Best Business Lunch Power Players Restaurants in Sawtelle
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Il Moro
Longstanding Italian dining room with a quieter dog-friendly patio.
Notable Picks
#1
Il Moro
8.7
Il Moro has served polished Northern Italian fare since the mid-1990s, pairing housemade pastas and seafood with an extensive wine list. The shaded patio offers a more refined dog-friendly option on this stretch of Olympic, suited to business meals or quieter date nights with a pup in tow.
Must-Try Dishes:
Housemade Tagliatelle, Risotto of the Day, Grilled Branzino
What Makes it Special: Longstanding Italian dining room with a quieter dog-friendly patio.
A branch of a storied LA deli, delivering the full Jewish-deli sandwich canon—thick pastrami, corned beef, and towering Reubens on rye. The scale, speed, and around-the-clock legacy translate well to this Westside outpost.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pastrami on Rye, Reuben Sandwich, Matzo Ball Soup + Half Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Old-guard LA deli sandwiches in West LA with massive volume-proof consistency.
#3
Daikokuya
8.3
A high-traffic ramen institution that delivers rich tonkotsu and garlic-forward bowls with dependable speed. It’s casual and loud, but ideal for a no-nonsense lunch that feels like a neighborhood ritual.
Must-Try Dishes:
Daikoku Ramen, Spicy Miso Ramen, Homemade Gyoza
What Makes it Special: Classic LA tonkotsu ramen with decades of local loyalty.
8.1
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Quick Bites Champions
Trendy Table Hotspots
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
A Sawtelle staple for pho west of the 405, with a light, fragrant broth and consistently high-quality beef cuts. The menu mixes classic bowls with a few bolder, lemongrass-driven soups, and the room stays buzzing at lunch and dinner. It’s the reliable neighborhood stop when you want clean, modern Vietnamese comfort food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pho Tai Bo Vien (rare steak & beef balls), Pho Dac Biet (special combination), Bun Bo Hue (spicy lemongrass beef soup)
What Makes it Special: Pho-focused Westside institution with a lighter, lemongrass-leaning broth profile.
#5
En Sushi
8.1
A reliable, mid-priced sushi bar with a strong emphasis on fresh fish and a broad roll selection, operating since 2001. The setting is comfortable and low-key, making it a dependable neighborhood option for both dine-in and takeout.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crispy Rice Spicy Tuna, Yellowtail Scallion Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll
What Makes it Special: Steady neighborhood sushi since 2001 with consistently fresh rolls.
A neighborhood staple on Santa Monica Boulevard with a seafood-leaning Thai menu and consistently well-balanced curries. Regulars appreciate the calm dining room, friendly staff, and dependable execution across the classics.
Must-Try Dishes:
Green Curry, Tom Yum Kai, Crispy Garlic Fish
What Makes it Special: Seafood-forward Thai favorites done cleanly and consistently.
Worthy Picks
7.9
A long-running Westside Japanese spot with a welcoming, family-style feel and a steady sushi program. Expect classic rolls, dependable sashimi, and comfort-leaning cooked dishes that make it a neighborhood standby.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sashimi combo, Salmon belly nigiri, Tempura & sushi dinner set
What Makes it Special: Generations-deep neighborhood Japanese restaurant with reliable sushi.
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Business Lunch Power Players
A fast-casual chain that built its reputation on handmade xiao long bao and wok-fried noodles with quality a notch above typical counter-service Chinese. The short rib dan mein and crab mapo tofu draw repeat visits from Sawtelle regulars who want something more refined than takeout but faster than a sit-down dinner. Expect competent execution across the menu with occasional wrapper inconsistency on the soup dumplings.
Must-Try Dishes:
Xiao Long Bao (pork soup dumplings), Short Rib Dan Mein, Dungeness Crab Fried Rice
What Makes it Special: High-volume favorite for consistently strong handmade dumplings and noodles.