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Discover LA’s Best Restaurants Near The Pearl – Many Deliver

Now that spring is in the air, it’s time to break out of your shell and try something new. We all have a list of restaurants we’ve been dying to check out, but just haven’t gotten around to yet. Or maybe it’s time to revisit some old favorites and local icons. Whatever cuisine perks your palate, here are some of LA’s best restaurants to try now! Let’s support our local businesses – many restaurants are offering delivery. Bon Appétit!

 

 

Mixtape

7450 Beverly Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

 

Mixtape is a new restaurant concept by award-winning restauranteur Jeremy Fall, in collaboration with a group of musicians. Loosely drawing inspiration from the potluck-style dinner party, Mixtape brings together a group of different musicians who each contribute something to the venue through art pieces, curated music, uniform design, and collaboration on dishes. The menu is inspired by Fall’s diverse ethnic background and comes together as a love letter to his upbringing in Los Angeles and its cultural melting pot. Each item on the menu is house-made entirely from scratch, using ethically-source ingredients and fresh local farmer’s market produce.

 

 

SLAB

8136 W 3rd St.

Los Angeles, CA 90048

 

They say the best barbecue takes time — and the story of Slab is years in the making. It began deep in the heart of Texas, where Burt Bakman, an Israeli immigrant, found his calling to be a pitmaster. As the mastermind behind Trudy’s Underground barbecue in Los Angeles, Bakman built a reputation from his skill at the smoker and an obsessive Instagram following among LA’s notoriously fickle foodies. One of Bakman’s earliest supporters and friends in LA, h.wood Group’s Brian Toll, would often stop in for brisket sandwiches, and the two would talk religiously about barbecue. After three years of perfecting the space, kitchen, and recipes, SLAB officially opened as a brick-and-mortar location in 2018 along a busy strip of West Third Street in Los Angeles.

 

 

Here’s Looking at You

3901 W 6th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90020

 

This stylish neighborhood bistro from Jonathan Whitener and Lien Ta has garnered numerous accolades from the likes of New York Times, Food & Wine Magazine, LA Times, LA Magazine, Eater, and more. Describing the cuisine and concept as “progressive SoCal food in Koreatown,” Whitener and Ta present an inventive array of handcrafted cocktails and a globally influenced food menu. Housed in an Art Deco building on the site of a former cheesesteak shop, Here’s Looking at You radiates a hip, modern vibe with Edison bulbs, midcentury-influenced cabinetry, a playful book shelf, and perky bar stools. Special reservations are required for parties of 8-12.

 

 

A.O.C.

8700 W 3rd St.

Los Angeles, California 90048

 

If you want to go extra for date night, A.O.C. is your destination for romance. After opening critically acclaimed Lucques in 1998, the James Beard Award duo Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne embarked on A.O.C., a pioneering wine bar that first paired an indulgent list of wine by the glass with a menu of market-driven small plates. The elegant dining room, lovely patio, and cozy upstairs wine room will set the stage for a night to remember.

 

 

République

624 South La Brea Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

 

Chefs Walter Manzke and Margie Lorenzana-Manzke, the couple behind République, serve legendary rustic French cuisine, paired with a stellar wine list, in a beautifully romantic setting. The building that houses République is both timeless and unique, built in 1928 by Charlie Chaplin and designed by architect Roy Seldon Price. Planning a romantic brunch? Dazzle your s.o. with a sybaritic selection of baked goods from République Cafe & Bakery, led by James Beard nominated Chef Margarita Manzke.

 

 

Soban LA Los Angeles

4001 W Olympic Blvd,

Los Angeles, CA 90019

 

Soban is a small table traditionally used in Korea that allows families and guests to sit together and eat without using chairs. A soban is low to the ground, enabling people to collectively sit and share a meal in a more intimate and cozy way. Soban’s kitchen is led by Chef Park, who introduced Korean food for the first time at the MGM Hotel in Las Vegas. Under Chef Park’s tenure at Soban, the restaurant was named in the “101 Best Restaurants” list made by the late Pulitzer Prize winning critic Jonathan Gold. Soban has also been recommended by a Michelin Guide for Los Angeles restaurants in 2019 under Chef Park’s leadership.

 

 

Night + Market Song

3322 Sunset Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90026

 

Kris Yenbamroong is the 37-year-old chef and owner of Night + Market restaurants. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Chef Kris has no formal culinary training, but grew up in his family-owned restaurant, Talesai. The vibe at Night + Market is California chill meets Bangkok frenzy, fueled by natural wine. The menu is likewise a mash up authentic, old school Thai with some 90s Asian-fusion influences that Chef Kris is proud to take ownership of. Night + Market continues to land on “best of” lists most recently named the 24th best restaurant (out of a list of 101) in Los Angeles by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Jonathan Gold for the Los Angeles Times.

 

 

Jun Won Restaurant

414 S Western Ave. Ste B

Los Angeles, CA 90020

 

This casual, family-run spot has an excellent menu full of everything from braised black cod, belt fish, pollack casserole, and tofu casserole to bossam and sauté spicy pork.  Jun Won’s mission is to provide authentic Korean food with an ambience to match. Their specialty is the Spicy Seasoned Black Cod fish and Korean Seafood Pancake. They also offer an assortment of fresh and original “Ban Chan” (side dishes). For a more savory, homestyle flavor, Jun Won does not use MSG.

 

 

Guelaguetza Mexican Restaurant

3014 W. Olympic Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90006

 

Guelaguetza is a restaurant, boutique market, and an advocate of Oaxacan culture in the heart of Koreatown. Guelaguetza first opened its doors in 1994 by immigrant husband and wife Fernando Lopez and Maria Monterrubio. Since then, the goal at Guelaguetza has been to showcase the best of the family recipes and stay true to authentic Oaxacan ingredients. Named “The Best Oaxacan Restaurant In The Country” by Jonathan Gold, Guelaguetza has been cited by The New York Times, GQ Magazine, Esquire, Los Angeles Magazine, Oprah Magazine, The New Yorker, Travel and Leisure, Sunset Magazine, and was awarded The James Beard Award for the American Classics category, the most prestigious award in the culinary industry.

 

Photo credits:

Photo #1: Here’s Looking at You

Photo #2: Mixtape

Photo #3: SLAB

Photo #4: Here’s Looking at You

Photo #5: A.O.C.

Photo #6: République

Photo #7: Soban Los Angeles

Photo #8: Night + Market Song

Photo #9: Jun Won Restaurant

Photo #10: Guelaguetza Mexican Restaurant