Best Fine Dining Restaurants in LA Arts District (90021)
6 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
Essential Picks
#1
Hayato
9.3
An ultra-intimate seven-seat kaiseki counter led by chef-owner Brandon Hayato Go, offering a tightly paced seasonal omakase with meticulous technique and whisper-quiet precision. The menu leans seafood-forward and deeply Japanese in structure, making it a destination meal in ROW DTLA.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seasonal kaiseki omakase, Steamed abalone with liver sauce, Dashi-simmered conger eel
What makes it special: Two-Michelin-starred kaiseki in a seven-seat room, executed with rare focus.
#2
Kato
9.2
Chef Jon Yao’s Taiwanese-American tasting menu weaves market seafood into deeply personal, technique-forward courses with quiet confidence. Expect meticulously balanced flavors, luxe ingredients, and a beverage program that’s as thoughtful as the plates. It’s a destination meal that still feels rooted in LA’s Arts District energy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Egg custard with crab, Fish maw with caviar, Crab bolo bao
What makes it special: A Michelin-starred Taiwanese tasting menu that treats seafood as the main narrative.
#3
Bestia
9.1
A defining Arts District destination for house-cured charcuterie, blistered pizzas, and deeply flavored pastas from chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis. The menu is bold and technique-forward, and the industrial dining room hums late into the night. Reservations are tough for a reason: the kitchen stays reliably excellent at scale.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bone marrow gnochetti with spinach and brown butter, Saffron tagliatelle with crab, uni, and chiles, Spicy lamb sausage pizza
What makes it special: A benchmark Arts District Italian kitchen with a top-tier salumi and pasta program.
Notable Picks
#4
Damian
8.8
A Michelin-recognized Arts District dining room from chef Enrique Olvera that leans modern without losing the thread of Mexican tradition. The kitchen excels at precise seafood and live-fire proteins, with polished service and an urban, greenhouse-like space that feels special for nights out. Reservations can be tough, but the payoff is a tightly executed, destination-level meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Duck carnitas tacos, Rockfish ceviche, Banana leaf flan
What makes it special: Olvera’s refined, California-seasonal take on contemporary Mexican cooking.
A reliable raw bar inside ROW DTLA serving well-sourced oysters and coastal comfort staples. The shellfish is the clear star, but warm plates like lobster rolls and fish sandwiches round it into a full meal. Industrial food-hall vibes mean energy over intimacy, especially at peak hours.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oysters on the half shell, Maine lobster roll, Hot fish sandwich
What makes it special: A top-tier oyster program with a refined-but-casual DTLA setting.
8.4
Chris Bianco’s LA outpost brings wood-fired, delicately charred pizzas to a bright ROW DTLA space. The crusts are light yet structured, toppings are restrained and high quality, and the simple salad-and-pasta sides keep things satisfying. It’s a polished, dependable pizza experience that feels both casual and special.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rosa pizza (parmesan, rosemary, red onion, pistachio), Sonny Boy pizza, Panna cotta
What makes it special: A nationally revered pizzaiolo’s wood-fired pies in ROW DTLA.