Restaurant

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar

Name: DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar
Address: 612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, US
Price range: $$

Wine Bar•Los Angeles•$$

Editorial restaurant image stand-in for DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar

Google

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar is one of the best wine bar restaurants in Los Angeles for date night, especially if you want a strong option in Los Angeles.

DAMA arrived in the Fashion District in July 2018 and immediately rewired expectations for what Downtown LA nightlife could look like.

Editorial review•Apr 8, 2026

DAMA arrived in the Fashion District in July 2018 and immediately rewired expectations for what Downtown LA nightlife could look like. Chef Antonia Lofaso — the veteran of Top Chef, Iron Chef America, and more Food Network appearances than most cooks have hot meals — drew the menu from her travels through Spain, Latin America, and the Caribbean, resulting in a concept that is genuinely Latin-inflected rather than Latin-adjacent. The room backs it up: designer Carolina Wicker converted the old Pacific Banana Co. building into 5,000 square feet of rattan chairs, neon banana-leaf wallpaper, Spanish tilework, and three semi-private terraces that make the whole place feel like the lobby of an imagined grand hotel somewhere between Havana and Buenos Aires. Eater LA called it Downtown's Most Exciting New Restaurant and Lounge when it opened, and Michelin has since taken notice. At price level two, that combination of pedigree and ambition is hard to argue with. The menu is built around shareable plates designed to move between the bar and the table without ceremony, and the dishes that have stuck are the ones that earn repeat visits. The Crispy Pork Shank is the centerpiece diners keep coming back to — a cut that rewards Lofaso's technique-forward kitchen and consistently surfaces at the top of online conversation about the place. The empanadas, packed with seasoned beef, represent the more casual, high-execution end of the menu: approachable in concept, precise in execution, and the kind of thing regulars order as a matter of reflex. The charred elote rounds out the picture — Mexican street corn done with enough attention that it reads as a kitchen statement rather than an afterthought. The outdoor patio and terraces are the move when the weather cooperates, which in Downtown LA is most of the time — book one of the semi-private terraces if your group runs four or more and you want the full Havana-hotel effect without shouting. The bar program is serious enough to anchor a full evening, so the play is to arrive for drinks, let the empanadas land first, and build toward the pork shank. Reservations are the right call on weekends; the 170-seat capacity fills faster than the square footage suggests it should.

Carlos Mendez, Food & Drink Editor

Methodology•Los Angeles guides•Editorial team

wine bar cocktail date night

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Taste ID

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Rating (Google) 9.2

807 reviews

Los Angeles

At a glance

The fastest read on whether this place fits tonight.

9.2

Rating

Based on 807 reviews

Best used for

date night and wine bar

Price and pace

Moderate spend

Neighborhood

Los Angeles · 612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA

Price

Moderate spend

Google rating

9.2 from 807 reviews

Address

Los Angeles | 612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA

Photos of DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar

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Why go

What makes DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar worth the move

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar looks like a good night-out option in Los Angeles because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 807 Google reviews.

What to know fast

Public rating

9.2 from 807 Google reviews

Best used for

date night and wine bar

Style

Wine Bar in Los Angeles

Spend

Moderate spend

Best for

wine bar cocktail date night

Know before you go

Google rating: 9.2 from 807 reviews

Price point: $$

Website linked on this page

TastyPals Reviews

What diners are saying

0 diner reviews · reviewed by Carlos Mendez for DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar

Google snapshot

9.2 from 807 reviews

TastyPals notes

Editorial review by Carlos Mendez · diner notes coming in

This page is ready for real diner notes from the app database.

We only show authentic public TastyPals reviews here. Once diners leave public notes for DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar, they'll appear in this section automatically.

In the meantime, Google currently shows 807 reviews with a 9.2 rating for this spot.

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Plan the visit

Quick details

Visit Restaurant Website Menu Directions

Address: 612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA
Price: $$
TastyPals score: Coming soon
Google rating: 9.2 (807 reviews)
Cuisine: Wine Bar
Neighborhood: Los Angeles

Frequently asked questions

What cuisine does DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar serve?

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar is a Wine Bar restaurant located in Los Angeles, Los Angeles. DAMA arrived in the Fashion District in July 2018 and immediately rewired expectations for what Downtown LA nightlife could look like.

What is DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar best for?

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar is best for wine bar, cocktail, date night. DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar looks like a good night-out option in Los Angeles because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 807 Google reviews.

How much does it cost to eat at DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar?

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar is in the Moderate spend price range ($$). Google rating: 9.2 from 807 reviews

What should I order at DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar?

Start with Crispy Pork Shank, Empanadas packed with seasoned beef and Elote charred right. These dishes are shown from TastyPals notes or restaurant data on this page.

Is DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar worth visiting?

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar holds a 9.2 Google rating from 807 reviews. DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar looks like a good night-out option in Los Angeles because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 807 Google reviews.

Where is DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar located?

DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar is located at 612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015, USA. Directions are available via Google Maps.

Is DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar good for a date night?

Yes — DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar is tagged for date night dining. DAMA Fashion District - Downtown LA Restaurant & Bar looks like a good night-out option in Los Angeles because it reads polished without feeling overly formal. It also holds a 9.2 rating across 807 Google reviews.

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