Restaurants in Hollywood

Servers circulate continuously through Samba, pausing tableside to carve morsels of mesquite-grilled meat that are the hallmark of all-you-can-eat churrasco meals. A buffet of fresh salad and ceviche gives diners a chance to stretch their legs and add variation to the endless courses of brazilian sausage, bacon-wrapped chicken, and sirloin steak.

At the Universal City location, nooks for groups to squeeze into and clusters of mod white couches stand out against glowing orange walls. On certain nights, meals are accompanied by a chorus of smooth-limbed showgirls, catalyzing the party for those who have not taken a churrasco approach to the more than 20 versions of Brazil's national cocktail available at the caipirinha bar.

Currywurst owner Kai Loebach draws inspiration from the wurst vendors of his German hometown to spice up local palates with a menu of plump and sizzling sausages. Served with house-made curry ketchup, the restaurant’s succulent namesake features a curry-sliced bockwurst, chicken thüringer, or hungarian sausage wrapped in E.U. customs papers and tucked inside a roll. Uncurried sausages dazzle with their delicious simplicity or dress up in onions, sauerkraut, and one of eight sweet, spicy, or savory sauces.

For more than 30 years, Quiznos has toasted its submarine sandwiches to bring out the hidden flavors found in butcher-quality meats, cheese, and artisan breads. Its classic and signature subs take on a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles ranging from the prime rib mushroom and swiss to the classic italian donning black olives, mozzarella, red-wine vinaigrette, and plentiful sliced meats. Those closely monitoring their waistlines can take unabashed bites of sandwiches that have fewer than 500 calories, such as the pork-cuban, Baja-chicken, and veggie-caprese subs. Quiznos' Toasty Bullets and Torpedoes offer slimmer versions of sub fare and flaunt supreme aerodynamics when shot out of T-shirt cannons and into mouths. A selection of Flatbread Sammies, soups, and salads round out Quiznos' varied menu.

Eric Greenspan, co-owner and executive chef of The Foundry on Melrose, may have earned a place on the Los Angeles culinary radar for his work at hot spots including Meson G, but his reputation also has national reach. Besides besting Bobby Flay in a 2010 episode of Iron Chef, Greenspan has auditioned to take over command of Kitchen Stadium himself, most recently on The Next Iron Chef: Redemption. The chef's ever-changing menus of a la carte delectables meld French, Spanish, and creative American influences, plated with a sophistication deserving of a Caravaggio still life. Prix fixe tasting menus take diners on expertly engineered tours of flavors and textures, and vegetarian options let herbivores join the experience.

Interior-design guru Sandy Davidson decorated The Foundry on Melrose with a comfortable, art-deco aesthetic, mixing warm, antique elements with industrial accents. Bands play on select nights as mixologists craft artful cocktails and pour glasses of fine wines.

Colin Fukunaga and Robert "Mags" Magsalin came up with the idea of creating the FukuBurger truck while working at Tao, a high-end Asian restaurant in Las Vegas. The pair's successful combination of gourmet Angus beef, turkey, chicken, and vegan patties with Japanese-influenced toppings—including wasabi mayo, teriyaki sauce, and red ginger—led to the establishment of FukuBurger's permanent location in Los Angeles and an applauding article from Caroline on Crack. In addition to hosting innovative cuisine, FukuBurger whets whistles and inspires chopstick duels with Japanese lagers, sake bombs, and beer-based Fuku Bombs until close at 4 a.m.

Hanging light pendants enliven modern barstools with red tints while chalkboards list the day's draft selections. A mural of a Japanese woman reaching for a burger adds to the bar's casual ambiance and acts as a siren that causes patrons to crash into the brick wall.

From its first location in West Hollywood to its free-range food truck, Rounds Premium Burgers doles out mighty American burgers made with beef, turkey, chicken, or veggie patties along with a large selection of fries. Specialty rounds include The Slopper, a messy pile of chili, cheese, and onions. Custom burgers start with a foundation of daily-baked bread and a patty, which are then slathered with exotic sauces (from chipotle aioli to buttermilk ranch and tabasco ketchup) and layered with toppings such as crispy onion strings, breaded jalapeños, and grilled pineapple. From the burgers to the sweet-potato fries, the griddlemasters make all of their hearty, old-fashioned fare by hand.