The Magic Castle

Really a private club rather than a public restaurant, the Magic Castle is where entertainers come to be entertained. Its ornate, Victorian-style dining room serves standard American fare (steak and the like) but the food isn’t the star attraction – that would be the spectacular magic shows in the castle’s theater, which is why you’re more than likely to have a celebrity sitting a seat over. Since 1963, the Academy of Magical Arts – guests must be members or invited by one – has hosted Siegfried and Roy, David Copperfield, David Blaine, Johnny Carson, Dick Clark, Jason Alexander, and Neil Patrick Harris, the academy’s former president. Resourceful travelers to L.A. set on getting in could stay at the Magic Castle Hotel or reach out to one of the performing magicians for an invitation.

The Polo Lounge

Ensconced in the Beverly Hills Hotel, the Polo Lounge is almost as famous as its regular patrons. Since Hollywood’s early days, dealmakers have been having their power lunches here, while starlets and socialites enjoy the classy American food and full cocktail menu. In this, one of the very best restaurants in Los Angeles to see celebrities, the dining room’s ceiling is run with iconic green-and-white stripes, while the patio is flowery and sunny. Among the eatery’s famous faces these days: Nicole Kidman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Reese Witherspoon, Sandra Bullock, Diane Keaton, Taylor Swift, Chris Rock, Calvin Klein, and Janet Jackson.

Canter’s Deli

It doesn’t get more casual than Canter’s. This famous Jewish deli, founded in 1931 and still operated by the Canter family, is an old-time diner with no decor to speak of, on an unassuming stretch of Fairfax Avenue. And yet, despite this total lack of trendiness or fanciness, it’s one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles to see celebrities. Popular shows have filmed scenes here, including Mad Men, Entourage, and Curb Your Enthusiasm; and clientele over the years have included Marilyn Monroe, Jack Benny, Elvis Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, Sydney Poitier, Mel Brooks, Larry King, Mick Jagger, Barack Obama, Sarah Silverman, Rachael Ray, John Travolta, Prince, Conan O’Brien, Roseanne Barr, Julia Roberts, and Steven Tyler.

The Palm Beverly Hills

Four decades ago, Fred Astaire tap-danced on the table at this legendary restaurant’s previous West Hollywood location. In late 2014, the Palm’s owners moved their bona fide celebrity hot spot into its new Beverly Hills location, on Restaurant Row, and the stars have not stopped streaming in. Among those who’ve chowed down on the Palm’s steaks and seafood: Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, and Alyssa Milano.

Catch LA

Catch LA is, by far, the coolest new kid in town. This West Coast outpost of the hip New York seafood eatery opened in West Hollywood in 2016 and immediately became the city’s most popular celebrity hot spot. The brick-and-wood rooftop space is filled with plants – and L.A.’s most beautiful people. Sitting high above Melrose Avenue, stars of every stripe (Kardashians, Mariah Carey, David Beckham, Paris Hilton, and so on) order sustainable seafood, or request the vegan menu, then stay for the see-and-be-seen nightlife, since closing time isn’t ‘til 2:00 a.m. Be warned, though – it’s very tough to get in if you’re not famous, gorgeous, or wealthy.