The Story

Who built it, how long it has been here, and the rituals that make it theirs.

In the MICHELIN Guide Who has the inspectors paying attention? 8 spots

The Room

What it is like to sit there. Views, patios, noise, music, the floor.

Live Music Where can I eat and hear a real band? 4 spots Rooftops and Patios Can we sit outside? 1 spot · just getting started Dance Floors Where is the floor actually full? 1 spot · just getting started

The Occasion

Why you picked tonight. First dates, birthdays, the whole family, twelve coworkers.

The Whole Family Table Will they be fine with a four-year-old? 5 spots Sports on TV Where can I watch the game with food and drinks? 3 spots

On the Menu

What the kitchen actually serves. The part every other site already covers.

BBQ and Smokehouses Who is actually running a pit? 7 spots Vegan and Plant-Based Where can I eat with no asterisks? 7 spots Seafood and Oysters Who is getting good product in? 2 spots · just getting started

Nobody in Los Angeles turns up for these yet

Real reasons people pick a restaurant, with nothing behind them in our Los Angeles data so far. We leave the list up rather than quietly dropping it, because it is what we go looking for next. The numbers behind all of it are in the Los Angeles Discovery Report.

Craft Cocktail Programs Who is taking the bar seriously?

Brunch Where is brunch worth the wait?

Late-Night Food What is still open?

Gluten-Free Kitchens Can this kitchen actually handle it?

Steakhouses Where do I take a steak night seriously?

Sushi Who is behind the counter?

Great Views What am I looking at while I eat?

Waterfront Dining Can I eat next to the water?

Quiet Enough to Talk Can we actually hear each other?

Dog-Friendly Patios Can the dog come?

Tableside Experiences What happens at the table?

Date Night Where do I take somebody I want to impress?

Celebration Restaurants Where do we do the birthday?

Private Dining and Buyouts Can we take a room?

Big Groups Will they seat twelve of us?

Sustainable Kitchens What happens to what they do not serve?

Locally Sourced Who are they buying from?

Black-Owned Who owns this?

Women-Owned Who owns this?

Easy to Get Into Can everybody at the table get in the door?

Great Places to Work Would I want a job here?

Chef-Driven Kitchens Is somebody actually cooking here?

Historic Rooms What was this building before?

Neighborhood Institutions What has been here forever?

Origin Stories Who built this and why?

Service Rituals What do they do that nobody else does?

In the Community What does this place do when it is not serving dinner?

36 ways to find a table in all, 9 of them with real Los Angeles spots behind them today.

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