The Water Grill

Nestled in the heart of downtown Los Angeles on Grand Avenue, The Water Grill is a sprawling seafood institution that has become a go-to for expense account lunches and family visits. The space itself is grand and impressive, with enough room to avoid feeling cramped even when the restaurant fills up with the after-work crowd. It’s the kind of place where you can hear conversations about quarterly earnings at neighboring tables, but there’s something charming about its unapologetic embrace of its clientele.

The seafood here is reliably solid—fresh oysters, classic preparations, and the kind of dishes that never go out of style. While it may not push culinary boundaries, The Water Grill delivers exactly what its patrons expect: quality ingredients prepared with care in an upscale setting. The raw bar is a particular highlight, offering an impressive selection that rotates based on what’s freshest.

One of the restaurant’s best-kept secrets is its BYOB policy with no corkage fee on your first bottle. This makes it an especially attractive option when you want to bring something special from your own collection without paying premium restaurant markups. It’s a small touch that can elevate an already enjoyable evening into something a bit more memorable.

The Water Grill is ideal for those occasions when you need somewhere impressive but dependable—entertaining out-of-town parents, hosting a business dinner, or celebrating with colleagues after closing a deal. It may not be the most exciting spot in LA’s dynamic dining scene, but sometimes that’s exactly the point.