The design of the restaurant is terrible and cheep Of course i check the bathroom and found the cheapest faucets, terrible looking tile on the walls and probably the owners decided to save ton the countertop too. The floor is ugly, it is made out of red ceramic (thus probably they dont change the floor since the beginning of the 20th centuary ) As a designer I think that probably they didnt change anything to save it first look but for such an high end place (I'm talking about food prices now) they can at least try to create a filling of old place. in addition they put modern IKEA pictures on the walls (I was like really I would love to kill that designer who made this ambiance) Ok now food. Food is ok Self made bread with organic butter balls I ordered halibut - too dry and veggies or whatever it was on my plate was so-so. GREAT THING about this restaurant is their FRIES!! I have never try fries which tastes like truffles. This was great. Service was ok - not rude but GUYS CAN YOU PLEASE SMILE!!! If you go to this hotel dont go to the restaurant go to the bar - the bar is AMAZING!! DOnt forget your parking validation ($6 with validation - $45 without) read more

We always come here for their seafood lunch buffet and it's always nice and satisfying. So this year we decided to try their thanksgiving brunch and it was even more spectacular !! The whole set up is elaborate and storybook like....it's like having a feast in a fairytale, turkey's, Hams, king crab legs, jumbo shrimps, scallops, steaks, bottomless champagne....so many more plus tons of dessert selections. we're overwhelmed with all these bountiful gourmet selections and felt really blessed to be able to take part in this feast. Service is top notch ......A great kick start to the holiday season. Everyone in our party is so happy and festive and can't stop talking about it many hours later. Great job Smeraldi !! read more

Go ahead and splurge on the breakfast buffet. It ends up being less expensive than a dish + coffee/juice/etc

I stayed at the Biltmore for a while, and generally was pretty impressed with the room service meals from Smeraldi's. The pesto chicken sandwich for lunch was probably the best sandwich I've had downtown. Also good was the stuffed chicken entree with roasted vegetables. Less good, but fine, were the pizza, which wasn't awful, but just didn't quite work (crust too bready) and the seafood platter (oysters on the half shell were tasty but the shrimp were marginal quality). Overall, a pleasant surprise given my last review. read more

Well food was ok, but their event managers are knuckleheads!!! Do not have your venue here, I just attended a retirement luncheon here and the buffet and serving arrangement were terrible. They crammed As many people into this place as possible. The buffet line was long and twisted in and around other patrons seated that were lucky enough to get through the line . It took forever to get a plate of food from the made to order pasta counter Bad idea if you have that many patrons at one time. So darn noisy due to other venues going on at the same time. Restaurant managers you have to do a better JOB!!! Of planning. Quality over quantity !!! read more

We stayed at the Millenium Biltmore hotel and came here for the breakfast brunch that came with our room. Pretty average. Buffet that included fresh fruit, pancakes, eggs, oatmeal, bacon/sausage. Staff was attentive with the coffee. read more

DineLA is supposed to be a time for a restaurant to shine with a three course meal which will bring people back. Lunch today was painful. Service was slow and then when the salad was finally served we were advised that our entrees were ready too. My entree had a long, black hair in it and I was not offered an alternative. They took $14 off the bill and I had to insist that the entire $22 be removed since all I actually ate was a starter salad. I left hungry and annoyed. I work across the street but will not return any time soon. read more

I've been here many times for afternoon tea, alone and recently with my girl, and have the same issues, but also same great experiences. The most recent was the extreme in either case. After two weeks of calling and leaving 4 voice messages giving tenative reservations and asking for a call back to confirm, on Dec 17th my 5th call was picked up. I asked the young woman if they would be open Dec 24th and if Winter Tea would be available, to which she answered, "yes". Next I asked if the hours were the same and I mentioned I couldnt remember if it were 2:00 or later, when tea starts. When she said I could make a reservation earlier if I wanted, I rephrased the question and she confirmed I could make the reservation earlier. I made it for 12:00pm, Dec 24th. When we showed up at 12:00, not only did I find out we were misled about starting earlier than 2:00pm, but that the woman hadn't put us on the list at all. I've had problems before while attempting to make reservations and never receiving a call back, or the caller is impatient and condescending. I dont call to argue about your operations or have a contest, just make a reservation but often you seem to not even care. If you're too good for the job, then find another. Now, the guys who actually work the floor during tea time are outstanding. They are polite, willing, attentive, and understand the mode of afternoon tea and the Biltmore. In this particular case, Saul completely saved this outing. He understood what had happened and did his best to mitigate a very dissapointing situation. These guys deserve 5 stars on their own. They are always consistent and this time Saul really came through. The Biltmore and the tea area are beautiful, in a different time and place. It's great to go and relax alone, or with some one or people who are special. read more

Kept our reservation, but left after seeing menu (so don't know how food is). Only the lunch menu was shown on OpenTable. Cryptic remark on our confirmation re the name being La Bistecca at night but w/same menu plus steak, should have been tip-off to check further. The PM menu is much more expensive than the filter we set during our search for reservations. FYI, vaunted buffet is not offered, evidently, at night. Arrived B4 6 pm, place was empty, main room's lights were 95% off, so very unlike the cheery photo on OT. Also given such vague directions to restrooms, I ended up getting lost in the dark! Maybe great for lunch, but we'll never be back for dinner. Had to slog back up BHill to eat elsewhere B4 show at REDCAT. read more

Two friends and I ate here..I have many times in the past but it has been years since back in this area..first time for friends..Excellent seafood buffet...huge variety (crab, smoked salmon, shrimp, halibut, great pasta, chicken, sea and non-seafood salds, scrumptous desserts) everything watch super fresh and delicious. When friend mentioned the buffet was out of 2 fruit items they brought him a huge plate filled with the items. Service was EXCELLENT, atmosphere EXCELLENT and everything about lunching here was outstanding...can't wait to go back.....HIGHLY RECOMMEND read more

The best seafood Buffet in town in superb Elegance and service!

Horrible breakfast. Really bad sour coffee. Corned beef hash and poached eggs were okay, but red peppers were rotten. Styrofoam toast - the bread all the restaurants use we were told. Smeraldi was a phenomenal artist. The restaurant in his name should be exceptional. There has been no effort here to make it so. Been coming here for decades - it's in decline. Wait staff amazing as always. read more

The food was good, not excellent. The service was good, at best. I did feel the LA stuffiness there, but they are still good in my book. I left my brand new 32 gig iPod there, they returned it. If honesty counts, then take my review seriously. read more

Expensive, yet mediocre at best. The pasta was cooked to death and falling apart on touch.

Had breakfast here this morning as it is in the first floor of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel where I am staying. The buffet is as good as it gets. Fresh eggs, omelettes and eggs to order, with a huge selection of fresh fruit. Fresh hot coffee served with the carafe. Unlimited crisp bacon and sausage with roasted potatoes, toast and a pastry selection. This buffet also caters to Korean guests and serves a full Korean breakfast with noodles, kimchi, hard boiled eggs and other favored Korean foods, with a waiter fluent in Korean. There was a large group of young Koreans in the restaurant, which, having traveled frequently to Korea, gave the restaurant a real international feel. Elegant setting with linen napkins. Excellent service, no rushing, fast and courteous. Moderately priced - and well worth it for the excellent food and service, not to mention the elegant dining room and setting. read more

Very good food; the seafood buffet is really excellent on Wednesdays. Service is always strong.

Had a friend fly into town and we ended up eating at Smeraldi's. Ordered off of the prix fix menu that included a beef salad, chilean sea bass, and apple cobbler. Dinner was fantastic! Much better than I expected. Everything was great - the food, the waitstaff, and the ambiance. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for good food in downtown. read more

A friend was visiting from out-of-town and staying at a nearby hotel. We were looking for Italian on a Sunday afternoon (1pm) without a wait and Smeraldi's seemed to fit the bill. We made an opentable reservation and off we went. The menu was small, but had exactly what we were looking for (short from the caprese salad, which they were more than willing to make for us and charge a hefty $8). We each had a pasta and the caprese salad, complimentary bread and water and our checks came out to around $21 each. Not too shabby. The food was excellent, the service was great (although, there were only 3 other tables of people when we were there). The only thing I found odd was when it came time to pay the check. Our waiter came over, dropped the checks (we requested separate) and asked how we would be paying before we could even open our purses. Then he said "room?" Nope, we planned to pay with credit cards, we told him. He backed up (to only a table away) while still keeping his eye on us with his arms crossed over his chest. As he saw us grab our purses, he came over to the table before we could get our credit cards out and just stood there. Very odd. Did we (30-something's dressed appropriately for the restaurant) look like we were going to dash out without paying?! I'm not sure... All in all, a great find in downtown LA. read more

Went with a group of girls friends for their seafood buffet and we really enjoyed it. Great fresh selection of seafoods and salads. The desserts are delightful. The decor is gorgeous, the service is wonderful. While we were there, we felt like we are no longer in Los Angeles, but somewhere in Venice or Rome, just the setting and ambience of this beautiful hotel and restaurant is worth the price and the trip. read more

Over several years, have been here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast buffet is very good, full omelet station, lots of food (in fact, today also had Chinese and Indian breakfasts for a convention here), and VERY reasonably priced at $21 - 5 star experience. Their lunches and dinner are solid 4 stars. Also, the waiters are are very good, but special mention to Jorge, who is the model of service perfection - just the right degree of interaction with the clients, extremely respectful, and beyond all expectations in helpfulness. read more

This is a little gem of an Italian place tucked away in the classic Millenium Biltmore. I highly recommend it, for both hotel guests and if you're a downtown LA regular looking for a nice Italian meal. I went with my girlfriend this weekend for dinner. Apparently this restaurant does a breakfast/lunch buffet, but dinner is a standard sit-down affair with a one page menu: antipasti, steaks, pasta, and dessert. We had the burrata/roasted peppers appetizer, the lobster pasta, the osso buco ravioli, and the Carneros Chardonnay. The pastas and wine were excellent, but I'd go back in a heartbeat for the burrata/peppers app! Outstanding! Oven-warm plates for the pasta were also a nice touch. The only downer was the table bread, which was just average. The food was served in a quiet, cozy setting with fresh white table linens, clean decor, and attentive service. Note that while service was attentive, the meal took some time to arrive. Afterwards, take a stroll around the hotel to work off the meal. Very much recommended. read more

Smeraldi's is our favorite restaurant whenever we are in downtown Los Angeles. The food is excellent, the prices moderate, and the service is top-notch. It is in the Biltmore, a beautiful historic hotel. read more

I spent a weekend at the Millenium Biltmore and Smeraldi's became my breakfast and dinner spot. Food was excellent. Very flavorful. Service was a little too rushed. I wasn't in a hurry but I got the impression that the staff was pressed for time. Breakfast was also good. I will return. read more

Best seafood buffet in downtown for the price!!!!!!! and great service. I go almost every week.

WoW! What kind of hotel does not offer Room Service for Lunch & Dinner? Pretty to look at but don't let this fool you! & when you call the hotel where is the Restaurant that they advertise Si Si I think its called? :( I have never been to a Hotel that does NOT offer Rooms service for dinner! Dining room was EMPTY! Hummm What is WRONG with this place you have to Ask? read more

Incredible puglia style food with real Italian burrata. An wonderful dining experience.

A group of us had lunch today at Smeraldi's. We had & loved the Mediterranean/Italian buffet. Impeccable service. Wonderful staff. Plus the 1923 building is gorgeous. read more

At 630pm on a Friday night, the entire restaurant was completely empty except for our table, which made for very good service and attention. However, food was nothing special. Sort of a typical hotel restaurant. read more

this is located within the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. had the champagne brunch here. they have a decent selection of very good food ... from salads, fruit, waffles, fresh made omelettes, fresh pan grilled fish and new york steak, prime rib, crab, shrimp, oysters, and various deserts. food is all fairly well prepared for a buffet, except for the pan grilled fish and steak ... there's just not enough time to cook these even if you ask for well done. what you end up with is a pan seared steak or fish. the steak, however, was as tender as a filet, so was mostly edible. service was very good, although they can probably use a couple more waiters when the place is busy. read more

One year, this place was a magical restaurant where I took my wife to celebrate thanksgiving. One year later it's a cheesy Buffet?.. We were seated on the bottom floor in a nice romantic spot then the staff never bothered to come around and tell us that they had changed their dinner to a buffet and that the Buffet was three stair levels up somewhere. I had to walk back to the front desk and ask them why we had not been served to find this out (no signs or information about a buffet anywhere). I'm out trying to spoil my lady not traipse all over the place with a plate of food that I may trip and spill on the long journey back to our table. God knows how many other people have been breathing over these heating plates of less than desirable foods (it's Flu Season for Christ's Sake) and where is the Turkey Dinner? No Turkey? Cheese n Crackers? Luckily I was able to find us another location that was celebrating thanksgiving with Turkey Dinners. Not an easy task after 5 or 6pm by the way. I was really looking forward to making Smeraldi's and spending thanksgiving at the Biltmore an annual tradition. It's such a beautiful building and just feels like the perfect place to be during the holidays.. I'm all about nostalgia and tradition and part of that is Turkey Dinner on thanksgiving.. read more

I've eaten here several times over the last few days and have enjoyed every meal. The service is really good and the atmosphere is pleasant.

I was very disappointed with the Maitre d' at Smeraldi's. Six adults and two kids in our party were having Father's Day Brunch Buffet there this past weekend. My mom, a 79 year old women, was taking some food home, and the Maitre d' comes up to her and tells here that she has to put the food she is taking back or they will have to charge us for it. Yes, she should not have been taking food home, but man, give an old lady a break! Do you have to humiliate her in front of her husband, son and daughter-in-law, her daughter and son-in-law and her grandchildren? We have already paid $200 for the brunch, and he can't just ignore an old lady taking some food home? Never mind that she hardly ate anything, or that they had forgotten to charge for two adults and we reminded them to charge us more, but you can't have pity on an old lady taking some food home? We were aghast, and left the restaurant in a very dour mood, to say the least. read more

Had the unfortunate experience of dining here again on Monday 7/24. Came here quite a bit years ago when the food was high quality and they had respect for what they served their customers. Out of options on where to eat downtown we decided to give this place another try. They had the Mediterranean buffet for lunch. The food was literally disgusting. Old, smelly seafood. Everything looked like it was weeks old and tasted like it as well. I know all the waiters here from years ago and the service is acceptable. The food on the other hand was absolutely awful. The 4 of us all agreed to never step foot in this place EVER again. When we were leaving we let the manager know in no uncertain terms how awful our lunch was. He asked us to expand and give him some examples of what we didn't like. I went through the laundry list point by point. His answer was I'll let the chef know, we are planning a complete overhaul in a few months anyway. Some advice here, don't let the chef know, FIRE THE CHEF. We actually had to pay for this dog food. What a terrible experience, today we are all feeling sick... read more