California Plaza

Many people who work in the financial district come here for lunch and it can get packed. Though after 3, it’s pretty much bare. Lots of security guards around and the place is clean.
I usually use the parking here when I come to visit the Broad which validates parking here if you ask the gift shop. If you go to the Broad, it’s $ 8 to park here instead of $ 12 in their own personal garage. It’s located in Bunker Hill near MOCA, Disney Hall, The Broad and Grand Central Market. They also have free concerts here as well.
It’s great for people watching, it’s near Angel’s Flight that was closed and Angels Knoll which was in 500 Days of Summer.

Very cute spot to take a date or just walk around.

This is my first review of a plaza. How dumb is it to review a plaza? But this one is totally worth it! Every city should have a cool place like this. If you are in downtown LA, come check it out and just relax there for 10 minutes. It will be worth it. But more importantly, check the online schedule for awesome Friday performances by excellent local and international artists. This place offers incredible family experiences at no cost all-​year-​round.

I attended the free concert on Saturday at the California Plaza. They have singers from all over the world come preform here for free. The event is exciting and the place rocks with a lot of energy. There are water fountains to keep you entertained. Lots of shops and the views of the skyscrapers in downtown Los Angles. The music event I attended was a Qawali by a nephew of Nusrat Fathe Ali Khan. There was massive energy all around, the palce was packed and the parking cost was $ 8.

I’ve been coming to California Plaza since 2009 for the Grand Performances concerts. It has been awesome getting to see so many great bands for FREE!!! They’ve recently added bike valet which is great because I remember locking mine up to a railing when I used to take to train up to union station and then bike to the plaza. The restrooms are in good shape and there’s plenty of parking ($ 8) underneath during the events. Having the fountain as a backdrop to the stage is fantastic. This is a spectacular venue and is excellent for the community!

What a beautiful venue for catching live performances! Excellent lighting, water show and views from multiple angles. Good environment, safe and an excellent place to catch free shows during the summer! It can be kind of confusing if your coming from a Metro stop since a series of stairs leads you there. Easier to come up 5^th and left at Grand if you take the Pershing Square stop

I absolutely love the summertime Grand Performances that this lovely ample Plaza provide every year. It is private property so alcoholic beverages are allowed. I really enjoy packing up a picnic and watching one of their live shows. Best part is that it’s FREE! You’d only have to pay for parking which usually about $ 12. Check it out sometime with the whole family. Go to
for scheduled shows and times. You will thank me later. Enjoy!

This is a gem among the financial district of downtown Los Angeles. It is located in the same structure as the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Omni hotel, and several corporate towers. To get here, just walk/​drive uphill from Pershing Square, and there you are. Parking is mostly street parking, and be mindful of the signs and meters.
I like the plaza, as it is upscale and well maintained. During the day, you’ll see a lot of finance professionals taking a coffee of lunch break. At night, it is a bit more desolate, but heavily guarded by security. There are restrooms here open during the day, and security can open them for you at night.
The stage here hosts a wide array of events and displays. The holiday season usually has a Christmas and Hanukkah display. Summer time brings free concerts, and you get Los Angelenos from all parts of the county coming here to enjoy the show.
This is a cool little hideout to bring a significant other and just enjoy the serene atmosphere. Just no funny stuff, as security will be on your case ;-)

Such a bummer that the Angels Flight Railway is currently out of commission. Cause, if you reach the top of Bunker Hill, you’re gonna find something pretty neat called California Plaza. You’d never suspect something so serene that surrounds the base of the two unique skyscrapers, One California Plaza and Two California Plaza.
In the courtyard, there’s a man made mini waterfall, which spills into a small lake, with an elaborate dancing jet fountain nearby that shoots drops of water into the air. Plants and flowers are found circling the area as well. Trust me, the kids just eat this stuff up.
There are benches and tables to bask in the sun or just have a peaceful break in the middle of your long work day. You catch the right breeze and temperature, then you’re gonna feel pretty darn good. I miss working in DTLA, cause this was a spot that I’d frequent from time to time.
Originally, there were plans to include a third skyscraper called Three California Plaza, which would be another tower office building. That idea never panned out, but there are a few spaces that are leased, such as a Famima and a few restaurants nearby such as Blue Cow Kitchen & Bar, Grand Café, and Noe Restaurant & Bar. California Plaza also links to the LA Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and Omni Hotel.
What’s also really cool about this place is Grand Performances, which are FREE summer events that are held here. More like concerts, they’re on as first come first served basis. It does get packed at times, so it’s best to come early. I believe they allow you to bring refreshments (YES to alcohol) and snacks. It’s a real treat and you Unilocalers sure love things like this, based on all your positive reviews. (
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When I think about California Plaza, I’m sure 2Pac and Marlena Shaw would agree with me that this plaza has some real «California Love» and «California Soul.»

What a great venue for outdoor performance!!!
Holiday season… beautiful decoration in the courtyard. Feeling the holiday spirit now~
Love the holiday music. Lots of seating area. Feel free to bring a picnic basket and enjoy the show!!!

This is a business plaza between the MOCA and the Omni hotel. It caters primarily to the 9 to 5-​ers in the financial buildings on Grand Ave. Half of the storefronts are vacant (likely due to high rents) and only the best restaurants and stores last for any serious amount of time.
It looks nice enough with fountains and stone walkways, but overall is only full near the restaurants. At night, there isn’t a soul to be found.

This is the go-​to place for lunch if you work in the area, and it’s a nice collection of restaurants, necessities, and occasional entertainment. I am a regular at Mendocino Farms, frequent Johnnie’s for pizza, utilize the ultra-​chill post office, make the odd appearance at Blue Cow, and take in any Grand Performances show that I can. In the last few weeks, I have enjoyed Magnetica Soldade, Les Triplettes de Bellville, and DJ Nu Mark, in the evening and lunchtime respectively. And even if there is no scheduled entertainment, the Water Court is a lovely display whilst you nibble on a sandwich or just meditate away from the office. Big time fan.

I love my Cal Plaza. Especially in summer when the Grand Performances start. Free concerts, movies and dance performances in the open air. Perfect for cheap date night and a couple of places have started serving booze so if you didn’t picnic and bring a couple of bottles you can just belly up to one of the bars and git yer drank on.
My fav is the booth upstairs stage left. Mixed cocktails and they use Fever Tree mixers!

Came here for the summer outdoor concert series for the first time! Easy parking, eatery options, clean huge bathrooms, awesome outdoor stage, and great ambiance! Love that the concerts are free! Got here around 6pm and a handful of people were already picnicking so keep that in mind. By the time the concert starts it’s very packed. The best place to sit is the stairs or the 2^nd level areas with plenty of room to spread out. Will def come again!

Beautiful setting for concerts and dining conveniently located near a Metrolink station. I love these residential, restaurant, and entertainment complexes. So much better than strip malls. Hopefully, more of these is what the city has in mind for its rejuvenation projects.
My one complaint is that the city authorized thousands of residential units around the plaza without adding a park. While that may be fine for some adults, how are people with kids supposed to live here?

Great space right smack dab in the middle of downtown la. Spread out our food and beer in the stadium seating, and enjoyed some Ozomatli :)

I discovered California Plaza walking back from MOCA. It’s on Bunker Hill, close to Disney Hall. It’s in between Pershing Square and Civic Center subway stops.
It’s such a cute place in the middle of downtown, a real gem. If you’re in the area and need to relax, this is the place. You can grab a snack or a coffee from one of the stores in the plaza, take a sit and enjoy this nice outdoor space. Bring a book!
There’s a pond with pretty flowers and decorations (which they change based on the season, they have some nice displays for Halloween and Christmas, for example), Angel’s Flight stops right ahead onto California Plaza, you can see Angels Knoll Park near by (where «500 Days of Summer» was shot) and you can take in gorgeous views of downtown.
The place is clean, peaceful, has nice restrooms on the premises. There are decent stores and restaurants all over the plaza and this is the location for the cool events organized by Grand Performances every summer!

The California Plaza, home to downtown Los Angeles iconic California One and Two high-​rise buildings, has a lot to offer. To begin with, you have a number of shops for the local workers including Mendocino Farms, Famima, Starbucks, a shoe shine place, two salad places, Dan’s Deli, and much more. It borders MOCA, the KPMG and Wells Fargo towers, and some nice mixed-​use developments. A water court greets you next to MOCA, and seems to run at all hours.
At odd hours you may find senior citizens crawling the place, going for walks from their nearby apartments/​condos. They’re usually among a sea of suits and those rockin’ their business casual look. It’s part of this concrete jungle that is Bunker Hill and downtown LA, so you’ll be likely to love it or hate it.
At certain times of the year you’ll find interesting things here. In the summers, you’ll find the Grand Performances on the stage on the lower level. In the winter, you’ll find a beautiful Christmas tree in the same spot with decorations to marvel at. It’ll go good with some hot chocolate, because you’ll feel a cold breeze here moving through at most hours of the day. Many people love coming here to sit and talk with others, gaze out to the historic downtown, or eat lunch. I’ve seen picnics out here, along with weddings, photographers, and parties. There’s also some ducks that like to come here and check out the pond along with folks like yourself.
Parking is an issue here during business hours. You’ll find street parking pricey for those who don’t have access to the parking garages, but the metro is a great option since it stops nearby at Persing Square and 4^th.
Apparently, this is the place to be.

What a romantic place.
I came here for a Grand Performance event and can’t think of a better venue. We brought some snacks, lots of water – it was still hot at 8pm! We watched the show and in the back drop was the fountains-​perfect hand holding atmosphere!

I guess people come here to see performances but I came here to EAT and I was truly surprised by the selections.
Totally something eats wise for everyone. I came for a lunch at Starry Kitchen (if you haven’t had them already YOU MUST) but my other fav Mendocino Farms is here. There is a Famima, Panda Express, Starbucks (of course), Johnnies Pizza and others. On our quick walk around the plaza to find our lunch spot we passed many fountains and outdoor seating areas. The day we went was rainy but I can see how this would be the happening spot during normal sunny and warm California weather.
Other convenient finds are things such as a full service salon, doctors offices and several training centers.
The Omni Hotel is near by as well as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and MOMA (where you can find Lemonade as a lunch spot).
Apparently the bench Tom and Summer sat on in the movie 500 Days of Summer is here at a place known as «Angels Knoll» but I was jumping for joy when I saw Angels Flight Railway with my own eyes. I suddenly stopped jumping once Isabel F. told me it didn’t run in the rain. I later found out this was a lie. How dare she?!
We parked in the California Plaza parking Structure that is EXPENSIVE! AMEN Starry Kitchen validates (I’m assuming other eateries do as well but I’m not 100% sure) so we only had to pay $ 3.00. But before the validation ticket was in the total was $ 29.00! Outrageous! We were not there well under 2 hours.
With eats like Starry Kitchen and the excitement of Angels Flight, I will happily return to this destination plaza in the near future. Maybe I’ll catch a «performance» but whatever it is for I will be sure I visit a place that validates!