Head-to-Head · Los Angeles

Providence vs Melisse

Providence is Michael Cimarusti's three-star seafood temple; Melisse is Josiah Citrin's 14-seat two-star French room. Book Providence for seafood, Melisse for intimacy.

Providence

Hollywood · Seafood tasting · 3 Michelin stars · Food 9 / Room 9 / Value 8

Providence full review →

Melisse

Santa Monica · Modern French · 2 Michelin stars · Food 9 / Room 8 / Value 7

Melisse full review →

The Verdict

Providence is the seafood landmark. Michael Cimarusti's Melrose Avenue restaurant was upgraded to three Michelin stars in the 2025 California guide, the city's highest seafood honour, with a tasting menu around 325 dollars that runs through Big Island abalone, Santa Barbara spot prawns and steelhead trout. The cooking is the most precise expression of West Coast and global seafood in Los Angeles, in a composed, grown-up room. It scores 9 for food, 9 for the room and 8 for value, and it is the city's reference fine-dining seafood table.

Melisse is the intimate French room. Josiah Citrin rebuilt his long-running Santa Monica institution as a fourteen-seat two-star tucked inside the more casual Citrin, cooking a modern French tasting around 399 dollars with chef-partner Ken Takayama. The scale is the point: a tiny counter, a luxury-leaning menu and a level of attention you only get when the room holds fourteen people. It scores 9 for food, 8 for the room and 7 for value, and it is the choice for a close, ceremonial dinner.

The split is seafood versus intimacy. Providence is a three-star seafood temple in Hollywood, the bigger occasion and the better value; Melisse is a fourteen-seat French jewel box in Santa Monica, the more private and more expensive. One is a landmark, the other a secret.

Scores, Side by Side

Score	Providence	Melisse
Food	9 / 10	9 / 10
Atmosphere	9 / 10	8 / 10
Value	8 / 10	7 / 10

Which One for Which Occasion

Occasion	Editorial Pick
A landmark seafood dinner	ProvidenceThree stars and a menu built on West Coast and global seafood make it the city's definitive fish table.
An intimate, ceremonial meal	MelisseFourteen seats and a modern French tasting deliver the most private fine-dining room in Los Angeles.
A milestone celebration	ProvidenceA 2025 upgrade to three Michelin stars gives Providence the bigger occasion and the better story.
Best value at the top tier	ProvidenceAt 325 dollars for a three-star tasting, Providence offers better value than Melisse's 399-dollar menu.
A quiet anniversary for two	MelisseThe hidden fourteen-seat counter inside Citrin is built for a close, undisturbed dinner for two.

Price and How to Book

The split is landmark versus jewel box. Providence seats its Hollywood dining room on Melrose Avenue, books its three-star tasting well ahead and is the city's reference seafood occasion; the full picture is in the Providence review. Melisse runs Josiah Citrin's fourteen-seat counter in Santa Monica, where the tiny room makes every table scarce; the detail sits in the Melisse review. Both anchor our Los Angeles dining guide.

For cuisine context, weigh Providence against the best seafood restaurants worldwide and Melisse against the world's finest French restaurants. For occasion fit, see our picks for an anniversary and a first date. More Los Angeles match-ups sit on the compare index, including Spago vs Providence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Providence or Melisse?

It depends on what you want. Providence is the higher-rated meal, a three-star Hollywood seafood temple from Michael Cimarusti, and the better value at 325 dollars. Melisse is the more intimate, a fourteen-seat two-star French room from Josiah Citrin in Santa Monica at 399 dollars. Book Providence for landmark seafood and Melisse for a private, ceremonial dinner. Both feature in our Los Angeles dining guide.

How much do Providence and Melisse cost?

Providence runs a tasting menu around 325 dollars a head before wine, strong value for a three-star kitchen, which is why it scores 8 on value. Melisse is the pricier seat at roughly 399 dollars for its modern French tasting, reflecting the fourteen-seat scale and the level of attention rather than extra courses. Add a wine pairing at either only if the budget allows, and treat both as a milestone dinner.

How hard is it to book Providence or Melisse?

Both are tough, for different reasons. Providence, freshly upgraded to three stars, sees high demand and releases tables weeks ahead, so weekend dinners go first. Melisse is arguably harder per seat simply because the room holds only fourteen people, so even modest demand fills it quickly. For either, book as early as the calendar allows and plan around the wider Los Angeles dining guide.

What should I order at Providence and Melisse?

Both serve a set tasting rather than a la carte. At Providence, follow Michael Cimarusti's seafood sequence through dishes like Big Island abalone and Santa Barbara spot prawns. At Melisse, the modern French tasting from Josiah Citrin and Ken Takayama leans luxurious and changes seasonally across its fourteen-seat counter. See both in context in our Los Angeles dining guide.