one night without kids in LA

[Anonymous]

IMO stay in Pasadena. Stay at the huntington. I got married here, it is wonderful.

http://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/pasadena/

Go out to either Shiro's and Bistro 45 if you feel like something wonderful and romantic.

https://restaurantshiro.com/

www.bistro45.com/

Both better options than what you will find in Korea town(unless you are really in the mood for korean food) or downtown LA. Downtown LA has improved drastically in the past 12 years but it is NOT really spending a night with the best LA has to offer.
Look, you are away for your kids for one night only, make it delish and relaxing. Stay in Pasadena and enjoy yourselves. You can't see the best of LA without a car so just don't try. You will very much enjoy Pasadena however if you go where I've told you. Ending the night with drinks on the patio of the Huntington is hard to beat...

[Anonymous]

If you want good Western, do the Sunday Supper at Lucques -- really relaxed but awesome (you could also go for the non prix fixe but Sunday was always my speed.

AOC is awesome, Providence is the best restaurant in the city unless you want to drop $500/person at Ursawa. Water Grill downtown is the old school seafood place that is really fantastic if your tastes run conservative. Definitely do sushi. If you are downtown, Sushi Gen was the best place while I was there (about 5 years ago).

IF you are adventurous, and especially since you are in Pasadena anyways, you should go the Alhambra area for serious Chinese. Sichuan will be the best, and the Vietnamese is really awesome as well (Newport Seafood for their 3 lb vietnamese lobster special, drooling just thinking about it)

Wasn't as much of a bar fly while I was there but you could do great, downtown is probably a good bet.

Pasadena is nice, but if you are in LA don't stay there for the food. It's good but there is much more unique and interesting around the city.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Also dim sum in Alhambra/Monterey Park is amazing. Go to one of the Hong Kong style seafood palaces (Elite, Sea Harbor, Ocean Star).

Thai town -- Jitlada is unforgetable.

You could also take kids to many of these places. More generally, just do what Jonathan Gold, the nation's best food critic, suggests.

[Anonymous]

OP, I thought you didn't have a car there? If so, then although the above PPs are giving excellent advice I wouldn't want to be ubering all over the place and dealing with traffic to get to all over the LA area, which of course is huge.
depends on if you want to relax and enjoy or if you want to have a whirlwind experience.

[Anonymous]

Bistro 45 and Shiro's are far superior is quality to AOC, etc.

[Anonymous]

I wrote earlier on downtown LA itineraries...PP asked specifically about downtown so that's why I gave it. There's other great places to hang out & stay, but downtown is also good and much better than it ever was.

I wouldn't recommend it to my grandma though (she loves Pasadena)!