This was one of the nicest dining experiences we've had in a long time. The ambience is fabulous - dimmed dining room with a great jazz band playing. Music was perfect, not too soft that we couldn't enjoy it, not too loud that we couldn't carry on a conversation. Now onto the food. We started off with the milk buns and browned butter which were so light and delicious, a definite must-have. We also had the octopus which was probably the best I've had; the sauce and the char were perfect. Our mains were the lamb pasta, pork belly risotto and the braised beef, all of which were delicious, but the last one a huge hit; tender beef and the asparagus were roasted perfectly. We included the crushed potato and roasted broccolini sides and both were wiped clean. It says a lot when my husband - notoriously fussy about his food and is rarely impressed by anything - kept muttering "wow" with every bite. Our server was great, really friendly and on top of things without being overly intrusive. We were there celebrating my husband's birthday and they brought out a lovely almond cake for us to share, a very nice touch. Overall, this place is a hit. read more

Verse - (L-R) Lamb pasta, pork belly risotto, and braised beef, with roasted broccolini, bone marrow and crushed potato in the center. - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

We celebrated my friend's birthday at Verse last night and loved every minute of it! The ambiance is so good. It's upscale yet chill and at the same time lively. The music, service, and food were also incredible. 10/10, I can't wait to go back with my husband. read more

Verse - Olive oil cake - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

For my 500th review I'm choosing Verse for this memorable milestone! During our visit we celebrated a special Birthday. I loved the speakeasy curb appeal. Only discovered by those in the know. Walking through the main entrance was magical. The city bustle silenced as the dim intimate lighting glistened across the table settings of wine glasses and silverware, polished gold table touch lamps with luscious velvet seating. The acoustic wall treatments and focal wall behind the stage warmed the space with an inviting elegance. As we walked further inside, the bar area illuminated like lighting a match to ignite a candle that glowed throughout the night. Upon check in we were warmly greeted and welcomed by front of house. Escorted to our seats, front and center one of the best seats in the house. Our personalized five course menu was displayed at our table. Our mouths began to water and eyes widened as we read what was in store for us. We admired the instruments awaiting the musicians to bring them to life. Benjamin Ring then took the stage on drums, jazzy compilations with stand up bassist and keyboardist holding down the night. The accomplished talents of these individuals was mesmerizing. Sommelier Matias Marroquin welcomed and introduced us to the wine selections. A whole menu of opportunities to pair with dinner. Shortly after our server checked in on us and we awaited our experience. Fun facts: Verse was created by 18 time Grammy winning mixer Manny Marroquin, he designed a recording studio big enough to fit a restaurant. With 52 speakers guests are treated to a fully immersive environment that blends perfect acoustics, enabling private conversation while enjoying live performances. Executive chef Oscar Torres then graciously welcomed and introduced himself and our journey began. He personally explained every dish as the progression of each course was presented. 1st course Kingfish Crudo: leche de tigre, pickled Fresno and parsnip chips. 2nd course Grilled Kushii oyster: Potato, smoked ikura and ginger oil. 3rd course Croquettes: Pepian chicken, burnt tomato and mustard frill. 4th course Lamb Risotto: Pepita seeds, butternut squash and chives. 5th course Dry aged duck: pommes purée, potato pave and duck jus. Dessert Cookies and Cream: waffle crisp, coffee soil and brown butter. Everything was absolute perfection! We appreciated the building of flavors from sweetness, umami, spicy, salty, floral, herbaceous and savory complexities creating a symphony as each texture worked to compliment one another. We savored every bite. Our journey lasted two and a half hours which flew by. We were so enraptured by the evening and thankful for every minute. Thank you chef Torres and Verse family for an unforgettable evening. We will be back again! read more

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Pro Live music Delicious food Beautiful restaurant Excellent wait staff Meticulous attention to detail Presentation exceptional Superb drinks Speakeasy vibe Great for intimate dinners Great for large crowds Valet Con Parking can be tricky read more

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Great ambience and delicious food!!! Very hidden spot with no signage outside. The drinks are delicious. Service is very attentive!!! Dim lighting which makes for an intimate setting. They also have bands that occasionally play. Will definitely come back! read more

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There are a lot of great things to love about Verse. I'll start with saying I recommend going to Verse and I will be back! But, the food and what we ordered was very just ok. I believe they probably have some stellar dishes on the menu, but the duck was a let down and the branzino was forgettable. I will say, the drinks are really great and the ambiance is sexy and cool. I loved it! The live music is really the cherry on top. The service is also top notch. Our waiter was very kind and helpful. I say come here for after dinner drinks and vibe or before dinner drinks and vibe. read more

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There is valet parking for $12 here. Since this is restaurant is on Landershim, you might get lucky and find a spot on the street and in the neighborhoods. Our reservation was at 9pm on a Friday and we had to park about a block or so up the street. There were still some spots available, but since this is pretty close to NoHo, it can be sketch at night. Not a lot of people walking the streets at that time of night. When you get to the restaurant, I noticed that there were 4 tables for 2 people right outside the door and shielded by a wood panel to protect you from the street. But the only problem with sitting outside is that you do not get any live music. I did notice that one of the planters outside had a speaker playing music, probably from Spotify. While we were waiting for our table, the band was not playing and they were playing pop music in the meantime. Come to find out that the bands set usually runs about 20-25 minutes and then they take a break for about 30+ minutes. I don't like that the restaurant doesn't post times when the band plays because I would like to time my visit here when the band is playing. It added a nice atmosphere, but in all honesty, it was pretty loud with everyone talking that it kind of drowned out the music unless you sat right in front. If you reserve a seat at the bar, your back will be towards the stage. Upon walking in, the restaurant was 100% packed. We ended up having to wait almost 30 minutes before we were seated. While waiting, I noticed how warm it was inside, which is crazy because it was in the 90's in the Valley. Eventually, someone turned on the air and it got cooler, but I would have liked for it to be a little bit cooler because I was sweating while eating. I even had to ask for ice for my water. We ordered the milk buns, octopus, pork iberico pluma & dungenese crab Campanelle. While waiting, our cocktails came (smoky old fashion & MAAD City). I thought the drinks were just ok. I didn't really taste the smoke from the old fashion and the MAAD city was lacking the passionfruit flavor. In all honesty, it was kind of a let down. The Hokkaido milk buns were really good and fluffy. Though, for $15.5 it's a bit steep for the amount you get. I wish they would have made the buns larger to justify the price. I really like the brown butter with a hint of maple in it. There are sesame seeds on the buns, so if you have a nut allergy, I would stay away from it. The octopus was tender and was accompanied with a green spicy sauce that reminded me of the sauce you get with Peruvian rotisserie chicken. It was good and not salty at all. But it will make you sweat a little. The sauce was so good, I wish they would have provided bread to sop it all up. I enjoyed the king mushrooms that accompanied it. The Dungeness pasta was really good. The pasta was freshly made and al dente. You can smell the crab and I like that there were big chunks of crab meat with it. They were not stingy with the crab meat. At the bottom of the pasta, the sauce has a kick to it and I really like the addition of the almonds. Though there wasn't much flavor with the almonds, it added a nice texture to the dish. The pork iberico was really good. It's chargrilled and tender. I would say it's about 6oz in size and it comes already pre-sliced. It's accompanied with a chicken porridge. I like that they didn't over glaze the pork and it reminded me of a Vietnamese pork chop. It also had that char you get from Vietnamese pork chops. The porridge was also Asian inspired. It was flavorful and I was able to taste the fish sauce in it. It comes with chili oil on top, but that wasn't spicy at all. Overall, I would definitely come back here for the food alone. It's probably one of the better restaurants I've been to in the LA area. I would easily give this place 5 stars if we didn't have to wait 30 minutes for our table when we already had reservations. The drinks could have been better and it was pretty warm inside. The music is a nice touch, but it would be nice if they played longer sets and not take so many breaks. The live music was a big reason why I wanted to come here, but was disappointed that the set times are not posted and they didn't play very long. One other suggestion I would like to offer to management is that maybe revamp the patio area to a waiting area instead because while waiting, the hostess stand was pretty crowded with people waiting around. If they changed the patio area to a waiting area, then I would have ordered a drink and sat outside and wait for our table instead of waiting in an area where it's warm and crowded. I don't really see a point dining outside anyways. You want to be inside to be able to enjoy the music and feel the energy. Just a thought. read more

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Such a gem of a place! Came here last night for a pre-birthday dinner. We were invited to a special tour of the kitchen which was topped off with a toast of sparkling rose and creme fraiche egg dish ( which they should def put on their menu). We've been here a few times already and also had our office christmas dinner party here two years ago. Everytime and for every occassion, the staff has made it a pleasure to share this experience with friends and co-workers! The live music and ambience blended with the fantastic food with top ingredients expertly prepared and top it off with friendly attentive service...that's how you make fans! read more

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Overall, I'd give it 3 to 4 stars. The food was good, and the vibe was unique for LA. The live music was a nice touch. I enjoyed the experience, though I'm not sure I'd go back. We were celebrating a birthday but didn't receive any special acknowledgment, which was a downside. read more

Verse - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

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Wow!!! All around wow!! Ambience, music, decor, drinks, and food, this place DELIVERS!! Elevated and thoughtful LA cuisine really is something to be experienced. We started off with a couple of cocktails, my husband ordered their Smokey old fashioned and I ordered a gin fizz. Both were excellent and some of the best drinks we've had. For dinner we started with the Hokkaido buns, which were a lot smaller than I thought they'd be, but in a good way. They were so fluffy!! The buns themselves were not sweet, but the butter served on the side was, I was hesitant about the sweet butter, but it totally worked. The croquettes were very good, not at all what I expected from a croquette as it used masa instead of potato. Everything we ate and everything we drank was incredible. From food, drinks, music, decor, service, and ambience, this place hit the nail on the head over and over again. 10/10 would recommend for any special occasion or date night. read more

Verse - His and hers. - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

Went here for a girls night with my sister. From the minute you walk in, it's a very cool and aesthetic vibe with dim lighting and live music. Servers were extremely kind and attentive to any little thing we needed. Number 1 recommendation would be the milk bread (it was so good I forgot to take a photo before). The roasted corn was alright but had a bit too much coriander powder on top and the broccolini was so hard you would think it's raw. The main star was the crab campanelli as it was super creamy with flavor from the chili. Since the place is like a sound studio, the music sounds amazing wherever you sit. read more

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TLDR: Disappointing experience for the price of admission. I was let down by drinks, set time, attention to detail, and service. I'd imagine if you had minimal expectations for this place, you'd be fine. I came to this restaurant off of the recommendation of a close friend. My spouse and I were celebrating our anniversary. To be transparent I was highly disappointed in the entire experience. I'll try to outline some of the challenges below. Ultimately, I want to believe that we just had an isolated experience; however, if this is a reoccurrence with other individuals, I think it would be appropriate to share. 1. Time Restraint: During the course of the meal, I thought that our waiter was extremely attentive. She was absolutely on top of our request; however, at one point we perceived her as anxious. She would repeatedly ask what we wanted to eat without time to decompress or review the menu. To her credit if I said "can you give us two minutes" she would come back in 2 minutes and 5 seconds. At one point I asked her if we were on a time limit at the table because we did feel rushed. She reassured me that there was no time limit, BUT after further review this morning, it seems like you do have a two hour max time for two people. So my conclusion is that they want you in and out of there as quickly as possible. 2. Ordering Process: I think that the place can get quite loud so when they ask for your order they'll stand right over you. My spouse took some time to give her order so she felt like staff was looming over her as she tried to make a decision. Again, nothing egregious just peculiar in terms of social etiquette. 3. Drinks: So this was a big one for me. I got a Manhattan (Spanish) & a Whiskey Sour. Both were horrible. I think that maybe there was an artisan twist on the drinks? Regardless I hated it. Obviously I finished the drinks because I'm a degenerate and I can't waste liquor. 4. Steak: We also order the New York Steak. We both weren't huge fans. We got the duck as well. Now the duck was bussin! But the steak was subpar. We got it cooked to the chiefs recommendation but I think it was a bit too sweet. Something that I've never really had in a regular steak. I think if it was aged maybe that would make more sense but I think I just wasn't expecting a sweet steak. 5. Band: Unfortunately, the band just had one set. Our reservation was for 8pm on a Tuesday so I thought we'd sneak in at least two sets. I'd image if we came on the weekend they'd play consistently all night. 6. FORGOT ANNIVERSARY: When you make the reservation they ask "are you here for any special occasion." Being the forward thinking gentlemen that I am I included that it was our anniversary. As we wrapped up the dinner the waiter asked if we were there for a special occasion. My spouse looked at me as if I forgot to take out the trash. I had to explain to her that I definitely let them know the reason for the meal. 7. To Go Bags: They have a 2 go bag system that's pretty cute. Instead of having this unsightly bag on the table they give you a pin and say just claim your prize as you exit. I was under the impression that we'd talk to someone and exchange the pin for our food. We just dropped the pin and took a bag. In retrospect we could have taken all the food and no one would have noticed. Now that would have been disgusting, but it's still a possibility that I found awkward. The ambiance is still amazing. The band is fantastic. The staff are crisp and sharp. I truly believe I had an isolated experience, but I'll probably never go back to test this theory! read more

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Verse is such a hidden gem -- lowkey, intimate, and perfect for a romantic night out. The ambiance is beautiful: dimly lit (but not too dark), with live music that adds a lovely touch without overpowering conversation. We were able to enjoy the performance and still hear each other clearly, which is rare and appreciated. We loved almost everything we ordered! The branzino, braised beef, yellowtail crudo, and broccolini were all delicious and beautifully presented. The only dish that didn't quite hit the mark for us was the octopus -- it was just okay compared to everything else. Overall, Verse is a vibe. Great food, great atmosphere, and definitely a spot I'd return to for a special evening. read more

I wanted to try this place for the longest because I love jazz but most places like The Baked Potato are so flipping loud it is unpleasant. Also, the menu looked good. They provided me with a gluten free menu which had lots of different risottos on it I want to try next time but I picked the beef. It was so tender and delicious. The music was lovely. They also gave me a tour of the kitchen which was a nice surprise. It felt like the kitchen in that tv show The Bear with the cooks all saying "chef" in unison (but without all the screaming lol). The dessert was a fantastic flourless chocolate cake with caramel ice cream. Can't wait to go back and try more foods and see different bands. read more

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We went to VERSE for New Year's and it was absolutely amazing. You'd never imagine such a stunning spot is hiding behind those walls -- but once you're in, it's a whole different world. The atmosphere is electric, with phenomenal food, top-shelf drinks, and incredible live music that brings it all together. One of the best ways we've ever kicked off the year. Highly recommend for a night to remember! read more

This place has been in my bookmarks for a very long time, and finally I got a chance to visit a couple of weeks ago. We went on a Saturday night with a reservation for 2. The location is pretty convenient and I found parking on the street, but they have valet too. The entrance is kind of hidden but inside is very cozy and inviting. Ambiance is classy and nice. We waited about 15 minutes even though we had reservation. We were seated at a bigger table where we sat in front of each other and the distance was such that we couldn't hear eachother. I asked if we could move somewhere that we could sit next to eachother since the music was loud and we wanted to talk. They were kind to accommodate as soon as another table opened up . For food, we ordered the bun with butter and the octopus as the appetizer. We also ordered the steak tartar which we never got (not sure why but the server didn't even sweat about it - we were really looking forward to it ) For drinks, I got the verse martini. It was pretty strong the way I like it . For main, we got the crab pasta and the New York steak. The crab pasta was delicious but I could hardly find any crabs. It was very little just on top of it. In dessert menu, we could not find any interesting items . We ordered the chocolate cake but didn't like it much . They also gave a sorbet which we didn't like . Anyway , overall experience was a 4 considering everything. I would like to go back and try other items , including steak tartar which we missed due to their error My favorite item was the octopus. It was super flavorful. read more

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My wife and I celebrated our 14th anniversary here recently. The reservation was booked through OpenTable. It was effortless and quick. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous and the live music made for a perfectly romantic night. Our waitress for the evening was Lauren and she was a pure delight. She helped square away our order and kept us entertained as well. She was always around when needed but not intrusive. On to the food. We had the Hokkaido milk buns and the apple salad to start followed by the pork belly risotto and the braised beef and finished with cappuccinos and olive oil cake. The buns and salad were incredible as was the braised beef but the star of the show was the risotto. Perfectly cooked pork belly and the creamiest risotto I've ever had. Thank you for a perfect evening. read more

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I had the pleasure of having dinner with my son and I would like to say this service was above excellent. We had at least 2 people waiting on us at any given time. The atmosphere was warm The band was great. Looking forward to my next visit. read more

Verse is always a pleasure to visit. The live jazz adds a wonderful touch to the already amazing dishes that are served. The drinks are consistently delicious, and the service is always fantastic, making every visit a memorable experience. read more

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I came here to celebrate my anniversary and I think they knew that because we actually got the best table in the house right in front of the jazz band it was amazing. The lighting was perfectly dark cuz I love dark lighting and the jazz band was literally perfect. Ambience was amazing everything was beautiful. We got the milk buns to start that I didn't picture but they were actually amazing so soft and the brown butter was an incredible addition wow we were even debating getting a second one. This is one of the only restaurants I'll rate 5 stars cuz everything was incredible. The waiters were so nice always made sure our drinks were topped up and service was amazing, and I also liked that they took their time because it gave us an opportunity to sit back and enjoy everything without feeling rushed. The steak was perfectly cooked but it could have paired better with a sauce maybe some garlic butter or something and there was a kind of smoky flavor to it as well. The potatoes were actually amazing like to die forrr with truffle and garlic they were phenomenal it was more like mashed potatoes though it was great and the branzino was super good perfectly seasoned and the skin was so crispy and perfect too paired with the sweet potato was amazing. Best restaurant ever loved it so much will definitely come back read more

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I've been coming for years and love just about every experience I have had at this location. Delicious and enjoy the live music.

What a beautiful space, the details are just amazing. Service was incredible and the food was just perfect we came here for my sister in laws birthday (belated) and we truly enjoyed the space, food and ambiance. Definitely coming back again. Loved the booths with the blue velvet texture, such a great design. Almost forgot the jazz band playing in the background is just the cherry on top. read more

Verse - Kale sprouts - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

OH EM GEE ! I came here for my birthday and had a wonderful experience ! From the atmosphere, to the food, to the service; everything was exceptional.... The place is classy and elegant, and they even had live jazz music ! Now let me get started on the food ..... A M A Z I N G! We had the aged yellowtail, the milky buns , and beef tartare . The beef tartare was out of this world delicious. I want to go back just for that ! The milky buns .... Heavenly. For mains we had the mushroom linguini and braised beef ! Also very tasty and flavorful. Presentation was impeccable. Our server Ryan was awesome. Very attentive and kind . He even surprised me with a little birthday dessert with a candle ! So sweet ! Can't wait to be back read more

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WOW!!! Simply amazing EXPERIENCE! From the music, to the service, to the food! I will add that I was very much impressed at how their staff handled our reservation when they were a few minutes late they consistently checked in on us and apologized with such kindness! The live bad made my Jazz longing self so happy this exist in the valley! And the food was delicious! A good amount where you felt full but not exhausted! Definitely will be coming back and telling all my friends about y'all! read more

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This is a one of a kind restaurant when it comes to food and ambience. With a sound engineering room in the kitchen not only are they cooking up good eats but good beats. Zoned off in different sections so that the live music fills the space but the sound doesn't overpower the table side conversations. We started with the go to Hokkaido milk buns and Mediterranean octopus. Octopus had a wonderful char pair nicely with a tomatillo salsa and sweet syrup to cut through the acidity. Ordered the Pork belly risotto which was reminiscent of Mac n cheese with its cheesy flavor and didn't quite taste the chile de arbol. The Tomahawk, dried age for 30 days was cooked perfectly but had its spotlight stolen by the roasted bone marrow salsa. The Latina in me was looking for the tortillas to pair with my meat and salsa but nonetheless this was such a fun take on familiar flavors. There's always room for dessert and the best part about date night is that we order two. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary. Thank you to the staff that helped make our night out special with their attention to details. read more

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First off, this place is not easy to find because it has no visible signs outside. And not much parking spots but they have valet. Our waiter (Rodger) was friendly and attentive. The food was good, especially the sweet bread and the braised beef. Nice ambiance with a jazz band that plays every 30 minutes. This would be nice for a date night. read more

Visit this past weekend with friends and was a awesome experience. Very sophisticated ambiance, great for a special night out. The have live music and you can still have conversation without habelimf to shout. Our waitress Donaji was great, very attentive providing recommendations and explaining the concept around the creation of the restaurant. Let's get ti the food, I would call upscale Americana. We had for appetizer yummy milk buns and apple salad. For my main dish had lobster tagliatelle which was noodles with squid ink and lobster with foam. Was delicious. As for sides table shared broccollini and oyster mushrooms both were good. Rest of table had kale salad which I tastes and was excellent is like the fried the kale then put in salad and the dressing was fantastic. Also my friend said the pork belly risotto was great. I had smoking old fashioned for my drink and was great. Highly recommend read more

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Every time we go to Verse the experience and food has been Amazing! The live music is top notch. The music changes daily. Jazz, Latin, Soul it's something for everyone. But the best part is it is never too loud. Even when you sit in the front right next to the bands. The dark lighting and vibe is relaxing and they take care of you all the way through. All of the appetizers are delicious (haven't had the kale sprouts) but you must order the milk bread first, it's so good. I have never wanted to try beef tartar as I was afraid of raw beef. But this place converted me forever! It tasted like the best seasoned filet mignon dish I've had in a long time. I order the same main which is the Pork Iberico Pluma. Excellent & deep in flavor. My only complaint is I don't love congee which it is served with and you are not allowed to switch it out. So I always order another side and throw out the congee which makes me sad because I hate wasting food. But I ask Every time and get denied. But it is their menu, so I accept it. It is perfect for a date or a dinner with friends. I've thrown a birthday party there and it was perfect as the servers take such good care of you. They have never missed! read more

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The milk buns were so soft and full of flavor with the butter. The duck abs filet were both perfectly cooked and the sides that came with them were also absolutely delicious. The live music was perfect...not too loud so we could also talk and hear each other. read more

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What a fantastic night at Verse! Great food, great music and the service was perfect. We were gifted a tour of the kitchen, met Chef Oscar and was given a sweet treat! The vibe of this place is spot on. Very unassuming from the outside which makes it like a secret little spot. read more

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This is our new little hidden gem. The food and drinks are 10/10 for me and they have this one drink that's like a take on a whiskey sour and it's amazing. I also love finding places where I can dress up a little nicer, like a cute date night in heels kind of night. Great service! read more

Verse - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

If you're a lover of food and live music, you should add Verse to your Los Angeles restaurant bucket list. Located along Lankershim in Toluca Lake, you probably wouldn't know about this restaurant and live music venue unless you were seeking it out because you heard or read about it. The restaurant and bar is owned by Manny Marroquin, a well respected record mixing engineer with his Larrabee Studios located just steps from the restaurant. It's mind blowing to see the list of recording artists Manny Marroquin has worked with and the people who have popped in the restaurant like Dr. Dre and Kendrick Lamar. Check out the list here of his clients he has worked with at his studio in the San Fernando Valley - https://www.larrabeestudios.com/clients. Depending on the night, you might have to make a reservation on their website and pay an entertainment fee if you're going to see an artist perform live. Along with the entertainment fee, you will be asked to order a minimum of $55 on food and beverages. Verse is not an inexpensive experience. Expect to pay $100+ per person including gratuity and the live performance. I ordered the following items: Aged Yellowtail Crudo $24.50 Leche De Tigre, Parsnip Chips, Fresno Peppers *I would not order this again at this price. A few thin slivers of aged fish to me was not satisfying for the price. It felt I was eating for parsnip chips than fish.* Mediterranean Octopus $25.50 Pepian Verde, Saffron Gastrique, Squid Ink Potato, King Oyster Mushroom *If you love octopus, you should order this dish. I felt like this was a good value because it was filling. It was on the starter/appetizer list, but the octopus can easily be your main with a side maybe of brocollini.* Custom (requested) mezcal old fashioned with smoked presentation. I've had this drink at other bars, but this one was a bit too sweet for me. Kavlan Concertmaster Port Cask (Taiwanese whiskey) paired with a flourless chocolate cake and miso caramel ice cream? (not 100% as I wasn't presented with a dessert menu or wasn't given an explanation as this was just dropped in front of me). Instead of the dishes selected being coursed out one dish at a time, they were both dropped off at the same time without explanation of the dish and ingredients like a fine dining restaurant charging these prices would. The service level was attentive throughout the evening. They do ask for your card in advance when you dine at the bar which felt a little strange to offer your credit card before dining as if I was ordering at a bar and not a fine dining restaurant. Perhaps they have had issues with dine and dash people? It was a little off putting and uncomfortable for me. On Monday nights probably if there isn't a special event, you can try their "limited" fried chicken sandwiches. On this Monday evening with a live performance, they did not have this off menu fried chicken sandwich when I asked about it. There's valet parking for $12 (from what I recall), but if you get there early enough, there's plenty of free street parking after 6 pm. read more

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Can't say enough great things about Verse! The location itself is a gorgeous recording studio turned restaurant with live music and incredible food. The genres rotate as they feature different artists but just an awesome ambience and the perfect date night. If you want to impress somebody, take them here. Food was exquisite and everything was a 10/10 flavor wise. Staff was attentive, very kind and on the ball all night. read more

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After some seriously exhaustive research for *the perfect* spot to do a combo celebration dinner for my husband's birthday and our 5-year anniversary, Verse seemed like the perfect mix of location, unique food and atmosphere, and a history of being well-reviewed. First off, our server was the quirkiest, friendliest and most attentive little gem ever. Her attention, personality and comments throughout our visit were truly a great part of the whole experience! The place itself is loud, lively, moody and chic. When the live musicians (who were amazing, by the way) are taking a break from the stage, the music selection is still insanely eclectic and fun. I think we heard every genre under the sun while we were there. Loud places in general can be very hit or miss for me, but Verse makes it work so well. The loudness actually contributes to the fun of it all! We ordered mocktails, milk buns, tartare, yellowtail crudo, oyster mushrooms, dry aged Branzino, and the pork Iberico pluma. Every dang thing was phenomenal. Top points especially go to the ridiculous high quality of the roe that topped the tartare, the overall perfection of the milk buns, and molé that was served with the Branzino. Molé is definitely a love it or hate it flavor, and very dependent on the personal style of the chef. I tend to lean toward the hate it group, so I knew ordering this dish was a risk. Gotta say, it's a risk I'm glad I took because this was the best Molé I've ever had. Beautiful color, light texture, and zero of the sludgy brown sweetness that a lot of chefs tend to favor. The Molé at Verse is its own thing, and it wins. Now, we had every intention of ordering several desserts, but to our surprise, they surprised us with TWO desserts that were sent straight to our table in honor of our double celebration! We got a super dense olive oil cake, and a unique sorbet assortment. Every now and then, I get this rare experience where a dish strikes a nerve, and I get emotional. Yeah, I've cried over food a few times, don't judge me. Well I had a moment at Verse, and it happened over the white "snow" that sat below the olive oil cake. It had the texture of like a very pillowy powdered sugar granita. Once it's in your mouth, it's instantly salty, but then it dissolves into an almost gone toffee sweetness like a brown butter caramel. It's straight up alchemy happening. The start to finish experience of this stuff was shocking, and unlike anything I've ever eaten. I will never forget that. Well done, Verse. I cannot recommend you enough! read more

Verse - Milk buns and tartare! - Seafood Near Me - Toluca Lake, California

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It's one amazing place if you're in the industry and you love music and you wanna surround yourself with ENERGY beautiful people and just relax and enjoy yourself read more

Verse is hands down one of our favorite restaurants. Every single item on the menu is exceptional--especially the milk buns (don't skip them!). Absolute must tries: the octopus, yellowtail crudo, braised beef, braised lamb pasta, and crushed potatoes. Every dish is a hit. The drinks are always on point and incredibly unique, the staff is amazing, and the music and vibes are perfect. Honestly, I can't think of a better restaurant in the Valley. read more

I don't even know where to start. I came here this Saturday for my husband's birthday. I wanted a chill, nice, romantic atmosphere and it's exactly what I got. The service was amazing! I wish I can remember the waiter's name but he was so amazing. He gave us some history about this restaurant. We ordered Hokkaido Milk Buns and Tiger Pawns for the appetizer it was so delicious. And for the entree I ordered Braised Lamb Pasta and my husband ordered Braised Beef so good. And for the drinks I ordered Raspberry Beret and he ordered Milamente and for dessert we ordered Olive Oil cake with some port wine. They brought complimentary cake for my husband which I dont know what it was but it was very delicious and at the end they had a surprise for him. All I have to say this place is amazing customer service, food and entertainment. I will definitely come here again fora date night. read more

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Pulling up to the restaurant you are not sure if you are in the right place, there is no sign, only an address with a very nondescript door but after walking though two doors there is a great restaurant in front of you. The vibe is cool, hip, and dark making you feel like you are in a very nice night club. We had the Hokkaido milk buns, Astrea caviar service, Peruvian scallop, and Wagyu tartar for appetizers. The chef then added the aged yellowtail crudo. Everything was delicious but the caviar and wagyu were my favorites. The caviar was a sweet and salty taste while the wagyu had a delicious tang to it. This was then followed up with the Dungeness Crab Campanelli, Dry Aged Branzino, and the Tomahawk steak. The crab pasta had a sweet and spicy taste that was amazing. The Branzino was also delicious and while I liked the steak I think next time I would do the A5 Japanese Wagyu. We had the French toast for dessert which was also delicious! Our amazing server was a very nice young woman who invited us to see the kitchen and then they surprised us with more dessert and wine. The restaurant also has live music and we had jazz playing which was really great. They also have a sound engineer to make sure that everything is perfect! What a great experience and staff! read more

A vibe! Definitely recommend a reservation as this place was packed on a Friday night during our 8:30pm visit. Speakeasy/jazzy Supperclub vibes tucked away in a dark low key building conveniently located on Lankershim blvd. I didn't see valet but there was plenty of free street parking. My girlfriends and I were greeted by lovely hostesses and seated immediately at a fabulous table near the live music. Dark, moody, and dimly lit..this swanky spot is perfect for girls nights and date nights! Comfy velvet chairs for the tables and tufted velvet booths along the walls. The music was wonderful and the band members would occasionally break away from their instruments to say hello to guests, including our table. Also, all of the staff as well as management did a fantastic job at making sure we had a lovely experience. Now onto the food and drinks- something for everyone, elevated, interesting, and delicious! The Hokkaido Milk Buns with butter were quite literally the most delicious bread and butter ever. I cannot wait to bring my husband and indulge with him. Malamente Cocktail- 10/10 Hokkaido Milk Buns- 10/10 best ever! Croquettes- 8/10 Caviar Service- 10/10 Dungeness Crab Campanelli- 10/10 will def order this again! Loved the touch of Uni and texture from the almonds. Truly unique and delicious. Braised Lamb Pasta- 9/10 read more

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Super bummed out that we missed the musical experience of the dinner. But the playlist playing was still top tier for the ambience of the restaurant. Everyone that worked there was super nice and helpful. The food was amazing delicious and definitely will be going back. Thank you Dawson for the excellent service! Definitely order the honey rolls and forget about your anti-carb diet. read more