Best Date Night Restaurants in Brentwood
15 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Pizzana
Neo-Neapolitan pizzeria from Daniele Uditi where Roman-style cacio e pepe meets California-sourced ingredients
Notable Picks
#1
Pizzana
8.1
Daniele Uditi's neo-Neapolitan operation runs on a 48-hour fermented dough that yields a crust light enough to fold but sturdy enough to hold the cacio e pepe crema that made this place famous. The Brentwood location draws date-night couples and families who want Michelin-recognized pizza without the formality—dim lighting, shared plates, and a patio for dogs. Expect to pay more than neighborhood pizza prices, but the sourcing (imported flour, San Marzano tomatoes, Italian mozzarella) tracks with the check.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e Pepe, Meatballs, Short Rib
What Makes it Special: Neo-Neapolitan pizzeria from Daniele Uditi where Roman-style cacio e pepe meets California-sourced ingredients
#2
The Wilkes
8.1
Chef Brian Rigsby (Animal, Son of a Gun) and restaurateur Dana Slatkin deliver elevated comfort food in a stunning 1954 Streamline Moderne building designed by architect Alfred T. Wilkes. The latke-encrusted chicken schnitzel and Snake River Farms steaks draw Brentwood's well-heeled crowd to leather booths flanking a wood-burning fireplace, while the Rossi marble bar pours bacon-infused manhattans that keep neighborhood regulars returning weekly.
Must-Try Dishes:
Latke-Encrusted Chicken Schnitzel, Snake River Farms Wagyu NY Strip, Molasses Bread with Salted Date Butter
What Makes it Special: Old-school steakhouse charm meets modern LA dining in a Frank Gehry mentor's historic building
#3
Divino
8
A white-tablecloth Italian holdout in Brentwood where owner Goran Milic has spent three decades rotating guest chefs from Italy through the kitchen, keeping the menu grounded in classical technique rather than trending toward fusion. The regulars come for the kind of unhurried, old-school Westside dinner that rewards repeat visits—bolognese built on slow-cooked ragu, risotto that earns its twenty-minute wait. Expect the prices and pace of a neighborhood fine-dining room that has outlasted every food trend around it.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fusilli alla Bolognese, Medaglioni di Vitello, Risotto ai Porcini
What Makes it Special: A 30-year Brentwood institution where Montenegrin-born owner Goran Milic regularly flies in guest chefs from Italy to keep the kitchen authentic and evolving.
#4
Matu Kai
8
A steak omakase concept serving exclusively 100% grass-fed New Zealand wagyu in composed multi-course dinners, with each cut arriving warm-red and unadorned to let the beef speak. The $64-87 prix-fixe pricing undercuts comparable wagyu experiences significantly, though the moody room runs loud enough that conversation competes with the atmosphere.
Must-Try Dishes:
Steak Tartare, 13-14 oz Ribeye, 24-Hour Bone Broth
What Makes it Special: Exclusively serves 100% grass-fed New Zealand wagyu in composed multi-course dinners resembling steak omakase
#5
Osteria Vera
8
An upscale Brentwood Italian built on the bones of the celebrated Vincenti, where veteran chefs finish bucatini cacio e pepe tableside in a giant cheese wheel—a theatrical touch grounded in real technique. The menu leans into refined pastas and composed plates like squash blossoms and beet-burrata salad, pitched at couples and families who want a polished dinner without the stiffness. The room runs quiet enough for conversation on off-peak nights but fills with energy on weekends, with a rear patio as the better bet when it gets loud.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e Pepe in the Cheese Wheel, Spinach Pappardelle with Wild Boar Ragù, Squash Blossoms
What Makes it Special: Veteran Italian chefs finish bucatini cacio e pepe tableside in a giant cheese wheel, carrying forward beloved dishes from the celebrated Vincenti restaurant that preceded it.
#6
Peppone
8
A 51-year-old Brentwood Italian holdout where chef-owner Gianni Paoletti still runs the kitchen and a Wine Spectator Grand Award cellar backs up the tableside cart service. The draw is old-guard Continental cooking—filet mignon, veal osso buco, chicken piccata—served in red leather booths with dimmed lighting and no rush. Expect luxury pricing with a neighborhood-regular energy that rewards repeat visits over one-off curiosity.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cauliflower Appetizer, Linguine with Special Meatballs, Filet Mignon
What Makes it Special: A Brentwood institution since 1975 with a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning cellar, tableside cart service, and chef-owner Gianni Paoletti still running the kitchen.
Worthy Picks
#7
Casa Modena
7.9
A family-run second-floor Italian kitchen where all pasta is made in-house daily and black truffles come from the owner's own hunting operation in Italy—details that show up in dishes like the tortellini pasticciati and burrata crostini. The room is quiet enough for real conversation, which makes it work well for couples who want the food to be the focus rather than the scene. Expect a strip-mall exterior that undersells what's happening inside.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tortellini Pasticciati al Tartufo Nero, Ravioli di Zucca, Tagliatelle Verdi al Ragù
What Makes it Special: A family-run Italian kitchen on Wilshire's second floor where all pasta is handmade daily and truffles are sourced through the owner's own Italian truffle-hunting operation.
7.9
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Birthday & Celebration Central
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Business Lunch Power Players
A 37-year Brentwood institution built on wood-fired Snake River Farms prime cuts and a Wine Spectator Award-winning Italian list—the kind of place where regulars have a steak named after a broadcast legend. The tight indoor dining room runs loud at peak hours, so request the patio for conversation-friendly date nights or opt for early weekday dinners when the room settles down.
Must-Try Dishes:
The Al Michaels Prime New York Steak, Insalata Carciofi, Veal Chop with Butter and Sage
What Makes it Special: Brentwood's definitive Tuscan trattoria since 1989, pairing wood-fired prime cuts from Snake River Farms with a Wine Spectator Award-winning Italian wine list.
7.9
A Roman-style pinseria using a rice, soy, and wheat flour blend to produce a noticeably lighter, crispier crust than standard Neapolitan pizza—the technique is the draw. The Brentwood location pairs well with the casual-upscale format: outdoor seating, Italian small plates like supplì and fried artichokes, and a wine list that leans Italian. With only 56 reviews but an 82% five-star rate, it reads as a newer spot that's executing its narrow concept cleanly for the neighborhood crowd.
Must-Try Dishes:
Margherita Pinsa, Prosciutto di Parma, Fried Baby Artichokes
What Makes it Special: Roman pinsa made from a rice, soy, and wheat flour blend yields a shatteringly crisp, airy crust that's lighter and easier to digest than traditional pizza.
#10
Kiitsu
7.8
A Brentwood sushi counter built around a $45 omakase from a chef whose training runs through three-Michelin-star kitchens—precise nigiri and smoked miso black cod at a price point that undercuts most comparable counters in the Westside. Still early in building its reputation with a small but enthusiastic following, it works best for sushi-focused dinners where technique matters more than scene.
Must-Try Dishes:
Smoked Miso Black Cod, A5 Wagyu Strip Loin, Omakase
What Makes it Special: Brentwood sushi counter where a chef with three-Michelin-star training serves a $45 omakase alongside precise nigiri and smoked miso black cod
#11
Baltaire
7.8
A Brentwood power steakhouse with Flannery dry-aged beef, live jazz Thursday-Friday evenings, and a dining room that draws the designer-bag clientele. Steaks arrive properly hot and sizzling when the kitchen is on; some visits report inconsistency with temperature and cut quality. The lounge energy works for business dinners where atmosphere matters as much as the ribeye.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bone-in Ribeye, 48-Ounce Tomahawk Ribeye, Dry-Aged Flannery Kansas City Strip
What Makes it Special: Brentwood power steakhouse with Flannery dry-aged beef and live jazz
#12
Ospi Brentwood
7.8
Chef Jackson Kalb hand-stretches every noodle using traditional Southern Italian semolina-and-water dough—a technique that earned him Food & Wine recognition and drives the core menu of rigatoni, tagliatelle, and chicken parm. The single open dining room runs loud on weekend evenings, so weeknight visits or the patio land better for the date-night crowd it draws. Second-floor shopping plaza location with valet keeps the arrival easy despite Brentwood's tight street parking.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy Rigatoni alla Vodka, Kale Salad, Garlic Bread
What Makes it Special: Chef Jackson Kalb—dubbed a pasta prodigy by Food & Wine—stretches every noodle by hand using traditional Southern Italian semolina-and-water dough
7.7
California cuisine served with panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and Gehry architecture—the setting does most of the work here. Seasonal menus from farmers markets rotate regularly; dishes like the short rib plate and scallops deliver competently without attempting to compete with standalone fine dining. Factor in the $25 parking and tram logistics when planning; the experience is inseparable from the museum visit.
Must-Try Dishes:
Short Rib Plate, Cheese & Charcuterie, Cauliflower and Leek Soup
What Makes it Special: California cuisine with panoramic views of the Santa Monica Mountains and ocean
7.7
A Barcelona-born tapas group with legitimate Spanish pedigree—chef trained at three-Michelin-starred Arzak, and the Padrosa family has run restaurants since 1992. The paellas draw crowds, though execution varies; some nights the socarrat delivers, others lean salty or arrive suspiciously fast. Works best when you lean into the shareable format on the patio with sangria and let the croquettes and pulpo carry the table.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Paella, Crab Croquettes, Ham Croquettes
What Makes it Special: Barcelona-style tapas and paella served on a spacious patio with dedicated valet parking in Brentwood
#15
Taiko Restaurant
7.6
A 30-year Brentwood fixture serving soba-forward Japanese cooking alongside competent sushi on the third floor of Brentwood Gardens—the black cod in sweet sake soy and the crispy spicy tuna draw regulars back, though the broader sushi menu reads as solid rather than standout. The dog-friendly patio is the move for conversation, because the indoor dining room runs loud even at half-capacity, and the $3 validated valet is worth it given the tricky building layout.
Must-Try Dishes:
Soba, Tempura, Miso Soup
What Makes it Special: Longstanding Brentwood Japanese spot with a soba-focused menu and an outdoor patio that welcomes dogs