For people who love explaining that “Marilyn Monroe used to come here” at dinner, the gravitational pull of the Old Hollywood restaurant is undeniable. For others, sipping a martini at a place like Musso & Frank is an activity you read about in an in-flight magazine. But we can all agree: As iconic and timeless as the city’s historic restaurants are, they’re not always where you head for an amazing meal. La Dolce Vita, however, is the rare exception—a portal to another era that still feels completely of the moment. At this restored and revitalized Beverly Hills landmark, which originally opened in 1966 with Frank Sinatra as an investor, a great time doesn’t hinge on nostalgia. You’ll find Italian American classics done right, elite service, and legit Hollywood history, all in a room that feels like a boozy Oscars afterparty. In other words, take all the best elements of Dan Tana’s and throw in food so good it'll have your table fighting over the leftovers. That’s La Dolce Vita. Once your eyes adjust after stepping inside (it’s very dark in here), you’ll spot cheetah print carpet in a tiny, windowless room that looks like Liza Minnelli’s dinner parlor. Talent agents in cufflinks and black dresses crowd the bar sipping tequila gimlets and what might be the best martinis our livers have had the privilege of metabolizing. Famous people cozy into big leather booths warmed up by other generations of famous people—Sinatra among them. Meals begin with a shot of amari and plush focaccia, both complimentary. Even if you’re accustomed to restaurants with the occasional Grammy winner in the corner, you’ll probably have a moment of sensory overload here. La Dolce Vita’s menu reads like a nominee list for the Red Sauce Italian Hall of Fame. Think shrimp diavola, spaghetti and meatballs, baked manicotti in an ornate casserole dish, and a thick New York strip with a red wine glaze. Everything’s really good—and in the case of the 12-ounce bone-in veal parm really, really good—but also expensive. And at these prices, you expect more than juicy branzino and a chance to watch Lionel Richie eat spumoni. That’s where La Dolce Vita’s staff comes in. We don’t know the respective dreams and ambitions of the servers here, but we can say for sure: this is a group of people for whom making you feel like a million bucks is a life’s mission. Needless to say, they pull off a killer tableside caesar. Now, the tricky part: actually getting in. Finding an open table at primetime here is like spotting a local posing in front of the “Beverly Hills” sign—extremely uncommon. And that probably won’t change anytime soon. So if your patience is running low, head to the bar. You’ll miss out on the white tablecloths, but seating is first come, first served, and if you arrive after 9pm on a weeknight, there are usually a few stools open. But we’ve also noticed that most people who eat here tend to book their next reservation with the host on their way out, which kind of tells you everything you need to know. Sure, La Dolce Vita has a glamorous backstory, but it’s the experience right now that has people clamoring to return—us included.