Simone was my server and she deserves a bonus !!! Very nice , great attitude, friendly and fun !! Really made my experience amazing. The happy hour is perfect only 10$ for cocktails and they are delicious Amazing atmosphere and the restaurant is 100 years old - check it out it's a must read more

The Formosa Cafe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Hollywood, California

Made reservations here on a Sunday afternoon Showed up and seated promptly The service was excellent The vibe is very chill and old school it's cute and comfortable The food was out of this world Literally every single item was to die for It seemed made fresh to order It was hot and delicious The tuna tartar is holyyyyyy All of it was literally mouth watering they also have a bar and it's in an old rail.car read more

See all

What a great Friday Happy Hour we had at Formosa. Yes, I've been here a bunch of times in the nearly 40 years I've lived in L.A., but not really since its major revamping a few years ago, and it's going to be back in my regular rotation from now on. We got there on the early side, so we were able to snag 2 seats at the bar, where we were well-tended-to by our bartender who mixed up an excellent Bombay Sapphire Martini to celebrate National Martini Day. A skilled blend of the gin and vermouth, stirred to a proper chill without watering it down. Nice!! My wife ordered a Riesling, and found it to be refreshing as well. Now, of course, Formosa is decked out in deep reds and blacks, and all manner of Chinese decor circa Hollywood's golden age, and it still feels like at any moment, a hard-boiled, detective movie argument might break out in the corner booth. The menu goes along with the decor, mainly focused on classic Chinese dishes, from dim sum to full entrees, and it all sounds very appealing on paper. Used to be that the food was far less appealing upon delivery, but that has changed big time. The food is now quite excellent, and very much worthy of your time. We ordered up the Shrimp & Pork Shu Mai, and liked them so much we got a second order. Freshly made and fresh out of the steamer, they were packed with a very tasty filling, and joined by a vinegary sauce that elevated the flavor even more. We also ordered the Dan Dan noodles, made here with brisket instead of pork. Lots of peanut flavor and a good deal of spice, served in a very ample portion. These were hearty, tasty and very satisfying. Parking in the lot below is easy, and the staff is energetic, friendly and accommodating. After 87 years, the Formosa has definitely hit its stride again, and you'd do well to treat yourself to some time in this reborn rendezvous from the good old days. read more

See all

This restaurant is one of my favorite in LA. THE PASTA IS AMAZING AND I ALWAYS WANNA TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT EVERY MEAL. The service is always really great and the food is served quickly. I'm really excited to go again this time. I got the tortellini with spinach and tomato sauce and Parmesan on top. That was a special and it was an amazing meal ended off the meal with the banana nut dessert that is quite literally the perfect way to end a good dining experience. I can't wait to go again! read more

See all

Unmatched ambiance, drinks and food in a historical location. There is even an Elvis booth where the King lounged regularly. The Hollywood legends that graced this establishment is unrivaled with the exception of perhaps Musso and Frank. Come for drinks or Chinese food or both to get a taste of history. read more

See all

I love Formosa because the drinks are high quality and delicious! The bartender was really fun! The ambiance is really cute and a great date place! read more

The Formosa Cafe - Taro ice cream and sesame balls - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Hollywood, California

See all

Three stars for the food, five stars for the vibe and ambiance. equals four stars. Super disappointed with the food. I had the chow mein, with chicken added. $30. It was an ample portion, and it didn't taste bad, but it was very dry, and the chicken was sparse. I would not recommend it as a main dish, but rather one to share. Bummer. My friend had the orange chicken. He liked it. I tried it and thought it was way overcooked. Again, he liked it, I say, nah. We had potstickers for an appetizer, and they were actually really good, and the sauce that came with them was perfect. The service and the staff were excellent. Bravo to all of them!! It's pretty dark in there, and I like it. So dark my camera flashed when taking food photos, and that doesn't happen often. You might need to turn your flashlight on to see the menu so have it ready when you go there!! haha!! They have a couple of bars, and this is where I think this place shines. To me, it's a great place to meet someone for a drink. Not a meal. Maybe a drink with an appetizer. I was there on a Tuesday night, and it was packed. People love this place. Lots of people in groups celebrate birthdays, or whatever. The energy is good. Everyone looks happy!! I've been wanting to go to this iconic restaurant for a long time. Glad I went. It's checked off my list, and I'm one and done. Still, I think it's a cool place. read more

See all

It's been a long time from my teens & 20's frequenting this establishment. Always a great scene. My girl had never been so we made a Friday reservation and fought the traffic. It was totally worth the effort. Great historic vibe, a legendary watering hole of Hollywood's golden age. Our food was delicious. The pork belly lettuce wraps were a standout. The peanut sauce and Chinese peppers lit it up! So much to choose from and great service! The topical drinks were off the hook too! So glad we went. The old red car dinning area was an awesome touch especially if you're a long time family from early LA. I could hear my grandma & dad laughing on the way to the LB Pike! The red neon and dark Chinese motif made you feel you were entering a long lost voyage to the Orient. read more

See all

Classic Hollywood experience for locals and tourists alike! Strong cocktails, and very good food. We love sitting in the trolley car. Lots of classic Hollywood photos and memorabilia. read more

I used to come here regularly back in the day, but I hadn't stopped by in a long, long time and thought I should come by and check it out to see if it's still the same. Glad to say the original Formosa café is still intact, with additions having been added over the years, including a back dining room and upstairs area. We enjoyed one of the comfy red leather booths in the main bar area and the selections of the happy hour menu. We all enjoyed the food with the soup dumplings being my favorite as they were kind of unique. Our server was prompt in getting us our drinks although you could tell they were stretched a bit thin with happy hour just kicking in. I really enjoyed coming by and reliving old memories here at the Formosa Café, can't wait to read more

I went with an LA history enthusiast, who had original Pacific Electric badges and wanted to sit in this restored trolley car. They did a fantastic job of working with preservationists (right around the pandemic) to revive the original 1939 sense of glamour and tell stories from the era, tracking down a bunch of memorabilia. Be sure to make a reservation to sit in the trolley car which was very popular. You can also get a photo op in the old rickshaw outside. There is an upstairs area but we didn't wander around to see what was there. Prices were reasonable for LA, $24 Spicy Dan Dan Mian with beef brisket and egg noodles (large, 3 servings), $19 Chinese chicken salad (also 3 servings, plenty of grilled chicken), $18 Szechuan wings (6 drummettes, nicely crisped - ask for soda water if you get sauce on your white shirt). The food was pretty solid except the salad was overly vinegary. However I can't really complain because the server kindly put it on the house after our order mistakenly got sent to another table (we were waiting around wondering what happened to it). TBH we were already kinda full from the first 2 courses but I forced my friend to eat his veggies and get in more fiber since he's so picky. He still left a few mandarin pieces on his plate saying he ate oranges earlier LOL. Servers were kept pretty busy and we needed to prompt them for water and things, but they got us everything we asked for. The atmosphere is great for happy hour (3-6p daily), with half-off cocktails, draft beer (a pilsner), and appetizers (more chicken wings!) so I'll have to make a return trip for that part. My buddy is chronically super early for everything, so he got to try out the $5 beer while waiting for my chronically late self, and he said it was pretty good. Parking was surprisingly NOT a problem, there is a garage right next to it with tons of open spots on a Friday night. First hour is free, then $3 for the second hour. There's also street parking, but good luck finding a spot. Pro tip: make sure you pay Metropolis with the QR code before you lose reception in the garage if you have Verizon. I got to find out what happens at the exit gate when you don't, a garage staff person had to bring over a credit card reader. He was nice about it, but it's still embarrassing when the other drivers see you stuck after realizing the lane is way too long to back up in any sort of nonchalant way. read more

See all

I came for the ambiance and drinks, and the good news is that the atmosphere was exactly what I was hoping for. Even better, the food was excellent and easily the highlight of the evening. Unfortunately, the drinks and service were much less consistent. The tiki cocktails were unbalanced, overly sour, and tasted more like juice than properly constructed cocktails. As someone who enjoys cocktails regularly and rarely sends a drink back out of respect for bartenders and staff, I found myself wishing I had done so here. I'm gonna give them another try... read more

One of the most attractive and storied bars in Hollywood, The Formosa Cafe went through the ringer some years ago. I happened to drop by in the period when they had taken everything off the walls and painted the interior. I opened the door, looked aghast and then closed it. Bobby Green, who I used to know, and the 1933 Group restored The Formosa in 2019 and did an impeccable job. Once again, this is one of the most stylish bars you will find anywhere. Today, I went for lunch and ate in the train car. I had the chow mein with tofu, which looked good on the next table, but was about average. I felt like the one waiter was in charge of two rooms and couldn't possibly keep up, even though it wasn't that crowded. I do remember the drinks here are excellent and would still highly recommend anyone who hasn't been to check out The Formosa. read more

I really enjoyed Formosa Cafe. I had been meaning to try it for ages! It's an iconic Chinese- American fusion restaurant in LA that's been around since the 1930s. It has that Freaky- Friday style vibe and atmosphere. The food is super delicious. I loved the filet mignon with broccolini. The bits of filet were so juicy and perfectly cooked. It came in a salty and sweet sauce that perfectly balanced the dish. And it came with white rice. Would highly recommend, my only feedback was I wish it came with more meat. Had a similar point of feedback for the Dan Dan Mian which came with tender noodles sautéed with ground brisket. It tasted absolutely delicious but I definitely felt the lack of protein in this one. I wanted to take it home and cook it with extra ground beef - that would have taken it from an 8 to a 10/10! It was also super spicy which I loved. I would love to try their Xiao Long Bao (soup dumplings) next. They looked so good but I was so stuffed after these 2 dishes, I just did not have room. Their prices are not cheap, but I will say, you can tell they make their food with quality ingredients and thoughtful recipes! read more

See all

My adult son lives not too far from this location and he's been multiple times. It's always been on my list, but I was never in the area but today was my lucky day. Very cool exterior and interior with a train car that you can sit in. There's also some more private dining areas tucked in the restaurant. The bar is super cool and the overall look of it is very cool. We were enthusiastically greeted by the server who quickly offered something to drink. She also mentioned the special lunch menu, which was kind of like a bento box for I think around $24. We opted to order off the menu. We ordered some dumplings, the orange chicken and some spicy fried rice. I didn't think the fried rice was too spicy so you may want to adjust or add that spicy level to how you prefer it. The server was very attentive. All of the food items were delicious. I would order these items again. We sat in the train car, which was fun. I think these are more items or entrées to share as opposed to each person ordering one. They also seem to have a cool drink list. Street parking in the area. I'll definitely come back. read more

See all

I want to follow up and revise my previous post. I appreciate the apology I received in response to it, and in fairness I'm removing part of what I originally wrote. That said, the experience itself still felt inexcusable, and I think it's worth restating plainly. On Saturday, June 6 at 3:00 PM, I came in to pick up my order and was completely ignored at the door. The gentleman at the bar appeared to assume I was a delivery driver here for a pickup -- which shouldn't change how anyone is treated. He didn't acknowledge me at all and instead went straight to helping the customers who walked in after me. I live a block away and genuinely love this neighborhood, which is exactly why this stung. Being overlooked like that isn't the kind of service anyone should receive, and it reflects poorly on an area I'm proud to be part of. read more

Formosa Café felt like we stepped into a time capsule of Old Hollywood and a vintage Chinese restaurant, which is exactly the sort of chaotic charm I can appreciate. THE FOOD. - Xiao Long Bao "XLB" Soup Dumplings. Handmade which is why they need about 15 minutes to prepare. The wrapper is tender and the pork is savory from the rich broth. Pro Tip: poke a hole at the top of the dumpling and let the broth out (prevents from the dreaded "juice explosion"). - Chinese Chicken Salad. Crisp, refreshing, and surprisingly bright. The wontons bring the crunch, the tangerines bring the pop. - Chinese BBQ Pork. Tender, delicious pork with sweet, crispy skin. The pork arrives whole & uncut, locking in the juices until you're ready to break into it. A side of steamed bao buns (6) and mixed vegetables come with this dish. We decided the most appropriate thing to do was to make tacos! Definitely the highlight of our meal, highly recommend. THE DRINKS. - John Wayne's Hat. Sweet with cinnamon and smoky undertones. - Sichuan Fogcutter. Vivid, punchy citrus with a bitter finish. It comes in a cat-shaped cup for added cuteness. THE PARKING. Street parking or underground (for a fee). We did underground parking and didn't have any issues finding a spot close to the restaurant. THE VERDICT. Iconic and steeped in Hollywood history, Formosa Cafe has stood the test of time; welcoming movie legends and everyday patrons alike, all under one storied roof. Additionally, the food's thoughtful flavors, fresh ingredients, and consistent execution make it a restaurant worth re-visiting. read more

See all

Stop 1 on our overnight trip to LA, Formosa for lunch. Extremely glad we took the time to make it here for lunch on this short trip, the food and cocktails are absolutely spectacular. The more and more I learn about the LA food and cocktail scene, the more I have wanted to fit in a visit to Formosa. This place is a total trip to walk around, with rich history in the area. We started out our meal with the Chow Fun and I can tell you if nothing else, get this. This is out of this world and unlike any chow fun you have ever tried before. The slight crispness absolutely sends these giant noodles over the top. The XLB came next, these were pretty solid, but after the XLB I've had in San Francisco and the Bay Area you could skip these and save room for some other stuff. Not really a big, but go to a specific Dim Sum spot for your XLB. Lastly for food we have the Gua Bao trio, all 3 options were awesome but the pork belly was SUCCULENT! Now that is what pork belly is supposed to taste like. 10 out of 10. Now let's talk cocktails, first off the "Side of White Rice," I can't even put my finger on what the underlying smoky umami flavor was in this thing, but it was a delight. We also tried the Green Tea Martini which was also fantastic, totally unique blend of flavors. Lastly the wife and I split the Lucky Dragon Bowl. While this was tasty, my recommendation again is skip this one, and go for trying 2 other house cocktails, bonus points if you elect for the paper lantern swizzle. Great times all in all, and I absolutely will return again. The staff was extremely friendly the entire time, super attentive and joyed to hear that we flew here specifically to try Formosa. read more

See all

There's a reason all the stars have dined here! The deep red interior creates a sultry mood, and the food being excellent is just another perk. We ordered basically everything on the menu, so here are my top recommendations: the beef short rib noodles, the steak and broccolini -- all 10/10. Even the tuna tartare was surprisingly delicious. We had XLB, Chinese chicken salad, orange chicken, lettuce wraps, chow mein, wonton soup, spicy wok-fried rice, pot stickers, Brussels sprouts, and fried sesame balls with taro ice cream for dessert. The matcha martini could use a revamp since no tea flavor was detected, but other than that, this is a phenomenal restaurant that everyone should try. The servers did a great job accommodating our family's large order. read more

See all

Always fun to visit a historical restaurant in LA! The interior is great - old fashioned Chinese restaurant with photographs of movie stars from a bygone era lining the walls. Added a star because of the atmosphere. Service was pleasant and accommodating. We didn't like one of our entrees (temperature and texture) and it was removed from the table (and the bill) without fuss. The egg rolls and potstickers were good, but average. The Brussel sprouts were fantastic; a huge portion. Same for the fried rice. We had plenty of leftovers. read more

See all

I've missed this place! I used to come all the time before the current ownership meticulously restored this treasure. I've been back only once since (until today), and that visit was a few years back. Anyway, saw I never posted a review so, here goes.... This place is better than ever! The food is great. Fresh, tasty and a very good selection. It fits the atmosphere of the place perfectly. We tried a few things - egg rolls, Kung Pao chicken and chicken soup dumplings. No complaints on any of them. Service is friendly and efficient. Everything together sets the perfect vibe. That's it; I'm a regular once again! read more

See all

Cute but honestly the food is just whatever. We got the orange chicken (over cooked), vegetable chow mein (almost tasted like Mexican food), and the potstickers which were the best part. I won't be back but it was a fun spot to try. read more

The Formosa Cafe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Hollywood, California

See all

With the name Formosa, I wish the restaurant had more traditionally Taiwanese foods. I did not come here expecting anything authentic, but a gua bao for $8 is insane!! Green tea martini (2.5/5): i thought this was just okay, not anything too special. there are other places with better green tea/matcha cocktails for sure. marinated cucumbers (2/5): too sour :( spicy fried rice (2.5/5): this was also just average. not great, not terrible. i wish the egg was incorporated into the rice and not just a fried egg on top. more veggies would be great as well. i feel like the rice was seasoned in a way that wasn't super outstanding and felt very much like someone's home cooking. egg tart (2/5): once again, very underwhelming. i think i like hong kong style egg tarts more. this one seems more portuguese. the custard was too soft and the pastry was okay. fried sesame balls & taro ice cream (3/5): the taro ice cream tastes more like coconut. i expected a rich taro flavor, but this reminds me more of the trader joe's ube ice cream. still tastes good, just not as described. the sesame balls are not very good. everything just becomes mushy the second you bite into it. overall, i wouldn't recommend this restaurant, especially if you're looking for taiwanese/chinese food. the waitress was sweet though and the restaurant interior was cute (think very americanized chinese designs). read more

See all

LOVED! So great for gluten free. Yummy cocktails. The walnut shrimp is fantastic and was my favorite item :)

The Formosa Cafe opened in 1925 as The Red Post Cafe, initially operating out of a retired Pacific Electric Red Car trolley. It was renamed the Formosa Cafe in 1945. It is located at 7156 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California. I have driven past this iconic restaurant thousands of times and never went in until today. It was in the afternoon so I had my choice of sitting in a large red booth or in the trolley car inside that serves as another dining area. I chose the big red booth of course across from the large front bar, had the server point out all my GF choices which offered me sufficient options. There were the photos of the famous and not so famous which ringed the bar and walls leading to the restrooms with lighting and decor that evoked a different era. I ordered the GF WALNUT SHRIMP- BATTERED SHRIMP, HONEY GLAZE, CANDIED WALNUTS, SHAVED RADISH, SESAME SEEDS, SERVED WITH WHITE RICE. The dish was so large I took home over half for another meal. The shrimp were delicious and large, and it wouldn't be hyperbole to use my favorite oxymoron and say these were jumbo shrimp with a light batter, crunch from the candied walnuts, shaved radish & purple cabbage. From the decor, lighting and menu, everything seemed to harken back to post war Los Angeles save the prices to keep up with today. The dark but not overly so and the lighting reflecting off the red booths set the tone for a wonderful meal while time traveling in this 70 year old establishment. read more

See all

Very bad experience, especially on Mother's Day. We were the only Asian family dining there, and we felt very poorly accommodated. There were 5 of us, yet we were placed at a very small table by the entrance while many larger tables remained available. What made it worse was seeing smaller groups seated at those bigger tables while we stayed cramped near the door with people constantly walking in and out. We also politely asked a few times if we could be moved to a bigger table, but our requests were declined each time. The whole experience made our family feel uncomfortable and unwelcome during what was supposed to be a special Mother's Day dinner. We will never go back, and unfortunately cannot recommend this place based on how we were treated. There were around 3 to 5 parties with the same number of people as us who came in after we did and were seated at much bigger tables. We had already politely asked to be moved before those parties even arrived, but our request was still denied. Some of those groups were also Asian but were accompanied by White guests, which honestly made the situation feel even more upsetting and difficult to ignore. read more

The Formosa Cafe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Hollywood, California

For historical purposes, Formosa represents the vanishing Chinese-American chop suey house, in form but with modern substance. The selections are tendered to provide relevance and not just a dish with choice of protein (you won't find the typical choose one of: chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu) Instead find the best version of a dish made with some of the best ingredients made to show off that particular dish (which has nothing to do with authentic Chinese anything, really.) Service is outstandingly friendly and precise for a place that gets totally sold out (reservations for peak hours requires). Parking is some street, some below in the next door Target Metropolis parking structure (enter next to the back of the restaurant from the alley). Don't think there's validation for that, though. Shrimps are huge. Every recipe is spot on what it should taste like for... this style of cuisine. It's kitchy, dive and whatever you can envision about a preserved moment in time. read more

See all

My first time at Formosa Cafe with my daughter and her fiance. We had reservations and they took us to our table within a few minutes. We were seated at a booth. The restaurant was iconic Hollywood with tons of stars pictures all around the walls. We ordered drinks and they were made to perfection. For appetizers, we had the Xiao Long Bao "XLB" Soup Dumplings and the Shrimp & Pork Shu Mai. For dinner main entrees, we ordered Chinese family style to be shared. The 2 dishes were the Spicy Dan Dan Mian noodle dish and a whole Chinese Steamed Fish. The appetizers were simply delicious. The spicy noodles were definitely spicy hot and delicious. When the whole steamed fish arrived, it was enough to feed all 3 of us. It was made like my mother made it with scallions ginger, soy sauce, and more. Everyone loved the steamed fish. We had Chinese Egg Tarts for dessert and they were very tasty with an upscale version of the traditional egg tart. As for service, our server Gianella was very attentive and friendly. She told us where the John Wayne booth was and we could request it the next time we're making reservations. Jarred, the Asst. General Manager checked in with us a couple of times to see how everything was and we really appreciated it. Jarred spoke briefly about the history of the Formosa Cafe and the John Wayne story. We will definitely return in the near future to try some of the other appetizers and dinner dishes! I highly recommend Formosa Cafe! read more

See all

Great experience. Classic restaurant. Super cute. The food was amazing! We substituted chicken for shrimp in kung pao, amazing. Chow mein was so yum. Wings weren't too spicy but had amazing flavor, ranch dip was great. Orange chicken was perfectly sweet. Would highly recommend for a date night! read more

See all

Came here on Friday for lunch and I loved this place. It was like stepping into a time capsule. The staff recommended cocktails were amazing. They had a reasonably priced lunch menu. And to top it off our server was noice. read more

See all

So, been here twice. First time, sat at the bar. Second time, sat in a booth. Not in one of the celebrity booths (Elvis, Marilyn Monroe or John Wayne), but one which could accommodate a group of six. Even with a larger table, it was pretty intimate. Started off with drinks. Actually I had arrived on "Ran" time and pre-gamed at the bar. However, I couldn't deny my friends a few rounds together seeing as they have an extensive drink menu. They're well made. Balanced and tasty. A little on the strong side for those who don't handle their adult beverages well. As for the food, it wasn't too bad. Not the best Chinese food I've ever had but though I was there for dinner, I was there for the experience. It's challenging for me when it comes to Chinese food as my many visits to China spoiled me. It's not that the Chinese food here in the US is bad, the dishes just don't quite hit the same. Can't quite explain it - but it's sort of like you and I make the same dish, same ingredients and same cooking instructions - somehow it's just a little different. Service was great to start. However, as it got busy, there were a few times we just went to the hostess or bartender. And things were handled. Can't knock the guy when it's busy and he's doing his thing taking care of others. Aside of that - everyone was friendly and helpful and overall, service was great. Parking - I can't speak for the street parking, which on that street can be a nightmare as I parked in the structure. Don't know how much and I don't remember if the Formosa validated but it was easy and right next door. Pretty empty too - on that evening we made our way there. I'm sure I'll be back. Maybe not for myself, but to bring others to experience some LA history. And have some decent food and drinks as a side note. read more

This was not good. Ordered a virgin pina colada and was served a drink that was at least 60% pure ice. Barely got any actual drink in there. The slice of pineapple added on top as garnish was way overripe and completely inedible. The drink was $10 and some change as well. Completely not worth it. 2 stars is pretty much exclusively for the cool interior decor and the historical significance of the spot, but they need to redo some of their cocktails. read more

See all

WOW ! What an absolutely amazing experience. We went for a friends birthday party ( they frequent The Formosa). We had a reservation and were seated in a large booth for our party of 9. Interior is a beautiful old school red, with oriental red prints on the wall and stunning decorations all over the restaurant. We ordered quite a few things but will point out some of our top choices. DRINKS: Blood Moon was my personal favorite. Crisp & refreshing. Green Tea Martini was pleasantly smooth and really nice green tea matcha flavor that was not too over powering. Puebla Hurricane was a table favorite if you enjoy Mezcal & Side of white rice actually tasted like a side of rice! Refreshing & definitely a shareable drink. Only drinks we didnt get to try were Fogcutter & Year of the snake as they were out but we will be back for those. APPS: Gua Bao delicious & XLB soup dumplings also great Stick short rib sesame noodles were a star. Super flavorful & fall off the bone short rib. Savory and saucy. Orange Chicken was soooo good! subtle nice hint of orange. Favorite dish was Crispy Beef! It was amazing. Crispy beef with sticky sauce that tasted perfect. Desserts: WE GOT THEM ALL Chinese egg tarts were HOT and tasted straight out of the oven made. Fried sesame balls & Taro - Sesame balls were great and super light natural taro flavored ice cream, not overly sweet. Apple cinnamon wonton - This was so good, perfectly as it is described Table favorite was the Chocolate Xiao Long Bao Jarred & the staff took amazing care of us and we had a wonderful evening and cant wait to go back. read more

Really pretty interior and imagery throughout the restaurant. It's a bit more than your average Chinese restaurant ($20-35 or so for entrees) but I enjoyed my short rib noodles. read more

The Formosa Cafe - Short rib noodles - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Hollywood, California

This restaurant has been around since 1939 and has been visited by pretty much everyone in Hollywood. We are spending a few days here in Los Angeles and decided to go and try it. It was Christmas and the place is was packed. Make sure you make reservations or you might have to wait quite some time. We were seated in the train car which technically is outside the main building and it was a nice touch. The food was amazing but because they were so busy we had to wait for water for quite some time. The food is totally worth it though. The chow fun was crispy and soft at the same time and the fried rice was seasoned incredibly. If you like Chinese food, you have to give this place a try. The restaurant is smaller but looks very nice and the staff are friendly just super busy. read more

See all

Daniel is the best bar tender ever! My green tea martini was divine and he was very kind to my friend and I! We will def be back!! 5 STARS! read more

The Formosa Cafe - Green tea martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - West Hollywood, California

This was such a fun place to stop during my first visit to West Hollywood. I was in love with the vibe of the restaurant and our server was so friendly and helpful. We went during Golden Hour and each ordered a mixed drink along with a dish. They were out of a certain ingredient for the drink I ordered so I ended up getting something else and it was way too sweet for me personally. However, I loved my food and the dipping sauce it came with! The sprouts my friend ordered were also delicious. Would definitely recommend stopping by for their happy hour for a unique ambiance! read more

See all

Walked in on a Saturday night with a last-minute reservation. We waited about 10 minutes at the bar before being seated. Walk-ins without reservations were being turned away, so reservations clearly matter here. The staff was polite, but there was a clear disconnect between the kitchen and the floor. Food pacing was poorly handled. We ordered starters first (pork belly baos and chicken wings), followed by mains, but everything was delivered at the same time. As a result, the chow mein and beef arrived cold, which made it feel like they had been sitting while the wings were being finished. The chicken wings themselves were excellent -- 10/10, easily the best item we had. However, the ranch portion was very small. We asked for extra sauce right away. The extra sauces didn't arrive until after we had finished every single dish, roughly 10 minutes later. A different waiter dropped them off without acknowledging that we were already done -- very much a "my job is to put it here" attitude -- and walked away. While our waitress was standing right next to the table, I said we didn't need them anymore, and it was ignored. This wasn't a staffing issue. There were plenty of employees on the floor. It felt like a lack of coordination, ownership, and supervision, which resulted in poor service despite solid food. There's real potential here -- flavors are strong and the wings alone would bring me back -- but the service execution and customer care seriously hurt the experience. read more

See all

We came to L.A. for the day and Formosa was our first stop on our adventure. We've been looking forward to trying their delicious-looking food for a while now, and let me tell you--it hit the spot! We were first through the door on this very rainy day, and all the staff were friendly and welcoming. I absolutely loved the décor--so thoughtfully put together. I especially loved the little private booth on the way to the restroom! The food was incredible.To start, we had the Chow Fun--hands down the best I've ever had. The flavor, paired with that little bit of crispiness on top of the noodles, was killer. We also ordered the XLB soup dumplings, which were pretty good, but I would suggest branching out to one of their other fun signature dishes that you won't find anywhere else. The Bao Bun Trio was another highlight--each one absolutely delicious. The pork belly was my favorite; the cook on it was absolute perfection. Onto the drinks!I'd been eyeing the "Side of White Rice" cocktail for weeks since I love Nigori sake, and yes, it was amazing! Everything in it paired beautifully--props to whoever created this one. My husband had the Green Tea Martini, another fun and unique flavor. It honestly made me sad we couldn't try even more! We ended with the Lucky Dragon Bowl--very good and quite strong--but now I wish I'd sampled more of their creative cocktails instead. The staff were attentive, friendly, and so fun to talk to. We will definitely be coming back, and next time we're bringing our kids so they can experience more of what Formosa has to offer. read more

See all

I came here for a quick drink and bite while I waited for another bar to open. The hostess was very nice and dressed well. She quickly penciled me in and had me wait for maybe about 5 mins. The vibes were welcoming and it was dark and cozy. I sat down and ordered wine as well as a couple of appetizers. The marinated cucumber was savory and delicious. The soup dumplings were amazing. The crispy dumplings were also yummy with the sauce, but I would not order it again. Overall, I will be returning to try more food since I enjoyed my time. read more

See all