Pulse Reviews and Analysis
Top 10 Places to Dine in Beverly Hills
Top 10 Places to Dine in Beverly Hills
*Published June 23, 2026 · Updated June 23, 2026*
Beverly Hills packs more serious cooking into its 5.7 square miles than almost any zip code in America, from two-Michelin-star tasting menus to 80-year-old delis still slicing pastrami by hand. After cross-checking The Infatuation LA, the Michelin Guide California, Eater LA, and the official restaurant pages, our Best Overall pick is Spago, Wolfgang Puck's flagship on Canon Drive, which still sets the bar for California fine dining and remains open and bookable through 2026-2027.
Our Best Value pick is Il Pastaio, the Drago family's handmade-pasta trattoria where you can eat genuinely excellent Italian food for a fraction of a tasting-menu tab.
If you want a celebration with global polish, go to Spago. If you want refined Vietnamese, go to Crustacean. For sushi, choose Matsuhisa (the original Nobu) or the 14-seat Sushi Note Omakase on Rodeo Drive. The list below ranks ten real, currently-operating Beverly Hills restaurants by overall dining experience, value, and consistency.
1. Spago 🏆 BEST OVERALL
Cuisine/Type: California / New American | Price: $$$$ (mains $40-$95) | Location: 176 N Canon Dr | Best for: landmark celebrations and a global tasting menu
Spago is the flagship of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group and the restaurant that, more than any other, defined modern California cuisine. The sleek dining room off Canon Drive draws a constant mix of locals, industry players, and travelers, and the kitchen runs both a seasonal a la carte menu and a multi-course California Tasting Menu.
Expect a genuinely global approach: Austrian wiener schnitzel sits beside Spanish octopus and Asian-inflected plates, all built on market-driven produce.
Service is the other reason Spago stays on every short list. The floor team is polished without being stiff, and the patio remains one of the best people-watching seats in the city. This is the safe, special-occasion answer that almost never disappoints.
Pros:
- Consistency: decades-deep kitchen discipline keeps quality high night after night.
- Service: attentive, knowledgeable floor staff that handles dietary needs gracefully.
- Menu range: both a la carte and tasting formats suit different appetites and budgets.
- Atmosphere: the bright, art-filled room and patio feel celebratory without being formal.
Cons:
- High-end pricing pushes a full dinner with wine well past $150 per person.
- Prime reservations book out weeks ahead, especially weekends.
Verdict: The single most reliable splurge in Beverly Hills, and the easiest answer when the meal has to be memorable.
2. Il Pastaio 💎 BEST VALUE
Cuisine/Type: Italian (Sicilian) | Price: $$$ (pastas $24-$38) | Location: 400 N Canon Dr | Best for: handmade pasta without a tasting-menu bill
Launched by the Drago brothers Giacomino, Celestino, and Calogero, Il Pastaio ("the pasta maker") has been a Beverly Hills institution for more than two decades. The elegant trattoria leans Sicilian, and the kitchen is best known for a bounty of handmade pastas plus risottos finished tableside.
For a neighborhood where dinner can easily top $200 a head, this is where you eat seriously well for far less.
The patio is a favorite midday spot, and lunch is the move if you want a calmer room and an easier walk-in. Order a pasta, a risotto, and a glass of Italian red and you have one of the best value meals in the city.
Pros:
- Value: restaurant-quality pasta at prices well below the neighborhood average.
- Handmade focus: pastas and risottos made in-house, not portioned from a freezer.
- Patio: a bright, lively terrace ideal for daytime dining.
- Track record: a loyal local following built over 20-plus years.
Cons:
- The dining room gets loud and tight at peak hours.
- Walk-in waits can be long at dinner on weekends.
Verdict: The smartest-value meal in Beverly Hills, and proof that "affordable" and "excellent" still coexist here.
3. Crustacean Beverly Hills
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Cuisine/Type: Modern Vietnamese / Euro-Asian | Price: $$$$ | Location: 9646 Little Santa Monica Blvd | Best for: refined Vietnamese fusion and the famous garlic noodles
The story of Crustacean begins with the An family, who fled Saigon in 1975. Matriarch Helene An, often called the "Mother of Fusion Cuisine," turned family recipes into a culinary empire under the House of An banner. The signature roasted Dungeness crab and the secret-kitchen garlic noodles remain the dishes people return for, served in a refined, intimate room.
The cooking blends modern Vietnamese flavor with Euro-Asian technique, and the experience leans formal and special. It is a strong pick when you want something distinctive that still feels like an event.
Pros:
- Signature dishes: the roasted crab and garlic noodles are genuine destination plates.
- Heritage: a multigenerational family kitchen with a real culinary legacy.
- Room: an elegant, intimate setting that suits date nights and celebrations.
- Distinctiveness: flavors you won't find at the steakhouse next door.
Cons:
- Pricing is high for the portion sizes on some plates.
- The formal style won't suit a casual, low-key night.
Verdict: The best refined Vietnamese in Beverly Hills, anchored by two dishes worth the trip alone.
4. Matsuhisa
Cuisine/Type: Japanese-Peruvian sushi | Price: $$$$ | Location: 129 N La Cienega Blvd | Best for: the original Nobu experience and signature black cod
Opened in 1987, Matsuhisa is the restaurant where chef Nobu Matsuhisa introduced his Japanese-Peruvian style and launched what became the global Nobu empire. The black cod with miso, the yellowtail with jalapeño, and the new-style sashimi all started here, and the original location still draws a devoted crowd to its understated La Cienega room.
This is sushi with a point of view rather than pure traditionalism. Go for the omakase if you want the chef's hand, or build your own order from the long menu of cooked and raw signatures.
Pros:
- Originator status: the birthplace of dishes now copied worldwide.
- Signatures: black cod miso and jalapeño yellowtail remain benchmark plates.
- Omakase option: chef-led tasting for those who want to be guided.
- Longevity: open since 1987 with a kitchen that knows its craft.
Cons:
- The room is dated and modest compared with newer luxury sushi rooms.
- Costs climb fast once you move into omakase and premium cuts.
Verdict: A genuine piece of culinary history that still delivers the flavors that made it famous.
5. Funke
Cuisine/Type: Italian (handmade pasta) | Price: $$$$ | Location: 9388 S Santa Monica Blvd | Best for: pasta theater in a stunning art deco building
Chef Evan Funke, also behind Felix and Mother Wolf, opened his eponymous Funke in a three-story 1930s art deco building in 2023, and it earned a Michelin Guide listing soon after. Handmade pasta is the headline act, shaped by hand in a glass-walled pasta room, with a deep Italian wine program to match.
The space is as much a draw as the food, all soaring ceilings and dramatic staircases.
This is a destination for pasta obsessives and anyone who wants a room that feels like an occasion. Reserve well ahead; it remains one of the harder bookings in the neighborhood.
Pros:
- Pasta craft: hand-shaped, regional Italian pasta executed at a high level.
- Design: a genuinely beautiful multi-floor art deco setting.
- Wine: a serious, Italy-focused list curated to the menu.
- Reputation: Michelin-recognized within its first years.
Cons:
- One of the toughest reservations in Beverly Hills.
- A full dinner with wine lands firmly in splurge territory.
Verdict: The most exciting Italian arrival of recent years, worth the planning it takes to get in.
6. Wally's Beverly Hills
Cuisine/Type: New American / wine bar | Price: $$$ | Location: 447 N Canon Dr | Best for: wines by the glass and a famous wagyu burger
Wally's folds a wine bar, restaurant, cheese shop, and spirits retailer under one stylish roof on Canon Drive. The draw is the wine program, with more than 100 bottles available by the glass, paired with an approachable New American menu. The signature burger, built from wagyu, smoked gouda, caramelized onion, house pickle, and Wally's sauce, has its own following.
There is also a weekday prix fixe around $39 that makes Wally's an unexpectedly reasonable lunch or early-dinner option in an expensive neighborhood. Bar seating is first-come, so plan around peak hours.
Pros:
- Wine selection: an exceptional by-the-glass list rarely matched locally.
- Value entry point: the weekday prix fixe keeps a visit affordable.
- Signature burger: the wagyu burger is a legitimate menu highlight.
- Flexibility: works for a full dinner, a quick bite, or a glass at the bar.
Cons:
- The room gets crowded and noisy at peak hours.
- Bottle and rare-pour prices climb quickly for collectors.
Verdict: The best wine-bar-meets-restaurant in Beverly Hills, and a smart move for a flexible, value-minded night.
7. Lawry's The Prime Rib
Cuisine/Type: Steakhouse / prime rib | Price: $$$$ | Location: 100 N La Cienega Blvd | Best for: classic tableside prime rib and the spinning salad
A Beverly Hills original for more than 70 years, Lawry's The Prime Rib is theater as much as dinner. The famous spinning bowl salad arrives tossed tableside, and the prime rib is carved to order from gleaming silver carts wheeled through the dining room. It is pure mid-century ceremony, and it has aged into a beloved institution.
Keep the order simple: the spinning salad and a cut of prime rib are the whole point. This is the spot for an old-school steakhouse night that feels like a piece of Los Angeles history.
Pros:
- Tableside ritual: the spinning salad and carved-to-order prime rib are signature spectacle.
- Heritage: a 70-plus-year Beverly Hills institution.
- Consistency: a tight, focused menu it has perfected over decades.
- Atmosphere: classic, clubby dining room that delivers occasion.
Cons:
- The menu is narrow if you are not there for prime rib.
- Prices are steakhouse-steep for the format.
Verdict: The definitive old-school Beverly Hills steakhouse, best experienced exactly as it has run for generations.
8. The Grill on the Alley
Cuisine/Type: American steakhouse / seafood | Price: $$$$ | Location: 9560 Dayton Way | Best for: power-lunch classics and prime beef around the corner from Rodeo
Open since 1984, The Grill on the Alley is a white-tablecloth American institution tucked steps from Rodeo Drive. The kitchen runs a deep menu of prime beef, fresh seafood, and chophouse classics, and the room has long been a magnet for the business and entertainment crowd. This is the dependable power-lunch and steady-dinner choice.
It does not chase trends, and that is the appeal. Expect crab cakes, chicken pot pie, dry-aged steaks, and a martini done right, served by career professionals.
Pros:
- Classics done well: chophouse staples executed with care.
- Location: an easy walk from Rodeo Drive shopping.
- Service: seasoned, professional floor team.
- Reliability: a 40-year track record of consistency.
Cons:
- The menu and decor feel intentionally traditional, not modern.
- Pricing matches its high-end steakhouse peers.
Verdict: The quintessential Beverly Hills power lunch, and a safe, satisfying dinner near Rodeo.
9. Sushi Note Omakase
Cuisine/Type: Omakase sushi | Price: $$$$ | Location: 421 N Rodeo Dr | Best for: an intimate 14-seat, chef-led sushi journey
Tucked near Rodeo Drive, Sushi Note Omakase seats just 14 guests for a roughly 20-course progression from chefs Earl Aguilar and Kiminobu Saito. The nigiri program is among the best in the neighborhood, with cuts like dry-aged amberjack and scallop finished simply with sea salt.
The Note group's wine roots show in thoughtful by-the-glass pairings, an unusual strength for an omakase counter.
This is a reservations-first experience, so book early. For a focused, high-end sushi night without the spectacle of a larger room, it is hard to beat.
Pros:
- Nigiri quality: precise, well-sourced cuts at the top of the local field.
- Intimacy: a 14-seat counter that keeps the experience personal.
- Wine pairings: a stronger beverage program than most omakase rooms.
- Chef talent: a respected team running the counter.
Cons:
- A multi-course omakase is a significant per-person cost.
- The tiny counter means reservations vanish fast.
Verdict: The neighborhood's standout omakase counter, ideal when sushi is the whole event.
10. Nate 'n Al Delicatessen
Cuisine/Type: Jewish deli | Price: $$ (sandwiches $18-$26) | Location: 414 N Beverly Dr | Best for: a no-fuss, historic deli breakfast or lunch
Open since 1945, Nate 'n Al is the rare Beverly Hills classic where you can eat well without a reservation or a four-figure tab. Founders Nate Rimer and Al Mendelson built a deli that has fed the neighborhood for eight decades, and the matzo ball soup, pastrami on rye, and all-day breakfast remain the reasons to go.
It is the down-to-earth counterpoint to everything else on this list.
The booths fill with regulars, and the pace is unhurried. For a genuine, affordable taste of old Beverly Hills, this is the one.
Pros:
- Affordability: the best value sit-down meal in the neighborhood.
- History: a beloved deli running since 1945.
- Comfort food: matzo ball soup and pastrami done the traditional way.
- No-reservation ease: walk in for breakfast or lunch most days.
Cons:
- The menu is deli comfort food, not fine dining.
- Peak weekend mornings bring a wait.
Verdict: The essential, affordable Beverly Hills classic, and a welcome break from tasting-menu pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best restaurant in Beverly Hills overall? Spago, Wolfgang Puck's flagship on Canon Drive, is the most reliable special-occasion pick, with consistent California cuisine, polished service, and both a la carte and tasting-menu options.
What is the best value restaurant in Beverly Hills? Il Pastaio offers handmade Sicilian pasta at prices well below the neighborhood average, and Wally's weekday prix fixe and Nate 'n Al's deli menu are also strong value plays.
Where should I go for sushi in Beverly Hills? Matsuhisa is the original Nobu and the historic choice, while Sushi Note Omakase on Rodeo Drive runs an intimate 14-seat, chef-led counter with excellent nigiri and wine pairings.
Do I need reservations for Beverly Hills restaurants? Yes for the fine-dining rooms. Spago, Funke, Crustacean, and Sushi Note book out one to four weeks ahead, while Nate 'n Al and lunchtime Il Pastaio are more walk-in friendly.
Which Beverly Hills restaurant is best for a classic steakhouse dinner? Lawry's The Prime Rib for tableside prime rib and the spinning salad, or The Grill on the Alley for prime beef and chophouse classics near Rodeo Drive.
Are these restaurants open and bookable in 2026-2027? Yes. All ten are currently operating and accepting reservations as of June 2026; note that Curtis Stone's Maude closed in 2024 and is intentionally not on this list.
Related on PULSE
- Planning a dinner-out budget? Cross-check spend tiers with the Pulse Tools calculators.
- Comparing cities? See sibling Top-10 dining guides in the Dining pillar for other neighborhoods.
- Researching local market data for a hospitality venture? Pair this with the Industry KPIs and Tech Stacks pillars on PULSE.
Bottom Line
Beverly Hills rewards both the splurge and the savvy. For the standout celebration, Spago remains the most dependable luxury answer, with Crustacean and Funke close behind for distinctive, memorable nights. For sushi, choose between the historic Matsuhisa and the intimate Sushi Note Omakase.
And when you want to eat well without the tasting-menu bill, Il Pastaio is the best-value play, with Wally's and the 80-year-old Nate 'n Al rounding out the smart, affordable end. All ten are real, currently operating, and bookable through 2026-2027.