Meet For A Drink Restaurants

A premier full service dinner house since 1965, The Rusty Pelican is a Newport Beach landmark. The charming waterfront cottage features fresh seafood prepared in innovative ways, with dishes like "The Flagship”, a fresh brandy-herb marinated piece of mahi mahi dusted with cajun spices and Kentucky bourbon sauce. Serving lunch Monday through Saturday, a Sunday brunch, and the ever-popular weekday Happy Hour, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the upstairs lounge, The Rusty Pelican is a great place to take in the sights of the harbor. The warm and inviting atmosphere, with its skylights and cathedral ceilings, and waterfront …

Every aspect of Oliver Café in Beverly Hills represents top talents in the fields of design, business management, and innovative cuisine. Combining the culinary talents of Chef Francisco Ochoa with the restaurant acumen of Mario Oliver and the genius of interior designer, Dodd Mitchell, Oliver Cafe offers an irresistible and contemporary backdrop for breakfast, lunch, chill-out hour, or dinner. The menu features health conscious dishes, with certain items endorsed by the house “Register Dietician” to fall within a certain specified caloric range. For those in Beverly Hills looking for something light to nosh on, give Oliver Café a try.

If your idea of a great meal is garlic, garlic, and more garlic, head to Restaurant Row on La Cienega and visit The Stinking Rose. Executive Chef and owner Andrea Froncillo has created a garlic lover’s paradise, featuring great food in a wildly fun, garlic-themed atmosphere. Fantastic for large parties, the restaurant boasts a varied menu with specialties including roasted crab, prime rib, pastas, and giant tureens of steamed clams, all bathed in garlic. Don’t forget to visit "Dracula’s Grotto," one of many ornately decorated rooms, and to try Gilroy’s Famous Garlic Ice Cream.

Dish in La Cañada Flintridge has been serving up California comfort food to the chagrin of hungry patrons. Weeknight specials included Fried Chicken Tuesday and half-off beers on Monday nights. All items are made in house, including Banana pancakes featuring banana batter, and desserts like the decadent Turtle Bar. The folksy atmosphere, accentuated by the shabby-chic décor, has touches like pop-up toaster ovens on each table so diners can toast their bread to exact taste. With a warm and cozy feel and filling meals, it is no wonder Dish is popular among those looking for something a little different.

Opened in March 2005, Ocean and Vine is located in the gorgeous Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, next to Santa Monica pier. The swanky lobby sets the scene for an upmarket experience. The split-level, low-ceilinged room is attractive; the top level is dominated by a steel chimneyed fire pit, with striking artworks adding to the ‘wow’ factor. The cuisine, from Head Chef Robert Trester under the watch of Executive Chef Gregg Wangard, is Californian; each dish a showcase of local, seasonal ingredients. Dishes are near-faultless, and although prices are high, it’s worth coming here for a splurge or special occasion.

Situated in Manhattan Beach's downtown area, just a block away from the pier, Rock’ N Fish is a local favorite offering a classic New Orleans styled dining room. Surrounded by tall ceilings and hand painted murals, the area appeals to a variety of moods and tastes. Oak grilled fish, signature sandwiches, and Alaskan king crab are some of the menu's highlights. The bar offers the restaurant’s signature "Navy Grog" drink as well as one of the most extensive wine lists in the area. For a fine meal, strong drinks, and a great time, check out Rock’ N Fish!

Bill McCormick and Doug Schmick have spent over three decades building and creating a seafood-based restaurant. The Beverly Hills location of the popular franchise resides on the ritziest stretch of Rodeo Drive. Tourists and locals alike populate the plush patio to people-watch and enjoy impeccably-sourced fish, crustaceans, and bivalves; the restaurant offers a different selection of seafood every day, depending on what’s in season. Don’t leave without trying a dessert, such as their Upside Down Apple Pie with caramelized walnut crust and dulce de leche ice cream. When you’re hungry for seafood, stop by McCormick and Schmick and enjoy scrumptious …

Rogelio and Janet Huidobro opened the first Café Sevilla in 1987, honoring their homeland with a Spanish restaurant in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. After finding additional success in Riverside, they launched in downtown Long Beach in 2006. Mid week, the old-world setting draws business types. Weekends attract a younger crowd for upstairs dancing and dinner shows. Café Sevilla specializes in pans of paella and traditional Spanish tapas. The reasonably priced wine list is especially strong on full-bodied Spanish reds like Tempranillo and Torre Oria.

Tucked amid the beautifully landscaped grounds of Heisler Park just steps from the Pacific, the stunning location of Las Brisas in Laguna Beach is worth a trip in itself. Once you arrive, prepare to be swept away not only by the gorgeous ocean views, but by a romantic setting, gracious service, and an enticing menu of Mexican Riviara cuisine. Chef Aurelio Sanchez’s menu is a treasure trove of culinary history, with recipes culled from the 3,000 miles of Mexico’s west coast. Specialty dishes include feisty Camarones Tampiquenos, prawns sautéed in spicy chardonnay-garlic sauce, and Tostones de Tenera, veal medallions topped …

With a décor that emits an early 70’s vibe and a compelling menu of American comfort food from Chef Vania Almeida, The Second Story Restaurant at The Belamar Hotel, situated less than a mile from the Pacific Ocean, draws a mix of hotel guests, locals, and neighborhood business people. Second Story serves three meals daily, with the most ambitious food surfacing at night, highlighted by horseradish crusted Alaskan halibut with organic mushroom risotto and honey roasted chicken breast with Parmesan polenta and roasted pistachio Brussels sprouts. The happy hour runs seven days a week and features 50% off numerous drink …

A South Bay fixture since 1991, laid-back Lido di Manhattan occupies a commanding corner site. The restaurant is bright and open, with artwork by local artist Monica Farrell. The cuisine is California-Italian, with a heavier lean towards the latter. Signature dishes such as lobster won ton tacos, angel hair pasta with jumbo scallops and tiger prawns and charbroiled filet mignon showcase fresh ingredients. The sweet selection of Desserts are all made in house. Wine buffs will find plenty to please, while cocktail lovers can work their way through the lengthy list. A calendar of cooking classes and events keeps things …

Tanzore fuses traditional Indian culture with artistic modernity, creating a bold, brilliant ambiance full of energy and zeal. The upscale setting offers guests the choice of indoor patio, sleek lounge, or the luxurious white-marble bar, as well as the main and private dining rooms. One can never go wrong by trying one of their Tiffin to-go lunch boxes or their unique desserts such as the cinnamon poached kashmir pear. Diners are surrounded by an assortment of Indian beats, big screen Bollywood cinema, and native dancing. Who knew eating could be so fun and exciting!

In May of 1999, Bill Chait, Danilo Terribili and chef Jeff Sladicka partnered to open this Studio City restaurant specializing in mesquite-grilled meat and seafood. The second floor hosts a sleek black lounge and a dining room framed by wine racks, but the real action is downstairs, in a boisterous dining room with views of the exhibition kitchen. At lunch, expect to find entertainment execs. During the week, Spark draws locals, and on weekends, it’s a dater’s playground. Signature dishes include Roman-style pizzas, grilled Atlantic salmon, and steaks. No matter what you order, save room for the house-baked apple walnut …

Enter into Electric Karma and prepare to excite all your senses. At this upscale casual Indian restaurant on Third Street in West Hollywood, you will find a warm atmosphere suitable for any day of the week. Bold colors and dim lighting set the mood for the experience, and a movie screen projecting Bollywood images is the anchor of the dining room décor. The plush floor pillows in the outdoor seating area invite you to get cozy and take in the scents of exotic Indian spices featured in the restaurant’s extensive menu of traditional Punjabi cuisine.

CUT restaurant, the newest addition to the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons, has created a sense of chic within the hotel’s former classically modeled dining room. Designed by architect Richard Meier, CUT is large, lustrous, and smooth, with oak floors, black-and-white trimmings, and curling vines budding alongside the walls of the two-level fortress. The menu offers USDA Prime, Kobe beef, and true Japanese 100% Wagyu beef from Kagoshima, all of which are complemented by an assortment of tangy sauces, an array of vegetables, and a smart wine list. The elegance of CUT is sure to impress.

Asanebo dishes gourmet Japanese cuisine to the crowds of Studio City. Tucked into a strip mall, the exterior of Asanebo mirrors the surplus of similar restaurants around town, yet hidden behind the window blinds awaits a luscious Japanese sushi experience. This classy and engaging restaurant differs vastly from other places, from its simple but creative food presentation, to its sophisticated décor. While the menu features signature pieces such as Seared Toro with Fresh Seaweed Sauce, and a selection of cooked and raw dishes, it is the Omakase option that makes Asanebo a top rated spot. This Japanese version of a …

Hatfield’s in Hollywood serves California fusion French cuisine in a New American style while using locally grown produce from local farmers markets. Owned and operated by husband-and-wife chefs Quinn and Karen Hatfield, the couple works as a team as Quinn cooks the entrees and Karen creates the desserts and runs the restaurant. The menu consists of items a la carte, a well-known weekly market pre-fixe menu, and a seven-course chefs’ tasting menu. The atmosphere is cozy, simple, and relaxed, perfect for a date or a nice conversation. For a fine dining experience in a striped down modern and modest setting, …

Located next to the Santa Monica Pier, The Lobster has gorgeous sweeping panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Palisades Park. This restaurant offers locals and visitors the freshest seasonal seafood available. For a fulfilling lobster and shellfish experience, try the “Santa Monica Style” Cioppino. This dish includes Alaskan king crab, American lobster, black mussels, manila clams, tiger shrimp, big eye tuna, Catalina white Seabass, saffron rice, and garlic cheese toast points. Another dish to check out is the Three Peppercorn Seared Rare Hawaiian Big Eye Tuna served with hearts of palm and shrimp salad, spicy sesame vinaigrette & tobiko …

Serving “Hellenic-California Cuisine”, the upscale Greek restaurant Petro’s spices up the food scene in the Manhattan Beach area. Decorated in a Grecian fashion, the restaurant features white walls and arches in a light and airy space. The menu offers many variations of Greek dips served with grilled pita bread. Entrees like Lamb Pasta, with slow cooked lamb, roasted peppers, broccolini, olives, kefalotiri cheese, and oregano, and Lamb Pizza are available on the menu along with classic Greek dishes. Petro’s also has a traditional Greek dessert menu where guests can order Baklava, Bougatsa, and other Greek favorites. For those looking for …

West Hollywood’s Comme Ca gives Angelinos the experience of dining in a French bistro with West Coast flair. Chef David Myers opened the restaurant as a way to share his dream of the perfect brasserie experience with the dining public. House signature cocktails such as the Penicillin, Cool Louie, and El Ranchero are bar favorites when warming up for the meal to come. The menu features many French favorites like Fruits de Mer (Oysters on the half shell) and Escargots Persillade for Hor d’Oeuvres. Other meal openers include the Roasted Baby Beet Salad, Assiette de Fromage du Jour as well …