You must experience Clifton's for yourself and ignore all these negative reviews. I went opening weekend on a Sunday. Had to wait in line about 30 minutes. The cafeteria was crazy but that's to be expected since they just opened. I grew up on the mashed potatoes and beef patty but sadly they didn't have the patties but the kitchen had no problem giving me a beef patty by itself. And yes by the time we paid and found seating our food was semi cold. But my family and I honestly enjoyed the food and atmosphere. And the jello was just like I remembered it DELICIOUS! We explored all the floors and sat on each one while we had some drinks. Clifton's will always have a special place in my heart and it might not be exactly like before but it's worth visiting! Also when I went there was plenty of meat, sides, gravy and dessert available. read more

Clifton's Republic - Plenty of turkey and roast beef - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This review is only based on the food. It gets a 5 for architecture and ambiance. Such a cool place. The renovations look great. In the end, it is still a cafeteria. I had mac and cheese and a roast beef sandwich. The mac and cheese was a little cold and tasted just okay. Hotter would have helped. Big serving though. The Sandwich was really good. I modified the Roast beef. French roll, tomato, spinach, roast beef, grilled onions. The I substituted basil aoli for the horseradish. Great idea. It tasted fresh and delicious. My partner got roast beef, mac and cheese and broccoli.. she said it was okay. Roast beef a little tough, broccoli not great. I think I won by getting g a sandwich. The staff is super nice and helpful. The big drawback is the parking. Good luck. There are structures, about 3.50 for every ten minutes. read more

Clifton's Republic - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH.... WILL DEFINETLY BE MY GO TO. I used to come here as a child before the bars were built. To have it reopen brings me so much happiness. Love that they kept a lot of the same decor, like the big tree in the middle and the small castle around the second floor. During happy hour at the second floor they have one drink for 37 cents after you purchased a drink! how cool is that. The third floor is also well decorated...remind me of the 50s? Lastly, we have the famous fourth floor. When you reach the fourth floor on a Saturday is a bar and an area to dance. It looks so nice because the big tree is lighted up.... to get to the tiki room you will need to go through another door.! It's so well decorated. The only downside is that you have to be put on a wait list which can take up to 45 minutes ( on a Saturday). You will definitely have something to do when you come to Cliftons. read more

The place was great actually. The atmosphere was above average however the drinks were mediocre. It's took us about 20 minutes to get a drink because there were only three bartenders behind the bar. The valet, we waited 10 minutes to get our ticket, and 45 minutes to get our car, and that's no joke. The sign says $12 per car, but they were charging $15. It's not very upscale and they don't have a dress code from what it looks like. A lot of college students come here so if that's your scene great, if not stick with Beverly Hills. Long story short, they need a new valet company. Ruined pretty much my night. read more

Clifton's Republic - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My Aunties took me here for some nostalgia. Their Grandma, my Great Grandma, used to take them here when they were little. We parked across the street and walked over to Clifton's. A staff member in the front showed us the way to the cafeteria. At first I walked around to see what was being served. I ended up at the grill for a bison patty melt and fries. My Aunt was with me too, she originally wanted a ahi tuna sandwich from the grill, but they were out so she got the salmon instead. The service at the grill was super slow, we both waited at least fifteen minutes for our food. There were only two cooks at the grill and a lot of people who ordered their food from there. It was interesting watching them cook our food, it just took a little longer than expected. I got my patty melt first, then my Aunt got her salmon. My Aunt had to tell the cook that she didn't want any green beans with her salmon, twice. The cook kept on telling her that she should try them and that they're really good, but she said she didn't like green beans. It was pretty rude of him. She ended up asking for fries as a substitute and he finally complied. Next we got some jello. I love jello and this place is pretty famous for theirs so of course I had to try it. I wanted to get a green or blue jello, but they looked kinda dirty, they just had stuff on top of them so I just took a yellow jello since they looked clean. Lastly, we got our drinks. I had filled up a coke when I first entered the place because I was super thirsty and craving a coke, but by now it was halfway empty so I refilled it. The cups here are really small, which is kinda a rip off and I don't think you can go back for a refill once you pay for your food. There was a long line for the one cash register that was open, but then another one opened up so my Aunt and I went into the new, shorter line. For the both of us it was about $27 which isn't that bad. My other Aunt found us a seat on a little balcony, we had a nice view of the whole place. It was a lot smaller than I thought it would be to be honest. I liked the decor though, it's different than most other places with all the trees and wildlife theme. There's lot's of cool nooks and crannies in this place. I tried my bison patty melt first. I was kinda scared it wouldn't be all that great because there was a review here where someone didn't like the patty melt. I love bison meat and we eat it all the time at home. I've never had it in a patty melt before so I just had to try it. The patty was cooked to a perfect medium rare like I asked. The bread was toasty, there was melted stringy cheese, grilled onions and a sweet sauce. It was a really good patty melt. The fries were addicting, crispy and thin. Lastly I had the jello. It was a lot tougher than I expected. It was hard to cut it with a spoon. My Aunts said they put a lot of gelatin in it so it can stand up by itself, which makes sense. The jello tasted good, not too sweet, just a nice citrusy flavor. It wasn't hard to chew, it had a nice bite to it, like al dente pasta. I only ate half of all my food since it was a generous portion. We got a box and saved the rest for later. My Aunts liked their salmon and soup that they got so they were also satisfied with their meals. In between eating I did use the restroom. I looked upstairs first and then downstairs. The restroom is downstairs through a dark room with some odd, but amusing decoration. The restroom was nice, clean and bright. There are a lot of stairs here and I don't believe they have an elevator. Not handicap accessible since the building was made a long time ago. I still think they should add an elevator though since they have so many floors. After our meal we decided to take a look around. We went up to the second floor, past a waterfall and a huge taxidermy bison into the bar area. All the other floors were roped off. I really loved the bar area, mostly because there was a nice big fireplace inside a huge tree and a few comfortable seats. It was really cool, if we come here again we're totally sitting by the fireplace. Before we left my Aunt talked to a lady in the front of the restaurant. She told us they are opening a steak house on the top floor soon for dinner, which sounds a lot better than cafeteria food. The next time we come, we're definitely going to try the new steak house. Can't wait until it opens up. Overall this place barely makes four stars. The service was bad, but the food was good and I loved the atmosphere of this place. It was nice stepping back in time for a bit. read more

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After the crazy opening day I've been back on several occasions and have a few tips on what to expect for those who haven't been here before. First off, the things to write home about. The decor, oh the decor. This is how you do a themed restaurant. It's what dining at Disneyland is supposed to be like. Everything is kitschy but somehow feels authentic at the same time. Murals are actually done well. The furniture feels like it was sourced from a mountain lodge. The taxidermy is more natural history museum than Wyoming bar. It's one hell of a throwback. Then there's the food. They're best known for the carving station, and the turkey dinner with mashed potatoes accompanied by a cup of damn good coffee hits the spot. Not every item is this good, but it's what they're known for. For dessert the jello is a classic, but my favorite is the butterscotch pudding served in a solid chocolate mug with a solid chocolate spoon. You read that right -- talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes. Prices for some items are on the steep side, but if you stick to the carving station it's reasonable at $12 for the meat and two sides. The pudding I mentioned isn't bad either at around $4. Drinks at the bar are very good but on the expensive side, so go to enjoy one or two instead of a bunch of them. Saturday night jazz is fun and a great crowd, but get your drinks early because by the time the music starts you can't get anywhere near the bar. Service can be hit and miss, but as a rule be friendly to the employees and you'll get better service. My recommendation? Go when it's quiet, between mealtimes or on a weekday. Ask the employees what they recommend if you're overwhelmed with the food choices, and be patient if they're busy. That goes for any eatery, but you'd be amazed how far it will take you. read more

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I had an awful, terrible experience at this business. I arrived at 11:15pm and left at 12:35 because I felt so disrespected and disturbed by the treatment I received from their management and one of their staff members. I was standing at a table, attempting to enjoy my drink with my friends, when a man who I later find out is the manager approaches me and asks if my drink is a non-alcoholic drink. Confused, I tell him no it's a drink that has alcohol in it. Quickly after the man leaves, I am invasively approached by a staff member who appears to be a security guard dressed in a suit that asks me "Are you pregnant?" I tell him no and look away, hoping he leaves. The staff member insisted that I was pregnant due to my size and threatened to kick me out for engaging in illegal activity of drinking while pregnant despite me telling him several times that I was not pregnant. He refused to leave my physical space and threatened to kick myself an my friends out for asking him to leave. I had to ask him to leave my space 4 times before he finally did. The manager did nothing to resolve the issue and gave a pathetic apology- this is the same man who questioned if the drink I had was non-alocholic. (I'm pretty sure he sent the security staff to question me) This incident left me feeling humiliated, embarrassed and disrespected. I DO NOT recommend this place at all AND would give 0 STARS if I could - the staff clearly needs training on how to approach customers. read more

This is my time coming here after reading about the renovations. I went for lunch on a Sunday in July. We parked across the street parking structure and paid $6 and parked across the street to Cliftons. It smelled like urine which is common in DTLA. Once we entered, we were guided to line up and to take a take and pick whatever food like a cafeteria style. They serve breakfast, turkey, ham, sandwiches, desserts, soda, beer, water. My only complaint is they don't post prices for all the items. While eating, we sat in front of a jazz band playing music which nice. It was buzzing with people eating, looking at the decor, and listening to music. The second floor has a cool bar and lots of seating and a fireplace, antiques, and stuffed animals. The third floor has some antiques and private room for large parties. Overall, the good is average but the decor is very cool to hang out at night. read more

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I would give nighttime Clifton's 5 stars, and daytime Clifton's 3 stars, so my overall rating is 4 stars. It's definitely gotten busier, but Clifton's is so big that there are plenty of tables and you stand a chance of getting one. And you won't get bored at Clifton's - there are so many things to look at, including: taxidermied animals, a tiny cave, a waterfall, a giant tree, and many connected rooms. There's a tiki bar also. The drinks are good, and the prices are on par with other DTLA bars. I would say this is my favorite bar downtown. I've gotten food during the day there. It doesn't look that appetizing, and the things I've gotten (eggs, toast, bacon; and cake another time) were kind of greasy and not that good. read more

I was very excited to check this place out once it reopened. Since I was at the Palace Theater with friends, we walked a few storefronts over to eat at Clifton's. The service was not friendly (the server barely spoke to me) and when I ordered, he didn't say anything - he just grabbed the tray and handed it back. There were mixed options: salad, fried chicken, pizza, sandwiches, sides, and pastries. Not many entree options for vegetarians (salad, pizza or a cheese sandwich). I had the mac and cheese and a small side of brussel sprouts and it was $8 for a two non-generous side portions. The mac and cheese was just a small step up from Kraft and the brussel sprouts were good but very oily. I will definitely not be coming back here to eat but the ambiance is really cool and it was great to be inside a place in LA with history you can see and feel. Hopefully they will revamp the actual food served because it would be awesome if the space would be accompanied by good food that is not overpriced. Definitely worth checking out to see the inside - but maybe grab a drink or dessert and have your meal somewhere, anywhere better. read more

Awful! Truly awful! The all three dining areas are very interestingly decorated but don't come here except to look around. We got the roast beef plate with mashed potatoes and Mac. The mac was pretty good, but the roast beef was one slice of rare (which is what we asked for) and two slices of just fat. For $12.95! The smoked salmon on a bagel was fine, but it took the guy at least 15 minutes to assemble. No toasting, just placing cream cheese and three ingredients on a bagel. A single sandwich, no sides, for $9.95!!! Considering how much they charge, you'd think they could afford to hire someone who knows the difference between meat and fat or someone who can put together a sandwich on the day you ordered it! read more

Interesting and unique decor, but the cafeteria food is sub-par. Four levels of what feels like a hunters lodge with a sequoia spanning three levels, taxidermy wildlife in many of the dining rooms and antique furniture on the upper levels, and bars on the mid-level floors. I can see this being an interesting hipster hangout as the bars are open til 2am, but the food is so bad (and overpriced) that I would really never come back. It's worth it to come and take a gander. And there is a space on the 3rd level that might be interesting event space if you want to hold a small dinner for a special hunters gathering. read more

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This is definitely a sideshow. But it's not a bad deal. Good here seems to come in large portions only and the prices are pretty reasonable. A solid meal can be had for under $10. Nothing ever stands out as particularly amazing but it's good decent food for around the price of fast food so I have to give it props on that. Nice for a quick stop after running up and down Broadway. Now that there is a whole foods deli you can go to that for a bit more $$ and get more options and better foods. I guess you are paying for the ambiance mostly. I'll probably come by again at least for the butcher station. (Plate of turkey and cranberry sauce for $6 = full sleepy and happy) read more

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The bathroom had 2 inches of standing water that smelled disgusting. The cover was $20. The people seemed like they were all 19 years old and our IDs were barely checked. This place sucks. read more

I've been going to Clifton's for about two years now and enjoy it every time. You should expect somewhat of a line but it is worth it for a facility that boasts 3 floors and a great selection of music. On the main dance floor, you'll find a giant faux tree coming out of the ground with a fireplace in the middle. This is typically the most lively areas but it can get quite crowded. On the second floor, you'll find a swing-dancing room adjacent to a lounging/bar area that very much has the theme of the main dance floor. Don't be surprised to pricy drinks throughout (and especially on the third floor). Unfortunately, Clifton's starting charging a $10 cover on Saturdays but I may not have noticed this because I typically attended on Friday evenings. The cost aside, it is definitely worth taking a peek. read more

As of this week (2nd week of April 2018), the carving station is gone. No more turkey. No more meatloaf. The only remnants are holes where the stands used to be on the floor tile. Dumb management decision to take away the best reason to come here. read more

Love the randomness. first floor - cafeteria looks like a jungle/museum This area is family friendly so you often see kids there Second floor - don't remember what was there 3rd floor - bar area with 80s vibe 4th floor - tiki bar with Hawaiian vibes You'll generally see an older crowd here read more

The ambiance was very cool! It was the most upscale cafeteria I've ever been too. Everything they served was gourmet. They had chicken pot pies that was SOOOOOO GOOD!!! As I was going around checking out all the food and options and trying to figure out what I wanted, I past these AMAZING pot pies and was like YUM! But didn't grab it cuz I was still scoping out the place and decided. WRONG DECISION!! Should have grabbed it right away cuz by the time I saw everything and decided on that, they were all gone =(. They said they were making more but wouldn't be ready for another 20 mins. I was super bummed. I really had my heart set on it so I waited. And I'm so glad I did b/c it was THE BOMB!!!! I don't often eat chicken pot pie...and this wasn't your normal frozen $0.99 box pot pie. This was the real deal. It had such a good flaky top with such good flavor. So glad I waited for it. read more

Clifton's Republic - Turkey pot pie is the real deal! - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I would give this place zero stars if I could, but let me explain... I used to love this place, you could get in, have a drink on many different levels and have people enjoy many different environments; however, they now charge you to get in($10 per person), and limit you to certain floors. I was rudely told to make a choice to go into a room or not(with no one behind me). I was also told I have to be on a wait list to go to a specific floor. In short, I will never recommend this place again. There's so many other spots around it that I do recommend you explore others. read more

This place is a scam! Please beware when paying for drinks andcover fees. The hostess charging in the front have their machines automatically set to tip 20 percent on top off the 20 dollar coverage fee. And bartenders also overcharge, or add drinks that were never ordered. Supposedly they had 3 DJ's on the night we went... sounded like the same DJ on repeat. read more

It's not like me to post a review. I could care less about bad service & simply just not go again. What me & my friends experienced last night was crazy. Got kicked out for "Pissing in trash cans". Nah bro we got kicked out for being Mexican. White girl dancing on the dance floor accused us of doing so to a white male security & he ejected us from the club. Later claiming he was the manager. Whatever it was almost 1:30am so it was almost time to go anyway. We left only to find out a different group of color got ejected for the same thing. This is LA don't be fooled. Hispanics are around EVERYWHERE including your club. Securities all hispanic keeping their mouths shut because they're doing their job. It's okay I can understand that. We all need to make a living but ejecting us for false claims is ridiculous. The white male "manager/security" later claimed that the girl who accused us worked there. Bro how? She was literally dancing in the club, was she not on her shift or what? He didn't even want to hear us out. We weren't causing a scene or anything. Anyways people my point here is don't be racist & don't forget where you're at. You're in downtown LA. You can try to make it as hipster as you want but as soon as you cross that 110 freeway whether you like it or not you're going to run into latinos. It's 2022 I never thought in my 27 years of life that I would have to pull out the "racist" card in my hometown. Racism is still alive people & you can thank daddy Trump for that. Anyways, Music was good & the vibe was great until this incident occurred. read more

First time was a bust the bartender was rude and when our reserved floor wasn't open it didn't even matter that my party dressed up there's dudes with jeans and flannels up in here. Two stars only because my drink was amazing but I don't know how you can make a bad mojito :/ read more

Three floors of music with a section for swing dancing. Had a good time here with friends. The Old Fashions were very strong. No drama. No issues with staff. I believe was only $10 to get in. read more

Clifton's pre COVID was awesome, great spot to grab a drink. Tried to go back twice after the reopening both times has a $20 cover... AND NO DRAG QUEENS. Why would I pay a $20 cover when there ain't no drag queens?! Just DJ Chad... no way. Most bars in DTLA have no covers, or up to $10. You should advertise your cover charge so people know. I'd love to actually go in, happy to go early or on a weekday but I have no idea when you don't charge $20 to drink a $20 drink. I'm a teacher not a trust fund bby, please at least advertise when you have a cover. read more

This place is particularly very interesting. The venue is exotic, bright and perfect to tourist visit. The history of place is really cool. My husband and I went there last Saturday with friend and his girlfriend from China and her daughters. They loved it. The service is nice, typical American and food is an American style. But you should go to feel of atmosphere of the place. I plan to come back on Sunday brunch with jazz. It is a little pricey. read more

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This place has different floors with different themes. As soon as I walked in, I got the tiki room meets rainforest cafe gone sequoia forest vibes. Once you walk upstairs you immediately see a giant sequoia tree with chandeliers. This place is a chill place to hang out and get some drinks. My down side of the review comes from the experience I had. They have signage on the tables throughout the establishment stating "happy hour daily between 3pm-7pm" with their specials. I ordered two Moscow Mules which on their happy hour menu clearly stated "$7" each. Once I got the bill it stated $30 and when I questioned the bartender about the price he then stated "well if you want happy hour pricing you need to clarify you want the happy hour Moscow mule". I'm sorry but I never knew that if I'm ordering off the happy hour menu during your designated happy hour that it is mandatory to specify I want your happy hour pricing or I would get charged regular pricing. Sounds a little greedy to me. Tip: if you're going during happy hour and want something off the happy hour menu, make sure you tell them you want "the happy hour _______" or you'll get charged full price. read more

Came here to grab some drinks with friends and had such a bad time. The whole place has such a weird vibe & employees aren't much more helpful. I got pickpocketed here and they took the cash from my wallet, thankfully leaving the rest of my wallet on the floor before a security guard noticed. The drinks don't help redeem the place either. The restrooms downstairs also spell like sewage just spilled on the floor. Overpriced drinks that you have to wait forever for aren't worth it. You can definitely save your money and have a much better time literally anywhere else. read more

I did not try the food. I came here for a party. This is a review for the 3rd floor. Floor 1 is the cafeteria. Floor 2 is a bar lounge area. Floor 3 is also a bar/lounge which has a ballroom for dancing. Burlesques shows go on during the night. Live band plays in the ballroom. The DJ was playing 80's mix (e.g. morissey, Depeche, the cure etc.) while also mixing in some classic oldies and some new school. Stuffed animals are part of the décor. At the bar you won't find any cervezas, just the craft beers here. I ended up drinking red wine. They do accommodate large groups. This place is something out of the norm in LA. I would come back read more

Clifton's Republic - Moscow mule - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

If Rain forest Cafe had a baby with House of Blues, Clifton's would be the result. How can a bar this big exist in Downtown LA? Most other bars are one floor or 2 if you're lucky. This place has 4 floors of drinking, eating and exploring. After taking 1 step in the door, you wont want to come here for food or drinks anymore. There's such a wild ambiance to the entire building that you'll feel like you walked in the door from the streets of LA to Tarzan land. The highlight of the place has to be the enormous tree in the middle soaring from the 2nd floor all the way up to the 4th. There's a fire place built to the bottom of the trunk right next to a number of couches for a lounge-esq feeling as you enjoy your drinks. They also have live music on some nights where independent bands would perform on the first floor next to the mini waterfall/stream. The dance floor was crowded with people taking pictures of the band when i went last time. I will most definitely be coming back here to continue the exploration. The only downside is of course the parking. But there's a parking structure across the street if you cannot find street parking. read more

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I dont know whats up with Cliftons. There were closed forever, then reopened but only Thurs-Sun. Now the door is open but the interior and cafeteria are closed. What gives? Someone go broke? This is my second time at Cliftons. The atmosphere is cool. There are 3 floors of taxidermy and hidden rooms with old museum pieces. The food is so-so. The portion sizes are small and the peices are expensive (of course this is LA so that goes to reason). A turkey plate with 2 sides and a piece of pumpkin pie was $25. And the pie was. ot home made it was from a grocery store. Not bad to try once in a while but for the price the food needs a bit of improvement. read more

Clifton's is a great place if you like constantly smelling lingering farts, love having no personal space at all, or love fighting for drinks with bartenders that make eye contact, say "I got you" then never return to you. Seriously though Clifton's is kinda cool because it has many different rooms including an old 1920s room in addition to current music rooms. It's also like 4 floors. This place reminds me alot of college in the sense it's a bar full of drunk people all falling over each other. It can be fun. But I'm too old now , give your boy more room with easier access to a drink thanks. Recommended: young 20s. Not recommended: anyone else. read more

It really seems like Clifton's is preparing to throw in the towel on the whole eatery charade and just change the name to "Clifton's Boozeteria": My friends and I were being indecisive about where to go for lunch yesterday, and two of them wanted to go to Clifton's, so we did. What a shock to see that the central island was removed ― or rather, displaced to the other near end of the cafeteria section ― and the section devoted to what was Clifton's "cafeteria food" was gone. No more fried chicken, roast beef, roast turkey, mashed potatoes, etc. The closest thing that remained were mason jar pot pies. Everything else was pizza, burgers, sandwiches, breakfast food, salads ― essentially, greasy spoon diner food. That's not what one goes to a cafeteria for ― and we left. My friends both had long-time histories with Clifton's: One had been going there since she was a child growing up in East L.A.; the other would come when in town from Santa Barbara with her parents, who grew up in East L.A. and loved Clifton's. The latter said her mother had been talking about Clifton's since it reopened, but that it would be better for her not to go back. "I think she'd be heartbroken if she went there now," she said. The food is all gone: No oxtails, no fried chicken, nothing. Of course, Clifton's has aggressively pushed away that huge segment of the old cafeteria's fanbase: I was there on the opening weekend, and the lunch crowd was majority Latino and many of them over forty. Now, that demographic is nowhere in sight. Since reopening, Clifton's has not offered any of the Mexican food the old cafeteria served. They have quinoa, pizza, spaghetti ― but the enchiladas Clifton's used to serve? Nowhere in sight. Vegan meatloaf is much more important, apparently. So Clifton's Cafeteria slowly dies its second death. It's just a bar now. A wacky Disneyesque bar that used to be something so much more interesting. What a shame. read more

This place is awesome. The pie is tasty and the pizza had a good flavor. Reading up on this place it really warms the heart. This place used to make 1/2 a cent profit per person because they wouldn't turn anyone away, even if you had no money they wanted to make sure everyone had a place to eat. I would donate to this place if they ever needed to stay in business. The servers are so polite and I really love the new renovations read more

This location is really fun to look at. It's almost like you walked in to Disneyland. There is so much going on, you feel like you walked in to Fantasy Land. The cafeteria is on the first floor and there are tons of options and different stations. A though the food looks am really good, everything was pretty average. Upstairs is the full bar with some really fun stuff to look at. There was a giant stuffed buffalo, and other animals. Plus, a giant tree with a fire pit to sit near. The drink options were plentiful and the waitstaff was extremely nice. The 3rd floor was closed due to a private event, and the fourth floor was currently under construction. I would like to go back and sample the dessert, because they did look wonderful. read more

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I love this place, the food was delicious The decorations are fun, the drinks are sweet. They have dancing at night; super fun. Parking is a challenge for sure. When I went they had valet parking for $10 if not, then there's a few parking structures that are walking distance. When walking, you will encounter homeless (in my experience were mean), when driving there are one way streets, and crazy drivers. I had a blast. read more

Clifton's Republic - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I honestly try not to be derogatory as is typical when so many people are compelled to voice their opinion (it's easier to complain when you're upset than find the time to beam when impressed or satisfied) but..... Clifton's in DTLA is an absolute shame. This place has so, so much history. A warm, inviting and hospitable history full of good will and memory. The cafeteria aspect IS why this place is legendary and it seems that the idea of being a restaurant is much further down on the list of priorities, far below the need for a hipster-infused, overly expensive night club. I truly appreciate the fact that this wonderful place was ostensibly "saved" (at least in terms of it's architectural integrity) from the wrecking ball, as it were, by an investor claiming to have preservation in mind. I mean, the building and much of it's flourishes and adornments are still here, for all intents and purposes... but I have to say that it's soul is definitely gone. Far gone. Is it nice that it still exists physically? Yes. And thank you A.M. for that. Thank you. However, with the push for Broadway's revitalization over the past 10 years or so, why not look deeper and more seriously at restoring this establishment as a place to feed people? I'm not saying it's necessary to adhere to the former proprietor's penchant for altruism (though that is part of what made this place incredible)... yes money needs to be made, but I truly believe that if this were to remain a cafeteria (sure, update kitchen and food service tech) people would come and they would pay to eat. My wife and I would. Often. My family would. People would return for the memories AND the food. Do we really need another night club? Wouldn't another option for food throughout the day downtown, serving thousands of people working in the area, and food at night to serve the intrepid downtown residents, new and old who have flocked to DTLA for the lifestyle few other places can offer... wouldn't that be a better use for this place? Wouldn't that honor what it has been? I understand that cover charges and alcohol sales pay the bills, but is that the only way? That was this Clifton's ultimate destiny? Things change, sure, but why is this better? Yes the pandemic has created massive complications and it's understandable that food service deeply affected, but as things begin to return to "normal", please consider a return to Cliftons as a restaurant, a cafeteria specifically, as the priority. How many places can you go to see and experience a place like this, take it in and also enjoy an actual, functional cafeteria? Look at the Pantry down the way! 1AM and there are people waiting outside to get in and eat. I would love to come here for lunch, dinner or a late-night bite after an event on Broadway. It would beat the depressing experience of coming to this once welcoming place and finding unwelcoming bouncers and apathetic club-goers looking for a hook-up loitering out front. There are plenty of "cool" places to get an over-priced drink in town. It saddens me to think that Clifton's could be a reason to come to DTLA and stay, for all ages... a magnet to bring money and people to the area, and instead it's just a "trippy", gimmicky night club playground for people who honestly will spend less time appreciating it's history and grandeur than where to bounce to next. Yes, it's cool... how can it not be? But who gets to enjoy it and when? Please make this the BEST and most unique cafeteria experience in the United States. People will come. Thank you for saving the building... now please save its soul. read more

As a Native Angeleno I dined at Cliftons long ago.Todays luncheon was simply unacceptable with poor quality roast beef that was dry . Mashed potatoes seemed to be of the instant variety and the Waldorf salad was a few pieces of grapes and apples. Add a dry dinner roll with some very questionable remarks from the server at the carving station and it was enough to make me wait another 30 yrs to return here. My advice for Cliftons is to use higher quality products and have the help refrain from improper remarks to customers. read more

This place is worth checking out for the ambience, which is unlike anything else you will find in LA! It's retro, funky, woodsy, classy and kitschy all at the same time. The original plan was dinner and a drink. We went to the bar on the second floor, saw it was crowded, so headed up to the third floor where the line was fairly short. However, there was only one bartender working on a Friday night and it took about 20 min to get our drink with only about three people ahead of us. Ordered an old fashioned - I love me some whiskey, but way too heavy on the bitters and I think he forgot the simple syrup. Bummer. When we saw the food people were walking out of the cafeteria with, and after reading the reviews, we decided to opt out of dinner. Definitely did not look appetizing or worth the price. That said, I could come back here just for the cool ambience and to give another bartender a try! Perhaps we came on an off night for the bar. And where else in LA can you enjoy a cocktail with a lion amongst a giant (faux) Redwood? read more

Clifton's Republic - Cool atmosphere, but bar and food seem a bit lackluster - Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

As a place that's known for their turkey and meatloaf dinners they made an awful decision to remove both. If you ask a staff member about it they snap "it's gone forever!" at you and walk away. Their new menu consists of deli sandwiches, soup and salad, and pizza slices. I went with a small group who all had individual stories of poor customer service experiences within the kitchen. Lack luster food + poor customer service within the kitchen. read more

What happened to Clifton's? It used to be a fun spot to mingle and have decently priced drinks. I went last night since I haven't been there in a while and 1. Entrance fee after 9 is 20 a person, so you're expecting a good time right? Wrong! They only have 2 bartenders per bar that had to attend large groups of people that were almost climbing on your back just to get the bartenders attention. 2. The drinks were disgusting, super watered down and over priced 3. Had to wait in line for the tiki bar just to go in and listen to Mariah Carey and Christmas like music. And lastly the security that was counting people to go into the tiki bar allowed a drunk chick do their job counting the people going in. Just know I don't usually write reviews but Clifton's, you deserve this one. Hopefully this makes you hire better Dj's and more bartenders to make me feel like it was worth spending my money instead of regretting the 97 I spent on 2 drinks. read more