An organic electroluminescent element includes an organic electroluminescent part and a pair of partition walls. The organic electroluminescent part includes an organic material layer, a resonator, and a film-thickness adjustment layer. The film-thickness adjustment layer has a thickness that is adjusted to allow a difference between a height of a pinning position and a height of a middle position of an upper surface of the organic material layer to fall within a predetermined range. The pinning position is a position at which the upper surface of the organic material layer and each of the partition walls are in contact with each other.