Pretty self-explanatory. I got some friends coming up from Orange County who want to do an “LA” dinner on the east side. They were tossing out places like Baby Bistro and Loreto, but when it comes down to it, these are people most at home at a place like Scopa Venice. (Their favorite restaurant when they briefly lived in Playa.)
Where can we go that I’ll enjoy, they’ll feel cultured, and the food will be better than Scopa?
Le Dräq?
Great food, cultured/hip, but not challenging:
Bavel is my quintessential somewhat hip crowd pleaser with fantastic food but it sounds like you may want something newer.
Dunsmoor is newer and hipper though not a great option if any of your party is vegan or vegetarian.
Betsy is even newer and hipper, people I know over in that area love it, plus your friends can pat themselves on the back for “supporting” Altadena.
You are really understanding the assignment, lol. We were actually trying to do Dunsmoor but couldn’t snag reservations for 4, even three weeks out? Kinda crazy. It’s my local so I always forget how damn in demand it is right now.
dying at “supporting” Altadena, literally laughed out loud. They’re probs more support the Palisades folks, ha.
I actually really want to go here (even tried to make a resy this weekend but they were booked) but this is probably too downtown for them. (They live in a gated community in Newport.)
Le Comptoir (Ktown). Because there’s graffiti within 100 feet of the place, and yet there’s that Michelin pedigree…
Alto?
Majordomo?
Saffy’s is another option. Or take them into deep waters out of their comfort zone and go to SORA 
berenjak
anajak
Funke or Mother Wolf.
Verse
Regalade just opened on W 3rd St, from the Oste Team and a few doors down. Seems to fit that vibe
started out judging the friends, but am now judging all of these restaurants - are these places i still want to go to anymore……??
Well, let me chime in as someone who used to think she was hip. Places I’d like to go:
Hippo in Highland Park
Wife & the Somm
Airliner
Place that’s mildly hip and has good pedestrian score: Firstborn in Chinatown.
Anything in The Row DTLA.
Yeah, that’s like the restaurant equivalent of a gated community. With actual gates to keep rifraff from entering on 7th!
I’ll go Manuela. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like Manuela. The hipness speaks for itself, with free art galleries, a mini farm, and an artsy bookstore in the same complex. And Salt and Straw a block away.
Hippo is bang on. Also All Time (but that’s rough for you because the food is so mid at both)
Dunsmoor, bavel, bestia, dunsmoor, mother wolf, donnas, pizzeria bianco, majordomo
Have you ever done reservation notificaitons? I usually get pretty lucky with those, gotta be fast on the phone though.
Second Manuela as a great choice.
For dessert, head to Mrs Knafeh.