Best Trendy Restaurants in West Hollywood (90046)
8 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
Notable Picks
#1
Carmel
8.7
Members pairs a Moroccan-inspired dining room with a members-club sensibility, offering Mediterranean-leaning plates alongside live performances and a curated nightlife program. The kitchen leans into grilled meats, seafood, and mezze that feel more polished than the average club menu. It’s best approached as a full evening out rather than a quick bite.
Must-Try Dishes:
Members’ Signature Mezze, Charcoal-Grilled Lamb Chops, Spiced Seafood Tagine
What makes it special: Moroccan palace–style setting that merges Mediterranean dining with club programming.
8.7
Crossroads Kitchen is Tal Ronnen’s plant-based fine dining room where artichoke oysters, vegan crab cakes, and pastas like tagliatelle Bolognese make a convincing case for meatless date nights. The dimly lit dining room and shareable small plates help the whole experience read as elegant rather than didactic.
Must-Try Dishes:
Artichoke Oysters, Vegan Crab Cakes, Tagliatelle Bolognese
What makes it special: A pioneering vegan fine dining restaurant where the menu feels indulgent, not ascetic.
#3
Ronan
8.7
Ronan is a chef-driven Italian restaurant on Melrose known for wood-fired pizzas and seasonal share plates in a lively, design-forward space. It blends high-level technique with an energetic dining room ideal for date nights. The kitchen delivers consistent execution validated by professional recognition.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita pizza, Sweet Cheeks pizza, Seasonal arancini
What makes it special: Wood-fired pizzas and share plates executed with high culinary technique.
#4
Formosa Cafe
8.4
Formosa Cafe is a historic West Hollywood lounge where classic dim sum-style bites share the table with cocktails and Cantonese-Taiwanese plates in a restored 1930s trolley car space. Locals lean on it for har gow, shumai, and soup dumplings before a night out along Santa Monica Boulevard.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shrimp Har Gow, Pork Xiao Long Bao, Pan-Fried Pork Potstickers
What makes it special: Old Hollywood bar energy with a focused dim sum-style menu.
#5
Tu Madre
8.4
Vibes:
Girls Night Out Approved
Birthday & Celebration Central
Happy Hour Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Tu Madre’s West Hollywood outpost is a lively cantina-style space built around creative tacos, strong margaritas, and a big patio just off Santa Monica. High-volume crowds fuel a party atmosphere, but the menu still delivers thoughtful combinations from crispy shrimp to ahi tuna and plant-based options.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crispy shrimp taco, Ahi tuna taco, Korean BBQ steak taco
What makes it special: High-energy taco bar with creative fillings and serious cocktails.
#6
Ysabel
8.3
Ysabel hides behind an unassuming Fairfax entrance and opens into a multi-level courtyard lined with fireplaces and wraparound banquettes. It’s the quintessential West Hollywood date-night patio, pairing cocktails and new American plates with a design-forward space that feels made for lingering.
Must-Try Dishes:
Heirloom Tomato & Burrata, Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Pan-Seared Branzino
What makes it special: A hidden courtyard restaurant where fireplaces, tiers, and moody lighting do a lot of the date-night heavy lifting.
#7
Electric Owl
8.3
Perched along a former rail line, Electric Owl is a compact American bistro-bar known for cocktails, burgers, and patio seating that works for casual dates or after-work hangs. The menu leans into upgraded comfort food while the bar turns out serious drinks without feeling overly formal.
Must-Try Dishes:
House smash burger with fries, Spicy vodka rigatoni, Grilled chicken sandwich
What makes it special: Railside American bistro-bar pairing strong cocktails with elevated comfort food and a compact patio.
8.2
Laurel Hardware turns a former hardware store into a long, brick-walled dining room that opens onto one of WeHo’s more atmospheric back patios. The menu leans into cocktails, pizza, and share plates, making it a reliable move for first dates or casual anniversaries where the setting matters as much as the food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita Pizza, Duck Fried Rice, Truffle Fries
What makes it special: A converted hardware store with a long bar and leafy back patio that reads instantly as WeHo date-night central.