Osula L.

We came here on a Friday evening for our anniversary dinner via car in mid-July 2026. There was a paid parking lot with a 3-hour maximum for around $13 across the street. We thought the restaurant and staff really tried but definitely missed the mark here. We order 7 items and was only happy with 2 of those items. My favorite was the virgin Hotel Monta-Stereo drink, which is pretty sad because it wasn't even a food dish (it was so good that I ordered 2). The 2nd was the Pipirrana because the excellent vinaigrette. We also ordered Pritto which was such a miss because it was served in a bowl that made the all the deep-fried zucchini and chicken soggy. It didn't even come with any kind of aioli and the lemon wedge it came with was insufficient. The chicken pieces were too large to be considered a "popcorn chicken" dish. What makes popcorn chicken great is the smaller pieces so that more flavor and crispiness could cover the chicken - a pretty big let down. The Beef Tongue wasn't bad but that was only because we kept the vinaigrette from the Pipirrana to dip it in. Otherwise it was pretty bland. We also got the Chili Crab which was very rich and needed a little more acid - not bad but wouldn't order it again. The last dish we got was the Cabbage, which came out last. It took awhile to come out but when we finally got it, we thought it was just okay. The lemon wedges were absolutely necessary but it still didn't "wow" us. Our reservation was at 7:30pm, we arrived a little after 7:45pm, and was then seated after 7:55pm. We tried ordering the Hamachi dish around 8:15pm and they were sold out. My partner ordered the Herbal Tea but he didn't like it (I thought it wasn't bad as long as you don't let it steep for too long). The entire dinner ended up being $200+ including tax & tip. The waitress spilled vinaigrette all over me, which stained my dress with oil, and they didn't even offer to give us any kind of discount. They have a shockingly low selection of non-alcoholic and non-caffeinated drinks. They were only able to make one drink into a virgin version for me with a $1 discount from its original price of $16. The restaurant was decorated well. The bathroom was nice, the hand soap & lotion smelled nice, and they had paper towels to dry your hands. The service could have been better executed. Because everyone was our waiter, that meant nobody was.

Halle D.

A treasure in Hermosa. The dining experience here is a notch above anything else you can find in the area. It's definitely a special occasion spot. The sommelier has always been spot on with the recommendations. The staff is super friendly and service is amazing. We are always blown away by the food. After being spoiled by a decade of good food living in NYC, we are consistently underwhelmed by local options and had somewhat resigned ourselves to accepting mediocre or trying-too-hard food. But this place really blows us away every time we go. Highly recommend!!

Brian V.

This place has the vibe of a cozy neighborhood cafe (and I love cozy neighborhood type spots), but this place feels like it punches way above its weight in terms of food (creativity and presentation), hospitality, and general enjoyment. I mean seriously, the level service feels way more elevated than it needs to be. It's also a delight that when they bring you dishes, they give you a small background of each dish. Just a fantastic dining experience all around with great food. Easily one of my favorite new (to me) restaurants and my favorite in the beach cities. The menu had enough items where there was a good variety, but not so large as to overwhelm. What we ordered...and I really enjoyed each and every dish. Individually and as a whole. Headcheese Toast - a loose interpretation of a patty melt from Langer's Deli Bistro Salad - delicious light vinaigrette dressing Beef Tongue - a dish very personal to Chef Katya with roots in southern Russia Chili Crab - eats like a risotto and influenced by the famous chili crab of Singapore Lamb Pappardelle - perfectly cooked pasta with delicious lamb Fish Diane - an old timey way to prepare fish Jidori Chicken - just a really well prepared chicken that was juicy and flavorful with delicious vegetables

Joshua P.

This is a review... I don't know how I can ever give this place a review above 1 star. I'm just entirely perplexed that this is a Michelin Bib restaurant where the majority of my meals missed the mark entirely. Was it an off day for Vin Folk? Maybe. But if you're charging the prices that you are and holding the status of a Michelin Bib, to miss the mark in many all our ordered dishes is not acceptable. For the record: Service was great. Being served your meal... not so great. What was ordered at our table: Head Cheese (7/10) -$14 Pan de Cristo (7/10) -$12 Tartare (3/10) -$24 Chopped Salad (6/10) -$20 Fish Diane (0/10) - $46 Half Jidori Chicken (0/10) -$62 Lamb Parppadelle (0/10) - $36 Chili Crab (8/10) -$42 Beef Tongue (5/10) - $23 Turon (8/10) -$18 3 beers -$30 Mushrooms (4/10) - $28 TOTAL w/ TIP was over $467! We arrived there at 5:30 PM and stayed there until 8:20 PM because the service to bring your food out was ridiculously SLOW. We thought two hours minimum would be a stretch, but time we are willing to commit to. This really should've been a 1-1.5 hr. dinner. The Good: Service was as good as it can be. The interior of this place looked great. The head cheese, which was an appetizer, was the best thing there out of the 11 dishes we ordered. The BAD: Service was as good as it can be for having to wait 30 min. to an hour+ for food to arrive at our table. The amount of refills of water that were poured in our cups by the chef(?) in between meals waiting for our food to arrive was ridiculous. I would have had a better experience waiting at the DMV eating a cold sandwich than go through that experience again. In fact, thinking about it, I've had better experiences at the DMV than the experience at Vin Folk. We were seated outside where turned on heat lamps made absolutely no sense to have on. They positioned the heat lamps towards the street and not down at the customers waiting for their food. Bottom line: Food was mediocre. Nothing about it was memorable other than never forgetting how long it took for us to be served our meals. Stake fish was horrible and full of bones. Half jidori Chicken tasted awful. Oh! And I found HAIR IN MY DISH! Try it out if you must, but let my review be an "I told you so" feeling once you leave that place. One and DONE.

Coco V.

It's been several months since my visit here but in a nutshell, everything we had was amazing. We all have those friends who are at a higher level than what our everyday life is so this was one of those days. The place is near the beach so it's a fancy place but with a casual vibe if that makes sense. The service was amazing. Some of the chefs came out and explained the entrees with how they were prepared and the thought process behind it. You could definitely tell they are proud of their food. I believe one of the chefs and one of the partners have a Filipino background and I love to support my people. It's great to know Filipino influences are breaking through the fine dining world. Anyway, I would come back!

Larry L.

I visited Vin Folk back in June. It's a very good addition to the Hermosa Beach food scene. I can see it earning 5 stars given its potential, and I wanted to give it 4 stars. But unfortunately, there were just a few things off with my visit resulting in 3 stars for now. Food: The dishes are obviously prepared with care and skill. I ordered the Mussels Tart, Headcheese Toast, Tartare, Beef Tongue, Chili Crab, and Koko Crunch. The Mussels Tart is oh-so-close to being great, but there was a slight sourness to the tart I received that made for an odd flavor. The Headcheese Toast was interesting, but I'm not sure I would order it again (despite loving all things offal). The Tartare was was okay, but I'm not sure the Chinese five spice worked here (despite being addicted to tartare). The Beef Tongue was good, but ultimately unmemorable. The Chili Crab was good, essentially a light risotto that faintly recalls a Singaporean chili crab. Finally, the Koko Crunch was an enjoyable chocolate dessert. Service & Seating: The service in friendly and professional. However, I was seated in a corner along walkway to the right of the entrance, and it was somewhat cramped and made getting a server's attention a little difficult. Bottom Line: Vin Folk has gotten rave reviews, and I can see why. I will return to give it another chance. Unfortunately, there were just a few things that didn't work (maybe just an off night) in my initial visit.

Ron W.

This is a jewel box. Dining here was the first time since Budonoki I was compelled to order the entire menu and now wish I had. The Concept: A short bus of rotating professional Chefs prepare signature dishes from their personal repertoire making a winner dinner. The result is a curated, composed, desirable ever revolving, evolving menu of playfully serious food that will amaze and amuse your bouche. V. F. is small and has space limited. You can opt to sit curbside and watch the locals walk their French Bull Dogs but I prefer a cozy table indoors. The Decor has a Euro vibe. Paris hip but charming and casual at the same time. Walk in (with a reservation) and the second runner up in the Taylor Swift look-a-look contest will greet you like you're Travis Kelce. Once greeted you will be seated and one of the Chef's will be tableside to guide you through the menu. Be prepared, this is a magical place where everything on offer will be a delicious delight. The Bar: Set way high, even though V. F. is a Wine Bar only. Idean is an ideal Somm with an encyclopedic knowledge of what grows where and what shows up on his list. The Wine List is Idean's love letter to the Grape. And if your personal cellar is deep I say let Idean work his magic for you. The Food: How good can it be? I began slow to test the kitchen. The Pan de Cristal (a simple Country Bread) is outsourced due to the limits of space. Just cubes of Bread, I thought. But, picture a "cake slice" of Huitlacoche. (Yes, there was a corn fungus among us). Creamy Avocado dotted with crispy Chicharrones swapped for Butter Cream. Not a lick left of that. The Mussel Tart was crazy good. Puff Pastry providing housing for Smoked Clams, Pickled Smoked Mussels, in a Fennel Cream Sauce with a flicker of heat. Just describing it makes me wiggle. The Mushroom was a plate of Chanterelles, Egg Yolk, Potato Wedges, Green Cherry Tomatoes, and skinned halved Hazelnuts. All helped to create a cornucopia of tastes and textures. Only a Mushroom would fail to order this as it was better than wonderful. Cabbage. Yes, the lowly Cabbage appeared on the menu. This dish would have had Careme, Bocuse, Brazier, Escoffier, Ducasse, and Robuchon high fivin' each other. The Cabbage was cleaved in half as perfectly as Yamada Asaemon, the famous Japanese Executioner. One half was coated with Chopped Chives and the other coated in Allium Dukkah (finely chopped toasted detritus from Leeks, Scallions, and Garlic). Both halves were laying in a ladle of Creamed Pistachio with with Meyer Lemon quarters to tart things up. This Cabbage dish was resurrected from some Eastern European Stew Pot and reimagined as a center piece dish at the Bocuse D'or Competition. How bout half a succulent juicy Jidori Chicken? Cut into chunks and settled on a mound of Black Eyed Pea Cassoulet, Okra Coins, mini split blistered Eggplant Spears, and Roasted, Crispy Gigante Beans to pick out and enjoy on their own. There's enough food in this one dish to feed the entire 82nd Airborne. I could've swapped the Chicken for a Roasted Pork Loin...next time. A coil of Comte Cheese with Fruit Compote and a Cinnamon Twist and a Fresh Pear Tart rounded out dessert and my belly. The Tart had a Pate Sucree Crust with a Quenelle of Almond Frangipane. The Tart had me tap out but not before poking every crumb with a finger because I wanted every bit of this. The Food was fabulous and and you don't need Oprah's income to enjoy it as it's all fairly priced. I dined at Vin Folk and now I'm wholly woke.

Angelina E.

Came here for my birthday and it did not disappoint. My husband and I had an early reservation at 5pm, so the restaurant was just opening its doors for dinner. The ambience is lovely, and it is located within a short walking distance to the ocean. Try and plan it for a sunset meal if you can! Our meal was delicious and beautifully plated. All the staff are extremely helpful and informative; amazing service.

Carrie G.

This restaurant deserves a 5 star rating. Their food is high quality, artistically plated, and served with class. The whole team of chefs, their hostess Stella and the owners are working in unison to create a dining experience extraordinaire‼

Logan N.

During dinner I said, "This place is so good I want to cry," and my son laughed. Why would anyone would cry over good food? What he doesn't realize is that this restaurant is exactly what I've been waiting for in Hermosa Beach -- finally, an upscale, Michelin-quality spot right here. Every dish was innovative, with flavor combinations I've never experienced before. That's not easy to do: to create something unique and also make it taste incredible. Many of the dishes even came with stories from the chef, which gave them even more meaning. Squid I've had a lot of squid in my life, but never like this. It was elevated yet deeply personal. The chef explained that it was inspired by a dish from her childhood, reimagined with ingredients like nuts and celery that she ate almost daily while struggling in New York. I'm definitely ordering this again. Mussel Tart Comfort food made fancy. There was a spice in it that instantly provoked that feeling of home and the holidays. HeadCheese on Toast with Sauerkraut It's like an elevated take on a cheese sandwich. My husband despises American cheese (I've never seen him touch it in the 12 years we've been together), but he not only ate this -- he loved it! Kampache Crudo You think you've had every crudo that crudo has to offer until you try this one! Trust me. We literally licked this dish up. Beef Tongue Melt-in-your-mouth. The chef that sliced this has talent and a very sharp knife for it to not fall apart because it's so tender. The bed of pink purée underneath was just as delicious. Cabbage Boiled, charred, and topped with pistachio. Proof that food can be both healthy and indulgent without relying on cream, butter, or frying. I devoured my vegetables, and it was amazing. Chili Crab A Filipino-inspired dish that felt like risotto married crab. Absolutely stunning, especially served on an ocean shaped bowl made in the Philippines. We were told the bowl incorporates ground shells. Jidori Chicken We are fans of beans and veggies, and every component of this dish was done right. You don't get bored with it -- every bite brings something different. I also love the smoky flavor which is weirdly addicting. Definitely to be shared. Goat Cheese Dessert I've never had anything like it. Cold, warm, crunchy, soft, sweet, salty -- every sensation was stimulated in one bite. It wasn't a "typical" dessert, and yet it was stunning. I'm ordering it again, partly because it's still a mystery how it worked so perfectly. Peach Tiramisu I make tiramisu at home, so I know the work that goes into crafting the zabaglione cream. And they make their own ladyfingers! While it wasn't as avant-garde as the goat cheese dessert, it was comforting, refreshing, and perfectly executed. A homestyle finish to an extraordinary meal. I'm coming back to try the other dishes!! I bought my 6 and 8 year old and they were so good but I was nervous. They also have outdoor seating. Every staff was super kind and thoughtful. So lucky we have a restaurant like this in town. Go VinFolk!

Alan G.

Ambience is cozy, romantic, welcoming. Battery operated lights on each table allow you to read the menu. Menu had deliberately light printing in a difficult to read font for all of the prices. According to Yelp photos, this is a newer feature. If you look closely, you can make out that the half chicken is now $60, up from $42 in one Yelp photo I found. A unique service feature at Vin Folk is that chefs are waiting tables (and washing dishes) here. They're very knowledgeable about the dishes as you would expect from someone who prepares that food. They take a team approach here where many of chef/waiters and the hostess will interact with you, take orders, bring food, clear plates, remove your silverware, bring new silverware and ask you of you need anything. This service solution introduces the customer to a number of trained culinary professionals. When your dish is brought out, the chef/server will recite a paragraph about the food you are about to eat. The description is very thorough, informative. I appreciate the effort to educate. There is a lot of information with references to a variety of ingredients and traditional dishes, so you'll have to pay attention and have some food background to follow along. Food is interesting, unique, flavorful, creative. Great care was taken in the menu creation and preparation in the kitchen. I would describe the theme as French-Asian fusion. Kampachi had lot of ingredients on top of the fish and a flavorful sauce underneath. Complex. It took at least another half hour to 45 minutes after my kampachi to get my risotto. Chili Crab Risotto was spicy with a bunch of differences from a common risotto. A pile of crab meat and an egg are added to the middle. I also had a glass of white wine. My bill was $105 for my two small dishes and a glass of wine after tax and 20% tip.

jeannette h.

Adorable little restaurant that has a great use of space and nicely decorated. Service was outstanding, they are very attentive and I liked the idea that all of them had a culinary background and were chefs. So a waiter isn't just your waiter, they are also your chef. Food was delicious! Everything we ordered was so flavorful and had such umami and depth. Pictures don't do the food enough justice. I initially didn't have that high expectations from looking at the menu, but this place blew my mind. I'll definitely be coming back again!

Amy K.

My new favorite restaurant...10'stars. We were seated in their lovely outdoor patio, with peekaboo views of the ocean. The service was exceptional, but the real star a the dishes! We started with the squid that was delicately & perfectly cooked so it soft and now chewy, over a bed of Dijon, egg salad type dressing, so tasty. Then we had the head cheese on toast with layers of flavor. The third appetizer was the softest beef tongue perfectly paired with long beans & a salsa Fresca. We were the first to order the hamachi Kama, served with sautéed veggies & onion served with Peruvian flavors, which we cleaned the dish & sucked the bones. Then came the sambal flavored risotto topped with tender Dungeness crab so comforting we scraped the bowl clean. Then we ended with the el papillote which was somehow creamy but light & flavorful with green veggie sauces & delicately steamed white fish. We got their artisan rustic bread to sop up every last drop! Wow, dinner was Executed to perfection! We weren't wow's by their dessert offerings as we were pretty full already. To add the cherry on top, the bill was so reasonably priced! I will be back!