5 Low Key Los Angeles Restaurants That Are Secret Celebrity Hangouts

For decades, starry-eyed dreamers have flocked to Los Angeles, pursuing careers in film, television, music, and — in recent years – social media content creation. While not everyone is lucky enough to see their dreams come true, prompting the mass exodus of thousands of transplants each year, there are those that do make it big and settle down permanently in the City of Angels. As a result, there are loads of celebrity hot spots to visit if you want to see stars in Los Angeles — from the world-famous luxury shops on Rodeo Drive to the billion-dollar oceanfront homes in Malibu.

However, you don't have to go on an expensive shopping spree or trespass on private property to rub elbows with the stars. You just have to go out to eat. There are thousands of restaurants in Los Angeles to choose from, tons of which are frequented by A-list diners. If you're worried about dishing out big bucks at a swanky restaurant in exchange for a star-sighting, worry not. From classic diners to famous fast food joints, we've rounded up this list of low-key restaurants that are secret celebrity hangouts. 

Feeding Los Angeles since 1931, Canter's Deli is an iconic 24-hour eatery with an 'endless menu' and midnight celebrity sightings. Residing in its current digs since 1953 and marked by a retro neon sign towering triumphantly over Fairfax Avenue, the restaurant's historic charm is evident even before venturing inside. Upon entering, a New York-style deli counter awaits to greet guests, serving traditional Jewish deli fare and fresh baked goods around the clock. Just beyond the deli counter is the dining area, which is bursting with 1950s-style decor and walls adorned with framed black-and-white photos of famous former diners.

The roster of celebrity diners reads like an awards show guest list. Elizabeth Taylor, Dick Van Dyke, Ryan Gosling, Lana Del Rey, Marilyn Monroe — who even has a signature sandwich named after her on the menu — and many others have dined at Canter's over the decades. If walls could talk, the walls at Canter's would have endless celebrity stories to tell. They'd recall the pain of being smashed by a ketchup bottle thrown by Nicolas Cage (who would return to the restaurant years later and meet his future wife, Patricia Arquette). They'd remember Madonna eating potato pancakes at a table with k.d. Lang and Johnny Depp dining with Winona Ryder before they split in the early 1990s. 

When dining at Canter's you never know who might be sitting in the next booth over. Boasting a 24-hour menu of breakfast favorites, classic deli fare, and hearty dinners served in a nostalgic diner atmosphere, and an attached dive bar pouring cocktails alongside nightly live music, Canter's has a laidback vibe that appeals to celebrities and civilians alike. It's not fancy or pretentious, it's simply classic.

From classic Italian eateries like Dan Tana's to timeless and tasty gems like Musso & Frank Grill, Los Angeles is brimming with restaurants that ooze Old Hollywood charm. Opened in 1946, the Smoke House is among the oldest eateries hailing from Tinsel Town's Golden Age and has been faithfully serving Burbank for almost 80 years. Situated across from Warner Bros. Studios, it's been a go-to hangout spot for actors and filmmakers over the decades. A gallery of film history, its walls are a collection of vintage movie posters and framed photos of famous former diners, including Judy Garland, Robert Redford, and Kirk Douglas. Meanwhile, the lobby features display cases with signed photos from more recent celebrity guests like Nicolas Cage and George Clooney, who named his production company Smokehouse Pictures after the classic steakhouse.

In addition to paying homage to Hollywood's cinematic history, the restaurant has had a starring role in movies and television shows like "Argo," "The Office," and "Desperate Housewives." Perhaps most famously, the lounge area masqueraded as the restaurant where Ryan Gosling's character was fired for his improvised jazz piano performance in "La La Land." In real life, the lounge area hosts live music on the weekends (sans Gosling). Writing from personal experience, I once saw Jon Hamm (Don Draper himself) there, which felt fitting amidst the "Mad Men" style atmosphere comprised of dark red leather booths and warm wood-paneled walls.

Per their motto, the Smoke House offers "fine food at a fair price," so you don't have to break the bank to dine there, especially if you drop in for happy hour on the weekdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., which boasts $7 cocktails and bar bites under $10. Whatever you do, don't skip their famous cheesy garlic bread.

Another celebrity magnet in the Valley is Casa Vega. Located on the venerable Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, the family-owned Mexican restaurant has been a Tinsel Town staple since 1956, drawing in luminaries like Cary Grant and Marlon Brando in its early years. In recent decades, famous diners have included Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Dr. Dre, and Megan Fox – to name just a few. On one particularly star-studded evening, Jennifer Aniston and Mariah Carey dined there with their respective entourages at the same time, both tables ordering chips and guacamole alongside their margaritas and entrees.

If you've seen "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," you might recognize Casa Vega at first glance. Quentin Tarantino is another devout diner, so it's no wonder that the historic restaurant is prominently featured in one of the final scenes of his 1969 period piece. You may or may not bump into Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt while you're there, but you can sit in the same corner booth where their characters got drunk on margaritas. The cocktail menu even features a signature margarita crafted by Tarantino himself.

Greeted by the flash of a retro neon sign, visiting Casa Vega feels like a form of time travel. Comprising cozy red booths, brick-lined walls, and a low-lit vintage atmosphere, it's easy to see why filmmakers, celebrities, and everyday patrons have been flocking to the legendary restaurant for the last 70 years. It's truly a timeless Los Angeles gem.

As Los Angeles Times columnist Chris Erksine once wrote about Bob's Big Boy: "At one point, nearly everyone has eaten at this glorious landmark near Warner [Bros.] Studios." Founded in Glendale in 1936, the classic burger chain (formerly known as "Bob's Pantry") has nearly 70 locations scattered across the US. Nestled in a mid-century Googie-style building on Riverside Drive, the Burbank location opened in 1949 and is the oldest Bob's outpost still standing.

Flourishing in a timeless retro diner atmosphere, Bob's Big Boy has been a celebrity haunt for decades. A gallery of framed photos adorns the wall above the main entrance, showcasing some of its most illustrious past regulars. Bob Hope, Debbie Reynolds, and Mickey Rooney were among the frequent Bob's diners of yesteryear. In 1965, The Beatles dined in a corner booth while touring through America at the height of Beatlemania. Today, a plaque marks the Fab Four's former table, which has become the most-requested spot in the restaurant. David Lynch was another beloved regular and spent many hours scribbling movie ideas on napkins while guzzling black coffee and chocolate milkshakes. Upon his passing in January 2025, fans gathered to create a shrine around the famous Bob's Big Boy statue outside.

If you visit Bob's today, you might run into one of its more recent A-list regulars. Drew Carey used to dine there every day and even racked up a tab of over $500,000 to feed out-of-work writers during the 2023 writer's strike. Burbank resident Jay Leno is another regular, often attending the weekly Friday Night Car Show in the parking lot. Serving signature double-decker burgers in a classic American diner full of history and retro charm, Bob's Big Boy is a casual go-to spot for star gazing in Los Angeles.

If you want to see stars during Hollywood's awards season but you didn't get a red carpet invitation, all you have to do is go for a late-night burger run at In-N-Out. Located just four blocks away from the Dolby Theater, the Sunset Boulevard location of the beloved burger chain is a favorite post-award ceremony stop for hungry, well-dressed celebs. Adele treated herself to a burger after technical difficulties at the 2016 Grammys. Julia Roberts hit the In-N-Out drive-thru with her hubby after attending the 2019 Golden Globes ceremony, posting a kissing selfie on Instagram with the caption "Fun Night W My Fella. Congratulations to All! And to all a good (burger) night." Miley Cyrus donned an iconic In-N-Out cap with her 2014 Video Music Awards date during a post-ceremony bite. The list truly goes on and on.

In 2024, four-time Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel told People Magazine: "In-N-Out is definitely the award show tradition... Nothing against McDonald's, but on award show night, it's In-N-Out." The tradition is so steeped into Hollywood culture that the Vanity Fair Oscar's Party has been catering the famous burgers since 1994.

While there's typically a line out the door at In-N-Out (particularly the bustling Sunset Boulevard location), things get even crazier on Oscar night. As one SFGate article recounts, the place was packed by 6 p.m., with a parking lot full of hungry sight-seers hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars after the ceremony. A California staple since 1948, In-N-Out is one of the few places in Los Angeles where you can chow down on cheeseburgers with award-winning stars.