LA has more great French restaurants than most people realize, from Ludo Lefebvre's beloved Hollywood bistros to Michelin-starred brasseries in Santa Monica. These are the kitchens doing it right.
Hollywood · 624 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
A grand, light‑soaked Mid‑City staple housed in a 1920s Charlie Chaplin. Era landmark where the front feels like a Parisian bakery‑bar and the back transforms into a lively dining room that hums with clinking wine glass…
Hollywood · 718 Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038, USA
A 21-seat counter overlooking an open kitchen where Parisian bistro classics get made with scientific precision. The Omelette Petit Trois (Boursin-stuffed, custard-soft) is the move, though the Big Mec (wagyu double che…
Santa Monica · 2732 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
The kind of French bistro where you can either casually sip a glass of wine and pretend you understand Op Art or go full indulgence mode with beef tartare and scallop quenelles. Our move is a seat at the bar with an ice…
Venice · 218 Main St, Venice, CA 90291
A dusky little boîte that feels like it was airlifted from the Marais and dropped into southern California. The soundtrack skews funky, the martinis come cold and crisp, and you’ll likely spot someone sketching in a Mol…
Brentwood-Westwood · 1121 Glendon Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Tucked into a 1930s brick corner of Westwood Village, Violet channels a relaxed Provence courtyard. String lights, a marble bar, ivy, and a fountain humming on the patio. The Salade Mizou and Steak au Poivre are the rea…
Los Feliz · 1802 N Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
A Los Feliz standby that feels like it’s been teleported straight from 1900s Paris. Stained‑glass ceilings, zinc bar, chandeliers, the whole thing. Mornings belong to locals fueling up on strong lattes and croissants, w…
Hollywood · 1541 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
A French bistro that ditched the berets but kept the swagger. Mes Amis feels like a long-lost cousin of the Left Bank. Think marble, mirrors, and just enough drama to make your steak frites taste scandalous. It’s the ki…
Hollywood · The Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
If you walk through the glittery lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel and end up in a candlelit dining room with gauzy curtains, open kitchen, and that sharp smell of wood smoke, you’ve found Shirley. It’s a French-California m…