Don't do the tasting menu. Not worth the money. Food tastes good but is not worth $200+ out the door. They be milkin you for your hard earned dollars. Typical fancy restaurant...very small servings for high price. Peach dessert was good though. I did like the cocktails. The coup de tat is delicious. worth it during their happy hour for $11, otherwise regular price is $18. Unfortunate happenings...we had like 5 heaters around us, and only 1 had propane to run. The rest couldn't turn on. That's unacceptable for a fancy restaurant. Everything should be flawless. A weird thing was that we were served bread...at the end, not the beginning. Oh and there was like 20-30 minutes in between each plate. We're spent 3-4 hours at the restaurant, much of which was having to take our time with each dish just to let time pass. I wish the servings were larger! What really ticked me off was the waitress in the end that looked like dua lipa. She put zero effort into helping us split the bill into separate credit cards, like a spoiled brat who knew she was gonna make hella tips just because she works at a fancy restaurant. This is what you get for going to a fancy restaurant. No pride in the small details in providing excellent service....they just want the fat paycheck that they know they're gonna get due to crazy tipping culture. Our group bill for 9 people was over 2k. Imagine paying hundreds in tips only because of tip culture. Anyway, Michelin star restaurants aren't worth the hype. Way too expensive. read more

Later evening. No food. Great bar area. Way understated. Should have come here before. Nice short wine list by the glass Had a glass of crozes hermitage. Delicious read more

First the facts: This Michelin star restaurant is in Santa Monica near Westwood. There is valet up front, and once you valet you walk a couple feet up toward the main street and you'll see a red door to enter the restaurant. You can order separate plates or you can do the tasting menu. If you want to do the tasting menu everyone in your group will have to agree on doing the tasting menu. You can get wine pairing if you'd like as well. We did the tasting menu and every dish was gorgeous and delicious. The steak was a bit chewy but other than that, it was perfect. The plating of each item was so beautiful. And the portions may seem small, they're not, it only seems that way because they're served separate. It's actually very filling. You just have to think about just how much food everything would be if they were all served on one big plate.. it's a lot of food. It's good for group seating or a romantic dinner for two. So, even with a slightly chewy steak, I have nothing but nice things to say about Citrin. This was a special birthday for me, I had brain surgery about a month ago and wasn't sure I'd be celebrating another birthday. My sister brought me here and had mentioned this to Citrin ahead of time, and they really went out of their way to give me the most special birthday dinner. They had a booth for us with the sweetest flower arrangement and the most thoughtful birthday card signed by everyone. They made me feel so special it made my eyes tear up. They are a Michelin star restaurant for a reason, and a huge part of that I say is their staff. read more

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incredible experience. truly, some of the most innovative and remarkable food in all of Los Angeles if not California. Incredible chef, incredible restaurant, incredible staff. read more

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Citrin provided us the most excellent and wonderful tasting and dining experience- I have eaten a lot of wonderful food, in lovely places around the world. But I realize that last night was my first time to relish a series of amazing palate sensations and delights in one sitting. We were overwhelmed with each additional savory work of art which was brought to our table (and I confess we couldn't help sneaking photos as they were so gorgeous on the plate). From the moment we walked in to the restaurant, your staff was warm, engaging and treated us like important VIPs. Alex and Fabian particularly made sure everything was successfully timed and perfect . The entire experience is magical- the attentive, nurturing staff who are so personable, the beautiful setting with clean lines and beautiful environs, And then the delicious tasting adventure. It was a perfect evening And we THANK you for bringing this to Los Angeles. read more

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I was specifically looking for an amazing restaurant with a Michelin rating for an excellent surprise birthday dinner. The team here was incredibly detailed and provided truly the most outstanding service I have seen in a far long time. LA do not have any Michelin 3-Star restaurants but this has to be the closest thing. Dinner was impeccable and very vegetarian/pescatarian friendly. The soup was delicious as was the seafood and to top it all off they added some amazing black truffle to some of our dishes! Will definitely go back! read more

Excellent drinks and ok food and ultra small portion sizes. We also had a rude server which as the leader of a dining experience can really spoil it especially since her attitude felt like it had a discriminatory slant. As a Black person I would think restaurants service wise would be particularly astute to weeding out this behavior and double down on excellent customer service and training across the board. Nevertheless here I am up at 2 in the morning still wondering why our server came off so curt and patronizing, if every table was being treated like us, or if I was being paranoid taking her sour presentation personally when she might have been just having a bad night. As we ordered the server re-pronounced with extra articulation as if she had no idea what we could be referring to until the words came out of her own mouth properly I suppose. Then after we ordered and I said "that's all for now" she swiftly and snugly let us know "we were a little light" and if we wanted more she wouldn't be able to accommodate us because it was a Saturday night. She went on unprompted to say she could "throw in some bread and give us a desert menu." She was going on so long in order to move things forward I had to stop her and just say we're not interested in ordering any more and if we're still hungry we will just eat elsewhere. Now this place is not inexpensive and as someone who used to work in the industry I know what she said could make sense and just be policy--- but how she said it---her tone, mannerism, unhidden frustration on my pushback and inability to deliver a legitimate policy with care and thoughtfulness to guests, that was very off putting for a restaurant of this caliber. It felt a little too greasy spoon diner at 3 am and less "Michelin star" it made what could have been otherwise fine dining feel cheap. At a fine dining experience each customer is acutely aware of the level of respect being given because they are paying for it.... and when it doesn't happen it's easy for a person to wonder what is it about me that is prompting this negative unwelcoming attitude or am I being too sensitive, is this rude or rushed is it just me? Either way it's not an optimal experience. Putting a firm judgement on this poor service is nothing something I don't take lightly so I just say as a Black person visiting Citrin it's something to watch out for as well as feedback to management. Otherwise mediocre service clouded their freshly made beautiful served pastas and extraordinary chocolate soufflé. read more

Truly the worst dining experience I've had in some time. Due to some kitchen mishap, which was never explained to us, our second course took nearly an hour to arrive after our salad. Although not nearly as long as the delay between the first and second course, our final course was also very late. Our waiter essentially abandoned us and ceased to come by our table at all. In addition to the profoundly disappointing service, the food was not particularly good. Our pasta was fine, but in the context of LA, where there are so many exceptional restaurants churning out amazing pasta, it was pretty lacking. The main dishes also left a lot to be desired. For the price, I cannot imagine ever coming back. read more

I have always wanted to try a Michelin type of Resturant and we came across this one. It DID NOT disappoint, we made reservations and thankfully we did. We got in there and it was a bit crowded then an hour later it was booming with tons of people. We got a drink and then split the lobster bolognese and also the veal prime rib and the ribeye. Then for dessert got the chocolate soufflé. Our wait staff was amazing and we never had to ask for a refill, new plates forks or anything. I felt very taken care of an can't wait to come back and try it again. read more

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When the Mr and I got word that chef Josiah Citrin was opening a sister restaurant to Melisse we were very excited! Citrin did not disappoint! The atmosphere is livelier, less subdue than Melisse, and more casual. The food was amazing, a true gastronomy experience! We're going to check out Melisse in the next few weeks to see their new renovation (it's literally next door to Citrin) Cheers! read more

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I'm not mad, but I am quite disappointed. This is a chic, 1-Michelin star restaurant with great potential, but sad execution. Basic everyday bread. "I've had this before and had it better crudo." Absolute copy of a much better version of Egg Caviar, being completely overwhelmed by the Créme Fraiche. Burned and dry Hamachi Collar. Utterly disappointing lobster bolognese, lacking lobster, flavor, and proper pasta cooking techniques, topped with foam from around 30 years ago. Painfully overcooked asparagus that fell apart under the mere weight of a fork. (Thank you Citrin for comping this dish.) Under-seasoned tough beef. The best part of the meal were the morels along with a fairly well shaken martini and a decent dessert. It's unfortunate that a Michelin star doesn't mean what it used to in experience, yet still allows for the same price hike. One note, we did go during Dine LA week, although not ordering from the Dine LA menu. It certainly shouldn't make a difference in taste, but maybe? read more

Really disappointing birthday dinner. We loved Melisse and had high hopes for Citrin but it fell flat across the board -- cold, inattentive service and mediocre food. We decided to curate our own tasting rather than choosing the 4-course prix fix. We shared the tomato soup, salade Melisse, lobster bolognese, spot prawn, and 16oz prime beef ribeye. The tomato soup was tasty, but nothing special or interesting... on par with a good generic tomato soup but at a much higher price point. The salade Melisse was similarly uninspired but inoffensive (other than the price): a basic mixed green salad with herbs and some shaved radish, carrot and a few other veggies in a basic vinaigrette with two paper thin slices of Parmesan. The spot prawns were very good -- not special or memorable, but solid. The lobster bolognese was a massive disappointment! The tomato sauce tasted overly sweet and reminiscent of cheap grocery store sauce and the lobster was just fine... bland, boring and grossly overpriced. The ribeye arrived rare rather than medium rare with large fatty chunks. The accompaniments were good but forgettable. Overall the food was... fine. The service was bad. Our server barely checked on us. There was a very long gap between our second and third course and she was nowhere to be found. Finally she swept past our table and muttered "your ribeye is being plated and will be out shortly" as she was walking past -- no apology or recognition of the obvious delay. The support staff started out strong but as we neared our third course petered out. For example, our water glasses remained empty for twenty minutes. A while after we finished the ribeye, our server drive-by dropped the dessert menu on the table as she walked to another table without stopping. One highlight: the cocktail and mocktail we ordered were very good. All in all, however, an expensive but forgettable dinner. read more

The Service was 5 stars from walking in to walking out. The food was 2.5. Everyone at our table expressed the same sentiments. read more

Came here for the DineLA special. I am generally not fond of the DineLA offerings because it often does offer items on the regular menu, which kinda defeats the purpose. However, my son really wanted to check this place out so I obliged. Citrin is a reincarnation of the former Melisse with a more casual menu to attract the younger and diners who don't prefer the upscale atmosphere. Melisse is now a counter within Citrin with its own separate room. While the quality of the food was generally quite good, the portions were quite small. We had the 4 course meal plus an added Grand Marnier soufflé; but, we walked out feeling hungry. We did notice that the items on the regular menu were quite interesting and portions overall looked much more generous. We will probably return to try them. On a side note, I think Josiah Citrix's intend was to create a more casual dining experience. While the menu appropriately reflected that effort, the wait staff seemed not to have gotten the message. Don't get me wrong; the service was impeccable but the starched stiffness of the upscale Melisse remains and that may intimidate some diners seeking a more relaxed experience. read more

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Fine. You want fine dining. Yes, you'll be fined for going here, but you'll be hard pressed to find a finer spot to satisfy your upscale heart's lusting for the finer things. A charming leggy hostess is as eager to greet you as an online mail order Russian Bride. The room is inviting and conducive to an elegant evening. The room hasn't been this quiet since Chef Centano and Chef Citrin divorced. Music fills in the background although I admit to an anaphylactic response to Sir Elton's Benny and the Jets having once lived next to the Amphitheater and endured 6 nights running of the 45 minute version. This is one of the last bastions of adult dining in LA. Citrin is subdued, sedated and hip. Muted tones, uniformed staff, soft lighting and tables far enough apart to encourage conversation or at least concentrating on the deep pools of smoldering enthusiasm gleaming in the eyes of your online Russian mail order bride. The Staff: As professional as you as you will find in LA. Francisco knew how to work a table plus he'd eaten everything on the menu which gave cred to his suggestions as opposed to just taking notes at the Service Prep Meeting. He was smart enough to offer if asked and and not to if it wasn't necessary. Francisco certainly added to the experience. The Bar: The physical bar is long and and lush. (Good if you're a lush...it's really comfortable). The signature cocktails are specifically paired to the savory menu. The two I tried were unique in a town awash with chemists wielding duel shakers and racks of Bitters and Misters. The NIghtflight had Hibiscus Infused Black Rum, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Peppercoon Syrup, Egg Whites, and Peychaud Bitters. This pantry clean out was surprisingly delicious and worth a second round. The It Ain't Easy had Scotch, Creme de Cassis, Cynar (Artichoke Liqueur) Lemon, and Peychaud Bitters. If you like a slightly bitter aftertaste, try an online Russian Mail order bride two years downstream or just drink this. The Vibe: Old money, old money with a young honey, or those who don't want to woof the mortgage on the tasting menu at Melisse, next door but still want some an elegant night out on the town. The Food: Easily one of the best kitchen's in the City. You can't make a menu mistake here. But, be advised the offerings are small. So, if you're Shaq or Paul Bunyan order accordingly or plan to hit Burrito King on your way home. The menu is laden with Caviar kits and Winter Truffle bits. The Salade Melisse was a lovely combination of shaved Vegetables du jour, crunchy, crisp fresh little babies laid out in a bowl with Imported shaved Parm generously layered on and a Truffle-lized Vinaigrette drizzled over it all. This was stellar. The house made Tagliatelle/Truffle Pasta arrived just ahead of the Truffle Vato who opened his musty Humidor to reveal a whole gnarled knob of the thing that time forgot (and a pig found)...a truffle. Curls of the good stuff will float down like a snowdrift from his grater and cover your pasta. Go ahead, be a baller. You'll be happy. The Chestnut Agnolotti with Dates, Orange, Cognac and Sage had a predictable sweet tinge and was all Christmasy. It just needed something Egg Noggy from the Bar and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singin' White Christmas to re-capture the season. (Maybe just some carolers as the full choir will find parking a challenge). This dish was delicious, and Chestnut season comes and goes like a Tinder hook-up. The Rapini with Turnip, Chantrelle, Yuzu, and Toasted Barley is either a lovely Vegetable or the Chapter in Stormy Daniels Kiss and Yell describing the 45th in the altogether. The Lamb Sugo over Bucatini Pasta just because I needed more noodles. It came with toasted Breadcrumbs and Pecorino sprinkled liberally at the last moment. This too was a home run. The Dover Sole Green Tomato Butter and Juice and Black Olive was a whole filleted fish...the size of a child's hair brush for $75. Either order two of these or call in an order for the Chorizo/Egg Burrito after you leave the valet station. Yes, it was wonderful but not a dish to be shared, even with the just arrived hot online Russian mail order bride. The Chocolate Souffle with a Dulce De Leche Injection, Cocoa Nibs and Vanilla Ice Cream was light and airy and was a lovely closer. The French Press Coffee came at the correct 265 degrees and capped off a perfect evening disposing of disposable income. I told Chef Ono, "Oh yes, it was magic". PS: The one Yelper who unfairly 3 starred this place should be ignored. Give her the Caviar to go. read more

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Food: 3.5 stars Drinks: 5 stars Ambience: 5 stars Value: 2 stars Service: 2.5 stars Came to Citrin over the weekend for their Valentine's Day menu. I wanted to check them out (in person) for some time, so I was happy to book the special menu with outdoor seating in the back patio. Overall, I enjoyed my time and will return - but probably mostly for happy hour. I am no stranger to coursed menus and high end dining. However, the combination of lacking service and high price did not impress me overly much. I would say this was more of a 3.5 experience but I am rounding down due to the bizarre pricing discrepancy. We arrived 15 minutes early for our 5:45 reservation - meaning right at opening. Several people were sitting at the bar waiting inside - I assumed they were there for Happy Hour (I was wrong). I walked in and out a few times trying to figure out where to check in and asked the bartender - it turned out everyone at the bar was also waiting to check in for their reservations. We decided to let the frenzy die down a bit and grabbed a drink at the bar. We also got a chance to see the Happy Hour menu, which looked fantastic. The bartender was great and our drinks were out fast. We'll definitely be back for HH. At 5:40 with no line, I went to the host stand to check in. We were taken to our table outside on the back patio, which was fabulous. Tables are spaced well and the decor is nice. We felt very excited about our meal! However, we were immediately put off by the price differential after we looked at our menus. When I booked on Resy, the price for the menu was listed at $185 pp, still what is listed on their website as well. However, the menu listed the price at $195. $10 isn't much, but it's bizarre to list one price and charge another, even at this price point. We sat and waited for a while hoping to order a drink as we had to decided to skip the wine pairing. Again, at this price point, we were surprised by how hard it was to get ahold of our server. When we finally ordered our drinks, we then had to wait for them to arrive - I think they made it out during the second course. We spent a lot of time waiting for drinks throughout dinner. Possibly they were especially busy due to the nice weather and the fact that it was Valentine's Day weekend, but who knows. As for the food - we generally enjoyed it (particularly the truffle risotto). The protein mains were also delicious, but frankly the sizes were the smallest I've ever seen - including at other Michelin-starred restaurants. The flavor was fabulous, but the rib-eye and steak portions were likely around 3 ounces. Do not come here super hungry anticipating a tasting menu with volume. You will go home hungry. We were also surprised that when we asked questions about some of the food the server was unable to answer. We had several different staff that dropped off our food at different points, which may have been part of the problem. Overall, if you're looking for an outdoor tasting menu in West LA with good ambience, this is a good choice. However, the value is very lacking and the service could be substantially improved. I came expecting service to match the price point, but unfortunately it did not. Keep in mind that you are also strictly limited to your 2 hours at your table. That was no issue for us, but they do stress it when you check in. read more

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The food was absolutely amazing! My party and I opted for the tasting menu. I am pescatarian and they easily accommodated for my dietary restriction and allowed me to choose the broccoli agnolotti as my third course. I chose the scallops, rockfish, broccoli agnolotti, and then chose the uncharged dessert of chocolate souffle which was absolutely amazing. I always love how attentive and thorough the waiters are and how top quality the whole experience is. To drink I opted for the Ready for Love tequila cocktail which was the perfect choice. It was refreshing and delicious. This was most definitely the best dinner I have had in a long while. Thank you Citrin! read more

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Arrived 10 minutes early for our reservation and was seated right away! Everyone from the host/hostess, waiters, runner, manager and Josiah Citrin were all so accommodating & friendly that my friends and I really had a excellent time (dined for 4 hours with lots of questions) here! MUST ORDERS: Truffle pasta Truffle egg Dirty chicken (the mash potato that came with it was heavenly buttery!) White asparagus with morel mushroom sauce (the sauce was TDF) Chocolate soufflé Fruits de mer SKIP: Cappuccino/latte/espresso drinks (tasted like from an automatic espresso machine with need for cleaning) Caviar egg (I know this is one of the signature app, but wasn't impressed by it) Overall a superb dining experience and I look forward in dining here & Melisse in the near future! read more

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Parking: street parking or valet (I think) Came here on a Friday night with reservations. We ordered family style and a variety of foods so we could try everything. If I had to do it again, definitely get the Lobster Bolognese and Pork Shoulder chops, yum they were the stars of the show, I can probably eat them all by myself. Service was great, they have a huge wine selection and an expensive corkage fee ($50?), we just got a bottle of wine from them to share. Orders the soufflé and thee strawberry yogurt with pepper, both desserts were amazing! I like this place, it's very nice and fancy. Interior decor is amazing. read more

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We had dine at Melisse twice before Covid and we want to try citrin which shares the same chef. It was quite happening on Tuesday night and a lot of young crowd. We tried the tasting menu. I got spring curd which was to die for. Love the soft curd with a lot of seafood, reminds me of Japanese soft egg dish, my BF had hamachi crudo which was lovely. I had lobster bongenese which was my favorite. My BF had mushroom risotto. My main was rib eye and BF had lamb. my rib eye was bit cold but good taste. Berry dessert was just my taste. Overall good recommendation for a date night. read more

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Melisse was all booked up, so they suggested Citrin, the "sister" restaurant. Photos on Yelp looked good, but the experience was completely underwhelming. Nothing looked as good as the photos and for Michelin star prices, we got food that was not near the quality. read more

Great outdoor dining. It was for my wife and son birthday. We had the tasting menu. I think it is over price. Lobster Bolognese plate. I did not taste any lobster. Maybe it cut it too small. I feel rush and the plates were not hot enough. Service is fine. Not enough creativity. read more

Citrin - Lobster Bolognese - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Meal and drinks were exceptional. Service was perfect. And the restaurant setting was spot on!

My wife and I did New Year's Eve dinner here this year. It's a Michelin one-star and matches other one-stars I've been at in terms of everything from food to service. We did the second (9.30 pm) seating and their slightly more expensive 5-course fixed menu. Probably not affordable for lots of folks, but by the time we finished we both walked away feeling like we definitely got our money's worth. About the food - literally delicious. Our only regret was seeing the chef at the end of the night as we were leaving and not taking a second to thank him personally. About the staff - responsive and professional. They were all over the restaurant but you didn't know they were there until you - or they - knew you needed them to be at your table. More restaurants should execute this way. While I don't have any complaints about our trip there, I've read others who've talked about the table layout in the main dining room and yeah, sure, we sat at those tables (yes, it was empty when we were there) and you're going to be dining pretty closely to others if that's where you get seated, which feels less intimate for the price point but really, complaints about this feel pretty silly. We drank their cab sauv most of the night and I wish we'd grabbed the name of the bottle on the way out so we can get some for home. Great way to ring in the New Year. Thank you. read more

Great service from the people from the bar for happy hour between 530-7pm will definitely comeback. read more

Citrin - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Amazing wait service, attentive without being pushy. I went in with low expectations but I enjoyed every dish (egg caviar, basil brioche, lobster Bolognese, lamb, American wagyu, and deconstructed shortcake dessert). We went when it was Dine in LA which lets you taste almost everything on their menu for fraction of the price. read more

This is the only Michelin Starred restaurant I know of that offers a version of happy hour, which they call "Glass off"! Great way to try lots of dishes without doing a full tasting menu. The food was delicious and innovative, and the bar was very lively. I highly recommend. read more

Came for dine LA and had a wonderful delicious meal with my wife. Service was fantastic. Being a michelin-starred, upscale restaurant, I'd recommend not coming here expecting large serving sizes. Savor the flavors and each bite. All the food was good, but the seed-encrusted duck and pannacotta stood out to me. I'd be happy to come back on another special occasion or when I have that f you money. read more

We had been to Citrin a year or so ago and I had given them four stars. We went again with another couple last night (Saturday) and I've raised the rating to give stars because the food and service was exceptional. The renovations seem to have been completed and what a beautiful, modern change. The food was absolutely delicious and our server, Jennifer, was amazing. If you go, you can't miss out on the red radicchio salad. The procuitto and flavors are a pleasant surprise in your mouth. I could eat that all day. The portions were appropriate and not annoyingly small like they can be at some other fine dining restaurants. My significant other and I split the radicchio salad, the cavatelli pasta with guinea hen ragout, and the black bass, which was enough for us. You can't miss the bread, so make sure to order it from the start. The two butters they bring with it as amazing and the dark bread has so much flavor. To drink I had Just What I Needed, which had Vodka, Passionfruit, Creme de Peche, Yuzu. It was so good. Bottom line is we are coming here again. I now also can't wait to try out the new experience at Mélisse. read more

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A nice new revamp from the old Melisse. The restaurant was updated to a modern decor. The size is about the same from the past. Lovely and romantic. Food wise - as usual, Chef Citrin is superb. French fine dining all the way through. I felt like there were a few dishes that was kept from Melisse, like the fish with crispy skin. They have a good cocktail menu and I recommend at least trying different ones. Service - our waiter was super nice and well knowledgeable with the food. It was great. Corkage fee is $50. They do have a nice and extensive wine list for the wine enthusiasts. I would go back again. It's good for special occasion dining. It is very costly. read more

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We, in Los Angeles, are very VERY lucky to have such an incredible Chef (Josiah Citrin) doing all sorts of stuff for us -- from the very high end Melisse and Citrin, to Charcoal and Augies -- very affordable but still incdredible food with the same standards as Melisse and Citrin. For me, it is always a treat to go to one of Chef Citrin's places. read more

My husband and I dined here for DineLA special and it was absolutely amazing. The whole experience felt unreal. Each plate of food with its own vibrant flavors. The service was fantastic as they kept our waters full and explained every dish to us. We had such a great time and would love to come back here for special occasions or another dineLA date. read more

A fan of eating at Melisse, so definitely had to try out their sister restaurant Citrin! We ate at their outdoor patio with string lights so it was a very cozy and warm ambiance. Definitely enjoyed the tasting menu selection and the wine pairing. From the Tasting Menu, I selected: 1) EGG CAVIAR - definitely worth the extra $$$ supplement 2) LOBSTER BOLOGNESE - YUMMY!! can I please get another one of this to-go?!? 3) DUO OF BEEF - delicious and a perfect medium rare 4) STRAWBERRIES, ROSE GERANIUM, VANILLA A LA CARTE to share among our group: KAGOSHIMA A5 WAGYU SIRLOIN - still drooling right now. We couldn't finish this so we took half of it to-go and it tasted even better the next day! Overall a wonderful experience and would come back just to try their a la carte menu! read more

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It's super rare when 1 Michelin-star restaurant offers happy hour, but that's what we went for. We live around the corner and wanted to try Citrin for a while now. I think many will agree, that the Michelin-star restaurant experience probably will require some sort of celebration or just well planned night out, so we went completely random for what they call "Citrin glass off". Offered at the bar only, it's definitely unusual to see the tasting menu (priced at $145 for 12 courses) alongside a la carte happy hour burger ($15), duck ragout ($16), and lobster bolognese ($15). As you may guess, based on a Michelin star, happy hour dishes (except burgers) are also pretty small but full of flavor. In my opinion, they have one of the best HH cocktail selections in the area, especially for the type of establishment Citrin is. Priced at only $11, cocktails like "Midnight margarita" (charcoal tequila, Cointreau, lime), "Never gonna give you up" (pineapple-infused gin, Dubonnet, and agave), or "Tumbling dice "(mezcal, grapefruit shrub, and Campari) will make you want more than just one. Service was on point, as expected from a restaurant of that caliber. Planning to come back for the tasting menu soon. Thank you, team. read more

Famous for a reason. Incredibly beautiful food and delicious decor! Glass hour / happy hour is a wonderful way to meet an old friend or have a drink before a show at BroadStage. Queen Bitch drink! The staff is extremely knowledgeable and of course refined, yet at once relatable. read more

Very disappointing; I won't return, and I can't recommend Citrin. I should've paid attention to all of the criticisms in previous reviews -- poor service, underwhelming food, etc. -- but at high-end restaurants I tend to mark those down as being nitpicky. Not in this case. I too tend to expect more from high-end / Michelin-starred restaurants, but thinking it over, even without any mention in the Michelin guide I'd still give Citrin just two stars. Ambiance: Fine. I appreciate the décor and casual '70s soundtrack. However, I did notice lots of diners using their smartphone flashlights. It's pretty dim -- maybe some spot lighting is in order? Service: Bad. Just... bad. From multiple courses delivered at once -- even before our cocktails had made it to the table -- to a server straight from the "but-I'm-really-an-actor" school, to the truly weird ("We're out of the entrée you ordered, but here's a different dish. How about this one?" This places pressure on the diners to accept the already-made substitute, which we did. We shouldn't have; it was not good.) Our server's two assistants were much warmer, more enthusiastic and more knowledgeable than he was. He did, however, unerringly guide us to the most expensive dish for each option. Also: it's OK if you don't know much about wine -- that's what the sommelier is for. Call her over, instead of trying to wing it. Bonus: no serving silverware in the entire restaurant. Throughout our meal, our dishes came out with the same silverware used on the table. We did not order the tasting menu because we wanted to try and share a number of different dishes -- that's why we chose Citrin instead of Mélisse. Apparently they reeeeallly want diners to go with the tasting menu, in which case: just ditch Citrin and make the whole space Mélisse. Food. Just OK. No seasonality on the menu -- in late August, lots of duck, heavy beef and pasta dishes, lackluster salads. Nothing exceptional; it's like the restaurant is running on autopilot. Case in point: the vaunted lobster bolognese. "It's been on the menu for 25 years with no change -- that ought to tell you something," our server said. Yes, it does: it tells us the dish has ossified in place. I'm guessing it was originally conceived as an inside-out haute lobster roll, with the truffle froth sitting in for the bun. Maybe a cute idea as a gateway dish to the molecular-gastronomy-food-as-fun trend of the late '90s, it's not new now, and really... it's not a very good idea, or well-executed. "Cut it like a steak," our server suggested, except a steak is solid, and this isn't, leaving the diner with bites that fall apart. The capellini reminded me of zucchini-based pasta, and if there was any lobster, it was well hidden. On the plus side, another pasta dish, the duck ragout, was very good. Even the bread: served room temperature, on the verge of stale, and mediocre. The one standout dish was the caviar egg, which was egg-cellent (nyuk nyuk). Even then, though, the accompanying rolled wafer "to mop up the leftover" is a bizarre idea: a wafer is crispy; it doesn't mop up sauce. And the wafer surprised us with a lemony cream filling. My partner found it too sweet, while mine was aggressively astringent (and I squeeze fresh lemon over almost everything). Apparently this dish (or the truffle egg, anyway) is sometimes served with brioche, instead. Much better idea. Oh: the cocktails were good. My advice: If you live nearby and feel you must try Citrin, drop in and sit at the bar (no reservation required), order a cocktail and the caviar and/or truffle egg. Go somewhere else for dinner. read more

So if you've had melisse before and thought if I can get this Ala cart, then just come to citrine. Because that's what it really is. But I'm saying this in a good sense. Because at melisse 12 course meal, you sometimes get stuff you don't like like blue cheese for me. I wish I could choose and pick since I am a picky eater. Well this is the solution! Their caviar kit is amazing. Also their crudo and their other appetizers. Honestly every dish was amazing and I don't really have anything I can pick out that I didn't like which is rare. They charge menu every season so do check the menu online to see if they have the stuff you want to try! read more

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Fire the chef and let me be, assure you it would do better. Keep the one made the dessert though. Not being meanbut the taste is just really dissatisfying and portion is tiny. Service is good. read more

Had my first experience at Citrin in their beautiful outdoor space. Our table was ready to go at the time of reservation and we were notified of their 2 hour table limit, which they actually paced pretty well to - nothing felt rushed. The server was helpful navigating the menu and the sommelier helped narrow down a bottle selection from their 96 page wine list, which was quite overwhelming. One thing I noticed was some of the corner tables lacked heaters and could get chilly later in the night. Service was consistently good throughout the night. Plate/silverware changes, topping off water, and wine pouring was on point and the only time we had to call for service was to get the check. Food options weren't exhaustive and I feel like there's something for everyone here. Areas for improvement would be consistency of portion sizing within categories and flavor tuning (sea bass was a little bland). I highly recommend their bread basket, which included a unique basil brioche soft option. The ribeye was also a solid portion and nicely pre-sliced with flavorful sizes. We did not try the soufflé this time, but they looked great on our neighbouring tables. read more

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My friend and I came to Santa Monica for a little getaway, we were recommended this place by one of the hotel staff at Oceana. We were sat at the bar while we wait for our table to be ready. We started with couple of cocktails and it was perfect! We had few items from the menu and everything was absolutely delicious! The ambiance selected music was on point. Definitely will go back whenever we are in town! read more

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