The 20 Most Expensive Restaurants in California
California is the Golden State that stretches over most of the western coast of the United States and is home to a plethora of flourishing cities and wealthy districts. From the flourishing trades of San Francisco to the movie-star hub of Los Angeles, California is dripping with luxury. It is not a surprise that the world’s best and most expensive restaurants are here. These eateries are not only luxurious but also offer a wide variety of dishes from all over the world. These high-end, well-respected restaurants will set you back a few hundred bucks. These are the 20 most expensive restaurants in California.
20. Mastro’s Ocean Club- $130 per person
Address: 18412 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265
Providing the best views of Malibu, Maestro’s Ocean Club is an exclusive restaurant for diners who love old-school meals. The menu is a mixture of sophistication and some of the liveliest and freshest seafood you can ever taste. However, the tasty seafood comes for $130 per person, making it one of the most expensive eateries in California. But Mastro’s signature seafood tower menu is worth the cost and will leave you craving for more.
19. Mellisse restaurant – $135 per person
Address: 1104 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 9040
Mellisse is one of the most expensive restaurants in America. Nestled in Santa Monica, California, this restaurant is understated yet royal, with thick white tablecloths and purple hues. Chef Josiah Citrin prepares impeccable, imaginative dishes using seasonable delicacies and produce. The food prices begin at about $135 per person based on if you want wine with your meal or not. Here, you will be served delicacies such as Warm Dulcey Ganache Tart with praline Chantilly, dark chocolate ice cream, and Rosemary Scented Sunchoke Velouté with whipped black truffle and sunchoke chips.
18. CUT by Wolfgang Puck – $140 per person
Address: 9500 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Residing in one of the most iconic landmarks in Los Angeles, the Beverly Wilshire, CUT restaurant is a steakhouse so good that if it’s not on the list of the best Steakhouse in the World, there would be an uprising. The menu includes fresh seafood and some of the juiciest, tenderest cuts of red meat you may imagine. At $140 per person, you can enjoy a Japanese 100% Wagyu Beef, a carnivorous feast of American Wagyu, and U.S.D.A. PRIME Dry Aged 3 Days. These appetizers and sides are also lit, including bone marrow flan.
17. Totoraku- $140 per person
Address: 10610 W Pico, Los Angeles, CA
You will love it at the Totoraku restaurant if you enjoy eating meat. While the exterior might look less optimistic, the interior features one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles to taste the Japanese-style tabletop grill barbecue prepared from Wagyu beef. However, you should not expect to get an easy reservation. According to HuffPost, Totoraku is one of the most luxurious venues, with most guests trying out all they can to get a reservation.
16. Maude- $140 per person
Address: 212 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Established in 2014 by Chef Curtis Stone, the Maude restaurant has a buzz that was no symptoms of slowing down. The chef showcases his innovative skills by using the freshest and local ingredients to make some of the most delicious menus. This justifies why they charge $140 per person.
15. Matsuhisa- $150 per person
Address: 129 N La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Any place the name chef Nobu Matsuhisa is mentioned has a guarantee of being good, and Matsuhisa restaurant located on La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, is not an exception. The chef continues to supervise a pristine sushi program with a unique selection of Peruvian dishes. If you are ready to spend $150 on a meal, you can enjoy dishes such as Lobster in Wasabi Pepper sauce and Kobe Beef Takaki in a delightful atmosphere.
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14. Patina- $160 per person
Address: 141 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
When a restaurant has a caviar service, you know it isn’t cheap, and Patina is not either. However, this restaurant offering some of the finest French cuisines for $160 per person is worth the expenditure. This restaurant is directed by Master Chef Joachim Splichal and applies classic French techniques to prepare seasonal tasting menus. The actual draw is the caviar service, spectacular wine list deep with old vintages, and cheese cart that makes Patina the best place to have a world-class experience.
13. Manresa- $235 per person
Address: 320 Village Ln, Los Gatos, CA 95030
Next on the list of the 20 most expensive restaurants in California is the Manresa restaurant, priced at $295 per meal with optional wine pairings going for $235. Situated in Los Gatos, this is a perfect dining place for professional gatherings because the atmosphere matches the vibe. While the restaurant experienced a damaging fire in 2014, it returned even more robust with new and more delicious dishes. The restaurant offers some of the best seasonal menus prepared deliciously and in the best way. Some of the favorite dishes here include; salted butter ice cream, Sturgeon Caviar, and Kishi Oysters with butter.
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12. Sushi Zo- $240 per person
Address: 9824 National Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90034
This strip-mall sushi restaurant is located in Cheviot Hills, and while it might look understated and simple, the quality of sashimi and sushi cooked by chef Keizo Seki is out of this world. The restaurant offers an impressive range of fish varieties, with several unique offerings available daily on request. Although it charges $240 per person, you only need a mouthful of the pristine sushi to understand why guests flood this restaurant. When you need an excellent sushi experience without frills, you can’t find it other than the Sushi Zo.
11. Capo- $240 per person
Address: 1810 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Do you love Italian food? You won’t find a restaurant that matches the Capo. This is one of the most popular restaurants in California with a rustic atmosphere that reminds one of the good old times and an expedient fireplace to set the mood right. They offer the best Italian foods, including Chocolate souffle, Zealand King Salmon, Linguni Beluga, and Beluga caviar which costs $240 per person. The best thing about this restaurant is that cheap dishes are available as low as $20.
10. C.O.I.- $250 per person
Address: 373 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133
Found in the booming streets of San Francisco, C.O.I. offers present-day American cuisine with a touch of elegance and grace often allied to Paris. Their eleven-course signature meal will get you salivating, and you can have it for a substantial price of $250. They only offer a single-tasting course meal every night. The recent dishes included in the meal course are poached lamb, chilled eggplant soup, grilled tofu with seaweed and butter lettuce, blackberries with lemon balm, and others. And even with the hefty prices, booking a seat at the restaurant is exceptionally challenging because of its high demand.
9. Saam at SLS Hotel- $250 per person
Address: 465 South La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048
If you are not amazed by the spectacular dreamlike sight of the 4-star Saam at S.L.S. Hotel in Los Angeles, its menu will surely amaze you. Chef Jose Andres makes a stunning multi-course cuisine of treats such as; jamón croquetas, 28-oz grass-fed tomahawk, coffee-rubbed Australian wagyu, seared wagyu beef cheeks, Octopus toast, and sea urchin steamed buns. However, the meal does not come cheap, going for $250 per person. But it’s easy to see why given its list of awards such as the 2019 Diner’s Choice Award and featured in the list of The Daily Meal 101 Best Restaurants in America.
8. Atelier Crenn- $464 for two
Address: 3127 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Next on the list is the Atelier Crenn. It is a nice comfortable place that provides seating for almost 20-25 guests. Here, you can have a small get-together with your friends or plan a business meeting with our clients. The services are exceptional, and you can enjoy a variety of dishes, from delicious Italian food to French food. A meal for two at this restaurant goes for $464. Wagyu Beef topped with white truffle shavings is the famous recipe here that you should consider trying out.
7. N/Naka-$ 275 per person
Address: 3455 S. Overland Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034
The N/Naka restaurant is one of California’s most stunning dining rooms, both in terms of its look and menu. This restaurant was previously a spa, but despite its change in setup, it still has relaxing tranquility as it did then. Chef Niki Nakayama has mastered preparing elegantly balanced, exquisite Japanese dishes such as John Dory with Manilla Clam and Lobster Tartare in Uni Butter. In June 2019, N/Naka restaurant got two Michelin stars under its belt. Hence, it is no surprise that the restaurant costs $275 per person for its thirteen-course tasting menu.
6. The Restaurant at Meadowood- $275 per person
Address: 900 Meadowood Ln, St Helena, CA 94574
Nestled in Napa Valley, the Restaurant at Meadowood is an excellent example of glamorous fine dining suitable for royalty. The cafeteria provides a 10-course tasting menu for $275 and a 20-course tasting menu for $500. When you factor in wine pairings and calculate sales taxes, a meal for two will easily cost more than $1500, around the cost of a new MacBook. Although the dining is undoubtedly costly, the staff in the restaurant does everything in its power to suit the comfort of every guest. Unlike other Michelin-starred eateries, you can skip your jackets and suits and enjoy signature dishes such as the chermoula-rubbed duck and the marble rabbit in some comfortable jeans.
5. Benu- $310 per person
Address: 22 Hawthorne St, San Francisco, CA 94105
Benu is another luxurious dining spot in California that costs you some hundred bucks. This high-class restaurant has the best seafood and a plethora of meat dishes and others on the menu. You can try their delicious frog-leg, monkfish liver, pork belly with kimchi, and faux shark fin soup for seafood. You also don’t want to miss out on the Tofu dessert at the end. With the price of a single-person meal going $310, it’s one of the most expensive restaurants.
4. The French Laundry- $325 per person
Address: 6640 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599
Situated in Nepal Valley, California, this picturesque restaurant is one of the most popular in the state and the entire country. The French Laundry offers fresh ingredients and intricate dishes at a high cost of around $325 per person. The restaurant’s exterior features a historic-looking stone bungalow complete with traditional styling and real vines. The favorite delicacies include; egg custard with truffle, oysters with tapioca pearls, and salmon tartare cornet, all prepared with fresh ingredients from the built-in culinary garden.
3. Providence- $325 per person
Address: Providence 5955 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90038
Providence in Los Angeles is the best place for a delicious dinner if you have some hundred dollars in loose change and a high appetite for seafood. The foods here are prepared with fresh ingredients and natural flavors that will never irritate your taste buds with excessive flavorings and spices. You will be able to get a sample of tasty seafood for about $165 to $325 per meal. Even if the dishes are expensive, guests have given nothing but compliments. Some of the visitors’ favorite dishes include; wagyu beef, caviar unit, and fresh sashimi with chiles.
2. Saison- $398 per person
Address: 178 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107
Saison is a three Michelin-starred eatery and one of the most expensive restaurants in San Francisco, California. A meal for a single person goes for $398, with the meals for two costing more than $1000 before you factor in the drinks and wines. Saison prepares some of the most luxurious seafood worldwide, served in creative and unique ways. This restaurant only has eight tables with the cooking done right before you. Even if it can be tricky to get a spot at Saison, guests always savor each bite. The 22-course tasting menu includes delicacies such as Fort Bragg Sea urchin on a slab of sour bread, Dungeness crab, golden trout roe, etc.
1. Urasawa- $400 per person
Address: 218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Nestled into the allure of Los Angeles, Urasawa is a tremendously exclusive restaurant that caters to no more than ten guests every night. It’s among the most famous Japanese restaurants in the U.S., receiving two Michelin stars. If you are fortunate enough to book a seat, you should be ready to spend a lot of cash. The dinner for one goes for $400, with the bill going to more than $1000 for a date. According to Destination Luxury, it’s one of the world’s most luxurious and most expensive eateries. Hiroyuki Urasawa is famous for his masterly sushi skills that are craved worldwide. People from all over the country come to this restaurant to experience their favorite live shrimp, Kobe beef, and foie gras.
Bottom Line
These are the 20 most expensive restaurants in California. So, the next time you are in California and you have some hundred bucks you don’t mind using, you can enjoy a delicious meal at one of the nearest restaurants on this list. Do you know any other expensive restaurants in California not featured on the list? Comment below with your favorite restaurant.