Close out March strong with an Easter weekend — there are enough specialty menus available that almost anywhere you dine in LA will be a great experience, from high-end sushi joints to backyard breweries. Plus, a couple of excellent musicians will be playing shows. Check out what there is to do in LA this weekend.
Friday, March 29
Celebrate the Second Birthday of Asterid
Ray Garcia became a known entity in Los Angeles based on the success of his restaurant Broken Spanish, which has, sadly, since shut down. But that doesn’t mean Garcia hasn’t been plenty active in the LA scene. He recently opened the vintage taco truck The Brown Sheep at Level 8 in Downtown LA, and a couple years ago he launched Asterid in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. To celebrate two years of Asterid, the chef has created a special menu that will be available through April 27. Check out the four-course prix fixe, featuring a classic Garcia fusion dish, the caviar tamale. This would be a great way to kick off your weekend, and reservations can be made here.
Catch Mitski at Shrine Auditorium
One of the most critically-acclaimed indie rock songwriters of the last decade, Mitski remains a singular force when it comes to excavating the sometimes excruciating, sometimes radiant interior life of a human in love. Her music is playful, irreverent, grief stricken and sublime — and sometimes all within the same song. She’ll be performing Friday and Saturday nights in LA, and though tickets are in short supply, there are few concerts I could possibly recommend more. Tickets here.
Saturday, March 30
Swing by Benny Boy Brewing in Lincoln Heights
Lincoln Heights is one of those LA neighborhoods that never gets the credit it deserves, but Benny Boy Brewing has slowly but surely built a name for itself with a whole host of beer and cider on tap, a sprawling backyard, and plenty of pop ups and food trucks providing snacks to go along with the drinks. Doing things sober for awhile or forever? No matter — they have a mocktail and NA menu, too. Saturday will also mark the brewery’s two-year anniversary, so expect some extra celebratory vibes on tap.
Check Out Toca Madera’s Special Easter Brunch Menu
Most people will be out celebrating Easter on Sunday, but why not get a jump on the festivities with a special holiday weekend brunch on Saturday instead? The good people at Toca Madera are always up for a party, but special occasions is what they do best. Their specialty menu is available for brunch both Saturday and Sunday and is stacked with special items for dinner all weekend long. Brunch begins at 11 a.m., make a reservation here.
Celebrate Niku X’s One-Year Anniversary
Tickets for this anniversary party run between $120 for entry and $180 for access to open bar and food (which includes unlimited caviar, so the wise decision here is obviously to splurge), so they’re not cheap. But once you’re immersed in the world of Niku X — who specializes in Wagyu, yakiniku-style grilled meats and rare, expensive seafood (caviar, uni, etc) of all kinds — everything will begin to make sense. The party starts at 10:30 p.m., so this is a late one, but it would be the perfect lavish event if you’re with friends and in the right mood. Tickets here.
Visit The Woods in West Hollywood for a Night of Cannabis Socializing
The hospitality industry has finally figured out the best way to provide a space for recreational cannabis users to feel safe and comfortable while they indulge in gummies, chocolates, vapes and joints, and one of the best places to do so is at The Woods lounge in West Hollywood. In case you haven’t been yet, their lounge areas are kind of like a mix between a nice hotel room, sans bed, and an upscale restaurant. It’s a nice, private space to enjoy all the goodies you purchased at their shop while socializing with friends in a public area instead of heading home to the couch.
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It’s time to give beer and cocktails a breakCheck Out Delicate Steve’s Early Show at The Moroccan Lounge
Ever since Positive Force came out in 2012, the music of Delicate Steve — aka Steve Marion — has been part of my regular rotation. He rarely ventures in the world of lyrics and vocals, instead using his virtuosic guitar abilities to create a lead melody that often mimics the human voice. Marion is currently touring behind his latest album (2022’s After Hours), which continues his streak of dreamy, ‘70s-tinged records, and seeing a guitarist of this caliber perform live is still a real treat. Tickets here.
Taste the New French Peach Liqueur Juliette at Coucou in Venice
Not only is the French-leaning Coucou one of the best (newer) restaurants on the west side, they’re partnering with a new liqueur out of France that just might be the start of a fresh Aperol Spritz-style craze. Ok, well it might be too early to say for sure, but this is the kind of spirit that works aperitif-style on the rocks, mixed directly into a glass of Champagne or to create a spritzy, breezy cocktail. Effortlessly peachy, pair it with your steak frites or cheese plate at Coucou, and don’t be surprised if the night turns into a memorable one.
Sunday, March 31
Easter Brunch Prix Fixe at Redbird
With a gorgeous, open-air setting and a revamped cathedral space right next door, Redbird is an idyllic spot to spend the Easter weekend — made all the better by chef Neal Fraser’s excellent cooking. If you’re a regular then you know that yes, bartender Tobin Shea will be on hand to whip up specialty Easter cocktails, and the vibes will be immaculate. You can come for the Easter brunch, but of course keep in mind Redbird is also open seven nights a week for dinner. Check out the Easter brunch menu here and reservations here.
Check Out a New Exhibit Featuring Surfer Duke Kahanamoku at the International Surfing Museum
If there’s one thing South Bay is known for, it’s their surfing culture, and nowhere is that history preserved better than at the museum in Huntington Beach. If you’ve never ventured down there, a special new exhibit might be the perfect excuse. The work of 18 artists showcases the story of Duke Kahanamoku and how he achieved his dream of taking surfing all the way to the Olympics. The exhibit just launched but will be on view until fall 2024. More info here.
Get a Lobster Roll at Broad Street Oyster Co. on the Huntington Beach Pier
If you made the drive all the way down to Huntington Beach, you’re legally required to go get some delicious seafood from one of the newest locations of Christopher Tompkins’s beloved and rapidly-expanding concept. Yes, the lobster roll is a stunner, but don’t sleep on the rest of the menu.
Easter Edition of The Georgian Room‘s Spaghetti Supper Series
Hands down one of the coolest places to eat in the entire city is the basement steakhouse in the bottom of The Georgian Hotel. This Italian speakeasy-style space operates very much under an “if you know, you know” ethos, and plenty of locals regularly head in on Sunday nights for their special Spaghetti Sunday menu. But because it’s Easter, the special menu will consist of garlic bread, artichokes alla Romana, Caesar salad and burrata. For main courses, spaghetti, banzino, chicken or eggplant parm, sausage and peppers, and filet mignon are all options. Then, of course, save room for dessert! All that will run you $85 for the four courses, so you still have plenty of room in your budget for drinks. Book a table in advance on Resy — they go fast.
Visit Stay. Zero Proof Cocktail Lounge for Non-Alcoholic Beverages
One of the best developments of the last decade has been a marked increase in options for those among us who have decided, for whatever reason, to go through life sober. And by the way, sobriety can be a weekly or daily decision, too — it doesn’t even have to be an all-or-nothing thing by any means. So Stay. Zero Proof Cocktail Lounge — which is open for socializing and nights out, just like any other bar, except they serve only non-alcoholic drinks — is an absolutely great thing. Head there Sunday evening for a chill way to close out the weekend, or pop by on Monday for an April Fools comedy event that features Nick Thune, Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher. The show runs from 8 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday night, and tickets are $20 with a drink minimum of one per guest. Tickets here.
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