At Carousel, too much is exactly the right amount. Groups of ten rightly pack tables with more crisp-edged mantee than they can keep track of, sparklers go off mid-dinner, and an electronic version of “Happy Birthday” blasts from the speakers every 30 minutes or so. This LA institution has been packed with parties for generations. So even if you're not coming to the Middle Eastern/Armenian restaurant in Glendale to celebrate something, you’ll end up clapping along while a server delivers pistachio knefe cake or baklava to a stranger. Gather a group of people who don't take themselves too seriously and prioritize the mezze and dips. There are better places to eat platters of skewered and rotisserie meat in the area, but when you're scooping mutabbal onto warm pita as a belly dancer twirls past your table, it'll be hard to imagine a meal more festive.