Restaurants in Glendale

Founded in 1936, Trader Vic's restaurants have been serving up tiki-style drinks for decades—they even claim to have invented the mai tai in 1944. Inside the Trader Vic's at LA Live, lush decorations whisk guests to an island retreat—carved tikis, stools trimmed in bamboo, and plush booths upholstered in green fan out beneath hanging canoes and other Polynesian-influenced decor. As eyes drink it all in, chefs immerse taste buds in a menu that fuses Hawaiian, Chinese, and other exotic flavors. They stir-fry char siu pork, sear Hawaiian tuna in a pink-peppercorn-sesame crust, and braise mu shu pulled duck with hoisin sauce.

Live music on Friday and Saturday nights adds to the festive atmosphere, as does a list of more than 90 tiki cocktails. Like the best fourth-grade tea parties, the restaurant also has a dress code—no shorts, T-shirts, or flip-flops in the dining room.

Alejandro Pages didn’t fall far from the family tree. More than 100 years ago, his grandfather served food in the homes of Spanish royalty, and Alex’s own father opened a country inn—where he both raised and served sheep and goats—as well as a handful of other restaurants in Catalonia. Some of Alex’s earliest memories are of hiding under the kitchen tables at these eateries and learning the culinary arts at his father’s elbow. As a young man, he continued to frequent restaurant kitchens as an event planner, but his passion for kitesurfing drew him into that professional career. It was when Alex was flying to Hawaii to meet a kitesurfing sponsor that he first visited LA and fell in love with the city.

Before long, Alex left Spain for California and was dishing up paella at the tapas bar and gourmet-foods shop he dubbed Little Spain. Here, Alex’s guests perch upon cherry-red barstools amid sunny yellow walls and sink their forks into small dishes of garlic shrimp, fresh goat cheese, and serrano ham. Full-fledged entrees with meatballs and octopus slay appetites at tables spread out over a covered patio, with Spanish wines washing down bites and flamenco nights further enlivening the atmosphere. Guests can also drop by Alex's market for gourmet Spanish cheeses, olives, and meats that they can serve in their own kitchens or use to lure the grizzly bear out of their basement.

An oak-wood grill—it’s the centerpiece of Big Daddy’s Fire Grill. As the logs crackle and smolder, flames flicker through the cooking grid to kiss 100% Angus-beef patties and hot dogs and sausages infused with fresh herbs and spices. Signature burgers include the New Zealand lamb burger spiced with fresh mint. A filet-mignon sandwich gets a French twist—like a rope made of baguettes—thanks to caramelized onions and Sartre-shaped grill marks, and quarter-pound hot dogs and fresh sausages pack flavor beneath sauerkraut or sweet or spicy peppers. Beverages complement the smoky food, including housemade milkshakes, Peet’s coffee, or craft beers such as their own Big Daddy’s Bock.