Romantic Dinners at Romantic Prices

Romantic Dinners at Romantic Prices

Whenever one of those days that guys dread rolls around (your birthday, your anniversary, or -- horror of all horrors -- Valentine's Day), chances are your man will tug at his collar and nervously ask where you would like him to take you.  Sure, you could be the girl who insists to be taken to CUT or Mr. Chow, but why make your boyfriend / husband / one-night-stand suffer when there are so many delicious, reasonably-priced options out there?  If you pick one of our romantic yet affordable options below, he'll be able to enjoy his meal, comforted by the knowledge that he won't have to sell a kidney to pay the bill, and marveling at what a cool girl you are.  Plus, this certainly leaves him with no excuse for not buying you a killer present.


HOLLYWOOD

Lou: Wine bar + strip mall = enough said. Though we could maybe add that they have over 30 wines by the glass and the occasional South Texas antelope on the menu.  Nothing says romance like barbecued Bambi.
Location: 724 Vine Street
Phone: (323) 962-6369

Pace: This is our ultimate favorite not-trying-too-hard, not-spending-too-much, feels-like-your-little-secret-though-it's-not spot. Hands down, the best (semi-affordable) date spot in town, though it may feel like overkill on Valentine's Day. We'd save it for a day Jen Garner hasn't been in a movie about.
Location: 2100 Laurel Canyon Blvd
Phone: (323) 654-8583

Magnolia: This restaurant is hip, yet still manages to feel warm and inviting. You might discover that you love the butternut squash ravioli more than you love your date.
Location: 6266 1/2 Sunset Blvd just east of Vine
Phone: (323) 467-0660

Osteria La Buca: You might die a little (in a good way) upon sampling their gnocchi and tiramisu.  Try to snag a seat by the fireplace if you can.
Location: 5210 Melrose Ave
Phone: (323) 462-1900


BEVERLY HILLS

Maison Maurice: The $45 Valentines Day menu at this romantic French spot includes drool-inducing items such as mozzarella brochettes, grilled salmon, and crème brulee.
Location: 8620 Wilshire Blvd just west of La Cienega
Phone: (310) 967-0021


MID-CITY

Prado: Everyone adores the sangria, crab cakes, and red velvet raspberry cake at this innovative restaurant that successfully blends home-cooking with a pan-Latin twist.
Location: 244 N Larchmont Blvd just below Beverly
Phone: (323) 467-3871

Terroni: Great Italian food and a fun, noisy ambiance. They don’t take reservations though, so show up early unless you like waiting.
Location: 7605 Beverly Blvd at Curson Ave
Phone: (323) 954-0300

DOWNTOWN

Bottega Louie's: This airy, always-crowded downtown favorite serves amazing pizza biano, Portobello fries, and chocolate soufflés. The high ceilings mean challenging acoustics, which could be a good thing if you don’t really care what your male-model date has to say.
Location: 700 S Grand Ave at W. 7th Street
Phone: (866) 418-9162


BRENTWOOD

Sugarfish: Designed to be Sushi Nozawa’s hip (and more affordable) kid brother, this restaurant offers super fresh, simple sushi that ranges in price from $4.25 to $7.75. Avoid the fixed-price menu if you’re trying to keep the bill low.
Location: 11640 W San Vicente Blvd
Phone: (310) 820-4477


VENICE

Ado: This charming, incredibly romantic restaurant feels more like a home. The high- end Italian cuisine that is served here is similar but a little more affordable than the food at Piccolo, Locanda Veneta, and Via Veneto (previous restaurants of Ado’s owners/chefs).
Location: 796 Main St just north of Brooks Ave
Phone: (310) 399-9010


WEST LA

Upper West: Despite its location in a culinary no-man’s land, Upper West has an urban feel and a delicious menu, with the lamb crepes and the flatiron steak really standing out.
Location: 3321 W Pico Blvd at 34th Street
Phone: (310) 586-1111


WEST HOLLYWOOD

Cube: This cozy café uses produce from the farmer’s market and their own garden, and they serve organic when possible. The margherita pizza, cheese platters, and the kabocha squash and goat cheese mash are our favorites, but it’s always nice to try one of the specials.
Location: 615 N. La Brea Avenue just below Melrose Ave
Phone: (323) 939-1148

Pane e Vino: This place is the quintessential romantic, Italian date spot. We could eat the free bread and go home happy.
Location: 8265 Beverly Blvd at Sweetzer Ave
Phone: (323) 651-4600

Cobras & Matadors: This Basque tapas bar is dark, intimate, and loud, perfect if you’re the type who finds quiet dinners yawn-inducing. Don’t miss the bacon-wrapped dates and the sweet potato fries, and make sure to bring a bottle of wine – Cobras & Matadors is BYOB with a very reasonable $8 corkage fee.
Location: 7615 Beverly Blvd at Stanley Ave
Phone: (323) 932-6178


SANTA MONICA

Bodega Wine Bar: This charming wine bar offers affordable wine as well as tasty food, like the beets with goat cheese and the apple and brie pizza.
Location: 814 Broadway at Lincoln (but note that they also have locations in Hollywood and Pasadena)
Phone: (310) 394-3504

Lares: We're going to disclaimer this by saying that we haven't actually been here. But, one of our favorite freelancers has, and he says, "Mexican isn't usually an ideal date spot, but this place is really cool. On weekends, they have mariachis. Fantastic, authentic food, and if you sit downstairs, its very romantic."
Location: 2909 Pico Blvd at 29th St
Phone: (310) 829-4550

Bar Pinxto: This intimate, bustling wine bar serves Spanish tapas like paella, porkbelly, and bacon-wrapped dates, and their wine list is inexpensive.
Location: 109 Santa Monica Blvd at Ocean Ave
Phone: (310) 458-2012


SILVER LAKE

El Caserio: If you yawn at the idea of French or Italian on Valentines Day, maybe Ecuadorian is more your style. It’s also nice to try something new – unless you’re from Ecuador, there will definitely be things on the menu that you’ve never heard of, but that you will love.
Location: 401 Silver Lake Blvd
Phone: (213) 273-8945


LOS FELIZ

Figaro: This elegant restaurant is so French, you’re almost surprised when you discover that the waiters are actually nice. You will love the French onion soup, salmon, and the escargot.
Location: 1802 N Vermont Ave below Franklin Ave
Phone: (323) 662-1587

Farfalla Trattoria: You can’t go wrong with the fetuccine alla bolognese and the pumpkin ravioli at this warm, cozy Italian joint.
Location: 1978 Hillhurst Ave
Phone: (323) 661-7365


CULVER CITY

Waterloo & City: This new British gastropub lives up to the hype. Try the truffle fries, the braised short rib pizza, and the sticky toffee pudding or donuts for dessert.
Location: 12517 Washington Blvd west of Centinela Ave
Phone: (310) 391-4222


WESTWOOD

The Glendon Bar & Kitchen: They have lovely lighting, affordable drinks, and delicious items like harvest linguini and baked mac and cheese with crab.
Location: 1071 Glendon Ave at Kinross Ave
Phone: (310) 208-2023


VALLEY
Le Petit Restaurant: This charming little restaurant offers decadent dishes such as crispy duck and baked brie.
Location: 13360 Ventura Blvd west of Fulton Ave
Phone: (818) 501-7999

Cafe Bizou: This French café is cozy and cande-lit, with a very appealing $2 corkage fee.  Try the lobster bisque and the flourless chocolate cake, and you will believe in love.
Location: 14016 Ventura Blvd
Phone: (818) 788-3536