Best Restaurants 2018: Señor Bear

Executive chef-owner Blake Edmunds creates refined renditions of Latin American–inspired country cuisine at Señor Bear—each plate of mussels or pig tail or heirloom beans pops with color, acid, and heat—and he nails it, every single time. The bar menu transports you somewhere tropical with rum-, tequila-, and pisco-based drinks starring fresh juices and Tiki-esque garnishes. The room is cozy and casual, and the service is attentive. But Señor Bear is truly special thanks to the magic that the Culinary Creative Group—of soon-to-open Morin and Bar Dough—imbues into its restaurants. As a guest, you’ll recognize it in the dynamic vibe you feel when you arrive, and in the reliably high-level execution that follows. In other words, Señor Bear just works—really, really well. $$, 3301 Tejon St., 720-572-5997