The food was delicious and the server super helpful in helping us craft a menu that met our needs. We ate the marinated feta (wow!), the trout, cauliflower and the crispy rice. So delicious all around - will definitely be adding this one onto our list of must returns. Ambiance was nice, simple. Awesome vibes and I can see why it's been so beloved. read more

Pretty good food but nothing really wow-ed us and was a little overpriced for what it was. My husband and I agreed, if we go back we'll go in on the breads and dips and maybe get one or two veggie dishes. But neither of us are raring to go back. In order of favorite to least favorite, we got the fried cauliflower, lemony chicken pies, barbari seeded bread with green zhoug, stuffed eggplant, lamb meatballs, and Persian crispy rice. I saw a lot of reviews saying the Persian crispy rice was a must, and it looked and smelled amazing but didn't really live up to the hype. On the positive side, we had a really great waitress who helped us get the perfect amount of food and was also really helpful in recommending wine. read more

Kismet - Fried cauliflower (some already eaten) - Mediterranean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Food was great! Super refreshing, well cooked and plated, some fun and creative things! Service was very kind and attentive. Very cute interior. A great time. read more

Chilly servers, poor cordiality, and overpriced mediocre food. Would recommend walking in. Resy reservation needs card and charge $25/ person for cancellation if plans change. Went in on a weekend for dinner service and there were a lot of empty tables so seating shouldn't be a problem. They require proof of vaccine. The staff that took our orders was pushy and checked multiple times (almost irritated at us) when we said we needed some time to decide. When we finally ordered, it was a couple of small plates and bread to share. The staff recommended we order a main because of quantity and that the kitchen needed all orders together. We stated we weren't looking for a heavy dinner but could keep a menu in case, for which she replied if we were looking to order more. However, we overheard another staff leaving a menu with some other guests (which gave us the feeling like they'd rather we leave). Food was very basic, oily, and overseasoned. We ordered Cucumbers, squash (this was just zucchini squash in yogurt and was very oil heavy), bread (again oil heavy), tahini (bitter), red zhoug (this was flavorful). The staff taking the bill was rude, flipped the card on the table and did not bring us the takeout bag we asked for. read more

Kismet is a very special restaurant. The staff is not only lovely, they clearly care so much about what they are making and serving. The food is inventive and absolutely delicious. You can taste the imagination behind the dishes. I do not know how else to describe it. I've been twice in the past few weeks and on my second visit, we re-ordered many of the dishes we had the first time -- their consistency is on point. The menu is seasonal (I know many of the farms where they source from and they only serve the highest quality produce) but if you're headed there soon I highly rec: sweet & spicy eggplant little gems garleek and feta borek chicken skewers maitake mushroom flat iron steak ** flaky bread ** any of the sides And don't pass on dessert - super creative and delicious too! read more

Saturday afternoon, looking for a reservation, called up at 5, and BAM, booked a table for 4 for 8:45. Then we accidentally bypass the valet, but BAM, a spot right across the street. It's like it was...kismet that we should be there that night. Upon entering, the vibe is right, love the decor and the music was like my man's personal playlist. The hostess/server was a bit, shall we say, unfriendly, asking for the reservation with attitude and throwing our menus down on the table, but I brushed it off since our table was ready at our reservation time, and not only that, but she gave excellent recommendations. The sauces and cheeses were on point in the cauliflower, feta (highlight), and Persian cucumbers (right below whatever the "highlight" level is). Everyone was raving about how creamy the feta was, it went perfectly with everything on the plate, and that passion fruit vinaigrette was so delicious and not overpowering or overly tart at all. The bread was so good that we had to place another order of it. The way they charged us for it was a bit wonky, but whatever, they got away with it. Potatoes were interesting in a good way, but the fan favorite small plate of the night was that Persian rice OOOO YEAH. Love that crispy rice! And with the nuts n berries? Psh. It was odd that the chicken pies came out so late in the game, but they were wonderful. They didn't detract from the main chicken, either, since the two dishes were so different. Speaking of the main chicken, that thing got it going on! It was definitely one of my personal favorite dishes of the night. The desserts were better than alright. I don't eat chocolate, but the others could not stop raving about the chocolate gelato. They forgot about the freekeh fritters, which I didn't realize until the bill came, which was a bummer, and that is the ONLY reason why they didn't get the 5 stars. I can overlook the lukewarm welcome and questionable charge of the bread because of how good the food was, and that makes it even more disappointing. *sigh* Oh well, I'll have to get freekeh another night. read more

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Kismet is the perfect restaurant that has it all: vibey ambience, great food and wine selection, and superb service. It feels like a New York neighborhood spot. Definitely recommend it as a spot for a first date or a group of friends. read more

I always enjoy dining at Kismet. I've been here a couple times for dinner but went for the first time for brunch last Sunday. The food was delicious, really chill atmosphere. We didn't feel rushed. It was truly an enjoyable dining experience. Will definitely be back for brunch! read more

Had the absolute best meal for our anniversary. Every dish from start to finish was amazing we ate every last bite. (Shamefully wanted to eat every little grain of rice that fell onto the table hehe) They had to make a few modifications due to being out of a couple things but they were so kind to bring over some extra bites to apologize. Also we couldn't decide on desert so we got both and don't regret it at all! WHEN IN DOUBT ORDER BOTH haha All in all can't wait to go back! :) read more

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I thought most of the staff was lovely, and the ambience was good. I guess I was a little annoyed the server basically wouldn't let us order what we wanted and forced another $20 rice thing on me that I didn't want and didn't taste good. I don't even really eat rice, and she wouldn't let it go, so it felt like we HAD to get it. That was annoying. read more

Order delivery and I have to say not sure if the amount of food for the high price was worth it. 12 small clams and a few potatoes for $30 was a bit disappointing. read more

The food is fine. Nothing wowed me enough but perhaps I was primed to be biased because the service and ambience left a lot to be desired. I'm not someone under the delusion that I'm VIP but I really value service with warmth. The host was probably stressed so they had an energy of like, "what are you doing here?" The server didn't check on us very often. It would've been nice, especially when there was a long wait between the cauliflower small plate and proteins. Maybe my mask obstructed my voice but I ordered flaky bread, not the seeded bread. I let the person who served the food know that (different from server) and he offered to correct it. I was definitely passive aggressive about not taking it back because whatever, it's bread and edible. My biggest problem was the ambience. When I made the reservation for a table at the "outdoor patio," I set my expectations a little higher than a table on the sidewalk with no shielding from pedestrians or heat lamps. I had the choice of being poked by a succulent or being in the way of foot traffic. Lastly, the outdoor greenery housed many mice that jetted out every so often, freaking diners out. That's living in the city though? If you must eat here, dine inside and expect well-cooked food. Bowery Bungalow in Silverlake has similar (and better) food with a real back patio and heat lamps and much better service. And no visible vermin, to my knowledge. read more

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I never write reviews, but this might've been the best dinner I've had in many years so I have to. We had the White sweet potatoes, Braised chicken leg, and the Tahdig crispy rice. All were absolutely freaking incredible. Everything was seriously perfect, but the MUST have is the White sweet potato dish. I'm definitely returning just for that. read more

I used to like this place a lot, to the point that I had my pandemic birthday takeout dinner from here. I recently went again and I'm less excited about it. The food is pretty good though a bit pricy. There are similar places in the city that I find significantly better at the same price point. Everyone loves the "Persian" rice. I'm Iranian myself (the chefs aren't as far as I know) and can only say it's very mediocre (and the entire dish isn't called "tahdig" only the crispy part is despite what the server tried to tell us). The rabbit for two and mezze plate are pretty good though their coursing is a bit bizarre (olives for some reason came at the end of the meal?). They won't tell you this, but if you get the rabbit and the rice, pour some of the rabbit stew over the rice. Persian rice is intended to be eaten with stew, not dry and by itself. My entire group said that was their favorite part of the meal once I told them to do that. The cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, pickles, lamb meatballs, barbari bread, malawach, zhoug, hummus, marinated feta were good. Olives were too late to enjoy. Lemony chicken pies, cranberry beans, labneh, clams were meh. Definitely middle eastern food made for non middle easterners. The wine is downright awful. Like, do not even bother unless you're sure "natural wines" are your glass of wine. We tried 2/4 of their available bottles and my entire group of 8 was unimpressed. The servers seemed to know nothing about any of the wines. I also needed to edit this review to add that they don't open the wine bottles at the table and don't do the usual pour to try. Probably because no one would agree to pay $60+ if they tried the wine first. I don't usually rate based on service because I don't care if the food is good but their service, like the food, was pretty mediocre and aloof (when we said we weren't that excited about the first bottle of wine and could she please recommend something different our server said "I don't care, it's not like I made the wine"...we couldn't get a read on whether she was joking). They were kind enough to add seats when two of our friends showed up unexpectedly from the airport and allowed us to order more food. Overall, maybe worth a try but I don't think I'll be heading back anytime soon. read more

Everything at kismet is straight great place for good food. Highly recommend Fried Cauliflower Malwa Rotti Red Zoog Carrots Lebneh Meatballs Cod read more

Pretty high-end Turkish fusion cuisine with the house special signature rabbit dish (OK they're very cute but tasty too, so I've been told.) For our first visit we got the cauliflower and mushroom appetizers, crispy rice cake, cucumber with hummus....all very good. I'm told the rabbit is their best dish, so I shall be be bach. Quite pricey meal $120 for two but typical of this sort of new fusion foodie establishment. Metered street parking only. read more

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Everything was excellent: eggplant, flaky bread, mushroom, labneh. It was a good size place and even have outdoor seating. read more

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My fiancé is Persian. He loved the food so that's the first credential for my review. The tah-dig (Persian Crispy Rice) is obnoxiously delicious. Every single grain of rice. The marinated feta will have you asking for extra bread to ensure you get every single bite. The chicken schnitzel sandwich will make you question if you're a fat ass or not. The real truth is that if you can eat that whole thing, then yes, you're probably a fat ass. I don't think we've ever seen a schnitzel sandwich so humungous! Order it if you're hungry, that's for sure! read more

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*PreCovid belated review Middle Eastern with a modern touch. I really enjoyed dining here. Parking can be a bit of a pain since it's all street parking. It is really small and narrow inside but it can be quite a cozy spot, perfect for date nights. Price is reasonable for the quality of food you're getting. My date and I shared the house Lebneh with green Zhoug and bread (love the green zhoug especially. The bread is fluffy and goes well with the lebneh and green zhoug together), broccolini (coated in lebneh with seasoning on the top, seriously so good, it is tangy and with a spice kick from urfa pepper), and Persian crispy rice (the best dish in my opinion. With pepitas, and an egg yolk, very aromatic and crispy, must order this dish when you eat at Kismet). Service was wonderful, just wish we had sat at a proper table instead of some awkward looking bench table facing the kitchen, but it is a small restaurant so there wasn't much choice here. 20% gratuity is automatically included on your bill. read more

Kismet - Mediterranean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Went to Kismet last night and had a great meal. Prior to going I checked the yelp reviews and saw a lot comments regarding the service and bumping it down because of it. The place was packed when I got there, that being said I had no issues with service. I ordered food at a reasonable time after arrival and it came at a reasonable time after I ordered. Perhaps they could have refilled the water a few minutes early at one point, but if that's the biggest critique on service, then service is quite good. At least this was my experience. More importantly than the service is the food, and the food was pretty great. Little Gems- Great starter salad. The vinaigrette dressing was perfect and each bite with pistachios and mint was refreshing and tasty. There's only so much you can say about a small gem salad, but it was done well. Flakey Bread- Probably the best singular item I had. It was excellent. Buttery and flakey, every bite was perfect. Marinated Feta- This was very good. I expected it to be a tad creamier based on reviews but it was still quite good. It was especially a good bite with the dates on top of the flakey bread. I love onions but I'm not sure the onions in this dish did much to it, but it also didn't take away. Honeynut Squash- I didn't see this dish on the menu online but it was surprised to see it on the menu, as I love honeynut squash. This dish was actually terrible. The honenynut squash is pretty sweet almost in between a yam and and a squash, I'm fine with trying to make it savory but this dish was confusing. It was way too peppery and spicy for the squash in my opinion. Maybe I'm not sophisticated to understand this dish and perhaps a lot of people like to eat squash this way, but I don't. Imagine eating a sweet potato and being bombarded with a layer of pepper. Not a little pepper but a layer. This was the only bad dish of the entire night, but it was very bad almost inedible for me. Chicken Skewers- I'm always hesitant to order something like this anywhere because it feels like such an easy dish to make passable and is often dry and plain, but this skewer was very good. The chicken was tender and juicy. It may have been a tad over-spiced with cumin, but dipped in the hummus it was pretty great and mellowed it out. Milk Chocolate Tart- I like seeing a restaurant with minimal dessert options that seem well thought out and good. Both this dish and the ricotta cheesecake sounded great but went with this. It was very good and a great end to the meal. The chocolate is rich, dense, and sweet and the cream and toasted sesames complimented it well. All in all, the meal was very good. I see that currently Kismet is only 3.5 stars and that just feels wrong to me and brought down with some isolated bad instances. Even many of those reviews admit the food is really good. This was close to 5 stars for me. Everything was great or near great besides the squash. read more

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Came here on a Tuesday afternoon with no reservation and a group of 5. I didn't know much before coming here but I was hungry and had just done Soulcycle, so food was at the top of my priority list. Food: We got the Turkish breakfast to start and while joy all of the little dishes were up to my tastes, the bread was delicious and I liked the spinach and dates! I absolutely loved the flakey bread and broccoli toast that I got, though the broccoli toast was a bit much in terms of size and I was definitely stuffed. Service: Food comes relatively quickly and at the same time when you're in a larger group! Ambiance: This place has a nice two color scheme and is really casual. Overall, really enjoyed the food and the cleanliness and would come again for more flakey bread! read more

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Another incredible meal at Kismet! The second we were seated our server was super attentive - especially to our dietary restrictions - and gave us great recommendations. We'd been here before but there were so many new items on the menu and some of our past favorites so we wanted to make sure to get a perfect mix of both. There isn't a more special and thoughtful restaurant than this place - they take advantage of the most incredible produce that California has to offer and the flavor bombs of each dish are incredible. Especially recommend the fried cauliflower, little gems, cucumbers, tried the steak for the first time and it was incredible - and obviously a must Persian rice and flaky bread and GET THE ZHOUG. This is the perfect place for a date night, a friend catch up, parent treat. It's my go to recommendation for people visiting LA. Can't wait to come back again soon! read more

Such a unique little place. For two people having one drink and sharing a dessert our total was about $70 a person. GOOD + Unique dishes - I tried to many things I'd never had before! Mahleb ice-cream included. It was so good. + PERSIAN. CRISPY. RICE. + Apple wine. + Chic decor, cute neighborhood. + They take reservations! + 20% tip is automatically included. This might be a "meh" for some people, but it's to ensure their workers make a living wage. + Really friendly and knowledgable wait staff. MEH - Small-ish. Make a reservation. - Pricy-ish. Expect to pay $70ish for two people - Street parking. read more

Kismet - This dessert might look kind of weird but is amazing! (brown butter cake with mahleb ice-cream and cherries) - Mediterranean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food was pretty amazing, as we got the chicken skewers, fried cauliflower, and some bread with dips. However, it was pretty insanely expensive, with every dish around $20- $28, and the server recommended 3 per person. Each dish was really small, and yet the flavors were definitely delicious! The service was incredibly slow however, and the waitress was non apologetic .. I am not in a rush to return but the flavors were delish. read more

Vibe was there, but the food for the price was kinda mid. The customer service was great. read more

I've been going and loving kismet since it opened. Sara and Sarah are wildly talented and have built a restaurant that epitomizes they singular taste and style. After dozens of meals, I recently went and had my best meal there yet. It's incredible that a restaurant can just get better and better. The food is flat out DELICIOUS. The mussels and ribs blew me away this last visit. We always have lovely servers who are knowledgeable and gracious. There are always new exciting restaurants opening, but I rarely find these spots live up to the hype. Kismet on the other hand, is the real deal. read more

Wasn't expecting such a perfect meal! Given the style of food, the variety, and size of the plates, I'd recommend going as a party of 4. Some dishes to consider, based on our meal are: crispy rice, steak, the cranberry beans, the ricotta cheesecake, and the temperanillo rosé. Casual dining area, and ideal for a nice dinner out, without the fuss. read more

On my list after having read about it many times. Bumped into it today around l:30 pm, after leaving CHLA. Was able to snag two seats at the counter in the back of this relatively small and packed restaurant. Service from beginning to end was friendly and generous. We shared the Turkish Breakfast. YUM. House barbari bread - made the dish. Labneh with cucumber salad. Olives. Dates. Red shout - spicy in just the right way. Soft boiled egg. Salad. Kale spread. Beet and feta salad. Everything different and complimenting each other. Fresh. Light. Delicious. Felt transported to another country and culture. Looking forward to going back to try more. read more

Kismet - Turkish Breakfast - Mediterranean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I really really wanted to like Kismet. I've seen pics of the Flaky Bread and Turkish Breakfast for a long time but never made it out here, since parking is pretty difficult! One day, we decided to brave the traffic and parking, and luckily we found street parking a block away! After we were seated, it took more than 10 minutes for anyone to talk to us. The restaurant wasn't even full, but it seems like they were pretty understaffed for a weekend brunch. The 3 of us decided to order a few things and share: Broccoli Toast, Turkish Breakfast, and Freekeh Polenta (Lamb). After we ordered, it took more than 28 (!!!) minutes for our food to come! After about 20 minutes, I asked the waiter if our food was almost ready, and she assured me that it would be out in a minute. Unfortunately, it took another 8 minutes for our first dish: Turkish Breakfast to come out. Then it took another 10 minutes for the other 2 to come. All of the dishes looked super delicious and we were excited to dig in, finally.... BUT, everything was so so salty. My broccoli toast was heavily salted, and so was the broccoli, which made everything not enjoyable at all. The Turkish Breakfast was pretty unique, but the Flakey Bread didn't taste all that special to me. The Freekeh Polenta was the best dish of the 3, but that's not saying too much in this case. The lamb was well-cooked and didn't have that gamey flavor. When the waiter asked us how our food was, I pointed out that the Broccoli Toast was so extremely salty, and unfortunately, she didn't really say anything to fix the issue. The prices here are pretty high too, I thought the food would be more balanced in seasoning. Ah I won't be back, but what a shame because Kismet is so lauded in the LA food scene. read more

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The food was delicious, the service was excellent, extremely helpful wait staff. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Food so flavorful ! Came here for dinner and they've still got outdoor tables dining. No inside yet but you can go inside to use the bathroom. Definitely get the Fried Cauliflower with yogurt appetizer , it was surprising ! I didn't expect so much flavor, that was great - also you won't need salt or pepper. Salt and pepper shrimp appetizer was also amazing and packed with flavor, but it's messy! They give you hand wipes. Get the Berberi Bread , 2 big pieces in an order. Get a side of tahini and some hot Schoug condiment on the side for that bread. But skip the labneh, you won't need it. Cod main was nice and the sweet corn that came with it was delicious but I can do without the turnips. The malawach bread is ok but the Berberi Bread is bigger and better. They have beer or wine but no cocktail. I got rosewater lemonade. Everything was good. Price is nice. read more

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Kismet is just super cute and serves up really good, unique food. I stopped by with a friend on a Sunday afternoon to try their daytime menu. We had the Lemony Chicken Pies, Broccoli Toast, and the Flaky Bread. + LEMONY CHICKEN PIE: really good textures but I found the filling to be a bit salty. I loved how flaky the puff pastry is though. I really wish the filling was less salty): also a bit pricy, ringing in at $12 for 2 hand pies. + BROCCOLI TOAST: now that is a legit piece of toast! Super hefty bread topped with labneh and roasted broccoli. Also comes with a knife for easier eating. I loved the flavor of the roasted broccoli! The pomegranate seeds also add a refreshing touch to this toast. + FLAKY BREAD: omg I can eat so much of this. So flaky and buttery and so good dipped in anything. I liked it especially paired with the soft boiled egg and the spicy sauce that came with it. Overall, a great food experience. However, I did feel the service was slow even though there were plenty of empty tables. The tables are also too close together - the server slid between our table and another to take someone's order and her butt almost brushed against the flaky bread set on our table. So definitely a little too close for comfort! Otherwise, their food is pretty delicious, not too mention how cute the space and their branding is. read more

Food is delicious but very salty. Their saffron rice was in a pool of melted butter -- and I get that this isn't a persian restaurant necessarily, but as a Persian myself, the rice doesn't need butter, or at least not that much! Besides how salty and buttery, we've loved most things here. Cute chill atmosphere. Nice waiters. Pricy but special. Worth going if you have a curious pallet and enjoy interesting tasty foods with middle eastern inspired flavors! read more

Happened upon this quaint Mediterranean restaurant when we were looking for a place to eat before an art exhibit at Barnsdall Art Center. Didn't know reservations were necessary but the hostess was kind and let us come in anyway. The menu items were perfect as they were nice and light and shareable. The server, Max, was very helpful in explaining the dishes and recommendations. Would definitely come back, with reservations, of course！ read more

Kismet - Mediterranean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Super cute restaurant and truly everything on the menu was delicious. Will definitely be returning to try the items we were too full to order this time! read more

we love kismet. so much. the loveliest people work there, and the food is excellent. they cater to all diets. my husband eats fish and im a vegan and there are always incredible things to eat here. (also for meat eating friends) - we also love their wines. honestly, its one of our favorite places to go for dinner, with or without friends. always friendly faces greet you and make sure you are comfy and taken care of. the atmosphere is peaceful, you can hear each other, yet, it also has a lively energy as everyone there is clearly enjoying themselves too. thank you kismet!! read more

Everything was delicious - whipped feta, stone fruit and tomato salad, little gems salad. Service was excellent. I will be back many times!

Been wanting to try kismet for a while since we love the rotisserie version! It was very pricey and small portions. The cauliflower tasted like they dropped the salt in it, and I have a high salt tolerance! Crispy rice without egg was great, and I enjoyed the carrots. Overall, good food but not sure I'll go back. read more

Kismet - Little gems - Mediterranean Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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One of my favorite dining experiences since I've moved to LA. Staff were incredible. Food was off the charts. Dining was 10/10. Will be frequenting this place regularly. Also in a great location. Highly recommend Kismet to anyone looking for a great place. read more

Service was great and servers were very warm and friendly. The food was ok but serving sizes were small.