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Los Angeles’s restaurant scene shifted again this week with a mix of openings, a sudden rebrand and a high-end tasting menu expansion — all moves that will change where Angelenos eat and what they expect from neighborhood dining. New entries range from a pad Thai-focused spot in Silver Lake to a steakhouse planting roots in the Arts District, while an upscale Beverly Hills address quietly pivots to a new identity.
Bobo Thai arrives in Silver Lake
TTFB, the Taiwan-based group behind several regional concepts, opened Bobo Thai on Aug. 2 in the former Bar Moruno location in Silver Lake. The new outpost focuses on pad Thai variations, rice bowls and Bangkok street-food–style small plates, aiming for casual daytime traffic and relaxed outdoor dining.
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The menu leans into inventive takes on a familiar noodle dish rather than a long list of classic entrees. Highlights include a pork-belly rendition called “The 1938” and a vegan-friendly bowl loaded with tofu and seasonal vegetables. Other options range from crispy yellow-curry noodles to a tom yum soup topped with fried enoki mushrooms, plus snackable sides such as shrimp toast and green-curry chicken wings.
Guests can pair food with a modest cocktail list for the patio or the dining room, including a floral spritz featuring lychee and rose and a gin cocktail riffing on tom kha flavors. TTFB also plans a neighboring project, Shann Shann Rice Bar, in the space that once housed chef Ricardo Zarate’s concept; no opening date has been announced.
88 Club shutters and will reopen as Tiger Tiger
Just months after chef Mei Lin stepped away from her Beverly Hills restaurant, the venue formerly known as 88 Club closed in late July and is set to return under a new name, Tiger Tiger. The closure appeared to be abrupt: several diners with existing reservations were notified of the change by text messages.
The owners have not released a reopening timetable or details about menu or concept changes. The swift rebrand follows a period of managerial and creative transition and will be one to watch for indications of how fine-dining Chinese cuisine is being repositioned in the city.
Lucky’s Steakhouse expands to the Arts District
High-end steakhouse chain Lucky’s, which operates locations in Montecito, Malibu and New York, has opened a new table in the Arts District. The menu mirrors the brand’s other rooms — think classic Caesar salad, pan-roasted half chicken, lobster tail and a range of steaks including filet and porterhouse — and the kitchen plans rotating daily specials such as chicken Parmesan and prime rib.
This marks another example of destination steakhouses moving into formerly industrial neighborhoods, signaling sustained demand for polished, late-night dining in creative districts.
Father’s Office x Uoichiba: a cheeseburger hand roll
For August, Chef Sang Yoon’s Father’s Office has collaborated with hand-roll bar Uoichiba on a limited-time item: a cheeseburger hand roll available at two locations. The bite-sized mashup stacks wagyu beef with bacon-fat caramelized onions, Gruyère and Maytag cheeses and peppery arugula for a portable, hybrid flavor profile.
Such collaborations highlight a continuing trend: crossover menu items that blend comfort-food appeal with sushi-bar technique to create shareable, Instagram-friendly dishes without shifting an entire kitchen’s identity.
Seline extends its tasting experience
Michelin-starred restaurant Seline, led by chef Dave Beran, now offers a longer tasting menu priced at $465 per person. The extended service expands the house menu from roughly 14–17 courses to about 24–27 courses, and guests can choose from three beverage-pairing options: full wine, a hybrid pairing and a non-alcoholic flight.
That steep price and extended format underline the sustained market for ultra-fine dining in L.A., where some diners seek longer, more theatrical culinary journeys that justify premium pricing.
- What opened: Bobo Thai (Silver Lake) — pad Thai variations, street-food snacks, cocktails; Shann Shann Rice Bar planned next door.
- What changed: 88 Club (Beverly Hills) closed in late July and will return as Tiger Tiger; reopening date TBD.
- New arrivals: Lucky’s Steakhouse — Arts District location with house classics and daily specials.
- Limited collaboration: Father’s Office + Uoichiba — cheeseburger hand roll available in August.
- Fine dining update: Seline offers an extended tasting menu for diners seeking a longer, higher-priced experience.
Why this matters now: these moves show both experimentation and consolidation in Los Angeles dining — casual concepts expanding to serve neighborhood demand, luxury tasting rooms doubling down on exclusivity, and legacy addresses repositioning quickly after leadership shifts. For diners, that means new casual spots to try in Silver Lake and downtown, and for industry watchers it reveals how restaurateurs are balancing risk and brand control in a competitive market.
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