Best Date Night Restaurants in West Adams
7 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Cento Pasta Bar
West Adams pasta bar with a beet spaghetti that put them on the LA map
Notable Picks
8.2
What started as a $14-pasta pop-up inside a Downtown wine bar became a West Adams destination with a courtyard under twinkle-lit trees. The spicy pomodoro rigatoni with orange-hued sauce and ricotta dollop consistently ranks as the move; beet spaghetti in brown butter with poppy seeds photographs as well as it eats. Valet-only parking reflects the neighborhood logistics; 5pm arrival secures street spots.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy Pomodoro Rigatoni, Beet Spaghetti, Sweet Corn Agnolotti
What Makes it Special: West Adams pasta bar with a beet spaghetti that put them on the LA map
8.1
Chef Danny Elmaleh's Mediterranean-inflected brunch spot leans on Israeli technique—the shakshouka with house-blistered laffa bread draws regulars, and the chicken and waffles execute the comfort-forward promise. It works best for weekend brunch when you want generous plates without the Westside markup, though peak hours bring waits and a lively noise level that suits groups more than quiet conversation.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shakshouka, Chicken and Waffles, French Toast
What Makes it Special: All-day brunch destination in West Adams with generous portions and comfort-forward dishes
Worthy Picks
7.9
Seven kitchen stalls orbit a shared wood-fired hearth inside a cavernous West Adams food hall, backed by the Michelin-starred Maydan team out of D.C. The format rewards groups who want to split up, order from different counters, and reconvene around dishes that lean heavily on live-fire technique—clay-oven breads, wood-grilled proteins, charred vegetables. Expect a loud, high-energy room that functions more like a communal feast than a quiet dinner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fenugreek-Rubbed Ribeye, Branzino with Spicy Chili Sauce, Clay Oven Pita Bread
What Makes it Special: Seven kitchen concepts share one central wood-fired hearth, anchored by the Michelin-recognized Maydan restaurant out of Washington D.C.
7.9
A bleached-coral grotto on West Adams built around a tiered raw bar format—oysters, crudo, and uni pasta served in a space designed to be photographed as much as eaten in. The energetic, cavernous interior rewards groups and date nights who want spectacle with their seafood, though a back patio offers a quieter lane. A polarized review profile (70% five-star, 11% one-star, almost nothing in between) suggests the experience lands hard when it lands, but doesn't always connect.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oysters, Seafood Tower, Hamachi Crudo
What Makes it Special: A bleached-coral grotto design turned one of LA's most photographed restaurants, anchored by pristine oysters and tiered seafood towers
#5
Alta Adams
7.7
Chef Keith Corbin applies California-sourced ingredients to traditional Southern plates—oxtails, shrimp and grits, collard greens—with more refinement than most soul food spots in LA. The main dining room runs loud, so the string-lit back patio is the better call for conversation. West Adams regulars treat it as the neighborhood's elevated comfort food anchor.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cornbread, Oxtails, Mac and Cheese
What Makes it Special: Chef Keith Corbin elevates West Adams soul food through California-grown ingredients and refined technique
7.7
A West Adams wine bar and bottle shop built around a curated selection of women-owned and BIPOC winemakers, with Red Bay Coffee filling the daytime hours until 4pm. The dual-format space works as both a casual neighborhood drop-in for a glass and a low-key date night option where the staff can walk you through unfamiliar labels. With only 57 reviews it is still building its footprint, but the 81% five-star ratio signals a loyal local base that keeps coming back.
Must-Try Dishes:
Red Bay Coffee Latte, Yogurt with Berries and Granola, Wine by the Glass
What Makes it Special: Black-owned wine bar and bottle shop spotlighting women-owned and BIPOC winemakers, with Red Bay Coffee served daily until 4pm
7.6
A cocktail-first bar wrapped in Parisian theater—chandeliers, candlelit velvet booths, and a playlist-driven energy that tilts the room toward scene over sustenance. The drinks menu anchors around well-executed classics like the shaken martini, while the food stays in comfortable bar-snack territory with fries, pretzels, and grilled cheese. Best approached as a dressed-up evening out in West Adams where the room itself is the main course.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shaken Martini, Fries, Warmed Pretzel
What Makes it Special: Celebrity stylist Jason Bolden's Parisian-themed cocktail bar with chandeliers, candlelit velvet booths, and superb classic cocktails in West Adams