Here's Looking at You, a notable restaurant in Koreatown, Los Angeles, announced its permanent closure effective June 16, after nearly ten years of operation. The establishment, co-founded by the late chef Jonathan Whitener and Lien Ta, was recognized for its cross-cultural menu and creative cocktails. Ta shared the news via an emotional Instagram post, underscoring the impact of a decade-long lease expiration and a desire for locals to cherish the restaurant in its final weeks. The venue was celebrated for its innovative food influenced by global street fare, making it a culinary cornerstone since its inception.
'When Hereâs Looking at You first opened, it quickly made a name for itself with its globally influenced cooking filtered through the lens of Los Angeles. In a 2016 review for the Los Angeles Times, Jonathan Gold wrote that the restaurant was spicy, nimble and adept at crossing cultural boundaries; quick to reference street food traditions but with farmers market ingredients; and look back to an idealized agrarian idea of California.'
'Liens Ta announced the closure in an Instagram post on May 6, which reads, "We have closed this restaurant a few painful times. You could argue that we ought to be used to it by now, but ... no, we are most certainly not.'
'Ta adds that the restaurant's closure coincides with the end of the 10-year lease on the building. This lease is ending, as is my era as a restaurateur, 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.'
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