When it comes to dining in Los Angeles sometimes it can be more than just about the food as some local restaurants add ambience and unique experiences to the menu.
For some that may mean creating a restaurant with an unforgettable style or a themed experience or even a location that makes diners feel as if they’ve stepped into another world or time. So for those looking for a place that goes beyond the food menu, here are five of Los Angeles’ most unique dining experiences.
Beetle House LA
7080 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles; beetlehousela.com
You don’t have to say Beetlejuice three times to enter the mad world of Tim Burton, just make a reservation at Beetle House LA. The themed restaurant is what would happen if you stepped into and ate inside a Burton movie. It’s decorated in gothic and dark but humorous touches — think evil pumpkins, skeletons and mood lighting — and characters from his movies make appearances and put on a show as you dine. The menu is equally themed, too, with dishes like The Edward Burger Hands and drinks like The Beetle’s Juice.
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Madame Tussauds
6933 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles; hollywoodrooftopbar.com
This new rooftop restaurant located in the heart of Hollywood’s Walk of Fame is the place to go if you want to dine and even take selfies with A-list celebrities. This summer Madame Tussauds opened its first restaurant on the roof of the famous wax museum. So yes, these are wax figures you’ll be eating with and not the real thing, but hey, it’s still pretty cool to be able to sit at a table next to the award-winning actress and singer Zendaya, who is sitting alone just waiting for her dinner date. Near her sitting by herself at another table is the legendary Marylin Monroe, who is all smiles dressed in an orange dress.
So go ahead and pull up a chair. And then walk over to the bar where you can smell what The Rock is cooking, well actually what he’s drinking since he’s standing by the bar in a silk shirt and purple pants holding up a drink. Other celebrity wax figures at the restaurant include Will Smith, Scarlett Johansson and James Dean. Menu items include burgers, flatbreads and entrees like steaks, salmon and pasta dishes.
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The Old Place
29983 Mulholland Highway, Cornell (near Agoura Hills); oldplacecornell.com
This classic spot really earns its name because it looks like an old frontier saloon with its weathered, all-wood facade and antlers hanging above the front door. It seems like it’s 100 years old, but it opened as a restaurant in 1970. The building used to be an old country store and post office built in the early 1900s, so the renovations kept that old school charm.
With an interior that sports dark wood, a long antique bar and vintage decor inside, you’ll swear you’re eating inside a Western saloon. Adding to the charm is a private dining room that’s separate from the restaurant and looks like an old shack. There’s also a patio where people can order from a take-out window and an old truck that has been converted into a coffee shop. The specialty here are steaks cooked over fire with options like sirloin, rib-eye and bone-in fillet. Reservations are required for inside dining.
The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach; queenmary.com
There are a lot of nice restaurants located by the beach near the water, but there aren’t many that are not only actually floating on the water but have sailed the seas all over the world like the historic Queen Mary. The retired vessel is now a hotel and tourist attraction and of course it houses restaurants in its Art Deco-drenched interior.
For starters, check out the Observation Bar. It’s located at the bow of the ship in what was formerly the first-class lounge, so there are great views of the city and inside it’s decked out in 1930s stylistic touches like a semi-circular bar that sports an old mural of people partying back in the day. Here diners can order high-end cocktails and small bites like flatbreads, charcuterie boards, pork belly baos and bite-size lobster rolls.
For a more full-on dinner experience, head to the Chelsea Chowder House & Bar. This is an elegant dining spot with white tablecloths on the tables, views of the ocean and elevated seafood dishes. A must try is of course the New England Clam Chowder, the fish and chips and the Cioppino, a mix of clams, mussels, shrimp, finfish, lobster and saffron broth served with sourdough bread.
The Tam O’Shanter
2980 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles; lawrysonline.com/tam-o-shanter
This is one of the city’s oldest restaurants that opened in 1922, but when you see it you’ll feel like you’re at an old storybook-style Scottish pub and not in L.A. anymore. The exterior looks like an old cottage where maybe Snow White’s seven dwarfs would have gone for a pint after a long day at the mines.
Inside it’s decorated with medieval weapons, kilts, family coats of arms and crests, a chandelier and statues of knights add a medieval feel to the place. The restaurant is a steakhouse so popular dishes include the gigantic prime ribs and traditional dishes like the pan-seared Scottish salmon and corned beef.