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    Picala

    4.6 (43 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Picala Photos

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    PICALA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Picala

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    Paella
    Eleni A.

    WOW! Start to finish this dining experience was fantastic - food, staff, ambiance, it was a 10/10. My husband and I loved Loquita and were thrilled to hear about Picala opening. We took my parents for a birthday dinner and everyone was throughly impressed. Quite note - if you take uber there, for some reason uber has the wrong address so make sure you get dropped off in the right place! We walked into a gorgeous, bright, airy setting, each table was meticulously set and the tables had great spacing between them so you're not cramped. I loved the open kitchen so you can watch the dishes being made. Staff were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and it was clearly a team effort for every table. Now to the food and drinks! We ordered 5 tapas and 2 mains between 4 and it was the perfect order, we finished all of it and got dessert! Croquetas de Coliflor - perfect starting bite! Creamy blue cheese, really savory and delicious. Pan con Tomate - one of my fave dishes in general, but the way they put a good char on the bread was really tasty. Tortilla Española w/ Jamón - fluffy, savory goodness, the ham was a great addition. Shaved Mango - super interesting dish, maybe wanted more of the bone marrow & uni flavor but it was refreshing. Bilbao Sausages - really tasty, the onions had great flavor too! Paella - smoky, flavorful, and with true socarrat! I would order this again and again! The chicken was cooked perfectly skin on and the peppers! Vaca - really nice rare to med-rare steak! The chicories were delicious too. Basque Cheesecake - just get it, you won't be let down. Churros - I'm Greek and they almost were fried similar to loukoumades, really amazing! The lovely staff brought over a sorbet with a birthday candle too! If you drink, the El Clasico was such a fun take on a martini, it's a must-order. Cant wait to return soon!

    Rui L.

    I recently dined on the patio with my dog and appreciated how easy the parking was, the restaurant offers two hours of validated parking. The food itself was good and refreshingly not overly salty like so many restaurants in LA, which we really appreciated. The service, however, was surprisingly chaotic. Over the course of dinner, we had three different waitstaff, with two separate people introducing themselves as our "new waitress," only for the previous one to reappear later. Servers also kept bringing us dishes meant for the table next to us, and I basically had to direct where each plate was supposed to go. It was a bit confusing and unexpected, especially given how polished and upscale the restaurant looks. I hope they work out the kinks soon, because it would be a shame for an otherwise lovely restaurant with solid food to be held back by inconsistent service.

    Paella
    Katrina W.

    UGH I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately the food is very mid. Service and aesthetic feels like you're at a super nice, fancy place but the food just doesn't live up to it. We got the Baguette & Smoked Butter (the butter was good but the bread needs some serious work), Asparagus Salad (this was actually our favorite item, which is kinda crazy in itself/I'm not sure it's even on the menu anymore), Patatas Bravas, Huevo Roto and Paella. My main issue was that the paella was not good when this is supposed to be what they are known for. My husband somehow thought it was too salty, while I thought there wasn't enough flavor (I do not eat my food salty at all so this was strange), but we both agreed that something was just off with the flavor. The patatas bravas and huevo roto were ok but honestly, this place just felt overpriced for what they taste like. For dessert, we got the Churros which were ok but also needed work. They could've used more cinnamon and were much too oily. Unfortunately, we will not be back. The 3 star is really just for the phenomenal service but I would really give the food a 2 overall.

    Open, friendly with great knowledge about the menu, our waiter created a fine dining atmosphere. ¡Bravísimo!
    Gary I.

    Our tall, trim bearded waiter was excellent. Open, friendly with great knowledge about the menu so he was able to explain the ingredients, cooking process, Spanish terminology. Pícala is a huge, well appointed contemporary space where the light is slowly turned down so low, it's hard to see the food as the night progresses. Such a shame since according to a Japanese aphorism: "We also eat with our eyes." 1) Sopa de Ajo: Ibérico Sausage extra hard & dry, almost flavourless in nice chicken broth. 2) Roasted Almonds with cumin, rosemary undertone. 3) Shaved Mango: Uni & bone marrow emulsion. Smokey, tart Myers lemon agrodolce flavours. Skip this. There are no naturally growing mangos in España. Better to eat a Southeast Asian Papaya Salad. 4) Sardine Escabeche: Tartine toasted, crunchy Pan de Cristal. Plush, tasteless sardines marinated in light vinegar with cilantro green herbal Aïoli, mildly garlicky olive oil aerosol. *5) Tuna Crudo: Looks like raw albacore tuna dressed with possibly light soy sauce. Rings of pickled onion. Salpicón: scattering of chopped veggies marinated in lime. Underlying it all, Mojo Verde is a thick purée of fresh cilantro, garlic, cumin, olive oil, and vinegar. Tastes nutty with a parsley greenness. ***6) Jamón Ibérico de Bellota: Aged 5 years, cheesy, fermented, buttery, meaty yet unearthly. Way superior to Prosciutto di Parma or San Danielle which is saying a lot. Standard rustic baguette. *7) Bilbao Sausage: Whole chorizo earthy, porky, paprika, salty, fermented, with julienned onion confit in chicken broth with touch of Vermouth. 8) Cochinillo: Roast suckling pig with cabbage chimichurri. Portion of a leg marinated, slow roasted. Wild, chewy, rubbery skin, covering fatty, soft meat, plush yet bit mushy. Nappa cabbage dressed with orange blossom Chimichurri which tasted more like cilantro vinaigrette. *9) Arroz Negro: Paella dyed black with squid ink. Chewy yet soft, nutty, bit sweet, Ocean funky. Soft, fishy, julienned calamari white meat . 10) Vaca: Aged rib-eye steak, but not very beefy. Chewy, marinated in olive oil, herbs. Radicchio, a type of chicory. "Picala's aged prime rib-eye gets presented with a dollop of egg yolk, anchovy for added brine, and a pleasant bitter add of grilled chicory." 11) Dayboat Rockfish: Tasting like cod. Firm meat, fibrous, nice fish meat; lightly grilled. Fibrous, fried artichoke. Couldn't sense the saffron sauce. 12) Calamar: Whole body cut into rings. Firm, yet turning soft as one chews. Salsa Verde is a light broth with marjoram-like sweetness, Gigante beans similar to lima but firmer. **13) Fideos: Thin Cappelli d'Angelo al dente, deep Umami, seafood broth. Caledonian shrimp, venus clams, bay scallops, and topped with Aïoli. 1-13a) Vibrante: Spanish Gin, Pastis/fennel liqueur grapefruit juice. Garnished with fennel leaves, grapefruit slice. Refreshing licorice scented cocktail. Dessert: 14) Basque Cheese Cake: Burnt, baked, moist, creamy, airy. Blueberry confiture. *15) Torta de Santiago: Almond flour for dense, chewy, heavy mouthfeel. Rustic and satisfying. Yogurt and blueberry compote. **16) Chocolate Mousse: Bitter chocolate ganache. Raspberries, crème fraîche, crispy sprinkles. *17) Burnt Butter Ice Cream: Beurre Noisette infused vanilla ice cream. 18) Churros: Had better in Mexican eateries. Too light and airy, no substantial heft and overfried in oil that seemed stale was accompanied by dulce de Leche sauce. 7 of us sampled the 18 items, coming out to about $100/ person which is not bad in this period of inflation. The asterisks are suggested dishes and the only photos uploaded to my review. 4 stars

    Olives
    Julie H.

    What a great spot! We ate at the bar on a Sunday evening and wow. Morgan, Mark, and Joey (bar manager) were so hospitable and fun. Drinks? NO NOTES. Cocktail menu does it all. Joey even gave us a sneak peek of a Dirty G&T that's coming soon. Food? We had to stop ordering tapas plates so we could have mains! Lemme just list things as everything was so good! Olives. Baguette and smoked butter (best butter I've ever had). Croquetas de Coliflor. Fideos. Churros. I think the menu may change monthly, so get there soon for these dishes, but I bet next month will be awesome too! The room is beautiful, as much as I'd love to sit at a table one time, the bar is great!

    Vibes
    Gayle P.

    Easy parking by the whole foods. FYI they do validate. So our parking for less than 2 hours there was free. Started with the rosado sangria, it was refreshing and not too sweet. Tapas: The patatas bravas were actually our favorite. They were perfectly fried but tender on the inside. And the spices! Wow, we loved them. Had the olives, and really no notes. They were good olives lol. Croquetas de jámon, were delicious. Nice and cheesy on the inside and nice and soft as well. Mains: Chicken and chorizo paella :I am the kind of person who likes the crispy rice at the bottom of the rice cooker.... So I really loved them. The char and smokiness was amazing. Really added a nice depth to the dish. Would come back to try their other paellas! Especially since that's what they're known for. Vaca: the steak was so tender and juicy. No Notes. Also really good with the patatas !

    Tapas menu
    Austin C.

    What a vibe! The space is well-designed, the music is great, and the food is awesome. Our server was friendly, attentive, and great at dishing out suggestions. To eat, we had the pan con tomate with anchovy, shaved asparagus, sardine escabeche, pulpo a la planche, paella, and New Zealand snapper; to drink we had the Melon, Verde, and a Naked and Famous. The chicken in the paella was cooked perfectly, the shaved asparagus was tasty, and the sauce in the New Zealand snapper paired well with the fish. My only gripe with Picala was the speaker placement - one was so close to our booth, it felt like a third person was sitting between my wife and me. It was pointed right at our ears and was pretty uncomfortable at times. They only opened a day ago, so maybe they'll move the speakers around. EXTRAS: they validate parking and the Metro E line (La Cienaga/Jefferson) is only a 5 min walk away.

    Menu
    Ron R.

    Beautiful ambiance, delicious food, potently balanced cocktails. Every dish masterfully captures the spirit of Spain using the nonconformity of California's fresh ingredients. All dishes served as traditional tapas, you'll quickly discover that you won't want to share. From one bite pintxos to a selection paellas - you can go wrong with any decision you make. This night we ordered a variety of different options. Gilda (* 5), Ibizian Tomato (* 24 anchovies, pan de cristal & caper berries), Tuna Crudo(* 22 mojo verde & salpicon), Croquetas de Coliflor (* 12 cauliflower & blue cheese), Baguette & Smoked Butter (* 7), Pescado Frito (* 18 saffron date aioli), Fideos (* 56 Caldonian shrimp, bay scallops, venus clams & aioli), Calamar (* 28 Pacific squid, salsa verde & gigante beans), and Vaca (* 55 aged prime ribeye, egg, anchovy & grilled chicory). The cocktails are balanced - but be forewarned - they pack a punch. Being that the dishes are tapas, the cost jumps up really quickly. So be ready to spend a pretty penny filling up on many delicious options.

    Cheri P.

    The food was top notch. My least favorite cuisine is Spanish but this resto nailed their dishes so much that a non enjoyer of comida de Espana loved it. The only drawback was the too light of an aesthetic to make it a cool vibe. But still, great service and great food.

    Outside
    Sarah K.

    Imagine Jim's fondness for pranking Dwight combined with Michael's fondness for Ryan and Angela's fondness for her cats. That's how charmed I was with Picala in Culver City. Opening a new restaurant in LA takes dedication and hard work, and Picala understood the assignment . It was 10/10 (or I guess 5/5 in Yelp ratings) in ingredients, atmosphere, and service. The staff, especially the bartenders, were top tier with their knowledge of the menu and attentiveness. The bartender deserved a Dundee award for Exceptional Hospitality. Fact: I plan to become a regular here and try all the vegetarian friendly tapas and cocktails on the menu.

    Paella

    The food and drinks were excellent and the service was strong from start to finish. I already can't want to come back!

    croquetas, crudo, olives

    First time visit to Picala and had a great dinner with some friends. Staff was super friendly and knowledgeable about the cocktail pairings along with the origins of some of the alcohols from Spain. Inside was nicely designed, not too loud and bathrooms were also nice. Croquetas, crudo, and pan con tomate were great tapas choices. Sardine escabeche had lots of flavor. Chef gave us the tomato salad on the house and it was delicious! I'm not a fresh tomato person but the way these tomatoes were dressed and seasoned made it very enjoyable, the croutons were tasty. For the mains my favorite of the 3 we tried was the fideos. Recommend the basque cheesecake and the burnt butter ice cream for dessert! As a new restaurant I would return again to see if it holds up.

    Bilbao sausages

    Very impressed by Picala. I was thrilled to find this place while searching for a good tapas restaurant in the LA area, after moving from New York last year. Great service - the server was friendly and attentive without being overbearing. The modern earth toned decor was chic but cozy. The high ceiling completed the great ambiance, and helped to control the acoustics. A perfect place for date night or great conversations with friends. The food was AMAZING with interesting flavors - from tapas staples such as patatas bravas and pan con tomate to delicious sardines, arroz negro, suckling pig, and paella. The heavenly churros and chocolate mousse were a perfect finish for the evening. Thank you Picala for the wonderful evening! Looking forward to trying out more dishes during my next visit.

    Arroz Negro

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    we went shortly upon opening & the food was well executed, delicious - we enjoyed yummy mocktails as well - definitely going back

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    Good ambiance and food. Parking is easy and service is pleasant. The Paella was on point.

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    Our meal was delightful! Service was also very warm and accommodating- we will definitely be coming back!

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    Ask the Community - Picala

    Cold Shoulder Bar

    Cold Shoulder Bar

    4.1
    (60 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    The cutest hole in the wall bar that I have found. Stumbled upon it by accident and fell in love…read morewith the ambiance. It's dark but has warm lighting and really cool decor such as upside down stools and fireplaces on the ceiling. My bartenders Matt & Kelsey were super friendly & made some fire drinks. The menus are aesthetic to look at because drinks are categorized by type of liquor, each drink described in detail and each description is accompanied by a picture of what the drink is supposed to look like. However, there is no food menu just alcoholic drinks. I found parking across the street where the CVS & WholeFoods are located. I didn't have any issues, but I only parked there for about 2 hours. Right before I left, the bartenders helped me discover a secret entrance to the bar next door. When you walk in you'll notice a bookshelf, if you slide that bookshelf to the right, you'll open the entrance to the bar next door. Pretty cool! Will definitely come back again.

    Vibe: So cute!!! The decorations are upside down. If I ever…read moreneed to bring friends from out of town somewhere, I would bring them to this place. It's unique and the vibes are chill. it's also not too loud so ya'll can talk. Could be a good spot for a date. Drink: They have a lot of creative and unique drinks on the menu, so it makes me more inclined to come through to try all the different drinks. I happened to visit during the work week, so I couldn't get too crazy. lolol Mr. Roake: 5/5 There's aloe in it!

    Photos
    Upside down bar!
    Upside down bar!
    Upside down bookcase entrance from next door's Blue Collar bar.
    Upside down bookcase entrance from next door's Blue Collar bar.
    Cold Shoulder Bar

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    The Maybourne Bar

    The Maybourne Bar

    4.3
    (28 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$$$

    I work across the street from the Maybourne Beverly Hills and have been a regular at the lobby bar…read more Unfortunately, I've had repeated negative experiences with one specific staff member, Elton and it has now reached a point where I feel compelled to speak up. On multiple occasions, Elton has given me poor service and a noticeable attitude. I chose to overlook it at first, but eventually I brought it to management's attention because the treatment was consistent and unacceptable. After that complaint, the situation escalated. When I returned, Elton refused to serve me altogether. He would not look at me, acknowledge me, or take my order. I was left sitting there while being completely ignored. It became so obvious that other guests sitting next to me noticed and were concerned enough to step in and ask him why I wasn't being helped and to tell him to serve me. That should never have to happen. I then asked for the manager I had previously spoken to, Leo, because I wanted to understand what was going on. I still have not received any clear explanation. What's most concerning is that this behavior feels intentional. No employee in hospitality gets to decide who they will or will not serve based on personal feelings. If a staff member's feelings are "hurt" after a complaint, that does not justify refusing service to a guest. That is not professionalism--that is the opposite of hospitality. It was honestly disturbing enough that the people next to me told me directly that it didn't feel right and that I shouldn't come back because it seemed like I wasn't wanted there. That is not okay, especially at an establishment of this caliber. I am actively trying to get in touch with someone at the hotel who can properly address this situation, because this needs to be taken seriously. No guest should ever feel ignored, singled out, or unwelcome in this way.

    I saw the Caviar Indulgence Omakase on TikTok and I knew immediately that I had to surprise my mom…read morewith this experience for her birthday. I emailed the bar to make a reservation since the online system was down, and they emailed back immediately to confirm -- and even said they would surprise my mom with an extra birthday cake! Now all I had to do was wait 3 weeks until her visit so the experience could finally happen. The day arrived and I got my mom to Maybourne Bar with her none the wiser. From the moment we stepped through the door, the experience was a 1 million out of 10. Every course is unbelievable. This is a caviar tasting in the best way -- all nine courses are topped with generous helpings of delicious N25 caviar. You get sweet, salty, savory, comfort food, upscale dining, everything comes together in the absolute best way. I especially loved the deconstructed deviled egg and the lobster roll, and the ice cream was some of the best I've ever had. The chips and dip came with the cutest miniature potato chips (although I'll admit I could have used a few more), and the caviar salmon burger was super flavorful. And, true to their word, they surprised my mom with a birthday cake -- and then surprised us both with complimentary lychee cocktails! The service was impeccable as well. Each person on the waitstaff was kind, helpful, and accommodating. We loved how descriptive they were of each dish. It was also really nice of them to decide to give us an extra 2-top so we would have room for all of the courses. This is not only an incredible tasting menu, but made even more incredible by the price. 10 courses and a glass of champagne are $85. I was honestly shocked at how much we received for under $100. I cannot recommend this experience highly enough. This is a true gem in Beverly Hills. I'm already planning my next visit!

    Photos
    The Maybourne Bar
    The Maybourne Bar
    Caviar tasting menu

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    Caviar tasting menu

    Picala - spanish - Updated June 2026

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