Love the romantic and very French ambience here at night!! They have a delicious smashburger which I got for lunch here one day. The fries are crispy and nicely cut. Loved the cauliflower dish as well! Service is friendly and will be coming back! read more

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I do not say this lightly - my dinner at Violet was one of the top two dining experiences / meals of my life. It was the kind of meal that's played on repeat in my brain that I literally can't wait to repeat. The courtyard ambience is everything - feels like you're nestled in a European hideaway. The service was lovely - every person we encountered from drinks to dessert exuded joy and we enjoyed easygoing conversation (and their recommendations along the way were thoughtful & so on point!) For the meal itself, perfection. We started with the Champignons A Lantoine - good lord, I'm not even a big fan of mushrooms and they were delicious! The Mizou salad - all the thumbs up! Then - alllll the words for the Steak Au Poivre - the best, best, best there ever was. Thankful to have found my new favorite place, back soon!! read more

I really wanted to love this place as the ambiance is superb! The thoughtfulness that went into creating the space is truly lovely. Absolutely loved the plants in the courtyard. My only objective in writing this review is with the hopes that the management TRAIN the waiters. This young man was probably the worst waiter I've ever encountered, though nice as can be, utterly clueless to fine dining. His timing was wrong, he left our dirtied plates on the table even after checking on us and removed plates while still eating the food on them! Our food took ridiculously long to arrive and was beyond mediocre. We ordered the salmon which came in a sea of bland lentils not adding anything to the dish at all. We were engrossed in conversation and he would fill our water glasses unnecessarily (as they were more than 1/2 full, stopping us mid sentence each time with his arm in our face. It was wild. We could see him hanging out in the back area while clueless he needed to wait on us. We had to direct the entire experience. Excuse me sir we would like to order, excuse me sir can you take our plates, etc... He seems to have zero dining experience and it ruined our meal out which was extremely expensive (due to inflation as I keep reading from the owners comments) But the thing is we are all spending so much to go out we require good service since food can not live up to these prices. Lastly I would like to say the hostess is the sweetest young lady who did an excellent job and her pride in her job shined. read more

Fantastic French bistro in the heart of Westwood. Perfect for drinks or dinner and for a couple/date, elegant family dinner, celebration, business dinner, and more. The service was impeccable - attentive, dedicated team with full knowledge of the bar and menu. Delicious food. Delicious drinks. I will definitely return. Parking is available across the street in a garage that had a flat rate after 5pm, or you might get lucky with a meter. read more

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Great food, great service and great ambiance. This is a very charming restaurant in the heart of Westwood village. Definitely recommended!

Violet Bistro is one of my favorite spots to frequent and it NEVER disappoints. The food is simply incredible. I first went there when they just opened, right before Covid began, and sadly they had to suddenly shut down.. I had befriended the owner Dana at the time and was very sad to know they had to close their restaurant. Once Covid ended, I was so glad to see them back up and running, and stronger than ever! You can see how much effort and love Dana has put into making this a beautifully decorated, classy and cozy place. The ambience is very intimate, the service is always top notch and the food continues to be one of the best in town. They also offer a cooking school where you can learn how to make different kinds of international dishes of pasta, meats and chicken, as well as eclectic baking classes, ranging from cakes, rolls, danishes, eclairs and many kinds of breads. Violet is the place we always bring our out of town friends and they are always beyond impressed! Definitely try the following: Caesar Salad French Onion Soup Mary 's Organic Chicken Steak Au Poivre Steak Frites And make sure you leave a little room for their delicious desserts! read more

Violet Bistro - French Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I'll start with the good - it's nice enough. But here were the issues I had: - The duck a l'orange was dry. The flavor was ok but not great. - I waited for 15 minutes to order at the bar. The people next to me who were seated after me ordered, as did two other couples. And finally when the bartended was just leaning back, I waved him over and said I was still waiting to order. I had been attempting to make eye contact the whole time before. - I have a mobility issue and had my service dog with me. I was directed to the tall bar chair rather than the short handicapped chair, where they then sat a non-handicapped couple after I was seated. When trying to get 8th my bar stool, I struggled significantly and almost fell. Thank goodness I didn't injure myself. - The ambiance was very crowded and noisy. That could be good or bad, depending on what environment you're seeking. read more

This place is so cute! My friend and I came here for a girls dinner. It had a great ambience in the outside patio with string lighting. Great for a date night or special occasion. I say it can be for a special occasion because the pricing is a little high. The only reason I'm not giving this place five stars is that we tried a lot of different things for our food and I would say about half of the items we loved and the other half we weren't impressed by. The Caesar salad and the skirt steak with fries were absolutely amazing. Baguette to start was great. The La Mer (fish) and the dessert we did not enjoy. The service was very professional and attentive. read more

This place is amazing! Can't wait to go back for the French onion soup! I also want to have that salad with lots of cheese! I also like their Parmesan truffle fries! Their fries are crispy and has a unique shape. Loved it! I just hope they open for lunch on weekends too! read more

Having heard about this restaurant endlessly from friends, I finally got to visit for our wedding anniversary. This place is a gem in an old brick Westwood building. The patio where we sat was full of happy people and so they should be. We ordered a branzino and their famous steak au poivre with their equally famous scoop shaped pommes frites. The whole evening was sublime including the dessert that included a candle, I guess to mark our occasion. Definitely a place to revisit over and over. read more

Can confidently say Violet is one of my very favorite French restaurants in LA. It's located in beautiful Westwood Village and the atmosphere is truly special, it's the sort of place that you will want to stay awhile. It's designed really well on the inside with a beautiful bar, an outdoor atrium in the middle of the restaurant, and lots of great design touches including white brick walls, and chandeliers. Our server was extremely polite and was very prompt. They don't have a dedicated parking lot, but street parking is easy to find in this area, we were able to find a space directly across the street for a 7PM Saturday dinner. They have a lot of great options on the menu. It's a traditional Bistro so they have many of the classics. For our dinner we chose French Onion Soup, The Bistro Steak Au Poivre, and the Quiche. The French Onion Soup was exactly how I like it, rich in flavor and almost sweet at the same time. They use the traditional mushroom stock instead of the deeper wine stock so it really adds a meaty and layered taste profile to the soup. The Bistro Steak was incredible and probably our fav dish of the night. It was cooked perfectly, and the au poivre sauce was so good that it was almost drinkable. The Quiche was also one of the very best that we have ever had, and we have had many. All the flavors were balanced really well and the outside was pleasantly crunchy. Overall a terrific French bistro in a great part of LA. I would recommend to anyone for any occasion and certainly plan to be back in the near future to try more dishes. read more

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Very nice ambience. Good service. VERY NOISY at 8pm. Good onion soup, good duck confit.

From the outside I would have never expected the inside to have a outdoor courtyard! Its very lovely to sit outside. We ordered teas, french onion soup, steak frites, and a salad. Overall everything was delicious and definitely recommend this spot for dates :) read more

Violet Bistro - Outside area - French Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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what a lovely treasure. Fantastic atmosphere. great staff and the food is wonderful. our "go to" place. Valet parking and also parking lot right across the street. read more

I enjoyed everything at the Violet. Cute, romantic, restaurant. Doesn't feel like u r in LA! Great service, lovely ambience. Anything you order tastes good but I love the steak & truffle fries. There's valet parking but, right outside is easy street parking at the meter too. read more

Another one for the record books! I'm not quick to give out 5 stars, but everything about this quaint Bistro exceeded our expectations. From the hostesses to the wait staff It was one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I've had in a long time. Reservations strongly recommended since space is minimal. Indoor/outdoor seating and a small upper level Food was excellent- perfectly seasoned Most dishes are shareable If you arrive early you may find street parking, if not there is a parking structure No valet available Great for intimate dinner read more

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A hidden gem in Westwood. True and authentic French cuisine with a homey atmosphere and beautiful patio. I highly recommend the French onion soup as a must starter. Very friendly staff and good service. read more

What an absolute gem! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warmth and charm by the hostess, setting the tone for an exceptional experience. The ambiance is everything you'd hope for in a cozy French spot: elegant, relaxed, and just the right touch of romantic. Whether you're here for a quiet lunch or a special dinner, it feels like a little escape to Paris. Now, the food -- wow. Every dish was packed with flavor and cooked to perfection. You can tell there's real care and craft in the kitchen. And I have to say... they serve the best iced tea I've ever had. Seriously. It was perfectly brewed, refreshing, and had a subtle flavor that was just addictive. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind -- the kind of service that makes a great meal even better. Paired with the welcoming hostess, the entire team made us feel like valued guests. It is definitely on the pricier side for lunch in Westwood, but well worth it. I can't wait to come back. Highly, highly recommend! read more

What an absolutely lovely and charming restaurant. The staff were very attentive and knowledgeable. We had the Brussels sprouts, truffle fries and French onion soup. I really loved that the French onion soup was a mushroom broth, as we don't eat meat. All the dishes were so delicious and perfectly seasoned. But what really steals the show is just how charming this restaurant is, the garden patio if filled with light and you're surrounded by lush greenery. I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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Came in for lunch today after it had been recommended to me by 2 of my friends and am so glad I finally tried Violet. The restaurant itself has 3 different areas, we sat in the back and it is so beautiful and really feels like you're in France. The service was great and the menu has so many good options. We started with the baguette which is a must-try. The tuna Niçoise salad is one of the best that I've had. I can't wait to come back and try more on the menu. Parking can be tough but there is a valet option. They also have a cooking school that offers classes and events that I'm interested in trying. read more

Violet Bistro - Tuna Niçoise salad - French Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This place is Westwood's little gem. Great food and great vibe. Will definitely come back

I'd give this a 4.7. I went with a small group for a first visit, and was so pleasantly surprised. The ambiance is so peaceful and pretty. We were welcomed and taken to a choice of seating. The service was good, although no one stopped to ask how everything was, which is key to BEST service. As well, no one asked us if we wanted more drinks when our glasses were clearly empty. The food was mostly good. The chicken breast was quite dry, and had little flavor, but the mushrooms were delightful! Everyone was happy with their drink choices. They had a special lemonade called, of course, Violet Lemonade, which was both lovely and good! I'd also recommend their potato fries with truffle oil. You can't eat just one, as the old ad said. For that matter, you can't stop eating them! Souffle was also top notch. read more

Cutest ambiance - it's like you're transported into a small french bistro. Food was all delicious - the steak au poivre and duck confit were all very tender. The salmon was tasty and not fishy at all. Veggie sides of asparagus and brussels sprouts are what you expect, and the cheesecake was great too. Great date spot but also good for groups. Definitely will be back! read more

randomly came here one night cause I wanted to branch out of my normal Italian food outings lol. I was shocked when I walked in and saw the outside area, it was very cute. we didn't order much, I got a decaf coffee, 2 burgers & then fries. the burger was definitely a pricey burger ($31). but whatever sauce they serve on the side of these burgers was insanely good. that made each bite taste even better! and dipping each fry into it!!! phew. delicious. My friend and I both said it was a pricey burger but it tasted delicious so it was worth it in our opinion. We cleared the fries too... a lot for the price! the waitress was beyond helpful throughout the night and was very friendly. the owner even came around and asked us how we were doing too. we both said we'd come back to try more items! it was cute, romantic, and the food hit the spot. happy customers! read more

The food service and ambiance was amazing Loved sitting on the patio It was all very enjoyable !!

Spontaneously decided to give this place a try while in the area. Tried to call ahead for a reservation but no answer, and luckily they were able to service us at the bar. But would definitely recommend making a reservation as it gets super busy. Appropriately so because everything was delicious!! The salad mizou had us shocked, I had never devoured a salad that quickly lol. The steak and trout were just cooked and seasoned to perfection. Even the vanilla ice cream was delicious. Highly recommend if you love French cuisine. This is definitely my new favorite spot. Thanks to Jose the bartender who served us, his wonderful service made us enjoy the experience even more! read more

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I'm so happy I found this gem! We chose to sit indoors because it was a rare cold, windy LA day but the outdoor courtyard seating is extremely charming. They have heaters outside too. Our server was friendly and gave us great suggestions. Every item that we ordered was delicious and nothing was left on the table. The steak with peppercorn sauce, duck leg confit and quiche verte were probably my favorites. The fries are a must order as well. I'm ready to go back for lunch and dinner again asap! I found another regular dining spot for 2024! read more

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What a fun romantic find! We entered a boutique,romantic space, that had a serious hip vibe. We were greeted by a super sharp dressed woman, seriously cut stone with that jaw! Her name was Dana (the owner). My husband is having open heart surgery tomorrow, and this as he jokingly referred to could be his "last meal". Dana gave us the best table in the house. The food was amazing and our server Kylie was exceptional!!!! The scallops; perfectly done. The pea salad was a burst of texture and flavor! Raise a glass to Violet bistro, if you're going to have your last meal ;) this would be a great place to have it!!! read more

Violet Bistro - French Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Whenever I've walked by Violet Bistro before I've always noticed how cute and romantic it looked, but it wasn't until this weekend when a friend was raving about a place she tried where she felt like she was transported to France that I felt I had to go. The decor is so lovely and really helps you feel like you're not in Westwood! I feel like a lot of thought went into this place--even the water glasses have little bees on them. I am also pleased to report that the food was prepared with a similar level of attention to detail. I feel like a big downfall I see is that sometimes when a place is "Instagrammable," the food quality suffers--not the case here. I had the fried artichokes (artichauts frits) to start and the quiche while my boyfriend had the artichoke and cheese sandwich. Everything was excellent with decent portion sizes. I particularly liked the side salad with the quiche because it had dill in it and I am a big dill lover, and thought the salad nicely complemented the richness of the quiche. My boyfriend loved the jam that went along with his sandwich and thought it really elevated it. We also shared a chocolate mousse (not pictured) which was the perfect amount for us to share. It might be a little small for others (the server did explain the size when we ordered it too), but since we were both pretty full and just wanted a little bit of something sweet it was great. My boyfriend also liked his cappuccino. Such a cute place in Westwood, and a real neighborhood gem! We went for lunch, but I definitely want to give this place a try for dinner. read more

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Highly recommend Vibe Service Food The staff here is awesome. They treated us very sincerely and are very attentive. The atmosphere is super cute and aesthetic. Every corner of the restaurant is instagram worthy. Loved every details including their plates and cups. LOVE THEIR CUPS. Seriously considering getting the same cups for myself. Food is good. The Caesar salad was very fresh. Loved the steak more than the chicken. Chicken was just alright. Parking is free pretty easy. You just have to find public parking. Most offer free two hour parking. read more

Violet Bistro - Chicken 1/2 Rotisserie & Steak - French Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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violet is such a gem in the heart of Westwood village!! I've been here twice now and have had a pleasant experience with the food and service, which is such a sigh of relief these days in LA. definitely did not break the bank for the quality of food, and im eager to try their other menus as i've only been for dinner. Thank you violet!! read more

Not only one of LA's tastiest restaurants with inspiring French and Euro-Local fusion fare, but they have the funnest and nicely set-up schools for hobby, home, and aspiring chefs and bakers. My wife an I attended the Bagel and Pretzel workshop by Internationally trained baker Isaac of Secret Sourdough, one of L.A.'s most buzzed-about boutique foodie destinations. Everything was beautifully laid out, broken down, explained and led in hands-on style with just enough theory and tons of pro tips. read more

Violet Bistro - Violet Chef's Classes: Bagels & Pretzels (not shown) with Schmeres! - French Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The ambiance and food at Violet Bistro could not compensate for the terrible service. This might have been one of the worst service experiences since I started Yelping. We arrived for an early dinner reservation and the restaurant was not very crowded... which made our 25 minute wait for appetizers extremely confusing. We then sat there for 10 minutes with our empty appetizer dishes waiting for someone to clear them. The same thing happened when we finished our entrees. After our entrees were cleared it tooo our server another 10 minutes to return with dessert menu. We knew we wanted the cheesecake but before we could even tell him he was racing away from our table. It would be another 10 minutes until I finally gave up and flagged him down to place the order. It was really a shame that the service was so terrible. We saw many other tables quite Frustrated waiting for the food or waiting to order- it was definitely not just us. The food itself was OK. I did not enjoy their non-traditional spin on French Onion Soup and the Salmon Croquettes were overly fried and dry. The Trout almandine was WAY too salty (I think they spilled a shaker of salt on it or something. It was really bad as you could see the salt). The burger was the only thing that was worth the $$. For terrible service, 3 hours of my time, 2 cocktails, 2 apps, 2 entrees, and dessert, our bill was nearly $200. I am sort of in shock that this place has lasted a whole year with this kind of horrendous service. read more

Unfortunately I have had one of the ***worst*** experiences with Violet Bistro I have ever had with a restaurant... ever. I am a neighborhood local in Westwood and have been a loyal customer of the restaurant and cooking class since living in LA, but more so when I moved to the neighborhood. The last time I chose to dine with Violet, I suggested we have dinner there for a special business dinner. Parking in the area is tough and I eventually had to Valet my car so I would not be too late to my dinner. The valet driver, who seemed very off and didn't even know how to start my car, a Tesla (major red flag for a valet driver), hit my car pretty bad. I could even see residue of finger prints from someone trying to "clean off" the paint from the white pole or wall that was hit by my black car. I immediately told the restaurant and they directed me to the valet company. The valet company was denying any liability and then began to ghosting me. I probably spent over 10-15 hours going back to the restaurant in good faith asking if they help me out, going to nearby buildings to see if they have camera footage ... and all of this in my first trimester of pregnancy, which really wasn't easy. The Violet staff at the time was very kind, empathetic, and some were even more frustrated on my behalf, telling me that I was "handling it well, considering". At one point, about 3 months went by and I was still on this goose chase. I was eventually quoted $3K to fix my car and the valet company was still ghosting us. Again, in good faith, I went back to Violet and asked for the Valet company's insurance info. They told me they didn't have it (which I believe is not legal) and they could no longer ask for it because they now fired the valet company after my incident and other issues they've had with other cars. I asked that they please do the professional and responsible thing and get the valet company's insurance info to share it with me. I had to ask several times until it got to the owner, Diana, who basically told me it's not their problem and to stop "harassing" them. I was genuinely floored. She ultimately said the best they can do is offer me a gift card and made it seem like they were doing something special for me. I simply wanted my damage taken care of. She refused to provide insurance information for the Valet company she hired to drive and take care of her customer's cars. It's crazy to think that we spent so much money that night supporting her establishment, at least $20 in Valet parking so we could do so, and she can't even provide the insurance information of the company she hired to handle her customer's cars - a company that she fired because she was aware of their negligence. I was honestly disgusted by the way she handled it. I've since heard from other locals who have had similar issues. It's such a shame because I was such a supportive customer and turned at least 10 close friends to loyal customers as well. I have my own business and I just cannot fathom treating a customer this way. I am not in my third trimester and too exhausted to deal with this any longer, but I can't imagine that what they did to be legal, in not having more information on the company they hired. read more

Dear Dana, i just read your response to my review. I understand restaurant's sometimes makes mistakes and that's fine but when you wait 45 minutes for your food and it comes out wrong and then you give us french fries which we did not want or ate, that's really not doing anything for us to make our experience better. no remedies were offered to us at all. We paid for our bill in full and left. A mistake is one thing but when i see the food is taking 45 minutes and your person making the food is on his phone texing and eating and not making the food that we're waiting on, that is not a mistake. i wont be coming back but hopefully you will fix that issue for your other loyal customers read more

This was my 5th or 6th dinner at Violet, but the first on a weekend, an experience I'll certainly not repeat. We had booked a table with Resy and were hoping for the lovely courtyard. But we were told there was nothing available. So we sat inside, where the noise level made it nearly impossible to have a conversation. Our server seemed to lose interest in us when we didn't order drinks right away. We were also dissuaded from ordering the bottle of wine we'd chosen, as it was the last one they had. We ordered it nonetheless, along with fish (salmon for me, halibut for my best friend) and steak au poivre for our dates. The food was served as it came out by waiters who slammed the dishes down on the table with no regard as to who they were for. We rearranged the plates, only to notice that the second of the two steaks was missing; fortunately, it showed up several minutes later. My salmon was cold and tasteless, and my friend's halibut was dry as a bone (plentiful sauce notwithstanding). The steak was tasty but was barely room temperature and came with no side dishes, which seems astounding given the nearly $50 price point (for sliced steak). Our server's admonition about the insufficient amount of wine proved true, but we never ordered a second glass (much less a bottle), as we were largely forgotten until our plates were nearly empty. By the time our server returned, we were ready to be done with the place and find dessert somewhere more hospitable and reasonable. While I am no stranger to pricey restaurants, I expect superb food and service when I'm paying a premium, and Violet failed to deliver on both fronts. read more

FOOD - Everything was great EXCEPT the French Onion Soup which was underbaked and lukewarm. Would not order that again. AMBIENCE - Very cute decor. read more

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Apologies are not excepted.I dare to remind you, you have your responsibilities as a host or as an owner. I came to the restaurant where I ate 2 soups and 2 salads for 140 dollars. I have every right to expect decent service and food for this amount. Your comment is passively aggressive. The temperature of the soup cannot be a subject of discussion, just like the absence of staff. The size of the dog if it is a service dog. Take responsibility for the poor service and food and correct it. read more

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Amazing restaurant for a date!! We got the artichokes, mizou salad, steak au poivre, haricot vert, and pommel frites! Everything was delicious and I would definitely order everything again! A great gem in Westwood. read more

My wife and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary. We had a 5:45pm reservation and had a wonderful time. I was concerned about the varying reviews, either people loved it or they were unreasonably critical of the food, service, ambiance, and pricing. Service: hostess wished us happy anniversary upon arrival and we were guided to our reserved table. Lovely table, seating and view of the restaurant. Our waitress knew how to balance the timing between not over attending and letting us have enough privacy but not so much we wondered when our food would arrive. Food: the baguette, yes please and may I have another. Wife ordered the burger, I ordered the chicken, both delicious! My wife is 7 months pregnant and the mock tail mojitos and Violet Spritz were delicious. Chocolate mouse dessert was divine! Pricing: it's a nice restaurant and you're paying for quality ingredients and ambiance Overall: We'd definitely come back again. We left around 7:30pm and by then it was a full house, so it happening place indeed! read more

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