THE FINAL PIECE OF THE MASSIVE LEVEL 8 PUZZLE IS AN AL FRESCO SEAFOOD STUNNER
Level 8, the Houston Brothers’ ambitious nightlife project clustered on the eighth floor at the Moxy and AC hotels, is finally complete with the opening of Mother of Pearl where chef Joshua Gil (Mírate) serves a seafood-heavy menu. The restaurant is located on an outdoor terrace that overlooks the Los Angeles Convention Center, Crypto.com Arena, and on a clear day, the Hollywood Hills, the LA Basin, and beyond. “It’s gonna be a vibe,” says Gil. “It’s a fun little menu and eats well. We want people to come in and pregame or hang out.”
Outfitted with couches that seat up to 40, with another eight seats at the bar, Mother of Pearl serves a succinct menu that Gil says is easy to order from. Shared plates and appetizers include sand dab sliders, a half dozen oysters served with uni and saffron granita, a yellowtail dip, chilled somen noodles, and squid ink spaghetti with lobster meatballs. Gil’s raw bar selections include Maine lobster, king crab legs, Pacific oysters, Mexican white shrimp, Baja abalone, and caviar. A group platter that includes a bit of everything on the menu plus caviar is also available.
Level 8’s beverage director Melina Meza (formerly of Olivetta) created two drink menus showcasing spritzes and Champagne cocktails. Frosé (frozen rosé) is also on hand, as well as a solid selection of Italian, French, and Californian wines. Keep an eye out for the Champagne cart roving through the gazebo-like space with wrought iron gates, bougainvillea, soft lounge chairs, and an ideal sunset view.
Mother of Pearl is the final piece of Level 8’s 30,000-square-foot restaurant, bar, and lounge complex. In August 2023, a wave of concepts opened including chef Hisae Stuck’s shabu-shabu restaurant Lucky Mizu, burlesque cocktail bar Mr. Wanderlust, chef Ray Garcia’s South American meat haven Qué Bárbaro, Gil’s French-inspired teppanyaki spot Maison Kasai, and the rotating carousel bar Golden Hour. Sinners y Santos’ Gothic cathedral nightclub with Mexican lucha libre wrestling debuted in October 2023, while Garcia’s Brown Sheep Taqueria truck opened last September, and resides on the same west-facing patio as Mother of Pearl.
Mother of Pearl is located at 1254 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, and is open from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday to Saturday starting May 8.