For a quintessentially Californian celebration, grab a table in one of LA’s prettiest gardens. The lush outdoor courtyard at A.O.C.—James Beard Award-winning chef Suzanne Goin’s French-accented wine bar—is where you want to plan a big birthday dinner or bridal shower. But it’s also just as perfect for a midweek pick-me-up. Go for the cheese and charcuterie boards, wood-fired clams, and a deep list of by-the-glass wines, picked by acclaimed restaurateur and sommelier Caroline Styne.

Take a whirlwind trip through the Middle East when you celebrate at the second restaurant from the award-winning Bestia team. This is Casablanca in the Arts District, splashed with turquoise, saffron, and brass accents for days. The menu travels to Israel, Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt, featuring spectacular roasted meats with lots of harissa and tahini. No birthday party here is complete without the showstopping baked Alaska with raspberry buttermilk and Persian lime sherbets.

Save this modern Taiwanese hotspot for celebrating something extra-big. Kato is all about James Beard Award-winning chef Jon Yao’s inspired multi-course tasting menus with dishes like pig ears with tomato and sesame served on gorgeous plateware. Wine director Ryan Bailey more than understood the assignment when it came to designing an equally unique natural wine list, and the bar stirs up cutting-edge cocktails and N/A drinks featuring Asian ingredients like bitter melon.

Alinea vet Dave Beran brings MICHELIN-Starred swagger to this elegant French spot, which opened in 2019. You’re here for fancy French food that never feels stuffy—think crêpes caviar, steak frites, and rockfish with pistou and pepper relish. For special occasions, get the duck for two, pressed in front of your eyes for a little tableside je-ne-sais-quoi. Playful cocktails and French-leaning wines round out the menu.

Gear up for one of the fanciest nights of seafood you’ve ever had. Three-MICHELIN-Starred Providence is led by James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner Michael Cimarusti, who works his technical magic on multi-course tasting menus starring the ocean’s most elite, like golden Kaluga caviar and luscious uni. Bring anyone you want to impress and raise a glass to a meal of a lifetime.

Even 40-plus years after it opened, Wolfgang Puck’s Beverly Hills icon is still a stunner. A special-occasion meal here means you’re celebrating your big night with elegant Californian dishes that made the award-winning chef/restaurateur one of the most recognizable names in the food world, such as rack of lamb with harissa and za’atar brittle or garganelli pasta with Maine lobster. Whether you’re looking for a romantic meal or a full-on LA blowout party, Spago’s got you covered.

Two-MICHELIN-Starred restaurant Mélisse has been open since 1999, but chef Josiah Citrin’s 18-course tasting menus still feel fresh. The intimate 14-seat dining room is beautifully appointed for indulging in Citrin’s modern California cooking in dishes like Santa Barbara spot prawn with umeboshi custard along with wild turbot topped with morels, snow crab, and sweet pea. Toast your big night out with a bottle of Champagne from the restaurant’s impressive wine list.

From the stunning setting to the exacting attention to detail, every element is carefully planned at chef Jordan Kahn’s recently reopened Vespertine. Settle in for a multi-course menu that’s intended to blow your mind with dishes incorporating wild-foraged and regenerative ingredients that have earned the restaurant a coveted MICHELIN Green Star. Allow three hours for the sensory explosion that’s sure to spark plenty of conversation.

The chefs at Umaya have more than 50 years of sushi experience combined, so it’s no surprise that every piece of fish that comes out of the kitchen looks like a work of art. Opt for an omakase menu for an unforgettable meal filled with the likes of chawanmushi, seasonal broiled fish, and assorted sashimi, all served in a modern, serene dining room. Don’t sleep on the bar’s gorgeous cocktails, like the Smashing Leaves, made with bourbon, kumquat, shiso, and lemon.

Make it a special night by booking a seat at Antico Nuovo’s marble chef’s counter, where you’ll be rewarded with a view of the kitchen’s wood-fired hearth and all the action surrounding it. There, chef Chad Colby turns out beautiful handmade pastas like tortelli with lemon, ricotta, marjoram, and pine nuts that transport you to the Italian countryside. Then move on to mains like chicken roasted over focaccia with salsa verde paired with one of the plentiful Italian wines.

Anyone who can’t imagine a celebration dinner without meat—and lots of it—should go straight to this upscale Tuscan steakhouse. Chi Spacca is part of chef Nancy Silverton’s Mozza empire and zeros in on butcher-inspired mains like a 50-ounce bistecca Fiorentina and tomahawk pork chop. The supporting characters on the menu are just as impressive, and so is the massive Italian wine list. Add a candlelit dining room and you’ve got all the essentials for a big night out.