The pair went to a romantic restaurant then out to meet Barton's friends.
UPDATE: A rep for the Dancing With the Stars pro tells ET, "Mischa and Artem are not dating. The experience of Dancing with the Stars has a tendency to really bond partners and pros. They have remained friends since the show."
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Mischa Barton might not have gotten very far on this season of Dancing With the Stars, but The O.C. alum got more out of the show than expected.
A source confirms to ET that Barton and her DWTS partner, Artem Chigvintsev, have started dating. The pair were spotted out at The Little Door, a quaint French restaurant in Los Angeles, on Wednesday night.
WATCH: Mischa Barton Eliminated From ‘DWTS’ After Earning Her Highest Score Yet
“They've been in touch after the show and care about each other but this is the first proper date,” a source told ET, adding that the pair are “transitioning into more than friends.” “He is the reason she's looking happier recently. She has become giddy when talking about him and quite smitten with him.”
The source added, “He's pursued her for a while, and she's coming around,” calling their outing “an official date.”
After the two shared a meal, they went to Chateau Marmont where the actress introduced the dancer to some of her pals.
MORE: Olivia Wilde Calls Mischa Barton Her Best On-Screen Kiss
Barton, 30, hasn’t referenced the romance on her social media accounts yet, but on Wednesday she posted several solo shots of herself to Instagram, writing, “Sending you all love, light and laughter on this Wednesday night” and “Good Night,” with a heart emoji.
Barton was the second contestant to be eliminated from DWTS in early April.
"It was definitely, maybe more than I had bargained for in a lot of ways," Barton told ET at the time. "But I'm so happy I tried something that's that foreign to me, and you know, had this experience with these guys."
Chigvintsev added, "I think that's why it's tough to go home because I feel like we've been through so much in these past five weeks, [more] than people get in years."
Week after her DWTS exit, Barton also admitted to ET that she and Chigvintsev keep in touch, saying, "Yeah, we talk."