Montecito-born Lucky's Steakhouse has its sights set on Beverly Hills, with plans to move into the Nerano restaurant space at 9960 S. Santa Monica Boulevard. Nerano's owners have announced the restaurant will close on July 25 after nearly a decade in the neighborhood, clearing out a high-profile address just a block from the Peninsula Hotel. Lucky's is reportedly eyeing a December opening as part of a broader push beyond its California roots.
According to What Now Los Angeles, Lucky's, which operates under the Montesano Group umbrella, is in line to take over the 9960 S. Santa Monica Boulevard address and is targeting a late-year debut. The Montesano Group's hospitality roster lists Lucky's alongside D'Angelo Bakery, Joe's Cafe, and Tre Lune, reinforcing the steakhouse's Montecito origins and Southern California base. Lucky's own website notes the brand started in 2000 in Montecito and now runs locations in Montecito, Malibu, and New York, underscoring the group's recent coast-to-coast expansion.
Nerano's Beverly Hills Run
Nerano opened in 2016 under the Toscana Restaurant Group and built a following with Amalfi Coast-inspired pastas and an upstairs lounge that quickly became a neighborhood staple. Eater LA covered the launch, while the Los Angeles County Museum of Art later highlighted a commissioned Sam Durant piece tied to Nerano, a sign the restaurant carried some cultural weight beyond its menu. Its closure will leave behind a prominent two-story dining room on one of Santa Monica Boulevard's most visible stretches.
Lucky's Cross-Coast Play
In recent years, Lucky's has been steadily heading east. The group opened a SoHo location in Manhattan in 2024 and followed with an East Hampton outpost in 2025, moves the company says help broaden its seasonal reach and guest base. Both Lucky's and the Montesano Group spotlight a classic steakhouse playbook: USDA Prime steaks, chops and full martini service, a straightforward formula that has carried the concept from the Central Coast to both coasts. A Beverly Hills address would drop Lucky's into an already crowded yet lucrative Los Angeles steakhouse scene where homegrown operators and national chains compete for business diners and celebrity regulars.
What to Watch
What Now Los Angeles notes it is still seeking additional confirmation, and neither Lucky's nor Nerano's ownership had signed off on final terms at the time of reporting. The tentative December opening will depend on permits and what is likely to be a significant build-out of the two-story space. Leasing notices and city filings should offer a clearer timeline in the coming weeks, and we will continue to track public records and announcements for updates.
