Cara Cara
Downtown, Los Angeles
Restaurant in Los Angeles, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
An open-air rooftop bar at the Proper Hotel in Downtown LA, Cara Cara offers casual drop-in access and skyline views without the culinary ambition or craft cocktail program of LA's destination bars. Best for weekday lunches, early-evening drinks, or post-work gatherings when you want outdoor seating and minimal wait times. Skip it if you're seeking a chef-driven menu or bartender-focused drinks — this is a hotel amenity with public access, not a standalone dining or bar destination.
About Cara Cara
Cara Cara is a Los Angeles venue open daily from noon, with hours of 12–11 PM Sunday through Thursday and 12 PM–12 AM on Friday and Saturday. The dress code is smart casual. First-time visitors should check directly with the venue for details on menu style, drinks, reservations, seating, pricing, views, or service format before making plans around a particular experience.
The Venue and the Plan
Cara Cara is a Los Angeles option with a smart-casual dress code and daily hours. Monday through Thursday hours are 12–11 PM, Friday and Saturday hours are 12 PM–12 AM, and Sunday hours are 12–11 PM. Details about the room, seating layout, access, and atmosphere should be confirmed directly with the venue, especially if your visit depends on a specific setup or timing.
What to Eat and Drink
Specific menu items, drink offerings, chef details, prices, and service style are not included here. If you are choosing Cara Cara for a particular dish, beverage, dietary need, or dining format, contact the venue before you go. The most reliable details are the Los Angeles location, daily operating hours, and smart-casual dress code.
If you are comparing options, STILE Café is another named venue to consider, while other Los Angeles dining rooms can be evaluated based on the details that matter most to your plans. For Cara Cara, build the visit around the basics rather than assumptions about the menu, bar program, or booking process.
Planning details
- Location
- Proper Hotel (Rooftop, 1100 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- properhotel.com
- Phone
- +12138061027
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Cara Cara occupies a considered hotel rooftop that reads less like a pool-deck bar and more like a purpose-built dining room in the sky. The Proper Hotel’s Kelly Wearstler–informed design language—mid-century California textiles, custom tile work and a curated palette—carries up to an open-air terrace framed by the city skyline and, on clear days, the San Gabriel Mountains. Seating is varied and intentionally spaced to preserve conversation, so the overall effect is sophisticated and intimate rather than frenetic. The result is a polished rooftop that balances architectural intent with a relaxed, dinner-focused atmosphere.
Best For
This is a rooftop to choose when an evening meal matters: diners are here for considered cooking and a designed setting rather than casual day drinking. The team positions the room alongside serious Los Angeles restaurants, making it well suited to dinner-focused occasions—business dinners, elevated date nights and milestone celebrations—where ambiance and the ability to converse matter. Because the space prioritizes dinner service and thoughtful layouts, it’s a good pick for visitors who want skyline views paired with a restaurant-caliber menu in a hotel setting.
Ordering Tips
Lean into the kitchen’s strengths by sharing a few signature plates: the Hamachi Ceviche makes a bright starter, and the Piri Piri Chicken and Scottish Salmon are reliable choices for mains. The menu is presented as part of a dinner-first concept, so plan for a full meal rather than light, poolside grazing. If you value the view, request terrace seating when you reserve; the open-air layout and city framing are part of the appeal and pair well with sunset service and a multi-course meal.
Venue details
Ambiance
Vibrant and comfortable rooftop setting with lush landscaping, fire pits, cozy seating arrangements, and sweeping city views from day to night.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
View
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Lively
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Large
Signature Dishes
- Piri Piri Chicken
- Scottish Salmon
- Hamachi Ceviche
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- Proper Hotel (Rooftop, 1100 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Planning details
Location
Proper Hotel (Rooftop, 1100 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015 · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Cabrillo, Notable alternative
- Dahlia, Notable alternative
- Moonlark's Dinette, Notable alternative
- STILE Café, Notable alternative
- Birdies, Notable alternative
Restaurant context
Cara Cara sits at the most casual, least committal end of Downtown LA's dining and bar spectrum. Cabrillo, Dahlia, and Moonlark's Dinette all require advance planning and deliver chef-driven menus with ingredient specificity and service polish; Cara Cara requires neither and offers neither. Birdies shares the walk-in, snack-forward format but brings more beverage curation and a ground-level neighborhood vibe. STILE Café offers better food at a similar price point, though without the rooftop view. If you need a rooftop setting and immediate seating, Cara Cara is your easiest option in Downtown LA. If you want a memorable meal or a thoughtfully constructed drink, book one of the area's chef-driven spots instead.
The appeal here is purely logistical: open seven days a week, no reservation friction, and a rooftop format in a neighborhood where outdoor dining skews toward street-level patios. For groups who want a quick drink with a view before or after an event at the nearby venues, Cara Cara delivers on convenience. For everyone else, the lack of a culinary or beverage identity makes it a placeholder rather than a destination.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Cara Cara guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Cara Cara
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| Cara Cara | Los Angeles | No published awards |
| Cabrillo | Los Angeles | No published awards |
| Dahlia | Los Angeles | No published awards |
| Moonlark's Dinette | Los Angeles | No published awards |
| STILE Café | Los Angeles | No published awards |
| Birdies | Los Angeles | No published awards |
How Cara Cara Los Angeles compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I order at Cara Cara?
Can I eat at the bar at Cara Cara?
What should a first-timer know about Cara Cara?
Cara Cara is in Los Angeles, has a smart-casual dress code, and is open daily from noon. Hours are 12–11 PM Sunday through Thursday and 12 PM–12 AM Friday and Saturday.
