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1321 Downtown Taproom Bistro
Categories: Restaurants Gastropubs Restaurants Tapas/Small Plates Gastropubs, Tapas/Small Plates
1321 Sartori AveTorrance, CA 90501
Neighborhood: Torrance
(310) 618-1321
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
Sun 10 am - 10 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
211 reviews for 1321 Downtown Taproom Bistro
Review Highlights
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"I loved the calamari tacos and the flatbread pizza." In 10 reviews -
"The beer selection is exceptional." In 28 reviews -
"But this mac & cheese was made perfectly." In 24 reviews
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211 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle T.
Torrance, CA
Downtown Torrance has never really been a place i'd check out other than Torrance bakery, but ever since i saw a pretty solid review of this place from buddy Craig R, it's always been on my list and i'm glad i chose this spot to celebrate dude's b-day with his buddies for happy hour eats!!!
It's a nice convenient location and this place has alot of seating. I had made a ressie for 16, and they had a big booth in the back that sat us all comfortably. We made plans for HAPPY HOUR which is every day from 4-7pm! Between us all, we pretty much tried most of the happy hour items. The food items range from $3.00 to about $8.00. We each sampled several plates and happy to say we ended up full and paying less than $20.00 each.
The WINNER was probably the PORK FRIES= a generous portion of fries with pulled pork and cheese on top. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I was a little disappointed in the much yelped about Calamari Tacos- which dude liked, but i didn't think was all that. (one taco per order) http://www.yelp.com/bi...
My other fave was the fried green beans. They were nicely coated and had a sweetcoat and sesame seeds. i would have loved more in one order. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Grilled artichoke was good http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Pulled pork sliders were pretty good as well- altho i'd rather get the fries http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Tinga de Pollo was tasty-a soupy shredded chicken dish served with chips- i liked the tomato-y flavor of the sauce. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Meatballs were good- had a slight kick to them. 3 to an order
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
excuse my blurry photos! it's dark in there!
I love how they serve their bevvies in mason jar glasses and i like their round glasses for alcohol. Our waitress was very good- she came around often to refill drinks, add in orders. It always weirds me out when servers don't write down orders but this girl had everything down pat!
Enjoyed the atmosphere-(they have a good amount of TVS and a small stage), happy hour prices and food although was not ahmazzing-it was pretty solid and everyone had a good time. The only complaints would be that a couple of people ordered main entrees and those took a long time and one guest complained that she could smell the restroom since we were seated near that area. I would be curious to come back on a wednesday when they have a BEER AND BACON (bacon flight!) theme!Listed in: South bay eats
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Review from Steve T.
Los Angeles, CA
5/8/2012
The atmosphere is awesome. They have a great set-up. TVs all around the place.
The server was great. She was very fun. High marks in this area also.
The food looked great. But turned out that the taste was average. Nothing that I would order again.
I'm not a beer drinker (which to their credit, they had an extensive list of beer), so I ordered a cocktail . Crown Royal on the rocks. This is where I got really disappointed. I will spare the details, but the value of this cocktail was far below my expectations.
I would like this place to succeed, so here is my attempt at constructive criticism: the taste factor and the cocktail value factor needs work. The gentlemen in the suit should loosen up a bit.
Good intent...poor execution. -
Review from Randy B.
Yeah for Torrance! See, you don't understand unless your from, or live, here. Torrance doesn't usually equal cool. Gastropubs rule!
7 reasons why this is great:
======================
1) Torrance, c'mon! It's Normalville, USA. Chains, family stuff, and very few choices for something unique, nice, and different than the places we're all used to;
2) Situated in the new and upcoming area of downtown, old Torrance, it's an up-and-comer.
3) Lots of free parking on the street, or public lot;
4) A really great selection of drafts;
5) The title reminds me of another very long name, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. The name is (un)officially the second longest name in history;
6) Did I mention the beer?
7) Besides that, it's actually a very nice place. Warm dark woods, dark lit, lots of flat-screens all around, cute and cool servers, and lots of youngish peeps.
What did I try? I'll tell ya!
===================
1) Tryin' to save a few calories (so I can have some fries), I went for a draft brew called "Sh"-something, and wow -- totally delish.
2) A Wild Boar Burger ($13, click: http://www.yelp.com/bi...): porter house bbq, sharp cheddar, crisp onions, backyard slaw, pub fries. A little gamey, and I sent it back to be cooked some more. Burger was plentiful, in fact, couldn't finish it. Honestly, didn't love it...and wouldn't order it again. Good, but not great. The fries were good, but a skimpy amount.
3) The Mod Burger ($12.50, click: http://www.yelp.com/bi...): my Mom ordered it, custom, with ground Turkey. More so, and this is an OMG moment, the "Slab bacon" is a moist and tasty bit of piggy, amazing, and I can't say that enough. I had a taste, and it was excellent. I nearly slipped my Mom a Mickey so I could eat all of the bacon!
4) Pork Fries [http://www.yelp.com/bi.... Extremely worthy. Delicious tender pork shredded over fries, bubbling with cheese and a creamy sauce. Oh yeah.
Happy Hour (3p-7p, daily)
====================
Yep, I missed it. Thought I read it was on until 8p. Sigh. If I were to have made it, they have a nice selection of tasty appy's ($5-9, meatballs, grilled artichokes, calamari tacos, pork fries), $5 for wells and infusions, $5 for wines and champagne, and $2 off selected beers. The bar, and tables just outside of it, can get way loud...but I like the energy.
Bacon & Beer Night (Wednesday eves!)
===============================
Four samplers of draft beers (1321's choice), paired with 4 kinds of 'pork'-related items [http://www.yelp.com/bi.... Just for executing the idea, an extra star is given. Unfortunately for $14, I didn't like it too much. 2 beers were hoppy (don't like), 1 beer was okay (guinness-like, but it's not as good), and the other a citrusy-type, I liked. 4 kinds of pork, er bacon, was served in mason jars: 1) A good ol' thick cut (mmm), 2) a wild boar bacon (smokey, mmm), 3) an eggroll with bacon inside (didn't taste much different than a standard eggroll, and 4) a bacon-bit covered chocolate truffle. I felt cheated by the last 2 items. I want MEAT, actually, I want BACON!
Conclusion
=========
It's worthy of a try. Next visit: I must try the calamari tacos, fish & chips, and the BBQ Meatloaf, and lots of the pork fries. It's a great place to hang out, and definitely one of the better places to go in all the South Bay.Listed in: Berger knows Burgers, LA's Happiest Hours
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Review from Anna S.
Torrance, CA
5/1/2012
This is my favorite new spot! I celebrated my birthday here with a large, rowdy group of 20 friends. The staff is great & very accomodating - very laid back.
After a few cocktails I actually said "If I were on death row and got to choose my last meal, I'd choose 1321's bbq meatloaf and The Queen to drink." Real talk.
Taking a group of girlfriends here for our upcoming Girls Night later this month. Can't wait!! -
Review from Luke T.
4/26/2012 7 Check-ins Here
For me, I'd only come here for happy hour.
Cheap drinks, even better at happy hour, wide variety of selection of beers on tap & bottle, you can literally try something new and different each time you come in.
Beware of the Food & Price!
Certain items on the menu are delicious and tasteful which are the basic items aka "calamari taco's, fish & chips ONLY". Everything else is too over the top and loses that zest of taste and it becomes a hassle to even eat the food.
The service is very nice and you get greeted promptly and everyone is kind and never pushy on ordering or suggesting items.
The decor is really what I love about this place, different feel for any other restaurant in Torrance, the counter at the bar is at 18' wide and sits close to 15 people, I even have to say I enjoy using their restroom because it's always clean & if there is one thing about restrooms is that if they are paying that much attention to detail in the restroom then you know the chef's kitchen is clean also. -
Review from Michael S.
Marina del Rey, CA
I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer ... a lot.
Finding a place that sells "a lot" of beers like 1321 Downtown Taproom Bistro is perfect for those days when I do prefer to drink beer. Of course, it's impossible to remember the full name of this Torrance gastropub so just call it "1321." It's also how you'll find the pub since the address is 1321 Sartori.
Our party of 9 found 1321 in the rain for late night drinks and dinner. It feels older inside than it is, but my first impression was, "Dayummm... that's a lot of TVs." Sports were on a multitude of different size TVs in every direction. It might be the best place to watch the first 2 days of March Madness in Southern California.
For brews, I went with Duvel Green (4 stars), Beach House (3 stars), and Paulaner (3 stars) in that order. Some friends tried a flight of 8 different 4 oz. samples which is a cool way to try several different beers if you aren't sure what you want and feel adventuresome.
For dinner, I tried the Mod Burger with an overcooked Beef Pattie, White Cheddar Cheese, Onions, Bacon, and a Tomato Remoulade on a dry Brioche Bun. It was kind of meh to be honest (2 stars). The burgers come with Pub Fries, but I upgraded ($2.50 extra) for Pork Fries with Pulled Pork, Onions, Cheddar Cheese and more of the Remoulade. The fries were thin and cold while the remoulade, pork, and onions didn't really go together (1.5 stars).
Ok, so my food was pretty sucky, but lucky for me because my friends all shared bites of theirs. The steaks were juicy and tender. They cost more and are clearly the better choice at 1321. The Flat Iron Steak (3.5 stars) surprised me the most while the New York (4.5 stars) was the best. My wife got the Fish and Chips. The fried fish filets were small, but tasty (3.5 stars).
We split several appetizers. A double order of Calamari (3 stars) went quickly even though it was chewier than some squid. Black Mussels (2.5 stars) weren't nearly as popular. The most popular was a Mozzarella Panzanella (3.5 stars) and my least favorite was a disappointing Mac n Cheese (2 stars).
Service was pretty good although the size of our group seemed to lead to some delays between rounds of drinks or food. It'd probably be better if you went in a smaller group. 4 stars for the service.
1321 is a good Torrance pub for brews and catching a game. -
Review from Angela A.
Torrance has a gastropub, awesome! The pork fries alone are worth coming back. Plus it's a great place to go to with your friends to grab a drink and eat really good food.
The bar area is fairly small compared to the dining area. But the seating - whether you're at a table or a booth - are large, accommodating, and comfortable! There's TVs everywhere and after my meal, I don't feel like going anywhere!
Most of the appetizers are pretty bomb. The only that stands out in my hear are the pork fries. But they are great sharing plates. The entree portions are huge. Enough to bring home for sure. So if you get the appetizers, just share an entree.
We've gotten the steak salad, pork bbq ribs, fish n chips, prime rib steak, and the flat iron steak. All dishes did not disappoint! I would definitely recommend any of the steak dishes. Seems like it's their specialty, because it was da BOMB!!!! No A-1 sauce needed! -
Review from Jefferey T.
Torrance, CA
4/19/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Came here for the first time last night with my cuz. We've been itching to try this place for a while now and finally got the chance. It was a Wed. night, so I guess they had a special Beer 'n Bacon tasting menu. You get four 2oz. samplers of beer paired with 4 different types of bacon (2x pieces of bacon of each flavor). We both ordered this and felt that 2 of the bacons were just OK, but the other 2 were exceptional. All the beer pairings matched very well with its bacon counterpart.
I ordered the Fish 'n chips and a Paul Aner Hefeweizen, which was on tap. I believe the fish had hefeweizen in its batter. Fries had seasalt and some kind of herb(s). And it also came with what I believe was a homemade ketchup and a homemade tartar sauce. It wasn't your traditional English style, but had a definite flare in execution.
My cuz ordered pan roasted chicken and that was well executed as well.
My review for 5 stars is for the great food and also mainly for the eclectic menu. I do wish to come back and try some of the other items they have on the menu. -
Review from Dolly C.
Torrance, CA
5/14/2012
Four of us had an earlier dinner last night at 1321. The happy hour menu confused the staff and had to come back to us repeatedly to understand what our orders were. Although the happy hour menu states well drinks are included...they don't really mean it.
The service was not very good - the food was pretty late getting to the table. I have eaten at the restaurant many times (too noisy for most nights) but thought we were likely to have a great meal. They did not bring what we ordered...more delays. We decided it was likely they had an alternate staff for Mother's day. I would suggest they alter the menu as well if they are unable to staff and provide their full menu for the odd holidays.
It was pretty quiet when we got there...we were really relived to find it like that. After we arrived they cranked up the sound and we couldn't hear the waiter. I was pretty disappointed. -
Review from Isabella L.
Culver City, CA
4/12/2012
Bottom line: Easy enough parking, not too crowded during happy hour, nice enough service, great happy hour specials ($5 signature cocktails), and the drinks are good!
The big negative is that the food is not so fabulous.
Pork Fries: eh, looked kinda unappetizing and the pork is dry and has an odd taste. 1.5 stars
Mac and cheese: mac too overdone and way too cheesy. 3 stars
Artichoke. nice, but sauce on side odd and unecessary. 4 stars.
Other thing of note - this place seems a tad more sportsbar than gastropub, but that's not necessarily a negative.
Next time I have more time, I'm trying Hudson House (the only reason we chose 132 over HH is the parking and distance from the fwy). -
Review from Alyssa P.
Great beer and great food, what more could you want!
This place has that prohibition style thing going on and they offer a wide range of quality beers and more upscale gastropub type food served by servers dressed like newsies.
It's definitely something to check out. They have flights of beer for a pretty cheap price so you can taste a bunch of them instead of committing to just a few. I haven't had any entrees, but the appetizers are really good and are filling! The muscles are a must!
Love the menu, its fun to read while you wait for your order to come out! Also parking is easy with the structure right across the street. -
Review from Sierra W.
Los Angeles, CA
3/13/2012
Props for breathing some life back into Old Torrance!
Great place for happy hour apps and cocktails. $5 house wine, cocktails and well drinks? Cool.
Amazing beer selection- over 70 to choose from and they're always changing the taps.
What's up with people getting all "upitty" about the food and service in these reviews? It's a busy gastropub/ sports bar, not a fine dining establishment.
Would recommend for a fun, casual night out or to watch a game with friends. -
Review from Miki T.
Gardena, CA
5/8/2012
Went for dinner with my boyfriend on a Friday night. He had the BBQ meatloaf and I had the flat-iron steak. I always order my steak very rare and they got it right! My sides were the Brussel sprouts and green beans. Delish!!!
The BBQ meatloaf was yummy too! Not too dry, which is a big plus! The side dish was a bowl of peas and I love peas!!
The beer selection is awesome! We had some Arrogant Bastard and Flying Dog Raging Bitch. All good!!
Our server Caitlin was super sweet and attentive considering the crowd.
Only flaw was that our appetizer came out late but it tasted so good that we were ok with it. Tinga de pollo.....
We will definitely go back! I want to try the bacon flight on their Wednesday night happy hour menu! -
Review from Jeff Y.
Torrance, CA
4/4/2012
Fancied this spot on my birthday for the first time and became an automatic fan! First off, if you're into craft brew this is a good spot for the area (no other place like this in Downtown Torrance). Secondly, the food is pretty darn good. I had the MOD burger which was good (although not as good as Buffalo Fire Dept. around the corner). Lastly, the best thing about this spot is their service. As mentioned, I came here for my birthday which consisted of a party of 20 (an unusually large party for this spot), however the manager (Steve?) made it happen and they were able to accommodate us on a busy Friday night (thanks Steve!!). Overall, a great spot for a group of friends/family not looking to venture outside of Torrance for good beer and grinds.
Going back soon! -
Review from Jodie S.
Torrance, CA
"Mimosas" made with orange juice and white ale?? SOLD!
Our friends introduced us to this place because they had stumbled upon it and loved it. The atmosphere is rustic elegance - kudos on the decor, Taproom!! I have to say, this is my "Cheers" of Torrance - "Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name." That's the feeling I get when I enter this beer heaven. Occasionally we eat Sunday brunch at the bar, and the bartender always remembers us. The owners and managers are constantly roaming the dining floor to make sure the guests experience top notch dining. Let me tell you, that makes all the difference. It is refreshing to see ones that take such pride in their business.
The drinks are spectacular (particularly the "Queen Mary"), they have beers galore, and a wine list to impress, as well. The food is delicious. Though their menu is small, I would like to interject the cliche statement: "quality, not quantity." Every dish I have tasted has definitely pleased these taste buds.
The only thing I have to negatively comment on are the gift certificates. I have to say it is presented on a piece of plain white computer paper, in black and white, and looks like something my niece printed in her kindergarten class. I bought a few of these for co-workers and I strongly had to ask them not to judge this classy restaurant based on the gift certificate. Luckily they tried the restaurant and seem to return weekly because they are now hooked, as well.
Taproom, if you are reading this, I will design you a gift certificate that is a little more appealing for free!! Just contact me! =)
All in all, a must try and a true hidden gem in Torrance. -
Review from Anthony C.
Los Angeles, CA
3/4/2012 3 Check-ins Here
3.5 Stars
Like this place for its multiple, large TVs (there is like 9 flatscreens in the dining area and another one in the men's bathroom...just saying lol) and great bar food. I recommend getting the Mod Burger as it is just plan bomb. It comes cooked medium, with a slab of bacon, and their special onions - yum. On the hand, I would not recommend the BLT as it is very plain and there simply isn't enough bacon haha. The only problem with the place is there prices - you are looking to spend about $15 a person for lunch.
Haven't really tried this place for its bar, but from they do seem to have a large selection of beers and other alcoholic drinks. -
Review from Mad L.
Torrance, CA
Updated - 2/28/2012
After numerous returns, I need to drop my rating for 1321 a bit. Both my earlier reviews are pretty much still valid. However, just a few things to note:
1. The service is very hit & miss. It's literally a coin flip whether you get a nice informative waitress, or one that is rather flippant and has minimal understanding of the menu. I found that the bus staff are generally more friendly & more informative than the waitresses. Management just doesn't seem to get what kind of people to hire to be servers.
2. The food is just a bit hit & miss. Probably about 2/5 times, you get something not that great. From over-done ribs to wrong sides, something goes a bit wrong a little less than half the time. However, when it goes right, it's very delicious! And even when it goes wrong, it's not that bad.
I would love to give this place 4 stars, but they just keep messing up a little too often to garnish that grade. I still like the place and will keep going, but a few improvements from management would catapult them much higher!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/19/2011
My wife and I returned to the 1321 Taproom just last night and loved it! sadly, I was on… Read more »
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Review from Antho L.
I have a new found respect for this gastropub in the middle of Old Torrance! I came here to meet up with fellow Yelper Nathan W. It was actually my second time to dine here but I suppose my first experience wasn't memorable enough to write a review and if I did, I would have given my experience 3 stars.
I just remember it as being way too loud or it could have been a large party with one lady being so boisterous and loud that it was completely annoying. I had the Meatloaf plate on my first visit http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I thought the meatloaf wasn't seasoned well enough and was just average tasting. Although, It was enjoyed dining with Anthony N., I thought the meal left me a little bit disappointed.
On this second visit back to 1321, we hung out at the bar during the happy hour instead of dining in the main dining room. Nathan and I had a chance to try some of the happy hour specials such as the Calamari Tacos made with salsa guajillo, green chile crema and house made tortillas. This was really, really tasty! Thanks to Nathan for suggesting this plate as I'd definitely have this again the next time I come. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We also had the Tinga de Pollo which was made of shredded chicken with hot and sour onions, smoked jalapeno with house-made tortilla chips. This was a little sweet but tasty as well. It was a good combination with the tacos we had. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We then saw a few patrons chowing on some bacon in a glass which as our bartender informed us was called the Bacon Flight. It came with four different types of their home made bacon. The selections were the Whiskey Chipotle Bacon, the 1321 House Bacon, the Wild Boar Bacon and the Jalapeno Bacon. Oh man, this was so delicious. I try to stay away from bacon but I would definitely have this again. The Chipotle bacon was flavored just right while the 1321 was very peppery in a good sort of way. The wild boar was not as fatty and bordering on beef jerky but in a moist kind of way and was delicious. The Jalapeno bacon was so good with the tinge of spiciness from the jalapeno. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
I enjoyed dining here and can't wait to have a chance to come back again. Good for 1321 for trying to push the limits by being probably one of the only gastropubs in the southbay. If you haven't been, I would highly recommend trying out the happy hour appetizers as they will make you a fan of this place too!Listed in: Favorite Southbay Eateries, The Gastropub Invasion
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Review from Val B.
Torrance, CA
4/11/2012
I love this place. The Queen is my favorite drink. All the food is really good. Happy hour can be super busy and the seats at the bar are terribly uncomfortable, but all in all great spot. Best place to watch a game other than the Crest in the area.
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Review from Rolan H.
Hermosa Beach, CA
4/24/2012 Seated via OpenTable
I've been here for drinks several time, and finally got a chance to sample the food menu on Saturday. Everything was delicious, and the portions were "huge" compared to most gastropubs I've seen....far exceeding my expectations, we will be back!
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Review from Tone A.
San Diego, CA
4/11/2012
STR8 2 DA POINT;
STOKED & SCORE! - Had Alagash Beers on draft. Food Portions are Great! Cool Decor w/ lots of TV's. Its in Torrance!
BUMMED... - Waitress Bad Tripped Me after being asked to check on us more frequently. But we only got up four times to get a round of 4-6 drinks each time.
SUPER BUMMED- To see that we got hit with a service charge for 6 people in our party, despite 2 people joining an 1.5 hours after we been there on top of being ignored most of the time.
CLASSIC- Our waitress in her own YELP review below writes,
"What's up with people getting all "upitty" about the food and service in these reviews? It's a busy gastropub/ sports bar, not a fine dining establishment.
.... uh... ya. Might wanna re-think that comment.
Note 2 Owner:
I write this in hopes that it well help you or your management make adjustments for a lasting and profitable Business.
My Wife and I enjoy going out and getting together with our friends. You can consider us your ideal customer. Mid 30's, Professionals, Active, & PT Torrance Locals. We enjoy going out and look forward to finding a new cool spot that we can bring or recommend to our friends. When we do go out we end up spending a few hundred dollars easily. Having both been waiters in our earlier years we always leave more than a standard or generous tip. I have to believe that you as the owner of a restaurant know the value in Great Customer service and how important that is to your business. Hopefully you can extend that same understanding & importance to your waitress.
Congratulations & Good Luck with 1321.
Thanks for listening. -
Review from Jenna S.
San Diego, CA
4/8/2012
My husband and I met up with some friends at 1321 tonight for a few drinks and a bite to eat. As this was our first time at the establishment, we were pleasantly surprised at the nice decor and excellent drink selection. My husband was especially excited that they had Allagash Curieux on tap.
After the waitress Sierra took our order, she pretty much disappeared for 25 minutes. She did not even come back to check on us after our burgers came out. Because our waitress was nowhere to be found, my friend's husband had to get up 4 separate times to order drinks for our group of 6 directly from the bar. Sierra finally came back to get us another round of drinks, and then promptly disappeared again. After another 20 minutes passed, we finally asked the hostess to find Sierra so that we could order more beer. Granted, we were a little annoyed at that point, but when she came back and we asked her to check on us more frequently, she rudely stated that she was "in the area" and that she had been "checking in on us." I am not sure what Harry Potter invisible cloak she must've been standing behind if she was really in the area and checking on us, but she truly was nowhere to be found when any of us wanted to order additional items. It all became apparent when the bill finally came and an automatic 18% gratuity had been added onto our check because we were a party of 6.
Now, my husband and I have both previously worked as servers, so we're generally empathetic towards servers. As such, we are also unforgiving when we experience service that is downright awful. A guaranteed 18% tip shouldn't give a server license to be rude and not do her job. Based on a quick glance at other reviews, it appears that other reviewers' experiences with the servers here are spotty at best. Management should understand that making sure that servers properly attend to tables doesn't just keep customers happy, it boosts profits as well. How do you expect to sell all those wonderful beers you have stocked at your establishment if your servers make it almost impossible for customers to order a drink?
We won't be returning to 1321 anytime soon, but for what it's worth:
Food: 2.5/5
Beer selection: 4/5
Customer Service: 0/5 -
Review from Chad G.
Los Angeles, CA
2/14/2012
I was looking forward to a wonderful Valentine Dinner. We had reservations and were seated promptly by the welcoming host. The ambiance was really nice and I had high hopes that we would be coming back....
We opted for the Valentines Dinner special, but I was disappointed with the food. The salads were bland and dry, the filet mignon was chewy and the seabass was overcooked, not to mention the unappetizing dessert. I am just hoping that they had an off night.... -
Review from Patricia K.
Torrance, CA
2/16/2012
Came here for the first time with my hubby a few weeks ago.
I had the oxtail enchiladas and hubby had the sea bass. Both were very yummy and cooked perfectly.
I'll update my review when we come back for happy hour! -
Review from Stephen S.
Long Beach, CA
1/22/2012
It's not terrible. But, I've experienced much better. The calamari tacos were sensational: zesty, flavorful and a nicely sized calamari strip (as opposed to some tentacles). I thought the fish and chips were the best entree item that I tasted. My signature cocktail ("The Queen," imagine that :) ) was way too sweet and not well balanced. Decent wine list (for a beer joint). My friends were delighted with the beer selections.
Mac and cheese was not hot upon arrival and really lacked much flavor at all; fries topped with meat were wet and soggy; my chicken mole was inedible it was so dry; meatball aps were really tasty; calamari tacos were fabulous.
Service was really questionable. Waiter was friendly and great. However, the kitchen and management left a lot to be desired. Some guy walking around in a suit coat (seemed to be an owner or manager) walked around and observed so much; but did so very little. We had a party of 10 or so. My colleague got her meal 20 minutes after everyone else did. She had fish and chips (as did several others). My chicken mole was BAD. I took about 2 bites so my plate was pretty much untouched. Despite the fact that the manager watched it ALL go down, he never bothered to come to the table to apologize. Similar incident at the bar. Not good.
Here's the skinny:
APS: Don't miss the calamari tacos; skip the Pale Ale Mac & Cheese
DRINKS: Stick with beer
DINNER: Fish and Chips or a burger -
Review from Nathan W.
I really, really like this place. Every time I have been the experience has become exponentially better. First outing was fairly close to when the opened, probably right after they officially opened their windows (which seem to always invitingly be open). My memory isn't what it used to be since the shark accident, but I do recall an awesome beer selection, including craft CA brewers, & fantastic cheese.
The main dining area is massive, but has aesthetics I can get down with. Lots of wood, dark lighting, Prohibition-era themed light bulbs & photos. An extremely large, peckered with flat screen TV's speakeasy. Their bathroom is even old school, but of course has motion lights & a flat screen above the urinal.
2nd outing was with co-workers during happy hour. That was when the realization happened, that this place was a true gem in the neighborhood. We had Happy Hour Calamari Tacos. 1 for $3, delicious! One of my co-workers ordered a BLT, guess what? They cure & smoke their own bacon! More on that later. Also our waiter seemed to be much cooler than the kid with his pants around his knees, who helped me my first time...That could be read wrong.
Most recent excursion to 1321! Went with Antho L. Tried the Tinga de Pollo, chicken in a spicy tomatoey red sauce, served up with chips. Pretty solid. Then we saw down the way a bacon flight with individual beer pairings. Yes, a Bacon Flight. I've heard of beer, wine, sake, whisky, whiskey, vodka, and even milk. But a BACON FLIGHT?! Too cool to pass up, so we just got the bacon, seeing how we were both 2 high ABV beers deep. Maple Chipotle Bacon, their fantastically pepper peppered House Bacon, the spicy Jalapeno Bacon, & the wonderfully lean Wild Boar Bacon.
It was part of their Wednesday night Happy Hour. Come for Happy Hour! Monday is their Mac & Cheese Night, where they experiment a new mac & cheese concoction. I'll see you there! -
Review from Ray E.
2/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The speakeasy spot of Torrance! I really dig this spot for a number of reasons:
1) the ambiance is very cool
2) the food options for lunch and dinner are great
3) service was excellent and not crowded
Last time I was hear I had the Chicken Spinach Salad for lunch and it was amazing! The leaves were fresh, the chicken was great, and it was a very generous portion.
Unfortunately I have not been able to try the beer or whiskey collection, but I am looking forward to stopping in hear soon. A definite appeal to the trendy hipster casual go-ers of Torrance. -
Review from early l.
Manhattan Beach, CA
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
DJ & Adam were great. Delicious drinks and great service. I'm coming back!
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Review from Dustin B.
Brea, CA
The ambience and service were fine, but I like to write about the food. I ordered Chicken Piccata and one of my friends let me try her Reuben. I'm not a blt fan, so I didn't try my other friend's sandwich. I did get photos of all three and uploaded them for y'all.
The Chicken Piccata was very average with a flat, flavorless chicken breast and a so-so sauce. It came with mashed potatoes. I liked the large lumps in the mashed potatoes. I still ate the whole thing; I just expected better based on the price and the rest of the menu. I think it was about $15!
The bite of the Reuben was tasty. The Reuben here is not traditional. The corned beef is chopped up instead of sliced. Still, the flavor combination of the dressing, sauerkraut and swiss cheese made for a decadent sandwich.
The homemade chips that come with the sandwiches are good. Not the least bit greasy, they have a slight kick to them and are hard to stop eating.
The lunches are mostly sandwiches and all around $15. Not a great value, but if you like atmosphere and want to try something new, this place is worth a try. -
Review from Rhi G.
Los Angeles, CA
4/12/2012
Mac and cheese Mondays are awesome. They do different variations, some delicious and some... interesting. Beer selections are AMAZING. Mixed drinks are super watered down. Other food tends to be consistently good as well. All the women who work here are great, but for whatever reason the two men who have waited or bartended have been rude. Solid three stars for watered down drinks and a few rude staff.
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Review from JoAnn H.
Los Angeles, CA
3/12/2012
If I rate this place on the food, I'd give it 5 stars but considering their cocktails and service, I have to knock out a star. For dinner, we had flatbread (last night was chicken, hot peppers, peanut sauce, cabbage flatbread. a little bit Thai tasting), Tinga de Pollo (chips with chicken dip, DELICIOUS!), Downtown meatballs and smoked pork fries. They were all delicious! I was too full to have main course after all these apps and there were 4 of us. For main course, we got Boar burger and the chicken. Chicken had crispy skin with yummy cheesey spinach on the bottom and the boar burger was huge and delicious. The food was really good.. but the service... At first, the server who seemed to be the manager tried to get us to order as quickly as possible as if he wnated to get us in and out.. then the apps came out really quickly which was good since we were hungry. And then it took about 25 minutes for the main course to come out... a bit weird.. after we did our initial orders, we didn't really see any servers again to check on us. we had to flag someone down to get some drinks.. The cocktails were so-so.. i had 2 of their signature cocktails. The Queen (it has rose champagne so a bit perfume for me) with lots of strawberries in it.. and I had the pear drink.. This drink tasted like watery lemonade.. I didn't even taste any vodka...
But the food was delicious so we'd definitely go there again! Oh, it's a great sports bar.. It has 2-3 TVs on every wall! -
Review from sara a.
Redondo Beach, CA
Updated - 1/31/2012
I'm down grading.
Food was average. Use to be better. The pasta dish was flavorless and the calamari tacos were burnt, almost black.
The avocado salad was delicious!
Server was too busy watching TV to give us refills. I had to get his attention and ask for refills for the whole table, whose glasses were all empty.
I do understand how the TVs were a distraction since there was about six of them on all around me.
In front of me? The Cooking channel, I really want to look up and see someone carving raw meet as I eat my dinner.
On the other side? The news. Headlines reading war in Iran and bloody massacres.
Server kindly turned of the TVs when we asked.
I really liked this place so I hope it goes back to the level of quality it was when it first opened.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/30/2011
I have been here a few times and have no complaints.
The food is very good. Love the Calamari Tacos!
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Review from Aryan O.
Can't really say anything about the food, because we didn't order any food, yet the beer we ordered were really good. If your new to the place I suggest the 24th Street beer to try. Really good.
What sucks is we got here right when happy our ended but it's okay we still had a good time with the drinks.
The menu they have on the tables with the drinks are pretty funny. They have some wording that they put in that you really need to read to catch. They have some fun facts as well on the bottom of some pages highlighted in black. I would mos def come back, hopefully when it's Happy Hour. -
Review from Mikel H.
Torrance, CA
4/12/2012
Menu seems to change on a weekly basis. Maybe they should try a chef change instead.
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Review from David W.
Torrance, CA
2/20/2012
Old Torrance was in need of a just this type of establishment.
Everyday they have a different flat bread pizza that never seems to disappoint and some great pork confetti tacos, not to mention one of the best caesar salads I have ever had. (when its on the menu)
They also have some creative chefs in the back doing their best to come up with some very tasty grub. The atmosphere is nice and have a very cool wait staff.
A must if your near Old Torrance and are looking for a "good ole" down to earth watering hole, word to the wise it does get loud in there.
If you love beer then this is the place for you! -
Review from Jamie A.
1/2/2012
I have been here numerous times and they have great food, I guess their HH deal was losing them money because now everything is average. They USED to have an amazing happy hour with so many beers on special. For some reason, they have select beers on HH prices now, but there is no specific list. Also, their paper brew menu is out of date as the first two beers I asked for are no longer served - wtf! Boo for no longer having Allagash White.
They USED to have a special with three calamari tacos (amazing) for HH. Now ONE measley taco is $3, seriousllyyyyyyy $3!!! It looked a lot smaller than the last time I went too!
They have new infusion cocktails which are $5 for HH. The white cranberry drink was good except it wasn't made with white cranberry juice though cuz they were out!
Oh well at least I always go with a fun crowd, even if we get loud and the stuffy patrons get annoyed and ask to sit elsewhere. psssshhhh. -
Review from Jasmine C.
Torrance, CA
3/22/2012
I wasn't impressed. We were expecting so much more. We went for lunch and the service was really bad. They had 1 server for the entire place and we rarely saw her. The expediter/busser helped us, mostly, if we asked. The food was just okay. The best was the fried chicken sandwich and that still left more to be desired. We're really happy that they are helping the Old Town Torrance revival but it just isn't that great. I'm sure we'll give it another shot and I hope to be giving them more stars on our next visit. I was happier when it was PSA...ahhh...childhood.
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Review from Albert L.
Torrance, CA
3/28/2012
I've been here a few times, the menu changes quite frequently. What I have had has been good and not so good but I really want to like this place more.. I am not giving up on it and plan on returning. Great beer selection and drinks with a nice atmosphere.
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Review from Barbara M.
Redondo Beach, CA
11/2/2011 10 Check-ins Here
On my quick visit to Old Torrance, last Thursday looking for one last piece for a Halloween costume ... in my path I heard the sound of people talking, laughing and glasses clinging, and there it was ...1321. As I marched by the wide open windows of this Bistro ... I peaked in ... and it looked rather interesting ... so I skimmed the menu located at the entrance ... and made a mental note to return. Low and behold, Friday night swings around - Reservations were made, which initially I thought to myself, reservations, here? Naw. This happens rarely, but ... I was mistaken! This place was packed on Friday night, truly bustling with business; so, reservations are indeed - recommended.
Pros-
The bar space is a beautiful, the male bartender - with the tattooed sleeve - was great, he immediately makes eye contact and grabs your order upon approach and checks back in with you appropriately. The drinks were Strong (yes, with a capital "S")
The restaurant's atmosphere is very pleasant, warm and inviting. It's clear that lots of detail was put into the presentation of their furnishings. It worked!
The booths are enormous and can hold up to 8 people ... great for large groups.
Bartender & Hostess - Great Service.
Televisions are located in both the bar and dining area's - great for catching a game. In fact the night I was there, The World Series was on ... now, and I the only one who questions why it's called the World series, if only America, participates? Maybe I should've been dropped on my head more as a kid, so that all of the common sense could've been knocked out of me - too!
Cons -
I ordered the filet mignon - it was cooked well-well ... it was crunchy on the outside. Yuck! I ordered it medium - well ... When I was actually able to flag down my less than enthusiastic waiter to point out the poor execution of the my ill-prepared steak ... he was quick to point out that the middle was slightly pink and that 's how medium-well is prepared. **(sigh)** His education on this matter was valuable beyond measure. So I sat there and wrapped my luscious lips around that crunchy on the outside, dry on the inside -- delight. Yum?! It's a good thing that he was there to clear things up for me. Which probably explains why, he was too darn busy to offer a glass of water, so I flagged him down again ... Needlesstosay, he was well compensated in gratuity? Yeah, okay.
I really wanted to love this place, based on the vibe, the ambiance the well thought out decorum presentation -- there was so much to like, but it simply fell flat in it's execution of food & service.
I will return to the bar. It's close to home and the bartender served me just the way that I like it; Attentive, Strong and with a Smile! -
Review from Mateo M.
Tustin, CA
3/30/2012
This place has been a go-to place to take clientele for a couple months now. Christina is the BOMB! Flatbread appetizer is different each week and is always great. Cordon Blue Chicken sandwich is tops. All portions are large. Sweet potato fries can't be beat. Of course their beer selection puts them in a class of their own in the South Bay.
Great ambiance, friendly, helpful staff and a real Gem in downtown Torrance. Don't miss this one!
