Best Group Dining Restaurants in South Los Angeles
7 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Pastina Trattoria
Family-run with over 30 years of heartfelt service.
Notable Picks
8.6
Pastina Trattoria offers genuine Southern Italian cooking in a warm, family-owned setting known for excellent pastas and attentive hospitality. Consistently praised for signature dishes and accommodating service, it's a go-to for Italian comfort with local credibility.
Must-Try Dishes:
Veal Parmigiana, Risotto alla Pescatora, Housemade Gnocchi
What Makes it Special: Family-run with over 30 years of heartfelt service.
Vibes:
Brewery & Beer Garden Republic
Pet Friendly Paradise
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Combining British pub fare with an in-house brewery, The Stalking Horse features vegan comfort food, house-crafted beers, and a lively bar setting. Its rustic-modern decor and dog-friendly patio draw a diverse crowd, especially during sporting events.
Must-Try Dishes:
Vegan Fish & Chips, Hand-Pulled Ale, Bangers & Mash
What Makes it Special: British-style brewery with a menu rich in vegan comfort food.
Worthy Picks
7.8
A 28-year LA pizza institution built on slow-rise sourdough crust fired in Marra Forni ovens, with a Californian-Mediterranean approach that leans on seasonal rotations and house-made components like cashew-based vegan cheeses rather than strict Neapolitan tradition. The Westwood location draws families and groups who know the menu well enough to order confidently, though multi-location expansion has introduced inconsistency — request the outdoor patio if noise matters and stick to the core pies where the kitchen's muscle memory is strongest.
Must-Try Dishes:
Honey Bear, Margherita, Brussels Sprouts & Bacon
What Makes it Special: Wood-fired pizzas with house-made components like cashew-based vegan cheeses and seasonal rotations, backed by a chef-driven ingredient-sourcing philosophy across nine Southern California locations.
7.8
A made-to-order Cantonese dim sum operation in a Westwood strip mall that draws Westside regulars with its shumai, har gow, and BBQ pork buns at prices well below what you'd pay in the SGV. The format is no-frills counter ordering with quick turnaround—come for the dumplings and the check total, not the ambiance.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pork and Shrimp Shumai, Shrimp Dumplings, BBQ Pork Buns
What Makes it Special: Affordable, made-to-order Cantonese dim sum in a Westwood strip mall, widely considered the best dim sum on the Westside.
7.7
A 30-year family-owned chain built around generous portions of Italian-American standards—the kind of place where Chicken Parm and Spaghetti with Meatballs arrive in sizes meant for sharing. Works well for groups and families who want reliable comfort food without surprises, though weekend nights bring the expected family-dining volume.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Parmigiana, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo
What Makes it Special: Family-owned Italian-American chain with 30+ years serving generous portions of classic comfort dishes
7.7
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Late Night Legends
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Family Friendly Favorites
A late-night Westside workhorse turning out generous Cantonese and Mandarin plates—Peking duck, walnut shrimp, the full Americanized-Chinese lineup—well past midnight when most kitchens on Santa Monica Blvd have gone dark. The draw is volume and value: big shared platters at prices that make splitting a table with six people painless. Strip-mall atmosphere and parking logistics come with the territory, but the kitchen's late hours fill a real gap on the Westside.
Must-Try Dishes:
Peking Duck, Orange Chicken, Hot and Sour Soup
What Makes it Special: Late-night Westside staple serving generous Cantonese and Mandarin plates well past midnight when most kitchens have closed.
Vibes:
Live Music Showtime
Late Night Legends
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
A Westwood fixture since 1983 that doubles as a Lebanese supper club on weekends, with live DJs, international singers, and professional belly dancers turning dinner into a full-scale production. The weeknight experience is a different restaurant entirely — calmer, table-focused, better for actually tasting the lamb shank and shared mezze. Come for the spectacle with a group, but set expectations around a polarized review profile that reflects the entertainment-first identity more than kitchen precision.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb Shank, Chicken Kabob, Mixed Kebabs
What Makes it Special: A Westwood institution since 1983 pairing Lebanese cuisine with full-scale weekend entertainment — live DJs, international singers, and professional belly dancers