We come here every December for an intimate luncheon with my children and their significant others; The service has always been great. The servers are very attentive. The food is good. Great food selection at the buffet. The art is definitely a conversation starter, ambiance is classy. Will highly recommend this restaurant read more

Came here for Mother's Day brunch. This place is getting 2.5 stars. Service: could have been much better. Although plates were cleared away in a timely manner, it took forever to find someone to take our drink order as well as to give us our check at the end of the meal. We also asked a server to please take a picture of our family. He said he would in a second... left... and then never came back. =/ Food: very average. The sushi selection was pretty sad as was the fruit selection. The dessert bar was not good - there were no signs so you had no idea what you were getting. I tried a piece of chocolate cake which was dry and stuck to the roof of my mouth. Layout/ambiance: below average - the space is just not conducive to a large buffet. The seating area was in one room and the buffet in a totally different room. You had to squeeze by other tables and walk up/down stairs to go back and forth for food. And there were just too many tables crammed into a small space. I was constantly trying not to run into waiters and other patrons. And I got stepped on... twice. I much prefer the buffet at the Four Seasons. The buffet at the Langham is also better and serves higher quality/better selection of food. They are both pricier, but in this case, you get what you pay for. read more

My office had its holiday party at Smeraldi's seafood/pasta bar. The next time we go, I'm skipping the paella and most of the cooked seafood selections and loading up on the raw bar. I'm also going to make at least two stops at the pasta bar - even though I really shouldn't have had the extra meatball the very charming chef throws in. It may not be five-star food - it is a buffet after all - but at $22, Smeraldi's is an affordable luxury. And during the holidays, the life-sized gingerbread house and the Christmas tree in the lobby are spectacular. UPDATE: 12/21/10 Another year, another office holiday party. Having just had the hotel buffet at the Hilton Universal the day before, I felt renewed appreciation for Smeraldi's limited choice of hot entrees: paella (much improved), lobster ravioli, and salmon, plus an urn of New England clam chowder. In contrast, the entrees at the Hilton were the usual desiccated suspects: beef, salmon, pizza, calzones, fried rice. More choices, but fewer appetizing ones. read more

The Old Biltmore Hotel, embellished by the same artist who did the Vatican and the White House (although the Biltmore was his self-proclaimed greatest achievement--and he fine-tuned his work just before he died, so it was his final achievement as well!) is still a sight to behold and has the best crème brûlée I have ever tasted--better than my previous review--it is the same recipe that was served in 1923 at the hotel's grand opening. The food is exquisite. The service good but sometimes lulled into complacency due to apparently sparse patronage early in the week. Timing seemed off all three times I ate here--with the check coming before I finished eating but waiting while my daughter put her head down on the table in exhaustion for our waiter to notice us earlier. (Maybe he was making up for the previous delay?). Anyway-I ate here 3 times--and didn't even try any neighboring restaurants--what does that tell you? The waiters were really old school-and I liked that. I gave it 5 stars anyway, because a little more patronage seems to be all it needs! Ps-the buffet was also excellent-beautifully cooked healthy California-Style Cuisine read more

Smeraldi's - 1937 Oscars ceremony in the ballroom - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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GET THE PUMPKIN RAVIOLI! Went for dinner before the theatre, decided to try a new place. It was hard to find because the gps is not all-knowing. It was basically empty at 6:30 pm. The service was great, our server Tee was very attentive. Our busser (whose name i didn't get) always had water on the table and made sure we were ok. We got the bruschetta which is kind of DIY and so delicious. And we ordered the Spaghetti Carbonara & Pumpkin Ravioli. Both were delicious but the ravioli definitely stood out. I'll be returning as often as possible! read more

Ate here very a few days ago and it was fabulous. All the food was very cleanly plate and the table was well appointed. The service was fast, friendly and knowledgeable. All the dishes tasted great and you could really tell that the chef/owners took time and cared about what they were selling. I would definitely go back the next time in downtown Los Angeles. However I highly recommend a reservation in advance by a few days and to request a table by the window. I wish I could remember the servers name so I could recommend him. However I am sure all the staff is great! Please tell them that I say hi. Hahahaha. read more

I had lunch here during restaurant week. Everything was spectacular. The waitstaff was attentive and the food was all delicious and good portions. I got crab meatballs for an appetizer - outstanding, lots of crab. For the entree, I got the braised meat lasagna - omg, I loved it. The lasagna itself was really good, but the braised meat really brought it to another level. For dessert I got chocolate something, but I don't really remember the details. I do remember it was good though. I'm not sure of the normal prices, but if you have a chance, check it out for restaurant week. read more

Julie So I was working near by and why not visit the renowned Biltmore Hotel and have a power lunch there.... First thing is that the website offers 2 prix fixe lunch specials but the wait staff knew nothing of it and did not honor it... I got a salad to start and it was ok... The entree was chicken saltimbocca which was just rubbery chewy and tasted like it was nuked. Pretty bad.. I really don't have much else to say about this place. The setting is old and bougey and even though service was decent, I would pass on future visits.... Sorbet was good. But how do you ruin sorbet..... read more

Went for Easter Brunch and it was fantastic. A HUGE selection of food and unlimited champagne. The cheese selection was vast and delicious. Fresh sliced ham, prime rib, ribs and beef. Desserts were good but nothing stood out... maybe I had too many mimosas... Great salads, pasta salads, and King Crab Legs and Shrimp Cocktail. Can't wait for next easter! read more

Was at the Biltmore for an event and this was the only reasonably priced restaurant in the hotel. We had reservations. The place was mostly empty when we arrived, but we still had to wait because they couldn't find 4 menus...Really? We waited more than a few minutes to have our order taken. Then we waited 50 minutes for pasta. Again, really? Had an issue getting drink refills, boxes and the check. The waiter didn't seem to care...He didn't ask about appetizers in the beginning, nor did he ask about desserts or coffee at the end. If you wanted us out quickly, you should have brought our food faster. There were 4 open 4-tops, so no need for the bum's rush. Apparently we weren't the only ones having issues, because the table behind us has the wrong order delivered twice. We had the wrong bill, and then had to have it corrected. More wasted time. And don't tell me that it was probably because the kitchen was busy...the restaurant was over half empty the entire time we were there...Talked to the manager, and he seemed to care even less than the waiter. My cousin said the service had always been a bit slow, but it had never been this horrific. Two stars because it is convenient and the food itself wasn't bad. Overall, I couldn't care less if I ever go there again. read more

The hotel this restaurant is in (Biltmore Downtown) is beautiful. I could spend hours walking around and looking at all of the carved out details. Smeraldi's is also very nice, but not the same ambiance as the hotel. It has its own charm. The Valentines day meal was 3 courses, unlimited champagne and a rose at the end of dinner (a surprise) for $65/ea (pretty reasonable for a fixed menu with that much truffle). The piano player on the baby grand in the lobby provided the music that wafted its way into the Smeraldi's. I don't know if this is good or bad, but everyone else I know had to wait even with reservations on valentines day at other restaurants, but Smeraldi's was fairly quiet. Good for us, maybe not so good for them. All in all it was very enjoyable. I would go back. read more

A group of us went there for lunch for their seafood buffet. I must say it was delicious and worth the price $25 per person. Crab legs, shrimp, salads, amazing desserts and a pasta bar. I didn't get to enjoy the pasta bar but I will try it next time, they cook up your choice of noodles with veggies and other fixings. I believe they had a soup bar too. I enjoyed the seafood the most and desserts, I would highly recommend it. Great service too, attentive waiters and always had a clean plate for you with a full glass of water. read more

First time trying and was NOT a fan whatsoever! There is no parking and they do not have any white sauce ! They only serve red sauce and the noodles were not fully cooked through. Avoid this place ! read more

Located inside the Biltmore Hotel, my fiancee and I came here after a downtown architectural walk tour and enjoyed their lunch menu. I had a steak sandwich which was very delicious. My fiancee had a half sandwich and soup, very tasty as well. prices were reasonable and the service was excellent. I'd come here again if I'm in the neighborhood. read more

I had lunch here during dine LA week. The entrance was a little misleading. It looked smalled but the hostess will walk you into a larger, pleasant dining room. The service was good. It's what you would expect out of a high-end hotel restaurant. They could be a faster considering the restaurant was mostly empty. For appetizer, we had crab cakes and calamari. Both dishes were great. For the entree, we had the Chilean sea bass and the veal. The sea bass was great. It was the first time I had veal and will be the last. Not that it wasn't good but it isn't for me. And for dessert, tiramisu and mango panee cotta. The tiramisu wasn't what I'm use to but it was still good but the panee cotta what great. read more

We come up to the Biltmore every year on 12/23 for the past 16 years. We originally went to Bernard's which closed, then switched to Smeraldi's, then to Sai Sai because we didn't care for Smeraldi's. This year we went back to Smeraldi's because Sai Sai was closed and we are soooo glad we did! The Lobster Pasta was so meaty and the Steak and spinach were seasoned perfectly. Our Calamari was so light and crispy! On top of that, our waiter Tee was friendly and attentive. What a wonderful experience!!! read more

Recently I had the opportunity to dine at this fine establisment. The Smeraldi's Italian restaurant. I had wonderful dining experience with an impeccable service! Mr Tee, our server, was seriously one of the best servers I've ever experienced in a restaurant. my food selection was outstanding Gamberoni Alla Brace, (Grilled Whole Tiger Prawns). Everyone in our group were pleased with their selections of food. Lets not forget the fabulous Champagne and the dessert's we had. Definitely I'll come back! Seda read more

So it's that time of the year when employees take extended holiday lunches. This season we dined at Smeraldi's. Most of us opted for the pasta bar for about $15, while others settled on the seafood buffet ($22?) or ordered a la carte. You can choose from a variety of pastas (linguine, penne, angel hair pasta), protein (chicken, sausage, other seafood varieties), and legumes (mushroom, tomato, artichoke, etc.) at the bar and the chef will quickly concoct your very own customized pasta dish. You can also pick a sauce: red (marinara) or white (I'm guessing alfredo). It's a pretty substantial selection, with the opportunity to add in your own spices and toppings once your italian noodle is done. The penne in marinara with chicken and sausage was good, although I don't think I can differentiate good and great pasta. But definitely add the artichoke; it will liven up your traditional pasta fare. The food itself is probably three stars, but another star for great service. The wait staff is attentive and quick at refilling our drinks. They are also friendly and deft at bringing missing flatware, removing finished plates, and completing our requests in a timely manner. Overall, a nicer venue with decent food and great service. It might be more worth it if you're already in downtown searching for something more upscale, but I wouldn't trek out to the middle of the city for it. read more

Came here during dineLA week for dinner and I had to say it's pretty good. The service was great and the waiters were attentive. I figured this place is renown since this place was where the Academy Awards were once held in the 1930s. This place most certainly won't disappoint if you're here for a lunch meeting or a casual dinner with a friend. I had the saffron risotto, beef tenderloin and an apple cobbler. Overall, the food was good but I wished I've order what my friends had. They had calamari two ways fried and grilled, halibut with cous cous, and the mango pudding. The portions were big and plentiful. Either way, the price for the food we ate was certainly a bargain during dineLA week. I probably won't come here until dineLA week is back again. Remember to VALIDATE! read more

I have only gone here for lunch and I have sat in the inner old style dining area (which is a little antiquey and cafeteria like) and also in the brighter more open area on the street side. I love their ceasar salad and highly recommend it. Their iced tea is good 2. Beyond that I have not explored too much beyond that as once I find a good ceasar i like to stick with it. Service is a tad bit slow and somewhat churlish at times - if you ask them for what they should have already offered they act a little put off. Prices are a little high with that in mind. read more

Fancy tea time with friends post ice skating in Pershing Square? Lovely! Now, in full disclosure, I'm not really sure how I would have felt about paying $35 normally for what we got... but it was a pretty nice treat for a few pretender friends with gift certificates. My friend Anessa acquired four settings for tea time here that needed to be used before the end of the year. A convoy of us headed in the open and absolutely gorgeous restaurant. Each of us was then able to select a tea- one of nine different ones. Also included were glasses of champagne, sandwiches (finger sized of course!), cookies, cakes, and other little bite sized desserts. I felt a bit under dressed for the occasion. Not sure if this was something special just done around the holidays or if it's all year round. Might be nice to get dressed all fancy with some ladies another time and do this again. read more

The food was very good, but there's a price premium for being in the hotel and the service was weak. My waiter ignored me the entire time. If you need to eat in a hurry, this is a good place. But if you don't mind exploring, you can find better options. read more

It was a big disappointment to have a seafood lunch buffet at this place. The quality of food and selections were under my expectation compare to last year's experience. How can anybody call it seafood buffet when there is only steamed shrimps for seafood? No Smoke salmon, no oyster, no crab legs, no nothing.... Their regular lunch buffet is $20.95 but they charge $1 more on Thur and Fridays for seafood buffet. $9.95 Chinese seafood buffet you can easily find anywhere is much better than this place. They definitely needs to improve food selections if they'll keep buffet menu or better to remove it. No one will be happy with buffet that costs $35 (lunch Parking is $6 and lunch buffet is $29 ($21.95 + tax + tip) with only one kind of seafood and low quality of food they serve. It was such a wasting and terrible experience. read more

Secretly think the workers in this restaurant works for the mafia - our server was very curt and sharp tongued but let me take home their cake by the pound. Kept asking me if I was sure I didn't want to Togo. I was persuaded to take home dessert and I want to put the pasta chef in a box and take him home because the pasta was so good and he was too sweet to me ;-; Ps - cheesecake is not very sweet but is decently fluffy. Chocolate cake is thick and creamy. PASTA IS THEE YUMMIEST. Fish is good, beef is eh and a bit too salty. read more

Apart from a bland decor, this place turned out to be great. I had the surf and turf and it was one of the most perfectly prepared and presented meals that I have ever had. I did not catch the names of the two gentlemen who waited on us, but I would definitely like to convey my appreciation to the chef and the staff for a perfect meal. read more

This review is just for afternoon tea. My husband and I took our mom here for afternoon tea the day before Mother's Day. We were disappointed on the portion of the tea sandwiches. There were 4 kinds of sandwiches, and we only got one of each. The size of the sandwiches was like little cubes. We thought perhaps the sandwiches were all you can eat because one of our friends told us yesterday that it was years ago. However, the server said no. I saw a picture of the tea sandwiches posted by a Yelper here back in 2008, there were a lot more sandwiches and they looked much bigger. Another Yelper's pictures posted last month showed bigger sandwiches than what we got today. I wonder if the restaurants are trying to save them for Mother's Day tomorrow, or the restaurant is trying to cut budget? We chose the Victorian tea, which is $28/person. The chai tea I chose was just so-so. The tea wasn't very hot. My husband got the French-drip coffee for an extra $5. It didn't taste more special than regular coffee. The scones and the desserts were good though. The parking at the hotel is $6 valet parking with validation for 3 hours. However, the lady who took our reservation told me twice when I called that it would be $6 for unlimited time. Good thing my husband asked the valet person first. We would have been charged a lot more had we decided to take a tour of the hotel. So after our tea, we quickly went to get our car. I definitely will not come back again. I will not pay $28 for lukewarm tea and very tiny sandwiches, especially when the size of those sandwiches is not consistent depending which day you are having afternoon tea there. read more

Smeraldi's - The afternoon tea sandwiches were like tiny cubes. Each person only gets one of each kind. Very small portion here. - Italian Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We were at the hotel for a conference and my friend has massive food allergies so we went here-because she could just get something simple. The CHEF actually came out and talked to her at length. It was amazing. We really appreciated his great service. As well my dinner was DEEEEEELISH. Top notch service and great food. I highly recommend, especially if you are already staying there. They also have a breakfast buffet. read more

This service is the best I have ever received from an Italian restaurant. My waitress was extremely attractive and reminded me of Italian Hooters. I had chicken piccata and I threw it up and ate it again (it was so delicious). The manager however seemed sketchy and was smoking marijuana in the bathroom. Overall 5 stars out of 5 stars. read more

Took coworkers/friends for a birthday lunch on a Friday, and it hit the mark! It was an elegant setting, quiet and calm, excellent attentive service, and a wide selection of dishes with the lunch buffet: pasta station with friendly chef with scallops and shrimp among the many ingredients you can request; nice bean soup at the soup station; tasty chicken with an interesting broccoli like veggie; a paella; and a salad bar, and seafood bar with raw oysters on the half shell! Did I mention the dessert table? Something for everyone's liking...and at a reasonable price for all this. I only wish they had a less costly parking option than under Pershing Square! read more

I've been on a number of occasions but my most recent visit for breakfast was exceptional. It was a Wednesday morning, so the dining room was only about 1/4th full. The custom made omelet's by the chef in the dining room were fabulous. I ended up having two even though I was full. The rest of the buffet was fresh and scrumptious with a standard variety of choices. The wait staff re-filled both my coffee and orange juice as soon as it was starting to look low. They also helped the ladies in our party with their chairs whenever they got up. The lobby and main room right when you come in the door have that great elegant vintage hotel feel. The actual dining room isn't quite as nice, but it's still pleasant. It's just more of an interior feel and not something like the Four Seasons patio dining you would expect from the Biltmore. But then again, it's downtown LA, so avoiding the street might be a plus. If you're looking for custom cooked food and a huge variety there are other places that cater to that. But for a really good simple breakfast buffet, with great staff in a nice atmosphere, this is fabulous. I considered my $21.95 well spent. read more

Meeting my friend in LA and since he's been living in Japan he didn't want Asian-fusion cuisine but some down-home Italian food like he's had in Chicago. This place fit the bill - besides being in the vintage gorgeous Biltmore Hotel, the restaurant was Old School genteel with super-polite attentive staff. We both enjoyed our homemade pasta dishes with delicious sauces and we shared a pizza made Italian style with a luxurious cheese topping and the best tasting sausage I've had in a long time. (My friend's only disappointment was they didn't have lasagna. For me the selection of California wines was ok but I was expecting some Italian varieties.) Glad we avoided the noisy hotspots and found this classy place where people can have relaxed conversations read more

Another satisfying Fixed price dinner with every course performed well by the chef with creative presentations.

Came here last Saturday for the breakfast brunch. Disappointed with the buffet offerings with stale oily bacon, bland French toast and a poor selection of fruits and veggies. I expected more out of a classy place like the Biltmore. However the positives were the staff who were very friendly and attentive and the omelet guy. read more

Had the most unexpected and lovely lunch here today. Walking through the Farmers market, we were tired of the same foods we eat every Wednesday. We decided to be adventurous and try Smeraldi's Restaurant. They have absolutely the most wonderful Antipasto Seafood Salad, with a Pasta Bar and dessert table for only $22. It was incredibly fresh, clean and sophisticated. They had a selection of crab legs, oysters, mussels, shrimp, clam chowder, noodles, pieya, crab cakes and lots of different kinds of salads. A pasta bar that was ready to order wtih a chef cooking everything the way you like it along with fresh fish. Their chocolate cake was delicious as well as an Almond tart, cheesecake, pecan pie, and lemon tarts. We were in and out in one hour (but my lunch hour is at 11 30 so we beat the rush), people ventured in around 12 30 in groups, but there was plenty of food for everyone. I would highly recommend having lunch here. There are other choices other then the buffet for prices that range from $12-20. (Good portions). What a lovely meal. read more

Smeraldi's is very close to the office and it is the most frequently used venue for my special work-related occasions. The food is always delicious and the wait staff attentive. I like the sea bass (prepared the old way; they have changed how they cook the sea bass but will still do it the old way if you ask nicely) and salmon salad. The seafood, pasta or dessert buffets are also good and relatively inexpensive, considering the quality of the food. read more

Went for lunch on a Thursday and opted for the seafood buffet. I'm not a huge fan of buffets; for me they are redolent of cafeterias and generally strike me as a bit middle class (and yes, I'm aware how that sounds). Even so, this buffet was excellent. Wonderful selection of very fresh seafood, salads, meats, vegetables, desserts, and a pasta bar. I love seafood, especially oysters, and will complain bitterly if it has turned even the slightest bit, but everything I sampled was indeed very fresh. The service was prompt, cordial, and attentive, but I would expect no less from a restaurant located inside the Biltmore. On the whole, a very enjoyable experience. I look forward to returning and dining off the regular menu. read more

The breakfast buffet was great. Marcos the omelette guy five star fantastic. I was laughing so much I didn't notice!!! Many choices friendly server. So why three stars simply the price $30 per!!! Steep. 18 per they would have five stars. read more

Ordered Chicken and a Caesar salad for room service. Service was quick and kind. Food was decent, but nothing special for the high price. Charged 3.25 for Room Service Delivery Charge and then an automatic Room Service 18% Service Charge. Would have enjoyed leaving a larger tip, but was not happy with the two separate charges for the same thing, though I understand this is normal for hotels RS. read more

Super boring Sunday brunch. Nothing that spectacular. Service was beyond terrible. We won't go back.

I'm big on service, and this place definitely impressed me big. We had 2 dedicated servers that made sure our Easter brunch went flawlessly. I already have plans to come back next Easter. The parking is easy, the food (on Easter day) was excellent. Thank you Smeraldi's!!! read more