Will definitely be returning I'm going to start there! Definitely a nice spot for date night or catching up with friends. I didn't see much space for huge parties but be mindful and make the reservation in advance. Went for an early dinner at around 6:00ish and was seated immediately. Service was on point. Now for the food. The seasoning was immaculate. We did try the griot app (not pictured) and it was very flavorful. The Rasta pasta dish was seasoned appropriately and provided a comfortable heat. If you are used to typical heat of pikliz then you may find the spice level was at a mild level which paired nicely with the passion 75. The drink tasted more like a spin on a mimosa but I was wish the passionfruit was from the fruit to bring in the tartness - still good. The cheesecake was pretty standard. The glaze on top balanced out the creaminess well. read more

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I really wanted to like this place, and I did, for some aspects. The food was delicious. The flavors were all incredible, from appetizer to dessert. We had the short rib empanadas, which were crispy and fully of meat. They were definitely the highlight of the night! The rasta pasta was good, but it came out warm and with few shrimp. The flavors were still excellent, however. The carrot cake for dessert was moist and not too sweet, which I prefer! The space was also super clean and well maintained. What really disappointed me was the service. We had a reservation, but had to wait to be seated even with plenty of open tables. That's normally not a big deal for us, but we had an event to get to tonight, so we were in more of a rush. Someone came to us to ask what water we wanted after 10 minutes of being sat, after which the hostess came back over to us to apologize that our server hasn't come over yet and asked if we would like water. Much more time passes and someone (still not our server) comes to ask us if everything is alright. We explain that no one has taken our order, which she apologized for and took our order for us. She then had to come back over because she forgot to include what protein we picked for our pasta. Finally, our server came over to us. We explained that we had already ordered. More hiccups continued throughout the night, including a long wait for the check, never being brought a dessert menu after asking, etc. I'm not one to complain about service, I just think they could be more efficient. At the time we arrived, there were only a few other tables seated in our area. It wasn't super busy, and there were a lot of people working. We overheard staff whispering about who was supposed to be taking care of us, and it still took time for someone to come over and help us. I think the staff knew we overheard or were disappointed in the service, because our dessert was free, and we received a bread basket as well. I'd love to give them another chance, just maybe not if I have plans after. read more

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My family and I love dining out and were excited to try this restaurant for my husband's surprise birthday dinner. We had a party of 13, and for all of us it was our first time there. A few of my guests are very familiar with Haitian cuisine, so we were really looking forward to the experience. Unfortunately, I was immediately disappointed when we arrived because there was no customized/pre-booked menu prepared for our party as discussed beforehand. When I asked about it, I was told they were unsure what happened and no menus had been printed. Because of that, I had to ask the server to verbally explain the dinner selections and sides to everyone. Now for the food: The Ou La wings were delicious, and the crab cakes were excellent so flavorful and moist. We are familiar with soup bouillon, but unfortunately this version was not enjoyable to us. It had a very tangy taste that seemed off. For entrées, the griot was served with diri djon djon, fried plantains, and broccolini. The griot itself was good, but the plantains were fried extremely hard. This entrée was also supposed to come with salad russe, but that was missing. The salmon was delicious overall, although a few guests felt it was very dry. The mashed potatoes and broccolini were good. I also asked for pikliz, which was excellent and had the perfect kick to it. The drinks were definitely delicious and strong. Dessert was another disappointment because the crème brûlée I had pre-booked was unavailable. I ended up trying the carrot cake and almond toasted cake, which were okay. I will say our server was very sweet and attentive throughout the night. The restaurant itself was also nice and clean. However, the food took quite a while to come out, especially for a dinner that had been pre-planned in advance. Overall, there were just too many hiccups for an event that was booked ahead of time. While there were some enjoyable dishes and good service, I personally would not recommend this place for a large party or special pre-planned event. read more

Ive been wanting to try this place for a while, but after a few failed attempts, I finally made it here for a graduation celebration on an early Thursday evening. We trickled in at different times but it was 11 of us total. We order almost everything...lol I had the fried goat. It was pretty good. With some of our order, the menu said fried green plaintains but we were provided sweet plaintains instead, so we asked for the change. Overall, our party enjoyed the food and the drinks were really good. However, we did not realize that happy hour was only for the bar area and not the table. Our server assisted in helping us with that. Services was a tad slow and we had to work with the busboy more than the waitress. There was limited street parking but garage may have been close by. Overall it was a good experience. Great decor read more

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Came here for dinner for Father's Day. I made reservations for my family for 7pm. For appetizers, we went all out. We ordered the shrimp delight, oxtail bao buns, and the short & sweet empanadas. I ended up having one bao bun and an empanada. Those two appetizers aren't too bad. I think I enjoyed the boa bun the best. For my main meal, I ordered the lobster rolls. The lobster rolls were yummy, and nice and warm. They came with crispy chips on the side. As for my mom, Dad, and sister I believe they said they thought the food was decent. They said it was enjoyable for the most part. As for our service, it was pretty good and everyone was helpful and friendly. The only thing I will comment on is that my sister's main entree came out way later than ours for whatever reason and she just had a salad. I had already finished my meal by the time hers came out. I would have normally waited, but it was taking a minute. read more

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I have been out of commission for the last 6 weeks recovering from neck and spine surgery so when one of my besties said get dressed I'm coming to take you out for brunch I didn't hesitate. This spot didn't disappoint. The brunch menu had great items to choose from. They do have unlimited items mimosa for 29.99 but we opted for handcrafted cocktails instead. We ordered the salmon and grits. The salmon was cooked to perfection and the grits were flavorful. We also got the steak, eggs with roasted potatoes which was also seasoned and the steak was cooked perfectly. Our drink of choice was a Mango Fresca which was refreshing and delicious. The atmosphere is visually appealing and the DJ played all the hits. I would definitely go back for brunch. I also want to go for dinner soon. read more

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Food was really good and flavorful. Place is clean and pretty. I had some issues with the service. I ordered an appetizer and an entree, both came out at the same time so kitchen clearly needs some work on staging. My bigger issue was that my server would not check on me at all. Plates took a while to get cleared. I ordered a dessert and had to wait almost an hour to finally get it. It also wasn't clear that the would be an auto gratuitous charge. I'm not an asshole obviously I was going to tip, but I think that should have been communicated somewhere. read more

My wife and I spent Valentine's Day evening at Oula Restaurant & Bar and decided to try their special holiday menu. From the moment we walked in, the energy felt warm and lively, definitely the right setting for the occasion. For appetizers, I ordered the crispy Ou La chicken wings, which were lightly glazed with a honey-style sauce that balanced sweetness and seasoning well. They had a great texture and solid flavor. My wife chose the Haitian meatballs. They weren't necessarily my personal favorite, but she truly enjoyed them and appreciated the seasoning. For our entrées, I had the Cabrit; fried goat served with djon djon rice and sweet plantains. The dish was well prepared, flavorful, and satisfying without being overly heavy. My wife ordered the New Zealand lamb chops, which were cooked nicely and just as enjoyable. Both meals were strong choices. We also ordered desserts, but by that point we were completely full and didn't get a chance to try them. The atmosphere was vibrant. The restaurant isn't very large, but they made good use of the space with multiple tables set up for the holiday crowd. As expected for Valentine's Day, it was packed. Between being seated and receiving our appetizers, the wait was about an hour and a half. However, the drinks were well made, and the Afrobeats playing throughout the evening kept the mood smooth and upbeat. Our waitress, Marie, was welcoming and attentive. She was very apologetic about the wait, but her professionalism and positive attitude made the experience feel comfortable despite how busy the night was. Overall, it was a good experience with flavorful food, solid drinks, and a great vibe. I would definitely return; perhaps on a less busy evening to fully enjoy everything they have to offer. read more

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Wonderful meal Our entire experience was memorable. The room is comfortable and bright. The dishes are interesting and flavorful. The Pork Chop and Rasta Pasta were both delicious. Our server was helpful (suggesting that I substitute Mashed Potatoes for the Black Eyed Peas) and helping us navigate the disappointment that a cocktail on the restaurant's online menu is no longer available. We were able to park on the street, right in front of the restaurant. read more

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Last night was my second time at OU LA and it was an amazing experience, first it was relatively easy to find parking which we were a little nervous about. As a Haitian American I absolutely love that it was a Haitian restaurant, and the cultural aspect was infused into everything (the menu, the food, the music, the staff and the owner was incredibly sweet as well. We started off with the Griot cups they were delicious and flavorful. I had the Wine up cocktail and it was a perfect balance of sweet and a little tangy. For our entrée. We got the rasta pasta and the oxtail meal and it was delicious. The only thing was I wished was the pikliz was spicier, but I understand it needs to be palatable for everyone, but I can take the spice lol. overall it was an amazing experience so I 100% recommend if you're in the area to check them out read more

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The food and ambiance were standout highlights of our visit, easily earning a 4.5-star rating. We ordered the Wings (delicious), Grilled octopus (over cooked and rubbery unfortunately) Rasta Pasta w/Shrimp (spicy just the way I like it but still super flavorful), NY Strip (hubby said it was perfectly cooked on the inside) and each dish was thoughtfully presented. The ambiance complemented the meal perfectly--music we enjoy, warm, inviting, and ideal for a cute date night out. Service was good overall, but felt slightly rushed when it came to the timing of ordering our entrées. Other than that the staff was attentive and professional. Overall, a great spot with excellent food and ambiance, hubby and I will absolutely be back! This may actually become a regular spot read more

OU LA - Rasta Pasta w/Shrimp - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

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The food is de 4/5. I had the oxtail and grits and although the food may be good, I found it a bit pricey to be a $30 meal for two small pieces of oxtails in addition to the hour and 15 minutes wait for the food. it's a quaint place very nice R&B brunch vibes, but the waiting. Period throws everything off considering it's a set menu. The food definitely should come out a lot faster in addition to waiting another 25 minutes for a slice of cheesecake, I would recommend this place. The staff is super friendly. That drinks were great. The area is a bit funky regarding parking so make sure you come with enough time to find a spot. All the spots are 90 minute maximum. They def need work on either larger kitchen staff or larger waiting staff. The amount of tables for a preset menu and the waiting time just don't add up read more

OU LA - Specialty drink menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

This was such a great e patience. Came here for the first time with a group of friends. The co-owner (don't think I got her name) was very sweet and hands on. The wait staff was also very nice. The decor and ambiance of the place is wonderful although I think a bit more color. The main dining area would be appreciated. I ordered the chicken Rasta pasta and kale Caesar salad. Both were delicious. Right amount of spice. The co-owner was very nice to bring out a small serving of black rice and the pickled onion known as a Haitian spice sauce. I was in heaven then. I could've just had the black rice "djon djon " and pickled sauce. It was that good. read more

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I came here for dinner on Friday for an early birthday dinner. One of the owners greeted us at the entrance. She was really kind. Our server named Sky was really sweet and a fellow March baby which connected on. The wine up cocktail was delicious. It was strong but tasted delicious. I wasn't a fan of the mango fresca cocktail because all I could tast was banana liquor which was a little off putting. The wings and mini griot cups were delicious. I loved my rasta pasta and the shrimp was so big and seasoned well. The music was so good the whole time I was there. I loved that they got the dj to announce my birthday when my dessert came out, it was so cute. I had a great time and really enjoyed everything I ate. I would definitely come back and see how their brunch is. read more

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Stopped by this spot and met the owner--super welcoming and inspiring! The ambiance is vibrant and the location is perfect. Definitely worth checking out #SupportLocal OU la The atmosphere, the energy, everything about this place just feels right read more

OU LA - The bar area - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

I would like to start by saying I love the decor! Not to mention the food was really good on top of that. My partner is Haitian so I'm accustomed to the cuisine!! It's a few things that I didn't like: 1) The hostess shouldn't wait tables 2) Servers passed the table multiple times and no one asked us if we are ready to order or wanted anything to drink 3) The same hostess had to take our order after us waiting for awhile 4) Our food came out before our drinks which is fine but then we didn't get any utensils until we asked. Despite the issues I ran across I would like to give this place another try. I would give more ratings but customer service is everything to me, aside from food quality. read more

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I visited Ou La with a couple of ladies from a social club. One of the ladies was running very late, however, she was hoping to just hop in, grab a drink and appetizer, and sit and chat with us. Unfortunately, the policies at Ou La don't work like that. They need the majority of your party there to be seated and they want everyone there before you can order food. Once we finally had everyone there, we were able to order our food. I ordered the Ou La Shrimp as my appetizer. One of the other ladies ordered the chicken lollipops. Both appetizers were pretty good. For my entree, I went with the Lobster Rigatoni dish. This was also quite tasty. I just wish the portion was a little bigger. For dessert, I got the creme brulee. The creme brulee didn't seem like it was fully set, but it was delicious. At some point while we were dining, the chef came out and talked to us. One of the ladies was disappointed with the lack of crab meat on her dish and he brought out some more for her. I feel like they try to rectify any issues that they can. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here. I'd like to try their brunch as well. read more

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I finally got to try this place for an event. When I arrived I parked on the street nearby! I walked in and was greeted! The place was nice! I sat in the bar area! I ordered with Octavius and he was great! I had: Vodka Martini Mini epis shrimp Short Rib Slider Jerk chicken tacos I enjoyed the sliders the most! All in all, it was a good experience! read more

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Went for women's day brunch on a Sunday with my sister. Loved it so much, returned the next day with my husband, son, and mother in law for dinner. The space is bright with lots of natural light and beautifully decorated. It's limited seating, so make sure to make a reservation. We had wings, chicken and waffles, pancakes, empanadas, and lamb chops for brunch with bottomless rum punch. My household devoured my leftovers and made no objections to returning that Monday. Dinner we had wings and empanadas again for appetizers along with crab cakes. For entrees I had the lamb chops again and the rest of my party had rasta pasta, shrimp, and goat. Dessert was a toasted almond cake that was delightful. The staff is so friendly and helpful. I had Tayari as a waiter both times and his energy is amazing. He was supported by Masihah, Maria, Rachel, and Joe who made sure we had everything we needed. The owner, Naj, went around to ensure everything was perfect. I read some complaints about the timing/ wait for food. This is fine dining. It says so on the website. Fine dining is NOT fast food and requires care and time to produce a great plate, and each plate that I tasted was worth the wait. I would go every week if it was closer. It was such a wonderful time. read more

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Came here on a Friday evening around 7:30pm. The establishment has complementary valet parking since parking is hard to find. The place was very cute and clean. I love the big window where you can see inside the kitchen. The head chef was very interactive with the guests. Service was 20/10, everyone was nice and helpful. We started off with complementary bread and butter. The maple date butter was to die for. I had to ask for seconds. We ordered 2 mock tails, the rasta pasta, and the half chicken. The food took some time to come out. The chicken dish was good, and although the rasta pasta wasnt your traditional "rasta pasta", their variation was good. We then ordered the bread pudding and creme brulee for dessert. Both were tastey. read more

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Hell no.. chicken was terrible, crispy, dry.. the service was terrible. I even walked to the bar to get my own water refill... never ever coming back.... it was terrible.. sat there for one hour for the dry ass chicken.. 1 barely ate the trash ass chicken. Never coming back.. Being a black man myself, Trying to support a black owned business.. I have to expect mediocrity. the least they could have done was comp the drink.. but I guess I was not the valued customer. Bathrooms are well kept. This is not the SPOT!!!!!!!. I think the most disappointing part was honestly the lack of effort.. and the feeling that my patronage was not respected or appreciated,, read more

Amazing vibe and atmosphere Pros : the staff was so kind and the drinks were very good Cons: none Price: $30-$80 per person read more

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Came for a networking event, the spot is sexy chic. They passed at appetizers wings and shrimp that were delicious and great presentation. The staff was friendly and attentive. We had the fish it was tasty. I would like to try the other selections. I'll see you there read more

OU LA - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

Food was damn good. I loved everything we tried. Chefs kiss. Literally. The chef is back there doing his/her thing. And the owner, the woman, I didn't get her name was very hands on and sweet. I will be going back read more

Came here for the first time and the ambiance was great as well as the service and our waiter T was very friendly, helpful and attentive which caught my eye The food was pretty good and I had the colossal crab cake which was a nice size and I left with a full stomach so I will be back soon and hopefully I'll get to see T again read more

My husband and I went while visiting New Jersey from Maryland and the food, service, and ambiance was truly AMAZING! 10 out of 10! So good, I would drive 3 hours just to go again! Kudos to the owner Naj and the General Managed Felipe (I hope I spelled your names correctly)! Oh and I can't forget our waiter Renaldi! Definitely will see us again for those oxtails, lamb chops, and wings! read more

OU LA - Sign - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

Everyone in restaurant was extremely friendly! Our server, Sky, took great care of us! The chef greeted us after our meal. The food was delicious! I highly recommend the lamb chops and the Rasta Pasta! Don't miss this gem! read more

A group of my friends came to OU LA to celebrate a birthday and this was such a great pick. We are all Haitian/Caribbean/african so we are very familiar with this type of cuisine. I have to say I enjoyed my overall experience. The service was amazing. From the management, the hostest, to our server, everyone was welcoming and kind. I ordered the Rasta pasta (amazing flavor), the Caesar kale salad (amazing as well but I should of asked for the dressing on the side), and the red snapper (fish was well made, my only disappointment was not being wow'ed by the Djon Djon but the whole experience makes up for it). I loved this place and will be back. read more

OU LA - East side drink, Cesar kale salad, red snapper, Rasta pasta - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

I'm going to try and keep this short and sweet. I was going to Sunday Blue for a little birthday brunch, my birthday, however they don't open till 3. So, this is why I ended up at Oula, I could have never imagined that I would have the most amazing experience, which I did at Oula. This is one of the most wonderful dining experiences I have had since I been living in NJ, over 30 years. This black female owned business that is very upscale, modern clean, and did I say clean is a NJ gem. The greeting service at the front door set the stage for this wonderful dining experience, this upscale restaurant was a whole vibe and I do mean whole vibe! The DJ did his thing, nice and smooth R&B. The staff was amazing. It was a wonderful experience meeting the Owner, a beautiful spirted black woman. You must ask for Naz, he's a whole vibe by himself, he brings a wonderful ora to the place. Then there was my amazing waiter Tayari, just call him Tee, he was so on point with his knowledge of the menu, be sure to ask for T, he'll take good care of you, trust me you won't be sorry. Now the food, I know that's what you're waiting to hear about, well it was simply amazing. I had the Oula wings and the Oxtail and Grits, my girlfriend had the lobster and egg whites, the best food I've had in a long time, the drinks were all good too! I enjoyed my birthday desert, can't wait to go back again! Be sure to celebrate your birthday with Oula, there's no better place to have a Birthday celebration, Oula won't disappoint. read more

My entire party of 17 people gave Ou La a 5 star rating. We came to the establishment this past weekend for my mom's 70th birthday celebration and they did an amazing job. From the music, the art on the walls, to the owner coming out to check on us consistently. The best part was the food was phenomenal and brought us back home with the Haitian dishes. We will be back. read more

I am so grateful to find a high-quality, creative, non-chain restaurant in our area. We will return. Overall, a very good experience. First and most importantly, all the food we ordered was delicious. Excellent. The crab cakes are amazing. The sea bass is amazing. Whoever is cooking is doing an amazing job. And the service was very good. Friendly and helpful. The decor and vibe of the place are very nice for the most part. I loved the masks and the thoughtful decor. My one and only critique is based on my strong personal preference to not have to see TV screens at "upscale" restaurants. Two TVs on different channels with music in the background created more of a sports bar vibe for me. When the rest of the decor was much more elevated and refined, the TVs just detracts too much (for me). However, those crab cakes will bring me back. read more

A Night to Remember at OU LA - A Must-Try Experience Last night, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary at OU LA, and from the moment we walked in, we knew we were in for something special. We were warmly greeted by the hostess, and immediately taken by the ambiance an elegant blend of culture and modern style. The open, transparent kitchen was a nice touch and gave us a glimpse into the passion behind the food. Now let's talk about the food we didn't hold back. One look at the menu and we wanted to try a little bit of everything... and we pretty much did! Every dish was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. Trust me, the pictures don't even do it justice. Our waiter, Tayari, was the highlight of our service. He was super chill, made some amazing drinks, and clearly knew the menu inside and out. His recommendations were spot on. I won't go on and on, but let's just say we already have a date set to go back and try everything we missed the first time. If you haven't been to OU LA yet, do yourself a favor and make a reservation. You won't regret it. read more

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Ou La was absolutely amazing! The food was so good and the ambiance was perfect. I celebrated my birthday here with friends and everything exceeded expectations. Our waiter Valentin was incredible. He was attentive friendly and made the night feel extra special. The owner even came out to chat with us and was so pleasant which really added a personal touch to the experience. I highly recommend Ou La for a birthday celebration date night ladies night or even just going out for drinks. Such a great vibe all around. I will definitely be back. read more

Ou La is located in the heart of Carteret. The area is nice and had plenty of parking. I had reservations on Father's Day and was seated upon arrival. The ambiance is nice inside. The service was decent. The food is the real star. Everything was delicious. The lamb chops were outstanding, my home fries were seasoned and cooked well. The chicken and french toast was good, but even though the french toast was larger than your regular french toast I would rather have two pieces. I will definitely be back to try their rasta pasta which wasn't available before 4pm. read more

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Great food and excellent staff! I was celebrating a promotion and birthday and our server Tristan took great care to make sure we had a great experience, treated us to complimentary green tea shots (my fave now for sure) and even volunteered to take out picture. Overall great experience and I will definitely be back soon! read more

OU LA - Floral Serenity Mocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Carteret, New Jersey

Okay so my parents were regulars here and this was my second time going but they got a new general manager and changed things on the menu and me and parents all agree it's not the same. Smaller portions for the same price and I wouldn't recommend the chicken parmigiana. It's a no from me. I think it's still worth trying if you've never been because I love to support a black business but I personally will not be back. I think the most disappointing thing was both the part owner and general manager came to check on us early on during our experience there but as soon as we had an issue with my food they were no where to be found. Our server was forced to relay information to us based on what was told to him. Apparently there was a party that they were too busy with that to check back on us or care enough to address our issues. The funniest part of it is that the party section was right across from our table. So it only would've took to seconds to acknowledge us and the issues we had. Instead we were ignored by management. In addition to that later that night we saw that we were charged multiple times different prices to our card. We called back and they did fix the issue which was appreciated. But the entire night was not a great experience. Our server did do the best he could and we appreciate his hard work and acknowledgement. I hope our experience was a one off and others can experience better because this place has a lot of potential but put a really bad taste in my mouth. read more

Always enjoy my visit here, love Watching the football games here, The food is amazing

Everything was amazing, from the food to the service. The ambiance was very cool. Our server Yajaira was excellent. This will be my regular spot whenever there's a show at CPAC. read more

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Great vibe at this restaurant! From the warm greeting upon arrival and throughout the entire service, we enjoyed our experience. Beautiful interior...classy, but comfortable. Well staffed. Very good food. Excellent service. Restaurant was full. They had live music when we were there (on a Saturday evening). My friend and I had lemon drop martinis, shared the crab cake appetizer (we each wished that we had a whole one to ourselves; so good), I had the King Ora salmon and my friend had the lobster rigatoni. All well done and the portion sizes were good. I look forward to going back when I'm in the area! read more

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Absolutely Amazing!!! Phenomenal!!! After locating OU LA on Tik Tok I decided to give it a shot for dinner. I started with wings for my appetizer and Lamb Chops for my entree!! Everything was delicious!!! When I didn't think it could get any better chef Rudy brought out his Deconstructed Sweet Potato Pie!!! The absolute best creation I've ever tasted!!! Drop everything and come have dinner!!! read more