Above It All: Dining at 71Above

There was a time before Instagram, before the iPhone and before Snapchat. Before rustic "Pinteresty" restaurants that set up shop in an abandoned warehouse of what was then Skid Row. Back before the Clippers started winning at Staples and when the Lakers were champions. Back when the coolest and latest social influencer was just taking the school bus as opposed to taking selfies. Back then, there was Windows Steak and Martini Restaurant.

Located on the 32nd floor of the AT&T Center, Windows was a place you went for dinner with the best skyline view of downtown Los Angeles. It was a place I would take my wife (then girlfriend) for a nice date night. When it closed down to make room for office space in 2007 (yeah, I'm dating myself), we were sad to see those incredible skyscraper views go. There wasn't anything else like it in LA until now.

71Above is the newest restaurant located on (you guessed it) the 71st floor of the U.S. Bank Tower, making it the highest restaurant in Downtown LA. The space is absolutely stunning and makes you feel like you're in the swankiest restaurant in some metropolis other than LA. The views - well, let's just say you are literally above it all. 71Above provides the most breathtaking vistas while dining and on a clear day you can see straight to Santa Monica Beach.

Chef Vartan Abgaryan creates a wonderful tasting menu, 2-course for lunch and 3-course for dinner. For lunch, starters range from light and approachable dishes like hamachi crudo or heirloom tomato salad to more heavy dishes like a beautifully prepared steak tartare. The Flat Iron steak is a perfect dish for a power lunch entree and with the extensive wine list to pair the perfect red with your meal, plus the mile high city views, you'll feel like you're on top of the world.

Windows was good, but 71Above is great. Once you enter the first elevator, then transfer to the second elevator and reach the restaurant, you know that you're in for a special night. 71Above will be a place for special occasions, incredible date nights, and the most scenic spot for drinks. It's bringing back a time when your dining experience (views, service, ambience, and all) was as important as the dishes being served.