Concepts
On Level 8, the options include South American grill Qué Bárbaro, Japanese cuisine at Maison Kasai and Lucky Mizu, and Sinners y Santos, a cathedral-inspired nightclub. With poolside carousel bar Golden Hour, alfresco Champagne and raw bar Mother of Pearl, and The Brown Sheep Taqueria on the terrace, you’ll never run out of views or vibes. And since we’re in La La Land, it’s always showtime, with live music, acrobats, and surprise performances.
Curated by The Houston Brothers, featuring cuisine by Chef's Richard Archuleta, Ray Garcia, and Joshua Gil.
An urban oasis eight stories above Downtown LA, the hotel’s Miami-meets-Copacabana pool deck features private cabanas, swing seats, a fire pit, convertible lounge chairs, and Rio-style patterned tiles surrounding two swimming pools. The focal point of the deck is Golden Hour, a striking poolside carousel bar whose rotating top is strung with lights and hanging chandeliers like a Carnival float. From one side of the pool deck, a long bar faces into Qué Bárbaro, the South American grill, through large glass windows that flip open to create an indoor/outdoor dining venue. The large pool is suitable for swimming, while the shallow wading pool serves as a venue for live performances — such as a fire-breathing act or an underwater contortionist. Whether alone or in combination with Qué Bárbaro, the pool deck and Golden Hour are the setting for spectacular parties and events, day or night.
A sophisticated piano bar and jazz lounge with a theatrical spin, Mr. Wanderlust consists of two rooms: a lounge-like anteroom with a fireplace, high bookshelves, and idiosyncratic mementos and photographs decorating the walls, and a larger bar area with a main stage where performances take place. Serpentine booths upholstered in patterned fabrics encircle the space, and intricate oak detailing on the walls and richly patterned graphic wall coverings express the theme of a well-traveled gentleman. Mr. Wanderlust is an intriguing and entertaining venue for cocktail parties, intimate performances, and unique events.
An interactive dining experience from Michelin-starred chef Joshua Gil, Maison Kasai is an elevated teppanyaki restaurant that combines French and Japanese techniques with culinary virtuosity and a touch of performance art. Chefs prepare each course to order on large iron grills, cooking blini to serve with caviar, searing lobster with Normandy butter and vin jaune from France, preparing A5 Wagyu sukiyaki-style, and finishing elegant sauces — as you watch. Created exclusively for Level 8 by Gil, whose Beverly Hills restaurant Mírame has received widespread critical acclaim, Maison Kasai is a gastronomic experience and theatrical event in one. Maison Kasai offers two private dining rooms that can be combined. The restaurant is also available for a full buyout.
Experience Japanese culinary tradition at Lucky Mizu, a restaurant that feels like dining in a music box. Beneath a 40-foot Earth Harp that envelops the space in sound, guests will indulge in a selection of sushi and sashimi and explore the art of cooking with water - featuring shabu-shabu (boil) and seiro-mushi (steam), featuring the world’s finest meats, seafood, and fresh produce, all beautifully presented.
A meal at Lucky Mizu starts with an array of “zensai” snacks and raw dishes, followed by sushi and the diner’s choice of a seiro mushi or shabu shabu set entrée, featuring Japanese A5 wagyu, Kurobuta pork, seasonal seafood, or organic farmers market vegetables.
The ethereal space is lined with cherry blossoms, good luck charms, and butterfly infinity mirrors. When performers play the Earth Harp and drums at the center of the room, the entire restaurant turns into an enormous, immersive musical instrument.
Discover the diversity of South American cuisine through the tradition of live fire cooking, all prepared with a side of dazzling showmanship. Over an open wood flame, Esquire Chef of the Year Ray Garcia and his team cook a regularly changing menu featuring fine cuts of meats, fresh seafood, and creative vegetarian dishes, all kissed with smoke and infused with bold, refined flavors. Above the grill, which also serves as the bar, rotating risers holding liquor bottles move on command, adding spectacle to an already theatrical space. The restaurant, which comprises a seductive, tropical-hued dining room as well as poolside dining, is available for a full buyout and can be combined with the pool deck and rotating poolside carousel bar Golden Hour for an epic indoor/outdoor event.
Host a memorable outdoor event or reception at The Brown Sheep Taqueria, a classic taco truck with a modern twist anchoring a bright, bold, and festive outdoor terrace on the 8th floor. Festooned with Talavera tiles, wood-and-leather Equipale chairs, wrought iron furniture, and other Mexican design elements, the space includes a DJ booth fashioned from the front end of a vintage sports car. Enjoy freshly prepared, “authentically inauthentic” tacos created by chef Ray Garcia — named Esquire Chef of the Year — as well as other Mexican specialties and cocktails, all served from a vintage taco truck.
The Brown Sheep Taqueria is available for full buyout alone or in conjunction with Mother of Pearl and/or Sinners y Santos.
Through an archway garlanded in brilliant marigolds, Mother of Pearl is an alfresco Champagne and raw bar on the 8th-floor terrace with a festive atmosphere. Designed as a Spanish Colonial gazebo, the round bar serves up raw bar specialties and creative dishes designed by Michelin-starred chef Joshua Gil and inspired by fruits and vegetables hand-picked from LA's famous farmers markets as well as sustainably sourced seafood. Flexible, flower-bedecked booths allow tables to be grouped together or individually, and cocktail tables topped in marble and intricately filigreed mosaics are nestled around the bar for comfortable lounging. Wrought iron furniture and Talavera tiles lining the bar contribute to the sophisticated garden-like setting.
Mother of Pearl is available for full buyout alone or in conjunction with The Brown Sheep Taqueria and/or Sinners y Santos.
As revelers step into the realm of Sinners y Santos, they encounter a mesmerizing journey that begins with a “confessional booth,” an enigmatic gateway where secrets are unveiled and souls are laid bare. Here, a moment of profound reflection awaits, as those who enter must confess their sins to unlock the world beyond. A nightclub that promises an evening of delightful intrigue, Sinners y Santos celebrates the legendary El Santo, the revered Mexican luchador and folk hero. While savoring specialty agave cocktails served in ornate chalices, clubbers are mesmerized by surprise performances that pay tribute to El Santo’s extraordinary career during the 1950s and 60s.
Imagined as a 19th-century cathedral, the club beckons visitors into an awe-inspiring setting, repurposed for revelry. The venue showcases walls adorned in Venetian plaster, revealing patches of original brick beneath, alongside wrought iron chandeliers and distressed oak millwork. Dripping prayer candles surround the stained-glass bar whilst a cleverly disguised DJ booth, fashioned as a pipe organ, hides within arched, barrel-vaulted ceilings.
Level 8 Restaurants, Bars & Nightlife in DTLA FAQ
What is Level 8?
Level 8 is a multi-venue dining, drinking, and entertainment destination in Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA), featuring a collection of chef-driven restaurants, cocktail bars, lounges, and a nightclub on the 8th floor of the Moxy & AC Hotel complex. Located across from Crypto.com Arena and near the LA Convention Center, it’s designed as an all-in-one spot for dinner, drinks, and nightlife in the heart of DTLA.
What restaurants are inside Level 8 in DTLA?
Level 8 brings together multiple immersive concepts under one roof, including: Maison Kasai, a lively teppanyaki experience; Lucky Mizu, focused on Japanese hot pot and seiro mushi; Qué Bárbaro, a South American live-fire grill; Brown Sheep Taqueria, a modern taco truck–inspired terrace spot; Mother of Pearl, a Baja-style champagne and oyster bar; Together, they create one of the most unique restaurant collections in DTLA.
Are Level 8’s restaurants and bars near the LA Convention Center?
Yes. Level 8 is just steps from the LA Convention Center, making it a convenient choice for guests attending conferences, trade shows, and events. You can walk from the Convention Center to Level 8 in just a few minutes, making it ideal for pre-event meals, happy hour drinks, or late-night bites and cocktails.
Where is Level 8 located in relation to the Crypto.com Arena?
Level 8 is located directly across the street from Crypto.com Arena, inside the Moxy & AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles on the 8th floor. It’s an easy walk for those going to concerts, Lakers games, LA Kings games, or special events, making Level 8 a go-to destination for pre-game dinners, post-show drinks, and late-night nightlife in DTLA.
What are the best restaurants in DTLA?
Downtown Los Angeles is known for its diverse, chef-driven dining scene, and Level 8 is part of that energy. Inside Level 8, you’ll find some of the best restaurants in DTLA for guests looking for immersive experiences—whether that’s teppanyaki at Maison Kasai, Japanese hot pot at Lucky Mizu, or South American grilled specialties at Qué Bárbaro. With multiple cuisines and concepts in one place, Level 8 makes it easy to experience some of DTLA’s top dining options in a single destination.
What are LA’s best restaurants with a view?
Many of LA’s best restaurants with a view are located in and around Downtown Los Angeles, where city lights and skyline views set the scene. At Level 8, several concepts are perched on the 8th floor, offering open-air spaces and elevated views of DTLA and the surrounding arena district. Guests can enjoy food and drinks with a view at spots like Golden Hour, Mother of Pearl, and Brown Sheep Taqueria, making Level 8 a standout choice for those seeking restaurants with a view in Los Angeles.
Where do most celebrities eat in LA?
Los Angeles has countless celebrity-favorite restaurants across neighborhoods like West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and DTLA. While there’s no single place where “most” celebrities eat, the area around Crypto.com Arena and the LA Convention Center often attracts performers, athletes, and touring artists before and after major events. Level 8, with its collection of restaurants and bars in DTLA, is a convenient and stylish option where you might spot notable guests enjoying dinner, drinks, or nightlife when big shows and games are in town.
Where to drink in Downtown Los Angeles?
Downtown Los Angeles is home to some of the city’s best cocktail bars, wine bars, and nightlife venues. Level 8 offers a curated mix of places to drink in DTLA, including Golden Hour, a vibrant carousel-inspired bar; Mr. Wanderlust, a piano bar and jazz lounge; Mother of Pearl, a champagne oyster bar; and Sinners y Santos, a high-energy nightclub experience. Whether you’re looking for rooftop-style drinks, crafted cocktails, or a late-night dance floor, Level 8 is a central destination for drinking in Downtown LA.
Is there a dress code for the restaurants, bars, or nightclubs?
Yes. Level 8 observes a smart casual dress code, especially in the evening. Beachwear, athletic wear, caps, sweatpants, shorts, flip-flops, and overly casual clothing may not be permitted after certain hours, particularly on weekends and in nightlife-oriented venues. Guests are encouraged to dress stylishly and review any specific dress guidelines noted on reservation confirmations or event details before arriving.
Do Level 8 venues accept reservations?
Yes. Most Level 8 restaurants and bars accept reservations, and booking ahead is strongly recommended—especially on weekends, event nights at Crypto.com Arena, and during major conventions at the LA Convention Center. Guests can make reservations through the Level 8 website or each venue’s booking partner, while limited walk-in seating may be available based on capacity. For large parties or private events, guests can contact the Level 8 events team directly.