A New Era of Experiential Dining Led by Freddy Braidi and Boulevard Hospitality Group
Los Angeles has never lacked ambition, but in the last couple of years, very few companies have transformed its dining scene with more passion than Boulevard Hospitality Group. Led by CEO Freddy Braidi and featuring venues that stretch from the Hollywood Hills to downtown Miami, BHG is a significant force in experiential dining and hospitality across the country.
Braidi’s career began in film, and that legacy can be witnessed across all of BHG’s venues. More specifically, BHG builds restaurants that are complete worlds where architecture, cuisine, and history come together. At a time when the hospitality scene in Los Angeles is growing at a rapid pace, BHG’s grounded approach feels necessary. And nowhere are BHG’s values more visible than at Yamashiro Hollywood, the century-old Japanese restaurant in the Hollywood Hills. For decades, the site has drawn locals, tourists, and celebrities to its estate with its koi ponds, gardens, and unbeatable views. Under Braidi’s leadership, Executive Chef Jae Hee Lee has revived the menu while preserving the old soul of the historic establishment. Its continued relevance in Los Angeles reflects BHG’s belief that history can thrive when given the right treatment.
This belief traveled farther across the country in November 2025, when BHG debuted Yamashiro Miami, its first out-of-state expansion. On top of the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences, the new venue reimagines the Los Angeles location in a more tropical environment. With a 9,000-square-foot layout, Japanese garden touches, and a menu created by Chef Charbel Hayek and Executive Chef Gustavo Montes, Yamashiro Miami mixes West Coast elements with South Florida’s seafood and nightlife-driven culture. Its early success signals that BHG’s methods are already succeeding beyond California.
BHG’s expansion has taken an additional coastal turn with Ilya, the group’s newest opening in San Clemente, California. Moving away from the Japanese influences that are seen in many of BHG’s iconic venues, Ilya is instead guided by Chef Charbel Hayek’s Mediterranean fantasies. The menu features a variety of seafood dishes, wood-fired specialties, and mezze offerings. Furthermore, the restaurant’s design is uniquely airy and ocean-inspired. Already, Ilya is turning into a gathering place for celebrations, private events, and diners who want an escape without leaving the coastline. In this way, what distinguishes BHG in today’s hospitality industry is its dedication to making experiences that feel meaningful and compete on food, atmosphere, history, and visuals.
As Los Angeles upholds its reputation as one of the world’s most influential dining capitals, a new expectation is emerging, that restaurants need to offer both quality and spectacle. BHG’s success reveals that the future of hospitality in LA belongs to those who can combine cultural preservation with inventive design. This ambition is becoming a defining demand of the city’s diners. And with each new opening, from Yamashiro Miami to Ilya, Boulevard Hospitality Group shows that the most memorable dining destinations are those that treat hospitality as an art form and an emotional experience.
BHG’s steady expansion is a sign of a new era for Los Angeles hospitality. Here, architecture and culinary innovation are no longer separate concepts, but essential pieces of a bigger picture. This vision extends to the group’s wider portfolio, which includes the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre, a landmark cinematic venue now revitalized through elevated guest experiences; Kodo Hotel and Restaurant, BHG’s boutique hospitality venture known for its minimalist Japanese design and serene atmosphere; and several other developing concepts. Together, these destinations prove how Boulevard Hospitality Group is influencing not only how Angelenos dine, but how they gather and connect across the country.
To learn more about Boulevard Hospitality Group, visit https://boulevardhg.com/.
