having a drink next to a movie star or ‘someone of note.’ Cocktails flow as waiters rush by carrying popular menu items such as linguini, spaghetti carbonara, steamed clams and a 16oz. New York steak dubbed the Dabney Coleman an actor. The joint is always crowded and serves late into the night; a reservation is a must save for heavyweight Hollywood types. Excellent service, red banquettes, a classic atmosphere and delicious food – that’s a recipe for success and why Dan Tana’s remains a consistent favorite.

Grab a healthy bite to eat at one of three locations and run the chance of spotting a celeb. Great salads, sandwiches, coffee and teas. Very popular, and additional locations can be found in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.

Opened on the Sunset Strip in ’97, Mel’s remains happily caught in a time warp; it’s 1950s drive-in style décor and 24-hour home style cooking mirrors the San Francisco original, which opened way back in the late ‘40s and was made famous by filmmaker George Lucas who used the carhop eatery as a centerpiece for his now classic film American Graffiti. The West Hollywood outpost features a 50-seat outdoor patio that is nice for soaking up the sun and people watching. Inside it’s tabletop jukeboxes, classic movie photos on the wall, ‘50s tune blaring through the stereo and, most important, great diner food; the famous ‘Melburger,’ chili fries, milk shakes and really just about everything else. It’s one of those Los Angeles places locals and tourists alike flock to. Formerly "Ben Franks" mentionrd by Frank Zappa, among others, it's long been one of the most famous spots in the city, as far as restaurants go.