🇺🇸 Los Angeles Restaurant Recommendations

I ate so much during my New Year's trip to LA! LA truly has an incredible food scene with great prices—leaving this Bay Area resident deeply envious 😭🍽️💖 Listed in no particular order (these are just the places I tried—can't wait to go back and eat more next time!): 1⃣️ Dan Sung Sa 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $45 per person A unique Korean izakaya open until 2 AM—perfect for late-night drinks, snacks, and chats! Sitting at the bar adds to the vibe, though the BBQ smoke can get strong. 🔥 Must-order: Signature makgeolli, soju, and iced lychee 🍶; carb-loaded tteokbokki, fish cake, and stir-fried ramen 🍜; various grilled skewers and decent fried chicken. 2⃣️ Happy Valley Village / Shanlitun 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $75 per person We braved a rainstorm on New Year’s and waited in a long line 🥲—luckily, they had iron-pot stewed goose that day! You can choose from different stews: goose, lamb spine, even special New Year’s turtle! The portions are huge, and you can add veggies, tofu, or carbs. The fried dough twists and sweet-and-sour pork are indulgent 🍖. This place is a bit controversial—my boyfriend loved it, but it wasn’t entirely my taste. 3⃣️ Moonshadows Malibu 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $65–70 per person How could you miss this stunning oceanside restaurant in Malibu? A classic “old-school网红” spot—remember to reserve ahead! 🌊🌅 🦪 Oysters, crab cakes, and lobster rolls are all delicious. 4⃣️ Yuan's Hotpot Los Angeles 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $65–70 per person This hot pot chain from China is another controversial one, but it totally won me over! The sauce bar and snacks are plentiful, and the beef talloy broth is rich and flavorful 🍲. We went for medium spice and handled it just fine. Highly recommend the crispy fried pork, brown sugar mochi, and fish maw! 5⃣️ République Café Bakery & République Restaurant 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $45 per person A brunch spot loved by Jay Chou! They only take walk-ins—the line looks long but moves quickly. 🍚 Kimchi beef fried rice is a must-order; mixed berry waffles are also delicious. Their freshly blended fruit juice is super refreshing and packed with flavor! 🧃 6⃣️ MEMORYLOOK COFFEE & FLAGSHIP STORE 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $8–15 per person A newly opened coffee shop—decor is simple, but I loved their signature latte and matcha latte! The coffee blends perfectly with the cream on top. Sadly, they were sold out of desserts when I visited. 7⃣️ MEMORYLOOK COFFEE & FLAGSHIP STORE 🌟🌟🌟🌟 💵 Avg: $5–12 per person The mochi coffee was just okay for me—tasted more like milk tea. But the red bean chocolate waffle was incredibly satisfying! 🧇❤️ #StudyInTheUSA #LATravel #LAFoodie #LAEats 🎉🌴🍴✨