69771 Sat May 28 14:21:26 -0700 2005 27 2 Los Angeles Area 0 380617 I'm visiting the LA area and I'm dead set on seeing at least ONE celebrity! (Pathetic, I know.) I love California-style cuisine. I especially love and am searching for a place that has seared ahi tuna salad. My favorite! Any *nice* GOOD places that you can suggest for both casual lunches and fancy dinners were I might see someone famous? The salad is not a must! Hollywood/Beverly Hills/Santa Monica... I'm willing to drive. :) Outdoor seating for lunch would be great! Pastis? Ivy? Giraffe? I've seen all of these mentioned... any others? Sat May 28 14:21:26 -0700 2005 0 vistingLA 1 380619 One of my suggestions is to drive up Beverly Glen towards Mulholland and have coffee at Starbucks in the Glen Center. There are often celeb sightings at this center at the top of Bel Air. The other place I've often seen celebs is at lunch at "The Grill on the Alley" in Beverly Hills. BTW Jiraffe is spelled with a "J". Good luck! Sat May 28 14:32:00 -0700 2005 380617 0 compumom 2 380627 You can also have lunch in this Beverly Glen complex, there's a few options (blanking on the names -- sorry). Of note is that a lot of the industry lunches here because it's a good "middle" place between Beverly Hills (where the agents lurk) and the Valley (where half the studios are). Of note, Warren Beatty has offices in one of the buildings here so he's always around. Also good industry place for lunch is Campanelli (on La Brea) and Barney's Greengrass (in Barneys - also a GREAT celeb hangout). Sat May 28 15:14:35 -0700 2005 380619 0 Silverlaker 3 380640 The places to eat up at the Glen are Fabrocini (my favorite), Glen Deli (fair), Mullholland Grill (busy and okay) a Chinese restaurant (poor) and perhaps one more that keeps changing names. Then at the end there is a higher end restaurant called Vibrato which also has music. Herb Alpert (?) co-owns. Warren Beatty is a regular that I always see up there as is Tom Brokaw. BTW the restaurant on La Brea is Campanille. Sat May 28 17:00:09 -0700 2005 380627 0 compumom 4 380644 Close. Just drop the extra l. Campanile Sat May 28 17:16:03 -0700 2005 380640 0 WLA 4 380690 Herb Alpert owns the entire shopping center, and thus has a piece of every restaurant, but, as you say, especially Vibrato. Very good local place that most overlook when the celeb factor is brought up. Also, Victor's Deli, on Franklin & Bronson in Hollywood, has a huge celeb factor, with breakfast and lunch being the main times of day. Also, as another poster mentioned, week days are better than weekends. Asenebo sushi bar in Studio City is also another where sightings are frequent. Bring your wallet! Sat May 28 20:36:10 -0700 2005 380640 0 carter 5 380703 Funny you mention Victor's Deli. I see Hal Fishman there all the time (eating lite) at around 5:30 pm. I've seen Minnie Driver several times at weekend breakfast at 101 Restaurant down the block. You can just drive around the area or hang at the Mayfair Market and see these folks (the thing is you have to recognize them when you see em). Just drive by the Fonda Theatre/Music Box on weekends and you're liable to see some sorta MTV or Music Cares thing being filmed outside. Saw Dave Navarro there recently for Music Cares. In fact, benefit things (read the trades/LA Times) are magnets for celebs. Sat May 28 22:45:41 -0700 2005 380690 0 mc michael 1 380621 Nobu in Malibu on a Saturday or (probably better, assuming they're open) Sunday night. Capo (very expensive.) The Grill in Beverly Hills for a weekday lunch. Otherwise I'm drawing a blank. Sat May 28 14:39:41 -0700 2005 380617 0 Ted 1 380625 Ah, my favorite topic... ! Ashton Kutchner owns Dolce in West Hollywood -- you can see young celebs here. Also Koi in WH (think Justin Timberlake owns this one). "The Ivy" on Robertson -- go for lunch if possible. The food is decent, but expensive, but you don't really go here for the food but for the 'star factor.' This is the place J-Lo goes when she wants her picture in "Star" magazine... paparazzi are always lurking outside. It's also next door to a lot of fashionable size 0 boutiques (lisa Kline) where actresses shop and then lunch at the Ivy. Oh, and if you want something a little cheaper, try across the street "The Newsroom." Love the food here and if an actor has a meeting at New Line (upstairs), they may go here for lunch. Matsuhisha (sp?) -- extreamly expensive Japanese (sushi) also on Robertson. This is the place Hugh Grant dined at before he got arrested for picking up a prostitute down in Hollywood. A lot of the industry live in Santa Monica or the Palisades (Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg...). Check out Chinois on Main (Wolfgang Pucks restaurant). Jiraffe. Ivy at the Shore. I know Tom & Steven like Rocca on 4th Street, but I heard the food is expensive and so-so (but what do they care?). Other notable options: vermont (my side of town) Seen soo many east side celebs here... Bette Midler comes here A LOT. Smoke House (during the week, drinks, next door to WB... seen George Clooney, Clint, Stephen Soderberg) AOC Grace Nobu - Malibu Granita - Malibu (not sure if still "in") Spago - BH Nata N Al's - BH, deli, morning -- Larry King, "Arnold" (not sure if he has the time to go here now, but when he was a movie star, saw him here a few times) Locanda Veneta (sp?) Sat May 28 15:01:01 -0700 2005 380617 0 Silverlaker 1 380655 I've seen celebrities at Ammo on Highland in Hollywood. It's a great spot for lunch, with nice salads, sandwiches and some healthier fare. Ammo 1155 N Highland Ave Los Angeles, CA (323) 871-2666 Another good place to see stars is the Le Pain Quotidien in Brentwood. Nice for breakfast or lunch. Good salads (love their shrimp salad), sandwiches and breads. Le Pain Quotidien 11702 Barrington Court (Off Sunset & South Barrington Ave. - Brentwood CA 90049 Tel. (310) 476 0969 You also may want to check out Malibu Seafood, a casual seafood cafe with an outdoor patio. I've heard that lots of celebrities eat here. Malibu Seafood 25653 Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu, CA 90265 (310) 456-3430 The last place I hit gold on celebrities (Arnold Schwartzenegger *and* Keifer Sutherland within a 5 minute period of time) was at the little mall located at 350 N. Canon in Beverly Hills. There's an Italian cafe there which name I do not recall. There's also a cigar shop, which was why the aforementioned celebs were hanging around there. A tip for your celebrity hunt -- I've noticed that during the week as versus weekends (esp. Mondays) is the best time to catch them out and about. Sat May 28 17:46:42 -0700 2005 380617 0 DanaB 1 380656 Kate Mantillini's in Beverly Hills for breakfast or lunch on a weekday. I've never gone into that place and not seen *someone*... Zippy Sat May 28 17:47:01 -0700 2005 380617 0 Zippy 1 380661 There is a tiny Italian place in Santa Monica called Locando Portofino (sp?) that shares a mini-mall complex with the Duck Blind Liquor. The cross street is Eleventh. Nearly every time I have gone there with Z. and his father, we see a celebrity. Robert Redford twice. Owen Wilson once. etc. Sat May 28 18:21:43 -0700 2005 380617 0 LAmonkeygirl 2 380664 Whoops--I forgot to mention that it is on Montana Ave., cross street Eleventh. Sat May 28 18:26:27 -0700 2005 380661 0 LAmonkeygirl 2 380696 You're SO right, this is a very "inside" industry restaurant. Like I said previously, a lot of celebs live in nearby Montana/Pacific Palisades and this is a nice unassuming bistro where they can go and not be bothered. Same w/ Locanda Veneta. Sat May 28 21:16:50 -0700 2005 380661 0 Silverlaker 1 380705 My brushes with fame (at restaurants): Matsuhisa - good seared ahi salad, AND if you go on Thursday night (and if he's in town), Mark Wahlberg stops by. Last time there, we sat next to Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake, as well as a few ex-N Sync members. Capo - Spielberg, Tom Hanks. Koi - The ubiquitous Paris Hilton goes there a lot, for better or worse. Peppone - Italian joint in Brentwood. Brooke Burke and her surgeon/husband go there a lot. Retired athletes, too (Ron Darling, Marcus Allen). Sat May 28 22:49:59 -0700 2005 380617 0 JL 1 380711 The Cheateau Marmont (not to be confused with Bar Marmont) is always crawling with your celebs, which is why I can never get a table outside. Good luck getting in. I think if you make a res a week in advance you should be fine. But, don't show up if you don't have a res, otherwise they'll do the LA thing to you. Sat May 28 23:32:27 -0700 2005 380617 0 Frank 2 380739 You can see celebs at Bar Marmont as well. And it's easier to get in. Sun May 29 10:35:35 -0700 2005 380711 0 mc michael 3 381046 Talked to Zach Braff last time I was there. And there's rarely any wait at the door and never a cover. Tue May 31 18:51:06 -0700 2005 380739 0 DB 1 380764 Joans on Third, Urth Cafe both in west hollywood vicinity usually have celebs.... and if that doesn't work, try patrolling Whole Foods markets in upscale residential neighborhoods (bev hills, malibu). Sun May 29 18:41:27 -0700 2005 380617 0 echo eater 2 380932 i agree with echo eater - the eateries (on weekdays) on 3rd have a high celeb sighting probability. i also see celebs at Swingers cafe from time to time. lunch time at nozawa in studio city can also yield some celebrities (american pie gang, cast and crew from everybody loves raymond - which recently ended its run on TV - so probably won't see much of ray there). Tue May 31 11:27:22 -0700 2005 380764 0 jaydee 1 380767 I secnd Granita. As a Wolfgang Puck place, it's stil pretty hot, and heck, screw celebs, the food is good-especially the Sunday Brunch. Frankly, even in the Valley the little parasites dine. Try Firefly, katsu-ya, and so on on Ventura. Go to that place robert Blake ate at before he shot Bonnie. I forget the name. Or try Yamato in encino. I've seen Hasselhoff and that Tracey guy from saturday night live, and tom Cruise Cruises by now and again (but he sneaks in the back way and has security) Shop at Gelson's in pacific Pallisades. the celebs like Gelso's, and the deli has gourmet food and a carving cart, plus a nice salad bar. But heck, are the celebs worth it? No. they're just short, overpaid people who even I giggle with glee to see. then feel like a schmuck later for being so taken. Sun May 29 18:58:34 -0700 2005 380617 0 Diana 2 380793 Absolutely avoid Vitello's --the place that Robert Blake ate at. Really nasty. I saw Jon Lovitz today in Gelson's in Encino. But you will waste a lot of time hanging out in supermarkets waiting for celebs! Mon May 30 02:20:18 -0700 2005 380767 0 compumom 3 380820 Beware that Vitello's just had an ownership change, so any review past 6 weeks ago might not have current validity. Any current ones available? Mon May 30 12:47:24 -0700 2005 380793 0 carter 4 380831 Yes, friends went there on Mother's Day and said it was really mediocre. Mon May 30 13:43:43 -0700 2005 380820 0 compumom 5 380839 It was mediocre before the ownership change. Mon May 30 14:57:11 -0700 2005 380831 0 Francis 1 380812 Urth Caffe on Melrose, Fred Segal on Melrose -- Paris, Nicole, Sarah Silverman, et. al... Mon May 30 10:43:37 -0700 2005 380617 0 tedious 1 381037 I have two methods that work, especially when combined, for seeing B-listers or celebs of specialty interest: 1) Go where you would go anyway. Good chow is good chow and actors who like good chow are just like 'hounds who like good chow. 2) Look closely at the people with trucker hats or big sunglasses, or both, especially in places where few people are wearing them. The combination of these methods meant that I saw two Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan's heaven-sent sightings in the last month: 1- David Boreanaz at Bay Cities, behind huge sunglasses. This is a place where many (MANY) love the godmother sandwich, but I usually get a caprese sandwich or, on Thursdays only, eggplant parmigiana sandwich. 2- Yesterday, while having a quick lunch with my visiting aunt at Susina, we spotted Nicholas Brendon, in a trucker hat, pulled low. Susina's lunch is limited-- a few grilled panini-like sandwiches and some salads, but the quality is pretty high and the sweets are often phenomenal. I also saw Lisa Bonet checking out our food cart (filled with mozzarella balls, buffalo milk yogurt and other fatty delights vs. her way-too-healthy looking selection) at Whole Foods on Wislhire in Santa Monica. All three of these places are worthy 'hound destinations. Since I won't go out of my way for celebrity sightings, I find these kinds of sightings more satisfying. Proof that these celebrities have good taste! Tue May 31 18:31:11 -0700 2005 380617 0 igj 1 381191 Without a doubt, Giorgio's in Santa Monica Canyon right where the Palisades meet Santa Monica 100 yrds in from PCH. I've eaten their 100x and ALWAYS see celebs (especially on weeknights). Billy Crystal, Spielberg, Hanks., Martin Short, Kurt and Goldie, on and on....They all live within a 2 sq mi radius. The full name of what we call Giorgio's is Ristorante Giorgio Baldi. Sat Jun 04 22:12:52 -0700 2005 380617 0 PaliBruin