<p>Hoping UCLA Dad and some other LA area CCers will help with this one. Going to the Lakers game on Christmas Day. Last year we basically snuck into the nice restaurant inside Staples. This year don’t want to take the chance…so favorite restaurants near Staples for a nice dinner after the game? TIA</p>
<p>ESPN Zone. Not that “nice” though.</p>
<p>You have a choice of several really nice restaurants: The Palm (pricey steak & lobster), Roy’s (Hawaiian fusion), McCormick & Schmidt (a bit of a walk), you can shuttle to Pacific Dining Car (more of a staid steak house). My favorite, but a cab and not a walk away, is the Water Grill, one of the best seafood restaurants in L.A.</p>
<p>Sorry ebeeeee, I live in the San Diego area and only tend to go to LA when I have to, usally to visit my UCLA D, but that’s not anywhere close to the Staples Center so I’m not familiar with restaurants in that area. I will, however, send you a PM with kind of an interesting blog of historical LA bars/restaurants.</p>
<p>No worries ucsd…I should have remembered that you were in San Diego.
Hmm…we might just try to sneak into the restaurant at Staples and use ESPN Zonoe as a fallback if that doesn’t work.
I’ve eaten at Roys in Hawaii, at McCormick & Schmidt in San Diego, at any number of nice steak places in Boston when visiting DS…I guess the problem is I really just want to know that I can sneak into the San Miguel Club at Staples.</p>
<p>I have been to Staples a bunch of times, but I have never eaten dinner right near there. My family went to the ESPN Zone for an event once and enjoyed it!</p>
<p>McCormick and Schmick is always excellent, at every one I have eaten at!</p>
<p>If it is Christmas Day, you might have a hard time finding a restaurant open in downtown. Definitely call ahead and check schedules once you know which one you are interested in.</p>
<p>Sorry to not be more help.</p>
<p>[Downtown</a> travel guide - Wikitravel](<a href=“http://wikitravel.org/en/Los_Angeles/Downtown]Downtown”>http://wikitravel.org/en/Los_Angeles/Downtown)</p>
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<p>The Palm is great! However, now there are a ton of restaurants at LA Live next door to Staples including Flemings (steakhouse), Katsuya, Trader Vics, Lawry’s, and LA Farm Beverly Hills. I’ve not been to any of the places at LA Live, but I have been the LA Farm in BH and really like it.</p>
<p>My absolute favorite is Nick and Stefs, the steaks are incredible.</p>
<p>McKay’s (sp?) across from USC and just up the road from Staples Center.</p>
<p>Thanks all. That helps. Have also been to Flemings in various locations. Good steaks…might be more than we want to do this time. Those Lakers tickets weren’t cheap!
Will check out LA Live, the Yard House or LA Farm might work.</p>
<p>A couple more unique-to-LA possibilities in the cab ride range:</p>
<p>[Engine</a> Co. No. 28 - American Food at its Best in Downtown Los Angeles](<a href=“http://www.engineco.com/]Engine”>http://www.engineco.com/)</p>
<p>[ciudad</a> | home](<a href=“http://www.ciudad-la.com/]ciudad”>http://www.ciudad-la.com/)
Ciudad, a tapas place, has free shuttle service from Staples.</p>
<p>For a really big splurge, there’s Patina at the Music Center.</p>
<p>I really suggest you do a search on Opentable.com and find out who will be open on Christmas day. There are plenty of great restaurants in Downtown LA, but most are closed on Christmas.</p>
<p>[Los</a> Angeles Restaurants, Long Beach Restaurants](<a href=“http://www.opentable.com/start.aspx?m=6]Los”>http://www.opentable.com/start.aspx?m=6)</p>
<p>I like the restaurant at the Standard…and it is open on Christmas day (since it is at a hotel)</p>
<p>Shoot, I was just at this great restaurant in downtown and I can’t remember for my life what it’s name is…maybe it’s best, it was kind of a seedy area :)</p>
<p>What I CAN recommend is if you are looking for dessert after the game, Yogurtland in Little Tokyo (not far from staples) is excellent…they have about 50 trillion flavors of frozen yogurt, sold by weight. I encourage you to be adventuresome with your combinations 
(IF they’re open…please check before I send you on goose chases on christmas!)</p>
<p>As for real food…</p>
<p>I’ve been to The Farm of Beverly Hills also, but the one in West Hollywood, not Downtown. It was pretty good and kind of wealthy-casual.</p>
<p>I’ve also been to engine co…I thought it was pretty good too, but nothing that memorable. </p>
<p>El Cholo’s is great mexican food, but it’s kind of out of the way for downtown.</p>
<p>Original Pantry Cafe is very near staples center but it’s kind of a greasy spoon type place…if you don’t like pan fried or baked meats it’s a limited menu…</p>
<p>Zucca was kind of nice…good but maybe a bit overpriced.</p>
<p>McKay’s (at USC) is ok…but it probably won’t be open christmas and is not worth a special trip if it was.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! Called around a bit today. The Yard House, ESPN Zone, etc. are open because there are two games at Staples that day. Neither takes reservations. Given the cost of the tickets, parking, etc. we are going to do a casual lunch at the Yard House and then do a nice dinner another night at our favorite Italian dinner in our home town.
Will keep the other suggestions in mind for another trip to LA.</p>