New Chic Restaurants in Downtown LA?

Infestma · #1 Posted **Feb 23, 2007, 5:32 PM**

I want to goto a nice restaurant tonight around downtown with my family for my birthday. So I thought I'd ask you guys which ones you recommend that are new and high up on the list. I don't have a preference for price. Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

RAlossi · #2 Posted **Feb 23, 2007, 6:15 PM**

I haven't been, but I've heard good things about J Restaurant and Lounge in South Park. http://www.jloungela.com/

Hmm... maybe I should try it.

EastBayHardCore · #3 Posted **Feb 23, 2007, 6:25 PM**

www.yelp.com/maptastic/

bobcat · #4 Posted **Feb 23, 2007, 6:46 PM**

This week Downtown News reviews Blue Velvet:

http://downtownnews.com/articles/2007/02/19/special/special01.txt

ChrisLA · #5 Posted **Feb 23, 2007, 8:48 PM**

I like Ciao Trattoria on 7th Street just west of Flower near the Macy's Plaza. It's been around a few years, and its in a beautiful historic building. I've taken guest there, and they have always been impressed. Check out the website, you can even make reservations online. I would ask for one of the tables in the front next to the window, it a nice spot to look out. Besides the front window has the coliseum engraved in the glass.

http://www.ciaotrattoria.com/

ChrisLA · #6 Posted **Feb 23, 2007, 9:03 PM**

Oh I hear Patina at Disney Hall supposed to be good, and its very chic. Its also expensive, but here is the link.
Well to tell you the truth I hear all of their restaurants are good, and there are several downtown. Cafe Pinot (French/California cusine) was oneo their first ones downtown. Its on the grounds of the Central Library, and the building is all glass for great viewing of the skyscrapers. Anyway all of the restaurants are listed on their website, just choose downtown LA on the site and it will give you a list, and as you clink on each one you can see what they look like inside.

http://www.patinagroup.com/patina/

LosAngelesSportsFan · #7 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 12:11 AM**

J Lounge is very good, as is Water Grill, Engine Company, Chao tratatoria and especially Roys, i love Roys.

MapGoulet · #8 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 12:19 AM**

I'm a big fan of Engine Co. 28. Very comfortable place and the best service I've had at any restaurant in LA in 10 years. Every waiter is spot on and there's zero snoot-factor. No hollywood BS here. Great restaurant at reasonable prices. They even have their own beer recipe "Firehouse Ale" which is great. The building is an old firehouse built in 1912 with the metal ceiling, front doors and pole intact.

I've never been disappointed.

LosAngelesBeauty · #9 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 12:36 AM**

I would go with the brand new e3rd (east 3rd street) restaurant in the Artist District by Zip Fusion. It's open to 1AM and it serves Asian American fusion dishes like steak and pot belly pork steak (yuuuum). It was written about in the last Downtown News.

ksep · #10 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 1:29 AM**

from more to less chic: patina, water grill, zucca, cafe pinot, roy's hawaiian, j lounge, nick and stef's, blue velvet, ciudad, the standard....also, royal clayton's has very good food. i would go for zucca.

MapGoulet · #11 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 2:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesBeauty

I would go with the brand new e3rd (east 3rd street) restaurant in the Artist District by Zip Fusion. It's open to 1AM and it serves Asian American fusion dishes like steak and pot belly pork steak (yuuuum). It was written about in the last Downtown News.

Yes! E3rd. I went there for my b'day last weekend. Great food. Kimchee mashed potatoes are really good -- seriously!

edluva · #12 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 9:31 AM**

I thought patina was pretty chic, but I warn't enough of a foodie to appreciate it

LosAngelesBeauty · #13 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 1:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MapGoulet

Yes! E3rd. I went there for my b'day last weekend. Great food. Kimchee mashed potatoes are really good -- seriously!

We still gotta do something!!!

Infestma · #14 Posted **Feb 24, 2007, 3:38 PM**

Thank you all for your recommendations. I wish I could have visited them all but we ended up at Blue Velvet. The place was great because the food was delicious, the environment felt very private and upscale while still having a decent number of people, and the people working there were one of the nicest I've met at a restaurant.

Few interesting observations I made about the place; it had co-ed restrooms (my sister walked in and saw two guys in it and got freaked out, thought it was a womans), they had a cool lounge area with a bar, and an outside firepit overlooking some of downtown.

Afterwards, we headed to JLounge because there was some USC gathering happening there. The place was much larger than Blue Velvet and didn't feel as private. It felt more like it was trying to be a club because it had a DJ and there were people lined up in front to get in.

I want to visit e3rd the next time I go out. I've been looking for a good asian restaurant in downtown.

Anyways, thanks for all your tips!

Carioca · #15 Posted **Mar 5, 2007, 5:55 AM**

I had dinner on Friday at a new place on 9th, called Wood Spoon.
The food was fantastic, inexpensive, and the proprietor is super friendly.
It is a relaxed, unpretentious place that will find me back often...

LA/OCman · #16 Posted **Mar 5, 2007, 3:06 PM**

I agree..Wood Spoon is great. I hope the locals support this place. It is so convenient to those of us in the Eastern Columbia Lofts. The owner indicated she was trying to get city approval so diners can bring in their own wine since they do not currently have a license for it.