Plan Your Visit
No upcoming performances found for Grand Performances. Check the season schedule.
Editorial picks within walking distance
Intelligentsia Coffee
Arts District
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Single-origin beans, skilled baristas, and a bohemian Arts District clientele.
“Performers often gather here during morning rehearsals; the staff knows many of the LA Opera and Music Center crowd by name.”
Daily 6 AM–6 PM
Bestia
Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
House-cured meats and whole animal cooking with Italian flair.
“Arrive early (5:30 PM) or make a reservation well in advance, as it fills quickly and doesn't hold tables for curtain times.”
Dinner service 5:30 PM–midnight; closed Sundays
Perch
Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Classic French cuisine and panoramic rooftop dining with city views.
“Request a table on the rooftop terrace and time your reservation to catch the sunset before an evening performance.”
Lunch Tue–Fri 11:30 AM–2 PM; dinner 5–10 PM daily
Bottega Louie
Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Handmade pasta and exquisite Italian pastries in an elegant Art Deco setting.
“Grab a cappuccino and pastry at the bar 2–3 hours before your show if you're short on time, or dine formally upstairs.”
Open daily 7 AM–11 PM (bar until midnight)
The Broad Museum Café & Bar
Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Minimalist café design and curated wine selection within a world-class contemporary art museum.
“Visit during the museum's extended evening hours (often open until 8 PM) to combine a gallery visit with a quick bite before an 8 PM curtain.”
Usually Tue–Sun 10 AM–6 PM (extended to 8 PM select evenings)
Post-show bars & late-night options
Las Perlas
Arts District
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Extensive mezcal selection and artisanal cocktails in a relaxed, artistic setting.
“Many performers gather here after evening shows for late-night cocktails; arrive after 10 PM to catch the post-theatre crowd.”
Tue–Thu 5 PM–midnight; Fri–Sat 5 PM–2 AM; closed Sundays
Cole's
Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
America's oldest French dip sandwich (claimed) and authentic Old West saloon ambiance.
“Arrive by 5 PM before a show to avoid crowds and still make curtain; the bar gets packed after 6 PM.”
Daily 10 AM–midnight
Transit, parking & directions
Music Center Parking Structure
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Unmatched convenience with direct elevator access to the halls.
Grand Central Market Parking Lot
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Budget-friendly rates and walking proximity to The Music Center via Broadway.
Nearby highlights, venues & landmarks
Walt Disney Concert Hall
Bunker Hill / Downtown
“The Blue Ribbon Garden on the roof — accessible from the upper lobby — has a ceramic rose-petal fountain and views across downtown. The BP Hall is a free lobby concert space; check the schedule for free performances open to the public.”
Mark Taper Forum
Bunker Hill / Music Center
“The Taper's acoustics are surprisingly intimate for a 739-seat house. The thrust configuration means you are never far from the action. The best seats are in the upper orchestra sweep, which gives a slight overview of the stage picture.”
Ahmanson Theatre
Bunker Hill / Music Center
“The house is wide rather than deep, which means the side orchestra seats are better than at many comparable houses. The acoustic treatment is sophisticated for a touring house.”
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
Bunker Hill / Music Center
“The orchestra pit is one of the largest in America. The acoustic is large-hall operatic — it rewards full projection and punishes underplaying. The prime seats are the rear orchestra center, which gives the ideal balance of pit-to-stage-to-upper-house sound.”
Hollywood Bowl
Hollywood Hills
“The rush seats (same-day bench seats at the back, $1–$5 for certain concerts) are the greatest bargain in American performing arts. Bring a cushion, a blanket, and food — outside food and wine are allowed. The canyon cools after 9 PM; dress in layers.”
Pantages Theatre
Hollywood
“The mezzanine center seats (rows A–C) are the sweet spot: close enough for detail, far enough back to see full stage pictures. The ceiling paintings are extraordinary — look up during intermission.”
Geffen Playhouse
Westwood
“The Geffen's industry-attendance culture is real and documented. Opening nights and the first two weeks of any run are when casting directors attend. If you are performing here, invest in the post-show networking — the audience knows who you are.”
The Music Center Campus
Bunker Hill / Downtown
“Walk the campus at dusk when the Gehry steel of Disney Hall catches the last light and the fountain in Grand Park illuminates. The view from the Grand Park lawn looking west toward the Music Center is one of the genuinely beautiful civic views in Los Angeles.”
Hollywood Boulevard Theater Row
Hollywood
“Walk this stretch in the late afternoon when the angle of the light catches the facades. The Walk of Fame stars include figures from theater as well as film and television — look for the performing arts names embedded among the rest.”
Grand Park
Downtown Los Angeles
Los Angeles Opera / The Music Center
Free public space with art installations, fountains, and views of downtown; hosts occasional free cultural events.
“Performers often use the park for warm-ups, stretching, and quiet reflection before or after rehearsals at nearby studios.”
Daily 6 AM–10 PM; free admission
The Music Center
Downtown Los Angeles
Home to the Los Angeles Opera, LA Philharmonic (occasionally), Center Theatre Group, and visiting world-class companies.
“Visit the free public plaza to see temporary art installations and enjoy the 1960s modernist architecture before or after your performance.”
Box office Tue–Sun 10 AM–6 PM; performance times vary by season
Los Angeles Opera
Downtown Los Angeles
High-caliber opera productions and a robust season featuring both revivals and new works.
“Attend a pre-opera talk (often held one hour before curtain) for context and inside stories from the artistic team.”
Season runs September–June; performances typically 7:30 PM, with 1 PM and 10 AM matinees
Royce Hall at UCLA
Westwood / UCLA Campus
“The acoustic is warm and natural. The hall is roughly the right size for an orchestra of 60–80 musicians, chamber music at scale, and mid-size dance companies. UCLA student and faculty discounts make programming accessible.”
Griffith Observatory
Griffith Park / Los Feliz
“The 4,300-acre Griffith Park surrounding the observatory has excellent running and hiking trails used by performers for morning exercise. The trails above the observatory give views of the Hollywood Sign. The Trails Café at the base of the park is the post-run coffee destination.”
The Broad Museum
Bunker Hill / Downtown
“Free admission makes this a natural pre-concert destination. The vaulted concrete lattice exterior — 'the veil' — creates a play of natural light inside. The rooftop terrace has views toward Disney Hall.”
The Egyptian Theatre
Hollywood
“The programming — filmmaker retrospectives, rare prints, conversations with directors and actors — makes this an intellectual resource as well as a historical landmark. Check the Cinematheque schedule for conversations with theater and film crossover artists.”
Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Mid-Wilshire / Miracle Mile
“The costume and textile collection is a research resource for designers and directors working in period material. The photography collection — the largest on the West Coast — is relevant to anyone working on visual storytelling.”
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Mid-Wilshire / Miracle Mile
“The Spielberg Theater inside the museum presents repertory film screenings and filmmaker conversations. Check programming for events relevant to stage-to-screen crossover artists.”