Best Trendy Restaurants in Westwood
18 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
KazuNori: The Original Hand Roll Bar
A dedicated hand roll bar where every roll is assembled to order at the counter.
Notable Picks
KazuNori’s Westwood outpost is a standing-room hand roll bar built entirely around made-to-order temaki. Warm rice, crisp nori, and high-quality fish move in a tight rhythm across the counter, making it the go-to spot in Westwood Village when you want focused sushi rolls rather than a sprawling menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Toro hand roll, Bay scallop hand roll, Yellowtail hand roll
What Makes it Special: A dedicated hand roll bar where every roll is assembled to order at the counter.
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.
#3
Asuka
8.6
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Birthday & Celebration Central
Trendy Table Hotspots
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
Asuka is an intimate Westwood sushi bar known for meticulous fish cutting, traditional techniques, and a calm, polished dining room. It leans more toward nigiri and specialty rolls than novelty items, making it a favorite for diners who want a slower, more composed sushi experience than the nearby student haunts.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chef’s omakase sushi, Toro nigiri, Baked crab hand roll
What Makes it Special: Refined, chef-driven sushi in a serene room that feels built for proper dinners.
8.6
Violet Bistro is a Cali-French restaurant with a glowing courtyard patio and an upstairs cooking school, built for slow, celebratory meals. Classic dishes, a serious wine list, and intimate tables make it a go-to Westwood pick for anniversaries and pre-theater dates.
Must-Try Dishes:
French onion soup, Steak frites, Coq au vin or trout amandine
What Makes it Special: Romantic courtyard French bistro with refined cooking and strong cocktails.
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.
#6
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.
#7
Bread Head
8.4
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Quick Bites Champions
Instagram Worthy Wonders
Business Lunch Power Players
Bread Head’s Westwood location brings chef-driven focaccia sandwiches from a team with fine-dining roots into a bright, poster-lined space aimed at the UCLA crowd. Thick, crackly slabs of house-baked focaccia anchor cold and hot sandwiches like the Calabrian Turkey, Muffaletta, and Turkey Pesto, with half and whole sizes that can easily feed one or two. It feels more like a modern sandwich bar than a deli, with pricing and execution to match.
Must-Try Dishes:
Calabrian Turkey Sandwich, Muffaletta, Turkey Pesto Sandwich
What Makes it Special: Chef-led sandwich shop built around custom-baked focaccia and carefully sourced deli ingredients.
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.
8.3
Gogobop is a modern Korean fast-casual spot built around customizable rice bowls topped with grilled bulgogi, gochujang chicken, and slow-roasted pork belly. High review volume across delivery platforms and steady lines in Westwood Village make it one of the most reliable places in 90024 for polished, barbecue-style Korean protein bowls.
Must-Try Dishes:
Beef Bulgogi Bowl, Gochujang Chicken Bowl, Pork Belly Bowl
What Makes it Special: Build-your-own Korean barbecue bowls with generous grilled protein options.
Danny Boy's brings a chef-driven New York slice joint to the former 800 Degrees space just off Westwood Boulevard, with long-fermented dough, classic pies, and a playful interior full of neon and pizza iconography. It draws slice hunters, campus regulars, and downtown fans of the original location looking for crisp, foldable rounds and hefty Sicilian squares.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pepperoni Pie, Regular Cheese Pie, Sicilian Pepperoni Square Slice
What Makes it Special: Modern slice shop from chef Daniel Holzman focused on long-fermented New York–style pies.
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.
#12
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:
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.
8.2
Broxton Brewery & Public House pours house beers inside the historic Janss Dome and leans into elevated bar food, including a seared smash-style burger that’s a staple for late nights. The combination of brewpub energy, patio seating, and a central Westwood Village location makes it a popular stop for burgers and pints after concerts, games, or movie premieres.
Must-Try Dishes:
House smash burger with cheddar, Brewpub burger with bacon and aioli, Crispy fries with house dipping sauces
What Makes it Special: Craft beer brewed on-site pairs with a standout smash burger in a historic dome space.
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.
Worthy Picks
7.9
This modern chicken-focused spot off Lindbrook folds a composed Burrito Mexicano into a menu built around roasted free-range chicken and market sides. The burrito leans fresher and lighter than most, with whole wheat tortillas, beans, rice, and guacamole echoing the rest of the vegetable-forward menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Burrito Mexicano, Tacos Dorados, Tostada Bowl
What Makes it Special: Health-leaning chicken specialist serving a composed Burrito Mexicano with better ingredients than the average wrap.
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.