Delicious food in an energetic environment. The pluses: Fun riffs on classic French dishes, reimagined with a Japanese overtone; notable items - Croque Madame, Duck Frites, Decibel Martini , gentle corkage. But the negatives: The "turn this table'" approach to service, with the next dish arriving before you finish the one before (very typical of Arts District restaurants, sadly), and absurd price/quantity relationships. The $70 Duck Frites was a batch of fries, a few roasted vegetables, and three 3" strips of (admittedly delicious) boneless duck. Two quarter-sized uni toasts for $28. A couple dozen clams in a excellent broth, with toast and lobster butter (subbing for bouillabaisse and rouile) was $27. I'm not going back anytime soon, though I doubt they'll notice.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Michelle Yoon
Definitely expected more.
First of all, we made a reservation and came too early (30 mins). They told us they’d text us if the bar became available before our table. We walked over to Flamingo right across and then came five minutes before our reservation. The bar had about 4 seats open, we got no text. Then we proceeded to wait about 20 minutes from our reservation time, still. Off to a so-so start.
We got the burrata, beef cheek, croque madame, carpaccio, and kombu rice. For drinks, the army navy and milk punch.
The burrata was amazing, I’d say a must. Beef cheek was good but over salted. Thank goodness we ordered rice or it would have been inedible on its own. Carpaccio was decent, the pine nuts a great touch. The croquet madame was okay — tasted like a brunch item you’d get at a diner, nothing special, and to be honest a bit out of place with the rest of the dishes.
Army navy cocktail was bomb. My milk punch was way too sweet and plain, like sugar water. It was missing a few things. They cleared the drink before I finished it.
Not worth for $100pp. Seems overhyped, they need to make some improvements.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Emanuel G
In short: amazing drinks, fantastic service, but the food is mediocre and does not align with the hype or the cost. As another review put it: “Michelin prices for a non-Michelin experience.” Couldn’t agree more.
Let’s start with the positives: the service and drinks are top-notch. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive - water glasses refilled, napkins folded. The cocktails (Milk Punch, New York Sour) and the autumn sake were superb.
But that’s where the magic ends. The food? Mediocre, at best. The uni otoro toast and oysters were decent, but everything else? A disappointment, especially for the price. Worst of all, you can taste that many dishes were pre-prepped and most likely reheated with a microwave. It gave me English pub vibes, and not the good kind.
The Croque Madame, hyped by everyone, was a letdown. I’ve had better ones in Paris for 6 euros from a street vendor. The béchamel was watery, and while it had Japanese ingredients, it tasted like any average croque - but with a 18$ price tag. The real culprits, though, were the Koshihikari risotto and spaghetti bolognese: overcooked (my italian nonna would not be happy) and with zero Japanese or French flair. Apparently, using soy sauce makes the bolognese “Japanese fusion”.
The only surprise hit was the black sesame Parker House rolls with salted butter and ikura. Delicious, sure, but at 12 francs for bread that’s often free elsewhere.
If you want to enjoy good French or Japanese food, rather go to a different place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Jonathan Taylor
Intricate and balanced Japanese French fusion. Haven’t had dishes like the ones served here and would highly recommend. Try the risotto. Best dish of the night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Adrianna
The only memorable dish we tried was the duck frites which was very good, but the service was subpar. Our waitress looked really overwhelmed at all times, failed to give us any recommendations, and one of our dishes was delayed and took a very long time to come out (they sent us a comped mackerel bite to make up for it but it wasn’t even good).
Lastly, the choice of music they were playing was straight up bad and didn’t make for a pleasant experience (this is probably the only time I’ve even mentioned this in a review)
It seems like they’re still getting settled after opening but the hype about this place is not warranted and I’m not sure how it made it onto top restaurant lists in LA.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
Kley Pulecio
I really liked the place, nice place with heaters outside, good music very nice waiters, the sake is very good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Bianca Catbagan
Really enjoyed the food and the service. Interesting Japanese flavors with French cooking technique.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Sesame Parker House Rolls
Dao Riopel
Fusion italian and Japanese food! Amazing experience! Love it
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Laura Savage
Very mid. Our whole group found the dishes to be overwhelmingly rich and lacking balance, as well as expensive for what you get. Ambiance and service would be the reasons to come here, but there are tons of better options in arts district.
Nasser Akeel
I was in the area and I got reservation in this restaurant and I was amazed, the food was very delicious and the service was excellent, I highly recommend it.
The food? *Beyond.* Drinks? Fantastic—though it took 25 minutes to get two cocktails. But here’s the issue: the restaurant doesn’t mention on OpenTable that you might be seated *outside.* And by "outside," I don’t mean a cozy terrace. Think uncomfortable metal chairs and tables, and a few sad heat lamps. For $400, I wasn’t expecting to need a blanket to keep warm.
This was our second visit. The first time, we sat at the indoor bar, and it was fantastic. If I’d known we’d be outside this time, I’d have skipped the dress and opted for a parka. Other restaurants let you choose your seating on OpenTable—indoor, outdoor, bar—but here it’s a gamble. I’ve seen many surprised and disappointed faces of other clients… Heads-up next time?
In short: great food, but I’m only coming back if I know I’ll be inside.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
EU
The service at this restaurant left much to be desired. The staff seemed untrained and struggled to describe the dishes properly. Given the price point, I expected a higher level of food quality and service. The menu lacked direction, feeling unfocused as it tried to incorporate too many different elements. The pot pie was disappointing, and the other dishes didn’t seem to align with the restaurant’s supposed French-Japanese fusion. My biggest issue, however, was the lack of accountability. When given the opportunity to address concerns and improve our experience, the manager seemed indifferent and unwillingy to make any effort. This lack of care and attention to detail significantly detracted from the overall dining experience.
There are plenty of other restaurants in LA that’s more worth your money and time.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Alexa
Everything was 10/10. Not a single miss. One of my favorite restaurant experiences this year.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Sesame Parker House Rolls, Soufflé
noreen
We had a lovely and lively experience @ Camelia. The staff were professional friendly and knowledgeable. We had inventive delicious dishes that were well coursed and multilayered Wonderful!
Adele Bayless
Finally. A place that makes me want to go again and again. Stopped in after a nearby show thinking it was Bestia, because I totally don't know the Arts District, and it was dark.
Who cares, cause I'm so glad it was not Bestia (one day). My niece and I sat at the bar and were served by the awesome Kevin who went out of his way to find me something with yuzu cause I mentioned I'd love a yuzu flavored sake. Voila! We ordered:
The tuna ginger avocado, the pasta, and a sweet potato gratin.
OMG every single dish was outstanding but special props to the tuna. Best thing i ate this week (and I ate at Dunsmoor the other night).
Delicious food in an energetic environment. The pluses: Fun riffs on classic French dishes, reimagined with a Japanese overtone; notable items - Croque Madame, Duck Frites, Decibel Martini , gentle corkage. But the negatives: The "turn this table'" approach to service, with the next dish arriving before you finish the one before (very typical of Arts District restaurants, sadly), and absurd price/quantity relationships. The $70 Duck Frites was a batch of fries, a few roasted vegetables, and three 3" strips of (admittedly delicious) boneless duck. Two quarter-sized uni toasts for $28. A couple dozen clams in a excellent broth, with toast and lobster butter (subbing for bouillabaisse and rouile) was $27. I'm not going back anytime soon, though I doubt they'll notice.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Definitely expected more.
First of all, we made a reservation and came too early (30 mins). They told us they’d text us if the bar became available before our table. We walked over to Flamingo right across and then came five minutes before our reservation. The bar had about 4 seats open, we got no text. Then we proceeded to wait about 20 minutes from our reservation time, still. Off to a so-so start.
We got the burrata, beef cheek, croque madame, carpaccio, and kombu rice. For drinks, the army navy and milk punch.
The burrata was amazing, I’d say a must. Beef cheek was good but over salted. Thank goodness we ordered rice or it would have been inedible on its own. Carpaccio was decent, the pine nuts a great touch. The croquet madame was okay — tasted like a brunch item you’d get at a diner, nothing special, and to be honest a bit out of place with the rest of the dishes.
Army navy cocktail was bomb. My milk punch was way too sweet and plain, like sugar water. It was missing a few things. They cleared the drink before I finished it.
Not worth for $100pp. Seems overhyped, they need to make some improvements.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
In short: amazing drinks, fantastic service, but the food is mediocre and does not align with the hype or the cost. As another review put it: “Michelin prices for a non-Michelin experience.” Couldn’t agree more.
Let’s start with the positives: the service and drinks are top-notch. The staff is incredibly friendly and attentive - water glasses refilled, napkins folded. The cocktails (Milk Punch, New York Sour) and the autumn sake were superb.
But that’s where the magic ends. The food? Mediocre, at best. The uni otoro toast and oysters were decent, but everything else? A disappointment, especially for the price. Worst of all, you can taste that many dishes were pre-prepped and most likely reheated with a microwave. It gave me English pub vibes, and not the good kind.
The Croque Madame, hyped by everyone, was a letdown. I’ve had better ones in Paris for 6 euros from a street vendor. The béchamel was watery, and while it had Japanese ingredients, it tasted like any average croque - but with a 18$ price tag. The real culprits, though, were the Koshihikari risotto and spaghetti bolognese: overcooked (my italian nonna would not be happy) and with zero Japanese or French flair. Apparently, using soy sauce makes the bolognese “Japanese fusion”.
The only surprise hit was the black sesame Parker House rolls with salted butter and ikura. Delicious, sure, but at 12 francs for bread that’s often free elsewhere.
If you want to enjoy good French or Japanese food, rather go to a different place.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 5
Intricate and balanced Japanese French fusion. Haven’t had dishes like the ones served here and would highly recommend. Try the risotto. Best dish of the night.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The only memorable dish we tried was the duck frites which was very good, but the service was subpar. Our waitress looked really overwhelmed at all times, failed to give us any recommendations, and one of our dishes was delayed and took a very long time to come out (they sent us a comped mackerel bite to make up for it but it wasn’t even good).
Lastly, the choice of music they were playing was straight up bad and didn’t make for a pleasant experience (this is probably the only time I’ve even mentioned this in a review)
It seems like they’re still getting settled after opening but the hype about this place is not warranted and I’m not sure how it made it onto top restaurant lists in LA.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 2
I really liked the place, nice place with heaters outside, good music very nice waiters, the sake is very good!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really enjoyed the food and the service. Interesting Japanese flavors with French cooking technique.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Sesame Parker House Rolls
Fusion italian and Japanese food!
Amazing experience! Love it
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very mid. Our whole group found the dishes to be overwhelmingly rich and lacking balance, as well as expensive for what you get. Ambiance and service would be the reasons to come here, but there are tons of better options in arts district.
I was in the area and I got reservation in this restaurant and I was amazed, the food was very delicious and the service was excellent, I highly recommend it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Great Food, Frosty Experience*
The food? *Beyond.* Drinks? Fantastic—though it took 25 minutes to get two cocktails. But here’s the issue: the restaurant doesn’t mention on OpenTable that you might be seated *outside.* And by "outside," I don’t mean a cozy terrace. Think uncomfortable metal chairs and tables, and a few sad heat lamps. For $400, I wasn’t expecting to need a blanket to keep warm.
This was our second visit. The first time, we sat at the indoor bar, and it was fantastic. If I’d known we’d be outside this time, I’d have skipped the dress and opted for a parka. Other restaurants let you choose your seating on OpenTable—indoor, outdoor, bar—but here it’s a gamble. I’ve seen many surprised and disappointed faces of other clients… Heads-up next time?
In short: great food, but I’m only coming back if I know I’ll be inside.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 3
The service at this restaurant left much to be desired. The staff seemed untrained and struggled to describe the dishes properly. Given the price point, I expected a higher level of food quality and service. The menu lacked direction, feeling unfocused as it tried to incorporate too many different elements. The pot pie was disappointing, and the other dishes didn’t seem to align with the restaurant’s supposed French-Japanese fusion. My biggest issue, however, was the lack of accountability. When given the opportunity to address concerns and improve our experience, the manager seemed indifferent and unwillingy to make any effort. This lack of care and attention to detail significantly detracted from the overall dining experience.
There are plenty of other restaurants in LA that’s more worth your money and time.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Everything was 10/10. Not a single miss. One of my favorite restaurant experiences this year.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Black Sesame Parker House Rolls, Soufflé
We had a lovely and lively experience @ Camelia. The staff were professional friendly and knowledgeable. We had inventive delicious dishes that were well coursed and multilayered Wonderful!
Finally. A place that makes me want to go again and again. Stopped in after a nearby show thinking it was Bestia, because I totally don't know the Arts District, and it was dark.
Who cares, cause I'm so glad it was not Bestia (one day). My niece and I sat at the bar and were served by the awesome Kevin who went out of his way to find me something with yuzu cause I mentioned I'd love a yuzu flavored sake. Voila! We ordered:
The tuna ginger avocado, the pasta, and a sweet potato gratin.
OMG every single dish was outstanding but special props to the tuna. Best thing i ate this week (and I ate at Dunsmoor the other night).
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...