The 12 Best Date Night Restaurants in West LA (2026)

Finding a great date night restaurant on the Westside used to mean driving to Hollywood or downtown. Not anymore. West LA’s dining scene has matured into something genuinely romantic — tasting menus with ocean views, candlelit wine bars, rooftop Italian joints, and neighborhood spots with just enough atmosphere to make the conversation feel important. Here are the 12 best date night restaurants in West LA for every budget, mood, and stage of relationship.

The Splurge-Worthy Dates

1. SELINE. The Michelin-worthy tasting menu on Ocean Avenue is the most impressive dinner on the Westside. A multi-course progression of California-Mediterranean dishes in an intimate, candlelit room with ocean views. This is the anniversary dinner, the “I got the promotion” dinner, the dinner that makes someone fall in love with you. Budget $200+ per person with wine. Worth every dollar.

2. Persé. The modern Persian dining experience in Brentwood is romantic without trying too hard. Warm lighting, jewel-toned interiors, and a menu that surprises at every course. The saffron risotto is beautiful, the lamb shank is dramatic, and the rose water desserts are the kind of thing you’ll talk about on the drive home. Reservations essential on weekends.

3. Elephante. Fourth-floor Italian with a terrace overlooking the Pacific. At sunset, there is no more romantic restaurant on the Westside — full stop. The pasta is excellent, the wine list is deep, and the aperol spritzes at golden hour feel like a scene from a movie. Start with happy hour drinks at 4pm and transition into dinner.

“The best date night restaurant isn’t the most expensive one. It’s the one where the food, the light, and the noise level all conspire to make you lean in closer.”

The Neighborhood Dates

4. Felix. Evan Funke’s hand-made pasta on Abbot Kinney is the definition of effortlessly romantic. The patio at golden hour, a bottle of Nebbiolo, and the cacio e pepe — it’s the kind of dinner that feels special without feeling stiff. Walk the boulevard after for gelato at Salt & Straw. First dates, third dates, hundredth dates — Felix works for all of them.

5. Tar & Roses. The wine bar on Santa Monica Boulevard is the date spot for people who care about what they’re eating and drinking. Andrew Kirschner’s seasonal menu rewards adventurous eaters, and the wine list — organized by style rather than region — turns ordering into a conversation. Bar seating is first-come and more intimate than a table. Share the bone marrow. Share everything.

6. Cosetta. The California-Italian spot in Ocean Park has exactly the right amount of buzz for a date night. Not too quiet, not too loud, with wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, and a candlelit interior that flatters everyone. The burrata with peaches is a perfect opening act. Walkable to Main Street bars after dinner for a nightcap at The Victorian.

The Casual-But-Cool Dates

7. Gjelina. The Abbot Kinney anchor restaurant is louder and more energetic than a traditional date spot, but that energy is part of the appeal. The communal tables force intimacy, the wood-fired pizzas are perfect sharing food, and the vegetable dishes — roasted yams with yogurt, blistered cherry tomatoes — are more impressive than they sound. No reservations for parties under six, so put your name in and walk the boulevard.

8. Matu Kai. The Wagyu destination in Brentwood turns dinner into an event. The A5 wagyu tasting is theatrical — tabletop preparation, precise cuts, the whole performance — and the sake pairing elevates it further. It’s the kind of dinner that generates stories, which is what a great date night should do.

9. Forma. The underrated Italian spot on Main Street. The pasta is made fresh daily, the cacio e pepe is tableside, and the sidewalk tables at sunset are genuinely lovely. It’s also one of the most affordable options on this list — a proper Italian dinner with wine for under $80 per person. The early-relationship date where you want to impress without looking like you’re trying.

The After-Dinner Move

10. The Victorian. The upstairs cocktail bar on Main Street is the perfect post-dinner destination. Candlelight, exposed brick, a curated cocktail menu, and the kind of atmosphere where ordering a Manhattan feels exactly right. Pair it with dinner at Cosetta or Forma nearby.

11. Force of Nature. The natural wine bar in a Victorian home above Abbot Kinney is unlike anywhere else. A bottle of orange wine on the rooftop, pizza delivered by pulley from next door, and a setting that feels like you’ve stumbled into someone’s very cool private party. This is the date spot that shows you have taste.

12. The Penthouse at the Huntley. After dinner anywhere on this list, end the night 18 floors up with the coastline spread out below you. The cocktails are well-made, the view is staggering, and there’s something about being that high above the ocean at night that makes everything feel significant. The nightcap to end all nightcaps.