I took a party of 6 here; there were 3 birthdays being celebrated. I let the house know we would be bringing our own wine because I have a large collection. The service was just terrible. There were 3 people working: a waiter, a hostess and a bartender. None of them were welcoming in the least. The only cheerful person was the food runner/busser. The food was OK if overpriced. The wine handling was appalling. Of course we paid the corkage, but we weren't given fresh glasses with a new bottle nor was an old wine properly decanted to remove sediment. It doesn't help that the 'tipping' is a mystery. Its been established that this restaurant has bad history of collecting a service fee which doesn't make it to the staff. There is no reason to ever go back here. Maybe the service is so bad because no one wants to work here!
Shilpa D.
I came here for a work lunch and everything was delicious. The highlights were the broccoli salad (surprisingly delicious!!), the tuna guac appetizer, and the trout over rice. Prices are high but the seafood and ingredients tasted fresh. The linguini with clams was good but not my favorite. The lobster roll was also very good (the small is SMALL y'all). Also the oysters were good - I'm not an oyster connoisseur but I had one and it was fresh and went down smooth. I also thought the banana bread desert had WAYYYYYY too much whipped cream - proportions were totally off for that desert though some of the flavors were good. It had potential if it was reworked. And served on a plate for balance. I would definitely come back and would recommend this for a work lunch, friend hang, or group dinner.
D R.
Maybe it was an off night but we did not have great service last night. Table of 6, we made a reservation through Resy and were there to celebrate the birthdays of three of our friends. Arrived on time, were barely welcomed as we walked in and our server Anthony treated us like we were bothering him the whole time. We brought 2 bottles of white wine, totally fine with paying corkage on both bottles but the first bottle was taken away to be decanted (which wasn't necessary) and the other bottle just got opened and basically plopped down on the table. The food we ordered all came out randomly and also just dropped on the table without paying attention to who ordered what. We weren't loud or obnoxious - just middle aged people going out to dinner. The restaurant was only half full the whole time we were there so it wasn't like they were slammed. We had to ask multiple times just to get some extra bread and crackers. The food was great but overpriced and very small portions. The combination of that plus the bad service and the crazy 18% service charge on top of tipping made for a disappointing evening. Our bill for 6 people was over $700.
Alex
Very good location. Waitress are nice.Food was not good and portions are very small. I regret that I visited this place. I tried pasta with uni. The worst pasta I tried in my life. Also the charge 18% for service!!! This is not tips for employees!!!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Oleksii O.
Very good location. Waitress are nice. Food was not good and portions are very small. I regret that I visited this place. I tried pasta with uni. The worst pasta I tried in my life. Also the charge 18% for service!!! This is not tips for employees!!!
Kevin Dowling
Son of a Gun has extremely deceptive pricing policies. Rather than the norm of incorporating the cost of employee wages into prices like an honest business would do, they put lower menu prices, and then tack on a “service charge“ of 18%. This puts the customer in the uncomfortable of compromising on your servers tip or paying an exorbitant amount. If you leave a 20% tip for your server, the total cost is 38% higher than what the menu would have you believe. This should not be legal in Los Angeles should do something about it. Don’t go here and encourage the deceptive pricing policies of this restaurant! The food is good, but it’s not that good!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lobster Roll
S
Restaurant charges a hidden 18% service charge which is NOT a tip. A new law preventing this comes into effect on 7/1/24. Can’t believe places like this continue to scam customers until the law stops them. If you need to pay your employees more, increase your prices. Stop stealing from your patrons.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Kevin D.
Son of a Gun has extremely deceptive pricing policies. Rather than the norm of incorporating the cost of employee wages into prices like an honest business would do, they put lower menu prices, and then tack on a "service charge" of 18%. This puts the customer in the uncomfortable of compromising on your servers tip or paying an exorbitant amount. If you leave a 20% tip for your server, the total cost is 38% higher than what the menu would have you believe. This should not be legal and Los Angeles should do something about it. Don't go here and encourage the deceptive pricing policies of this restaurant! The food is good, but it's not that good!
Bradley Beard
From the moment we walked through the door (early) for our reservation, Ren was super accommodating and welcoming! The bartender was amazing and made excellent local suggestions for things for us to do. Our server Brent was a fantastic menu tour guide, and really was on point on timing the pace of the meal. We were visiting from Richmond, Va and picked this place on a recommendation, and now I see why. 100% woukd recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jordan G.L. Hardin
Why did it take me so long to come here?? Always heard about this place but never visited — but soooo good. Very accommodating, the seafood was killer, the fries fresh and crisp (and that malt vinegar aioli… yum), and the vibe excellent. There’s a reason this place has been around for a while now — it’s solid and I’ll definitely be back.
Food tastes good but very small portions, they should warn these are more like tapas style servings. Example: the lobster roll is on a bun the size of a Hawaiian roll, the $32 linguini w clams entree is one cup if measured. The fried chicken sandwich is fine nothing special. My main criticism is the 18% service charge on top of the very high prices. Then you get an almost aggressive note at the bottom of the bill telling you that the 18% is for a livable wage and you should tip an additional 10-25% on top of that. The service was also not great. The main waiter takes your order and you don't really see them again. The busser/ food runner is the one who checks on you and he barely spoke English and didn't know about our questions about the menu. Not his fault just saying. I know this is LA, we eat out often but this was a whole new level of rip off.
Michael Amster
The simple seafood orient menu is solid. The drinks were mixed- my old fashioned was just on, but my wife's drink was spot on. Wait staff were friendly. My only gripe is that this restaurant tacks on a 18% service charge that is not a gratuity. Thank goodness this will end in July due to legislation, but it's a terrible policy. Just price the food correctly.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken Sandwich Spicy B&B Pickle Slaw Rooster Aioli, Son of a Gun Caesar Salad, Fish and Chips
Dominic K
Billing terrible. They added an 18 pct gratuity fee and then asked for at least a 20 percent tip on top of that claiming a gratuity was not the same as a tip. This used to happen in the 1970s in Europe before it was outlawed and I would predict the same here. It is completely dishonest if the idea is to artificially set prices lower and fool the customer. It’s a shame because food and service were fine. So as long as you understand the game it’s ok but to play the game detracts from the dining experience. We are here to relax not to watch our wallets.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sandwich
Sunny S.
Son of a Gun is a gem that serves exceptional, laid-back seafood. The place is is casual and very easy going. While parking is limited to street spots, the food more than makes up for it. The service is friendly, if not remarkable, but the dishes are truly outstanding. Their chicken sandwich and lobster roll are standouts, making this spot a must-visit for anyone craving these classics under one roof. Plus, the food arrives quickly! Order multiple it's so you can share Highly recommend trying the Caesar Salad, Kennebec French Fries, Lobster Roll, and Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich. The Shrimp Toast Sandwich is good, but not quite on the same level. Overall, Son of a Gun is a top pick for lobster rolls in the city, and I'll be back whenever I'm craving one!
Dan D.
mandatory 18% gratuity for all parties that they cover up with 3 bills ahead of the disclosure. then when you get lucky enough to find it and ask you get eye rolls from the staff (even after you add 10% on top). shame.
I took a party of 6 here; there were 3 birthdays being celebrated. I let the house know we would be bringing our own wine because I have a large collection. The service was just terrible. There were 3 people working: a waiter, a hostess and a bartender. None of them were welcoming in the least. The only cheerful person was the food runner/busser. The food was OK if overpriced. The wine handling was appalling. Of course we paid the corkage, but we weren't given fresh glasses with a new bottle nor was an old wine properly decanted to remove sediment. It doesn't help that the 'tipping' is a mystery. Its been established that this restaurant has bad history of collecting a service fee which doesn't make it to the staff. There is no reason to ever go back here. Maybe the service is so bad because no one wants to work here!
I came here for a work lunch and everything was delicious. The highlights were the broccoli salad (surprisingly delicious!!), the tuna guac appetizer, and the trout over rice. Prices are high but the seafood and ingredients tasted fresh. The linguini with clams was good but not my favorite. The lobster roll was also very good (the small is SMALL y'all). Also the oysters were good - I'm not an oyster connoisseur but I had one and it was fresh and went down smooth. I also thought the banana bread desert had WAYYYYYY too much whipped cream - proportions were totally off for that desert though some of the flavors were good. It had potential if it was reworked. And served on a plate for balance. I would definitely come back and would recommend this for a work lunch, friend hang, or group dinner.
Maybe it was an off night but we did not have great service last night. Table of 6, we made a reservation through Resy and were there to celebrate the birthdays of three of our friends. Arrived on time, were barely welcomed as we walked in and our server Anthony treated us like we were bothering him the whole time. We brought 2 bottles of white wine, totally fine with paying corkage on both bottles but the first bottle was taken away to be decanted (which wasn't necessary) and the other bottle just got opened and basically plopped down on the table. The food we ordered all came out randomly and also just dropped on the table without paying attention to who ordered what. We weren't loud or obnoxious - just middle aged people going out to dinner. The restaurant was only half full the whole time we were there so it wasn't like they were slammed. We had to ask multiple times just to get some extra bread and crackers. The food was great but overpriced and very small portions. The combination of that plus the bad service and the crazy 18% service charge on top of tipping made for a disappointing evening. Our bill for 6 people was over $700.
Very good location. Waitress are nice.Food was not good and portions are very small. I regret that I visited this place. I tried pasta with uni. The worst pasta I tried in my life. Also the charge 18% for service!!! This is not tips for employees!!!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 4
Very good location. Waitress are nice. Food was not good and portions are very small. I regret that I visited this place. I tried pasta with uni. The worst pasta I tried in my life. Also the charge 18% for service!!! This is not tips for employees!!!
Son of a Gun has extremely deceptive pricing policies. Rather than the norm of incorporating the cost of employee wages into prices like an honest business would do, they put lower menu prices, and then tack on a “service charge“ of 18%. This puts the customer in the uncomfortable of compromising on your servers tip or paying an exorbitant amount. If you leave a 20% tip for your server, the total cost is 38% higher than what the menu would have you believe. This should not be legal in Los Angeles should do something about it. Don’t go here and encourage the deceptive pricing policies of this restaurant! The food is good, but it’s not that good!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lobster Roll
Restaurant charges a hidden 18% service charge which is NOT a tip. A new law preventing this comes into effect on 7/1/24. Can’t believe places like this continue to scam customers until the law stops them. If you need to pay your employees more, increase your prices. Stop stealing from your patrons.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Son of a Gun has extremely deceptive pricing policies. Rather than the norm of incorporating the cost of employee wages into prices like an honest business would do, they put lower menu prices, and then tack on a "service charge" of 18%. This puts the customer in the uncomfortable of compromising on your servers tip or paying an exorbitant amount. If you leave a 20% tip for your server, the total cost is 38% higher than what the menu would have you believe. This should not be legal and Los Angeles should do something about it. Don't go here and encourage the deceptive pricing policies of this restaurant! The food is good, but it's not that good!
From the moment we walked through the door (early) for our reservation, Ren was super accommodating and welcoming! The bartender was amazing and made excellent local suggestions for things for us to do. Our server Brent was a fantastic menu tour guide, and really was on point on timing the pace of the meal. We were visiting from Richmond, Va and picked this place on a recommendation, and now I see why. 100% woukd recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Why did it take me so long to come here?? Always heard about this place but never visited — but soooo good. Very accommodating, the seafood was killer, the fries fresh and crisp (and that malt vinegar aioli… yum), and the vibe excellent. There’s a reason this place has been around for a while now — it’s solid and I’ll definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken Sandwich Spicy B&B Pickle Slaw Rooster Aioli, Lobster Roll
Restaurantji Recommends
Food tastes good but very small portions, they should warn these are more like tapas style servings. Example: the lobster roll is on a bun the size of a Hawaiian roll, the $32 linguini w clams entree is one cup if measured. The fried chicken sandwich is fine nothing special. My main criticism is the 18% service charge on top of the very high prices. Then you get an almost aggressive note at the bottom of the bill telling you that the 18% is for a livable wage and you should tip an additional 10-25% on top of that. The service was also not great. The main waiter takes your order and you don't really see them again. The busser/ food runner is the one who checks on you and he barely spoke English and didn't know about our questions about the menu. Not his fault just saying. I know this is LA, we eat out often but this was a whole new level of rip off.
The simple seafood orient menu is solid. The drinks were mixed- my old fashioned was just on, but my wife's drink was spot on. Wait staff were friendly. My only gripe is that this restaurant tacks on a 18% service charge that is not a gratuity. Thank goodness this will end in July due to legislation, but it's a terrible policy. Just price the food correctly.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Fried Chicken Sandwich Spicy B&B Pickle Slaw Rooster Aioli, Son of a Gun Caesar Salad, Fish and Chips
Billing terrible. They added an 18 pct gratuity fee and then asked for at least a 20 percent tip on top of that claiming a gratuity was not the same as a tip. This used to happen in the 1970s in Europe before it was outlawed and I would predict the same here. It is completely dishonest if the idea is to artificially set prices lower and fool the customer. It’s a shame because food and service were fine. So as long as you understand the game it’s ok but to play the game detracts from the dining experience. We are here to relax not to watch our wallets.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Sandwich
Son of a Gun is a gem that serves exceptional, laid-back seafood. The place is is casual and very easy going. While parking is limited to street spots, the food more than makes up for it. The service is friendly, if not remarkable, but the dishes are truly outstanding. Their chicken sandwich and lobster roll are standouts, making this spot a must-visit for anyone craving these classics under one roof. Plus, the food arrives quickly! Order multiple it's so you can share Highly recommend trying the Caesar Salad, Kennebec French Fries, Lobster Roll, and Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich. The Shrimp Toast Sandwich is good, but not quite on the same level. Overall, Son of a Gun is a top pick for lobster rolls in the city, and I'll be back whenever I'm craving one!
mandatory 18% gratuity for all parties that they cover up with 3 bills ahead of the disclosure. then when you get lucky enough to find it and ask you get eye rolls from the staff (even after you add 10% on top). shame.