It is not always easy to come across open-late-hours-restaurant, aside from the spinning 24-hours diners. The list below suggests ten eateries in the Los Angles area that keep the kitchen running passed midnight. In addition to pleasing your taste buds, they boast the late night entertainment and inviting ambiance. Along with the basic standards such as chicken fingers, an epicure will find a grand variety of innovative dishes. Nosh your night away!
DOUGHBOYS 8136 W. 3rd Street Los Angeles, CA 90046 (323) 651-4202 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 7am-midnight Opening the bakery in 1992 was just a start, turning later into a successful restaurant business. Doughboys serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day long. If the tunes inside are not pleasant, be seated outside. The savory thick onion soup can feed two people. Having visited Paris, I remember enjoying a similar onion soup, except the French version had intensely pungent fromage. The copious selection of their home-made bread is available for sale, yet after dinner hours you might be out of luck. Do not pass up on the signature dessert, Red Velvet Cake covered by the never-melting icing made of cream cheese. Ready for a night cap? Stop by the hip bar down the street to gaze at a couple of barefoot artists spilling out colorful ideas onto an oversized canvas.
Estimated cost per person $15-$20 Holiday Schedule call for info.
KATE MANTELLINI 9101 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90201 (310) 278-3699 Hours:(Tues-Th.) 7.30-1.00am, (Fr) 7.30am-1.30am, (Sat) 11am-1.30am, (Sun/Mon) 10am-12am This upscale eatery in Beverly Hills was created by Harry and Marilyn Lewis of Hamburger Hamlet fame. After just seeing a fashionable play or a movie, stroll into the house where celebrities often hangout as well as less known locals. The attractive personnel assume an aloof attitude, yet the antidote hides in the variety of the appetizing food. If a booth is available, grab it to better view the entire room next to the bustling, open kitchen. In the late hours it might be easier to conquer your previous culinary fears. Be French and let the delicate tender frog legs become your new palatable endeavor. If you are still uncertain, order a traditional meat loaf or a pot pie. I only wish they had a free refill on the zesty lemonade. The place gets busy on weekends, so expect a wait.
Estimated cost per person $20-$25 Holiday Schedule call for info
BOARDNER’S 1652 N. Cherokee Avenue Hollywood, CA 90028 (323) 462-9621 Hours: (Mon-Sun) lunch, dinner, and late night noshing from 1pm-1am. Here is your hip and trendy colossal palace of good times. The night club has two bars and a large dance floor amid the intimate lounge upstairs. There is no need to dress fashionably as no one cares, but do it anyway. Since 1942, Boardner’s has been visited by many celebrities, not only for good times, but for backdrop. Many popular movies and TV shows have been shot in this Hollywood’s best kept secret - “As Good as it Gets,” “LA Confidential,” “Leaving Las Vegas,” and “I love Lucy,” to name a few. Consider arriving in the late afternoon to enjoy the happy hour. The selection includes traditional hors d’ouvres such as chili cheese bites and crudités with spinach dip. The late nosh hour offers less traditional Swedish meatballs, green mussels, or mushroom & brie wrap. Salute to a long history and an even longer future!
Estimated cost per person $20-$30 Holiday schedule call for info.
FRED 62 1850 N. Vermont Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 667-0062 Hours: Open 24/7 Many claim that Fred 62 is one of the happening diners in the Los Feliz area. It might be an overstatement, yet among the constellation of restaurants, this eatery stands out. Evening often brings a large crowd of artsy people. The noisy inside is more informative than the LA Weekly – involuntarily you overhear what play or movie is the latest trend. Day and night the gaudy waiters serve delicious food to actors, writers, and just hungry folk. In a hurry? Seek an opening at the counter and at once ask for a menu. The waiters are quick to tell a lengthy story, but slow in serving. French fries look especially appetizing presented in an ice-cream-cone-shaped brown paper bag. A light lemon pie is celestial. Fred 62 is more of an adult diner, not one of your kid-friendly places.
Estimated cost per person $13-$18 Holiday schedule call for info.
THE KETTLE 1138 Highland Avenue Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 (310) 545-8511 Hours: Open 24/7 Among a parade of restaurants, the locals prefer this thirty some years diner framed with multicolor flowers at the entrance. The clientele is as colorful as the flowers: from vibrant families to surfers. Nestled just a couple of blocks away from the ocean, Kettle’s rustic wooden decor exudes warmth. The vaulted ceiling adds a sense of space to the already large dining room. When the weather is pleasant, feel the ocean breeze on the patio while enjoying a hearty breakfast. The Kettle’s menu suggests healthy lunches and appetizing dinners. After hours, the young party crowd invades the restaurant, gradually getting rowdy.
Estimated cost per person $15-$20 Holiday schedule call for info.
MI PIACE The Commons, 4799 Commons Way (Calabasas Rd.) Calabasas, CA 91302 (818) 591-8822 25 E. Colorado Blvd (between Fair Oaks & Raymond Aves.) Pasadena, CA 91105 (626) 795-3131 Hours: (Mon – Fri) 7:30am - 11:00am, Lunch (Mon – Sun) 11:00am - 4:00pm. Dinner (Sun-Th) 4:00pm - 12:30am, (Fri & Sat) 4:00pm - 1:30am, Brunch (Sat & Sun) 8:00am - 1:30pm. Mi Piace is a perfect mixture of good Italian cuisine and a festive ambiance. Gil Saulnier, the executive chef, has long mastered the culinary magic. Along with the friendly staff, they lure frequent guests to even more frequent returns. The bread and pastries arrive warm from Mi Piace’s own Pasadena Baking Company. Food is served all day, including the late lounge hours. Coffee and fresh pastries in the morning; at night, you may find yourself in a comfortable red leather chair in the stylish, stainless steel bar. Be prepared to study their lengthy menu. From the vast range of appetizers, salads, seafood, and pizza to the home made lasagna, any option is a lip smacking experience. Mi Piace in Italian means “I like it,” which I think is an understatement. “I love it!” is more accurate meaning.
Estimated cost per person $22-$29 Holiday schedule call for info.
MAGNOLIA 6266 1/2 W Sunset Blvd (Cross Street: Argyle Avenue) Hollywood, CA 90028 (888) 620-7106 Hours: (Mon-Sun) 11pm-2am, Brunch 11am-3pm. When entering the main lounge, act as though an invitation to a post-Grammy Award party is in your pocket. The celebration of fashion and poise is in the air. Noticeably beautiful clientele imbibe cocktails, vigorously mixed by the polished bartenders. A step up hardwood floor dining room offers traditional American cuisine: salads, appetizers, chicken, chops, and steaks. I have yet to try their entrée-portion salads, but have heard of the diverse variety of deep green leaves. (The darker, the healthier). The wine selection is selective, offering a few delicately aged wines along with the popular contemporary choices. A solo seat might be open at the counter despite the busy weekends. A group reservation is strongly recommended.
Estimated cost per person $15-$23 Holiday Schedule call for info.
VERMONT RESTAURANT & BAR 1714 N. Vermont Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90027 (323) 661-6163 Hours: Lunch (Mon-Fri) 11.30am-3pm, Dinner (Mon-Sun) 5.30pm-3am. Bar is open till 1am. Neighboring Fred 62, its proprietors do not seem to mind the competition. Dimmed lighting initiates the mood, which gradually enhances with sips of a lustrous martini. In addition to the prominent bar selection, signature drinks are available as well. This upscale restaurant offers contemporary American fare, presented in a state-of-the-art creative motif. An elaborate array of your fripperies includes appetizing starters and tasty salads. The pepper steak is a pleasant assault on the taste buds. Another option is moist-on-the-inside, yet crispy-on-the-outside white fish, served with pearl pasta, assorted vegetables, gently flowing in a mixture of watercress/basil sauce. Vermont seems to capture it all – exceptional food, interesting people, and a nice variety of cocktails.
Estimated cost per person $25-$35 Holiday schedule call for info.
JOSEPH’S CAFÉ 1775 N. Ivar Avenue. Hollywood, CA 90028 (323) 462-8697 Hours: (Mon-Sat) 8am 11pm, Bar/Lounge is open till 2am. Closed Sundays. More than just home-style cooking can be found in this Mediterranean hideaway. Joseph’s serves breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. One of their signature dishes is a tender shrimp cakes. A drink and a light snack during happy hours (3pm-7pm) is the perfect remedy after a hectic day’s work. The midday assortment of tapas is impressive: garlic shrimp; rolled fish, chicken, or beef tacos; or falafel plate with tomatoes. At night, this Mediterranean paradise displays its multicolored beauty. The aura of a Moroccan-style lounge can make you a bit giddy, even without a buzz. Sit deeper into the leather divan and rest your glass on the treasure-box-shaped wooden coffee table. Notice the walls and ceiling are painted - not in a light Picasso blue; the paint brush must have moved in uneven strokes, leaving deep patches of blue. Keeping the Middle Eastern mode, the transparent white curtains are in motion, touched by the dancing crowd. Check out their list of upcoming music events. Groovy for the groovier!
Estimated cost per person $14-$28 Holiday Schedule call for info.
SANTA MONICA BAR & GRILL 3321 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 (310) 453-5001 Hours: (Mon-Th.) 5pm-12am, (Fri.-Sat.) 5pm-2am. Closed Sundays. The former 310 Lounge has paid handsomely for a make over, which was absolutely worth it. Now, real connoisseurs can taste a palatable stew of the night time entertainment paired with innovative dishes. The patio is a new addition to the retro style dinning room with crescent-shaped deluxe chairs. The menu as well as the wine list is limited, but sufficient. Avoid the pork that requires strong teeth, to favor the sensational Kobe steak. Fridays and Saturdays provide a chance to discover new R&B or Jazz artists. The dance floor is so cozy; each step brings you closer to a stranger, who might become your friend. Call for a dinner reservation and the live entertainment schedule. Great neighborhood spot!
Estimated cost per person $25-$30 Holiday Schedule call for info.
The Top List of Late Night Dinning - Los Angeles, CA