Melisse · Restaurant · Los Angeles
Josiah Citrin's 14-seat tasting menu room in Santa Monica, five tables and fixed nightly seatings.
Melisse is Josiah Citrin's fine-dining room at 1104 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, run with chef and partner Ken Takayama, and it holds two MICHELIN stars in the 2026 California selection, where the cuisine is recorded as modern French. He opened Melisse on Bastille Day, 14 July 1999, and Takayama has been there since 2001.
The restaurant calls itself a restaurant in a restaurant: fourteen seats and five tables, with its own kitchen and its own team, inside the building on the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and 11th Street. Melisse keeps its own entrance, the down-step door on Wilshire with a doorbell guests ring at their reservation time. Chefs and sommeliers guide the meal themselves, so kitchen and dining room work as one.
The kitchen buys from California farmers between San Diego and Napa Valley and builds what it calls an 18-serving symphony, marrying global flavors with classic and contemporary technique. The chef's tasting menu is $399. The menu is published as a sample and changes, so courses such as a Croque Madame of truffle Gruyere fondue, San Daniele jamon and yolk jam, or uni cromesquis of Santa Barbara and Hokkaido sea urchin give the style rather than a fixed lineup.
Seatings are fixed, not a rolling window. Wednesday has one, at 6:30 pm, and Thursday through Saturday run two, at 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm. The room takes parties of two to six, and reservations are released a month at a time, in the first week of the preceding month.
Address: 1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401, Los Angeles
Melisse takes reservations through OpenTable. This MyRSVP guide covers the room, what it is known for and when to go in Los Angeles; use the booking link on this page to reserve direct.
Hours of operation
- Wednesday: 18:30 - 21:00
- Thursday: 17:30 - 21:00
- Friday: 17:30 - 21:00
- Saturday: 17:30 - 21:00
Frequently asked about Melisse
How do I get a reservation at Melisse in Los Angeles?
Tables at Melisse are booked directly with the restaurant. If it is part of a bigger Los Angeles plan, our Los Angeles partner handles the beach clubs and nightlife around your dinner and can point you to the venue's own reservations channel.
What should I order at Melisse?
Melisse is best known for its signature dishes and shareable plates. Tell MyRSVP your party size and any dietary needs and we note them with your request.
What is the dress code at Melisse?
Melisse keeps an upscale dining dress code: smart, dressed-up attire, no athletic wear or beachwear. MyRSVP confirms any current door specifics with your booking.
Where is Melisse located?
Melisse is in Los Angeles, at 1104 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. MyRSVP can build it into a full Los Angeles itinerary alongside the surrounding nightlife.
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