Catch LA

Catch LA on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood is a celebrated rooftop seafood restaurant and bar that has established itself as one of Los Angeles's most visually spectacular dining venues since its opening. The restaurant occupies a penthouse-level space atop a boutique building in the design district of West Hollywood, with open-air terracing that sweeps across the LA Basin from the Hollywood Hills toward the Pacific. At sunset, when the light moves from Malibu across the western horizon and turns the Los Angeles skyline amber and rose, the rooftop terrace at Catch is one of the most dramatic places to eat in California. The food draws from fresh seafood and Asian-influenced preparations: butter-poached lobster rolls, raw bar towers of oysters and shrimp, sashimi assortments, crab fried rice, and a rotating selection of sustainable fish preparations tied to what the kitchen's suppliers provide each week. The lobster roll — served chilled in a toasted brioche bun with light dressing — is a consistent menu standout, as are the raw bar selections which suit the open-air rooftop setting particularly well. The cocktail program is a significant part of the Catch LA experience; the bar draws a Hollywood and entertainment industry crowd with creative seasonal drinks and a lively, celebratory atmosphere that intensifies as the evening progresses. Weekend evenings are the most competitive for tables, and the atmosphere skews decidedly social — Catch LA functions as much as a see-and-be-seen venue as a restaurant. Reservations specifying rooftop seating are advisable to guarantee the optimal outdoor position. Catch LA at 8715 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, California, opens for weekend lunch and daily from 5 p.m. for dinner and late-night service.