The Best Restaurant Contractors in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a dynamic city known for its diverse culinary scene, where innovative restaurants are as much a part of the culture as the beaches and Hollywood landmarks. Finding a reputable contractor for a restaurant project in Los Angeles is vital to ensure compliance with health safety regulations and deliver a space that reflects a restaurant’s unique aesthetic and functional requirements. A skilled contractor can navigate the complexities of restaurant construction, manage timelines and budgets effectively, and ultimately create a welcoming and successful dining environment. On average, restaurant construction costs in Los Angeles range from $100,000 to $1 million, with high-end projects potentially exceeding $1.95 million. These projects can take up to 40 weeks to complete, and the intricate nature of restaurant builds often brings unexpected challenges.

With a population of approximately 3.822 million and a median home value of $1.2 million, Los Angeles is not just a hub for entertainment but also fine dining and innovative eateries. According to recent permit data, the city is home to 102 contractors specializing in restaurant construction. Over the past two years, the city has had 3,916 restaurant construction projects, indicating a vibrant and competitive market for new dining establishments. The average cost of a construction project in this sector is about $71.68 per square foot, which can vary significantly based on the scope and complexity of the project.

The right contractor can navigate the complexities of the construction process. Meanwhile, a poor choice could lead to delays, unexpected costs, and significant stress. To help you make the best decision for your project, we’ve compiled a list of the top construction companies in Los Angeles, each known for their expertise, reliability, and commitment to excellence.

Overview: The Best Restaurant Contractors in Los Angeles

See Ranking Methodology at the bottom of this article to learn more.

MDM Builders

541 S Spring St, Ste 213, Los Angeles CA 90013

MDM Builders is a family-owned and operated, full-service general contractor formed by Moshe Librush and his sons Michael and David. The company offers a full range of pre-construction and general contracting services to clients in the restaurant and retail markets. A tight-knit company, MDM’s staff value each other and every client like they are all part of one big family. Some of MDM’s most notable projects have been featured in Eater LA, LA Downtown News, and LA Magazine.

Some of the most prolific projects MDM has handled are bars. The most notable of these bars is Wolf and Crane at 366 East 2nd Street, a late-night bar in Little Tokyo whose name was derived from Aesop’s fables and as sacred animals of Japan. MDM combined light-stained wood fixtures and furnishings with more contemporary details, including polished concrete floors, linear banquettes, and room-dividing ropes to create a casual and inviting environment. A particular note of detail is the use of nafudakake, traditional Japanese wooden name plates, and a board to display the names of the bar’s most frequent patrons. 

McCormick Construction

2507 Empire Ave, Burbank, CA 91504

McCormick Construction is a family-owned and operated general contractor and designer-builder. The company specializes in general construction and construction management of mid- to high-rise commercial and institutional buildings, industrial projects, retail and medical facilities, multifamily, residential, and interiors for both the public and private sectors. McCormick has received several awards, including the Design-Build Institute of America National Award of Merit, the Engineering News-Record Best Project Awards, and the ENR California Award of Merit. McCormick Construction won the  ACI Concrete Award for the Decorative category, positioning itself as one of the top construction companies in Los Angeles.

McCormick built the gourmet wine and cheese bar and fine wine and spirits shop Wally’s Vinoteca in Beverly Hills. The 6,000-square-foot bar features high-end interior finishes, including polished concrete floors and carefully crafted 12-foot-high redwood wine racks. An insulated wine vault was also installed to store most of the bar’s wine and spirits collection. The elegant yet casual design invites patrons to savor the shop’s collection of the finest artisanal foods.

Modaa Construction

520 Broadway, 2nd Flr, Santa Monica CA 90401 

Modaa Construction is a general contractor. The firm specializes in residential and commercial construction, particularly residential remodeling and additions, custom home construction, and commercial tenant improvements. A LEED AP Project Manager leads each project to ensure the firm’s commitment to sustainability in construction. Despite being young in the industry, with only about a decade of experience, Modaa’s skill, diligence, and dedication to each project earned them praise from publications such as The Architect’s Newspaper, Los Angeles Times, Observer, and Los Angeles Magazine. As one of the top construction companies in Los Angeles, the firm was featured in Dwell.

At 7020 Melrose Avenue, Modaa built the cafe Coffee for Sasquatch. This modern facility invokes the mystical environment of a temperate forest, befitting the sasquatch the coffee shop has as its mascot. The captivating storefront features the creature’s outline, which is backgrounded by a seven-inch deep living plant wall.  The birchwood service counter extends from there to emulate a growing tree. The wavy built-in seating opposite the counter evokes the image of a stream lined by trees when coupled with minimalist furnishings. At the same time, the inverted pitched ceiling symbolizes the endless sky.

Elden Development Construction

3400 W 6th St. Ste 314, Los Angeles, CA 90020

Formed more than 38 years ago, Elden Development Construction is a developer and general contractor. The firm is led by Chairman and CEO Peter Jung Ho Cha, who brings 20 years of extensive experience in construction and development in and around Los Angeles. The firm has constructed over 105,000 square feet of restaurant space with varying themes throughout California.

Elden was responsible for building the Bann Restaurant in the MaDang Mall at 621 South Western Avenue. Bann is a Korean barbeque restaurant that was formed and owned by Young Sook Choi as an offshoot of the Woo Lae Oak chain of Korean restaurants. Bann and the entire mall stood where the Los Angeles branch of Woo Lae Oak once stood. The newer restaurant has retained much of the older restaurant’s airy, sleek Korean ambiance, while the downward-suctioning grills are a welcome addition to the facility. 

econstruct, Inc.

8447 Wilshire Blvd, Ste 401, Beverly Hills, CA 90211

econstruct, Inc. is a general contractor. Established by President Frank Neimroozi, the firm specializes in all food service-related construction and complete renovations, add-ons, and high-end residential construction. Inclusive in their service is expediting work and handling negotiations, permits, and contracts with the city. 

econstruct, Inc. built the Hutchinson, an Indonesian steakhouse run by the Hopper family, at 826 North La Cienega Boulevard. Completed in 2014, the former Spanish Kitchen restaurant was transformed into the first Indonesian-style steakhouse in Los Angeles. Dark woods, textiles, and carvings adorn the restaurant throughout. Variety and Eater Los Angeles have featured the restaurant in their publications.

Barling Construction

12228 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Barling Construction is a general contractor that specializes in hospitality and restaurant projects. Principal Daniel Edward has been leading the company for more than 20 years. Edward and his team have built strong relationships with their clients through diligence, deep understanding, and extensive restaurant and hospitality construction expertise. Barling’s clientele includes celebrity chefs Walter Manzke of the Republique and John Secretan of Zinc Cafe. Variety, Observer, Los Angeles Times, and Vogue have featured Barling’s must-see and most talked about restaurant projects. This restaurant construction in Los Angeles was featured in Eater LA.

At 222 South Hope Street, Barling built the Otium next to the Broad Museum. Barling reused a modernist cubic structure designed by Osvaldo Maiozzi not only for the space itself but also for design inspirations. Hexagonal tiles were used in combination with hardwood to create a flowy floor. Meanwhile, an open kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows, reflective wall panels, gold-tile backsplashes, and bare-bulb lighting give the restaurant an airy yet warm and light ambiance. Otium won the 2016 Best Restaurant Design Award from LA Weekly.

R.D. Olson Construction

2955 Main St, 3rd Flr, Irvine, CA 92614

R.D. Olson Construction is a national general contractor and construction manager specializing in hotel, resort, multifamily housing, country club, retail, and restaurant projects. The company was formed by CEO Robert Olson, who continues to lead the company, along with President Bill Wilhelm. The firm’s list of repeat clients includes Marriott, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Starwood Lodging, UDR and Affirmed Housing Group. The Engineering News-Record has given R.D. Olson Construction a spot on its National Top 400 Contractors List. ​​An article on Construction Dive featured these construction companies in Los Angeles.

R.D. Olson built Drai’s Hollywood Nightclub at the W Hollywood Hotel, consisting of a member-only VIP lounge on the ground floor and a penthouse nightclub on the 11th. The 2,300 square-foot VIP lounge features the finest European interior finishes, veneer wood wall covering, smooth level-five drywall finish, herringbone-patterned mahogany wood flooring,   black painted ceiling, and a grand crystal chandelier above a multi-colored onyx bar. The penthouse, meanwhile, is a 15,500 square-foot structure built upon a soundproofing floating slab, enclosed by a complex floating ceiling and two-layered glass paneling that give guests an unobstructed view of the famous Hollywood sign.

CalAsia Construction

3050 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90065

CalAsia Construction is a general contractor based in Los Angeles that was formed by a couple and principals, John and Myrna Murawski. The company has a portfolio of more than 500 completed projects in the commercial and residential sectors. The principals have 25 years of shared experience in building restaurants, having developed a unique, straightforward, and extremely thorough system of managing projects. This management system, together with its full staff of fine finish carpenters, concrete specialists, framers, electricians, and general laborers, earned CalAsia high-profile clients and the respect of the industry. CalAsia Construction clinched the 2017 IIDA Calibre Design Award in the Boutique Firm category, earning a reputation as one of the top construction companies in Los Angeles.

The most notable of CalAsia’s restaurant projects is Gordon Ramsay’s Hell Kitchen in Culver City, which has been the set of Ramsay’s televised culinary competition since its fourth season. The restaurant’s most distinctive part is the two open kitchens, color-coded red and blue, where the competition occurs. The dining area, meanwhile, exudes class and luxury, with a subtle hint of competition and trepidation, an aura befitting of the most explosive culinary competition.

Ramland Construction

1650 Westwood Blvd, Ste 200, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Ramland Construction is a general contractor specializing in restaurant, retail, and hotel construction. The firm’s portfolio includes projects in major cities all over the country. Formed by President Steve Ramras, the company offers pre-construction, construction, and post-construction services to clients with great knowledge, experience, and efficiency, resulting in repeat customers.

At 451 South Hewitt Street, Ramland built Urth Downtown LA, one of the locations of a small chain of Italian organic cafes. The facade features an Art Deco design on bricks, colorful exterior panels, and a fully functioning clock tower. Inside, the restaurant has an L-shaped bar that serves as the centerpiece of the space. The bar is adorned above by a tile pattern with a picture mural on top.

DPT Construction

19201 Parthenia St, Unit B, Northridge CA 91324

DPT Construction is a general contractor specializing in hotel renovations, commercial retail, tenant improvement, institutional, restaurant, and residential projects. The projects DPT handles widely vary in scope, from complete renovations, additions, tenant improvement, and commercial retail to new construction and hospitality renovations with complete furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) packages. Originally his father’s paint and tile workshop, President David Daoud expanded the business to a full-service general contractor – DPT has a restaurant portfolio consisting of national casual dining chains such as Five Guys and California Pizza Kitchen, as well as custom upscale restaurants. 

DPT built the 8,000-square-foot Fig & Olive restaurant on Melrose Place in West Hollywood, the West Coast flagship of a Mediterranean-inspired chain of restaurants. At the center of the restaurant is a live fig tree from which the dining floor layout is designed, while rosemary shrubbery outlines the perimeter. The restaurant also features a 50-foot marble bar with a ceiling-height backlit wine cache rising from behind. Similarly designed backlit artisanal olive oil caches can also be found around the restaurant. 

Shangri-La Construction

550 S Hope St, Ste 510, Los Angeles, CA 90071

Shangri-La Construction is a general contractor owned and led by President Ayahlushim Getachew and CEO Andy Meyers. In addition to general construction and renovation services, the firm specializes in green construction and technology. Shangri-La is a proud, active member of the US Green Building Council. Shangri-La has won many awards from the US Green Building Council, including the Merit Award for Water Efficiency, the Merit Award for Energy & Atmosphere, and the Honor Award for Health & Wellness, as well as accolades from other institutions, including Los Angeles Business Journal’s Top 40 General Contractors in Los Angeles.

Shangri-La built multiple locations of LYFE Kitchen throughout California. The largest of these locations is found in the West Hollywood Gateway, with a floor area of 7,300 square feet. The restaurant includes casual open spaces and a patio, a full commercial kitchen, a juice bar, a sales counter, service kiosks, restrooms, and back-of-house facilities. In addition to being a vibrant place, the restaurant is also sustainably designed, with eco-friendly features including furniture made of recycled milk and juice cartons, bamboo, and salvaged Sequoia wood tables, and a signature hydroponic microgreen wall that grows more than 60,000 microgreens.

Ranking Methodology

To evaluate the performance of contractors, our methodology employs a systematic approach that considers various factors contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. We focused on assessing the restaurant contractors in the Los Angeles area. The methodology involves assigning weightings to specific categories based on their significance in determining customer service quality. Here’s the breakdown of the categories and their respective weightings:

• Average Customer Satisfaction (35%): This metric represents the average rating given by customers across the same review platforms as the Average Customer Satisfaction Score. A higher average rating indicates greater overall satisfaction with the service provided.
• Service Rating Score (25%): We analyze the ratio of high (4-5 stars) to low (1-2 stars) ratings for each business across multiple review platforms: Google, Houzz, and Yelp. A higher percentage of positive reviews contributes to a higher score, reflecting better customer satisfaction.
• Complaint Percentage (25%): We analyze the ratio of complaints to total reviews for each business. A lower complaints ratio indicates better service quality and results in a higher score.
• Business Hours and Availability (10%): The operating hours of each business are assessed to gauge accessibility. Companies with extended operating hours are awarded a higher score, as they offer greater convenience to customers.
• License Status (5%): We verify the licensing status of each contractor with their local licensing board to ensure legal compliance. Companies with valid licenses receive a higher score, reflecting professionalism and adherence to regulations.
• Total Score: We determined the overall rating for every contractor by calculating a weighted average, with the category weight determining the amount the subscore contributed to the total score 

Additional Note: Service Rating Score, Average Customer Satisfaction, and Complaint Percentage are calculated with a Bayesian estimate to account for if the contractor has a low number of total reviews. A Bayesian average is a statistical method used to calculate the average of a set of data points while taking into account prior information or beliefs about the distribution of the data. It combines the observed data with a prior distribution to generate a more accurate estimate of the true average.