Los Angeles

A playful "Dark & Stormy" gelee with ginger beer foam and other amuses-bouche may precede a beautifully presented plate of fluke, rhubarb, burdock and shiso. — Gayot

The flagship of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck's food empire, sophisticated Spago is among LA's most famous restaurants. — Insight Guides

In her veggie-intense contemporary American cooking, Goin uses finesse to balance tradition and invention. — Fodor's

Patina's exquisitely wrought dining room in Disney Hall is the most important restaurant space in California, and Tony Esnault is a master of modern global cuisine. — LA Weekly

Breakfast and lunch from a damn good jam-maker. — Not For Tourists

Nancy Silverton is the most dogged of chefs, dedicated to perfecting the most elemental of foods through sheer strength of will. — LA Weekly

Avocado cocktails smeared with sweet, pink dressing and frigid bowls of chilled consommé; great naked planks of boiled finnan haddie and dainty plates of crab Louie; kidneys Turbigo. — LA Weekly

The rewards are ample, including steak burgers piled high with fixings (everything you'd expect, minus the tomato—they don't like them here). — Concierge

At Water Grill, the raw bar rules. Always has. — Los Angeles Times

L.A.'s oldest restaurant (1908), Philippe claims that the French dip sandwich originated here. — Fodor's

This always-mobbed trattoria in Downtown's Arts District offers an impressive selection of house-cured charcuterie and handmade pasta, but the noise level makes intimate conversation impossible. — Condé Nast Traveler

A well-heeled crowd can be found in this beautiful space (the roof is arched like a wave) dipping fried calamari or spooning up Jo’s wicked good chowda’. — Fodor's

Serving simply prepared dishes inspired by the sustainable bounty from local farmers, ranchers and fishermen, this restaurant grew out of the monthly dinners its founder once held in his home. — Frommer's

In a city where informality reigns, this is one of L.A.'s more dressy, but not stuffy, restaurants. — Fodor's

The wine list is impeccable and the staff knowledgeable. And for the food? Well, it’s refined. It’s good. Very good, in many cases. — The Infatuation

"Plenty casual", this round-the-clock, "nifty neighborhood joint" with "retro decor" in Los Feliz offers a "wide selection" of "modern" takes on diner staples. — Zagat

Great Jewish deli in MacArthur Park. Try the pastrami sandwiches. — Not For Tourists

In a dreary mini-mall, but the spicy chicken, squid, oxtail curry, papaya salad, and fishball and other seafood curries more than make up for the setting. Affordable prices, too. — Rough Guide

The sheer level of cooking in this modest bungalow eclipses what you find in grand dining rooms whose chefs appear in national magazines. — Los Angeles Times

Housed in an old Raffalo’s Pizza spot (the sign is still there), this French haven features seven bar seats and a few tables lining the back wall — Fodor's