Diners' Choice: Innovative restaurants in Westside

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for the best restaurants that are fit for foodies in Westside? 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!

Melisse

4.9

4.9 (2002)

$50 and over

Californian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Chef & Owner Josiah Citrin has revived his Michelin 2-Star institution with an intimate, 14-seat restaurant with Chef/Partner Ken Takayama. In a setting that blurs the line between kitchen and dining room, Chefs and service staff guide guests through a 2.5-hour culinary experience.

Collaborating with California farmers from San Diego to Napa Valley, Chef Josiah sources the most unique and exclusive ingredients available. An 8-course tasting menu is bookended by canapés, amuse-bouches and mignardise, all of which showcase global flavors using both modern and classic techniques.

Top review

Onuralp

Dined on Apr 25, 2025

Great experience from everyone involved including front and the kitchen.

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Experience

Chef's Tasting Menu, May- $399

Experience

Chef's Tasting Menu, June- $399

Experience

Smoked Room Collaboration Dinner

SHU - Sushi House Unico - Bel Air

4.9

4.9 (665)

$31 to $50

Sushi

Bel-Air

About the restaurant

Nestled in the canyons of Bel Air, SHU is a dining experience like no other - a fusion of Japanese, Italian and Latin flavors and influences. The menu features traditional dishes as well as signature offerings, inspired by Giacomino Drago’s love of blending Japanese, Italian and Latin cuisines. SHU’s environment is well-suited to singles, couples and families. The bar seats up to ten people and there is a special booth that seats six people. Private dinning room is available to accommodate up to 12 guests. Signature dishes included halibut carpaccio with sun-dried tomato, Kobe Beef sashimi and albacore sashimi with shaved truffles.

Top review

YuryVIP

Dined on Apr 12, 2025

Number one or shearing first place with Nobu Malibu for the best sushi spots in LA! Service is impeccable--just the right amount of attention and responsiveness. The place is packed with beautiful people and noisy Uni spaghetti topped with Osetra Caviar & Shiro Ebi a must Halibut black truffle carpaccio a must Shiro Ebi, topped with Ostera Caviar 5+ Burie, ( Yellowtail belly) from Japan 5+

AKASHA

4.8

4.8 (3836)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Culver City

About the restaurant

AKASHA restaurant/bar/cafe features New American cuisine offering comfort food with big flavors and sustainable ingredients, for carnivores and herbivores alike. Chef/Caterer Akasha Richmond brings visionary cuisine to her own neighborhood eatery located in the historic Hull Building in downtown Culver City. Keeping the principles of sustainability in mind, the building's original steel, wood, concrete and brick arches were restored while the design materials pair with a seventies modernity to exude an inviting and lively atmosphere. The artisan bakery has both sweet and savory selections, as well as locally roasted direct trade coffee. The 20-seat bar highlights fresh juice cocktails, organic and premium spirits, beer and wine. The entire menu is available for catering or to go.

Top review

Jo Ann

Dined on May 3, 2025

Best place ever!! Never fails!! Menu choices for food and drinks are great. Service and ambience are great too!!

The Courtyard Kitchen

4.8

4.8 (145)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

The Courtyard Kitchen is located in a historic landmark building on Montana Ave, Santa Monica. We are a full service bar and restaurant with 4 different dining spaces ranging from old world charm to contemporary upscale dining. We pride ourselves in our Neapolitan style pizza, vacation inspired Mediterranean cuisine and favourite American Brunch classics.

Top review

CarolynVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Great service, great location - delicious breakfast

Vespertine

4.8

4.8 (200)

$50 and over

Californian

Culver City

About the restaurant

We are excited to share the return of Vespertine, Chef Jordan Kahn's otherworldy culinary symphony. More than a restaurant, Vespertine transports diners through the twisted steel and glass structure designed by acclaimed architect Eric Owen Moss. Food, beverage, music, and art are woven throughout, creating an immersive, multi-sensory evening.

Awards Include
2 Stars - Michelin Guide, 2019 - 2024
Green Star - Michelin Guide, 2024
Most Beautiful Restaurants - Condé Nast
World's 100 Greatest Places - Time Magazine
Atmosphere of the Year - World Restaurant Awards

Top review

ViktoriaVIP

Dined on May 4, 2025

It was not just a dinner, it was a whole experience, almost theatrical. I enjoyed everything. For people who are passionate about architecture, it’s definitely a must go to place. I liked the fact that there were so many dishes and all of them were small, which was enjoyable and no overeating, which happened to me in some other Micheline star restaurants. Definitely coming back.

Palma at Santa Monica Proper

4.8

4.8 (292)

$30 and under

Californian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Palma is an intimate, inspiring space lined with windows and original art, offering thoughtfully designed areas for all-day dining, coffee, or quiet conversation. Settle into one of the carved-out niches or gather around the monolithic bar featuring a mural by local artist Ben Medansky. Enjoy a meal or snack accompanied by small-batch spirits or expertly crafted cocktails. Every dish is thoughtfully prepared without seed oils, bringing freshness and balance to every bite.

Top review

AranVIP

Dined on Apr 24, 2025

Simple and elegant, refined and friendly it separates itself from other local spaces by creating a special vibe with amazing food and attention to detail. A place to relax enjoying friends while it feels like someone special is just around the corner!

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Experience

Afternoon Tea at Palma

El Rincon De Los Dolidos - Santa Monica

4.7

4.7 (51)

$30 and under

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Rincón de los Dolidos somos un bar en donde transformamos el despecho en alegría en donde celebras la diversión cantando desde el corazón la música más iconica te hará olvidar todo.
¡Ven a disfrutar y dejar atrás las penas, únete a la fiesta de despechados!

***For the health and well-being of our employees, a 20% service charge will be added to your bill***

Top review

Bianca

Dined on Apr 13, 2025

This is a “for the vibe” place. Definitely love the ambiance they’ve created, the music would be perfect if they wouldn’t replay a single song. My friends and I enjoyed our night here however the food ehhh chips and guacamole is my only go to here.

Hinoki & The Bird

4.6

4.6 (523)

$50 and over

Contemporary American

Century City

About the restaurant

Hinoki & the Bird is a travel-inspired restaurant that pushes modern California cooking to vibrant new bounds. Taking cues from travels through the Silk Road, the restaurant serves as a colorful kaleidoscope where bright flavors, a healthful sensibility, and technique harmoniously collide. The Milo Garcia-designed indoor/outdoor space is housed on the ground floor of The Century condominium tower.

For parties of 7 or more, please call the restaurant directly at 310-552-1200.

Top review

Chelsea

Dined on Feb 15, 2025

I think they were over booked. It took 15 minutes after our reservation to be seated and then another 20 minutes before our order was taken. Then they ran out of the entree dish that I ordered. So a bit underwhelming.

pasjoli

4.6

4.6 (688)

$50 and over

French

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Pasjoli is an elevated French bistro from James Beard award-winning chef Dave Beran. The restaurant pays homage to French cuisine utilizing the bounty of produce available in Southern California. Rooted in classic French cooking and inspired by Parisian markets, pasjoli reflects Chef Dave’s thoughtful cooking style, showcasing his creative touches on bistro fare.

We serve a five-course prix fixe menu in our dining room and our secret garden. You'll be able to select your seating preference when you confirm your reservation. Please visit our website to see the most current menu.

Each evening, we have limited availability of pressed duck dinners. If you are interested in enjoying a pressed duck, please email info@pasjoli.com, and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate vegan diets.

Top review

MichaelVIP

Dined on Apr 30, 2025

Solid French spot for haute cuisine. Probably not a spot you would go on a regular basis but for a special occasion it was a solid choice.

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Experience

Large Party Dining Deposit | 7 to 10 guests

Fitoor Santa Monica

4.6

4.6 (47)

$31 to $50

Indian

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Fitoor (Hindi for ‘Passion’) is a contemporary Indian restaurant and cocktail lounge, with a vibrant menu and electrifying music to evoke the ardor and energy of India today. Indulge your passion at Fitoor!

Top review

James

Dined 2 days ago

Initially very pleased, but quality of waitstaff, at least ours which was multiple people seriously declined from our previous time here. Food was excellent & and well defined when asking. Some of it was very crumbly in consistency & made the table messy. We had to ask the waiter to clean it, rather than grabbing a cloth, he seemed to use a folded piece of paper scraping the crumbs rudely across the table, which was ineffective, rude and not professional. When placing our desert order, It seemed to have been totally forgotten. They brought our teas, which were tepid at best, and after asking multiple times about the desserts, they kept saying “almost ready” 15 minutes later still had not arrived. We well over minutes for dessert, with no forewarning, they really need to have better trained waitstaff. The food was always very tasty, but the seriously poorly trained detracted from what should have been a deliciously lovely dinner.

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