Best Date Night Restaurants in Palms
6 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
n/naka
Chef Niki Nakayama's 13-course kaiseki blends Japanese tradition with California seasonality in a 26-seat intimate setting, featured on Netflix's Chef's Table
Notable Picks
#1
n/naka
8.9
Chef Niki Nakayama's 13-course modern kaiseki weaves California seasonality through traditional Japanese technique across a 3-hour progression, anchored by a signature spaghetti-abalone course that has never left the menu since 2011. The 26-seat ryokan-inspired room operates with exacting service—staff retained for over a decade—and ends with Nakayama greeting each table personally. At $365 before drinks, this is a deliberate investment in craft rather than a casual dinner out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Signature Spaghetti with Abalone, Pickled Cod Roe & Black Truffle, Zensai Assortment, Binchotan-Seared A5 Miyazaki Wagyu
What Makes it Special: Chef Niki Nakayama's 13-course kaiseki blends Japanese tradition with California seasonality in a 26-seat intimate setting, featured on Netflix's Chef's Table
#2
Mori Nozomi
8.9
Mori Nozomi delivers meticulously crafted omakase centered on traditional techniques, pristine sourcing, and artistic presentation. Chef Nozomi leads an all-woman team, and guests praise the seamless execution and calm setting, making this a destination for serious sushi enthusiasts.
Must-Try Dishes:
Otoro Nigiri, Kasugodai, Hon Maguro Temaki
What Makes it Special: Michelin-starred, chef-led experience with rare, seasonal fish.
An Oaxacan-focused spot with a deep mezcal bench and a menu built around moles, tlayudas, and slow-cooked meats. The kitchen leans traditional but plates with polish, and the bar program makes it a natural linger-and-share destination. Multiple locations exist, but this Palms outpost is the one in 90034.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tlayuda con asiento, Mole negro over chicken or enchiladas, Carnitas or barbacoa tacos
What Makes it Special: Oaxacan specialties plus one of the Westside’s better mezcal programs.
Worthy Picks
7.8
A speakeasy-format cocktail bar built on house-made syrups and mixers, with a rotating menu rooted in post-Prohibition drink recipes served beneath dim lighting and white subway tile. The intimate room and French bistro seating keep the volume low enough for actual conversation, which is why it pulls couples and small groups rather than crowds. Works best when you want to hand the drink decision to a bartender who takes the craft seriously.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oldfield's Hemingway, Old Fashioned, Secret Stash
What Makes it Special: Speakeasy-style cocktail bar where every syrup and mixer is made in-house, with a rotating menu of post-Prohibition-era drinks served amid French bistro barstools and white subway tile.
#5
Bigfoot West
7.8
A rustic log cabin whiskey bar in Palms built around 100+ whiskies and craft cocktails made with fresh-squeezed juices and in-house infusions—the drinks program is the main event, with bar food like tacos and empanadas filling a supporting role. It runs loud on live music nights in a small room, so plan for early arrivals or off-nights if conversation matters. Works best as a group outing destination where the whiskey flight does the talking and the cabin atmosphere sets the tone.
Must-Try Dishes:
Toasted Marshmallow Cocktail, Whiskey Flight (60+ Small Batch Bourbons), Tacos
What Makes it Special: Rustic log cabin bar with 100+ whiskies and craft cocktails made from fresh-squeezed juices and in-house infusions
A compact Palms cafe running Thai Town-caliber specialties—boat noodles, soft shell crab curry, and a weekend-only breakfast menu with items like jook topped with crispy noodles—in a neighborhood where options beyond basic pad thai are thin. The teal-and-white space is charming but genuinely small, so expect to wait during peak hours and know that portion sizes on some dishes run lean for the price point.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pad Thai, Pad See Ew, Tom Kha
What Makes it Special: Tiny Palms café bringing Thai Town-caliber specialties like boat noodles and soft shell crab curry to the Westside, with a weekend-only breakfast menu you won't find elsewhere in the neighborhood.