Restaurants in Agoura Hills

Itzik Hagadol Grill has two locations, one in Encino, California, and the original in Jaffa, Israel. Despite being separated from its sister restaurant by an ocean and three in-flight movies, the American eatery still embraces the characteristic flavors and ingredients of Israeli and Middle Eastern cuisine, earning a rating of "good to very good" from Zagat. The kitchen's taboon oven bakes fresh laffa bread as the cooks carefully arrange more than 20 kinds of Middle Eastern salads, which garnered praise from the Los Angeles Times in 2009 for their vibrancy and variety. Grills further heat up the kitchen by searing kebabs of house-ground veal and lamb as well as skewers of less common meats, including foie gras, chicken liver, and veal sweetbreads. The warmth forged in the culinary crucible that is the kitchen emanates outward to the dining area, where padded booths stimulate comfort and conviviality.

Borne from founder Aharon Klein's love of grilling and seasoning ocean-fresh seafood, Fish Grill sizzles a menu of wraps, pastas, and sandwiches starring juicy fillets of fish amid old-fashioned nautical décor. Chefs seal in succulent flavors by searing every fillet over smoky mesquite at a clean 1,000 degrees⎯roughly the temperature at which oceans melt. Each tasty dish of trout, tuna, salmon or ahi arrives tailored to the diner's tastes and prepared under the 3,300-year-old guidelines of kosher dietary law.

Alcazar’s romantically lit interior, outdoor patio, and authentic Lebanese cuisine have won accolades from the Los Angeles Times and Westways. Tender marinated lamb tenderloin fills plates of lamb kebab, and appetizers such as the savory stew of fool mudammas delight taste buds. Live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights enhances after-dinner drinks or arguments over which model of Tamagotchi was the most advanced.

The servers at Chuy's Mesquite Broiler tap eight draft brews and mix up their signature margaritas to temper the heat of their southwestern and Mexican fare. After diners visit the complimentary chips-and-salsa bar, they can settle in and consider the menu's options, which include mesquite-broiled tri-tip tucked into jumbo burritos, half-pound Angus barbecue bacon burgers piled with onion strings, and california tacos with mesquite chicken and avocado.

Every Sunday at Chuy's Mesquite Broiler, the HD flat-screen TVs broadcast whichever NFL games and razor commercials are playing. Daily specials mix up the menu, and every day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., bartenders keep busy mixing pitchers of margaritas and other happy-hour favorites. Diners can admire colorful airbrushed artwork and take kids to play arcade games inside or head out to the patio for open-air dining.

The chefs at Prohibition Burgers & Beer named their gourmet burgers and sandwiches for notorious mobsters, celebrating the roaring '20s and the criminals that were famous for disguising themselves as sandwiches. They top beef and veggie burgers dubbed the John Dillinger, Frank Costello, or Fat Tony with ingredients such as smoked bacon, golden apples, and jalapeño cream cheese; and craft salads and sandwiches with names such as the Bonnie and Clyde and the Bugsy Siegel. Servers pair dishes with bottled beers and wines, as well as 14 imported European beers and American microbrews on draft, which they also serve atop wooden paddles in tasting flights. To further satisfy their customers, Prohibition also offers weekend brunches and tasting dinners.

Chefs at La Escondida slather authentic Mexican dishes, such as pork milanesa and enchiladas, in three signature salsas: Red Bear, Black Mamba, and Diablo. Colorful South American decorations adorn the restaurant, enlivening dining experiences and events such as Sunday-afternoon karaoke. A patio with red-clothed tables hosts patrons for alfresco meals, and a flat-screen TV broadcasts sports events and miming competitions subtitled in Spanish.