When you spring for a really special dinner out, you expect the food, drinks and service to be top drawer. Unfortunately, even famous restaurants don’t always deliver the goods. Any place can have an off night — perhaps the chef is ill, or the kitchen gets overwhelmed with an unexpectedly packed house, or the place is just simply having a Murphy’s Law night. We all understand when “one of those days” happens. But poor service really gets diners riled up — particularly if it’s a recurring problem.

Our service expectations are tied directly to our investment in the meal; naturally, we don’t expect a little neighborhood place to hew to the same standards as a restaurant with $38 entrees. So for when you’re ready to spend but want to make sure you get a return on your investment, we’ve compiled a list of seven favorites that not only have excellent food but also have consistently offered us skilled, polite, informed service.

By all means, let us know your thoughts on the places below, and any favorites of yours we haven’t included.

Fig
The smart young staff is obsessed with good food and drink (so much that the top Belgian brews on tap are less expensive than the ho-hum bottled domestics for hotel guests). And chef Ray Garcia takes regular dining-room strolls in that 1990s Wolfgang-Puck-at-Chinois way. Old school, yes, but it still makes us smile every time.
Fig, Fairmont Miramar, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 310.319.3911.

Lucques
If it seems like the same servers have worked at this modern American bistro (one of L.A.’s best) since it opened, that’s because many of them have. Maybe that’s why they rarely seem stressed or rushed and are always able to handle even the most demanding starlet, without forgetting about the rest of us.
Lucques, 8474 Melrose Ave., Melrose, 323.655.6277.

Pinot Bistro
Service matters a lot to the bread-and-butter clientele — studio execs, producers and actors of a certain maturity and net worth — at this exceptionally handsome French bistro, part of the Joachim Splichal empire. And they get the service they expect, as well as the whitefish meunière and roasted chicken with frites that they order week in and week out.
Pinot Bistro, 12969 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, 818.990.0500.

Providence
The staff-to-diner ratio is high here, as it should be at these prices. Servers, assistants and bussers move silently through the elegant but unremarkable space, making sure that nothing detracts from enjoying Michael Cimarusti’s state-of-the-art seafood dishes. Now that’s it’s been in the top tier of L.A. restaurants for a few years, Providence runs as smoothly as a Swiss watch.
Providence, 5955 Melrose Ave, Hollywood, 323.460.4170.

Sona
Expensive, yes, but every time we’ve dined at Sona, the service was white-glove worthy — yet never stuffy. If you prefer a more laid-back vibe, sit at the bar for the same excellent food from perfectionist chef David Myers. But every once in a while, getting all Frank Sinatra in the dining room is fun. You might even want to consider wearing a tie.
Sona, 401 N La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, 310.659.7708.

Vincenti
Owner Maureen Vincenti is in the house most evenings, even after all these years of owning one of L.A.’s finest (and most expensive) ristorantes. Watch her in action: She’s adept at knowing when to move in for a hug and when to politely shake the hand of the affection-adverse. Later in the evening, you’ll likely find her patrolling the tables, laughing on cue to a silly customer remark and ensuring that everything is just so. Which it is.
Vincenti, 11930 San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood, 310.207.0127.

Water Grill
A lot of captains of finance, law and real estate do business at this beautiful and accomplished seafood restaurant, and it’s also the setting for many an anniversary or birthday meal, so the service had better be good. And it is — attentive but never intrusive, and no one ever gets asked, “Okay, who has the salmon?”
Water Grill, 544 S. Grand Ave., Downtown, 213.891.0900.