I was looking forward to the Oyster Bar for a very long time, but when I finally went there, I found it depressing, breathtakingly expensive (welcome to New York), and kind of ordinary.

In L.A., don't miss visiting Union Station, just north of downtown, and Traxx restaurant. Union Station (you've seen it in a gazillion movies) is worth the visit, and Traxx is quite good (see Gayot review).