West Hollywood Restaurants

West Hollywood is popularly known for its open-mindedness and tolerance since the early 1900's. It has transformed from a gambling and liquor haven during the gambling and liquor ban early this century, to a gay and lesbian haven that fled to its safe confines today.

Santa Monica Boulevard is among the most popular gay areas in the world, with numerous well-known spots such as the nightclubs and newer bars and restaurants in West Hollywood. The exclusive hotel The Sunset Marquis is located along nearby Alta Loma Road with its famous 45-person Whisky Bar.

The Robertson/West 3rd Street area is another area with hip shops and cafes that serves great dining in West Hollywood. There are also an abundance of West Hollywood restaurants along Melrose Avenue.

There are over 300 restaurants in West Hollywood. Most of the restaurants in West Hollywood are steakhouses, although there are also a lot of contemporary American, Italian and Sushi restaurants in West Hollywood. California restaurants are known to serve up authentic multi-cultural cuisine, and the restaurants in West Hollywood are no different.

Enjoying the Scenery and Activities while Dining in West Hollywood

West Hollywood is prominently known as a gay village because of its large gay and lesbian population and the proliferation of businesses that caters to the gay and lesbian population.

West Hollywood is not all bars and nightclubs as shopping options abound on the western stretch of Melrose Avenue, which is notable for its trendy clothing boutiques, interior design shops, restaurants and antique stores. The west end of Melrose, near the Pacific Design Center, is especially known for its exclusive furniture.

The area around Fountain Avenue, Harper Avenue and Havenhurst Drive contains a high concentration of landmark 1920s Spanish Revival and Art Deco apartment buildings. This historic district has been home to many celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Errol Flynn, the Gabor Sisters, John Wayne and Howard Hughes.

The Mediterranean-style climate in West Hollywood provides mild weather and enjoys sunshine all year round, making West Hollywood a popular destination. Outdoor West Hollywood dining, whether on an outdoor patio in a West Hollywood restaurant or a home packed picnic, makes for a wonderful West Hollywood dining experience any time of year.

About West Hollywood

West Hollywood, also referred to as WeHo and BoysTown, is a a city in Los Angeles County, California. The city is one of the most notable gay villages in the United States, with gays and lesbians making about 41 percent of the total population. it is also noted for being environmentally conscious and pet friendliness. It has a full time residential population of about 37,000. However, the nighttime and weekend population swells substantially, up to 100,000 people. In addition, during major events such as Halloween or the Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade, the population explodes to 500,000.

West Hollywood rose to prominence during the 1920s, when ban on gambling in Los Angeles saw the proliferation of many nightclubs and casinos along the Sunset Strip that did not fall within the Los Angeles city limits. During this period, a number of prominent people from the movie industry were attracted to this less restrictive area in Los Angeles and a number of architecturally fine apartment houses and apartment hotels were built. In the late 1960s, young hippies from all over the country flocked to West Hollywood clubs such as the Whisky a Go Go, Barney's Beanery, Filthy McNasty's, The Rainbow, and the Troubadour. During this period also saw West Hollywood host its first gay dance nights, which was illegal in those days. More and more gay and lesbian clubs made West Hollywood their home due to its more tolerant attitude towards gays and lesbians than the rest of the country. During the 1980's, a wave of Russian Jews from the former Soviet Union immigrated to the city, and they now make up about 13 percent of the total population of West Hollywood.