I go out a lot and hardly write reviews. Because this is the kind of place I want to thrive in my…read moreneighborhood, I feel compelled to. My wife and I went to Unidos last night for dinner. This is probably the best date-night restaurant in the area; can't believe it took me so long to find it! The restaurant is small and cozy, the Spanish food was authentic, unique to the neighborhood, and great. The attentiveness and friendliness of the staff really stood out. Highly recommended.

Absolutely delicious place! Ordered the gazpacho which of course on another hot day in the valley…read morehit the spot! Also got the garlic shrimp and the chicken milanesa. Everything was so amazing. There is so much I want to come back to try. The staff couldn't have been friendlier as well. I will say I'd avoid noon on a Sunday due to parking. After nearly 10 mins going back and forth in Ventura finally a spot opened up! But there's a farmers market down the road so I think that definitely contributed to why it was hard.

Been going to Casa Cordoba for years, and even though the place has gone through changes, the…read moreexperience never disappoints. The Spanish food is some of the best you'll have in SoCal, and the ambiance is both romantic and relaxing. Our go-to's are the pulpo, the ensalada de remolacha, and the paella. Don't sleep on the jamon iberico. Pairing it with the manchego cheese is a must. I also enjoy their albondigas, berenjena frita, and pintxos. For dessert, I recommend the flan and basque cheesecake. Also, don't miss out on their excellent selection of sherry wine. Roberto is our guy! He always provides 20 out of 10 service, and we enjoy seeing him when we visit. They used to host a special tablao flamenco show on occasion inside the main building. I hope they bring it back. They still have a guitarist play on the weekends. Oh, and the place is pet friendly! Always looking forward to our next visit.

After not seeing each other for weeks upon weeks due to conflicts and being out of town, we decided…read morea date night was needed. We had been to this small quaint and beautiful little restaurant in Montrose before and wanted to try it again. We loved their little Spanish style courtyard, the tapas, paellas, and the setting felt so good for little date night after being away for so long. Unfortunately things did not go as planned. We made reservations for 7:15pm and were hardly even greeted by the hostess that seemed she'd rather be elsewhere then to welcome us to Casa Cordoba. Problem was though even after setting the reservation time and arriving exactly at 7:15pm we weren't seated for 15min even though we saw our table being cleaned and set and just sit there unoccupied for over 15min. So we waited. When we finally sat down...our server didn't come by for another 10-15min. But we were patient and we waited. Alvin finally came -- brought us water and opened the wine we brought. A special one for this type of occasion (corkage fee was $30). We ordered the paella with squid ink and seafood since it takes up to 45min to prepare and sat down to enjoy the wine and take in the setting. That night they had live music -- a guy on an acoustic guitar playing some cool songs, from Maroon 5 to Backstreet Boys on a 12 string...at least it was live. It was pleasant. The server didn't attend to us much and just had an air about him. Idk -- they may have been super busy but wasn't sure. Finally the paella came. It was...good. Not plentifully. 7-8mussels, a quarter of an octopus tentacles, and a couple of calamari. If you're thinking that much it and rice then you're right. It was mainly rice. No vegetables accompanying it but that's the dish. That was $57 for the small version. I've made paella before. It takes time and it's a production -- but at least at home I can make one for half that price for 8 people. Maybe that's why we don't go out so often bc it ends sometimes like this. We expect a nice meal, a welcoming host or hostess, a server who enjoys the food and atmosphere and makes us feel at home, and food that we could never prepare at home. It's suppose to be an experience that you are happy to pay for. This wasn't. We were disappointed and just felt like wanting to leave. The last straw was when I signed the check on a toast machine and asked for the printed copy. The server, Alvin just left the toast machine with us and left -- attending to others and leaving us with this machine. All I wanted at the end was a thank you for dining with us and the printed copy. We had to flag another server for that copy. He eventually came, with disdain written all over and just handed me the copy, as if I had taken his time to get my the receipt which I asked. That pretty much did it. I asked to speak with the manager and was told--"oh sure. I can get him--he's the chef, give me a minute." I was floored!! No wonder!!! The chef. The back of house manager is also the front of house manager!! That says a lot. You're front of house and your guests are not being taken care of? What kind of restaurant is this? With these prices? Regardless that was it. We left -- had some great ice cream and spoke about the whole experience all the way back home. Great date night eh? Not returning.

This place is a gem!!! A friend brought me here. Just a little open air restaurant. The food was…read moredelicious, portions were great, and the people made you feel like you were a welcome visitor in their home. I'm not a huge pork person and appreciated that they had a lot of different options on their menu. Next time I go, I'll be ordering a margarita. Street parking is not hard to find in the area. It was 93° and they had fans and misting water to keep us cool. The place is not fancy, but the vibes are Havana .

I went to celebrate my birthday yesterday and I couldn't have chosen a better place…read more The surf and turf burrito and plantains appetizer were to die for. My friends had mezcal and when they asked the owner for the brand because they liked or so much, they realized it is imported from Mexico and not available to buy here. The employees were super nice and sang happy birthday to me and brought a delicious red velvet cake. The put a Mexican hat on me, it was fun! The music was amazing! I wanted to get up and start dancing so bad. I am Colombian and they played Merengue which is not common to hear in LA. Even though it is far for me, it worth the drive.

This may be the best paella you'll ever eat in Los Angeles. The paella marinara is a muuuust, it's…read morea seafood paella with so much good seafood all cooked perfectly with the perfect rice We shared a bunch of tapas before the paella and my favorite from our spread was the croquettas. But the paella was the real star. The smallest paella dish serves 2 but honestly next time I want the whole thing to myself with a pitcher of their delicious sangria

Last minute dinner with my boyfriend & his family, & we had such a great experience! The service…read morewas amazing...the staff was kind, funny, & very welcoming. There were seven of us, & we shared appetizers & split the food, which worked out perfectly. The portions were generous, everything was delicious, & we finished every plate. The sangria pitchers were also perfect for sharing! The cozy, family style atmosphere makes this place feel like a hidden gem. They were so sweet to let us enjoy our dinner until closing. Definitely recommend for a date night or family meal!

Perfect summer dinner spot after a hike from the observatory!…read more My favorite is all their seafood (and basically that's all we've ordered) the sea bass is just amazing! I love the moisture and tenderness this fillet has! With the skin, but has no fishy taste at all. The sauce has the right amount of citrusy to bring out the freshness of the fish. Cocas I think is what they are pushing for! Like a mini pizza. Definitely worth trying, but compare that to the banger seafood they are dishing out, won't be a big issue to skip for a second time visit. They don't have a tasting menu but in the end, I do feel like all the dishes pair well with each other organically as a whole summer experience. Sitting at the corner, you also get to enjoy the gentle sunset coming through the lush tall trees just outside of the restaurant. Everything just clicked at that moment! (Also our waiter kinda looks like Tom Blyth, and he's so welcoming and friendly!)

Casa Leo is a new Spanish Tapas restaurant at the corner of Los Feliz and Hillhurst offering…read moremodern, avant-garde Spanish in a trendy setting. I came on a Thursday evening with a friend at opening and we were immediately seated. Our waitress was exceptional, walking us through the entire menu and specials from memory, expressing spectacular knowledge of the restaurant, sharing her favorites, what items we could skip, the "must trys", how to consume the soup (sip, don't spoon!) and taking care of us consistently throughout the evening. We began with the Gazpacho ($10), a light, cool, creamy tomato soup with Spanish melon and drizzle of olive oil that was a perfect, refreshing starter. Following was the Ancient Grain and Radicchio salad ($18), an immaculate blend of flavors - hearty grains, acidic lemon dressing, crispy walnuts, a tangy umami cheese, vibrant grassy mint, sweet strawberries, all covered in coarse finishing salt. Truly, all flavor profiles - every taste receptor - was captured in this plate. Next was the Seasonal Coca ($17) , pizza analog with sweet squash which too provided a great contrast of flavors and an excellent crust. Finishing was the Trout Escabeche ($21), a beautiful, perfectly cooked fillet drenched in a delectable broth brimming with flavor. We finished with Helen's Cheesecake ($10), which was delectable - a fluffy, airy center, top covered with a firm, yet light creme, atop a solid crust base. The texture and subdued flavors were unique and the perfect completion for the meal. The acclaim this Cheesecake gets is entirely deserved. It is rare that all dishes are winners, but Casa Leo delivered hit after hit. The Ancient Grain Salad, Trout, and Cheesecake were the winners. By the time we left almost two hours later, the place was packed full of like-minded foodies eagerly enjoying this savory Spanish sanctuary. Prices, above, are slightly elevated for the small plates, but very reasonable for the quality. With flawless fare and supreme staff, Casa Leo is an absolute must-visit, and worth a detour for anyone looking for a unique, Spanish-inspired experience they will remember for weeks to come. ¡Hasta Pronto Leo! I'll be seeing you again soon. Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 4.5/5 Value: 4/5

Food is delicious , been coming here for years. Albert the owner always makes you feel welcome…read more Highly recommend it very good Cuban food.

Absolutely terrible. The Cuban sandwich was cold, didn't have roasted pork, and didn't have…read morepickles. Not a Cuban sandwich at all. Bistec Empanizado was very small. The plantains were the smallest and saddest plantains I have ever seen in my life. Growing up in South Florida we had the best Cuban food. It's no wonder this place is dead.

I visited Bar Siesta on a warm spring evening on Monday for a lovely dinner - which, as it turns…read moreout, was the antidote to the Monday blues. We loved the warm ambience of Bar Siesta. There was ample al fresco seating, as well as atmospheric, candlelit dining inside. Menu items were reminiscent of my time in Spain and transported me back to my time there. What we ordered for the table, in order of preference: 1. Patatas bravas - fabulously crispy and flavorful. 2. Sardines - always a favorite, and the lemon zest contrasted nicely with the brininess of the fish. 3. Gambas - prawns were perfectly grilled and fresh. 4. Croquetas - love anything fried or crispy, so this was a classic choice. 4. Sardine toast - again, the lemon zest offset the fishiness beautifully. 5. King trumpet mushrooms - so umami, and almost tasted like steak. 6. The steak - loved the bright sauce that accompanied it. 7. Arroz - perhaps because I was expecting more of a paella dish, this one came out a little more textureless than I would've preferred. Decent flavor; just didn't entirely enjoy the mushy texture. 8. Morcilla de cebolla - I ordered this wanting to give blood sausage another try, but it's still not a favorite dish of mine and would not reorder. Overall, most dishes were enjoyable, well made and presented. We also enjoyed a carafe of basque wine, which complemented our meal very nicely. There's no dedicated parking lot, but there is street parking in the surrounding neighborhood. I was lucky enough to find parking on the street behind the restaurant.

Great service & vibe. Definitely great for date night…read more I tried their blood sausage, sardine on tomato bread, Ensalada Verde salad, and Arroz con Almejas. Blood sausage (Morcilla) was the highlight of the night! Just really delicious and would def recommend for everyone! Along with the house tab white wine, the food pairing was great! Portions are bit small, so not a place to come to pig out, but to enjoy the vibe, service, food, and company you bring. Def reocmmend!

I rarely leave reviews, but this place deserved some attention…read more We visited Puerto Rico years ago and absolutely fell in love with the cuisine, but ever since, we haven't been able to find good mofongo anywhere in LA...until now. We drove an hour to get here and arrived right when they opened. The gentleman at the counter greeted us warmly and asked if we'd ever had Puerto Rican food before. We told him about our trip and how much we'd loved the food, and from there, he proceeded to walk us through every single item on the menu--including the drinks and desserts. He was incredibly welcoming and clearly proud of the food they serve. After plenty of deliberation, we finally placed our orders. We started with the bacalaitos--a thin, crispy cod fritter served with garlic sauce. A tad greasy, yes, but what a treat! Then came what we had driven an hour for: the mofongo. Between the three of us, we ordered the pernil (slow-roasted pork shoulder), the churrasco with chimichurri, and the shrimp with garlic sauce. These are definitely not light meals, but WOW. The flavors were impeccable--rich, garlicky, savory, and incredibly satisfying. It immediately brought back memories of the food we loved so much in Puerto Rico. Needless to say, we found our mofongo spot. And yes, we will absolutely make the trek again.

Wanted to try something new and stumbled upon this place. The waiter was happy to tell us all about…read moremofongo, which is I guess is the food on a base of mashed plantains in sauce. I had the carnas fritas which was a fried pork, and it was a little hard and chewy, but still quite good (is that normal?). The fried chicken on mofongo was much softer. We took home a flan de queso for dessert and it was great! It was a flan pudding but thicker, closer to a cheesecake thickness, and absolutely wonderful.

Cute little vibe-y place in an unassuming location off Ventura. There's a Spanish flair to the…read moreinterior and menu of tapas - though we didn't eat, the happy hour wine list was great and I really enjoyed the sangria. Bar tender was friendly and seemed like a lot of locals visit. A perfect little spot for a glass of wine with the girls or a pre-date night drink.

Our Friend Vahe took us this week for a Tapas Treat to this gem on Ventura Blvd. They have been…read moreserving the valley with excellent Tapas for 20+ years. We went all the way - tried and shared most of the small tapas - croquetas, mushroom, shrimp, patatas and all the little baguette delicacies - and had a really good time. They have live music - a wonderful guitar player - on some days. If you like Spanish guitar worth checking out his dates in the place. If you care for Tapas - this is the right place. Food, service and ambiance: highly recommended.