The Hands-Down Best Seafood Restaurant In California Is The Only To Earn 3 Michelin Stars

Only 157 restaurants in the entire world have the distinction of being awarded with three Michelin stars — the highest level of achievement in the restaurant industry. That group is even more exclusive in the United States, as just 14 restaurants currently have three Michelin stars.

Located on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, Providence is one of those prestigious 14 restaurants. It's without a doubt the best seafood restaurant in California — if not the entire country. Led by chef Michael Cimarusti, Providence is guided by using sustainable, wild-caught seafood, mostly based in American waters. The famous restaurant opened in 2005 under Cimarusti's leadership and received its first Michelin star in 2008. Providence was upgraded to two Michelin stars in 2009, which it held until June 2025 when it received the prestigious third star — making it one of only two restaurants in Los Angeles with that distinction.

With those three stars, diners should expect to pay when making a reservation at this world-class restaurant. The classic tasting menu costs $375 per person, and the chef's tasting menu will set you back $495 per person. And that's before you factor in taxes and any wine or beverage pairings.

Providence has a reputation that goes well beyond the U.S. In a 2025 feature, not long after Providence received its third star, the Los Angeles Times tells the story of diners who traveled from Germany and China just to eat at the restaurant. In addition to the Michelin stars, Providence has been given a James Beard award, named one of the top 50 restaurants in the U.S. by Gourmet Magazine, and named as the best restaurant in Los Angeles by the late Jonathan Gold. 

The menu, which can change, is a seafood lover's dream: It includes king crab with kaluga caviar, sashimi, red abalone, sea scallops, striped bass, and monkfish. Diners who want to venture out of the sea can choose from Hudson Valley Squab or A5 Wagyu. The tasting menu finishes with a pear dish that features fermented sweet rice and vanilla, then a serving of house-made Hawaiian chocolate with parsnip and hazelnut. Optional add-ons include oysters on the half shell, farm-raised sustainable caviar, salt-roasted Santa Barbara spot prawns, and uni (or sea urchin) egg. 

In June 2025, Providence celebrated its 20-year anniversary. Any restaurant that can survive in Los Angeles that long — during a period of recession and a pandemic — is obviously doing something right. Though there's no way to achieve more than three Michelin stars, it's clear that chef Michael Cimarusti and his team have put Providence in a position to thrive at that level for a long time.