So glad I found this place! I was looking for somewhere to hang out and grab a drink before heading…read moreto Cinema West, and Yelp pointed me to Purple Orchid. This spot checked all my Tiki-bar boxes: moody lighting, fun kitschy décor, and seriously great drinks. I started with a Mai Tai--perfectly strong but still super tasty--then switched to a glass of Chardonnay so I wouldn't be completely blitzed for the movie. We still had time to spare, so I finished with a virgin Piña Colada and oh my gosh, it was delicious. Loved the jukebox and pool tables, too. Huge thanks to Lindsay for the excellent service. We'll definitely be back!

Wish I could leave zero stars.. This was the absolute worst…read moreMai tai I have ever had. It tasted like sour/rotten juice with some sort of fermented swill floated on top. No mint on top, zero lime flavor, but a cherry on an umbrella. I literally took one sip and pushed the glass back to the edge of the bar. Not one bartender or bar back came to check on my party after sitting our drinks down. After about twenty minutes of being ignored someone came and grabbed my husbands empty glass but left my completely full glass sitting on the bar mat. Another ten minutes or so of still not being checked on and we finally decided to leave. I'm out the twelve bucks for my drink but I consider it a twelve dollar lesson in not coming back here again. Sadly, the only reason we chose to get drinks at this bar was because I insisted I wanted a drink before heading home.

I enjoy a nice rooftop and good weather, so when this past Saturday came through warm and sunny, my…read morehomegirl and I felt personally invited outside. Naturally, we accepted. We walked in with no reservations and were promptly seated by the bonfire. Our waitress was extremely kind and knew the menu like the back of her hand, which is always appreciated. Once we got settled, we started the evening with drinks and water (because balance) and then proceeded to have a full-blown yap session while the drinks kept making their rounds. Good conversation, good vibes, and a cozy rooftop moment -- can't really ask for more than that. If you're in the area, stop by and show them some love. P.S. There's street parking... and it's free, which in itself deserves a round of applause.

This place is an adorable rooftop bar in the AC hotel on the 6th Floor. You can take the special…read moreelevator on the left or the regular ones on the right. There's free parking on the street so you don't need to park in the hotel. Our group got the grilled chicken sandwich and fries, and heard it was good. The flat bread was also tasty, although cut a little interesting in a diagonal shape. The flora fries were huge, perfectly cooked and with a lot of garlic! It was really good. I ordered the ahi tuna poke with the rice and ir was perfect. The crispy rice wasn't rock hard like other places, so you don't feel like you chipped a tooth. It was a little soft and chewy. For drinks, I got the Fall Spritz, and sorry I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it but it was delish! The service was good, we went before 8pm Social Hour so it wasn't as busy and the servers were attentive. There were only 2 for the entire roof top. It did get a lot busier at 8pm. This place is super cute for a date night and a lot of fire pits and heaters made it nice and cozy.

X Speakeasy is one of those places that feels like where you belong the second you walk in. The…read morestaff is attentive and the crowd is genuinely friendly. Even the DJ was extra personable. He allowed me to watch him do his magic during his set. It's a skill I've longed to learn as part of many on the good ol bucket list. What comes to mind when thinking about this venue is comparable to a person inherently born with a lot of charisma. Prices are fair, especially for the area. But the drinks are where it really stands out. They're clearly made with fresh, high quality ingredients. I will warn you it's the kind of place you come for one and end up staying longer than you planned :)

This is a difficult review to write because I really want to give X Speakeasy a 3 1/2 or 4 stars,…read morebut just can't. Came in after having dinner nearby and wanting to have a late-night cocktail. Drinks: Ordered the X Cadillac Margarita. It was just okay. Not bad, but also nothing special. Service: The bartender was friendly, but the service was somewhat spotty. Environment: I will say that the place was pretty crowded, and everyone was having a lot of fun. There's a small dance floor in the back. Bottom Line: It's a fun place that straddles the line between dive bar and local hotspot.

Server Álvaro is an actual SAINT at Saint & Second!…read more I want to start by clarifying that I went to S&S yesterday afternoon ready to cry major boo-hoo tears to my two besties, without much of an appetite. Instead, I ended up with a full belly and side cramps from laughing along with our awesome server, Alvaro. The Man. The Myth. The Legend that he is! Small Backstory: Last Friday I lost my job of almost 25 years in public education due to a complicated work accident (my back was broken & I now have screws in my spine) and I planned to whine to my best friends into a cocktail or two, and get out plenty of Kim Kardashian ugly-cry faces until it would be time to go home. Enter ALVARO! This kind man had the nerve to be polite to us! The nerve! LOL. He greeted us with a warm smile while my cold heart was practically making it snow. He explained all portions of the breathtaking menu when I had planed to eat my sadness. He even had the GALL to say if we wanted something not on the menu that he would see what he could do to make it happen! Here I was, ready to drink Unicorn Tears, and he was cheering me up! WHAT THE??! LOL The three is us started with the MEZZE PLATE. And OH LORD! I think we ate the print off of the plates while trying to get to the last crumb. We polished off a whole extra serving of cucumber slices in the process, by the way, and I'm not embarrassed to say that. The Turkish honey-sweetened labne was such a party in our mouths! Make of that what you will. Each of us got a dinner entre, with mine being the S&S Fish and Chips. I loved that the fillet was not overly battered and the chips had an almost double-Belgium fried taste going on. I couldn't help but swipe several spoons worth of aged-cheddar grits off a friend's seared pork chop plate. Now THOSE were some butter-heaven sent grits! My drink, that kept shooting partially through my nostrils from laughter, was a classic margarita on the rocks. No margaritas were injured/harmed in the process of my belly laughter. At some point towards the end of our night, a patron of the mall next door pulled the site-wide fire alarm, ringing through the whole location for everyone to use caution and head to the closest exit. If you grew up like my friends and I, you don't follow that suggestion unless you're trying to run out on the bill like a jerk. Bless be to Alvaro, he stopped by our table several times to apologize about the noise and flashing lights and explained the fire department was working on it. I explained that the Hood Cricket sound didn't bother us and we were happy to wait out the alarm. So not only did Alvaro provide us with excellent service, an outstanding meal, and generous smiles, but he also made sure that we felt SEEN. And THAT is what made the whole evening worth it. No sadness or cringey tears about a lost job were needed. It ends up all we needed was a server named Alvaro at Saint & Second to make my spirits feel high again. Pricing is a bit high but was totally worth it! Patrons were dressed business casual. Sound level, not counting the hood cricket, was mid and conversation was easy to have. Several televisions were playing different stations but no captions were provided. There is handicap parking available in the parking garage located just outside the front door of the establishment and no stairs or elevators are needed to enter. There are several entrances/exits to the available outdoor seating area and outdoor heaters are available. Glances around showed me that every patron I saw was tucking into their plates with smiles and were enjoying themselves. I have already made plans to return to S&S in another two weeks because it was indeed THAT GOOD! And for those fine diners that are wondering, "But what is a Hood Cricket?" An HC is a chirping fire-alarm that some of us are able to tune out with ease. You're welcome!

Lovely location that's beautifully decorated with an indoor/outdoor space. No issue parking in…read moreadjacent garage, but I'm sure it gets busy at peak times. I enjoyed the chorizo tacos. Although, the portion seemed small considering there is no side dish served with this. (Comes with 3 tacos). I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with how big their brunch menu is. They have a little bit of everything from avocado toast to pancakes to sandwiches. The service left a little to be desired. It seemed very slow even though we arrived not long after they opened and things were fairly quiet. It took a while to get requested items like creamer, receive our food and have our plates cleared.

Went here on a Saturday night and the vibe was cool, the staff was great, and the food was…read moredelicious and super quick! New spot for sure!

Caló is still going strong always love coming here. the…read moreambiance is unmatched, so cozy and the staff always looks so professional. This visit I had the mezcal drink with tamarind and valentina hot sauce, shrimp taquitos, ribeye tacos, chips with salsa beans and guac and for a dessert later on tres leches cake. the tres leches lives rent free in my head ‍

My boyfriend and I had a blast here! We haven't been in ages but everything was just so good!…read moreJennifer and Stokke were incredibly hospitable. The entire bar team took care of us, especially Asia and Shawné, and we just had the most perfect date night possible! Thanks again!

First time here and everything was amazing! Jake was a great server and helped me picked great…read morechoices! Will definitely be back! Night Manager Stokke was very nice !

We arrived when they opened for dinner to celebrate a birthday and were excited to try the Tuesday…read morenight feature (grilled pork chop). We were notified shortly after being seated at 5:30 that there was no pork chop available, which was disappointing because we arranged the dinner on a Tuesday so that we could order the special. We ended up ordering the duck breast and sea bass, and both were very good. The chef sent us a cheesy potato dish to make up for not having the special, which was very thoughtful. We also greatly enjoyed the complimentary birthday treat at the end of the meal, and the candle was a nice touch! Our server, Stephanie, was excellent--even better than the server we had at our last visit to the restaurant. She was very warm, friendly, and attentive, and had a great smile! She provided the type of service you'd expect during a fine dining experience. Overall it was a great dinner and it's nice to see a classy steakhouse in downtown El Segundo!

A hidden gem nestled in downtown El Segundo, Porterhouse is not only an amazing steakhouse, but an…read moreequally amazing tribute to a fallen hero Ron Porter. For starters, an Old Fashion with any one of their top shelf bourbons sets the mood, paired with the Elk Carpaccio which was simply mouth watering seasoned to perfection. Then the main course, I had the Wagyu Filet, my friend had the Wagyu New York Steak. Both were cooked med rare and served isolated on a warmed plate with a sprinkle of sea salt. Nothing else needed but we did order the Pan Roasted Mushrooms and Cheesy Potatoes sides which were great. Honestly, hands down the BEST filet and steak we've ever consumed. Excellent steaks, drinks, and service. Porterhouse will not disappoint. Thank you Ron for your service and thank you to your friends and family who came together to give us an amazing place to experience your legacy. To learn more about Ron Porter, check out https://www.porterhousela.com/ronporter

This is another one of my all time favorite restaurant and bar in beautiful Manhattan Beach…read more This is a multi level restaurant with plenty of indoor and outside seating and fantastic views of the pier and the ocean. Make sure you come here during sunset in the winter time were you probably going to witness one of the nicest sunsets along the beautiful California beach. Now coming to the bar and restaurant itself it probably serves one of the best cocktails in town ans for sure the freshest and best tasting seafood in MB. One of my favorite is the Spanish Grilled Octopus and the Oysters on the appetizer menu. I also recommend their salmon or grilled chicken on the main menu. If you want to keep it simple there is a decent selection if house pizza with a nice selection of wines, draft and bottled beers plus their outstanding cocktails. Please make sure to reserve a table if you're planning to go there after 5 pm or otherwise spent time at either the lower bar area or the smaller bar on the upper level. Enjoy and Bon Appetite!

Servers were on top of it. Great location for people watching and seeing the ocean. We had a few…read moreold fashions for drinks and the were well balanced and super delicious. Great place to hang out and pretty people here too doesn't hurt. Bravo

Georgia's Lounge is a great spot. I've been several times and it never disappoints. It was perfect…read morespot for my book club meetup l. We sat outside, enjoyed the fire pit, and shared great apps (street tacos are my fav) and drinks. My most recent visit was with a small group for my sister's birthday, and they had a special holiday menu that I could not pass up. I ordered the Spiced Orchard, a festive take on an old fashioned. My sister got the Naughty or Nice, which I definitely stole a sip of, and it was just as good. It's a great little place for date night or drinks with the girls. Cozy place to have a good time.

This spot has such a chill, laid-back vibe. The outdoor fire pits are our favorite. It's a perfect…read moreFriday night cocktail spot, especially when you just want to unwind. The indoor seating looks super cozy too. We've tried the Lemon Drop, Grandpa Georgia (their take on an Old Fashioned), Gentle Pirate, and the Black Tie. They're all are great!! The food hits the spot as well!

My sister and I just had lunch at The Strand House to celebrate her 50th birthday and wow, what a…read moremeal! Possibly the best crab cakes of our entire lives and the yellowtail crudo was the definition of a balanced and rich appetizer. Seriously, this is in our top 10 meals (maybe top 5) of all time. We had an incredible server in John. He was the perfect balance of attentiveness (yet not overbearing), knowledgeable, professional, yet he still made us feel like we were having a relaxed hangout out in his house as his friends. I've been a bartender at various bars and restaurants for the past 20 years and I gotta say that it was an honor to be helped by that caliber of a server. I also told him that I didn't love mushrooms so he had our entrée, which had mushrooms, split and my sister's half had mushrooms but mine didn't. Just incredible We couldn't recommend this restaurant any more highly. Do yourself a favor and stop by The Strand House for a meal, you'll thank me later.

The Strand House in Manhattan Beach is one of those places where you immediately understand what…read moreyou're paying for the second you walk in. The ocean views are absolutely beautiful, the bar area has a great energy, the staff was friendly and attentive, and there's clearly a strong local regular crowd that gives the place life and personality. The atmosphere honestly carries a lot of the experience here. Food-wise though, I have mixed feelings considering the pricing. The menu is definitely charging premium Manhattan Beach/oceanfront prices, but most of the food itself felt pretty average. The breakfast potatoes were especially mid and lacked seasoning or anything memorable. My wife didn't enjoy the pork belly benedict much, although she did really like the salmon benedict. On the other hand, the bluefin tuna tostada was magnificent and easily one of the standout dishes we had. The fries situation was fascinating to me. They're $15, but to be fair they give you an absurd amount of fries -- basically an entire fry boat. They also serve them with house-made ketchup and aioli, which sounds great... except they give you about a thimble worth of sauce. I started noticing almost every other table with fries had huge piles left over and completely ran out of sauce early on. At that point it almost feels intentional because there's no way the restaurant hasn't noticed this pattern already. Overall, this is the kind of place where you go for the scenery, people watching, drinks, atmosphere, and social experience more than for mind-blowing food. If you approach it that way, it's a really enjoyable spot.