Where to watch chefs in action in L.A.

You can try calling any trendy restaurant in Los Angeles and be told that weekend tables are fully booked for the next month, but they might have a slot on a Tuesday evening come spring. But what’s an even tougher challenge for food enthusiasts here?

Getting a coveted front-row seat at the chef’s table, where a top chef is creating culinary magic right in front of you.

It might take some patience (and a decent budget) to secure a spot at these must-try L.A. chef’s table experiences in the land of culinary stars and impossible-to-get reservations. But what’s an unforgettable dinner experience without a little bit of a challenge?

Bestia

When prepared well, Cal-Italian comfort food can shine in nearly any setting.

Especially in a repurposed warehouse on the industrial outskirts of the Downtown Arts District, home to one of the most popular contemporary trattorias west of Umbria.

Lively, loud, and filled with chefs in bandanas churning out burrata pizzas, bold housemade pastas, and irresistible ricotta dumplings with pork sausage and black truffles, the Bestia experience is one you’ll need to book well in advance.

A variety of seating options are available, including quirky booths, communal tables, and two outdoor patios.

For the full experience, snag a seat at the counter near the pizza oven or at the chef’s table, just steps from the kitchen – a wooden bar with space for up to seven guests, where roasted marrow bone, spinach gnocchetti, and pan-roasted chicken gizzard demos are complimentary.

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Trois Mec

Only in Los Angeles could you find a Food & Wine-approved dining spot run by a celebrity chef, tucked away in a sun-faded strip mall behind an old Raffallo’s P ZZA sign from a previous tenant.

Ludovic Lefebvre’s Trois Mec, consistently ranked as one of L.A.’s top restaurants over its three years, is surprisingly easy to miss while driving by.

The restaurant offers a rotating five-course tasting menu served in a casual open-kitchen atmosphere where Lefebvre and his team could easily join you if they were any closer.

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Le Comptoir

Forget about calling Le Comptoir for a reservation, as they don’t even have a phone number.

To secure a spot at this intimate 10-seat counter nestled in Koreatown’s historic Hotel Normandie, it's best to send an email request for an early (6 p.m.) or late (8:30 p.m.) reservation, and wait for chef Gary Menes – formerly of French Laundry – to get back to you.

The menu can be enhanced with options like Japanese Wagyu beef or diver-caught scallops, available upon request.

The true highlight here is the fresh produce: beans, figs, squash, leeks, asparagus, carrots, and delicately halved grapes, all treated with care. These ingredients are thoughtfully prepared, presented, and explained – all in a cozy, no-frills counter setting without the formality of white tablecloths.

N/Naka

Bookings for a table in the 26-seat dining room of kaiseki chef Niki Nakayama have been filling up well in advance, a trend that only grew after Netflix’s ‘Chef’s Table’ brought wider recognition to one of the few female chefs mastering the delicate art of traditional Japanese kaiseki cuisine.

Dishes, often paired with wine or sake, might feature delicacies such as unagi (eel) served with daikon and foie gras or a house favorite, spaghettini with abalone, truffles, and a zesty ponzu sauce.

Service here is an experience in itself, with each dish carefully explained and accompanied by advice on the best way to enjoy the sensory nuances of the flavors.

As your meal concludes, expect a visit from chef Nakayama, who takes the time to record each guest's thoughts on the dishes to enhance future visits.

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Ink.

A win in Season 6 of the US reality show 'Top Chef' – where Michael Voltaggio triumphed over his co-finalist brother Bryan – launched him into the spotlight seven years ago.

Fast forward to today, and the name ‘Ink.’ serves as a tribute to Voltaggio’s dynamic Melrose Avenue restaurant, where the aim is to leave a lasting, indelible mark on every guest.

With a frequently changing menu, Ink. offers inventive Californian dishes such as chicken-fried quail, smoky salt-and-charcoal potatoes with a housemade sour cream and a touch of black vinegar, and a dessert of deconstructed apple pie that earns rave reviews for its burnt wood semifreddo, caramel, and shortbread.

For the best views of the action in the open kitchen, snag a spot at the six-seat counter overlooking the garde manger station – seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tempura Endo

Typically, battered and fried dishes are considered lighthearted ‘fun’ fare, but at Tempura Endo, they are elevated to an art form.

This isn't your average tempura.

At least not the type of tempura being perfected at Tempura Endo, the first U.S. outpost of the renowned Kyoto-based tempura chef Koichi Endo.

Nestled on the edge of downtown Beverly Hills, this intimate eight-seat omakase bar offers three distinct tasting menus, ideal for small groups with generous dining budgets.

In exchange for your culinary investment, you'll experience Kyoto-style tempura at its finest – prepared by a master chef who crafts delicate dishes using weak-flour batter, Chardonnay, and premium cottonseed oil. Expect indulgences like truffle-scented scallops and seaweed-wrapped sea urchin roe, all served with detailed narration.

The meal culminates in a traditional Japanese matcha tea ceremony, leaving you with a newfound appreciation for tempura as an elevated culinary experience.

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Maude

Curtis Stone, the star of TLC’s ‘Take Home Chef,’ opened his dream restaurant two years ago: Maude, a 25-seat, open-kitchen dining space named after his grandmother, located in the heart of Beverly Hills.

The restaurant was an immediate hit, with eager diners calling in nonstop to check for cancellations.

Securing a reservation at Maude is a competitive sport, as bookings for the following month open on the first day of each month—and close just as quickly.

Each month, a prix-fixe menu focuses on a single seasonal ingredient, offering a curated set of nine unique dishes that you won’t find anywhere else, all while watching one of L.A.'s most inventive kitchens at work.

The upcoming themes for the remainder of 2016 are Grape in September, Chicory in October, White Truffle in November, and Black Truffle in December.