Trip to LA

i would like to help, but i don't know of any jazz places. there is a blues bar in santa monica on 4th street. for food/alcohol look into places in malibu and manhattan beach, specifically moonshadows and duke's in malibu. (i'm basing this on your age.)

if you want real jazz and not some second rate piano bar, Catalina Bar and Grill or the Jazz Bakery would be your best bet location-wise. Catalina's is on Sunset and the Jazz Bakery is midtown.

-Jeff

+1 on Jazz Bakery.

If you go there, I'd recommend dinner at Beacon (it's within walking distance), which is fantastic. In Santa Monica, Capo (on Main Street) has wonderful Italian. You'll need a reservation. In Beverly Hills, Spago is ridiculously expensive, but the food is good enough to warrant the hype.

No offense to matador, different strokes and all that, but the main appeals of Duke's and Moonshadows are their location and views. The food's mediocre; if you go, better for drinks than for dinner.

I don't think you'll do better than this.

Try Angelini for Italian, Lucques for Cal/Med/Whatever. My two favorites in LA.

Angelini Osteria on Beverly, to be specific. There's another Angelini something or other on Melrose - don't go to that one. You'll need a reservation.

Both of the Osteria Mozza is good, Providence has the best seafood in LA, both are in the Melrose area. Cut has great steaks in BH. For something different and really gourmet, try Sona on La Cienega.

Baron has a nice balcony with a good view and a hi-fi that plays Jazz, try an angle an invite. Try the pizza.

The Dad is pretty dead on with this one. I really wish there were more lounge-type places to go hear live jazz as the Bakery's pretty simple and not exactly bar-conducive. You're there for the music, which is guaranteed to be good, and little else. Jax Bar and Grill in Glendale is probably a bit out of your way but offers a better atmosphere and has live jazz every night. Food, however, is hit and miss. I really like the Barefoot Bar at Duke's for Happy Hour. I've had dinner on one occasion there and hardly found it to be mediocre. Perhaps LD was eating from the bar menu.

I've not been to there or the Edison, but Cicada looks interesting based on Mattdeckard's posts on AAAC.

I lived in the Marina for 4.5 years and there really isn't anywhere there that is worth eating at when you have other options. Santa Monica is in a similar boat as well. Lots of good places, but nothing spectacular. Sure, the food is good, but if the OP is going to be spending his time between the Marina, Silver Lake, and downtown, it is a bit out of the way and, to me, it lacks ambiance. However, there are plenty of restaurants on this side of town worth taking the trip for. If you're on the westside and want Italian with great food AND atmosphere then there is no substitute for Dan Tana's (though Osteria/Pizzeria Mozza are great): http://www.dantanasrestaurant.com/ For French, Sona and Ortolan are amazing, as someone suggested, as is AOC for tapas. If you are looking for somewhere interesting without paying a huge bill, Cobras & Matadors is another very good tapas place that is BYOB (which does bring a somewhat younger crowd if you're trying to avoid that - we're not talking frat guys here though). Spago in BH is definitely good, but I always find it a bit overpriced. For steak, you have CUT, Mastro's, and Craft (though they have this in NYC as well). All good. Somewhere romantic: can't beat The Little Door. Silverlake has some great places, but I'm sure that if you're brother in law lives there he will already know them (Silverlake isn't huge). Edendale is a very cool converted firehouse that is a neat place for an afternoon drink. You also have Intelligentsia cafe, which is widely considered to be the best cup of espresso in town. Then again, Lamill is pretty close and it is pretty popular right now (one of the only places in the US with that absurdly expensive coffee machine). You also have Cafe Stella (nice French bistro) and Blair's which are nice. If you're downtown, Seven Grand (whiskey bar) and The Edison are excellent for drinks. Mind you, don't go to the Edison late on a Friday or Saturday evening: there will be an enormous line. Sadly, on a Friday or Saturday night on the westside (BH, W. Hollywood, Santa Monica), most of the lounges/bars get extremely busy. Bar Marmont on Sunset isn't bad though. If you do end up eating in Santa Monica for any reason, get dessert at the Viceroy..... http://urbandaddy.com/la/743/Guiness...ngeles_LA_Food

I like this place a lot, especially with the numerous sub par places on Beverly Blvd. but it is a bit trendy as England stated...but definitely worth a try and free corkage!

LOL. Dan Tana's, the Viceroy. Don't listen to this cheeseball unless you want to douche it up.

Ha hahah. I like all of your suggestions. You're so helpful. Douche it up? Douching it would be Sushi Roku, Koi, BOA, or some other nightclub/restaurant hybrid. Only an idiot would deem somewhere with a 40+ crowd KNOWN for being unpretentious as "douchebaggy." It's been around for over 35 years and has always been an LA staple I didn't say to spend the night at Viceroy, I said to get dessert there. I find it hilarious that someone with a 'Superbad' SN and avatar thinks he has any ability to decide what is douchey. Shouldn't you be off somewhere ranting about how "Old School" is the greatest comedy of all time? Clearly, you don't know shit. Edit: Looking over your posts, it seems you never have anything helpful or constructive to say. Not surprising.