Sunset Strip restaurant recommendation needed

[McLovin]

I'll be in LA on the Sunset strip next month for business.
Am looking for a fun restaurant for a Saturday night with the wife.
Something "LA cool" would be good.
Doesn't need to be on Sunset, but would prefer it for sentimental reasons. Near the Roxy would be good.

[Rick Lee]

Rainbow Bar & Grill. No better people watching anywhere and, if you know whom to look for, you definitely will see some aging rock stars there. I met Lemmy, Chris Squire and Peter Criss there on the same night in Oct. Going again next week.

[scottmandue]

Pinks?

[Nostril Cheese]

+1 on Rainbow.

Lemmy will probably be there in his usual spot, throwin back some Jack Daniels.

[Noah930]

You can try any of the restaurants in Sunset Plaza. Those all ooze LA cool. I'm a fan of Cafe Med. Slightly less of a scene. You can always get a decent table without too much of a wait. Good Italian food. And not ridiculously overpriced. I sat next to Deborah Gibson there, once.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by Noah930

I'm a fan of Cafe Med.

Is that the one right across the street from Chin Chin? If so, yeah, it's pretty good. And it's walking distance from the Rainbow, where you definitely need to hang afterwards. Parking there can be a beetch. They have a lot for customers, but I alway worry about not walking directly from my car to the restaurant and then getting towed.

[speeder]

I doubt that your wife would appreciate The Rainbow as much as Rick Lee. Could be wrong, just a hunch.

I recommend PACE in Laurel Canyon. It might be the best meal in the most romantic room you've ever been in, but you don't have to be dressed-up and it's a real local's spot. Make a reservation in advance for a Sat. night, PM me I you need a last minute table.

For a different, but fun experience, go to the Chop House on the strip and watch drunks try to ride the mechanical bull. Good steaks.

Sunset Plaza restaurants are nice, especially in warm weather. It's all about the outside dining there. I'm not crazy about Cafe Med, though. It's just so-so.

[Noah930]

There's a large parking lot behind Cafe Med. And if that's full (never seen it like that before) there's another lot up the hill behind that.

[craigster59]

Musso and Frank's is good. Cat and Fiddle is a nice pub with a great patio.

[kaisen]

I second the Pace recommendation. Not exactly Sunset, but close enough. We loved everything about it, great experience

[McLovin]

Hmm, my rock star friend who used to live near the strip says Pace is "pretty good" but not great.

But, the reviews look really good, and I love Laurel Canyon, so that's where we'll go. It looks pretty darn good to me.

I'm excited, it's been many years since I've been to the Sunset strip/Hollywood hills area.

Thx, and I'll let you know how it goes!

(p.s., yeah, Rainbow is fun, but not something the wife would really like).

[varmint]

the dresden
the yamashiro
on cahuengua there was a place with no name, but a sign in the window that said "chinese food and donuts".



and roscoes


bob's big boy burbank on car night.

[Noah930]

Hmm. Despite growing up within a stone's throw from that restaurant, I've never been to Pace but friends absolutely love it for a couples type dinner. Maybe not "LA cool" in terms of places to be seen.

Several months ago Los Angeles magazine had some article on hip new bars around town. Obviously there was a section on the Hollywood area. You might want to see if you can find that article online to fulfill that "LA cool" criteria before/after dinner.

[speeder]

PACE is about as "L.A. cool" as it gets. It might as well have an underground tunnel to the Chateau Marmont. A-listers and beautiful people up the wing-wang.

But it's still a great, low key place. Not on the tourist map, like most of the other places mentioned.

[Noah930]

I just got a coupon in the mail for Burger Lounge. Buy one get one free. You can have it if you want, McLovin. Hey, at least it's on Sunset.