The Toughest Reservations In LA Right Now (And How To Get Them)

Verdict: Years after closing in SLS Beverly Hills, high-end testing menu spot Somni has been resurrected. And as fans of the original Somni, we look forward to getting there very soon. This rebirthed version in West Hollywood is currently the most expensive meal in the city at $495 per person, which features 20+ avant-garde, Spanish-leaning courses, flower petals and all.

Verdict: There are several reasons why Somerville is booked out three months in advance, including its beautiful mahogany-clad interior, the live jazz band that plays the occasional Tyla cover, and the fact that it’s co-owned by Issa Rae. The fact that it’s one of the only upscale dinner options in the neighborhood probably has something to do with it, too. The gussied-up comfort food here is good for the most part—get the scallop crudo and fried chicken sliders with caviar cream—though not as memorable as the actual dining experience. But for a big, splashy, jazz-filled night where you wouldn’t look out of place in a fresh sports coat or midi dress, Somerville is as fun as it gets.

Verdict: If you’ve shown up to Holbox on weekends for ceviche tostadas and aguachiles, you’ve likely seen the gargantuan lines. The good news? Beyond its á la carte menu, the famed mariscos stall also offers a twice-weekly tasting menu at its chef’s counter that features eight courses for $130. The less good news? Reservations disappear in an instant. The experience itself is a great value and worth the effort—half of the courses are incredible raw dishes similar to what you’ll find on their regular menu, followed by hot dishes unique to the tasting menu (these tend to be our favorites), including abalone tamales filled with plantain mole and dungeness crab tacos drizzled with salsa macha.

How To Get into Holbox: Holbox’s tasting menu is available Wednesday and Thursday nights only, with seats released on the first of the month at 11am for the following calendar month. 

Verdict: This moody California-leaning izakaya from the former Gjelina chef has Abbot Kinney buzzing. Booking a table could take a week, but the payoff includes fun highball cocktails and delicious, pared-down Japanese small like little gems with smoked shoyu, pork belly gyoza you’ll want to order by the dozen, and assertively grilled vegetables that might not be in season next week.

Verdict: The sushi at this women-led, eight-seat omakase spot in West LA leans traditional and is delicious across the board, albeit on the understated, nuanced side—like listening to a public radio jazz program. At $250 for 18 courses, you’re served a generous amount of sashimi, seared seafood, and nigiri, all of it sourced from Japan and served on gold-lacquered plates. While we might not suggest it as a first stop for the omakase newbie, Mori Nozomi should be on any serious sushi fan's checklist.

Verdict: Pizzeria Sei’s distinctive Tokyo-influenced pies are worth planning your night around—and given the limited size of the space, you might have to. Along with dinner service, Sei offers a ten-course “omakasei” for $150 on Tuesday nights, a three-hour festival of carbs featuring creative pizza-esque dishes.

Verdict: This minimalist sushi counter in Gardena—from the chef behind Katsu Sando and the now-closed Kura Sushi—serves a $230 tasting menu that's up there with the best omakase spots in LA, and a fairly decent value for what you get. The nigiri here mixes traditional Japanese techniques with Korean touches, and though dishes change with the seasons, you can expect things like monkfish liver tarts with caviar, cut rolls with soy-marinated crab, and sea trout sashimi during the 19-course meal.

Verdict: This red sauce Italian joint from the people behind Bar Flores and Lowboy will make you—and the other diners having friend hangs and tiramisu dates—fall into a deep nostalgic trance. Bask in the room’s dinner-party energy, slosh back icy martinis in a booth, and down chicken parm and lasagna bolognese like a person with a medical degree told you they’d cure a bad day.

Verdict: Anajak isn’t the highest-rated restaurant on our website by accident. This boundary-pushing Thai restaurant in Sherman Oaks serves some of the best food in LA and is a place everyone should experience in person.

Verdict: Despite international accolades and attention from culinary filmmakers, fame hasn’t really gotten to this quiet Japanese tasting menu spot in Palms. It’s still one of the premiere fine dining experiences in LA, and its 13-course modern kaiseki is unique and deeply personal. At $300+ though, we'd be hard-pressed to recommend it for anything other than a Very Special Occasion.

Verdict: Anyone who says the food at Dan Tana’s is bad is wrong. Anyone who says the food at Dan Tana’s is incredible is also wrong. At this quintessential Old Hollywood spot, the red sauce Italian dishes are only part of the experience—you’re here to schmooze with friends, drink too many martinis, and pay tribute to one of LA’s iconic dining institutions. 

Verdict: This high-end omakase spot hidden in the basement of a Little Tokyo office building is desgined for sushi geeks with deep pockets. You'll pay $300+ for about 20 courses of appetizers, sashimi, and nigiri, prepared behind an elegant wood counter. Other omakase spots in LA offer better value (and frankly, are a little more fun), but if eating the absolute best nigiri in the city is your main priority, Kaneyoshi is worth the bucket-list investment.

Verdict: You’re here for the stunning ocean views, you’re here for celebrities in sunglasses, and you’re here to eat expensive sushi that tastes great. Nobu is one of the best—and most consistent—splurge meals in LA.

Verdict: In most ways, Melisse is pretty much what you’d expect from a tasting menu-only spot that’s been open in Santa Monica for over 20 years. There are foams, intricate presentations, and servers who have spent a lot of time learning dish placement choreography. And yet, it doesn’t feel stale. If you're down to spend, it's a good option.

Verdict: One of the OG tasting menu restaurants in town and a place that put LA fine dining on the map. Almost two decades since it open, this fancy seafood spot remains the epitome of high-class, high-quality dining.

Verdict: While we’ve never had a bad meal at Hayato, the overall experience at this high-end kaiseki counter is serious and a little stiff. There’s no music and only scattered conversation from the chefs. If your focus is solely on elegantly prepared Japanese food, consider it a destination, but there are also other options for exciting omakase meals in town.