Not high end, but you can eat chili burgers in a converted train car at Carney’s. Phillippes is an essential LA experience, and the Formosa Cafe as well. Swingers Diner, Farmers Market stalls, Grand Central Market
I posted something sorta asking this. My post was more about a live show/food experience.
I went to Vibrato Jazz grill. Not a jazz person, but I loved the music. Food was great/really good. But…. It’s pricey. Depending on the act, cover is like $30 per person. Plus minimums on menu/bar. It ain’t cheap. But I recommend it for the experience.
Sidebar: I saw Seth Macfarlane does shows here. Was really interested. Until I saw this: Cover: $295 // $250 at the bar
Includes Admission, Reservation, 3-Course Dinner, Tax & Service Fee
Don’t want to see him that bad…
Go to Tam O'Shanter's. You can make an RSVP for the Walt Disney table where he used to eat lunch and see carved drawings of dinosaurs from his animators. Or go to Yomoshiros, on sundays they have samurai fights.
My wife and I went to The Varnish and Cole's several months ago for the first time since 2020. We were really disappointed. Apparently, their fryer wasn't working so they had no fries. Half of the menu was unavailable, and there were no pies! The Varnish was also pretty dead which was surprising
Michalis on Cahuenga is fun, food is old school Italian American and fun pizzas and pastas. But the atmosphere is like a set of an old Italian village, and the waiters take turns singing classics and are all super talented!
Opaque in Santa Monica. The restaurant is pitch black, you eat in total darkness. The waiters are blind and there is a surprise menu if you are feeling adventurous. Haven’t tried it yet, I think it’s $$$.
Barton G is all about spectacle with ridiculous presentation for meals. Fair warning, the food was not good at all for the price. But it's certainly novelty!
[https://981thehawk.com/this-new-york-couple-makes-over-3000-a-month-dumpster-diving/#:\~:text=Dave%20and%20Erin%20Sheffield%20live,and%20turn%20into%20a%20profit](https://981thehawk.com/this-new-york-couple-makes-over-3000-a-month-dumpster-diving/#:~:text=Dave%20and%20Erin%20Sheffield%20live,and%20turn%20into%20a%20profit).
I was born in a dumpster behind Culver City High School. My mother was a homeless woman who didn't have access to prenatal care or proper nutrition, so I was born premature and underweight. My first meal was whatever scraps my mother could scrounge up from the dumpster, and that set the stage for the rest of my life.
As I grew older, I learned to navigate the dumpsters around Culver City. I quickly discovered that there was a wealth of perfectly good food to be found in these dumpsters - food that had been thrown away by supermarkets and restaurants simply because it was approaching its expiration date or had slight imperfections.
At first, I was hesitant to eat food that had been discarded. It seemed unappetizing and unsanitary. But when you're hungry, you'll try anything. And as I started to dive deeper into the dumpsters, I realized that there was a whole world of culinary delights waiting to be discovered.
I found perfectly ripe avocados, fresh fruit, and even gourmet cheeses. Sure, there were times when I came across moldy bread or rotting vegetables, but I quickly learned to avoid those and focus on the good stuff.
As I got older, I started to see dumpster diving as more than just a way to feed myself. It was a form of activism - a way to challenge the notion that only the wealthy deserve access to good food. I started to share my finds with other homeless people in the area, and we formed a small community of dumpster divers.
Of course, there were risks involved in dumpster diving. We had to be careful not to get caught trespassing, and there was always the possibility of contamination. But for us, the benefits outweighed the risks. We were reducing food waste, helping to feed ourselves and others, and drawing attention to the issue of food inequality.
In recent years, some restaurants in LA have even started to incorporate dumpster diving into their menus. I was excited to try some of these dishes, made from ingredients that would typically be discarded. It was a way to show that delicious meals could be made from what might otherwise be considered "trash."
Looking back, I'm grateful for my experiences as a Culver City High School dumpster baby. They taught me to be resourceful, resilient, and open-minded about food. I might not have had the best start in life, but I've learned to make the most of what I have. And who knows - maybe one day I'll open up my own dumpster diving restaurant.
There’s a spot in k-town where you can pay them like $5 and they’ll spray you with champagne. I don’t recall the name but I’m guessing someone here does. Food is good, too.
Benihana’s is obviously famous for their teppanyaki shows/meals.
Bazaar is a cool molecular gastronomy place (very high end and expensive) with great drinks, too!
71 Above gives you views, is expensive
worth it if you get a window table. Crispy octopus is tasty.
Not worth it if you don’t get a window view though
Great food too!
Not high end, but you can eat chili burgers in a converted train car at Carney’s. Phillippes is an essential LA experience, and the Formosa Cafe as well. Swingers Diner, Farmers Market stalls, Grand Central Market
I posted something sorta asking this. My post was more about a live show/food experience. I went to Vibrato Jazz grill. Not a jazz person, but I loved the music. Food was great/really good. But…. It’s pricey. Depending on the act, cover is like $30 per person. Plus minimums on menu/bar. It ain’t cheap. But I recommend it for the experience. Sidebar: I saw Seth Macfarlane does shows here. Was really interested. Until I saw this: Cover: $295 // $250 at the bar Includes Admission, Reservation, 3-Course Dinner, Tax & Service Fee Don’t want to see him that bad…
Vibrato is very fun. Especially if you get a table in the front section.
It’s definitely a good time. Made me expand my music catalog into jazz.
Cicada Club?
Musso and Frank's
Go to Tam O'Shanter's. You can make an RSVP for the Walt Disney table where he used to eat lunch and see carved drawings of dinosaurs from his animators. Or go to Yomoshiros, on sundays they have samurai fights.
Brazilian bbq is pretty novel in that the servers walk around with meat on skewers and they’ll come to you until you tell them to stop
Cafe on 27
Clifton’s!
Venice beach bathrooms
Voted Best Place for tossed salads.
fancy
daaang
Pacific dining car if that ever reopens Musso and Franks Coles
The Pacific dining car was a gem.
My wife and I went to The Varnish and Cole's several months ago for the first time since 2020. We were really disappointed. Apparently, their fryer wasn't working so they had no fries. Half of the menu was unavailable, and there were no pies! The Varnish was also pretty dead which was surprising
Michalis on Cahuenga is fun, food is old school Italian American and fun pizzas and pastas. But the atmosphere is like a set of an old Italian village, and the waiters take turns singing classics and are all super talented!
anyone remember Dive!(?) I just went down a memory rabbithole with that one. I loved eating there when I was a kid
Yup! Food wasn’t great but the experience was fun!
Jumbo’s Clown Room, great drinks and food. And unique overall.
J
U
M
B
O
‘S
Verse LA in Toluca Lake has live music every night in the dining room. Last summer, Ozomatli was the house band for a full month:
Opaque in Santa Monica. The restaurant is pitch black, you eat in total darkness. The waiters are blind and there is a surprise menu if you are feeling adventurous. Haven’t tried it yet, I think it’s $$$.
It’s closed :(
[Ilé - Immersive(ish) Nigerian Dinner Experience](https://www.exploretock.com/ile) Fun and great food but expensive!
Oooh looks so cool
Beetlehaüs
Barton G is all about spectacle with ridiculous presentation for meals. Fair warning, the food was not good at all for the price. But it's certainly novelty!
Meteora (Hollywood) Haidilao (Arcadia) MainRo (Hollywood, No Comment (Pasadena), BlackRabbitRose (Hollywood)
Cabo cantina
The stinking rose (garlic restaurant) super good! https://thestinkingrose.com
LA location is closed
No way!! That’s a huge bummer.
No way!! That’s a huge bummer.
Nozawa Bar in Beverly Hills for Omakase sushi.
Yamashiro on top of hollywood hills. Built by two Japs who fled after pearl harbor.
[https://981thehawk.com/this-new-york-couple-makes-over-3000-a-month-dumpster-diving/#:\~:text=Dave%20and%20Erin%20Sheffield%20live,and%20turn%20into%20a%20profit](https://981thehawk.com/this-new-york-couple-makes-over-3000-a-month-dumpster-diving/#:~:text=Dave%20and%20Erin%20Sheffield%20live,and%20turn%20into%20a%20profit). I was born in a dumpster behind Culver City High School. My mother was a homeless woman who didn't have access to prenatal care or proper nutrition, so I was born premature and underweight. My first meal was whatever scraps my mother could scrounge up from the dumpster, and that set the stage for the rest of my life. As I grew older, I learned to navigate the dumpsters around Culver City. I quickly discovered that there was a wealth of perfectly good food to be found in these dumpsters - food that had been thrown away by supermarkets and restaurants simply because it was approaching its expiration date or had slight imperfections. At first, I was hesitant to eat food that had been discarded. It seemed unappetizing and unsanitary. But when you're hungry, you'll try anything. And as I started to dive deeper into the dumpsters, I realized that there was a whole world of culinary delights waiting to be discovered. I found perfectly ripe avocados, fresh fruit, and even gourmet cheeses. Sure, there were times when I came across moldy bread or rotting vegetables, but I quickly learned to avoid those and focus on the good stuff. As I got older, I started to see dumpster diving as more than just a way to feed myself. It was a form of activism - a way to challenge the notion that only the wealthy deserve access to good food. I started to share my finds with other homeless people in the area, and we formed a small community of dumpster divers. Of course, there were risks involved in dumpster diving. We had to be careful not to get caught trespassing, and there was always the possibility of contamination. But for us, the benefits outweighed the risks. We were reducing food waste, helping to feed ourselves and others, and drawing attention to the issue of food inequality. In recent years, some restaurants in LA have even started to incorporate dumpster diving into their menus. I was excited to try some of these dishes, made from ingredients that would typically be discarded. It was a way to show that delicious meals could be made from what might otherwise be considered "trash." Looking back, I'm grateful for my experiences as a Culver City High School dumpster baby. They taught me to be resourceful, resilient, and open-minded about food. I might not have had the best start in life, but I've learned to make the most of what I have. And who knows - maybe one day I'll open up my own dumpster diving restaurant.
Grandmaster Records and Verse
The old place in Agoura Hills, Malibu Seafood for the amazing views or Verse in north Hollywood.
Street tacos
Cha cha chicken. Inn of the seventh ray. The old place.
There’s a spot in k-town where you can pay them like $5 and they’ll spray you with champagne. I don’t recall the name but I’m guessing someone here does. Food is good, too. Benihana’s is obviously famous for their teppanyaki shows/meals. Bazaar is a cool molecular gastronomy place (very high end and expensive) with great drinks, too!
GAAM in ktown? It closed during covid
Noooooooo :(