71above

Should You Return to 71above?

If you've been once, you already know the view is not the gimmick — it's the context. The question on a second visit is whether the kitchen, led by Chef Javier López, gives you a reason to go back beyond the 71st-floor vantage point over downtown Los Angeles. The short answer: yes, particularly if your first visit was dinner and you haven't tried lunch, or if you went in a different season. This is a restaurant where timing and the menu cycle genuinely change the value of the visit.

71above holds a 3-Star Accreditation from the World of Fine Wine and was ranked #338 in Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in North America for 2024 (Recommended in 2023). Those aren't flashy credentials, but they're honest ones — OAD rankings reflect frequent diner consensus, which means this venue performs consistently across visits rather than just on opening night. For a restaurant at this address and altitude, that consistency is the real selling point. The Google rating sits at 4.5 across more than 2,600 reviews, which reinforces the picture.

When to Go and What Changes

The seasonal rotation at 71above is the clearest reason a returning visitor should pay attention to timing. Chef López works within the New American framework, which means the menu shifts with California's produce calendar. Spring and early summer bring lighter compositions; fall leans into richer preparations. If your first visit was during one season, a return in a contrasting season will give you a materially different table. This is not a restaurant with a static signature-dish menu you can simply revisit.

The lunch service (Tuesday through Thursday, 11:30am–2pm) is the most underused window. The kitchen is the same, the view is arguably better in daylight, and the dining room is quieter than dinner. If your first visit was an evening occasion dinner, lunch is the logical next move, practically and economically at the $$$ price tier. Friday and Saturday evenings run until 11pm, making those the right call for a later start. Sunday and Monday evenings close earlier at 9:30pm, so plan accordingly.

The Wine Program

Wine Director Catherine Morel oversees a list of 1,430 selections with an inventory of 7,740 bottles, with particular depth in Burgundy, France, California, and Italy. The list is priced in the $$$ tier, expect many bottles over $100, and corkage is $50 if you're bringing something special. For a high-altitude special-occasion dinner, the wine program here is a genuine asset rather than an afterthought. If you're comparing wine programs in Los Angeles at this price point, few restaurants at the $$$ cuisine tier can match this depth of inventory. Pairing your visit with a Burgundy producer you want to explore is a legitimate strategy.

Practical Details

71above is at 633 W 5th Street, 71st floor, in the US Bank Tower in downtown Los Angeles. Booking is rated easy, this is not a venue where you need to set calendar reminders three months out. That said, Friday and Saturday evenings do fill, so a week's notice is sensible for those slots. Weekday lunch is the most accessible entry point with the least planning friction.

For more on where to eat, drink, and stay in the city, see our full Los Angeles restaurants guide, our full Los Angeles hotels guide, our full Los Angeles bars guide, our full Los Angeles wineries guide, and our full Los Angeles experiences guide.

If you're building a broader fine-dining trip, comparable special-occasion New American experiences elsewhere in the country include Le Bernardin in New York City, The French Laundry in Napa, Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg, Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Alinea in Chicago, The Inn at Little Washington, Bayona in New Orleans, and Emeril's in New Orleans.

For Los Angeles dining in a different register, Nightshade, Norah, Pace, R+D Kitchen, and Salt's Cure offer lower price points across different neighbourhoods.