Best Fine Dining Restaurants in Downtown LA (90012)
5 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: March 2026
Our Top Pick
Morihiro
Chef Mori personally serves just 4 guests nightly at the counter, using hand-milled rice from his hometown and serving everything on his own handmade pottery.
Notable Picks
#1
Morihiro
8.6
Chef Morihiro Onodera's 40-year mastery culminates in an intimate Echo Park counter where he mills rice daily from his family's hometown in Iwate and serves each course on his handmade pottery. The cha-kaiseki-influenced omakase prioritizes ingredient purity with Japan-sourced seafood and shari that serious sushi devotees consider unmatched in Los Angeles. Four-seat counter service at $400 delivers a personal, unhurried experience for those seeking technical precision over theatrical flair.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sakura Smoked Jidori Chicken, Kanpyo Maki, Toro Tartare with Pine Nuts and Caviar
What Makes it Special: Chef Mori personally serves just 4 guests nightly at the counter, using hand-milled rice from his hometown and serving everything on his own handmade pottery.
8.5
A 10-seat Korean tasting menu in Little Tokyo's basement that earned a Michelin star and the 2025 Young Chef Award in under a year of operation. Chef Ki Kim's 12-course menu at $285 blends Korean technique with global influences—shirako gimbap, octopus with its own head sauce, 45-day dry-aged dairy cow. LA Times named it 2025's best new restaurant; reservations release monthly and disappear fast.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shirako Gimbap, Octopus with Octopus Head Sauce, Perilla Noodle with Winter Truffle
What Makes it Special: Michelin-starred Korean tasting menu from the 2025 Young Chef Award winner
#3
Baroo
8.4
Chef Kwang Uh's LA Times Restaurant of the Year channels Buddhist philosophy and temple fermentation techniques learned during six months with nun Jeong Kwan into a six-course, $125 tasting menu that borrows from homestyle Korean bansang traditions. The Arts District space keeps service deliberately relaxed, avoiding the self-importance of typical tasting menus. Vegetarian and vegan options require 24-hour notice but rank among the city's best special-occasion plant-based meals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hokkaido Scallop, Soy-Braised Wild Black Cod, Brandt Beef Short Rib
What Makes it Special: Chef Kwang Uh's fermentation-focused modern Korean tasting menu draws from Buddhist and Taoist philosophy, with house-made ferments adding depth to every course.
#4
Majordomo
8.0
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Instagram Worthy Wonders
David Chang's LA flagship runs on large-format showpieces—the two-day smoked short rib sliced tableside, then repurposed into beef rice—built for groups who want to pass platters and share. The warehouse energy runs loud and industrial by design, so this works best when you're leaning into the communal table rhythm rather than looking for quiet conversation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bing, Bossam, Stuffed Peppers
What Makes it Special: David Chang's LA flagship brings his bold Korean-American cooking to a Chinatown warehouse with whole-animal feasts and wood-fired dishes
Worthy Picks
#5
San Laurel
7.9
José Andrés' 10th-floor perch at the Conrad Los Angeles marries Spanish technique with California produce, with views of Walt Disney Concert Hall setting the scene. The beefsteak tomato tartare—actually tomatoes in a disc topped with gelatinous tomato-water 'yolk'—typifies the kitchen's clever approach. Some reviewers note hotel-restaurant polish occasionally overshadows personality; pre-theater convenience and the terrace view remain the primary draws.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beefsteak Tomato Tartare, Rack of Lamb, Blackhawk Farms Wagyu Flat Iron
What Makes it Special: José Andrés' LA flagship with Spanish technique and Music Center views