Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Los Angeles

OpenTable

Updated January 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Los Angeles? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Le Gourmet French Cuisine

5.0

5 (300)

$30 and under

French

Upland

About the restaurant

Le Gourmet French Cuisine is a classic French restaurant tucked away in the hills of Upland. Please join us for lunch, dinner, or special events. Le Gourmet is a cozy space with an an open kitchen.

Top review

MaryVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Great food- outstanding service! Entrees included chicken piccata, beef tornadoes, sole with lemon butter caper sauce, the Grand Marnier soufflé and peach Melba desserts are wonderful. Best of all is the attentive and wonderful and outstanding service by Juan and Eddie. Le Gourmet French restaurant is a neighborhood treasure with standing food and excellent service!

Vino Wine & Tapas Room

4.9

4.9 (949)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Encino

About the restaurant

**We are currently open for indoor dining. **

Vino Wine and Tapas Room Restaurant, a European-style wine tasting restaurant in the heart of San Fernando Valley, California (Encino, Ventura Blvd), offers a delicious alternative to the same old dining experience and more than 100 wines into the establishment, which diners can pair with myriad cheeses and tapas.

Gluten-free, vegetarian option, and organic wine offered.

Let Vino cater your next event. Bring Spanish tapas and large paella to your next event or backyard. We also specialize in wine tasting events.

Top review

Danny

Dined on Dec 20, 2024

Great experience. Food was great and I loved the guitar.

Pastina Trattoria

4.9

4.9 (550)

$30 and under

Italian

West Los Angeles

About the restaurant

Casually elegant, Pastina is home to some of the best Italian cooking in town inspired by the freshest ingredients, cooked simply and prepared beautifully with excellent service and a warm comfortable atmosphere. Many of the clientele are on the first name basis with host Franco Catullo who supplies ample amount of Italian charm to go along with delicate antipasti, splendid pastas, fresh fish, hefty veal chops and fabulous desserts flown in from Italy. Pastina strikes a perfect balance between favorite dishes of the moment and trusty standbys with waiters that have the Italian enthusiasm for seeing diners happy.

Top review

Linda MVIP

Dined on Dec 25, 2024

Delicious food, friendly yet not intrusive service.

Casa Nostra Ristorante - Pacific Palisades

4.9

4.9 (441)

$30 and under

Italian

Pacific Palisades

About the restaurant

**EVERYDAY OPEN FOR LUNCH**PIZZA OVEN IS BACK**BRING YOUR WINE*** FREE CORKAGE Monday Tuesday - Wednesday***
Benvenuti
Enjoying the simple pleasure of eating and drinking is our way of living at Casa Nostra. Nestled in the hills of the Palisades, we offer classic Italian cuisine in a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. We love bringing our passion for the tastes of Italy to your table in every dish, using high quality, imported Italian products and the freshest locally grown produce. Our knowledgeable staff prides itself in providing a simple, flavorful dining experience and making your visit to Casa Nostra Ristorante delicious and special.

Top review

Paul

Dined on Dec 28, 2024

This was our favorite restaurant, with great, well-priced food, a welcoming team and staff, and lovely ambiance. Unfortunately, because of the new landlord, it appears this local treasure will be closing its doors for good on December 31, 2024. So sad for the local community, the patrons and the excellent, dedicated staff, who we hope find a new place where we can come and support them. Grazie mille e buona fortuna!

the Hook & Plow - Redondo Beach

4.9

4.9 (643)

$31 to $50

Californian

Redondo Beach

About the restaurant

Farm to table is a movement around sourcing locally produced food and delivering the freshest product to the consumer. At the Hook & Plow, we truly believe food that comes directly from the source will yield a more fresh and more tasty product. Our menu is focused around all the wonderful delights that California has to offer, including lots of fresh seafood and seasonal farm fare. We will strive to be as sustainable, organic, and healthy as possible, while staying true to our California roots.

Top review

Eric

Dined on Jan 5, 2025

Restaurant looked great very cozy. Food was great good flavor. Prices seemed steep. I’m from Chicago and I’m used to high prices how ever portion sizes did not meet the prices. Also drinks took forever to come out. Over all good.

Next Door

4.9

4.9 (157)

$50 and over

Mediterranean

Beverly / Fairfax / La Brea / Third St.

About the restaurant

Welcome to Next Door!

Top review

Simcha

Dined on Jan 7, 2025

The. Best. Always. We love next door. Super consistent and just a really good vibe

Ritrovo Playa Vista

4.9

4.9 (101)

$30 and under

Unspecified

Playa Vista

About the restaurant

We pride ourselves in offering great atmosphere for family and friends. Deva and Ivan (the husband and wife team) wanted to offer here in Playa Vista a little piece of Italy and brought wonderful recipes along for their guests to enjoy.

We invite you to come and enjoy a pleasant visit with a wonderful wine selection to go along with your meal and a homey environment.

Top review

Carmen

Dined on Dec 21, 2024

Great accommodations for a party of 10. If still in the menu try the lobster pasta or butter squash ravioli.

TENSHO

4.9

4.9 (70)

$31 to $50

Shabu-shabu

Little Tokyo

About the restaurant

Even if seats are full, we may still have availability. Also, special requests or inquiries would be welcome. Please do not hesitate to reach us by phone (213-617-1016).

5.3.2022 Tue
NEW OPEN in Little Tokyo
[TENSHO]

Right in the heart of Little Tokyo, “Kagaya” has established itself a top tier shabu shabu restaurant. Now, the torches have been handed to a new head chef and owner, the next generation to carry the torches of tradition and exquisite flavor, with the new name of TENSHO.

Trained in traditional Japanese cookery, this 23 year veteran chef is on his way to introducing a new wave of Japanese delicacies to the States. As close as you can get to Japan itself, this chef brings his revisioned menu, with patron favorites, and extensive sake list. The desert and a la carte menu is designed by their French trained chef.

The wagyu beef is of A5 rank. The seafood, carefully selected to be of highest quality. Food that is not only delicious but also good for the health.

Top review

gavinVIP

Dined on Dec 20, 2024

Great as always. Weekly treats can’t wait to go back

Discover more

Experience

Deluxe A5 WAGYU (JAPAN, 8oz)

Experience

USDA Prime Beef (Rib, 8oz)

Experience

Deluxe A5 WAGYU & Seafood

Two Hommés

4.9

4.9 (159)

$30 and under

Soul food

Inglewood

About the restaurant

Two Hommès is an Afro-Centric Eatery created by life long friends Marcus Yaw & Abdoulaye Balde
Located in Inglewood, CA

Top review

Keith

Dined 3 days ago

The service was friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious twists on old favorites: rice, beans, lamb. Everything was great and came out very quickly. I was not a fan of the limited cocktail menu.

Discover more

Popular dish

Garlic Noodle

Popular dish

Honey Berbere Chicken Bites

Ayara Thai

4.8

4.8 (99)

$30 and under

Thai

LAX / Westchester

About the restaurant

Ayara Thai offers home-cooked food with an emphasis on local produce. Appetizers at Ayara Thai include Muay Thai Wings, Veggie Rolls, Shrimp Butterfly, and more. Several soups are available including the restaurant's specialty, chicken or shrimp Tom Yum, which is a hot and sour soup with lemongrass, Thai chili, fresh lime and mushrooms.

For mains, try any of the rice, noodle or curry dishes or choose one of the house specials like Baked River Prawns, Chinese Broccoli Pork belly or Whole Fried Branzino. Desserts at Ayara Thai include Mango Sticky Rice, Thai Tea Flan, and seasonal offerings, such as our Chocolate Cherry Tart, and more.

Top review

OpenTable DinerVIP

Dined on Jan 6, 2025

Love my server and the food

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