Best Cozy Restaurants in Westlake

For full disclosure, we were already huge fans of their Tsubaki. With Camelia, Chef Charles Namba and the superb Courtney Kaplan have created a remarkable dining experience. The menu offers choices for everyone at the table. By offering small plates or larger communal options, Camelia allows you to enjoy an exciting and delicious dinner. My husband and I happily cruised through just a small part of the menu. Starting with Chef Charles' version of Uni toast and his spin on Dungeness crab on purple yam blini, we were primed for the elevated Chicken liver mousse toast that followed. These small bites each built flavors and tastes. Our meal was further enhanced with Courtney's perfect choice of sake. Her deep knowledge and instinct for what a guest will enjoy is unique. If there is any such thing as a "Sake Sommeiler," Courtney would be the grand master. We moved to larger plates with Scallops, dashi lime cream, maitake & king trumpet mushrooms, Tokyo negi, and chestnut date purée, a series of complex tastes. And the Abalone and Florida wild pink shrimp pot pie!!! A perfect sized bowl of magic! We finished up with the Koshihikari risotto, grilled Monterey Bay squid was a perfect ending, creamy with and rich with deep flavors. The grilled squid were lightly spiced, crisp, soft and with a bit of chew all at the same time. GM Kristen Dumandan leads a warm and welcoming staff. Everyone was knowledgeable and helpful guides through the menu. Happily, dinner was perfectly paced, without more plates arriving to distract from what we were enjoying or getting cold. We didn't leave room for dessert. But we're coming back because there is so much more we want to enjoy.

What an absolutely incredible evening! The food was nothing short of sensational, the ambiance was electric, and we had an absolute blast! I can't wait to return for another unforgettable experience!

The food was really good, but I would prefer if they included coffee and tea with the brunch price. I was told there was a dress code but when we got there, everybody was very casual so I was confused. The staff was not very friendly, but the service was good and our food was good.

I've now been here two times and the food has been excellent overall. I could personally do without the frequent use of chili slices. Other than that, the flavors and textures are marvelous. The brioche bread and hummus are delectable. I feel like every dish is a slam dunk - too bad there isn't a sampler platter! The decor is lovely, a few discreet fabric panels might help with the noise as its a bit hard to hear the people across from you - the sound bounces around the cavernous space. The crowd seems very chic, a bit eccentric in a fun way and more adult - that's probably the price point keeping out the under 30 crowd.

It’s one of the best restaurants top to bottom in LA. The food is impeccable, the service is top notch and the staff is so kind and cool, and it just is a special place