✦ Local Guide · Chinatown

🍻 Dinner with Friends Restaurants in Chinatown

The best lively spots great for groups and friend gatherings in Chinatown — curated from over 200 LA restaurants.

5 picks

The best dinner spots in Chinatown for a group are the ones where sharing is built into the menu and nobody has to overthink the order. These 5 picks are ideal for groups of 2–8 — places with enough energy that you can actually talk, menus worth exploring together, and a vibe that doesn't require a special occasion to justify the tab. Catch the TikTok reviews to find the right fit. Top picks: Lasita, Howlin' Ray's, Yang Chow.

Chinatown is having a dining renaissance alongside its established Chinese institutions — newer openings sit alongside classics that have been there for generations.

Lasita

Filipino · Modern  ·  Chinatown  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.6

Chinatown's acclaimed Filipino restaurant where chicken inasal, sisig, and the spirit of Manila arrive in a beautiful space

Must-try: Chicken inasal, Mushroom sisig, Garlic fried rice

📍 727 N Broadway #120, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Howlin' Ray's

Nashville Hot Chicken · American  ·  Chinatown  ·  $$

★★★★½ 4.5

Chinatown's Nashville hot chicken institution — bring your heat tolerance and prepare to sweat in the best way possible

Must-try: Howlin' hot chicken sandwich, Hot chicken tenders, Country gravy biscuit

📍 727 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Yang Chow

Chinese · American  ·  Chinatown  ·  $$

★★★★☆ 4.4

Chinatown's slippery shrimp institution since 1977 — LA's most iconic Chinese-American dish

Must-try: Slippery shrimp, Garlic string beans, Pan-fried noodles

📍 819 N Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Majordōmo

American · Korean-inflected  ·  Chinatown  ·  $$$

★★★★☆ 4.4

David Chang's California restaurant — large-format short ribs and Korean-inflected American cooking near Chinatown

Must-try: Whole plate short rib (for the table), Scallop bing, Smoked bo ssäm

📍 1725 Naud St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Philippe the Original

American · French Dip Sandwiches  ·  Chinatown  ·  $

★★★★☆ 4.4

The French dip's birthplace since 1908 — sawdust floors, dipped sandwiches, and lines that have not changed in a century

Must-try: Double-dipped lamb sandwich, Beef French dip, Chocolate cream pie

📍 1001 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best group dinner restaurant in Chinatown?

Lasita is a go-to for a reason — the format is built for sharing, the energy is right for a group, and the food is consistent enough that everyone leaves happy.

Where can a large group eat in Chinatown?

Yang Chow handles larger tables well and has a menu with enough variety that even the pickiest eater in the group will find something. Call ahead if you're coming with 6 or more.

Can we walk into these restaurants as a group?

Groups have a harder time walking in, especially on weekends. Reservations are strongly recommended for parties of 4 or more. Most of these spots book through OpenTable or Resy.