Laurel Hardware

Housed in a former hardware store on Santa Monica Boulevard, Laurel Hardware has transformed into one of West Hollywood’s most glamorous dining destinations. Dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows flood the space with light, while the sprawling patio glitters with an abundance of twinkling lights strung through the trees. This is undeniably a place to see and be seen—guests tend to arrive camera-ready and spend as much time scanning the room as they do their menus.

The kitchen delivers solid American fare that, while not groundbreaking, serves its purpose well. The duck fried rice stands out with its nicely charred meat and bright pops of kimchi throughout. For dessert, the sticky toffee pudding is genuinely memorable—warm and gooey, it becomes absolutely irresistible once the accompanying vanilla ice cream melts into the toffee sauce. The truffle fries make for an easy bar snack, and the crispy rice salad offers plenty of satisfying crunch even if it’s a bit busy.

Dining here is as much about the atmosphere as the meal itself. The crowd tends toward the fashionable set, and by late evening the energy shifts into full social mode. If you’re looking for an intimate, quiet dinner, you’ll want to wrap things up before 10pm when the scene really kicks into gear. But if you’re in the mood to mingle, grab a prickly pear margarita and settle in.

Laurel Hardware works best when you embrace it for what it is—a stylish spot to enjoy decent food surrounded by attractive people doing the same. Come for the ambiance and the people-watching, stay for the duck fried rice and that addictive toffee pudding.