The Celebrity-Owned Restaurant Power Rankings

Celebrity: Robert De Niro

With over 50 restaurants and 13 hotels worldwide, the Nobu name prints money at this point. Consider it the "All I Want For Christmas" of celebrity-owned hospitality groups: a smash hit that never gets old. Among the many branches of the upscale Japanese concept—co-founded by Robert De Niro and Nobu Matsuhisa—is the gorgeous location in Malibu, which remains one of the city's most recognizable restaurants a decade after opening. You're also going to spend a lot of money at this beautiful beachfront spot, but several things make it worth the pretty penny: the ornate sashimi platters, the buttery black cod entree, the sound of waves crashing beneath your feet, and the likely chance you'll brush shoulders with an A-lister who leaves you starstruck. So whether you see Nobu as a special occasion spot, tourist trap, or just an overhyped sushi option, there's no denying eating here is a pleasant experience.

Celebrity: Issa Rae

[Said in the Oscars announcer’s voice] Somerville is Issa Rae’s second appearance and second win in this guide (#4 was the first). Located on Slauson Avenue in South LA, this retro supper club transports you to a 1940s jazz club with its live band, handsome mahogany walls, and what we deem to be the best-dressed crowd in town. The glammed American menu is all-around solid, with dishes like a rich collard greens lasagna and juicy fried chicken sliders dripping in caviar cream, but they're ultimately secondary to how glamorous a night here feels.

Celebrity: Jay-Z

On one occasion at Mr. T, we recall watching servers walking around the dining room setting food on fire while Jay-Z played in the background. This was not a coincidence. The iconic rapper is a partner at this slick French-ish spot—a Hollywood offshoot of a cool Paris bistro—that's best known for its comte and mimolette cheese flambé, which shows up in a few signature dishes. The menu melds street food with traditional French cooking, and you can watch the action in the open kitchen from seats at the counter. Bring a date to snack on minty-sweet larb steak tartare or invite friends to crowd around a patio table for halibut over ratatouille, truffle mac and cheese, and blue prawn lumpia.

Celebrity: Issa Rae

With three locations across LA, Hilltop Coffee is a great spot to procrastinate on a laptop while sipping an iced latte. Issa Rae is a fan, too, which is why she helped open a location in her hometown right next to Inglewood City Hall. The massive split-level cafe is bright and airy, complete with lots of comfy booths, large communal tables, and motivational quotes on the wall. Hilltop is open from 8am to 3pm, serving espresso drinks, hearty bowls, and an especially good breakfast sandwich filled with bacon, cheddar cheese, a fried egg, and a nice drizzle of hot sauce all on a brioche bun. So you should probably come up with an excuse to do some work here soon, if not just to camp out and eat your way through their menu.

Celebrity: Anderson .Paak

If you want to eat food at Andy’s (named after the man himself), you’re going to have to make a reservation between 5pm and 8:30pm. But don’t submit yourself to the hassle. The menu isn’t much more than clubby snacks like crispy calamari and chicken tenders, and prior to 9pm, the vibe is dead. Come after 9:30pm instead and use this place for what it is: a fantastic live music venue. Tables are set aside for bottle service, but walk-ins are encouraged (with no cover charge) and everybody crowds around the rectangular bar and watches whoever is playing. That could be a funk guitarist, an 80s cover band, or a soul singer. If you’re looking for a high-energy, post-dinner spot that doesn’t involve the full-on club experience, Andy’s is a fun place to end a night in Weho.

Celebrity: Ryan Gosling

Apparently some people were once upset that Ryan Gosling is nowhere to be found at Tagine, the Moroccan restaurant he invested in over a decade ago. We're sure Ryan is probably busy being an international movie star to come in for his daily cup of mint tea, but luckily enough, this Beverly Hills spot can hold its own without the celebrity hype. In many ways, Tagine is an ideal date spot: it has dark, moody lighting, plush cushions to sink into, and delicious shareable plates, like the sweet-savory chicken bastilla and the honey lamb couscous that hits you with a waft of spices and roasted shank the moment it hits the table.

Celebrity: Travis Barker

Crossroads Kitchen in West Hollywood is a vegan restaurant that ironically feels like a fancy steakhouse. It's also a place that swears it will change how you feel about plant-based food with its ability to create "beef short rib" out of eggplant, but it mostly falls short on that front. Crossroads (which is backed by Blink-182 drummer and Kardashian spouse Travis Barker) is just OK, with some dishes being tastier than others. The baby beet salad with salty vegan feta and artichoke oysters with kelp caviar are fairly tasty, but the campanelle pasta with Italian "sausage" is flavorless, sloshing in a watery sauce that fails to stick to the noodles. It also doesn't help that this Weho spot is quite pricey.

Celebrity: Marc Anthony

Salsa singer/Latin icon Marc Anthony is no stranger to the hotel industry, so it makes sense the West Hollywood steakhouse he co-owns feels like a high-end resort in Mexico. MXO, from the Ka’Teen and Guerilla Tacos chef, is full of people in Rococo Sand dresses and features a bumping bar area with flashy agave cocktails, all in a dining room that looks like a millionaire’s dude ranch. The shareable menu is perfectly fine—there are mesquite-grilled steaks with flour tortillas, chicharron-topped guacamole, and yellowtail aguachile with asian pear—but we think MXO works best for a boozy, snacky night out with friends, especially ones who aren’t on a budget. Even a few chipotle margaritas with their impressive (free) chips and salsa spread can run up a decently high tab.

Celebrity: Evan Ross

Leona's Sushi House is a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Studio City backed by Evan Ross that feels like multiple restaurants crammed into one. There are three distinct dining areas inside–a chic, white-marbled indoor-outdoor space that feels like a bar, a barebones sushi counter, and a dark dining room with gaudy bird nest-shaped chandeliers that belong in a Vegas casino—that make choosing where to sit confusing, and things don't get easier once you open the menu. With sushi and small plates and robata skewers and lukewarm Peruvian entrees that come out way too fast from the kitchen, Leona falls victim to trying to do too much. The decent sushi rolls and sashimi were the only things that managed to grab our attention at this pricey restaurant.

Celebrity: Danny Trejo

Like the first installation of his classic B movie franchise Machete, Danny Trejo's fast-casual restaurant has proven to be a massive success, and we understand why. Now with four locations across town, Trejo’s Tacos is a solid lunchtime option when you need something quick, tasty enough, and/or vegan-friendly in under 30 minutes. You can choose between tacos with charred mushroom "asada," shredded jackfruit, or some pretty underwhelming chicken tinga, but we much prefer the juicy barbacoa topped with fried tortilla strips for extra crunch. The asada taco is also a little too salty for our liking but comes with a tangy pepita pesto that sets it off like an explosion in a Robert Rodriquez film.

Celebrity: Anderson Paak

Anderson Paak is co-owner of this Tulum-inspired Mexican spot in Sherman Oaks, and much like his high-octane live shows, Casita is a packed party place where you'll have to scream to be heard. Getting a table inside the dimly lit dining room on Ventura might be a hassle, but it's all worth it for a celebratory plate of flaming queso under a bamboo pendant light. Prices trend a bit steep (like $42 for two wagyu steak tacos or $120 for a tomahawk bathed in jalapeño butter), but there are other affordable options under $20 here. Just steer clear of the raw bar— the ceviches, crudos, and oysters we sampled were borderline inedible. If you're looking for a baller birthday dinner, Casita also offers a multi-course omakase experience for the table.

Celebrity: Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons

Founded by two members of the face-painting '70s rock band KISS, Rock & Brews is a burger restaurant and sports bar chain that runs on extreme amounts of classic rock nostalgia. It's not exactly a groundbreaking formula—Hard Rock Cafe walked so Rock & Brews could run—but since opening its first location in 2012, the concept has expanded to 22 locations across the country. Their El Segundo flagship is home to an outdoor beer garden decorated with faux stage rigging, walls plastered in vintage album covers, waitresses who wear backstage passes as name tags, and a blaring Guitar Hero soundtrack. As a place to simply watch a game and eat standard bar food, Rock & Brews is a serviceable option, as long as you don't mind hanging with dudes in leather who look like (and might actually be) the lead singer from Creed.

Celebrity: Jerry Ferrara

You can't sugarcoat anything about Fat Sal's: you come to this SoCal mini-chain that's open until 3am to eat something so gut-bomb heavy, you'll ask to be wheelbarrowed home and dumped onto your living room couch. Inspired by overstuffed Jersey-style "fat sandwiches," the concept was co-founded by Entourage star Jerry Ferrara, who has since gone through a legal battle over ownership with his former business partners. You're certainly not going to find the best sandwiches in LA, but you'll find one filled with every late-night craving imaginable, including chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, fried eggs, and shaved steak. And, yes, there are salads and wraps on the menu, but those aren't going to soak up whatever you probably drank before coming to this establishment.

Celebrity: Mark Wahlberg

Given its name and the long-running reality show following the family behind it, you probably already know who owns this burger chain. Wahlberg brothers Mark and Donnie opened the first location with their brother Paul back in 2011, and over a decade later, it's grown into a global franchise. They have a location right at the heart of Hollywood Blvd. where you can pair greasy burgers with boozy shakes, beer, and wine. It's a solid fast-food spot to take your cousins after playing tour guide at the Walk of Fame for a couple of hours at Madame Tussauds. But the most notable thing about this place is its famous owners.

Celebrity: Ryan Phillippe and Evan Ross

Don't be fooled by the secretive name, this Ryan Phillippe and Evan Ross-backed restaurant in Beverly Hills is 90% tourist cheese. A meal on its giant, pink patio is like eating at a gaudy cantina in Downtown Disney—children are running everywhere, $20 guacamole that should be $5, tables with a gimmicky "push for tequila" button, and waitstaff that deadpans, "Welcome to beautiful Rodeo Drive!" as you sit down. As for the food, there are some highlights—the savory tableside brisket birria is a solid dish to share if you're on a date—but nothing is good enough to distract you from the fact that you're in a shopping plaza surrounded by people who just got back from the Santa Monica Pier.

Celebrity: Ariana Madix and Katie Maloney

Given that this guide contains names like Issa Rae, Robert DeNiro, and Cristiano Ronaldo, it might be a stretch to consider the reality TV star-backed Something About Her “celebrity-owned.” Even if you’re a Vanderpump Rules superfan, however, there’s no reason to come to this West Hollywood cafe beyond a selfie. The only things you’ll find here are overpriced, grocery store-caliber sandwiches, and the chance to see somebody from Bravo peddling merch.