Diners' Choice: Good for special occasions restaurants in Downtown

OpenTable

Updated July 05, 2025

Looking for the best special occasion restaurants in Downtown? 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!

Fogo de Chao - Los Angeles

4.8

4.8 (2150)

$30 and under

Brazilian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Fogo de Chão is an internationally-renowned steakhouse from Brazil that allows guests to discover what's next at every turn. Founded in Southern Brazil in 1979, Fogo elevates the centuries-old culinary art of churrasco - roasting high-quality cuts of meat over an open flame - into a cultural dining experience of discovery. Please join us in our dining room, in our more casual Bar Fogo, or bring the Fogo Experience to you with Fogo To-Go or Catering. Visit our website to make a reservation or place an order.

Top review

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

Antonio was attentive to our needs and courteous. He was reassuring and took good care of us. Kudos!

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Experience

Surf & Turf Cocktail Party

Experience

All-Day Happy Hour

Kato

4.8

4.8 (352)

$50 and over

Contemporary Asian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Kato serves seasonally-focused tasting menus influenced by Taiwan and Asian American nostalgia.

Dining Room Tasting Menu │ $325
The dining room tasting menu focuses on seasonality and innovation.

Bar Tasting Menu │ $185
The bar tasting menu is a slightly abbreviated collection of classic Kato dishes.

An 18% fair wage and operational fee has been added to your bill. It goes to provide elevated, comprehensive benefits, as well as consistent, livable wages for all staff. Though many of our guests choose to leave gratuity for exemplary service, it is neither necessary nor expected, though it is greatly appreciated. This gratuity will be shared by all hourly staff.

Top review

DheilanVIP

Dined 7 days ago

Exceptional food in a surprisingly casual environment.

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Experience

Dining Room Tasting Menu

Experience

Bar Tasting Menu

Experience

Bar Cocktails & Snacks

Fixins Soul Kitchen

4.8

4.8 (4587)

$30 and under

Soul food

Downtown

About the restaurant

*We encourage all guests to plan ahead for parking to ensure your reservation time is met.
*We have a 15-minute grace period. If you will be arriving later than the grace period, please message us on OpenTable or your reservation will be cancelled.
*All dining experiences are limited to 90 minutes to accommodate all reservations.
*We accept reservations for up to 8 guests.
*All parties of 9+ can visit www.fixinssoulkitchencatering.com to fill out an inquiry form for large parties. We will be in touch between 24 to 48 hours with further details.
*Each reservation is treated separately. We cannot guarantee nearby seating for separate reservations.
*We ask that your full party be present in order to be seated.
*An automatic 20% service charge is included for all parties of 6+ w/ the option to split checks up to 3 times, max.

Top review

Veronica

Dined 1 day ago

Will be coming back again, nice surprise last minute choice, great tasting food!

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4.8

4.8 (70)

$30 and under

Italian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Mona Pasta Bar

Dinner dishes highlight the marriage of Italian techniques with Southern California ingredients including Pesce Crudo with citrus cured hamachi, kosho beet vinaigrette and hazelnuts, Burrata & Tomato with burrata pugliese, heirloom tomato, pine nuts, pesto and squash blossom, Casarecce with lamb sausage and rapini, Lumache - alla vodka, and a Whole Branzino with caramelized fennel.

The menu is designed for snacking over a glass of wine, sharing with friends and/or enjoying a more coursed out dining experience. Pasta, a focal point of the offerings, will all be made in-house.

The wine list is focused on fun, daring, low-intervention, natural wines to accentuate and complement the food. The primarily Italian focused list with opening selections from Sicily to Puglia will be rotating based on seasonality and availability.

Top review

Angelica

Dined on Apr 11, 2025

I don't live in LA but I have eaten here so many times. The server (young woman, very kind) is the absolute best. Her attentiveness, knowledge, and the food is just excellent. It's one of my favorite places in DTLA

USC University Club

4.7

4.7 (107)

$30 and under

American

Downtown

About the restaurant

The University Club Restaurant is an elegant space to host work meetings or enjoy a gracious setting with friends. Our menu changes seasonally and reflects the best of local produce.

Reservations are recommended. Our dress code is Business Casual.

For reservations, call (213) 740-2030

Top review

EvelynVIP

Dined on Feb 20, 2025

Excellent dining option right on campus! Friendly staff, great desserts. Looking forward to trying their buffet option.

Le Petit Paris

4.7

4.7 (2954)

$30 and under

French

Downtown

About the restaurant

If you ask the brilliant minds behind Le Petit Paris, Fanny and David Rolland, They will say “We were born in a restaurant, literally”. From Grandpa to father, the restaurant business has been a natural part of their daily life.

They decided 15 years ago to create their first restaurant in Cannes, Le Petit Paris, Parisian brasserie, located in the middle of the international film festival city.

In order to give the opportunity of an unforgettable experience in Cannes to their international clientele, they decided to run a business on the beach with the combination of well being, relaxed and lay down on the beach with a cocktail and enjoying a gastronomic food.

David and Fanny were always striving to be surrounded by great collaborators in order to provide a real “savoir-faire” to their clients. They have been known worldwide now thanks to their hard work and dedication.

Top review

Libett

Dined on Jun 1, 2025

We love Le Petit Paris. Everything about the ambience, the food, the wine selection, the staff. We try to go there as often as we can

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Mastro's Ocean Club - Downtown Los Angeles

4.7

4.7 (818)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

Downtown

About the restaurant

Mastro’s collection of sophisticated, classic Steakhouses and Ocean Club seafood locations are recognized for their combination of world-class service, highly acclaimed cuisine, and live entertainment in an elegant yet energetic atmosphere. A truly unparalleled dining experience.

Top review

simoneVIP

Dined on May 29, 2025

The entire bar team is awesome, I mean truly great!

Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse - Los Angeles

4.6

4.6 (3283)

$50 and over

Steakhouse

Downtown

About the restaurant

Celebrated by the Food Network as the Best Steakhouse in California, Nick & Stef's Steakhouse offers contemporary high-design showcasing a menu combining steakhouse tradition and culinary flair. Indulge in the expanded dry-aged prime steak options and fresh-catch seafood selections paired with a curated world-class wine list of over 500 labels. Parking in Wells Fargo parking garage; validation 2 hours $7.00 3 hours $10, after 3rd hour $4 every 10 minutes Maximum $48
Things of note:
-Cashless payments only
-The outdoor patio can be cold! Please dress for your own comfort!
- Gratuity applied to parties of six or larger

Top review

Sam

Dined on Jun 25, 2025

Overall very good. Very noisy. The steak was not as good as the price would have predicted.

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Popular dish

NEW YORK STRIP

Popular dish

MEYER LEMON MERINGUE TART

Popular dish

HANGER STEAK

Mrs. Fish

4.6

4.6 (1749)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Downtown

About the restaurant

A truly unique dining and cocktail experience nestled below the main level of the historic Pershing Square Building, in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles. Mrs. Fish is a subterranean Japanese restaurant lounge providing the perfect gathering place for special occasions, events, or full dining experiences. Our menu spans Japanese small plates, sushi, entrees, and premium steak cuts.

*Walk-ins after 10:45pm must be 21+ with ID
*Valet Parking is offered Tuesday – Saturday for $14.00
*Our Dress Code is Upscale Casual preferred. Presentable shirts, jeans, or shorts are acceptable.
*We advise guests to arrive at the time of reservation to Check-in for table. We have a 15 minute grace period if guests are running late.
The restaurant charges a 20% auto-gratuity on all food and beverage items for parties and groups of 6 or larger. The full amount of the gratuity is distributed to employees in the chain of service to the guests.

Top review

TonyVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Fantastic food, fantastic service, great live music, and super cool space. Highly recommend!

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4.6

4.6 (688)

$30 and under

American

Flower District

About the restaurant

Poppy + Rose is known for our buttermilk fried chicken & waffles, pulled pork hash, mimosas, rose mojito and more! Come visit us at the historic SoCal Flower Market 7 days a week from 9AM-3PM.

Poppy+Rose's Rooftop Patio is currently closed; all groups will be seated in our indoor dining room located at 765 Wall Street.

Poppy+Rose welcomes walk-ins 7 days a week. For groups up to 8, reservations can be made Mon-Thurs via Open Table. We do not take reservations on Friday or Saturday for groups under 9.

For groups of 9+ we offer large party pricing and reservations 7 days a week for our dining room only. While a reservation for a large group is not necessary, the pricing for large parties will still apply to all walk-in parties of 9+. For large party reservations and buyout pricing please email gm@poppyandrose.com.

Top review

Valerie

Dined on May 25, 2025

The food was exceptional! Waiter was attentive and friendly! We got the chicken and waffles The spicy chicken waffle sandwich & mimosa Kit!! Overall 9/10

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