Hollywood actors, singers, athletes and models seek out the trendiest new spots, but they are also loyal patrons of tried and true places. Some prefer low-key restaurants that offer them more privacy. Here are restaurants in Los Angeles that are considered celebrity favorites.
APL RESTAURANT
Adam Perry Lang once served “Serious Barbecue” on Jimmy Kimmel Live’s outdoor area. In 2018, he decided to focus on house-aged steak and opened APL Restaurant (located on 1680 Vine St.). Actors like Jason Bateman and Jake Gyllenhaal, and directors like Alfonso Cuaron and Jon Favreau come here to enjoy dry-aged steaks, wedge salads filled with house-smoked bacon and signature short ribs.
BEAUTY & ESSEX
TAO Group has been quite successful in Las Vegas and New York and their multi-faceted Hollywood compound now includes Tao Asian bistro, Luchini pizzeria and bar, Avenue, Dream Hotel, The Highlight Room, and an opulent restaurant and lounge they’ve called Beauty & Essex (located on 1615 Cahuenga Blvd). Stars like Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, and Cardi B are frequent diners at Beauty & Essex. The best-sellers here are Caesar toast with crispy chicken skin and ribeye served with roasted garlic & bacon sauce and truffle Hollandaise.
CATCH LA
Catch LA (locatedon 8715 Melrose Ave.) is a huge 340-seat restaurant that has attracted A-listers like Mariah Carey, Michael B. Jordan and David Beckham. Chef Daniel Ye’s massive menu is a must see, but the best-sellers are chilled seafood towers, A5 Japanese Miyazaki Wagyu and salmon belly carpaccio.
CASA VEGA
Casa Vega (located on 13301 Ventura Blvd), was founded in 1956 by Rafael “Ray” Garcia and continues to attract celebrities to this day. They make sure celebrities feel comfortable dining at Casa Vega. Massive portions are to be expected, and the best-sellers are empanadas, rib eye, and their multi-protein molcajete. You can also choose from a multitude of margaritas and Mexican cervesa.
CECCONI’S
One of L.A.’s most famous restaurants, Cecconi’s (8764 Melrose Ave) features plant-lined patio and marbled floors. This establishment considers itself a “safe haven” and all guests are treated like VIPs. Chef Andrea Cavaliere’s Italian menu include cicchetti, wood roasted salmon with rapini and pastas like plin agnolotti with black truffles.
CHATEAU HANARE
Reika Alexander expanded to California in 2018, opening Chateau Hanare (located on 8097 Selma Ave.). Her restaurant in New York had a huge following, celebrities included, and now with Chateau Hanare, you’ll often find celebrities too including Leonardo DiCaprio, Martha Stewart, Amy Adams and Snoop Dogg. Chateau Hanare’s specialty is kaiseki, which incorporates several cooking methods. You can choose from chawanmushi, a savory custard with sea urchin, Washugyu beef and vegan kaiseki, which is usually tofu with shaved truffles.
CULINA, MODERN ITALIAN
Culina, Modern Italian is a restaurant inside Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles and has retained quite a celebrity following. The sprawling space at the hotel’s southwest corner is a safe spot for celebrities because they won’t have to worry about paparazzi trying to take photos. In fact, many A-listers have their favorite tables at Culina.
DAN TANA’S
Before Mr. Chow and The Ivy were ever born, an old school Italian restaurant came to be. It has iconic red booths and red sauce and Dan Tana’s continues to attract movie legends, rock stars and starlets since 1963. Frequent diners include the Eagles and Elton John. Best-sellers include Shrimp Scampi a la Jerry Buss, Chicken Parmigiana a la Ted Demme, and others.
DELILAH
Longtime business partners and bar owners Brian Toll, John Terzian, Adam Koral and Markus Molinari have created several locations for celebrities to eat and drink in Los Angeles, starting with The Nice Guy. Delilah (which is located on 7969 Santa Monica Blvd.) is the h.wood venue that has caused quite a buzz with stars like Kanye West, Drake and Shay Mitchell, are regulars.
NOBU MALIBU
Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has been attracting crowds since 1987. He has a global restaurant empire. Visitors to Nobu Malibu (located on 22706 Pacific Coast Hwy) are treated to cushioned lounge chairs, floor-to-ceiling wood, and crashing waves. Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Jason Statham, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have all dined at this restaurant. Best-sellers are monkfish pate with caviar, roasted King crab with uni and black cod with miso.