May 29, 2025 Your Source for Brentwood News

Here’s Looking At You to Close Permanently on June 13 After Nearly 10 Years of Culinary Impact in L.A.

Beloved restaurant bids farewell with heartfelt message from co-founder Lien Ta

After nearly ten years of culinary creativity and community, Here’s Looking At You (HLAY), a cherished fixture in the Los Angeles dining scene, will close its doors for good on Friday, June 13. The restaurant’s co-owner and co-founder, Lien Ta, announced the closure in an emotional letter to patrons, reflecting on a decade of passion, perseverance, and purpose.

The announcement tells the story of the restaurant that began in the summer of 2014, when co-founders, chef Jonathan Whitener and Lien Ta, signed the lease on a former Philly cheesesteak shop with no name and a dream. Over the years, HLAY evolved into a vibrant space defined by experimental cuisine, a tight-knit team, and an intensely loyal following.

Here’s Looking At You is a relentlessly creative and cheerful restaurant that overflows with gracious hospitality and bravery. As a patron who was not able to be there often enough, I will miss HLAY. HLAY Forever. 

“This lease is ending, as is my era as a restaurateur,” LT wrote in the message shared online. “And I quite honestly can’t think of anything I desire more than to see all of us enjoy these final weeks of my favorite living restaurant.”

The restaurant weathered multiple closures throughout its lifespan, but this time, Lien Ta confirmed, there will be “no take-backs.” Staff who have been with HLAY since its inception, through brunches with no customers, lean financial stretches, and last spring’s near-closure, are being celebrated for their dedication and resilience. Ta credited the team’s dedication and guests’ enduring support for keeping the restaurant alive through its toughest moments.

“Some of us opened the restaurant on its first day, some of us locked it up when we thought it was over… all of us LOVE this restaurant with fierceness,” the letter continued. “Tattoo us lucky that we saw Chef through his skewer era, his chips era, all the elegance, the blood cake and, damn, the sweetbreads.”

Though the news comes during what LT called a “fragile time,” the final weeks promise to be a celebration of everything HLAY has meant to its community. Guests are encouraged to visit and savor what remains of the restaurant’s run.

“THANK YOU + BIGGEST LOVE EVER,” LT concluded.

HLAY’s last service will take place on Friday, June 13. Reservations are expected to fill quickly.

Related Posts

(Video) Interviews with Rick Caruso and Elyse Walker, with a Dennis Quaid cameo

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

We spoke at the Press Conference to announce plans to reopen Palisades Village Shopping Mall. Actor Dennis Quaid arrives to...

(Video) Shoreside Restaurant Unveiled by Santa Monica’s Shore Hotel

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Guests can expect dishes like the Harris Ranch Prime Filet, along with plates like the California Yellowtail Crudo and Superior...

Levain Bakery Debuts ‘Levain à la Mode’ with Local Ice Cream Partners for Summer

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Seasonal Offering With Wanderlust Creamery is a First in Cookie Shop’s History For the first time in its three-decade history,...

Beverly Glen Sixth Grader Advances to Finals of National Student Cook-Off

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Twelve-Year-Old Heads to Virginia to Compete in K12 Culinary Competition Abijah Levy Minor, a 12-year-old student from Beverly Glen, has...

Sarah Paulson to Host Charity Bingo Night for Pasadena Humane Society on June 5

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Evening of Food, Wine, and Live Music to Raise Funds for Animal Rescue Efforts Emmy-winning actress Sarah Paulson will host...

Bay Cities Italian Deli Responds to Health Code Closure, Commits to Corrective Action

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Santa Monica Landmark Disputes Rodent Claims but Acknowledges Violations Bay Cities Italian Deli, a Santa Monica staple renowned for its...

Film Review: Bring Her Back

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

By Dolores Quintana Grief is the price of love.  Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou’s second feature film, Bring Her Back,...

County Assessor Stresses Need For Fire-Affected Households to Update Addresses to Receive Relief Checks

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Assessor’s Office Offers Automatic Tax Relief for Fire-Affected Homeowners Following the destruction caused by wildfires earlier this year, the Los...

Caltrans Schedules Public Meeting for $143.7 Million I-405 Rehabilitation Project

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Virtual Forum Set to Brief Residents on Upcoming Construction The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will hold a virtual public...

Crustacean Launches ‘Little C’ Vietnamese Pop-Up to Celebrate Chef Helene An’s Legacy

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Three-Day Lunch Series Honors AAPI Heritage Month With Chef’s Personal Recipes Crustacean Beverly Hills will host a limited-run pop-up dining...

Academy Award Winning Director Sean Baker to Attend Anora Screening in Support of Theater Preservation

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Acclaimed Director Joins Special Event on May 30 to Help Keep Historic South Bay Cinema Open The independent studio Neon,...

Motorcyclist Killed in Westchester Collision with Vehicle Near Centinela

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

Crash Prompts Hours-Long Investigation of Crash Site of Violent Accident One person was killed Monday evening when a motorcycle collided...

Metro LA to Host Public Meetings This Week on Westside to Valley Transit Alternatives

May 26, 2025

May 26, 2025

Community Input Needed as Release Draft Environmental Impact Report Approaches Metro LA is inviting the public to a series of...

Over 100,000 Pounds of Illegal Fireworks Seized in Los Angeles County Before July 4th

May 26, 2025

May 26, 2025

Cal Fire, ATF Uncover Massive Stockpile, Urge Residents to Report Incidents More than 100,000 pounds of illegal fireworks were confiscated...

Missing West Hollywood Woman Found Safe, According to the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department

May 26, 2025

May 26, 2025

Woman Who Was Last Seen on May 19 near Hayworth Avenue Reunited with Family The West Hollywood Sheriff’s Department confirmed...