Best Trendy Restaurants in Westwood (90024)
8 hand-picked restaurants, AI-analyzed and critic-validated
Notable Picks
8.7
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
Comfort Food Classics
Birthday & Celebration Central
Emporium Thai is a family-run Thai restaurant with bright curries, southern specialties, and a dining room that fills up with celebratory tables. Awards, long lines, and a deep menu make it a strong choice for birthdays, graduations, and group dinners that still feel casual.
Must-Try Dishes:
Southern curry seafood, Pad Thai or pad see ew, Mango sticky rice
What makes it special: Award-winning, family-run Thai with bold southern curries and big portions.
Vibes:
Sweet Treats Escapes
Date Night Magic
Birthday & Celebration Central
Instagram Worthy Wonders
A Westwood institution since the 1970s, Saffron & Rose scoops dense, floral Persian-style ice cream in flavors that define the neighborhood’s Persian Square. Lines of locals, students, and families turn the modest shop and sidewalk tables into a nightly scene after dinner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Saffron pistachio ice cream, Rosewater ice cream, Classic faloodeh
What makes it special: Decades-old Persian ice cream shop central to Westwood’s dessert culture.
8.6
Violet Bistro is a Cali-French restaurant with a glowing courtyard patio and an upstairs cooking school, built for slow, celebratory meals. Classic dishes, a serious wine list, and intimate tables make it a go-to Westwood pick for anniversaries and pre-theater dates.
Must-Try Dishes:
French onion soup, Steak frites, Coq au vin or trout amandine
What makes it special: Romantic courtyard French bistro with refined cooking and strong cocktails.
#4
Wolfsglen
8.4
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Girls Night Out Approved
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Wolfsglen pairs a handsome, clubby dining room and bar with New American plates and serious cocktails, making it feel more like a downtown spot than a college neighborhood restaurant. It’s where locals book group birthdays, promotions, and high-energy date nights in Westwood Village.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wolfsglen burger with candied bacon, Dry-aged steak or chop, Beef tartare with house cocktails
What makes it special: Cocktail-driven New American spot with a downtown-feeling dining room.
8.3
Set inside the Hammer Museum, Lulu serves a daily-changing, produce-driven menu that leans into Alice Waters–style California cooking. A sun-soaked courtyard and multi-course prix fixe options make it a polished choice for birthdays, graduations, and dinners with visiting family.
Must-Try Dishes:
Three-course seasonal prix fixe, Focaccia with market vegetables, Roasted chicken or fish of the day
What makes it special: Museum-adjacent, seasonal California menus in a refined courtyard setting.
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Trendy Table Hotspots
Part of Vicente Del Rio’s Frida group, the Westwood outpost pairs polished regional Mexican cooking with a sidewalk patio overlooking Lindbrook. It’s where families, students, and office groups settle in outside for guacamole, mole, and mezcal margaritas before or after neighborhood events.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mole Poblano Enchiladas, Guacamole en Molcajete, Shrimp Tacos Gobernador
What makes it special: Lively regional Mexican cooking with a central patio for mezcal-fueled meals.
8.2
Seaburry brings a more polished Sri Lankan experience to Westwood, with colorful décor, thoughtful plating, and a menu that jumps from lamprise to seafood curries. It’s an intriguing pick for smaller celebrations where guests want something different from the usual Westside options.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamprise with slow-cooked meats and rice, Lankan red curry with lamb or seafood, String hopper pilaf
What makes it special: Colorful Sri Lankan plates and curries in a refined, intimate space.
Worthy Picks
#8
Tacos 1986
7.9
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
The Westwood Village location of Tacos 1986 brings Tijuana-style adobada tacos, mulitas, and quesadillas to a casual counter with sidewalk seating. Late student crowds and a constant line at the window turn the Kinross patio tables into one of the neighborhood’s most reliable cheap outdoor meals.
Must-Try Dishes:
Adobada Taco, Mushroom Mulita, Carne Asada Quesadilla
What makes it special: Tijuana-style tacos from a cult-loved stand with busy sidewalk seating.