Best European Restaurants in Little Tokyo

This is a great place to get something different. Our go to is Steak or Sushi, occasionally Mexican or Italian, and it was getting a bit tired eating the same things. This place is completely different, yet very simple. My mom is from Germany, so Lustig brought back great memories from my childhood when mom used to cook for us or even better, when Oma used to cook for the holidays! My husband is a really picky eater, so he normally will pick one dish and get that every time he goes to a specific restaurant. This time he was saying he wanted to come back to try other dishes (particularly the Schnitzel). The cocktails are phenomenal as well. My husband got the Sachertorte Old Fashioned, he always tries the old fashioned at every bar we go to... he loved this one. If you read the description it sounds like the drink will overwhelmingly taste like Chocolate. In my opinion, it's kind of like wine where there are tasting notes and aromas that create the overall experience, but even if you're not a chocolate person, you will still like this! I had the non-alcoholic Seaberry Buck, but got it spiked with vodka... that is a flavor bomb, so tasty! Think Moscow Mule, but with a tropical refreshing twist. Kevin, the bartender, was really helpful in describing the cocktails and also helping us select what we would order for dinner. We started with the Hamachi Crudo (amazing), very light and refreshing. Then we did the Crispy Garden Salad. Again, this was so much better than can be described on a menu! Finally, we had the 12h Braised Beef Cheek with Herb Spätzle (egg noodles). Besides the savory fall flavors being a perfect comfort food dish, this is great choice if you need to take out or reheat for left overs! Mike our server was great and he steered us toward a wine that was perfect with our eclectic meal. The Chef came out to check on us as well, which was really nice to get hear some of his backstory. Overall we highly recommend this restaurant, it checks all the boxes!

So disappointed they are closing down! They have been an institution in our neighborhood for 15 years. We will miss them and their wonderful management and staff :( I hope everyone who is employed by Eveleigh finds work, especially at this time during the holidays and the turmoil that exists in our country in general.

I’ve been to Bar Chelou a few times but they have really hit their stride. The service was on point, the drinks were fun and delicious, and the food was incredible. Every dish had an unexpected twist, from the mini peperoncinis in the salad to the tang of peanut butter in the carrots to the umami in the tempura mushrooms, lovely surprises all around! And they coursed everything out beautifully and got us to the show at the Playhouse right on time, chef’s kiss!

I dined here last night, and I appreciate the experience I gained with such an attentive and polite staff welcoming us into their cozy and warm ambience of the restaurant. The food was exceptional: all the flavors and quality really stood out to me. I hope to be coming back here soon, hopefully, multiple times.

Excellent service! Turkey avocado sandwich was delicious as was the gazpacho.