Los Angeles Area

This inviting seafood house features warm wood accents, leather banquettes and a colorful mural. Appetizers might include a terrific selection of oysters and chilled shellfish, as well as dishes such as lump blue crab cake, a rich clam chowder and charcoal-grilled octopus. Among the main courses could be wild Alaskan black cod with soba noodles, green onions and spiced fish broth, or shrimp and grits with a merguez sausage ragu.

Two of the most talented and creative people on the American restaurant scene are behind this wonderful place. Nancy Silverton has made her mark in L.A. with Campanile and the landmark La Brea Bakery. Partner Joe Bastianich is a driving force behind favorite New York restaurants Lupa and Del Posto. Here the duo has created an exceptionally appealing menu with antipasti such as steamed mussels with tomatoes, chiles, herbs and a red-pepper aioli, and duck rillettes with chrysanthemum and kumquat. Pastas might include the rich tagliatelle with oxtail ragu, or linguine with clams, pancetta and spicy Fresno chiles. And look for hearty main courses such as the pan-seared rib-eye with potatoes, onions and Parmesan broth, or grilled yellowtail with fava bean purée and green harissa. Desserts by pastry chef Dahlia Narvaez are worth the calories

One of the city’s most exciting new restaurants is also one of its smallest, with just 10 seats at a kitchen-facing counter. There chef Aitor Zabala serves an elaborate Catalan-influenced, hypermodern tasting menu created in partnership with José Andrés. Prepaid reservations must be made through the restaurant’s website. Tickets go on sale the first Monday of the month for the following month. Closed Sunday and Monday.

Set in the middle of downtown Los Angeles, Jar has the retro feel of an old supper club, with wood-paneled walls hung with portraits. Suzanne Tracht has reached back into the national recipe book to present new takes on classic favorites. Among the appetizers, do not pass on the deviled eggs with crabmeat, or the fried Ipswich clams with cocktail sauce and roasted-garlic tartar sauce. Then there are the meats: the 14-ounce prime rib-eye, and Jar’s justly famous pot roast with carrots and caramelized onions. Closed Monday.

This oasis of tranquility comes with dark-blue carpeting, custom-painted damask wallpaper, an enclosed patio and dramatic net-like lighting fixtures. The focus on seafood reflects the passions of co-owner and chef Michael Cimarusti. On the ever-changing menu, starters have included abalone with asparagus and Buddha’s hand kosho. The main courses could be striped bass with nasturtium and spring vegetables; Liberty Farms duck with spring garlic and broccoli; or A5 wagyu with grilled lettuce, green tomato and nori.

A handsome room with large windows and generously spaced tables makes a fine venue for the New American-French cooking of chef Josiah Citrin, a hometown wonder who has cooked with stars Wolfgang Puck and Joachim Splichal. The wide-ranging menu could present starters such as a soft-poached egg with whipped smoked sturgeon, cauliflower mousseline and golden Osetra caviar, or Santa Barbara spot prawns with fava beans, carrot and nasturtium. Among the main courses, you might find lobster Bolognese with fresh capellini, basil and brown butter-truffle froth, or the prime dry-aged New York steak with charred leek, Oregon porcinis and ramps. Closed Sunday and Monday.

This beautiful restaurant, with its soft lighting and dramatic floral arrangements, is ideal for a romantic dinner. But it is about much more than the ambiance. Piero Selvaggio is a consummate restaurateur and host, and you’ll not only feel welcome but also enjoy some of the best Italian food in the United States. You might begin with crabcakes wrapped in smoked guanciale with sweet-pepper rings and horseradish sauce; then try one of the superb pastas, which could be golden fusilli with tomato, eggplant and aged ricotta, or the rich prosciutto-stuffed ravioli with cantaloupe cream sauce. For the main course, consider the veal piccata with lemon-caper sauce. The wine list is beyond encyclopedic. Closed Sunday and Monday.

The interior of this vine-wrapped Spanish-style building is a dramatic space, with exposed-brick walls, a towering chimney, a beamed wood ceiling and theater-perfect lighting. This provides an apt setting for the superb cooking of chef Suzanne Goin, whose training included a spell in the kitchen of Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Her food is inventive and ever-changing. For starters, you might find a citrus-and-avocado salad with burrata, kumquats and mint-and-pistachio aillade. Main courses could include grilled market fish with crushed fingerling potatoes, crème fraîche and Meyer lemon salsa, or beef short ribs with potato purée, roasted cipollini onions and horseradish cream.