The Brief

There’s a lot of pressure to make the perfect plan for Valentine’s Day. Many service industry veterans say it ties with New Year’s Eve as the most chaotic night of the year to work.

We asked Angelenos what they think is the most romantic restaurant in the city. Check it out what we found... as they say, the answers might surprise you.

Some say they’re drawn to a dimly lit room to hold hands over the table; others say it’s a night to impress with a big-name restaurant with an even bigger view. And for the more low-key, less is more, with a penchant for walk-in-only, casual spots with dishes that evoke nostalgia and don’t break the bank.

If you’re still on the hunt for plans, why not take some inspiration directly from your fellow food lovers.

Monsieur Marcel (The Orginal Farmers Market)

Forget the stuffy, white tablecloth French fine dining of yesteryear. Monsieur Marcel, in the Original Farmer’s Market, got a thumbs up for authentic Parisian bistro flair. It’s an outdoor, casual environment emphasizing classic recipes. No TikTok trends here. Warm up with steak frites, roast chicken, or beef bourguignon ($28-$39).

An accordion player will set the mood on Valentine's Day, starting at 5:45 p.m. It’s easy to head to a second location for a drink or dessert with ample offerings under the Farmer’s Market roof.

Bottega Louie (West Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles)

Love requires patience. So does Bottega Louie’s chocolate souffle ($16). Both are worth waiting for, we’re told.

The Italian restaurant opened downtown in 2009, an early adopter in revitalizing the area for foodies. It serves Italian classics: pizza, pasta and proteins ($22 - $60), while its bakery is best known for its colorful macarons ($8 for 2). The West Hollywood location is bright and airy, while downtown is a sprawling open concept with marble floors.

For a romantic indulgence, the carbonara pasta topped with a poached egg ($32) and vodka sauce pizza ($30) are good choices for a Valentine’s Day date. Once you’re neck-deep in cheese and conversation, waiting 20 minutes for the souffle will feel like nothing.

The Ivy (West Hollywood)

Roses are the most popular flower in Valentine’s Day bouquets. They’re also the only flower on display at the Ivy. Each table is covered in rainbow arrangements, bursting from the restaurant’s signature hand-painted ceramic vases.

Some may associate the 40-plus-year-old restaurant with power lunches of the '90s and 2000s and tourist stops of today, but the ambiance and people watching — and service — continue to hold up. Enjoy favorites like the grilled vegetable salad ($40+) and homemade pasta with lobster and Ivy pink sauce served in a giant lobster shell ($66). The spot is best for lunch; opt for the colorful patio seating. The indoor seating feels like a European vacation home if it's too chilly.

Irie (West Hollywood)

Branded matches at PleasureMed.

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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This smoker’s paradise offers something different from any Valentine’s Day dinner you’ve had. Not a high concept pizza or fusion menu, but the ability to legally consume cannabis indoors as you nosh.

After choosing a joint from Irie’s budtender menu to pass with your partner, enjoy California farmer’s market cuisine. The restaurant offers pre-fixe menus and programming for both Galentine's, on Feb. 12, and Valentine's, Feb. 14 and 15. Keep an eye out for the salmon, served with labneh, cucumber, caperberry, fennel and parsley ($36).

Part of West Hollywood’s growing cannabis tourism, the restaurant is in a compound that includes a bar, dispensary and erotic store. It might be the perfect combination for Valentine’s Day.

H2O Sushi & Izakaya (Northridge)

Can you find romance in a strip mall? Out-of-towners may be doubtful, but this is L.A., and it’s what's on the inside that counts.

Head to the San Fernando Valley, where we got an endorsement for H20 Sushi’s “high-quality fish in a modern space” for $38.99 per person. If your sweetheart’s appetite outweighs their need for ambiance, H20’s all-you-can-eat menu is a romantic grand gesture. No price gouging or limited menu for Valentine’s Day here.

Olivetta (West Hollywood)

There’s nothing like a good leather booth. Still even large parties will be jealous of the cozy two-top tables at Olivetta, a coastal Italian restaurant in a bungalow on Melrose. Dim lighting and luxe furnishings like velvet chairs and art deco wallpaper conjure a grown-up and sexy air fit for a romantic dinner for two.

If your date’s love language is being spoiled, there are caviar bumps ($25 for 4 ounces) on the menu and pasta with a supplemental bone marrow “luge” that’s poured on top tableside ($58). One person told us they’d order the lamb bolognese pasta ($38) and kindly refuse to share.

Donna's (Echo Park)

If your idea of a Valentine’s Day dinner is sharing spaghetti and meatballs a la "Lady and the Tramp," try Donna’s on Sunset ($26). We’re told its dim lighting and classic menu make it just the right level of “bougie” for Valentine’s Day, without feeling forced.

The Italian-American restaurant takes inspiration from classic East Coast red sauce joints, made with prime California ingredients. Other "Sopranos"-approved dishes that are equally sharable include veal picatta ($35) and chicken parmesan ($32).

Lawry’s the Prime Rib (Beverly Hills)

If you’re looking for an excuse to dress up, Lawry’s has a dress code. Take a break from February’s sweatpants lineup and commit to the bit at this classy staple that’s been in town for nearly 100 years for good reason.

The classic prime rib joint on La Cienega’s famed Restaurant Row is a trip back in time. Enjoy prime rib with salad, mashed potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding on the side (plates start at $53). Experienced eaters will add creamed corn or spinach.

House of Pies (Los Feliz)

Dinner at 8 p.m. might be considered a romantic hour to many, but at House of Pies, date night can go as late as 1 a.m. Whether you’re on a budget, have the evening stacked with plans like a concert or movie, or simply have to work that night, the Los Feliz diner and bakery is a retro, no-frills option for an a la mode nightcap.

One suggestion was to skip the dinner and go straight for coffee and pie in the wee hours. There’s a variety of fruit, cream, meringue and custard pies baked in-house daily, like a slice of butter pecan pie ($6). With two forks, of course.

Jersey Mikes (various locations)

Perhaps the most, um, eclectic pick we heard. Whether it’s your first holiday together or your 40th, one way to keep it casual (the relationship, or the holiday celebration) is to split a sandwich. If you can agree on which fixin’s to put on your sandwich, it’s always a good sign. Relationships don’t work when it’s my way or the highway, but perhaps “Mike’s Way” (lettuce, tomato, onion, and a signature blend of olive oil, red wine vinegar and spices) will bring you closer together. Particularly on top of the No. 7, turkey with provolone ($9 and up), we’re told.

While picnic locations like Barnsdall Art Park can help set the mood, when your sandwich partner in crime is really the one, “any curb will do.”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta provided guidance this week to childcare providers on new legal requirements to protect children and their families from immigration enforcement activities.

Under a new law that went into effect this year, childcare providers are not allowed to collect information about a child's or family member’s immigration status, unless necessary under state or federal law. Bonta’s office says there currently is no such requirement, though that could change with federal programs like Head Start.

“Childcare and preschool facilities should be safe and secure spaces so children can grow, learn and simply be children,” Bonta said in a statement.

His office says daycare centers also should not keep information about a formerly enrolled child longer than is required by state law.

The new law also requires facilities to inform the attorney general’s office and the state’s licensing agency if they get any requests for information from law enforcement related to immigration enforcement.

Facilities also must ask families to regularly update a child’s emergency contact information to make sure someone can be reached in case a parent is detained by federal immigration officials.

The Santa Ana winds are here to welcome us into the weekend, bringing warmer temperatures.

The winds will reach Point Mugu to the Santa Clarita Valley, down to Orange County and parts of the Inland Empire valleys and foothills east of the 5 Freeway.

Peak gusts are expected to reach 35 to 55 mph. The western San Gabriel Mountains, Highway 14 corridor, Santa Susana Mountains and the western Santa Monica Mountains are under a high wind warning until 6 p.m., when gusts could reach 65 mph.

As for temperatures, highs for L.A. County beaches will reach the upper 70s and up to the low 80s for inland areas.

Parts of Orange County and Coachella Valley will see temperatures in the mid- to upper 80s, with the warmest areas expected to reach 88 degrees.

Getting together with friends at a bar or pub tends to get a lot harder when children and needy pets enter the mix. One solution — Breweries! Beer gardens! Brewpubs!

Because parents (of kids and pets) want to go out, too — and not necessarily to a fast food restaurant with an indoor playground and no beer.

Thankfully, the Orange County suburbs where I live have gotten on board with my family- and pet-friendly craft brewery dreams. The key ingredients for me are spacious patios, a water bowl for the pooch, and food — either made onsite or, at the least, easy and quick to order and get delivered from somewhere else. Board and pub games are an added bonus.

Plus, of course, great beer from small, independent, local breweries. On the beer front, I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of beer I encountered on my self-arranged tour of breweries in the Costa Mesa-Huntington Beach area.

Gone are the dark, dank days of nothing but IPA (IYKYK); now, you can find everything from pickle-tinged blondes, to mild sours, to rich and creamy stouts. If you’re not a big beer fan, every place I visited also had their own craft-made hard seltzers on the menu, as well as some non-alcoholic beverages.

Here are some of my favorites:

Riip (Huntington Beach)

Riip in Huntington Beach has two spots with full kitchens specializing in pizza and a wide variety of IPAs and other beer styles.

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Jill Replogle

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Riip has been a family favorite since the company opened its first tasting room in Sunset Beach in 2015, with board games and tables the kids could write on. They have since expanded a lot, with a pizzeria next door and another location near Fountain Valley, which also serves excellent pizza, and has a small arcade to keep the kiddos busy.

One thing they do especially well: For serious IPA drinkers, Riip is your place. They usually have at least half a dozen different IPAs on tap, along with a decent variety of other beers, lighter and darker.

This place is great for … dinner after the kids’ [insert sport] game. Also for date night.

At Flashpoint Brewing Company in Huntington Beach, you can check out the brewing vats and other machinery up close while enjoying the results.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Flashpoint Brewing Co. (Huntington Beach)

I only recently discovered Flashpoint, which opened in 2020 on an industrial street near Huntington Beach Central Park. I actually love this aspect of craft brewery taprooms: they’re often located outside of trendy food and retail areas because they need to be able to actually brew beer there as well as serve it.

Flashpoint has a big patio lit with fairy lights. The tall doors of their brewing area, and an adjacent room with the taps and more tables are rolled up during opening hours, giving it a spacious, indoor-outdoor feel.

One thing they do especially well: All the beers I tried were highly drinkable. In other words, not crazy hoppy or overly heavy on flavors. The nectarine sour was especially good, refreshing with just the right amount of tartness.

This place is great for … An early evening toast, watching the clouds turn pink.

Green Cheek Beer Co. in Costa Mesa serves great beer and food, including shareable, snackable items like pad thai cauliflower.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Green Cheek Beer Co. (Costa Mesa)

Green Cheek Beer Co. now has three locations in Orange County and one in Oceanside. Their Costa Mesa spot is conveniently located not far from the city’s Bark Park. So, naturally, after my pooch has fun, I deserve a cold one.

Green Cheek has a huge covered patio filled with long picnic tables. My dog, Ace, was very happy to find a bowl of water set out for their canine visitors, and lots of pets from the humans.

One thing they do especially well: Green Cheek makes great beer. But what I love most about their Costa Mesa spot is that you can soak up the alcohol with food, including smash burgers, tots, and pad thai cauliflower, from their good and reliably fast kitchen.

This place is great for … reading a book, or making a new friend! Their long picnic tables make it easy to opt in or out of the surrounding social scene.

Bootlegger's Brewery outside the LAB Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa has a quiet patio for day drinking, and a lively trivia night scene.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Bootlegger’s Brewery (Costa Mesa)

Within walking distance of Green Cheek is Bootlegger’s Brewery. Bootlegger’s started in Fullerton, and now also has tasting rooms in Costa Mesa and Redlands.

Their Costa Mesa spot is on the outskirts of the LAB Anti-Mall, a collection of small businesses and restaurants, at least one of which will deliver food to your table. A section of the parking lot has been turned into a nice outdoor patio with sun shades for daytime and heat lamps for chillier evening hours.

One thing they do especially well: Their Kosher Crusher pickle blonde ale. They debuted it last fall and it is seriously good — light, refreshing, and just a little bit zesty.

This place is great for … “working” on a Friday afternoon (I was not the only one there typing one-handed on my laptop with a beer in the other), and then inviting friends to join you for happy hour.

There's an ambiance for everyone at Salty Bear Brewing Co. in Costa Mesa.

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Jill Replogle

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LAist

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Salty Bear Brewing Company

Salty Bear is part of The Camp, an uber-cool retail and restaurant complex also within walking distance of Green Cheek and Bootlegger’s (you can do a tasting tour!).

Salty Bear is worth a visit for the aesthetics alone. It has a great bar with midcentury tiling and dimpled red leather. The sprawling, leafy outdoor patio provides plenty of room for the kids to wander.

One thing they do especially well: Their Coastline Strawberry Blonde made me nostalgic for the fruity beers that got me hooked on craft beer in my 20s — but so much better.

This place is great for … Kickin’ it on the patio with friends, either listening to live music, or letting your kids practice performing on the teepee-themed outdoor stage.

Other options in OC south of the 405:

Steady Kitchen and Taps, 18055 Magnolia St, Fountain Valley

Synth Beer Company, 2960 Randolph Av, Costa Mesa

Brewing Reserve of California, 2930 College Ave D, Costa Mesa

Some government funding streams for L.A. County’s public health system are drying up, and officials are turning to private philanthropy to fill the gap.

A new privately funded foundation launched Thursday to strengthen public health services after $50 million in federal, state and local funding cuts to the county’s Department of Public Health since early last year.

“It is really a hard day for our community when we have to ask for private donations to fund a public good, but unfortunately, we've lost too much money to not take this important step,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

In February, the county’s Public Health Department closed seven clinics, with six remaining open. About half of the patients seen in those clinics are uninsured, according to county officials. The department also cut hundreds of staff positions.

Ferrer is on the board of the new foundation, The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA, which held its first meeting Thursday.

She said the fund will help the county maintain its basic public health infrastructure, including disease prevention, health promotion, environmental health, and emergency response efforts.

Other board members include several health insurance executives, as well as actors Sean Penn and Danny Trejo. Board member Saree Kayne of the R&S Kayne Foundation pledged $150,000 to the fund Thursday. Kayne said she hopes the donation encourages others to give.

The foundation aims to raise $2 million this year.

More cuts expected

L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said it’s crucial to have an alternative funding stream to protect services for the county's most vulnerable residents.

“We are saving public health,” Mitchell said. “This fund represents a new approach, one that brings together government philanthropy in the private sector to invest in community-based solutions, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen our public health infrastructure.”

Officials say more public health cuts are coming, through the federal budget law known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," which slashes funding for Medi-Cal.

The county Department of Public Health anticipates losing up to $300 million in revenue over the next three years because of the federal budget bill and other potential funding freezes. Federal funding accounts for almost 50% of the public health budget, according to county officials.

Mitchell also led an effort to put a half-percent county sales tax increase to fund public health on the June ballot.

If approved by voters, that proposal, known as Measure ER, is expected to raise about $1 billion a year for county safety net health services, including about $100 million for the public health department.

Board members

The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA announced its founding board of directors, which includes:

• Dr. Barbara Ferrer, LA County Department of Public Health director
• Debbie I. Chang, Blue Shield of California Foundation CEO
• Sean Penn, actor and co-founder of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE)
• Martha Santana-Chin, LA Care Health Plan CEO
• Saree Kayne, R&S Kayne Foundation CEO
• Danny Trejo, actor and restaurateur
• Jarrett Barrios, an executive at the American Red Cross
• Dr. Deborah Prothrow-Stith, Charles R. Drew University College of Medicine Dean
• Kristin McCowan, an executive at the Los Angeles Dodgers