"I know a dark, secluded place A place where no one knows…read moreyour face A glass of wine, a fast embrace It's called Hernando's Hideaway, olé" --Ella Fitzgerald, 1963 OK, this may date me, but this is what I immediately heard playing in my head when we finally found Wife and the Somm this weekend. Glassell Park is a hidden neighborhood in Los Angeles, anyway, and if you don't know what you are looking for, you might zip right past W&S, as we did. Parking is hit and miss, but there are side streets and you will find a space if you give yourself an extra 15 minutes before you come. The neighborhood is mysterious to me, sort of pricey grunge & hipster, iykwim. But! Once you are inside, you are in a completely different world. Bright, clean, genteel, muted, with dappled sunlight dripping through various apertures and alighting in a soft glow here and there on shining metal tables. It's beautiful. Some catchy upbeat contempo-pop music streamed steadily at just the right volume overhead. I found myself resisting the temptation to get up and dance. There are several rooms from which to choose, but I wanted to be seated on the wine-red suede banquette that gave me a view of the whole restaurant and out onto the tree-canopied street. From the time we arrived to the moment we left about an hour later, we were showered with warm smiles and attentive service. And the food? Exquisite. See my pictures. It was hard to choose. One tiny disappointment was they were out of the biscuits that I wanted to start with, but I enjoyed the crusty tender Clark Street bread slices served with warm creamery butter instead. It only got better from there. The two bowls we ordered were filled with fresh vegetables, cooked to perfection, topped with an egg prepared as we requested, i.e., over medium. The portions are modest and it was all so good, we didn't take anything home. We ordered coffee and were brought two tall steaming mugs of Americano, smooth, dark, and delicious. Best of all was the Lemon Lavender cake, a seasonal specialty. Honestly, it might be one of the best, moistest, most flavorful and elegant cakes I have ever had. So fantastic, that I just ordered some lavender buds (if I don't collect them from our garden) to replicate it at home. I don't drink much alcohol but if I did, I would head here for one of their experiences or tastings -- they have a formidable list. Check all this out. And hurry if you want to have Lemon Lavender cake.

The restaurant already made a poor first impression, as there was an unpleasant smell inside as…read moresoon as we stepped in. Everyone also didn't feel particularly welcoming, from the hostess to the waitress (no smiles). Thankfully, we were seated outside for some fresh air, although the warm murky smell still lingered a bit outdoors. The menu seem fairly limited since nothing really stood out to me as especially exciting. I've studied the menu prior before going, and was only looking forward to their burger, but they didn't have it during dinner apparently. While the dishes were descripted very well on the menu, there was no depth in flavors. I'm talking about the pork belly, lamb chops, tartare, Spanish octopus, and especially the seasonal pasta. I'm happy that it wasn't overly salty, but overall the food tasted mediocre and felt a bit basic. I'm only saying this because I could make it myself, at least the lamb, fatty pork belly, and pasta. Portions were also on the small side. Service was a bit slower as it took some time to get seated and receive our food, and one of our dishes was forgotten until we reminded the staff after already finishing most of the meal. On the positive side, we were able to find easy street parking about a block away, and the restaurant itself has a cozy ambiance that would probably be great for a chill dinner with some wine. However, my group left still feeling very hungry and unsatisfied. To be fair, we came in hungry, and the portions and long wait didn't help.

My husband and I were on an evening stroll and decided to stop in at Cafe Triste when we walked by…read moreon Super Bowl Sunday. We came in about an hour after they opened and other than some patrons in the front patios, we had the bar to ourselves for the first twenty minutes of our visit before it started to fill up. The ambiance is so warm and cozy, and I think this would be a great date spot or a spot to catch up with your friends. All of the staff we interacted with were really lovely. I did not catch her name, but our waitress had amazing energy. We decided to do the "Dealer's choice" for our wine by the glass and our waitress brought us a very interesting French Pinot Noir! I can't say I've had a wine like it before, but it was a delightful experience. The wine list here isn't super extensive, but I do think this neighborhood spot is worth the visit. I will certainly be coming back!

2 stars because I wanted to like this place, but it just wasn't it…read more First off, if you're not into natural wine, this is probably not your spot. The selection is very niche and pretty limited, so keep that in mind going in. The bigger issue was the overall experience. It was packed, like uncomfortably crowded outside, and was so hot inside that it made it hard to enjoy anything. Service didn't help either. We waited patiently because it was busy, but when we finally asked if we could order, the waiter told us it would probably be faster to go to the bar, lol, which came off dismissive. Between the crowds, the heat, the limited menu, and the unfriendly service, it just didn't feel worth it. Maybe if you're really into natural wine and don't mind a chaotic, packed scene you'll enjoy it, but I wouldn't come back.

Ordered: - Anchovies crostini (4/5): one of my gf's favorite…read moredishes because of the flavors that come together for her but I'm not a big fan of the strong anchovy flavor in this dish. Definitely cool to try but not my personal favorite. - Insalata mista (5/5): a delicious, large salad that was flavorful, refreshing, and just the perfect pairing for the other dishes we ordered. My gf and I both loved this and were so glad we ordered it! - Spicy salame calabrese tartufato pizza (4.5/5): The truffle honey in this was very light but we still loved the flavors in this pizza. Overall (5/5): My gf and I love coming for their happy hour. Vibes are nice, service is friendly, and food is great!

We came to Propaganda during happy hour and had a great time. We ordered wine, limoncello spritz…read moreand a spicy salsiccia pizza. The pizza was to die for when it came out piping hot. The melty cheesy, flavorful sauce and toppings against the crispy crust made it super delicious. The downside is the pizza gets cold by the time you eat a second slice and you just crave experiencing what you had earlier. It is a bit difficult to have an intimate private conversation because the acoustics of the room made the music and conversations around echo. But if you're looking for the louder party vibe it's great! Super friendly staff as well, would recommend if you're in the arts district.

Stumbled across this hidden gem while trying to explore China & Korea Town. The low lighting…read morecreates a subtle date like ambience. I was surprised to see they had food because there wasn't a kitchen. - I was intrigued by the little cooking set up the Chef had in the corner of the bar. My initial thought was rotating chefs or monthly themes that highlight a specific region ; I don't think that's the case here . I would like to come back hungry so I can try the Leeks and the Beef Cheeks. I've been seeing alot of Organic/ Natural wine bars popping up all over and I'm here for it. This is a must try!

Had a great experience here the other evening! Dropped in with my boyfriend, he got the wine…read moreflight, and I got 2 half glasses and a full glass. The selection isn't huge, but very well curated - each wine we tried was delicious. Great classic wines at a very reasonable price. Overall, I think this spot is a hidden gem with great wine selection. The arugula and anchovies were good as well, it was a lovely little snack. Owner was helpful and friendly as well Lots of space/seating, and an outdoor patio as well. Metered parking is available in the surrounding area as well as easy access from the metro. Hoping to come back soon! :)

Great wine selection. We went on a Saturday around 5:30 p.m. before the evening rush and ordered a…read morecheese and fruit charcuterie board along with several glasses of wine. We ended up staying until about 9:30 p.m. and never felt rushed or pressured to order more. The staff was very friendly and made excellent recommendations, especially considering we were a bit picky -- one vegetarian, one pescatarian, and the other only likes dessert wines!! Definitely coming back with less picky people

Waiter Manuel. This…read moreis a review reflected on you, solely. Being kind is the moral of the story, from the beginning you were passive agressive with your comments and tone. Being in a party of 4 girls coming from high tea, we were dressed in elegant dresses, first comment was asking if we were coming from church, followed by eye flutters, short "okay" with an upward inflation to a joke about the day, an impatient comment about hurrying up and trying the wine while we were talking, asked for water when we were out, were left to pour the rest of our wine, didn't ask how the food was all the while was attentive to the table behind us, the cherry on top comment was when we were discussing the bill at the end, he was hovering at the table behind ours, then when we were ready, we asked to split the bill into 2, my portion on mine and the rest on another card, he then said "this isn't like a drive through, we can't do it that way" so I asked him to explain his comment, cause it was passive agressive and rude. After he wasnt able to becuase he wasnt expecting me to call out his rude comment, I had to then break it down and specify what I had ordered, he then sold "okayyyy....so how much, cause we don't itemize?" I had to again express for him to specify how they do it cause he has still yet to explain where his attitude is coming from and explain how they do their check splits, from my understanding it just felt like he wanted to play dumb and make me to the math, one I did he was like "ohh, okay" should have asked for the manager but we paid and left, I hasnt had this experience before being a returning customer, but he needs an attitude adjustment as his attitude was completely out of pocket. Do better Manuel, you alone got your place of work a 1 star. The rest of the staff was kind, facility beautiful and food and wine was good. This restaurant is not reflected in the 1 star.

Popped in on a Saturday night for gals' dinner with a pair of friends. The location is definitely…read morenot where I'd have anticipated finding such a gem, but this place REALLY delivers! The service was top notch - attentive, friendly, & quick - all without being around too much. The potato bourekas were little puffs of heaven. The pita was so beautifully fluffy (I didn't even know it could *be* like that!!!), and the vegan labneh plate is last-meal-on-earth-worthy. I still daydream about it, & it's already been 9 days since my visit!

I came here just after they opened, there were already some people inside. The cheese bourekas were…read moreflakey, light, and filled with feta. The Mini falafels come with 8 and are bite size on the tahini plate- I loved putting all the tahini on it. The Charred broccoli was exactly what I wanted, it's crispy and comes with a lemon garlic aioli. The Maghrebi potatoes come in thick, crispy slices on pickled lemon red pepper tahini. The Shawarma oyster mushrooms also another hit. We also ordered flat bread special which was feta & pomegranate seeds. Overall I was just so impressed with every dish. For dessert we ordered the halva & S'mores bourekas which was light & not overly sweet for a finish. Parking- street parking

Covell was such a great experience! I wasn't sure what wine I wanted because I enjoy both red and…read morewhite wines, but the bartenders were incredibly knowledgeable and helped guide me to the perfect selections. Their recommendations were spot on. The atmosphere is intimate, cozy, and honestly perfect for a date night. It has such a warm and inviting vibe that makes you want to stay for hours. Unfortunately, we arrived just after the kitchen had closed, but that only gives me another reason to come back. The service was truly top-tier, and the wine was absolutely divine. I even enjoyed both a white and a red during my visit. Normally mixing wines can leave me with a headache the next day, but the bartenders paired everything so thoughtfully that the wines complemented each other beautifully, and I felt great afterward. I can't wait to return and experience both the food and wine together next time. Highly recommend!

Another reviewer nailed it when she said this wine bar had great vibes and was reminiscent of some…read moreof her NYC haunts. I absolutely agree. There was a split second, when we were sitting outside, I totally had a NYC summer flashback having drinks with friends in friendly neighborhood bars. The staff here is friendly and helpful. Even if you're a wine newbie, it's not intimidating. We'll be back.

Such a gorgeous and thoughtful little establishment. The woman working front desk at the entrance…read moreof the wine shop was very welcoming and the bartender was very solemn. Would return solely for the ambiance - DJ playing oldies, incense burning, and romantic dim lighting. My one and only critique is the placement of the bathroom door!!! This honestly felt like such a huge safety hazard. My friend and I were leaving the dance floor when the bathroom door literally hurled open as someone was leaving. It happened so fast - my own glass flung back into my face and spilled red wine alllll over myself and my favorite white shirt. I really think a sliding door or one that opens inwards rather than out would be much safer. Thankfully the glass didn't break. This embarrassing incident aside, I still stand by this being a wonderful bar with great service. Just wish I could've enjoyed my wine!

atmosphere was super cute it's tiny but if you get there early, maybe you can get a table if not,…read moreyou're probably standing but it's really cute. Probably best for just a couple date though.