New American Restaurants near Universal City, CA

“The Buffet on Saturday and Sunday never fails to impress!! Everything is delicious and fresh. Jovita was our server and her attention and suggestions made the experience delightful. If you haven’t tried it yet, it is worth the money 🤩💫“

“We had such an amazing experience at Margaritaville at Universal CityWalk Hollywood! The food and drinks were absolutely delicious, but what really made our experience stand out was the incredible service.

John and Devin were wonderful so attentive, friendly, and genuinely warm throughout our entire visit. They made us feel so welcomed and taken care of, and their personalities made the experience that much more enjoyable. Everything we ordered was amazing, especially the drinks!

We also had the pleasure of meeting the manager, Don Smith, who was incredibly kind and welcoming. You can really tell there’s a great atmosphere among the staff, and it reflects in the service they provide.

Between the amazing food and drinks, attentive service, and such warm personalities, we had a fantastic time and will absolutely be coming back. Thank you John, Devin, and Don for making our visit so memorable! Highly recommend! ❤“

“Great atmosphere friendly staff and amazing food 😎“

“One of the best meals that I have had!“

“While looking for a new place to have dinner with friends, I stumbled upon Girl & the Goat. They had great online reviews, so we decided to give it a try. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fantastic, and the service was impeccable. The roasted oysters were so good that I even ordered a second helping.🥳🥳“

“The food was very good. I dined solo and had chicken liver mousse, the yellowtail crudo, the peach and tomato burrata salad, and the crab cake. The mousse was rich and interestingly paired with pickled blackberries and honeycomb. The crudo was delicious with the refreshing citrus. The salad too felt very fresh and like I was holding on to late summer. The crab cake was good, the sauce had a nice balance of spice and sweetness, it was very salty which is not unexpected with crab. The service was kind and attentive. I was very pleased with my experience and would return again if I'm back in Santa Monica.“

“The tasting menu is full of unique seafood dishes, and the portions are generous.“

“I really want to give it five stars and I may come again in the future. The food is great, to be honest, the pork shoulder and mushroom rice is enough.“

“Came for aperitivo/apericena to vibe and get some work done. The patio was fun and our waiter was super kind. A chef stepped out with a dish and was taking photos outside, and on his way back we asked if it was new. He offered us the plate and told us it's coming onto the fall menu in a couple weeks. Super fun to try a new dish. We spent a couple hours of hanging, munching, and working here... will return!“

“The little plates are yummy. I love the pita bread that came with the hummus (Salatim plate). The other plates were good also. I loved the bread pudding (I think it's better than the best cake). What I like the most about Bacari, besides the beautiful ambiance, is the friendliest staff.“

“Stopped by for dinner to check out the place. We are having an event there in a few weeks. AWESOME EXPERIENCE. Food was wonderful, service was perfect, management went out of their way to be gracious and welcoming. Can't wait to return in a few weeks.“

“I love this place! They have the best “French dip” ever.“

“An impressive restaurant top to bottom. All aspects from staffing to aesthetic were finely tuned and complimented the food and experience perfectly. Uniquely comfortable while maintaining a high level of culinary excellence. Stands out even in LA's endless sea of wonderful choices. Very highly recommend.“

“An Unforgettable Dining Experience at Spago Beverly Hills“

“After our Altadena house burned down, we relocated to Barker Block and absolutely love being so close to Manuela. We used to have a fire table like yours, so dining here always carries a sense of home. Last night we brought friends, and they said, ‘This makes it hard to go out to eat in Monrovia—our restaurants cut corners with cheap ingredients and fast turnover.’ What your chefs create is the opposite: dishes with not just incredible flavor but extraordinary texture and detail. Their expertise is off the charts, and I highly recommend.“

“The food is phenomenal!! Everything is amazing“

“Delicious cocktails !! Thank you Avalon hotel“

“Such Wonderful atmosphere, food and coffee! 💖🎉🥳 They also have a super sweet display of gourmet treats!!! 🤩“

“Great atmosphere, food and drinks!“

“We had a very nice dinner here inside on a Tuesday night. I loved the whiskey cocktail which is brought smoking to your table. We shared the cheese plate and gen ceasar and the servings are quite large and perfect for sharing. The BBQ scottish salmon is a real standout and the fries and blistered spinach great sides. They also have a very nice selection of wines by the glass. The staff is very attentive and we enjoyed the night thoroughly.“

“I recommend Botanica to everyone. They use fresh hand picked ingredients and the food is delicous! Their cocktails and desserts are so yum. I picked up some chile oil and pickled local veggies for gifts for my friends! Chef Zarah and the staff are best. Will definitely be returning soon.“

“Hollywood's Best & Most Consistent Food & Drinks by far!“

“Still takeout due to the pandemic. Order on tock.“

“The food was delicious and a great place to dine. Next time bring some friends and enjoy the food“

“When a restaurant takes their bread and simple salads seriously you know the rest of the meal will be excellent. That is this restaurant. Everything was excellent: freshness, flavors, choice of items on menu. The menu is small, but that just means each item has their full attention.“

“Fantastic good and cute patio. BLT incredible.“

“Such an enchanting restaurant. I went there for the second time taking my girlfriends . It was such a hit and WE all had an amazing time . The food, service and atmosphere all are superb . We all got together after a long time and the relaxed atmosphere gave us the opportunity to catch up and enjoy the food and the drinks !!!“

“Great service, tasty food, and amazing views. Good brunch spot.“

“The food is good, but the management and the staff are out of this world. Keith, Mel, and the rest of the establishment thank you. Dennis and Stacey will definitely be back.“

“The quality of the food was not good at all. My steak was overcooked and heavily seasoned I had no choice but to send it back. The waitress took so long to come back and check on us after our food arrived by time she came back my friend already finished his meal. They need to revamp the menu and get a better chef. This is a very average place for steak. The music place was great though. I would skip the restaurant and convert into a night club!“

“The chef's restaurant is upscale but cozy, with only 5 tables, all across from the open air kitchen. The chef and waiter collaborate to serve you each dish, telling you the ingredients that go into each dish... like little stories. Such a special experience!“

“I went to this restaurant yesterday just after 8 o’clock. The Sports Bar is really good; the burgers and chicken wings there are absolutely delicious and well worth recommending“

“Love the burgers and sushi.“

“good place and highly recommend.“

“what an amazing experience from the service to the food to just sitting under the stars it was fantastic we loved our dinner“

“Quality food, service and relaxed environment. Totally understated as the staff assist where needed with a minimum of fuss as we enjoyed the experience.“

“The ambiance, food and service is great! Will be back definitely 💯!“

“Great food and lovely owners - would recommend“

“Backbone was an incredible dining experience from start to finish. I started with the tuna tartare, which was incredibly fresh, beautifully presented, and had an amazing balance of flavors and textures. From there, I had the corn agnolotti, which was easily one of the highlights of the night. The pasta was perfectly cooked, and the delicate, flavorful sauce complemented the sweetness of the corn beautifully.

For my main course, I had the steak and fries. The steak was cooked perfectly, incredibly tender, and packed with flavor, while the fries were crispy and seriously addictive. Everything on the plate worked perfectly together.

I finished with key lime and scoop of coconut sorbet, which was just as impressive and the perfect ending to an already fantastic meal. Every dish was beautifully presented and tasted every bit as good as it looked.

What made the experience even better were the people. Every employee I interacted with was genuinely friendly, welcoming, and attentive. The chef was also incredibly nice and personable, which added such a special touch to the evening. You can tell there’s real passion behind what they’re doing, both in the kitchen and in the way they treat their guests.

The attention to detail at Backbone really stood out to me. The atmosphere was stylish and inviting, the service was exceptional, and the entire meal flowed perfectly from one course to the next.

Backbone is absolutely a restaurant I’ll be coming back to. From the tuna tartare and corn agnolotti to the steak, dessert, and amazing hospitality, the entire experience was outstanding. One of the best meals I’ve had in a while and an easy five stars. Highly recommend!“

“We dined at the Burbank location. We ordered a couple of burgers, beers, and wings.

The food was good as usual, as we've dined at other yard house locations.

Our service/server (Dom), was great from beginning to end! 👍🏾“

“Delicious! Really interesting and tasty food.“

“Celebrated an anniversary here and spent nearly two hours laughing, drinking, and eating. The interior is one of a kind and lively. Service was great and welcomed us to stay as long as we wanted. Food and drink were skillfully made. Highly recommend!“

“Delicious food, eclectic menu, reasonable prices, friendly waiters, bar, nice ambiance.“

“10/10 Recommend. When I’m in the area, I always gravitate to this spot. I love everything on the menu.“

“Great food and wine with a view“

“First time visiting and it was a great experience. Vibe is relaxed, cool to have old movies playing as well. Wings were excellent and crispy. Ryan was super personable and always tending to all customers and having conversations. Great spot no matter the occasion!“

“Great service. steak was good. A but spendy. Enjoyed the atmosphere.“

“The artistic name of the bistro matches the artistry and delicious flavors of the cuisine. A threesome: vegetarian, vegan, and carnivore found a multitude of savory options. Our waiter/thesbian: Chris was charming and anticipated our every request. Foreseeing a return.“

“Fast, friendly service. Fresh, delicious dishes. What’s not to love?“

“Had a lovely dinner and our server Jade was excellent! The shrimp cocktail was delicious and the hot fried catfish and fried hen sublime! A wonderful experience!“