Best Group Dining Restaurants in Westwood
30 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Emporium Thai
Award-winning, family-run Thai with bold southern curries and big portions.
Notable Picks
8.7
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
Comfort Food Classics
Birthday & Celebration Central
Emporium Thai is a family-run Thai restaurant with bright curries, southern specialties, and a dining room that fills up with celebratory tables. Awards, long lines, and a deep menu make it a strong choice for birthdays, graduations, and group dinners that still feel casual.
Must-Try Dishes:
Southern curry seafood, Pad Thai or pad see ew, Mango sticky rice
What Makes it Special: Award-winning, family-run Thai with bold southern curries and big portions.
8.6
The Boiling Crab’s Westwood outpost is a loud, lively Cajun seafood boil specialist where bags of shrimp, crab, and crawfish hit butcher-papered tables by the pound. Students, families, and game-night groups pile in for messy, hands-on feasts a few blocks from campus.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shrimp in The Whole Sha-Bang sauce, Snow crab legs with corn and potatoes, Cajun fries
What Makes it Special: High-volume Cajun seafood boil house known for overflowing bags of shellfish.
8.5
This longtime Westwood favorite serves a traditional Lasagna alla Bolognese built on house-made pasta and slow-cooked meat sauce. Regulars come for the steady kitchen, warm welcome from the Peloni family, and a dining room that works as well for romantic dates as it does for multi-generational dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lasagna alla Bolognese, Gnocchi ai Quattro Formaggi, Tirami Su
What Makes it Special: Family-run Northern Italian spot renowned for classic lasagna and attentive, longtime staff.
8.4
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Comfort Food Classics
Birthday & Celebration Central
A Westwood institution since the early 1980s, Shamshiri Grill serves generous platters of Persian kebabs, stews, and fresh breads in a space that turns from casual by day to softly romantic at night. It’s a neighborhood standby for multi-generational celebrations and big-group dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Koobideh and barg kebab combo, Lamb shank with baghali polo, Tahchin with chicken
What Makes it Special: Long-running Persian spot known for heaping kebab platters and fresh bread.
#5
Mr Rice
8.4
Mr Rice is a busy Chinese noodle house in the heart of Westwood Village specializing in Yunnan-style mixian bowls with customizable heat levels. Students and locals line up for big, brothy rice noodles, punchy chili oil, and fast, friendly service that works for both quick solo meals and casual dinners with friends.
Must-Try Dishes:
Double Chili Fatty Beef Mixian, Tomato Fatty Beef Mixian, Signature Mixian with Beef and Veggies
What Makes it Special: Yunnan-style rice noodle bowls with bold chili heat served fast.
8.4
Rocco's Tavern is a high-energy Westwood Village sports bar where big, griddled burgers share the table with wings, pizzas, and late-night drinks. It’s a primary post-game stop for UCLA students and locals looking for burgers, beers, and wall-to-wall TVs that run well past midnight on busy nights.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rocco's signature cheeseburger with fries, Bacon avocado burger, Patty melt on grilled sourdough
What Makes it Special: Rowdy, game-day sports bar energy matched with hefty late-night burgers.
8.4
Open since the early 1980s, Shaherzad is one of Westwood’s original Persian restaurants, known for house-baked bread and substantial kebab platters. Diners come for reliably grilled meats, fragrant rice, and an old-school atmosphere that feels more like a neighborhood dining room than a polished modern concept.
Must-Try Dishes:
Soltani (barg and koobideh), Tahdig with khoresh, Grilled salmon kabob
What Makes it Special: Decades-old Persian spot baking bread and grilling generous kebab platters.
8.4
Vibes:
Late Night Legends
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
Campus-adjacent Enzo's runs giant 23-inch pies, slices, and Italian-American comfort food late into the night, drawing Bruins, hospital staff, and delivery orders when most of Westwood has gone quiet. Locals lean on it for post-game slices, delivery, and group orders.
Must-Try Dishes:
23" Enzo's Special pizza, Mushroom garlic slice, Pepperoni slice with extra-crisp crust
What Makes it Special: Supersized New York-style pies and slices that stay busy well past dinnertime.
8.4
Bollywood Bites is a full-service Indian restaurant in the heart of Westwood Village where celebrity chef Sanjay Patel sends out crowd-pleasing North Indian standards, Indo-Chinese plates, and buffet-style spreads. It’s the neighborhood’s go-to sit-down option for chicken tikka masala, naan straight from the tandoor, and shrimp masala backed by strong delivery and catering business.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan, Shrimp Masala
What Makes it Special: Celebrity-chef-driven North Indian classics, buffets, and halal-friendly options.
#10
Wolfsglen
8.4
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Girls Night Out Approved
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Wolfsglen pairs a handsome, clubby dining room and bar with New American plates and serious cocktails, making it feel more like a downtown spot than a college neighborhood restaurant. It’s where locals book group birthdays, promotions, and high-energy date nights in Westwood Village.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wolfsglen burger with candied bacon, Dry-aged steak or chop, Beef tartare with house cocktails
What Makes it Special: Cocktail-driven New American spot with a downtown-feeling dining room.
#11
Toranj
8.3
Just off Broxton, Toranj pairs polished Persian plates with a sidewalk patio that feels made for lingering lunches and casual date nights. The kitchen is known for its buttery "Juicy Chicken" and properly charred kabobs that skew more upscale than the average student spot.
Must-Try Dishes:
Juicy Chicken, Beef Koobideh, Tahdig with Stew
What Makes it Special: Refined Persian kabobs and stews with campus-adjacent patio seating.
8.3
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Family Friendly Favorites
Group Dining Gatherings
Quick Bites Champions
A long-running Westwood Boulevard diner, Headlines folds a surprisingly deep burrito lineup into its all-day breakfast and Mexican sections. From basic egg-and-bacon wraps to oversized fajita and Cali burritos, it’s where you go when you want big, filling burritos with classic diner comfort on the side.
Must-Try Dishes:
Breakfast Burrito, Fajita Burrito, Cali Burrito
What Makes it Special: Classic diner turning out an unusually broad lineup of breakfast and Mexican-style burritos all day.
8.3
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Trendy Table Hotspots
Part of Vicente Del Rio’s Frida group, the Westwood outpost pairs polished regional Mexican cooking with a sidewalk patio overlooking Lindbrook. It’s where families, students, and office groups settle in outside for guacamole, mole, and mezcal margaritas before or after neighborhood events.
Must-Try Dishes:
Mole Poblano Enchiladas, Guacamole en Molcajete, Shrimp Tacos Gobernador
What Makes it Special: Lively regional Mexican cooking with a central patio for mezcal-fueled meals.
8.3
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Girls Night Out Approved
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
STK Steakhouse’s Westwood Village outpost is a high-energy modern steakhouse-lounge hybrid where Prime and wagyu cuts, shellfish towers, and big-ticket sides are backed by DJs, a long bar, and a clubby dining room. It functions as the neighborhood’s splashiest option for blowout steak dinners, bottle-service birthdays, and corporate entertaining a short walk from UCLA and the Hammer Museum.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cowgirl Ribeye 16oz, Filet 10oz with Wagyu Umami Butter, Maine Lobster Mac & Cheese
What Makes it Special: A clubby, DJ-driven steakhouse where big-cut steaks share the spotlight with bottle-service energy and a polished bar program.
8.3
Set inside the Hammer Museum, Lulu serves a daily-changing, produce-driven menu that leans into Alice Waters–style California cooking. A sun-soaked courtyard and multi-course prix fixe options make it a polished choice for birthdays, graduations, and dinners with visiting family.
Must-Try Dishes:
Three-course seasonal prix fixe, Focaccia with market vegetables, Roasted chicken or fish of the day
What Makes it Special: Museum-adjacent, seasonal California menus in a refined courtyard setting.
#16
Naab Cafe
8.2
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Late Night Legends
Group Dining Gatherings
Naab Cafe is a casual halal Persian–Mediterranean spot where kabob plates, ash reshteh, and sandwiches share space with hookah and late-night crowds. It’s the kind of flexible Westwood address where you can grab a quick lunch or linger over big platters with friends well past typical dinner hours.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef koobideh plate with saffron rice, Cornish hen kabob, Ash reshteh soup
What Makes it Special: Halal Persian café mixing hearty plates, sandwiches, and late-night energy.
8.2
Seaburry brings a more polished Sri Lankan experience to Westwood, with colorful décor, thoughtful plating, and a menu that jumps from lamprise to seafood curries. It’s an intriguing pick for smaller celebrations where guests want something different from the usual Westside options.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamprise with slow-cooked meats and rice, Lankan red curry with lamb or seafood, String hopper pilaf
What Makes it Special: Colorful Sri Lankan plates and curries in a refined, intimate space.
8.2
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Comfort Food Classics
Business Lunch Power Players
Trendy Table Hotspots
A heavyweight Sichuan operation that leans hard into proper ma la technique—rattan pepper boiled fish, tea smoked duck, and toothpick lamb all land with the numbing-spicy intensity the cuisine demands. The West LA outpost trades the cramped SGV format for a designer dining room (Jialun Xiong, featured in Wallpaper* and Dezeen), making it the more comfortable way to eat through a menu that earned Jonathan Gold's repeated endorsement and has held a Michelin Bib Gourmand for five-plus consecutive years. Expect communal energy, tight table spacing, and dishes built for sharing—not a quiet date night, but a serious Sichuan meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tea-Smoked Pork Ribs, Mapo Tofu, Chongqing Spicy Chicken
What Makes it Special: Tea-smoked ribs bring Sichuan perfume and crunch to the rib game.
8.2
Kopan Izakaya in Westwood Village combines a long ramen reputation with a sprawling sushi roll lineup, from classic spicy tuna rolls to loaded baked specialty rolls. With all-day bento sets, late hours on weekends, and big-flavor rolls, it’s a flexible choice for groups who want both hearty bowls and shareable rolls at one table.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dragon Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll, Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna
What Makes it Special: A ramen-and-roll izakaya with a deep menu of creative specialty rolls and bento-friendly pricing.
8.1
Mary and Robb's Westwood Cafe is a classic neighborhood diner known for all-day breakfast, stacked burgers, and a warm, white-tablecloth setting that feels more polished than its casual menu suggests. Regulars use the back and side areas for small private breakfasts, casual business meetups, and low-key celebrations that don’t need a sceney backdrop.
Must-Try Dishes:
Combo pancakes with bacon and eggs, Breakfast burrito, House burger with fries
What Makes it Special: A decades-loved Westwood diner where semi-private corners and back tables host everything from family breakfasts to attorney meetings.
8.1
Just up from the village core, House of Meatballs lets you pair a rich baked beef lasagna with its namesake meatballs and customizable sauces. The space is casual but lively, drawing both students and neighborhood families for comforting plates and easy group orders.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Lasagna, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Build-Your-Own Meatball Bowl
What Makes it Special: Casual meatball-focused spot where baked lasagna and mix-and-match sauces feel tailor-made for comfort cravings.
8.1
Delphi Greek has anchored Westwood Boulevard for years with classic Hellenic cooking and a flexible space often booked for private parties, fundraisers, and community events. Platters of souvlaki, gyros, and meze translate naturally to family-style menus, while the bar and semi-private areas can be configured for anything from student banquets to milestone birthdays.
Must-Try Dishes:
Delphi Greek Salad, Gyro plate with tzatziki and pita, Lamb chops with roasted potatoes
What Makes it Special: A long-running Greek restaurant that leans into family-style platters and configurable private event menus.
#23
Mandi House
8.1
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Comfort Food Classics
Hidden Gems Heaven
Business Lunch Power Players
House of Mandi brings shareable Yemeni rice platters and long tables to Gayley, making it a standout for cross-cultural lunches with room to spread out. It works especially well for internal team meetups or student-plus-professor lunches where generous portions and communal platters help keep the conversation moving.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lamb mandi, Chicken mandi, Mixed grill platter
What Makes it Special: Big-format Yemeni rice and meat platters designed for sharing at long tables.
8
On the southern stretch of Westwood Boulevard, Persian Gulf serves a mix of Persian standards, charcoal-grilled meats, and a small set of breakfast options in a casual dining room. It’s less of a pure breakfast specialist than others on this list, but a strong choice when you want morning dishes built around fresh bread, feta, herbs, and tea instead of pancakes.
Must-Try Dishes:
Persian breakfast plate, Herb-and-feta omelette, Hot saffron tea
What Makes it Special: Persian cafe-restaurant where traditional breakfast plates share space with kebabs and stews.
Barney’s Beanery’s Westwood outpost brings the brand’s huge burger list, arcade games, and bar vibe to a multi-room space just off the Broxton strip. Burgers run from classic cheeseburgers to chili-topped monsters, and the kitchen tends to keep a late-night crowd fed after screenings and campus events.
Must-Try Dishes:
Classic Beanery cheeseburger, Chili cheeseburger with onions, BBQ bacon burger
What Makes it Special: Classic LA bar-restaurant with a sprawling burger list, games, and late-night hours.
#26
Hangry Moon's
8
Hangry Moon’s is a family-run late-night fried chicken and slider shop where the menu leans hard into sauced tenders, pulled pork, and overloaded fries. With long hours, big portions, and strong multi-platform ratings, it has become a core Westwood destination for budget-friendly, barbecue-adjacent comfort food after games and concerts.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy chicken tender sliders, Buffalo Chicken Tender Thicc Fries, Jack Daniels Pulled Pork Slider Combo
What Makes it Special: Late-night fried chicken and pulled pork sliders with huge portions.
Worthy Picks
#27
Fat Sal's Deli
7.9
Fat Sal’s Westwood outpost is a late-night destination for overstuffed, everything-in-the-basket sandwiches that mash fries, mozzarella sticks, and deli meats into one. Quality leans indulgent rather than refined, but the sheer spectacle and generous portions make it a reliable choice for post-game and post-party crowds. It’s as much about the energy on the sidewalk as it is about the sandwich itself.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fat Jerry Sandwich, Fat Texas Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken Fries
What Makes it Special: Maximalist sandwiches stuffed with fries and fried snacks that cater to serious late-night cravings.
7.7
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Group Dining Gatherings
Family Friendly Favorites
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
First Szechuan Wok is a longtime Westwood Village standby for American-leaning Chinese favorites and family-style dinners. The large menu covers everything from chow mein and kung pao chicken to honey walnut shrimp, making it a reliable option for mixed groups and takeout spreads.
Must-Try Dishes:
Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken, Beef with Broccoli
What Makes it Special: Classic neighborhood Chinese restaurant with a huge menu and big portions.
#29
Mr Noodle
7.7
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Group Dining Gatherings
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Mr Noodle is a long-running Westwood Village counter-service spot where a sprawling Thai-leaning menu covers everything from pad thai to Asian noodle soups. Its PHO (beef or chicken) sits alongside Thai boat noodles, tom kha noodles, and other brothy bowls that have fueled generations of UCLA students looking for a fast, filling meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
PHO (BEEF OR CHICKEN), Thai Boat Noodles, Tom Kha Noodles (Chicken or Shrimp)
What Makes it Special: Huge Thai-influenced noodle menu with a dedicated pho option steps from UCLA.
7.7
Flame Persian Cuisine offers a slightly more polished take on Tehrangeles dining, with white tablecloths, a long kebab menu, and full plates built for sit-down meals. It’s used as a neighborhood option for mixed groups looking for a comfortable room and shareable grilled meats without leaving Westwood.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rack of lamb kebab, Barg filet kebab, Tadig with khoresh
What Makes it Special: Sit-down Persian restaurant with a broad kebab menu and polished setting.