Located right in the heart of the Arts District, Sampa is one of those LA restaurant that's trendy,…read morehigh‑end, and still feels warm and welcoming. The kind of spot where you walk in and immediately think, Yep... this is where you bring someone you're trying to impress. The ambience hits that perfect balance of modern, moody, and stylish, a little sexy, a little artsy, and fully date‑night certified. Service was on point the entire night, for my experience, maybe cause they know I was was going to tip very heavily. Ha ha ha. Which ai did by the way! Staff was attentive without hovering, knowledgeable without being pretentious. The team here knows the menu inside and out, and they guide you like they're curating an experience rather than just taking an order. Drinks topped off, plates cleared smoothly, pacing perfect. High‑end feel without the high‑end attitude. Let's talk about the food. Filipino Fusion Done With Swagger Ribeye Salpicao, This dish is straight-up dangerous. Tender ribeye cubes seared with garlicky, buttery goodness, the kind of salpicao that makes you rethink every bite you have. Rich, savory, and addicting. If you don't guard your plate, someone at the table will steal a piece. "Because I know I would!" Rockfish Pritong, it was crispy on the outside, flaky on the inside, and seasoned like someone's Filipino auntie whispered the secrets of life into the batter. Bright, punchy flavors with that perfect crunch. Definitely a sleeper hit. Crispy Duck Pancit, This one is wild, pancit with a crispy duck twist that somehow feels both comforting and elevated. The noodles soak up all that savory duck richness, and the crispy skin on top. Wow, a moment of silence for how good that bite is. Papaya Salad, so fresh, bright, and refreshing. A perfect palate reset between the heavier dishes. Crunchy, citrusy, and balanced, the kind of salad that actually earns its spot on the table. Grilled Eggplant Salad, smoky, silky eggplant with a char that tastes like it came straight off a backyard grill in Manila. Light but flavorful, and a great contrast to the richer plates. Pasta Palabok, a true Filipino classic reimagined. Creamy, savory palabok sauce wrapped around pasta instead of noodles, bold move, but it works. The textures are luxurious, and the flavors stay true to the original. Tare Tare Tamale, definitely one of the most creative dishes of the night. A fusion tamale with tare flavors that hit sweet, salty, and umami all at once. Soft masa, rich filling, and a flavor combo that makes you pause mid‑bite. "Mmmm hmmm!" Hamachi, so clean, fresh, and beautifully plated. The kind of hamachi that melts instantly and makes you feel fancy even if you're wearing sneakers. Of course I had my dress shoes on. It has bright citrus notes and just the right amount of heat. Sampa nails the high‑end, artsy vibe without feeling stiff. Trendy lighting, modern décor, and a soundtrack that keeps the energy fun. Perfect for date night, anniversaries, or when you want to look like you know the cool spots in LA. Sampa is Filipino fusion with confidence, bold flavors, gorgeous plating, and an atmosphere that elevates the whole night. If you're trying to impress your significant other, celebrate something special, or just treat yourself to a killer meal in the Arts District, this place delivers. "Always remember the energy you give ...is the energy you receive. One bite at a time! " Miguel C.

We came here during DineLA week. $55 for 4 course menu. It is our first time here but we had tried…read moretheir kare-kare tamale and ube cheese cake at food festival... so, we were quite excited to dine here. The menu is simple but creative, perfect blend of Filipino and Spanish cuisine. Inasal cesar salad: calamansi dressing is refreshing. Grilled chicken is perfectly grilled add a nice twist to the salad. Kare-kare tamale: signature dish. The braised oxtail is so moist and tender..the veloute sauce is milky. Bucatini and rigatoni are also so yummy. We can't decide the winner. Bucatini is spicy. Rigatoni is milky and buttery... so you decide. Grilled escabeche white fish: the fish is moist with crispy skin. Ribeye is melt in my mouth. For desert, panna cotta is a.perfect ending of a beautiful dinner. Every dish.is beautifully presented. The service is impeccable. There is paid parking across from the restaurant for $10. It is probably one of the best meal we had this year. If you have not been here, Sampa should be on your bookmark to check out.

RSVP for 5PM dinner…read more Parking: Ample Public parking right across the street $10. Brick & Mortar: seated inside - Clean, bright and yet very cozy vibe. Service: very hands on, everyone kept refilling our water glasses. Really appreciate them. The dishes came in accordingly and right on time, one after another. We ordered quite many dishes and desserts. -:- All were made fresh and cooked/baked perfectly. It's really hard to cook ribs perfectly. But this place did it! A lot of people think that "fall off the bones" are the perfect way for ribs dish. But actually that is incorrect. If you're curious of how perfectly made BBQ ribs supposed to taste like, feel free to come to this place. They'll show you how it should be. -:- this place made the best with all fresh ingredients. I never liked spread before. But here, they made their tuna spread from fresh ingredients and not from canned ingredients. If you'd like to know how good a spread tuna spread tastes like, this is the place to go! And don't get me started with their bread. Talking about fresh! They make cloud bread (my opinion). Deep fried cauliflower: first, they boiled/blanched the cauliflowers perfectly, breaded and deep fried. If you'd don't like veggies, you have to come here and get this dish. The sauce, they made it from fresh lime juice! Not from any bottled ones that majority restaurants out there use for short cuts. This including their tomato salad. Will we revisit? Yes! 1000% many many many more times!

Cool warehouse turned into restaurant, although there's not a lot of a/c to go around on a hot day…read more Service is excellent- we were indecisive, so we relied heavily on our server to put together the meal. We ordered: Mushroom crispy rice- strong umami dish, rice was crispy and the poured over broth was delicious Yellowtail slices- the passion fruit marinade was something we haven't seen on a carpaccio and we enjoyed this as a light appetizer Bing with ricotta, jam, and chili oil- this really stood out, definitely a must have at this restaurant. Great mix of flavors. Smoked pork chop- we wouldn't normally get this, but the waiter suggested it and we ultimately trusted him. Probably the best pork chop we've ever had. It was perfectly cooked, with tender meat and fat that melts in your mouth. The coconut milk in the collared greens was also a nice touch. Yuzu lemonade- they must be squeezing this fresh in the back, it took a while to come but it was so good. Love a more tart drink, and this was a perfect palate cleanser between dishes. This was more than enough for two people, we both ate to our fill and had enough for one lunch the next day. Not sure if it was intentional, but all dishes came out individually. I think some things (ie rice/pork) would have been nicely paired together so that you can balance your palate and pace yourself better. Also, a bit pricey for what you're getting, but to be expected from a celebrity chef's restaurant in LA. I will say that the chase sapphire credit helped my wallet digest it more comfortably (and the sapphire gift side dish was a plus!) Overall a great experience that I would like to have again with more bing and some new dishes.

That was an amazing meal! I'm going to be dreaming about it for days …read more The server was super helpful, shared with us all the ins and ours of the menu and really made us feel at home. This cute cafe had people come through the entire hour we were there. We shared 2 orders or Crab Rangoon that was super flavorful. Then 3 of us shared the following and we left with sooooooo much, the portions are amazing: - Wonton Noodle Soup, I could eat this on repeat with their house made chili oil. (My favorite bite! ) - Popcorn Chicken (the deep fried basil was a new experience that I needed) - The Fried Chicken Rice, this was so good. Our vegetarian had the Tomatoe Sauce Rice with Tofu instead of chicken, she loved it. We had a few Passion Fruit Green Teas with coconut jelly lychee and a lychee Lemonade and that Lemonade was the star, it was everyone's favorite. This is down the street from Keck USC and will be right back here on our next visit. 10/10.

I rarely, practically never write reviews. BUT, this cafe is too good not to review…read more I ordered the spicy wontons and fried chicken. They were well seasoned and well cooked. It tasted like a home cooked meal made by someone's mom. The guava black tea was great as well. I was too hungry and excited to take pictures this time.

Otomisan is truly an institution! We loved the food here as much as I loved the service and the…read morevibes. We called in an order close to closing so I genuinely appreciate how the server coordinated with us. Sooo incredibly kind and professional! The food was excellent and every bite we ate, we were MOANING in delight. My friend really felt and tasted the authenticity and that says a lot because Japanese restaurants really respect doing things right. Their simple menu really speaks to it. The salmon teriyaki actually did not come with miso soup or teriyaki sauce :( but they did put it over a bed of onions which was...AMAZING. You can't have some salmon without some caramelized onions over a bed of hot white rice. My friend's gyoza was great but I really liked her avocado roll. Simple done right. Much appreciated Otomisan! We'll be back soon and we will DEFINITELY order more :D

Taste: 5 Creativity/Authenticity: 5…read moreAtmosphere: 5 Service: 10 Bang for your buck: 5 So this place was'nt my first choice and we stumbled upon this place since all the spots we were trying to go to were closed or ran out of food?! But let me tell you this place was a blessing in disguise!! First this place is in small little shop with a counter and man does this place have some charm they don't make restaurants like this no more, and we were able to snag a boot, and when I say small they have 3 booths and a counter with 6 seats and this place filled up fast. Now to the food, got the combination with sashimi and chicken teriyaki and my buddy got the tempura and the cut sushi rolls... everything was amazing, came out quick and hit the spot something about small mom and pop restaurants that hit different form the Chains. Service here can't get any better, our waitress was so nice and despite this place being packed she was very attentive and just a great person to talk to about the history of this restaurant. I love the ambiance here, very charming and just feels like going to grandmas house I dunno!! Overall I will definitely come back for the pork katsu looks delicious!! Thanks for the food and hope more people will discover those gems in the city

The inside is low lit & gives an elevated ambiance. Service was fantastic and very attentive. We…read morestarted with the pacific oysters & spicy tuna crispy rice. The pacific oysters are a good size and I really enjoyed the yuzu-kosho ponzu sauce on it. The spicy tuna crispy rice have a good amount of spicy tuna on top & I loved how crispy they made the rice underneath. The Kodo trio comes with uni, toro, & wagyu and the Toro sampler comes with o-toro, chu-toro, akami. All of these handrolls were phenomenal & just left you wanting more. The Wagyu katsu you cook on a hot stone at the table which I liked as an interactive dish. The Wagyu cheeseburger was dripping with juice but still had those crunchy edges. The Uni pasta was beautiful & delicious. The Chimichurri prawns I could eat multiple plates of- the shell comes sliced down the middle so you just have to peel it off. For dessert we ordered the Kodo basque cheesecake & Miso chocolate torte. I love a basque cheesecake & the sesame crumble added great texture. The miso chocolate torte made me wish I ordered my own. Everything from start to finish was amazing, it's hard to pick favorites. Parking- valet $13

I really enjoy eating here because service is fast and friendly. You get a lovely meal and every…read morestaff member you meet is always so friendly. Food is delicious, drinks are good, and parking isn't hard to find if you're willing to walk a little. The design kinda dark inside, but the patio is always nice. The best part? I can be in and out in less than an hour if I wanted!

Broken Mouth is easily one of my favorite places in LA and one of those places I recommend to…read moreeverybody. It's Korean-Hawaiian food inside a small food hall in Downtown LA. The location itself can be a little annoying because parking downtown is parking downtown, and the restroom situation isn't the most convenient, but the food makes it worth it for me. The ribeye is my favorite and what I keep coming back for. It's super tender, flavorful and the sauces they use make it different from just getting a regular steak plate somewhere else. I usually get it with the purple rice and egg, and I love the sides too, especially the potato salad and cucumber. The portions are also huge. I'm definitely not leaving hungry, and usually I have food left over. The owner has always been really kind whenever I've been there, which makes me want to support them even more. I've eaten here multiple times, brought other people and recommended it to so many people at this point. There are way too many restaurants in LA for me to repeatedly go back somewhere unless I really love it. This is one of them.

These flavors are AMAZING! I've been meaning to try this spot ever since I moved to downtown Los…read moreAngeles, and I don't know why I waited all this time! We did not experience a long wait for our food and the service was extremely friendly, which made for an even better first visit here! The plates are big, so you definitely get your money's worth when you order. The beef plate I got was full of flavor and deliciousness that I know I'm coming back for!

Love the pasta there! The restaurant was wonderful and they have great options of pasta. The menu…read morewas excellent and so many great quality of food to choose from. The Mentai Pasta and Squid Ink pasta were really good and so delicious. It was so creamy and nice quality of noodles. I really enjoyed the pasta with wines, it taste so fantastic. Lovely place with great ambiance.

This has become one of my favorite restaurants since we discovered it during our LA visit last year…read moreso of course, it was on my "must-go" list this time! Just like before, they did not disappoint. I ordered the Tarako Spaghetti this time and it was so good! It really reminds me of the pasta I can get in Japan, which is probably one of the reasons I love this place so much. If this restaurant were in my area, I would go there all the time! Hopefully, we'll get to visit again when we're back in LA next year.

We ordered over the phone for pick up. My boyfriend went to pick up the food…read more I was craving udon. As a vegetarian, I really enjoyed my veg udon. It was the only vegetarian option but it was creamy and hearty. I loved it. My boyfriend was surprised by how good their udon is.

Would not recommend on a sweltering day because the AC is WEAK or perhaps nonexistent I couldn't…read moretell; also not sure if their ac was just broken that day. Food 3.5/5 - Atmosphere 2/5. We stopped by on a high 90s high humidity day in LA and had to wait a bit outside in the heat. Was so looking forwarding to stepping inside only to find out that it was only mildly better temperature wise. We had already waited and were seated so decided to stay but it made for a quick meal (maybe that's their tactic lol). I ordered the miso carbonara and it was good - not too salty - but the portions were tiny! I would say it's close to half the amount of the frozen udon blocks you get at the supermarket. Nice chew and flavor but almost like an appetizer for $17/$18. I do really like the food but would probably either not wait or grab another noodle place nearby. Feel really bad for the workers who have to work in such hot conditions.

My family and I had an amazing experience at Taberu! When we visited, it was only the second day of…read moretheir new Michelin-chef curated menu...such a pleasant surprise! Our server ended up being the manager, Savior, who was just great. He took the time to explain everything about the menu to us, answered questions, and really made me feel like we were VIP's! The restaurant is moody and dark, perfect for a date night. The menu has entrees, but also many small plates so we did a variety of both. Drinks: Kiwi sorbet high 5/5 Taberu rice lager 5/5 Small plates: Fried yam potato, ikura cream 4/5 Crispy pork belly crepe 5/5 Uni kiritanpo 4/5 Yakitori omakase 4/5 Entrees: Kobujime salmon and ikura 3/5 Grilled A4 Wagyu 5/5 Grilled lamb 6/5 (our favorite dish we got) Hitsumabushi (grilled unagi and rice) 5/5 All of the dishes were plated and served beautifully! I would 100 times recommend the crispy pork belly crepe, yakitori, and grilled lamb.

Came here on NYE because a friend was spinning that night. The space is on the smaller side, but…read morethe vibes are on point, intimate, energetic, and I can easily see it getting packed on a regular night. They were running a limited menu for NYE, which I wish had been the full lineup, but honestly everything we ordered still hit. The small bites were solid, and the ramen was comforting and flavorful, definitely enough to make me curious about what the full menu looks like. Currently working on convincing my wife we need a return trip. What really makes TABERU stand out is the concept behind it. It's backed by top restaurateurs from Tokyo who collectively own over 200 restaurants, all coming together to bring street-level Tokyo flavors to LA. The name "TABERU" ties into Sandaiyokkyu, the three major human desires, with the focus on shokuyoku, the desire to eat. That philosophy actually shows in the food: simple, intentional, and satisfying. Their chefs from Tokyo created a menu you don't really see elsewhere in LA. Signature dishes like the Yasai Makis (fresh veggies wrapped in pork) sound incredible, and it's great to see vegetarian and vegan options as well. Short version: great atmosphere, solid food even on a limited menu, and a concept that feels thoughtful rather than gimmicky. Definitely coming back to experience it properly.

Been here twice, almost just see if the first time was a fluke...it wasn't…read more This little place, hidden in the lobby of a hotel, is fighting above its weight. A gem, just across from The Wiltern! There are places nearby with lines...skip them, come here! Bulgogi quesadilla? Amazing. Kimchi steak taco? Not soggy, steak is lean, pico de gallo is perfect counterpoint. Street sandwich? Comfort food. Tortilla pizza? Fantastic (but get the sriracha mayo and Tabasco to accentuate the positive). Beverages? Dynamite. Whiskey with fresh strawberry puree? As good as any tiki bar. Gin with lemonade and lemon cello with sparkling water? Delicious and dangerous. Not for nothing, service has been great both times Highly recommend, looking forward to coming back again!

My gfs and I decided to try this spot for brunch to celebrate a birthday. The interior of this…read morerestaurant is super cute and well decorated. Photo worthy for sure. The menu was pretty extensive, which we appreciated. Lots of options to choose from (apps, handhelds, salads, pastas, entrees, etc.) and since we're foodies, we ordered a ton of items. Here's what we tried: KFC (Korean fried chicken)- very tasty and crispy. Chicken was moist and it came with a sweet/garlic dipping sauce. Plus a side of radish. This would have been great with a beer. Bulgogi quesadilla- we really enjoyed this app. It came with a dipping sauce that paired well with the sweetness of the bulgogi. Highly recommend this one! Toowoomba pasta- . This was our favorite dish. It's one of those dishes that you'll want to replicate at home. Beef & cheese- this dish was good, but the meat was overcooked. We were also hoping that the meat would be more tender. 7/10 Fries & sweet potato fries- came out a bit cold, so we had to send the fries back to be recooked.