Where are the top 5 places to see a celebrity in L.A.?

The Grove Drive - is a great one--plus pretty decent shopping. Lots of celebs at Tart Restaurant in the Farmer's Daughter Hotel nearby as well as at Swingers restaurant beneath the Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel.  Joan's on Third Cafe in the area is also a great little place to see a celeb. 

Patys - in Burbank - because it's so close to the studios. I've seen Jon Voigt, Alfonso Ribeirio and Eric McCormack there all in one day. If you need a hotel in the area try Tangerine Hotel or the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport. Tangerine is a bit more hip but the Marriott is incredibly close to the airport if you happen to be flying into Burbank (which is a much easier airport to fly into than LAX). You also might want to try the Banana Bungalow Hollywood Hostel which is a really cool budget hotel. 

Chateau Marmont - I would not hesitate to say that if you come here there is literally no chance you will not see a celebrity here. It's actually where John Belushi died and where Lindsay Lohan lived for a while. 

Same with the The Beverly Hills Hotel and the The Beverly Hilton. Both swarm with celebrities. 

I've also seen a lot of celebs at Shutters On the Beach (the most recent one being Alyssa Milano). This is one of my favorite places on the planet--even if you don't stay there try eating at One Pico which is their restaurant. Saw Kevin Spacey eating there once. I've heard Diane Keaton goes there a lot. Also try the Hotel Casa Del Mar which is close. Some friends and I went there for drinks one night and saw almost the whole cast of "Saved By the Bell" there. 

I'm not kidding when I say that every time I have walked down Abbot Kinney I've seen a celebrity. I'm usually down there on First Fridays when they have all the food trucks lined up down the street (it happens the first Friday of every month).

Also, if you decide to head down to Abbot Kinney, there's an awesome hotel close by if you're looking for a place to stay. Hotel Erwin is probably the trendiest hotel in Venice. At least check it out for their rooftop bar and catch an amazingsunset from up top! 

You'll never believe where I saw David and Victoria Beckham recently. Apparently, they come here all the time with their kids. This was my first time hiking in Temescal Canyon Park but I'm glad I did. They were the nicest people too! Just a little tip, come here early if you want to see celebrities hiking. I've been told by multiple friends that they've seen famous people here but it was super early in the morning (around 7-7:30am). After your hike, i'm sure you'll be hungry. Check out Pure Energy Cafe right down the street from Temescal. A great place for sandwiches and fresh smoothies. They also have a great breakfast menu too! Go for the breakfast quesadilla.

You can try the dive bar called Backstage Bar & Grill in Culver City, right across from sony pictures, or just any other restaurants in downtown culver city would have pretty good chances :) 

I would probably say Malibu Country Mart - this is a shopping area in Malibu Beach off PCH that has a bunch of boutiques, stores and restaurants for locals. 

I've lived in Santa Monica for the last three years and can guarantee you'll run into a few celebs at the following westside stops: The Bungalow which is part of Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows(stars that live on the westside flock to this outside patio bar. Line is crazy on the weekends, so get there before 7 pm), SoulCycle - Santa Monica (mid-day classes are prime for celebs), Santa Monica Stairs and Sugarfish by Sushi Nozawa (you'll spot models and their beaus cuddling up in the corner at this cozy spot. Get there early because waits can run 1+ hours even on weekdays. No reservations). If you don't want to shell out money you can always walk down Third Street Promenade during the offseason and you'll be sure to run into a few celebs strolling with their families on the weekend (I've seen anyone from Larry David to Reese Witherspoon). Good luck and keep your eyes open!

Like everyone says, it's all about hanging out around the neighborhoods where celebs live. I usually spot them when I'm out doing errands, lunching, or shopping in Beverly Hills (Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Beverly Hills, and Neiman Marcus are good bets). Linger and people watch for a while by the patios of cafes / restaurants along Beverly Blvd and Canon Dr like The Farm of Beverly Hills, Il Pastaio, or Bouchon. Check out Brentwood, too around Brentwood Country Mart. I exchanged pleasantries with Reese Witherspoon many years ago about the food at Angelini Osteria - great pasta there whether or not there are celebs! 

The problem with LA is that so many celebrities live here, which means they all hang out everywhere and in unexpected spots. You could see them at the grocery store, or on a hike, or even at Starbucks -- so pin pointing certain "celeb watching" spots is tough. With that said, Nobu Malibu or Malibu in general is a pretty celeb-heavy area of Los Angeles. My best advice would be to look into the hottest new restaurants and make reservations there. The Ivy is also known for its celebrity clientele as well. I've seen celebs everywhere from Rodeo Drive to my spiritual church on holidays. It's just about being at the right place at the right time!

Whole Foods Market in West Hollywood - Michael C Hall, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Jason Schwartzman, the list goes on! Also try Real Food Daily in West Hollywood- Tobey Maguire, Sara Gilbert, Ethan Suplee and again so many more. 

The best place is to look up when The Hollywood Show is going to happen and for $10 (through Goldstar tickets) you can meet, get autographs and take photos with some of your old favorites. Eric Roberts $5 for a photo with him! While waiting in line Dick Van Dyke broke out into song - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Folks from Buffy, Lost in Space, Dynasty, Laverne and Shirley! Star like Cloris Leachman, Ed Asner, C. Thomas Howell, Valerie Harper. Happens four times a year usually at the The Westin Los Angeles Airport but it can change. Have fun! Everyone could not be nicer!

Lucques on Melrose, I just saw Meryl Streep the other night at dinner.

Rock n Roll Ralphs (grocery store) on Sunset. I always see celebrities (I saw Adrian Brody recently) in there buying groceries especially late at night because it's 24 hours.

Try N Robertson Blvd. You'll often see paparazzi staking out the starlets shopping at stores like Kitson and Chanel. 

What they said.. :-) . They are everywhere, you just might not know it because they are in baseball caps and sunglasses. I did not even have to go looking for them, they came to me at work.. Try CVS Pharmacy - Photo, a bunch of them live right there, the big pharmacy at Beverly Connection (can't remember the name). Trader Joe's and the one in Burbank too, Ralphs Pharmacy. Patys is also a good one as mentioned by Josh. Gelson's Markets and the Constellation Eb & Mgm Dr Mb

Craig's for a weekday dinner.

BOA Steakhouse at lunch or dinner.

Hinoki & the Bird at dinner.

Gjelina anytime. 

The Tower Bar : Sunset Tower Hotel bar and restaurant.

I've seen celebrities in Whole Foods Market and at Santa Monica Farmers Markets on a Sunday at Main Street and Ocean Park Blvd

At the top of Mulholland Drive and Beverly Glen Blvd is a hidden away strip mall where celebs who live in that are go for Starbucks. Of course it ain't guaranteed you'd see someone. This is the closest Starbucks to me, so during my caffeine days the list is endless.

The Four Seasons Cafe  The Ivy Ivy At the ShoreTerrace Restaurant 

Beverly Center. Last sighting, Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin in two different occasions.

Hi Michelle!

Ok, here's the deal on the best celeb-sighting spots:

BOA Steakhouse - just watch TMZ and you'll see who's coming in and out of this place on a regular basis - it's pretty ridiculous. And when you go, order the Ceasar salad, the salad guy is the best!Crossroads Vegan - this restaurant is an Oprah and Ellen fave, so yea.

SoulCycle - West Hollywood - I've personally sweated next to Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, Sam Rockwell and America Ferrera. Plus Soul Cycle is awesome, so it's the best of every world.

Runyon Canyon Park - another great place for combining a workout, some sight seeing and mainly, awesome celeb spotting. Justin Beiber and Kendall Jenner were just spotted here together - this is where a lot of gossip starts!Last but not least, the Arclight Hollywood is not only where a lot of the big movie premiers are, it's where celebs go to see movies! Try to go on a weekday and to a movie that wasn't just released, those theaters get too crowded for celebs (unless they're sneaking in to see how people like their movie - that happens too!). I've sat in front of Steve Tyler (I was dying!) and behind Don Cheadle, and those were just the last two times I went there!Happy celeb-sighting!

I'd say  Madeo Restaurant on a Friday/Saturday night is gauranteed celeb sighting (my last sighting there was Al Pacino).  Il Ristorante di Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica is good too (seen Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves), except it's really small and pricey and there is no place to hang out and lurk. If you go to Giorgio, you'll need to sit down for a $50/per person meal. Another cheaper option is going to the bar at  Mastro's Steakhouse in Beverly Hills. (seen Leo and Jessica Simpson) You can nurse a drink at the bar upstairs and keep your head on swivel. Good likelihood of a sighting.  BOA Steakhouse (saw Jessica Simpson there too... she either likes steak or she's stalking me... okay... we know that answer) would be similar to Mastro's odds, the scene is a much more happening in Boa over Mastro's, which has a chill lounge piano singer. The Soho House (private club) is upstairs in the same building as BOA, so high celeb ratio, but the entrance is underneath the building and private. You might be able to valet your car down there to go to BOA.  

I agree with the other answers that  The Grove is good for day time hanging out and good chance of b/c celebs walking around. And the Malibu Country Mart is a cool place to see anyway and frequented by celebs. 

Breakfast or lunch at  Kings Road Cafe or  Urth Caffe is a good bet.

Your best bet on spotting celebs in LA "in the wild," so to speak, is to hang out in Los Feliz, Silver Lake, and Franklin Village. I'm a native Angeleno and I spot celebs all the time, so much so I wish it were my job. The places that I regularly see people in Silver Lake are on Sunset Blvd. Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea, The Thirsty Crow, Forage, and Cliff's Edge. In Los Feliz, the most important streets are Vermont and Hillhurst and I tend to spot celebs either casually walking or shopping along those streets or at Figaro,Fred 62, Gelson's Markets, Lassens Natural Foods & Vitamins, Caffe Vita, Drawing Room, and Little Dom's. Franklin Village is so tiny that from Bourgeois Pig to The Oaks Gourmet on the opposite corner, you're bound to spot someone. Outside of LA's Eastside, you'll also see people in and around Brentwood, Abbot Kinney Blvd, Urth Caffe, The Grove, and there are always Disney stars around the The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Toluca Lake. But the key to spotting celebs in LA outside of formal premiere parties and such is to always be aware of who's around you (even when you're in a car), know what a lot of celebs look like, and subtly scan the places you're in while also looking like you belong there. And when you do spot a celeb, unless they're on their way out of a place or their aren't a lot of other people around, don't interrupt and ask for a picture or an autograph. If it's one of your faves and you'll regret not trying, try to find a low key way to approach them without drawing any more attention. 

I live off of Abbot Kinney in Venice and I see celebrities here all the time! It's rare to eat at Gjelina without seeing someone famous. Another spot in Venice Beach is off Rose Ave. Cafe Gratitude is a hot spot..just saw Pink their the other day. And yes, this is actually my dog with Andy Dick outside of Kreation Kafe & Juicery. She is not amused. :)

In Santa Monica, The Bungalow is a hot spot for celebrities and is part of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. It's the perfect location right across from the ocean. I'm pretty sure Owen Wilson lives there as I've seen him almost every time I've been!

Close by, Blue Plate Oysterette is a great place to spot celebs at dinner. Last time I was there, Julianne Moore was having dinner with her family.

Other spots: In West Hollywood, grab lunch at Joan's on Third Cafe and it's HIGHLY likely you'll see someone at Gracias Madre. I've been there twice and the first time I saw Steve Martin, and second Hilary Swank. Not to mention, the Kardashians were across the street at Craig's.

In Los Feliz, sit outside or get dinner at Little Dom's for some amazing Italian and it's likely you'll see someone as well!

We've seen tons of celebrities both in NY and in LA, and it's never when you expect it.

That said, every time we go to Gjelina we see somebody new. Pierce Brosnan one time and the Edge from U2 the second time.

Win win because if you spot nobody, the food is amazing, as is the whole neighborhood!

During my us tours I explored some of most fascinating attractive spots of LA. Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles City Hall and Getty Villa, are my favourite spots.

There isn't really a "best" place to see celebs. They are all over LA, you just have to be in the right place at the right time. I've seen some in Hollywood restaurants, walking down the street, Beverly Hills in restaurants.

Dont and l mean DONT approach any Celebs. They are likely to go bat sh.t crazy on you as l have seen them. All that fame on our dimes. Make sure the phone sounds and flashes are off to take any phone pics.

Dont and l mean DONT approach any Celebs. They are likely to go bat sh.t crazy on you as l have seen them. All that fame on our dimes. Make sure the phone sounds and flashes are off to take any phone pics.

Nate'n Al Delicatessen deli in Beverly Hills.

I second Runyon Canyon Park. It's where all the locals, including celebs, go to get some exercise.

I'd start with the Betty Ford Center and Malibu Beach Recovery Center hahahahaha

I'd recommend Rodeo Drive...you're likely to see a celeb or two window shopping or lunching at one of the cafes.  Hollywood Farmers' Market, Brentwood Plaza, Spago Beverly Hills, Nobu Malibu and Trois Mec are other possibilities.