10 New Los Angeles Venues for Spring 2019 Meetings and Events

The Manufactory, a 40,000-square-foot complex from the Tartine team and Chris Bianco located at the Row downtown, has begun opening in phases. Highlights for groups include the 102-seat Tartine Bianco, an all-day café that opened for dinner services in late January; it has an additional 46 seats on the patio. Opened in February was a 7,000-square-foot market, which includes a 14-seat bar and a 32-seat patio. The dinner-only Alameda Supper Club, which will hold 150 and have a private room, opens this spring. A coffee lab, a collaborative space that showcases the coffee process and offers certification courses, will also open later this year.

In mid-December, Maple, the Patina Restaurant Group venue located at the main entrance of Descanso Gardens, revealed a full renovation. The new design preserved the building's craftsman features, creating a farmhouse style with mid-century modern accents. Decor highlights include custom-made yellow banquettes, white-washed ceiling beams, and staggered maple trees. The restaurant holds 112 total inside and on its two patios. It sits adjacent to Birch Room, a renovated event space with a patio, custom seating layouts, and a private bar. Birch holds as many as 70 guests.

New event space and photography studio Gearbox opened in Van Nuys in November. The industrial space offers more than 13,000 square feet for events, including a 1,600-square-foot photography cyclorama and a large rooftop deck. A showroom features a rotating selection of vintage cars and is also available for events. Gearbox also includes a salon and makeup room, lounge areas, a lecture area with an Apple TV, and a full kitchen. Overall, the venue holds as many as 350 people.

Located at the Westfield Century City, the latest location of Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House opened on February 9. The restaurant, which has large windows and outdoor seating, has four private rooms that hold 14, 24, 30, and 50 guests, respectively. Some of the rooms can be combined for larger events, and a semiprivate space holds 40. Known for its hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood, the Los Angeles location also offers a wine list with more than 2,000 options.

From the team behind Umami Burger and 800 Degrees comes Heroic Wine Bar, an intimate Italian restaurant and wine room next to the Heroic Deli in downtown Santa Monica. Open since February 8, the space aims to promote conversation and group events with a bowtie-shape communal table for 16 at the center of the venue. Upstairs, a private dining room seats 12. The bar's design evokes a Roman garden, with black-and-white drawings of trees and a ceiling mural of stars and the zodiac.

AC Hotel Beverly Hills, the first Los Angeles-area location for the Marriott brand, opened in January. The 142-room, 11-story hotel has an Art Deco facade; interior decor has a blend of European and Spanish influences. For small meetings, the property has two media salons that each seat six guests and offer audiovisual equipment, free Wi-Fi, and catering options. Groups can also reserve the rooftop lounge, which has a wading pool, panoramic views, a bar, and space for 50 people.

Nightshade, chef Mei Lin's flagship restaurant, opened in early January. Located in the Arts District downtown, the airy, industrial space has white-washed brick walls, marble details, emerald-green banquettes, and hanging greenery. The semi-exposed kitchen is located behind a 10-seat bar counter; overall, the Chinese eatery seats 60.

Rolling Greens nursery opened its third and largest location, On Mateo, in November. Formerly a scrap metal yard, the 45,000-square-foot Arts District location has a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse and a 15,000-square-foot furniture showroom selling new and vintage furniture, garden accessories, and home decor. For events, there is a tent that seats 250 and a 1,760-square-foot deck with a built-in bar. There is also 22,000 square feet of outdoor space, plus two gated street entrances and 52 parking spaces. The entire venue can be bought out for large events. This spring, Rolling Greens expects to launch its first food and beverage program.

Chef Kuniko Yagi's first standalone project, developed in partnership with Kaizen Dining Group, opened at Row DTLA in mid-December. Pikunico specializes in a hybrid Japanese/American-style of fried chicken served in family-style baskets ideal for groups. The eatery's design was inspired by an American picnic with Japanese influences; the airy interior uses light woods and plenty of greenery, and dine-in orders are served in paper clamshells instead of plates. The eatery seats 40 people.

Ricardo Zarate's latest restaurant, Pikoh, opened on February 4 in West Los Angeles. The 3,400-square-foot space holds 110 guests in various areas, including a 15-seat bar, a front lounge, a sidewalk patio, and booth seating and four-top tables. The stylish space has white and wood decor, with skylights and plants of various sizes. The eatery serves American food with Latin, Asian, and other international influences.