I think the key to dining at Forma is to understand that everything you order should be shared with everyone at your table. You can't come here and get a pizza or a bowl of pasta or a cheese tray and eat it alone; that's just weird. You have to come with a group of friends, split a few entres, share a bottle of wine and chat and enjoy your dinner. There are like steaks and burgers and chicken sandwiches and stuff on the menu as well, and yeah you kinda can't those. These items are fine if you're stopping in for lunch by yourself or something, but I advise to skip these if you're on a date or with a group of people and just get a bunch of shareables. Pro tip: pasta dishes are smaller portions here now than they were about a year ago, but they're also cheaper than they were, so you get to order more and try more! Wait staff is amazing btw; they treat each table very well and I've never had a problem here.
Eric Alanis
They have actual German imported Beer that tastes great and the pasta it’s amazingly good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
bill g.
Chicken parm was flavorless. All 3 of us got it and all 3 of us felt the same. Very disappointing.
Vickie V.
Came here for dinner to have their cacio e pepe made on a cheese wheel (aka a dalla). We were seated in the patio area, which was enclosed and comfortable temperature-wise. No appetizers were ordered, just dinner and dessert. When the first serving of the pasta came out, it was inedible due to its saltiness. The waiter offered to remake it. A short while after taking the dish, he returned to say that the pecorino they had received was unusually salty so they would remake it with pecorino and parmesan to hopefully balance out the flavor. If you have had this dish in Italy, you know it is made with pecorino. Many places in LA will sub out the pecorino for parmesan, which ruins the dish. So, this made me a little nervous. Surprisingly, it was not a bad compromise in light of the inedible state of the original dish. For dessert I opted for the apple crumble cake. It was a birthday dinner and the dessert was not comped. There is nothing special to mention about this dessert. I was thinking of apple pie so opted for this but I wouldn't urge you to order this. This is one of those experiences where I can say I have been but do not need to return. Nothing stood out that particularly would make me return, especially after the pasta modification. If you have never had your pasta made on a dalla, it's worth watching I suppose. You have to ask to be informed when your pasta is being made so you can go "experience" it. Parking tip: there is a structure you park on (the site mentions the location). With a validation it is $5. Just note where you exit off the elevator or you will end up on a different street than where the restaurant is. Make sure you walk towards the parking lot and where you entered, then turn right and head to the corner where the restaurant is. Oh, and watch your step as entering and exiting! This place has to have had its fair share of suits from that entrance.
Judy J.
Forma has always been wonderful as my neighborhood best pick! I must say, though, tonight, Victor "outshined" himself as the spectacular waiter that he is. He has always been top notch in servicing customers, and making sure they are seen, heard and embraced as valued diners. He is a stellar example of Forma's commitment to excellence. Additionally, tonight, Rocio, the master of the cheese station, made it a point to connect with my dining companions & I and come out from behind her partition to smile, explain particular pasta preparations and greet us personally. For the years I've been coming there, tonight was extra social greatness. BRAVO! .
sydney h
my favorite restaurant in la
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ahsan Ayaz
So good
Maria K.
Wonderful food and happy hour. My friend and I enjoyed the ambience although it was a bit loud for good conversation.
Judy T.
Can't believe I waited so long to try! Maginificent. Beautiful restaurant, immaculate vibes and excellent food. The service was fantastic. We showed up early for happy hour and it was a perfect meal. Love the smaller portions at lower prices. Perfect size plates for me. Everything we ordered was delicious and so well prepared. The arancini was divine and I had a lovely bolognese that was more than I could finish. So excited to add this wonderful spot to my rotation. Definitely some of the best pasta on the west side.
Alana K.
5 stars for this classy pasta bar with great happy hour specials and attentive staff! Easy to snag a seat in the bar on a midweek-night (mid-weeknight?). Dimly lit with personal lamps at every table. Bustling but easy to carry on a conversation. Jalisco Breeze (Amaras Mezcal, Lychee, Ginger, Fresh Lime, Mango, Jalapeno) were refreshing with a perfect sweet and spicy balance. $9 during happy hour which seems almost too good to be true. The cacio e pepe was rich and lovely. It was a decent serving for $16, and I ended up taking some home with me. As with any pasta dish, it's best fresh, but I was still grateful for the midnight snack when I got home. While I wanted to start out on the right foot with this review, I also want to take a moment to warn others who may not be in the know that there are TWO Forma locations! I say this as someone who arrived at the wrong one (Santa Monica) for a dinner that was apparently happening in Venice, unbeknownst to me. My Uber driver who picked me up said she had to make the very same drive last week for another person who made the exact same mistake. So communicate the details with your dining partner(s)! And definitely don't let that scare you off from coming because it's definitely worth it!
We come here all the time because the food is great but was very frustrated by the happy hour experience tonight as they way overcharged us for the drinks. Not a way to treat your loyal customers.
liana na
Happy hour ALL NIGHT if you sit at the bar! Enjoy half priced appetizers (at half portion lol) and cheaper drinks all night long. I came on a Saturday and honestly the happy hour space was pretty busy. The ambiance was dark but a lot of chatterMe and partner got seated in front of the cheese bar so we got to watch chefs assemble to charcuterie boards and mix the pasta in the cheese wheel.Drinks were good and strong for $9. Also came in a pretty decent volume lol. I had the pate for appetizers and was a bit weirded out by the raisin cracker, but the pate itself was good. The pasta is AMAZING. Carbonara is a must. If you get dessert then you have to get the tiramisu (although its premade it was still tasty!)Parking is tricky if you dont park in the plaza's underground parking. Your best bet is around the residential streets but be prepared to drive around for 10-15 minutes looking for a spot
Elias Shamoon
Great food, LOVE the cheese options!
M C
Beautiful place. Great food. The drinks are amazing as well. I'm grateful they have a full bar to make whatever drink you'd like. Our waitress was a bit of a downer, you can tell she's going through something. Other than that, 10/10 would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata, Fettuccine Bolognese
Noelle Kim
This place is so damn good I'm considering dating again just so I can go HERE and make the dates bearable! (badoom cha!) Seriously, this place is A GEM!!! My son took me here for my birthday a few weeks ago and lemme tell ya, everything from the greeting to the seating to the service to the FOOD was FANTASTIC! We started with the arancini which was clearly freshly made, not from frozen then I had the the Torellini "mushrooms, light cream, truffle oil - tossed with Bella Lodi Cheese Wheel!" (deeeelishus!) and my son had the Carbonara that was was EVEN BETTER than my dish! So flavorful! Don't get me wrong, the tortellini was great, just more delicate in flavor but the Carbonara... mama mia, it punches you right in the mouth! All freshly made pasta cooked to perfection. Portion size just right (not HUGE but not tiny... just right!) Finished it off with the Gianduja Semifreddo with chocolate sauce and our truly lovely waiter even put a surprise candle on my dessert! Another successful 39th b'day in the books and I will for SURE be coming back here regularly! Bravo Forma, Bravo!!!
I think the key to dining at Forma is to understand that everything you order should be shared with everyone at your table. You can't come here and get a pizza or a bowl of pasta or a cheese tray and eat it alone; that's just weird. You have to come with a group of friends, split a few entres, share a bottle of wine and chat and enjoy your dinner. There are like steaks and burgers and chicken sandwiches and stuff on the menu as well, and yeah you kinda can't those. These items are fine if you're stopping in for lunch by yourself or something, but I advise to skip these if you're on a date or with a group of people and just get a bunch of shareables. Pro tip: pasta dishes are smaller portions here now than they were about a year ago, but they're also cheaper than they were, so you get to order more and try more! Wait staff is amazing btw; they treat each table very well and I've never had a problem here.
They have actual German imported Beer that tastes great and the pasta it’s amazingly good
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chicken parm was flavorless. All 3 of us got it and all 3 of us felt the same. Very disappointing.
Came here for dinner to have their cacio e pepe made on a cheese wheel (aka a dalla). We were seated in the patio area, which was enclosed and comfortable temperature-wise. No appetizers were ordered, just dinner and dessert. When the first serving of the pasta came out, it was inedible due to its saltiness. The waiter offered to remake it. A short while after taking the dish, he returned to say that the pecorino they had received was unusually salty so they would remake it with pecorino and parmesan to hopefully balance out the flavor. If you have had this dish in Italy, you know it is made with pecorino. Many places in LA will sub out the pecorino for parmesan, which ruins the dish. So, this made me a little nervous. Surprisingly, it was not a bad compromise in light of the inedible state of the original dish. For dessert I opted for the apple crumble cake. It was a birthday dinner and the dessert was not comped. There is nothing special to mention about this dessert. I was thinking of apple pie so opted for this but I wouldn't urge you to order this. This is one of those experiences where I can say I have been but do not need to return. Nothing stood out that particularly would make me return, especially after the pasta modification. If you have never had your pasta made on a dalla, it's worth watching I suppose. You have to ask to be informed when your pasta is being made so you can go "experience" it. Parking tip: there is a structure you park on (the site mentions the location). With a validation it is $5. Just note where you exit off the elevator or you will end up on a different street than where the restaurant is. Make sure you walk towards the parking lot and where you entered, then turn right and head to the corner where the restaurant is. Oh, and watch your step as entering and exiting! This place has to have had its fair share of suits from that entrance.
Forma has always been wonderful as my neighborhood best pick! I must say, though, tonight, Victor "outshined" himself as the spectacular waiter that he is. He has always been top notch in servicing customers, and making sure they are seen, heard and embraced as valued diners. He is a stellar example of Forma's commitment to excellence. Additionally, tonight, Rocio, the master of the cheese station, made it a point to connect with my dining companions & I and come out from behind her partition to smile, explain particular pasta preparations and greet us personally. For the years I've been coming there, tonight was extra social greatness. BRAVO! .
my favorite restaurant in la
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So good
Wonderful food and happy hour. My friend and I enjoyed the ambience although it was a bit loud for good conversation.
Can't believe I waited so long to try! Maginificent. Beautiful restaurant, immaculate vibes and excellent food. The service was fantastic. We showed up early for happy hour and it was a perfect meal. Love the smaller portions at lower prices. Perfect size plates for me. Everything we ordered was delicious and so well prepared. The arancini was divine and I had a lovely bolognese that was more than I could finish. So excited to add this wonderful spot to my rotation. Definitely some of the best pasta on the west side.
5 stars for this classy pasta bar with great happy hour specials and attentive staff! Easy to snag a seat in the bar on a midweek-night (mid-weeknight?). Dimly lit with personal lamps at every table. Bustling but easy to carry on a conversation. Jalisco Breeze (Amaras Mezcal, Lychee, Ginger, Fresh Lime, Mango, Jalapeno) were refreshing with a perfect sweet and spicy balance. $9 during happy hour which seems almost too good to be true. The cacio e pepe was rich and lovely. It was a decent serving for $16, and I ended up taking some home with me. As with any pasta dish, it's best fresh, but I was still grateful for the midnight snack when I got home. While I wanted to start out on the right foot with this review, I also want to take a moment to warn others who may not be in the know that there are TWO Forma locations! I say this as someone who arrived at the wrong one (Santa Monica) for a dinner that was apparently happening in Venice, unbeknownst to me. My Uber driver who picked me up said she had to make the very same drive last week for another person who made the exact same mistake. So communicate the details with your dining partner(s)! And definitely don't let that scare you off from coming because it's definitely worth it!
Restaurantji Recommends
We come here all the time because the food is great but was very frustrated by the happy hour experience tonight as they way overcharged us for the drinks. Not a way to treat your loyal customers.
Happy hour ALL NIGHT if you sit at the bar! Enjoy half priced appetizers (at half portion lol) and cheaper drinks all night long. I came on a Saturday and honestly the happy hour space was pretty busy. The ambiance was dark but a lot of chatterMe and partner got seated in front of the cheese bar so we got to watch chefs assemble to charcuterie boards and mix the pasta in the cheese wheel.Drinks were good and strong for $9. Also came in a pretty decent volume lol. I had the pate for appetizers and was a bit weirded out by the raisin cracker, but the pate itself was good. The pasta is AMAZING. Carbonara is a must. If you get dessert then you have to get the tiramisu (although its premade it was still tasty!)Parking is tricky if you dont park in the plaza's underground parking. Your best bet is around the residential streets but be prepared to drive around for 10-15 minutes looking for a spot
Great food, LOVE the cheese options!
Beautiful place. Great food. The drinks are amazing as well. I'm grateful they have a full bar to make whatever drink you'd like. Our waitress was a bit of a downer, you can tell she's going through something. Other than that, 10/10 would recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata, Fettuccine Bolognese
This place is so damn good I'm considering dating again just so I can go HERE and make the dates bearable! (badoom cha!) Seriously, this place is A GEM!!! My son took me here for my birthday a few weeks ago and lemme tell ya, everything from the greeting to the seating to the service to the FOOD was FANTASTIC! We started with the arancini which was clearly freshly made, not from frozen then I had the the Torellini "mushrooms, light cream, truffle oil - tossed with Bella Lodi Cheese Wheel!" (deeeelishus!) and my son had the Carbonara that was was EVEN BETTER than my dish! So flavorful! Don't get me wrong, the tortellini was great, just more delicate in flavor but the Carbonara... mama mia, it punches you right in the mouth! All freshly made pasta cooked to perfection. Portion size just right (not HUGE but not tiny... just right!) Finished it off with the Gianduja Semifreddo with chocolate sauce and our truly lovely waiter even put a surprise candle on my dessert! Another successful 39th b'day in the books and I will for SURE be coming back here regularly! Bravo Forma, Bravo!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5