One of my favorite special occasion dinner places. Always low dim lighting and a calm vibe. Piano in the background and lighting make you travel back in time. An LA classic. 

Fantastic food in a cozy, intimate restaurant - where you can sit at the bar and see the chefs expertly doing their culinary thing with style and ease.

This place is really popular, and for good reason. Their cuts of meat are on point, and who doesn't love troughs of cheesy corn and steamed eggs? Definitely order a lunch box, and if you want to avoid the long wait, go either super early around or really late. They're open from 11:30a to 1:30a.

Leo's is an institution. I thought there was only one truck on Venice and La Brea but turns out they have eight across LA. Watching them slice pork and pineapple in one fell swoop is both drool-inducing and an art form. Open til 3am most nights I think.

Did you ever see the movie “Chinatown” with Jack Nicholson? IT'S JUST LIKE THAT but with good food, good art, and less incest.