Came here around 7:30 PM on a Tuesday and was seated right away. The restaurant had a relaxed…read moreatmosphere with Hawaiian music playing in the background, dim lighting, and a vibe that would make it a great date-night spot. I was there with a couple of friends, but I could definitely see couples enjoying the setting. Parking is street parking only, though valet is available if you'd rather not deal with it. The area was busy, but I was able to find a spot without too much effort. We ordered a handful of dishes to share. The standout appetizer for me was the Spam Crispy Rice. The rice was crispy without being overly hard, and the flavors worked really well together. Simple, but done right. The Tempura Cauliflower was another solid choice. It had a nice crunch on the outside, and the tangy sauce gave it enough flavor to keep things interesting without overwhelming the dish. The Crab Cake was probably my favorite item of the night. It was moist, flavorful, and packed with crab rather than filler. Definitely something I'd order again. The Malama Mochiko Chicken was good, but it didn't leave much of an impression compared to the other dishes we tried. Nothing wrong with it, just not the most memorable item on the table. Finally, we shared the Lobster Noodles. They were very garlicky, which I enjoyed, but thankfully not swimming in butter. The lobster was cooked well, and the dish felt rich without being too heavy. Service was attentive throughout the meal, and our food came out at a good pace. Prices are on the higher side, but not surprising given the location, atmosphere, and seafood-focused menu. Overall, I had a good experience and would come back. The crab cake and crispy rice alone are worth another visit.

We were in town for a short trip to celebrate a birthday and decided to give Mālama Pono a try for…read moredinner. Here was our choices: Island Lemonade Tempura Cauliflower Seared Ahi Tuna Steak Horseradish crushed Mahi Mahi Mālama Mochiko Chicken Mac Salad Pono Mix Plate Special Ice Cream and Berries (Not on menu) We had reservations and we were seated within 10 minutes of our reservation time. Staff was outstanding and very attentive. The place was hopping so we were impressed by the service. There is outside and inside dining tables. The ice cream and berries was so good we could have had that for an appetizer, entree and dessert. All of the dishes were well prepared, tasty and served hot. The Mochiko Chicken was very complex. I like to eat mine with no sauce but it had a strong shoyu taste but when I used the tomato ginger dipping sauce it gave it a totally different taste that cut down the salt. I think it was a bit too sophisticated for me. A dish meant for people with a more discerning palate. You can't go wrong with the different plates except for the Mochiko Chicken which if you are adventurous this might be your dish. All of the other dishes we tried were good and we would order again. We certainly plan to go back. Take your friends and/or family for great food and service.

91.5 FM and HD one Los Angeles and orangecountysc.org…read more 91.5 FM and HD one Los Angeles and orangecountysc.org

I stand by this being one of the best iced coffees in LA. It's nothing insanely fancy but it's so…read morewell priced and tastes perfect every time. The Uni was absolutely superb! I was a little worried because it didn't seem like they had a lot of options available in the case, but they brought out a lot more for me to choose from. I highly recommend telling them what you're looking for because they have some amazing recommendations. Next on my list to try is the handroll kit!

Service was wonderful! Our waitress Kirsty went above and beyond to make our experience enjoyable!read more

I'm a glutton for a good brunch and the menu at The Six looked really good. I'm also a sucker for…read moregood decor and the evening pics from other Yelp reviewers looked really cute. Of course, Studio City has a village full of good restaurant choices, but since I was already a fan of their other location on the Westside, The Six on Pico Blvd., I decided to give this one a try. So Saturday brunch it was! We arrived earlier to avoid crowds at 10:45, and we had the place all to ourselves until 11:15. Reservations were made via Yelp, but we obviously didn't need them. I was a bit surprised, but small groups eventually trickled in slowly. ** THE CHOW ** My brunch date ordered a California omelet, made with brie, red bell, caramelized onions, and topped with half an avocado. The breakfast potatoes on the side were very yummy and the omelet was tasty too. Did I mention I'm a glutton for brunch? Well, I decided to eat one like one. And the Knife & Fork Chicken + Waffles was just right for my appetite. It satisfied the fried chicken cravings I had racked up over an entire week. I liked that the chicken was boneless, skinless, buttermilk-battered, and crispy. The fancy "red devil gravy" is basically a watery Tapatio for dunking or (if you're like me) for drowning your chicken in heat. Don't worry, they've got Cholula as well. Also, I love the effort in naming this menu item. However, I was a bit disappointed to find out that the jalapeño rosemary syrup on the online menu was only regular maple syrup IRL. Overall, the waffles are quite dense so it adds a good balance of hot 'n' sweet. ** THE SERVICE ** Servers at The Six were attentive. Food was delivered quickly. There were frequent check-ins with various staff members at each of the tables. The wait staff worked well together, covering each other's duties -- that was nice to see. ** THE VIBE ** There are lots of Instagram-worthy backdrops and charming little signs strewn around the restaurant. The decor and vibe give a nod to the "Society of Six" artists from the 1920s Prohibition era, who lived together in a cabin in Northern California that they dubbed the "Chow House", where they inspired each other in creating art. The reclaimed wood planks and cast iron skillets are used as plates on several menu items as a subtle accent and cozy, cabin vibe. I imagine twinkle lights add to the effect during the evening time. Next time I want to shovel brunch into my pie hole like a bottomless mimosa glass, I'll come back for the Apple Pie French Toast. That's with a side of bacon (not the bacon inside the French toast as the menu writeup may suggest). I hear that the cinnamon apple pie filling is amazing. I guess I'll have to come back for seconds and pair it with a bottomless Mimosa for $25 (avail Saturdays & Sundays, 10am - 3pm).

What a pleasant surprise of a restaurant behind the very non-descript but mysterious grey building…read morewith no-signage door! It's a restaurant with an overall speakeasy vibe BUT is not dark and foreboding. Rather, its high ceilings, well spaced out tables, and appropriately lit dining/bar space has a welcoming, cool vibe! And the music to fill the space before the live music was well, my kinda music - vibey 80s/90s hip hop. On top of that, the STAFF - the folks we met on a Monday (senior citizen hour) night were incredibly kind and attentive. We did stay through the first set of musicians that performed and it was great. Loud, but not loud enough that me and my friend couldn't still talk. Now onto the food. A nice surprise, considering this is a music joint! That bread was solid. The side portions decent - mushrooms and broccoli were fine. The steak was a generous size, cooked appropriately medium rare, and came with a unique side of bone marrow salsa. That was a nice, interesting touch. Was it the BEST food I've ever had? Not exactly, BUT it was the best food as part of a music joint, in the Valley. So the 5 star rating is really for the OVERALL experience.

**TL;DR: Great food, but terrible seating layout and "VIP" policy ruins the experience**…read more We booked a reservation well in advance and explicitly selected the main dining room, looking forward to the live music experience Verse is known for. Instead, we were placed to the right of the stage in a row of three 2-person tables (which they still consider the "main dining room"). For a venue centered around a performance, this layout makes zero sense: You only see the backs and profiles of the band, and the tables are positioned so that one person literally has their back to the stage the entire night. It felt like a second-class experience that completely missed the mark on value. Seeing three empty tables with proper views, we asked the hostess if we could move. We were told no because they were "completely booked and reserved for VIPs." Some time later, a manager came by to say that one of the VIPs hadn't showed up so a table was now available (the VIP by the way was an off-duty worker there). We didn't end up moving; the whole interaction left us with really mixed, sour feelings. It's incredibly frustrating to know regular paying customers who book ahead are treated as second-tier while prime tables sit empty for no-show "VIPs." Valet is $15 by the way. Due to the subpar experience and being stuck in a corner, I just couldn't in good conscience order the way I typically do, which usually includes multiple appetizers, several pasta and main dishes, dessert, and a great bottle of wine or champagne. Instead, we heavily scaled back our meal. As for what we did try, the kitchen has real highlights but a few misses. We started with the Peruvian scallops (5 to an order), served cold, ceviche-style, which had good flavor. For mains, the lobster tagliatelle was excellent. However, the mushroom linguini fell short; the pasta was far too tough and needed a couple more minutes of cooking, and it was oversaturated with a mornay sauce that completely overpowered the dish. To drink, the rosé was crisp and fresh. Overall, while some of the food is excellent, the poor floor layout and frustrating seating policies made this an extremely disappointing experience that wasn't worth the premium price.

I took a special someone here for a birthday celebration, and everything went great from start to…read morefinish. The food and drinks were amazing, and our server was friendly, attentive, and did an excellent job taking care of us. The outdoor seating was one of my favorite parts. It has a great atmosphere and is perfect for a date night. Thanks to the staff for helping make the birthday celebration so memorable. I would definitely recommend this place and look forward to coming back!

I had such a great experience at Firefly! From the moment we sat down, our waiter, Drew, was…read moreabsolutely incredible. Our entire party kept saying we hadn't received service that attentive, genuine, and professional in a very long time. He made the whole evening feel effortless and was a huge part of why we enjoyed ourselves so much. The food, drinks, and overall ambiance were all fantastic. Every dish we ordered was delicious, but the fried olives are an absolute must--I'm still dreaming about them! The music got a little loud at one point, but it was a Friday night, so it was completely understandable. We were just a tired group after a long week. If anything, it gave me another reason to come back on a weekday so I can experience the atmosphere in a different setting. Overall, an amazing dinner with outstanding service. We'll definitely be back, and hopefully Drew will be our server again!

The food is delicious and the restaurant, newly renovated has a great vibe. We will be back.read more

5 Stars Everything…read moreabout this place was great! My friend and I regularly visit the North Hollywood Farmers Market on Sundays, where we usually get pasta from them. One day they invited us to check out the restaurant on Lobster Tuesday. While you can order from the regular menu that day, we went all in on the lobster dishes and loved everything we tried. The food was amazing, but the lobster ravioli was definitely my favorite dish of the night. Also, if you love bread like I do, definitely order the rolls. The ambiance was wonderful and I've heard they sometimes have live music, although I'm not sure which days. The staff made the experience even better. The host was friendly and kept me laughing with jokes while I waited for my friend to arrive. The bartender was also fantastic, understanding that I don't drink alcohol and made me an incredible mocktail that was so good my friend ended up ordering the same thing. From the food to the atmosphere to the service, everything was excellent. We had a great experience and will definitely be back!

For our last dinner on our Studio City trip, my sister and bro-in-law booked Ca Del Sole, an…read moreItalian restaurant in Toluca Lake they always wanted to try. Toluca Lake is an expensive area in LA, but the actual lake is fenced in and not available to the public. I even had trouble finding it on Google Map, but I did see the Hollywood Reservoir, LOL! The restaurant is good-sized and very trendy yet welcoming for families. Parking is $7 valet. They have a surprisingly big kid's menu and have a good mix of seafood and meaty entrees. Highly recommend the grilled Spanish octopus with white beans. Very tender. The Bruschetta was also very good - crispy at first bite but then super soft and melts in the mouth. Wife and I both got fish entrees. She had the chilean sea bass special while I went for the excellent bown-sugar smoked Scottish Salmon. It was a nice thick piece, but very moist and tasty. Our 6yo son got the penne pasta with butter sauce and chicken, one of his favorites. An excellent Italian restaurant for date night or family dinner. Their big menu and excellent service are 5-star worthy.

Pros -fried calamari is really good…read more-the olive tapenade is delicious Cons -parking is valet only or street Rating 7.5/10

From the moment you walk in, this place is absolutely beautiful. The atmosphere is elegant, cozy,…read moreand incredibly romantic. One of my favorite parts is their garden-style seating area--it truly feels like you're dining in a beautiful garden. The entire restaurant is filled with candlelight, the music is perfect, and every detail creates such a warm and relaxing ambiance. The owner is an amazing guy who genuinely cares about his guests, and it shows in every aspect of the experience. The staff is friendly, attentive, and provides outstanding service. Now, the sushi--simply incredible. Everything is fresh, beautifully prepared, and absolutely delicious. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. It's easily some of the best sushi I've had. They also offer convenient valet parking, which makes the experience even better. Overall, this place is a 10/10. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion, planning a date night, or just craving exceptional sushi, I highly recommend it. We'll definitely be back!

First time at Leona's, and I have mixed feelings. The venue is lovely, with multiple rooms of…read morevarying styles. The room with the cocktail bar (and windows open to a patio) has the most energy, with full tables and a nice, festive buzz. The middle section has a quieter, more romantic feel, though it seemed equally busy. We, however, had asked to sit at the sushi bar, and in the case of Leona's it's the loneliest space in the place. We were the only customers, with one or two other occupied tables nearby. This was clearly a bad decision on our part, but the hostess might have suggested we'd have a better time of it elsewhere. We'd have likely had better service, too. Our server was friendly enough, but went MIA a good deal of the time (we were her only customers in this room). The sushi chef was nice, but slammed with orders, though he did make ours without much wait. There is a full bar, so many cocktail options on top of wine and beer, but the sake list is a bit silly: mostly high-priced 720ml bottles, and very few small options. The food was also a tad hit or miss. Toro sushi was top notch and very flavorful; Albacore Sashimi with pico de gallo and crispy onions was also fresh as could be, and very satisfying. Truffle Butter Edamame had a nice, earthy flavor, and Ankimo sushi tasted especially fresh, with a rich and distinctive flavor. Less inspired was the Corn Tempura, which was very bland; the accompanying spicy mayo had very little spice, and seemed wrong regardless. We requested traditional tempura sauce, and this version likewise disappointed, being bland and a bit too thin, much more like a broth. Our final selection, the Salmon Arale Roll (tempura white fish and asparagus inside with salmon and avocado on top plus crispy rice and chili oil), was, again, dull and bland despite the number of ingredients. We didn't even finish it. So, was I blown away? No. Would I return? Yes. But I'll sit in the bar room, and I'll stick to sushi or sashimi. I'm optimistic that my next visit will hit better notes.