The Grand is an iced shellfish platter built for the middle of the table: oysters, littleneck clams, Peruvian bay scallops, white shrimp, Mediterranean mussels, North American hard-shell lobster and Dungeness crab. At Water Grill, it is sized for one or two people and priced at $65, which makes it a more coherent first order than assembling the raw bar piece by piece. Fresh horseradish, mignonette, cocktail sauce and habanero-lime relish sit alongside it. The platter is the point, but the room around it explains why this Downtown Los Angeles restaurant still rewards a deliberate visit.
The best chance of a table sits in the early-lunch or early Monday-Thursday dinner windows, while peak evenings, weekends and show nights can become busy. Ask Karpo which arrival window and seating option fit Water Grill right now, before committing to the shellfish platter.
Start with the platter, not the surrounding mythology
The Grand is the neatest expression of Water Grill's lunch proposition. It is an iced shellfish platter for one or two people at $65, with enough range to make the table feel occupied without forcing a full seafood campaign. Oysters and littleneck clams lead into Peruvian bay scallops, white shrimp and Mediterranean mussels, while North American hard-shell lobster and Dungeness crab give the arrangement its weight.
That list matters because the platter is not simply a pile of oysters. It moves across shellfish types and textures, then lets the sauces sharpen the choice: fresh horseradish, mignonette, cocktail sauce and habanero-lime relish. Order it when the table wants to graze slowly. It is less useful as a solitary appetiser before a substantial main course.
The Grand is only one size of the decision
The current lunch menu sets out three iced platters. The Grand serves one or two at $65, The Deluxe serves three or four at $120, and The King serves five to seven at $225. Those serving ranges are the practical distinction, not decorative naming. A group of three should move up rather than treat The Grand as a shared appetiser and then add several other plates.
There are sensible alternatives if raw shellfish is not the whole table's plan. The New England lobster roll costs $42, comes traditional or Connecticut style, and is served with French fries. Cioppino is $47, combining Dungeness crab, jumbo shrimp and fresh fish in shellfish broth. Both give a mixed group a route beyond the iced platter.
A 1922 room gives the lunch some weight
Water Grill occupies the 1922 PacMutual Building, and its dining room carries the period in tangible form: a carved ceiling, marble walls and ornate brass doors. That is useful context for the shellfish tower. The meal does not take place in a neutral dining box, but in a room whose materials make a weekday lunch feel more considered than its booking may suggest.
A month-long, $1.5 million renovation completed in early 2012 uncovered an original wood ceiling, moved the bar to the centre of the room, added a raw bar, opened the kitchen and exposed lobster tanks to the dining room. The result is a layout with several focal points. A seat near the bar or raw bar will feel different from a quieter table, even before the first platter arrives.
Downtown means Downtown here
The address is 544 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071, in Downtown Los Angeles. This is DTLA, not the Arts District, and that distinction should govern the arrival plan. Water Grill has served Downtown Los Angeles since 1989, so its identity is tied to this part of the city rather than to a newer restaurant cluster elsewhere.
The restaurant is part of King's Seafood Company, founded by cousins Sam and Jeff King. That places the dining room inside a larger seafood group, but the useful local fact is simpler: the address has continuity. The current executive chef is Jose Peraza, whose previous work includes Water Grill Santa Monica, King's Fish House and Water Grill San Diego.
Lunch is the cleanest entry point
Reservations are highly recommended. Walk-ins are accepted when possible, but a reservation gives the best chance of securing a table, particularly if the group needs space for one of the larger platters. For a quieter meal, aim for early lunch or an early Monday-Thursday dinner. Peak evening periods, weekends and show nights are more likely to be busy.
The room offers counter seating, a bar/lounge and a full bar, as well as conventional tables. That makes the restaurant workable for different kinds of visit, but the seat changes the meal: counter seating suits a shorter solo stop, while a shellfish platter needs enough table area for the ice and accompanying sauces. Valet service is available for those arriving by car.
Order for the table you actually have
The common mistake is choosing by appetite rather than headcount. The Grand is marked for one to two people, The Deluxe for three to four, and The King for five to seven. Treat those ranges as ordering guidance. If the table is split between shellfish and cooked dishes, the lobster roll or cioppino can keep the platter from having to carry the entire meal.
Water Grill was listed with one Michelin star in the 2009 Los Angeles guide, but the more useful present-day detail is operational. Smart casual is the listed dress code, major cards are accepted, and the first 750 mL bottle brought for corkage is complimentary. Each additional bottle costs $50, a detail worth settling before the bottle reaches the table.
Practical notes
Water Grill is at 544 S. Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071, in Downtown Los Angeles rather than the Arts District. Current hours are Sunday-Thursday 11:30 am-10:00 pm and Friday-Saturday 11:30 am-11:00 pm. The lunch menu dated September 10, 2026 lists The Grand at $65 for one to two, The Deluxe at $120 for three to four and The King at $225 for five to seven. The New England lobster roll is $42 and cioppino is $47. Reserve ahead; early lunch or early Monday-Thursday dinner is the calmer window. For arrival, use the DTLA address as the anchor, not an Arts District pin. Valet, counter seating and bar seating are available.
Tags: #seafoodnearme #watergrill #dtla #downtownlosangeles #losangeles #grandavenue #shellfish #rawbar #oysters #lobsterroll #cioppino #seafoodrestaurant #lunchinla
Sources consulted: watergrill.com · kingsmenu.site · opentable.com · latimes.com · kingsseafood.com
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Ask Karpo first
The difficult part is not finding the pin but timing this DTLA room correctly: early lunch and early Monday-Thursday dinner are calmer, while weekends and show nights can swell. Ask Karpo for the best current arrival window, the right seat for a shellfish platter and what else nearby is worth the walk from Water Grill.
