Burbank makes more sense as a collection of neighbourhoods than as one restaurant strip. Downtown gathers shops, entertainment venues and outdoor tables along San Fernando Boulevard; the Media District mixes studios, offices and restaurants; farther up a hillside, Castaway turns the view into part of the evening. For a first date, that geography lets you choose the pace before the menu: a walkable downtown meal, dinner with a panorama or a daytime café meeting.
GRANVILLE sits in the walkable centre and serves contemporary American cooking, brunch and happy hour. It is the most balanced choice if you want to walk before or after the meal and have a broad menu. Castaway operates on a different scale: dry-aged steaks, seafood, cocktails and tables overlooking the valley make it a special-occasion outing with a higher spend. Olive & Thyme, in the Media District, shifts the plan from evening to daytime: its Riverside Drive branch serves breakfast, brunch and lunch and closes in mid-afternoon.
Downtown Burbank station connects with Metrolink, Amtrak, BurbankBus and Metro, but that does not remove the last leg to the other districts. GRANVILLE is easiest for a date without a car; Olive & Thyme and Castaway call for transport planning from your starting point, and Castaway’s hillside location makes extra arrival time sensible. Keep the branches straight: Olive & Thyme has other locations with different hours, and Castaway is outside downtown’s walking corridor.
The final choice comes down to three moods and spending levels. GRANVILLE offers dinner or a drink downtown, with weekday happy hour; Olive & Thyme makes a short daytime meeting that can be scaled to appetite; Castaway makes sunset and full table service the focus. Public reviews for each address mention staff, atmosphere and particular dishes, but no review can guarantee the same visit. Check the current menu and reserve when timing or seating matters.
Check current details and choose according to your budget, time and way of travelling.
Restaurants to compare
These restaurants match the question. Check menus, prices and recent reviews before visiting.
GRANVILLE is Burbank’s option for a first date that calls for a polished table without the formality of a special-occasion restaurant. Its branch sits on San Fernando Boulevard, in the centre that the local tourism office describes as a corridor of restaurants, shops and entertainment. The contempor
Contemporary American cooking, shareable starters, meat dishes, vegetarian options, full bar, weekend brunch, weekday happy hour, takeout and reservations.
Castaway Restaurant, Bar & Special Events
1250 E Harvard Rd, Burbank, CA 91501
Castaway sits on a hillside east of downtown and makes the view across Burbank and the valley part of the date. The restaurant describes its cooking as seasonal California dining, with a menu built around meat, seafood and shareable plates. It fits a celebration or an evening when atmosphere matters
Dry-aged steak cuts, raw seafood bar, build-your-own charcuterie, vegetable sides, weekend brunch, Golden Hour cocktails, reservations, takeout and private events.
Olive & Thyme offers a different kind of first date: a daytime table, coffee and conversation in Burbank’s Media District, an area associated with film and television studios, offices and restaurants. It is not a place for a late dinner; the Riverside Drive branch closes in mid-afternoon. That limit
Breakfast, brunch and lunch, coffee, pastries and gourmet retail goods; catering and menus built around seasonal ingredients, fresh produce and local suppliers.
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
-
Official website of GRANVILLE ↗
Primary source
GRANVILLE, sitio oficial · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of GRANVILLE ↗
Primary source
GRANVILLE, menú oficial · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of GRANVILLE ↗
Primary source
Visit Burbank, Downtown Burbank · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of GRANVILLE ↗
Primary source
City of Burbank, Guide to Burbank 2026 · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of Castaway Restaurant, Bar & Special Events ↗
Primary source
Castaway Burbank, sitio oficial · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of Castaway Restaurant, Bar & Special Events ↗
Primary source
Visit Burbank, Downtown Burbank · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of Castaway Restaurant, Bar & Special Events ↗
Primary source
City of Burbank, Guide to Burbank 2026 · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of Olive & Thyme ↗
Primary source
Olive & Thyme, ubicaciones oficiales · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of Olive & Thyme ↗
Primary source
Olive & Thyme, sitio oficial · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website of Olive & Thyme ↗
Primary source
City of Burbank Economic Development, Media District · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website ↗
Primary source
Visit Burbank, Neighborhoods · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website ↗
Primary source
City of Burbank, Guide to Burbank 2026 · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Official website ↗
Primary source
Visit Burbank, Dining in Burbank · Accessed October 21, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
-
Valoración y comentarios de Google Maps ↗
Secondary source
Google Maps, GRANVILLE Burbank · Accessed October 21, 2026
La ficha de Google Maps corresponde a 121 N San Fernando Blvd y mostraba 4.5/5 y 2,331 comentarios el 21/10/2026.
-
Valoración y reseñas de Google Maps ↗
Secondary source
Google Maps, Castaway Burbank · Accessed October 21, 2026
La ficha de Google Maps identifica la sede en 1250 E Harvard Rd y muestra 4.6/5 con 10,588 comentarios; cifra comprobada el 21/10/2026.
-
Valoración y comentarios de Google Maps ↗
Secondary source
Wanderlog, Olive & Thyme en Burbank · Accessed October 21, 2026
La ficha identifica 3821 W Riverside Drive y muestra por separado el dato de Google de 4.5/5 con 593 comentarios; consultada el 21/10/2026.