This restaurant in Larchmont Village exceeded all of my expectations!…read moreFrom the moment we walked in, I fell in love with the beautiful interior. The atmosphere was warm, stylish, and inviting. As each dish arrived at our table, we couldn't help but admire the presentation. It was absolutely stunning. We ordered the shrimp pasta, mushroom pizza, avocado dip, and banana bread, and every single dish was delicious. The flavors were fresh, well balanced, and beautifully executed. You can truly tell they put great care into both the food and the presentation. The service was just as impressive. Everyone was welcoming, attentive, and genuinely kind, making the entire dining experience even more enjoyable. This is definitely a place I'll be coming back to. If you're in Larchmont Village and looking for great food, beautiful presentation, and exceptional service, I highly recommend giving this restaurant a try!

Stopped by one morning to read (around 9am) and it was empty. I ordered a drink with one member of…read morethe staff, and not one but two other staff members came to my table to ask me whether I was ready to order despite having placed an order. I enjoyed my matcha latte (with oat milk!) and the banana bread is a generous portion. Having come here in the morning, I like the coziness, but the seats are close together and I know during lunch/dinner the noise level is much louder.

Had lunch at Majordōmo in Los Angeles for the first time, and it exceeded our expectations. The…read moreatmosphere is vibrant, modern, and welcoming, with an industrial-chic design that feels both lively and comfortable--perfect for a relaxed lunch. The food was outstanding, with bold flavors and beautifully prepared dishes that made every bite memorable. The service was just as impressive. The entire team was attentive, friendly, and professional, especially Juana, who made us feel genuinely welcomed and took great care of us throughout our meal. A fantastic first visit with amazing food, excellent service, and a great ambiance. We'll definitely be back!

Maybe we got the wrong dishes but the macaroni was too peppery without much flavor, hanger steak…read morewas okay and topped with really pungent flavored mushrooms, cauliflower was perfect with a slight acidic flavor with green and red onions that complimented it well. Grapefruit drink was very concentrated. Felt like it needed to be served on top of ice. Service was amazing and vibes were the best part. I would come back for the date night vibes and try other dishes.

Excellent service and great food. David great manager here for the restaurant. I highly recommend…read moregoing here

We had a fantastic dinner at Grandville on Beverly, and the service made the night even better. Our…read morehostess, Cameron, made us feel welcome right away, and the manager, Jacklyn, came by and made sure we were doing great and added to the warm experience. Our waiter, Victor, was attentive and friendly throughout the meal. The food was excellent--our favorites were the skirt steak and the salmon. The mac and cheese was truly to die for. We also finished the meal with amazing desserts, including the lemon dessert and a caramel dessert, both of which were outstanding. To top it all off, the coffees were great at the end of dinner. We'll definitely be back!

Came for dinner on a Friday night before seeing a show at the Pantages. Wonderful little restaurant…read moretucked away on Cahuenga. Service was incredibly fast and friendly- everything came out so quickly we ended up ordering desserts and hanging out to kill time before the show! Everyone who attended to us was personable and grateful. The food! Lamb chops were a perfect shareable starter. Some of the best and cheesiest Fettuccine I've ever had! And the bread pudding was smothered in a delicious foamy sauce. Cannot recommend this place enough for the convenience before seeing a show.

I've ordered from here numerous times on Uber Eats- they do have good food…read more HOWEVER, my mom sister and I went to the actual restaurant yesterday and it was honestly a completely bizarre experience. The restaurant was basically empty, but the man who "served" us was so weird and rude... he was acting as if he was extremely busy and the way he was speaking to me from the moment I walked in was extremely rude and lowkey aggressive. I ordered sparkling rose and he brought me what looked like prosecco- I said is this rose? He literally acted like I came in there every day annoying him or something... it was truly strange. He insisted it was rose (it wasn't rose colored ) Anyway it wasn't the rose that was the problem, it was the way this weirdo was acting. It's hard to explain it bc it was so weird but I was SO UNCOMFORTABLE I insisted we leave. By the way, we'd been there for five minutes. We went to superba instead and it was such a better vibe. Like night and day. Would not recommend dining in at running goose.

Insanely good apple butter biscuit 10/10. Great service…read moreChilequilee 7/10 mostly just sauce not much else Popover Benedict 8/10 signature good but not my favorite Smoked dipped albacore just albacore 7/10 great presentation but a lil too rich for me Ocean trout tartar 10/10 super good easily one of the best things Steak 7/10 quite small for the price Canadian bacon 8/10 pretty bomb if you like sweet bacon and grits

Wow - I'm impressed with this place! First off, the restaurant environment is beautiful, with…read morecovered outdoor seating and in a building filled with art. But seating is still comfortable and not stuffy / pretentious. The food is truly above average even amongst restaurants of similar caliber. Some stand outs from the appetizers: the biscuits, served warm, so soft and buttery with the perfect spreads. The albacore spread. Their salads are actually great (this is coming from me, usually a salad hater.) The potato appetizers. Now from the entrees: I was pretty shocked by the eggs benedict popover and the bacon steak. Namely because these are generally pretty straightforward brunch dishes, but they were just so much better here than other places I've had them. I don't know what the secret is for the benedict popover - is it something they put in the benedict sauce? The way the ingredients come together? Whatever it is, it's perfect. For the bacon steak - it cut like butter, and wasn't too salty, sweet, or chewy / thick. So good! The service has also been great here each time I've come, both in a large party (10+ people) and in a small group. The food somehow still comes out when you expect it to and the staff is friendly and helpful. Reservations recommended especially for big groups!

Who says Filipino food can't be considered fine dining? Chef Josh Espinosa is showcasing how the…read moredishes we're accustomed to can be prepared with an elevated approach. Sampa is located in the Arts District near the intersection of S Hewitt St and E 5th right next to Urth Cafe. There's a parking lot directly across the street from the restaurant but you can also park around the corner by Arts District Park for $5. If it's your first time visiting Sampa, you have to be open minded towards the concept itself. Yes, the dishes here are smaller in portion and costs more than your typical fast casual spot. All the servers here are attentive and offer to help with what to order if you're unsure. For dinner, the Crispy Pasta is their take on crispy pata but served with spinach tagliatelle. The crab fat fried rice is a no brainer and depending on the night you come, I highly recommend the Sinigang xiaolongbao special. You don't have to be Filipino to appreciate what Sampa is doing for the culture, just come by and see for yourself.

Sampa Restaurant…read more This is a review for my experience having brunch at Sampa Restaurant. Sampa specializes in Filipino dishes. "Sampa" is short for sampaguita which is the national flower of the Philippines. WORDS TO DESCRIBE SAMPA: Elevated dining, speakeasy vibes, quality food and service PARKING: Parking can be difficult since it is close to the Arts District, you may want to park in the Public Parking Lot areas FOOD: Lechon fried rice: This dish was exquisite! I loved all of the colors in the rice, which include the fried pork belly, the golden egg yolks, and the pigments of the atchara (atchara: pickled vegetables such as papaya, scallions, and carrots). When I took my first bite of the fried rice, the blend of all of them together was scrumptious! Yes order this dish! 5/5 STEAKSILOG: I would order just the steak alone! The skirt steak was savory, juicy, and mouthwatering! Yummy! 4.5/5 Kare Kare Tamales: This dish was delicious! Kare Kare is one of my favorite Filipino dishes, so when I saw it paired with tamales I was immediately intrigued. The presentation was beautiful. The flavor was rich and unique. The oxtail was tender and the peanut sauce paired well with the savoriness. 4/5 CHICKEN AND PANDAN WAFFLE: This plate was their take on chicken and waffles. The pandan flavor was there, but I wish the waffle was thick, instead it had a crispy thin cookie like texture. 3.5/5 DRINKS: Bartender has skills! Beauty in the booze! I appreciated the artistry in creating our beverages. I loved the details of the flowers and layers of color. Cheers! All in all I had a great time eating at Sampa! I loved the food and service! Maraming Salamat! Sobrang Sarap!

This was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. The Cheap Sunglasses cocktail was nice…read more The housemaid buttermilk ricotta with grilled bread was sublime. The prosciutto and arugula salad was without equal. The Cavatelli alla Norcina was so good I thought I died and went to heaven. We ordered one of each dessert and they were all good. But the Vin Dolce Chiffon Cake, sauteed apricots & cherries and vanilla-mascarpone whipped cream, rules over them all.

I ate at Bestia several years ago, before COVID, and I still think about that dinner today. I had…read moreflown from New York during a dreary stretch, and landing in sunny Los Angeles felt like arriving on another planet. California offered an immediate rush of light, space, and possibility. My memory is that when I turned my phone back on at LAX, my friend messaged to say he'd gotten us the hookup at Bestia. That dinner belongs to a chapter in which I spent considerable time in California and felt energized by the contrast with New York. My friend is highly discerning, with impeccable taste in food, design, and culture. He notices details most people miss, so when a place impresses him, I pay attention. From the moment I saw his message, I knew the reservation meant something. Even before we entered, Bestia's character was evident. Faded lettering crossed the corrugated metal facade, while brick walls and old loading doors preserved the warehouse's industrial history. Inside, enormous windows and garage doors brought light into a room shaped by glass, exposed ductwork, and warm amber pendants. When I fantasize about living in a loft, many of the attributes I picture are here, especially the incredible windows and connection to the street. Inside the restaurant, the dining room achieved a combination I rarely encounter. It had the table density and collective buzz of a great New York restaurant, but within a large, design-forward space closer in scale to something found in Chicago. New York creates energy through tight rooms, while Chicago excels at ambitious spaces with strong architectural identities. Bestia captured both advantages and made its considerable footprint feel alive and unified. We sat shoulder to shoulder at a pale stone counter facing the open kitchen. Golden era hip hop was playing, and A Tribe Called Quest still rings a very specific bell. I ordered the squid ink pasta, and it was exquisite, with enough depth and precision to command attention amid everything happening around us. We also spotted an unmistakably A-list celebrity, whom I will leave unnamed, making the night feel quintessentially Los Angeles. During that period, I often stayed at the Ace Hotel downtown, and the Arts District felt vibrant, raw, and full of possibility. The proximity to Skid Row could be deeply jarring, with severe hardship existing beside ambitious development and expensive restaurants. That contrast kept the neighborhood from feeling like a neat story of urban renewal, even as Bestia seemed to anchor its evolution. The warehouses and loading docks gave the area a character that no new development could convincingly recreate. Nearby, I also remember the American Apparel complex during its demise and the rise of impossibly cool Los Angeles designer John Elliott. His Escobar sweatpants and Villain hoodie helped define the kit of that moment; loyalists will understand. Los Angeles is a fickle city, drawn toward whatever is new and shiny, which makes Bestia's longevity especially impressive. Scene without substance is plastic, and Bestia earned its electricity through exceptional cooking, assured service, and a remarkable space; if I lived in Los Angeles, this would be one of the places I'd rely on whenever I wanted to impress someone. This is absolutely one of my favorite restaurants in the world.

Finally made it to this HOT (both in popularity and live-fire cooking) spot in Glassell Park just…read moreoff the 2 freeway. Apparently they've been open about 3 years, but all the buzz, accolades and crowds seem more recent than that. Reservations can be tough to secure, but recommended. We had a 5:30 opening time res, and I was quite surprised by the length of the separate line for walk-ins. But it appears they all made it in. Their next-door bar only seats walk-ins. Restaurant guests can wait here, but they also have a limited menu that includes several of the popular dishes (like the cornbread) and also a bar-only hangar steak, which replaced the highly lauded bar-only burger. Eagle Rock Blvd is a wide multi-lane street with a center median/parkway. The restaurant has a valet; street parking can be difficult as there are homes and apartments on the side streets. Eagle Rock Blvd has some parking, but across the blvd is FAR and hazardous to cross. A better bet is Bushwick St. behind the restaurant. There aren't a whole lot of businesses nearby, but on Dunsmoor's block there's a bar (The Grant) and a breakfast/lunch/bakery spot (Bub & Grandma's) where Dunsmoor gets their bread. Dunsmoor's Spanish Revival corner space is impressive and lovely. Chef-owner Brian Dunsmoor grew up in Georgia, but the cuisine here is "American Heritage" with definite Southern touches and of course California's abundant purveyors/farms. The menu seems highly seasonal and earthy; I doubt they use tweezers to plate the food here! The space has individual 2-top tables along 2 sides, the middle of the space has 3 long communal tables. There's counter seating right in front of the open fire (great view but hot) and a few more to the right. The fire is a further distance away from counter guests here vs. the spacing at Betsy in Altadena, another live-fire spot. Dunsmoor also has a back kitchen where non-fire dishes are done. We ordered a lot: 1) House Meyer lemonade. Dunsmoor's spirit-free beverage selection is limited. but the lemonade was great, sparkly. Their wine list is pretty large. 2) Chopped chicken liver with bacon, rosemary, onion preserves. Served with bread from Bub & Grandma's. Delish. The thought the rosemary would be overpowering but it wasn't. 3) Edna's sour milk cornbread. Pretty much seen on every table. Cheddar and Hatch chiles flecked through the bread, topped with a mound of melting cultured butter and honey cascading like waterfalls over the sides. A must order. Not spicy at all, thankfully. 4) Regier Farms yellow peaches with farmers cheese, different basils and olive oil. Summer on a plate! The peaches were exquisite. Clearly a seasonal dish. 5) Carolina Gold rice with shrimp and corn. A delish cross between risotto and grits. There was lots of cheese too. An ode to the South. 6) Aunt Emmy's pork and green chili stew. Another top-seller. Homey and substantial, with a slight kick and fabulous house-made tortillas. 7) Beef ribeye with smoked bone marrow and sea salt. Definitely shareable, it's prepared medium rare unless otherwise told. Our slice had a bit of gristle, but it was well prepared. We placed the smoky-rich marrow on top of the steak as recommended. The sea salt was not needed. Would love to try the pork chop and duck someday. 8) Sliced Cherokee tomatoes, simply dressed with apple vinegar, olive oil and sea salt. Another winning seasonal dish. The also have a tomato Caesar dish with more ingredients. 9) Sticky date pudding. Well done moist version of a classic, served in a cast iron dish with butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream. Would have loved to try the seasonal stone fruit and blackberry cobbler and the hand-churned ice cream, which on this night was cantaloupe! Overall an excellent and substantial meal. Unlike some past reviews, the service was fine and very friendly. I enjoy a Michelin-starred fancy tasting menu (where they use tweezers to plate) every so often, but a hearty, rib-sticking but upscale meal like this is also great.

I was finally able to snag a reservation for this place and it made the excitement even greater…read more Being all of over social media as one of the hottest spots and booked a month out, made my expectations very high. That being said.. there were some pros and cons. First off, parking is tricky. The location isn't in the best spot for a lot of street parking. My husband and I, luckily arrived earlier than our reservation time and circled a few times. We got lucky with a spot but we had to walk a couple blocks. The ambiance is perfect for a date night or girls night. Super cozy and cute inside. There was a lot of staff and each person has a different role it seems. A lot of servers are on hand and different people come out with the food and take away your plates after each course. So it was a lot of people coming and going. Some of the staff was great and super friendly but others were a bit standoffish so you couldn't tell their mood. Our main server was great though! Now for the food... The cornbread was divine and just met all of our expectations. The pork and green chili stew was amazing! The tortillas were so chewy and yet a little crispy. The stew was spicy but cheesy with tender pork. It was delicious. The mushroom crusted pork chop was super tender and it was unique. I have never had pork chop like it and it was great. It was oily and definitely regretted not getting a fresh veggie side. We got the mashed potatoes and the green beans. The mashed potatoes were creamy and buttery. It was great. The green beans were salty and wasn't my favorite. THE ALL-STAR! STICKY BREAD PUDDING! I can't even describe it... just make sure to order it. You will not regret it. We went on a pretty hot day over the weekend and it was warm inside. With the open fire in the dining area I suppose it makes it difficult for the restaurant to be cool.