With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
These 9 LA Restaurants Just Nabbed Michelin Honors: How Many Have You Tried?

Getting a table in L.A. just got a little harder.
The Michelin Guide announced 10 additions to its guide to California dining Tuesday — and nine of the new spots are in and around Los Angeles.
The restaurants run the range from a Peruvian chicken place — Pollo a la Brasa in Koreatown — that's the definition of the kind of casual dining that we love here in L.A., to Quarter Sheets Pizza in Echo Park and Sushi Sonagi, an exclusive sushi bar in Gardena that will set you back three figures, easy. The new additions to the guide showcase the wide variety of dining experiences that Los Angeles has to offer.
Why this rating matters
While this isn’t the coveted Michelin star, the organization's top honor, the mention is still a big deal for many of these restaurants who began from humble origins: they've now earned the title of “recommended” by Michelin.
Sushi Sonagi's IG feed celebrated the recognition this way: "WOW... Our family is incredibly proud and honored to be included and to represent the city of Gardena, South Bay, and Los Angeles! Thank you to all our guests for cheering us on and for completing our purpose and we promise to only get better and keep pushing for you!!"
This new crop of restaurants represents a continuing shift for the Michelin Guide, which was famous for highlighting fine dining establishments in certain geographic locations (think Los Angeles, San Francisco, Napa.)
However, the organization has recently made great strides inviting diners to explore beyond traditional dining destinations: Heritage in Long Beach nabbed the only Michelin Star awarded to a California restaurant last year.
Michelin’s full guide to California dining will be unveiled later this year. Until then, Michelin has been adding to its dining list here and there — a kind of amuse-bouche while we wait.
“We hope that these regular revelations and updates to the selection throughout the year will provide opportunities to highlight the profession and invite everyone to discover and support the restaurants around them,” Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides, said in a statement announcing the newest inclusions on the list. Here they are, along with their price point and guide description.
Amour

Location: 8715 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles
Guide description: $$$$ · French Contemporary
AmourWeHo.love
Little Fish

Location: 1606 W. Sunset Blvd., Echo Park
Guide description: $ · American
LittleFishEchoPark.com
Liu's Cafe

Location: 3915 1/2 W. 6th St., Los Angeles
Guide description: $ · Chinese, Taiwanese
LiusCafe.com
Pollo a la Brasa

Location: 764 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles
Guide description: $ · Peruvian
@Pollo-a-la-brasa
Quarter Sheets
Location: 1305 Portia St., Los Angeles
Guide description: $$ · Pizza
@QuarterSheets
sawa

Location: 111 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles
Guide description: $$$$ · Japanese, Sushi
BarSawa.us
UKA

Location: 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles
Guide description: $$$$ · Japanese Contemporary
JapanHouseLA.com
Sushi Sonagi

Location:1425 W. Artesia Blvd., Gardena
Guide description: $$$$ · Japanese, Sushi
@Sushi.Sonagi
Funke

Location: 9388 Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills
Guide description: $$$$ · Italian
FunkeLA.com
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember.
-
Yes, it's controversial, but let me explain.
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care.
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings.
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past.
-
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases.