As a local, I can attest that Manhattan Beach has become a foodie’s paradise. The elevated cuisine, creative cocktails, and lively restaurants draw in locals and visitors alike. In my humble opinion, some of the best restaurants for dinner in all of Los Angeles County are right here in Manhattan Beach.
If you are visiting Manhattan Beach, come hungry because you will want to try as many restaurants as possible. Here are some of the best restaurants in downtown Manhattan Beach for dinner.
Where is Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach is a small California beach town located about 10 minutes from the Los Angeles International Airport. If you have a layover at LAX, Manhattan Beach is a great place to spend the day.
Nando Trattoria is one of the top Italian restaurants in Manhattan Beach and has quickly gained popularity. The family-owned high-end Italian restaurant specializes in fantastic homemade pastas, breads, meats, and desserts. The extraordinary fresh ingredients result in spectacular dishes such as the cavoletti ortolani (brussel sprouts and butternut squash) and Gemelli San Marco (pasta).
Nando Trattoria is not your typical Italian restaurant. Instead, dinner at Nando Trattoria is like taking an incredible food tour through Sicily. Without leaving the country, you can experience decadent and spectacular Italian tastes and flavors.
The owners’ warmth and pride are evident in the preparation of your meal and the personal attention paid to each guest. I have enjoyed multiple dinners at Nando.
My Favorite Dishes:
My favorite dishes on the menu include the cavoletti ortolani, Gemelli San Marco, and for dessert, the cannoli. The cannoli is one of the best I have ever tried.
- Pro Tip:
Consider sharing several dishes to experience Nando Trattoria at its best, and don’t forget to leave room for dessert. Some of the dishes, like the pollo alla parmaganio, are large enough to split with two or three people.
The Strand House is an upscale yet relaxed oceanview restaurant and bar in Manhattan Beach with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Those looking for a restaurant in Manhattan Beach near the pier and with a view, this is the one!
The food at The Strand House is delicious. The menu incorporates Southern California sophistication in a warm and inviting setting. There are several places to dine at The Strand House, including the main dining room, two bars, and a wine cellar for special events. The Strandbar on the lower level is also popular in the afternoon for happy hour and late into the evening.
As a side note, the owners of The Strand House also help the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Strand House provided 1,000 free holiday meals to restaurant workers.
My Favorite Dishes:
Some of my favorite dishes include Hamachi crudo, flatbread pizza, pan-seared Branzino, and for dessert, I like the TSH glazed donuts.
- Pro Tip:
Make a reservation for a time you can watch the sunset over the ocean. Before or after dinner grab a drink at The StrandBar for a specialty cocktail.
Fishing with Dynamite is a small yet energetic restaurant offering fresh, delicious seafood, including an award-winning oyster bar. Chef David LeFevre’s use of simple and pristine ingredients has led to a loyal local following and a spot on the 2019 Michelin Guide. After a day at the beach, Fishing with Dynamite is the perfect place to enjoy a chilled glass of white wine and fresh seafood.
Fishing With Dynamite is the best seafood restaurant in Manhattan Beach. I love eating here because the food is fresh and I never feel like I ate too much. There are hardly any items with bread on the menu.
My Favorite Dishes:
A few of my go-to favorites include oysters, shrimp cocktail, Hamachi sashimi, and Chef David’s Mom’s Cape Cod Squash Rolls.
- Pro Tip:
Reservations are often made a month in advance. However, FWD also leaves tables open for walk-ins. Since the wait can be up to two hours, I recommend putting your name on the list an hour and a half to two hours before you want to eat. Then head to a local bar (I like Shellback’s and StrandBar) for a drink or catch the sunset while you wait.
M.B. Post is a low-key yet upscale tapas restaurant in the heart of Manhattan Beach. The farm-to-table small plates combined with fresh ingredients are a mainstay. M.B. Post playfully pays homage with its decor to the old post office space it now occupies. The high energy, hand-crafted cocktails, and inventive small plates keep me and others coming back to M.B. Post for more.
My Favorite Dishes:
It’s not a visit to M.B. Post without an order of bacon cheddar buttermilk biscuits with whipped maple butter. The biscuits are fantastic and a must! My other favorite dishes include the skirt steak and blue lake green beans.
- Pro Tip:
A boozy brunch at M.B. Post is also fun! Many of the same dinner dishes are on the brunch menu.
Half a block up from the pier, Mangiomo Ristorante & Bar consistently serves delicious classic Italian. The warm, upscale atmosphere is generally full of locals and is one of my favorite restaurants in Manhattan Beach.
I have been a consistent patron of Mangiomo’s for ten-plus years because the food is always excellent, the staff is friendly, and the ambiance invites you to relax and enjoy a good meal. I have tried most of the menu (except the red meat dishes) and can honestly say every meal has been terrific.
My Favorite Dishes:
My favorite dishes are the scampi Fra Diavolo and potato-crusted halibut. My husband loves the butternut squash ravioli and the chicken marsala. For dessert, don’t miss the espresso chocolate souffle. I don’t even like coffee, and I still order this dessert. It’s that good.
- Pro Tip:
The nightly dinner specials continuously change and are solid choices. For a quieter table, ask to sit in the wine cellar. It’s a cozy room at the back of the restaurant.
Mangiomo’s also offers the best happy hour in Manhattan Beach.
If your favorite dish is steak, then The Arthur J has your name written all over it. The Arthur J is a neighborhood steakhouse that filled a niche missing in Manhattan Beach. The steaks are the star at The Arthur J and are prepared to perfection. However, non-meat eaters don’t need to fret. The fish dishes are also delicious.
Locals flock to the bar where there is a bit of a scene. The mid-century modern style creates the perfect setting for a dirty martini and a steak. You will notice that unlike many of the other high-end restaurants in town, many patrons (although not all) get dressed up for a visit to The Arthur J. Don’t get me wrong, you might still see people in flip-flops, but guests tend it take their style up a notch at The Arthur J. It’s a fun night out and great for a date or entertaining.
My Favorite Dishes:
Steak! Plus, very few restaurants can even come close to my mom’s delicious Cesear salad recipe. However, The Arthur J is one of those restaurants. The Caesar salad rocks!
- Pro Tip:
Your meal isn’t complete without trying the freshly baked popovers with strawberry butter. Yum! You can also make your Caesar salad decadent by adding a petite filet.
With a laid back indoor/outdoor vibe, Simmyz’s is the most casual restaurant on my list and often the most crowded. Simmyz’s is so popular because locals and visitors crave good food, good drinks, and the vacation like feeling when eating here. Plus, the food is simple (think burgers, tacos, fries), with a little flare elevating each dish’s taste. Simmyz’s has a large selection of beer on tap and, on the weekends, serves a tasty sangria. If you want a tasty burger and an ice-cold glass of beer, then look no further than Simmyz’s.
My Favorite Dishes:
I like the burger and fish tacos.
- Pro Tip:
If you want to add a little decadence to your meal, order the haystack fries.
One of the most memorable meals I have had in a while was at Slay Steak + Fish House. From the moment I walked into Slay Steak + Fish House, I was intrigued by the elegant nautical undertones and the relaxed upscale vibe. Slay Steak + Fish House is a fine dining restaurant that perfectly times and produces one delectable dish after the next.
During dinner, we met Chef David Slay, who made time to talk to many of his patrons. Chef Slay sources some of his produce directly from his family farm. The freshness and quality of the food is the backbone of his restaurants. What I love about Slay Steak + Fish House is not only the fantastic food but the overall experience.
Chef Slay owns several other restaurants in town including Slay Italian Kitchen and Fete Bistro By Slay.
My Favorite Dishes:
Squash blossoms, scallops, and the rib eye.
- Pro Tip:
Treat yourself with a bottle of wine with dinner. Slay Steak & Fish House has a terrific wine list.
Petros is an indoor/outdoor restaurant that focuses on quality healthy food prepared to let the ingredients shine. I have eaten at Petros more times than I can count over the years. The simple ingredients highlight some of the best food products of Greece and California. Petros is serious about its food and imports olive oil, feta, honey, oregano, and wines from Greece and grows its own organic vegetables on a farm in Los Olivos.
My Favorite Dishes:
I often order the fresh fish special, which is always light and delicious. Other favorites include spanakopita and the shrimp saganaki.
- Pro Tip:
Try to reserve a table on the patio. It’s a little quieter and more relaxing. Petros has outdoor heaters to keep you warm.
SUGARFISH is an extremely popular sushi restaurant chain in Los Angeles and New York. The lines for SUGARFISH are almost as infamous as the sushi itself. SUGARFISH serves the highest quality of traditional sushi in an omakase style. While you can order a few items a la carte, most people choose from one of the preselected group of menu items. I usually order the Trust Me, and if I’m still hungry, I add an order of sushi.
My Favorite Dish:
My favorite item on the menu is the giant scallop. The freshness of scallops combined with the tangy sauce and warm rice is delicious.
- Pro Tip:
Generally, you can ask to swap one of the sushi pieces or handrolls for another item on the menu. I like to swap the blue crab handroll for a salmon handroll.
Rock’N Fish is a bustling restaurant that specializes in seafood dishes. The local farmers’ market is a source for many of the ingredients. The cocktail and dinner menus are expansive and offer something for everyone.
Rock’N Fish brings a California beachy vibe where guests can dine on the patio or indoors. As a bit of history, Rock’N Fish honors the former inhabitants of the space with the strong Navy Grog cocktail.
My Favorite Dishes:
One of my favorite appetizers is the grilled artichoke. For an entree, I tend to order grilled fish and Gary likes the spicy shrimp skewers.
- Pro Tip:
Ask for a table on the patio with a view of the ocean and order the sourdough bread!
The competition for Italian food in Manhattan Beach is fierce, but Slay Italian Kitchen continues to hold its own. The fresh, authentic, and innovative Italian cuisine at Slay Italian Kitchen is delightful. The cooking style is rustic Italian, so think fresh and dried pasta, meats, and stone-fired pizza. The vegetables and wines come straight from the owners’ Santa Barbara Country farm and the Slay Estate and Vineyard.
My Favorite Dishes:
The pizzas are terrific!
- Pro Tip:
The nightly specials are special!
If you live in Los Angeles and eat sushi, then you probably have eaten at one of the many Izakaya restaurants around town. Master sushi Chef Katsuya Uechi is a major trendsetter in the world of Japanese cuisine.
Diners, like me, reveal in his playful and artistic spin on sushi. A faithful following has emerged because of the expertly prepared sushi. Izakaya is known for dishes like the spicy tuna with crispy rice and yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno. While these inventive dishes are popular, so too are the traditional sushi menu items.
My Favorite Dish:
The spicy tuna with crispy rice and the baked blue crab handroll are my favorite dishes. Since the handroll is a little sweet, I usually eat it last.
- Pro Tip:
If this is your first visit to Izakaya by Katsu-Ya, I highly recommend you order the sampler platter. The sampler is a terrific way to try several signature dishes, including the spicy tuna on crispy rice, yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, and the baked blue crab handroll.
If you cannot make it to dinner, Izakaya has excellent lunch specials – try the chirashi bowl.
Love & Salt is an Italian-inspired restaurant in the heart of Southern California. At Love & Salt, they believe you only need two ingredients for food to be great. Therefore, you will find simplistic yet elevated dishes such as the duck egg pizza and the spaghetti alla chitarra cacio e pepe. The well-rounded menu combined with inspiring cocktails consistently draws in a crowd.
The restaurant features a high ceiling with exposed beams that enhance the open concept of Love & Salt. The sophisticated yet beachy vibe of Love & Salt results in a terrific place for a date.
My Favorite Dish:
Pizza, please! I thoroughly enjoy the pizzas at Love & Salt.
- Pro Tip:
If you are an adventurous eater, then the pig head might be up your alley. I have not tried it yet, but more power to you.
Nick’s Manhattan Beach is a relaxed but nicer restaurant dedicated to providing the highest quality dishes. The menu is full of all American classic dinner dishes like the prime rib dip sandwich, center-cut filet, and pan-seared Scottish salmon. However, Nick’s also offers more contemporary dishes such as the spicy Thai salad and the la hacienda Taco Platter. The cuisine is done well at Nick’s, and the service is excellent.
The bar is generally packed with guests enjoying an array of unique cocktails and bar bites. Nick’s has two open-air patios for guests to enjoy the ocean air.
My Favorite Dishes:
The hamburger and the petite side salad
- Pro Tip:
The butter cake is a popular dessert. Not my kind of dessert, but my friends love it!
Esperanza Cocina de la Playa (Mexican)
The best Mexcian restaurant in Manhattan Beach is Esperanza Cocina de la Playa. The combination of flavorful food, craft cocktails, and stylish ambiance makes it a hit.
The simple yet elevated Mexican restaurant takes basic dishes like enchiladas and tacos to a whole new level. The innovative sauces and fresh ingredients are crucial to its success.
Dinner at Esperanza is not complete without a spicy margarita. It is one of Gary’s favorite cocktails! I, on the other hand, like my tequila straight, and Esperanza has a large tequila list.
My Favorite Dishes:
For a lighter bite, I like the grilled fish of the day, which comes with two sides.
- Pro Tip:
If you are not able to get a table at Esperanza, try its sister restaurant in Hermosa Beach – Palmilla Cocina y Tequila.
When making a reservation, ask for a quiet table because the restaurant can be loud.
Fête Bistro by Slay (French and Lebanese)
David Slay added a casual yet stylish bistro to his already thriving brand of restaurants. Fête Bistro by Slay is an elegant restaurant specializing in French and Lebanese cuisine.
I find French food a bit too rich for my taste. However, given the popularity of Fête Bistro by Slay, I am in the minority.
So, when I eat at Fête Bistro by Slay, I lean toward the Lebanese side of the menu.
My Favorite Dishes:
Hummus with freshly baked pita bread, falafel, and shrimp kebabs.
Manhattan Beach Lunch Spots
If you happen to be in downtown Manhattan Beach for lunch, you might want to check out some of the restaurants listed above or Uncle Bills Pancake House (local favorite brunch spot – no frills), El Sombrero (for a lighter less expensive bite to eat), Un Caffè Altamura, or Tacolicious.
Now that you know the best restaurants in Manhattan Beach for dinner, you should think about where you should stay. There are several luxury hotels in the South Bay that can help you relax and enjoy your beach vacation. If you are thinking of taking a road trip to Manhattan Beach, I have a few tips for planning the perfect road trip.
Planning a Trip to Los Angeles?
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The Best Things to Do While on a Layover at LAX
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The 20 Best Coastal Towns to Visit in California
The Best Things to Do in the South Bay
Luxury Guide to SoCal’s South Bay Hotels
An Inside Look at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills
I wish I had this guide when spending a month in the city! Looks like a visit is due!
So many yummy options in Manhattan Beach. Will definitely check out this foodie’s paradise the next time I’m in LA.
Exploring Manhattan Beach on a LAX layover is such a great travel tip! I definitely want to check out the Lebanese/French place. Thanks for this helpful guide!
I’ve never been to Manhattan Beach in LA before, but it looks like a place I would love to eat out. Sounds like they have a great variety of restaurants to choose from. Thanks for sharing.
The next time we get to California we will need to plan some time in Manhattan Beach. If only to eat our way around town! Seafood would be a big draw. But I can’t pass on a good Italian recommendation. Some good tips about how to enjoy each spot.
Wow — Really great post!
Hi to Gary!
Thanks, Brian! We hope you are doing well.
Love the summary and suggestions! what about that shrimp pasta dish at Petros? That’s delicious and you introduced me to it! Such good info on the site!
You’re too funny. It’s a decadent dish that my husband orders pretty much every time we go to Petros! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this post!