Forget how delicious the drinks or dishes are; the American Institute of Architects in Los Angeles is all about how a bar or restaurant looks. Superficial? Nah. It's a huge part of the dining (or drinking) experience, and the best of L.A. and elsewhere were named and honored by the organization as part of this past weekend's annual Dwell on Design expo and conference. more ›

An early morning fire that broke out yesterday at the Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica essentially gutted the popular restaurant and music club, leaving all but the sound board and stage destroyed, reports the Santa Monica Daily Press. more ›

Next Door Tapas is a swanky and intimate little lounge in Studio City, perfect for a weekend or late evening bite -- just don't plan on being there before 6pm. Despite the 5pm opening that's advertised on most review websites, we showed up at 5:30 only to find half-dressed tables and an unready staff. The wine menu was quick to arrive once we were seated, however, and we found the lounge to be a relaxing environment for a romantic rendezvous (well, up until the large party of cougars showed up, but whatevs). more ›

Tranquility Base, downtown's newest restaurant/bar, celebrated its grand opening with a "first annual" springtime cocktail party last night. There were some passed hors d'oeuvres, a cocktail tasting to choose the restaurant's featured cocktail and lots of dressed-up 30-something revelers enjoying the warm evening by the outdoor firepit. more ›

Photo by K. Moriarty via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr more ›

Jeffrey Chodorow is at it again in Los Angeles: along with renowned chef Michel Richard, he is bringing a new upscale dining experience to Hollywood, in the form of Citrus at Social -- yes, Social, the nightclub-cum-lounge located in the old Hollywood Athletic Club building on Sunset. The restaurant (with its own separated bar) will be opening tonight, and as of 11:00 am this morning, you can still get reservations through OpenTable. more ›