15
Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Echo Park1320 Echo Park Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90026 (213) 481-0454
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
45 Reviews for 15
I love this place and it's really upsetting that people wrote such harsh reviews about it so early on its existence. I live within walking distance of 15 and I go there on a regular basis. The staff is super friendly and the owner is always there making sure things are running smoothly. They always remember me when I go there and they even bought me dessert one night. I am a total foodie so it's kinda crazy for me to give anything 5 stars, but I really believe in this place and the food is great for the price. The menu is creative and the mac and cheese and the papardelle are to die for! The salads are great, too. I just think it's fun and laid back and super reasonable. People need to give this place a chance.
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I never would have stopped at this place if it wasn't for Yelp. The neighborhood is sketchy and parking is a pain. But my friends and I were determined to try out the 15 deal so off we went to Echo Park. The restaurant looked dark and gloomy, even abandoned, from the outside. But as soon as we stepped in, we found the place packed with diners taking advantage of the 15 deal.
We were seated at a corner table, next to the window. It was fine, since we had plenty of room, but if you're going on a sunny day, make sure to bring your shades as you will be blinded. The service was slow, but our server was very friendly and patient.
The food ranged from decent to good. I thought my salmon was perfectly seared, but the dressing from my salad was too tart for my taste. The dessert was really good, but it was a really small serving. Maybe three, four bites, tops. One of my friends ordered a mint julep which was the WORST mint julep I ever had. It was watered down, the mint wasn't meddled well and there was a puny single stem floating on top. They gave us a free one and between me and another friend, we couldn't drink even half of it.
But overall, it's still a great deal. The service was good. And for some reason, they ended up comp'ing two drinks for us, which I thought made up for the slow service. I'd like to come back and try the burger and the mac and cheese.
4.5 stars, fo sho.
15 @ 15 is extremely legit.
This place seriously just made me happy from the moment we walked in. Needless to say, the ghettoness of the area also made me happy, just to have the juxtaposition.
The atmosphere was great, really comfy, well spaced out, and a really nice looking, quiet, bar.
The service was awesome- the guy was funny and charming and generally cool. he also gave us as much time as we needed & brought us extra bread immediately after we downed the first batch (which is extremely awesome in my book).
The Food.
This stuff was awesome. It all was extremely yummy.
When we sat down they gave us this great bread sliced paper thin (which was an awesome touch) & an olive tapenade- both really good. The cucumber water was money too.
Together we shared:
1st
Tomato Bisque Soup - really good, and I don't even like tomato soup that much
Macaroni - I thought it was awesome- a perfect mix of cheeses, and tasted great with the pepper he offered over it (only downside is its not one of those macaroni's they bake, so there's no well done crispy bit at the top, but it was still awesome)
2nd
Salmon - pretty good, small portion though, nothing amazing but pretty solid
Burger - really good...realllllly good, with an interestingly good bun. a crazy amount of cheese though. The FRIES WERE AWESOME. I loved the lavender touch- and they give you a huge portion as well.
3rd
Bread Pudding - awesome and just small enough to stuff it down.
I was/am SO full.
Great stuff.
Oh the drink I had there was great too.
I came, I saw, I Fifteened- I came in search of the infamous 3 course tasting menu offered from 5-630 pm
My first visit was on a Sunday, only to find the doors locked dooh! But upon my return here later the next week I was surprised it wasn't full of yelpers lining up for the $15 grub. I liked the dcor, clean and simple with some local Guitar/Junkie heroes like Slash and Dave Navarro in Sepia tone on the walls. I have a Pho-Hito while I wait for my lovely dinner companion, very nice and friendly staff. While I was at the bar I overheard the bartender telling the owner that Tina (?) from yelp called from San Francisco, why is yelp calling? I am curious but the barkeep ain't talking.
Let us get down to it, the house specialty is Mac and cheese and we order that with the Hearts of palm salad for openers, expectations are not high! Stop the presses, I am shocked, this is great. The M&C tastes like it has Parm and maybe some pecorino cheese in it, best I have had in a while. The hearts of Palm is great too but it has been upstaged. The pork loin was also very nice, parsnips are my frickin favorite and some cute veggies made a great dish, I am liking the petite portions too. The salmon was also excellent, mango burre blanc (kinda retro but cool) I had mine Rare because that is how I think salmon tastes best, if you will eat raw salmon try a salmon steak rare it is so much better than cooked through. The Croissant Pudding with chocolate melted through was great but it was made with bread croissants not real croissants and that kinda bugged (just a little)
Service was excellent, quality of the food was great and the dollar to flavor ratio was off the hizille!!!
Chance of return 100%
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$15 @ 15 w/ BF
After reading all these great reviews about the steal of a deal for a 3 course meal for $15 from 5-6:30, my boyfriend and I decided to test it out.
15 is in a pretty random/ghetto area of Echo Park, the ambiance is somewhat killed when you look out your window at a cracked out chicken joint and a parking lot. But upon looking inwards the restaurant is warm, charming, and moody. Great date feel.
We split our meal somewhat evenly so between the two of us we had the tomato soup and macaroni to start, followed by the salmon and hamburger, finishing with chocolate bread pudding.
The macaroni needed salt in my opinion, but was good and the tomato soup was relatively average but yummy. The burger was bomb and the french fries with the interesting twist of lavender was so nice. GREAT fries. My salmon was fine but a small portion and a little sweet. The bread pudding was all the decadence I could have asked for but the perfect size. Another interesting accent which I loved was that the water was served with a slice of cucumber rather than the regular lemon - you'd think you wouldn't be able to taste it, but it made the H2O so refreshing and crisp.
Considering the quality of food and atmosphere we received I really enjoyed this restaurant. The service was friendly and attentive, the food was good but not insane, and the experience was worthy of going back to.
You really can't beat a 3 course meal for $15. Totally worth eating at blue plate special time. The mac and cheese was really, really good and the chocolate croissant bread pudding to die for. I will definitely be back.
I thought 15 was great. I read about it on Yelp and I was curious about getting a 3 course meal for $15 so I stopped by on Friday night.
Walked into the restaurant (I got parking right outside the door!) and it was pretty full, but we were seated right away. Cucumber water was very refreshing and it was refilled right away when the glasses were running low.
The bf ordered the hearts of palm salad and the burger, while I got the mac n cheese and the salmon. We were both very satisfied with all of our choices. The hearts of palm salad had a tasty dressing, and the bf loved the mac n cheese even though he doesn't really like cheese that much. The salmon was delicious as was the burger. The lavender fries had an pretty interesting flavor, but as I have used lavender soap, thats what the flavor reminded me of. But it still tasted good. Dessert was the chocolate croissant bread budding, which was very good.
I would definitely come back to 15 for this meal deal. I don't know how you can complain about getting that much food for that price. Plus, service was quick and very personable.
The other evening when the usual question of "What should we do for dinner?" came up, my boyfriend said "Stay in the car. I'll meet you downstairs in five minutes."
'Cool' I thought. This is going to be fun. So off we went speeding to an unknown destination.
"We have to be there by 6:30 p.m." he said.
Ok, where is THERE? I am thinking. Turns out 'there' is 15, a new restaurant that has received some cool reviews on Yelp.
We arrived at approximately 6:15 p.m. The place looked sort of nondescript on the outside, no indicated of the chic yet masculine decor on the inside. When we opened the door this barrage of brown leather, creme walls and a very cool bar complete with black and white rock photos, and an ostrich lined bar counter made me relax and 'vibe' with the place. It was a shock since the restaurant seems SO out of place with the neighborhood, but a good shock.
Since our table wasn't ready the owner put us up at the bar, and beckoned us to have a drink while we waited. We ordered a glass of wine (so-so) and a mojito (much better) and took a look at their menus. 15 has 2 menus; one complete dinner menu and another menu that offers a three course dinner for $15 if you order by 6:30 p.m. Aha! There was the reason we had to hurry. He's such a clever boyfriend and full of surprises.
Overall the portions were smallish but good tasting. I ordered the endive salad for starters and salmon over mixed grains for the main course. The fish was not outstanding since it was a bit overdone. When the staff took the order I was informed the chef prepares the fish medium rare and asked if this was alright. Linden ordered mac n cheese and pork over parsnip puree. His pork was slightly overdone as well (bummer) but the mac n cheese was perfecto! It had All Spice in it (I think) which gave it a nice flavor, also lots of parmigiana cheese. My favorite course was dessert of course, which was really spectacular. The bread pudding was made from a croissant, caramel and chocolate. Damn delightful and moist!
The ambiance of 15 is really sharp though it tends to get noisy as the wood floors reverberate in the small restaurant. The wine menu needs maturing (but definitely will improve as time goes on I believe); the drinks are good.
A great value for the price and nice place to go in Echo Park to have an early dinner with family/close friends. It's also in a neighborhood that's a bit sketchy so keep this in mind.
=====I TOOK PICS=====
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I can't speak for the other reviews here, but I had a pretty good experience here. We were acknowledged right when we walked in and seated right away. Friendly and attentive waiter who even wiped down our table every time he cleared a plate. As you'll see from my other reviews, I rarely hand out 5 star reviews. When I walked in, I forgot I was still in Echo Park. Odd-but-pleasant shi-shi decor with rock icon photos gracing the walls (and they were playing electronica).
On to the food... Prix-fixe for $15 is a pretty good deal. Mac n' cheese is nice and hearty. Pork loin was a tad dry, but smelled incredible and was great once you swirl your pieces around in the sauce. The seared salmon was a little more than seared but was a nice cut and also tasted delish. The hearts of palm salad is amazing. And, though not part of the prix fix, the bacon wrapped figs are OMFG incredible. Cucumber water--nice touch. Oh...dessert: the best bread pudding I've ever had, nice, rich, and decadent (it had chocolate in it!).
Enjoy your time here, 'cause once you walk back outside, reality hits you like an angry boxer. I still can't believe this place is in EP. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
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6.15pm on a random Thursday night.
We walk into the unassuming restaurant expecting it to be empty. Instead we are greeted by a stylish but very full dining room. Every single table is full and settings have been laid out at the sleek ostrich leather lined bar.
We take a seat at the bar and order a glass of chardonnay and a mojito whilst we wait for a table and take in the room. Soft camel walls, blond hardwood floors, high backed chairs and bar stools in dark brown leather, tan ostrich leather and marble bar, and large black and white prints of Slash, Dave Navarro and Tommy Lee on the walls. All very understated and all very stylish.
I remind myself that we're not in Hollywood. This is Echo Park, where a few blocks can separate gangland from hipsters. What celebrity chef has brought all these diners here at 6pm on a weeknight? Is Mario Batali moonlighting?
No, it is the $15 three course tasting menu being offered between 5pm - 6.30pm.
For the appetizer course, we were offered a choice of tomato bisque, a herb and green salad, a heart of palm salad, and their signature mac n cheese. For me, there was only one obvious choice. The mac n cheese. Good quality cheeses and al dente macaroni with a bit of cracked pepper. Simple and delicious. Definitely one of the best mac n cheeses I've had at a fine dining restaurant.
For the entree course, we had a choice of their signature burger, a vegetarian pappardelle pasta, seared salmon and seared pork loin. Again the obvious choice for me was the pork loin. It was slightly overdone for my liking but the parsnip puree it was served over was delicious, and the cherry chutney added an interesting aniseed flavor.
And lastly, the dessert course is the chef's choice. Tonight it was a chocolate croissant bread pudding with warm caramel and cream. I'm not a dessert person and I loved the dessert. The chocolate was not overpowering and the use of croissant instead of bread added a wonderful buttery texture, nicely complemented by the caramel.
The service throughout the night was also excellent. The owner greeted us at the door and showed us out at the end. He worked the room like a warm and friendly host, stopping by our table several times throughout the meal to check if everything was ok. Our server was also friendly and efficient, even encouraging us to use our large camera to take photos of the food and the restaurant rather than our discrete camera phone, which we declined. We like to stay under the radar. The bartender was probably the only weak link, not knowing his wine selection and telling us that the $15 tasting menu was no longer available when we finally ordered after 6.30pm. The owner, however, walked right up and casually set things straight as we had been waiting at the bar for 20 minutes.
As we waited for our check, I looked out the window to see a homeless man pushing a shopping cart and looking for spare quarters in the pay phone. Yes, we were still in Echo Park where gentrification is colliding head on with poverty. Like it or not, that's progress and bringing a restaurant of this quality into this neighborhood is a gamble.
I sincerely hope this gamble pays off. But perhaps not so soon that they stop offering their $15 tasting menu. It has got to be one of the best value menus on offer right now and this quality at this price can't sustain itself for too long.
Bookmark this restaurant and get over here the first chance you get off work early or feel like an early Saturday dinner.
For $15, what do you have to lose?
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Go see the film "Quinceanera ," about Echo Park's gentrification, and you will appreciate the chef and co-owners' decision to make good food available for everyone in this neighborhood with the $15 pre fixe menu. Or even for those of us who visit.
From start to finish, I had a very good meal with attentive service. My first course was the "15" mac and cheese with a hint of nutmeg (?), the second, the pork tenderloin with chutney over parsnip puree with grilled vegetables, and to finish the chocolate bread pudding with caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream.
To tell you the truth, I was getting full after the "15" mac and cheese. (I want to return to eventually try all four "15" mac and cheese--especially the one with foie gras and duck confit).
My guava mojito was half of the cost of the $15 pre-fixe dinner! Yes, there is a full bar and a small wine list of affordable bottles of wine for your one course to three course meal. We were finished before 7 o'clock so, no offense to our older and wise Yelpers, but I did feel that I just had a senior dinner since it was still light outside.
I think one of the co-owners came by to bus one of our course plates away. He also thanked us for coming and walked us to the door.
I hope the folks who live in the area will come in and have a meal at "15" and make it a favorite neighborhood spot.
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Figs wrapped in bacon as appetizers were really good... as were the lavender-flavored fries. 15 is very convenient to downtown... very nice place in a not so nice neighborhood. Very reasonably priced for innovative food.
Just had a delicious- flawless dining experience at 15. What are the super- negative reviews about?
Full Bar ***
Decor- average- nice, clean and thank goodness not over the top antler- chandeliers with cow skin seat covers
Service-great, friendly and efficient
Food- Delicious- we had the mac and cheese and palm salad to start with- they were promptly served. Salad was perfectly dressed but could have used a bit more flavor. Entrees were good- steak skirt was cooked as requested and my salmon was tasty. To end the meal- a nice port and some chocolate- mango and jalapeno mousse.
All good. We made it in for their $15 before 6:30p.m. special but it's a bit early for us so we will return for dinner another time now that we know it's worth our $$$
And last but not least- I am not sure what anyone means by "it doesn't fit the neighborhood" wtf? I am an angeleno native and from a property owners point of view --this restaurant is gladly welcomed and thanks for adding to the property value of many home owners...
Echo Park has changed drastically and like any gentrified neighborhoods some of the change is hard but a nice, clean restaurant with a FULL BAR is exactly what we needed!
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15 reasons to love 15....
15. Echo Park - I finally made it over to the east side!!!!
14. Pomagranatinis
13. Made to order Mint Juleps
12. The Cocktail Menu
11. A $15 prix-fix menu that offers options... even vegetarian
10. Grrrrrrrrreat Service (remember the time the waiter actually helped Courtney L. take off her coat and hung it on her chair?)
9. Returning your drink and having it replaced without an ounce of resentment.
8. Modern Stylish Decor
7 Prix-fix entrees that look like full price entrees
6. Dessert!!! Bread pudding with whipped cream, caramel sauce and chocolate.
5 Olive Tapenade
4. Macaroni and Cheese
3. THE SALMON
2. Wanting to try everyone else's food
1. Laughing Laughing Laughing with your friends.
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well.. i came in during the $15 prix fixe menu time. i had the salad (the one w/ more ingredients), the braised pork, & chocolate bread pudding. my favorite part was the bread pudding! mMmmmmmm. my boyfriend had the mac&cheese, the burger, & the bread pudding. his burger was pretty good.. but the mac & cheese was a bit disappointing. our meals were worth 15 dollars, but it wasn't as great as i thought i'd be.
With so many unimaginative restaurant names floating about out there (cafe this, grill that), 15 definitely wins the name game. We swung by for the special prix fixe menu which is pure genius. The mac-n-cheese is a winner - duh. The skirt steak was decent. The menu isn't exactly endless and awe-inspiring, but it's good and tasty. If you keep in mind that this isn't a place that you go for an unforgettable culinary experience, you won't be disappointed. Just count on it as a cozy neighborhood staple -- like when you don't want to cook and you don't want to fuss with reservations. Added bonus: smoking patio in the back is nice, and between the Pioneer Chicken across the street and the hipsters in teenier than teenier 80s sports shorts and nanouk of the north boots, the people watching potential is great!
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I thought this place was relatively mediocre.
For one, it doesn't fit the neighborhood at all. It's attempting to be upscale or "nice," but that style of dining didn't match the budget trim level of the interior. I don't mind budget, just as long with some sort of style or character.
Food was ok but nothing special, overall this place really doesn't fit in Echo Park.
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BEST ELBOW ROOM IN LA!
I think the real reason they named this place 15 is because that's the maximum occupancy allowed at this place. Which to me is fan-fucking-fabulous! Being a LA native I want and expect it all. I'm happy to say that 15 satisfied me on every level and then some. Friendly attentive service, simple sophisticated atmosphere, quality food at a decent price, and of course lets not forget the glorious open refreshing space; I mean in this town being able to actually hear a conversation is like finally being able to breath for the first time. Living in my own bubble - it's a good thing. Not being disturbed and distracted by obnoxious people seated next to you - the most under appreciated pleasure known to mankind.
Moving on to the food - not bad, not bad at all. Any place that serves Cucumber water from the get go automatically gets bonus points with me. The highlights of the appetizers were the Truffle Mac n Cheese and the Bacon Wrapped Mission Figs w/ Goat Cheese Mouse. Out of all the entrees I liked the Braised Short Ribs w/ Roasted Golden Beets and Mission Figs the best - it fell apart on my plate and then proceeded to melt in my mouth. I loved how as I chewed on this mouthful of heaven I can look out the window to a Pioneer Chicken with no one in it; I think to myself, it's only a matter of time before Echo Park looses its OG hood charm.
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A Tuesday night and the place was packed by 6:15 pm for the "$15 @ 15" taster menu, which ends promptly at 6:30 pm.
My friend and I couldn't get over the tastiness of the ENTIRE meal. Nice selections for each course. Portions were taster-size, in other words: "leave you wanting for more." Hence, I had no choice but to order an extra appetizer, the decadent bacon-wrapped figs. And with that side order of deliciousness, I was completely and blissfully satiated.
My first time there -- and I'm coming back!
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We ate here for the happy hour special, 3 course meal for $15 and it was well worth it. I didn't look at the regular priced menu however.
The portions were huge and the food was delicious!
I had the mac-n-cheese for starters, pretty darn good. Buttery, cheesy deliciousness. Next I tried the burger with fries. I have to say it was good, but not the best burger (still on my quest for that one). The accompanying lavender fries are always good too. Bread pudding was the chef's choice desert, a small portion, which is fine since everything else was huge.
I would definitely come here again for the happy hour special!
i liked the ambiance to, nice low lighting with a new york kind of vibe.
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You get a very good experience/price ratio here. the 15 deal expires at 6:30. We hope they have success here. It seems like a good place for yelpers, young lovers and friends. You can get a burger for $12, or another entree for less than $20 (who ever thought we would be celebrating under $20 as a bargain). I agree the wine could be better quality. The experience is very good. Professional service, hot plate runner, ambitious recipes, full likker bar, low light, plenty of room between tables (thank god). Check it out if you're nearby. I don't know if anyone is going to drive in from the Valley unless they have an echo park fetish. well, some do.
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I had a wonderful experience at 15. We stopped by on a Saturday night before a Dodgers game because we heard about the 15 for $15 menu. The place is small and minimalist in decor. We ordered off the $15 menu plus we added a regular appetizer...Here is what we had:
Appetizers:
Mac and Cheese-delicious and cheesy and the portion was huge.
Tomato Bisque-yummy
These were part of the $15 menu, plus we added wild mushroom and pea risotto-so creamy and flavorful and a huge portion for $9.
Entree:
The "15" Burger with gruyere cheese & caramelized onions served with fries
Pappardelle pasta, with wildmushroom ragout, caramelized onions, Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano
Dessert:
Chocolate croissant bread pudding
The burger was large, juicy and cooked to perfection. The fries were made with lavender and were amazing. The pasta was a large portion and was light and creamy with large mushrooms. The food was all very good, the portions were large and we were stuffed! I will be going back again.
Bleh. I don't like it. If you don't go during the $15 prix fix special you may find the service is crap for the prices, which are high, for the food. That was my experience and that's not a winning combo folks.
I went with two vegetarians and three carnivores, tasted almost everything and only had one really good flavor all night.
The Tomato Bisque was lovely.
Every other dish, I wanted to go back in the kitchen and remake it myself.
Duck Confit-very pretty, almost no duck flavor which is amazing since duck is a pretty strong taste, under cooked potatoes and too much of a discordant sauce.
Scallops-the little guys them selves were okay, but they were on a bed of beans and potatoes that did not taste, feel or smell like anything. Again-discordant.
Salad with shitake mushrooms and pepitas. Crunchy. That is the most interesting thing about it. Not discordant, just bland.
Everything just bland or seasoned wrong. Oh except the dessert. That was delish. Croissant bread pudding with whipped cream.
But with $9 soups and $18 entrees it shouldn't be impossible to get a water refilled. And dessert shouldn't sit on a table for 5 minutes while you flag a waiter for some spoons.
so yeah. Bleh
YUMMY! Was there for dinner and had 15for15- be sure to be there early though...only served till 6 or 7pm. The place is cozy, clean and the service is greaaaaaaaaat!
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The menu specials on $15 on 15 is not bad...it's not life changing, it wont blow your mind...but it's a good for $15! It's $5 dollars per course, you get an appetizer, main entree, and dessert! I got the Mac & Cheese with Gruyere, Salmon with some yellow sauce, and a 2"x2" bread pudding. It's pretty filling, I think its all the starch in the mac and cheese! What's really good on the menu are the mojitos!!! I tried the "Guava Mojito and the "Citrus in your eye"! Worth every penny! $9 per cocktail actually. This restaurant is in a very unassuming location-- Echo Park, not exactly cute or chic neighborhood of L.A....heck across from the restaurant is a Pioneer Chicken! We saw street vendors selling fruit at the corner, and a man selling coconut juice at the intersection! But inside Restaurant 15 is a very minimalist interior, very chic! But its also very small, I would recommend this place for an after work thing...happy hours and such. Overall, a happy experience! Service was prompt, waiters attentive, food was ok, cocktails very yummy! Well deserved 4 stars!
I'm in love with the number 15. Wow, that was reminiscent of Sesame Street wasn't it?
This is quite possibly the greatest concept known to man: high quality food, lovely presentation, and smaller portions to keep the prices low. How low you might ask? Well, $15, of course. In a country where the food portions doled out in restaurants are redunkulous, I wish that more restaurants would adapt this as their concept because so much food is wasted on a daily basis. The restaurant '15' in Echo Park is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood; it is an unassuming building with low-key decor, and a very friendly staff. It's a small restaurant with a lotta heart, and emits that good ol' fashioned neighborhood bar/restaurant feel. They also have an outdoor smoking area out back where you can sip on a cocktail and get your smoke on. Between the hours of 5 - 6:30pm, 15 offers a prix fix 3 course meal for $15, however we arrived around 6:45pm and they still allowed us to order off of the 15/15 menu anyway. I ordered the 15 mac-n-cheese for my first course and was really impressed with this signature dish. My main entree was the parpadelle pasta with wild mushroom ragout (Yum!) and to finish it off, it was chef's choice for desert, which happened to be bread pudding. I'm usually not a fan of bread pudding but this stuff was gooooood. After our meal I was totally satisfied and full, but not roll me out the front door full. They also have a very interesting menu of specialty cocktails from their full bar. My personal favorite was the Guavamojito, and my friend enjoyed the Citron my Face. She enjoyed the drink and I enjoyed hearing her order that from our waiter. I can't wait for the next show at the Echo, because you better believe that I will be going to 15 beforehand!
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We came to try the $15 prix fixe menu but unfortunately were too late. Apparently, it's served from 5-7 PM. We tried the place out regardless and were pleasantly surprised. Even without the special deal, the food was reasonably priced (entrees generally less than $20). I had the braised short ribs and my friend had the cod. The short ribs were tasty but a little overcooked. I liked the fig and vegetable garnish on the dish too. The cod was moist and perfectly cooked, however, slightly under seasoned. Service was pleasant, but a tad slow. Decor was your standard contemporary without frills. I would give this place 3.5 stars but if the special menu was at least on par in quality with what we ordered, I would definitely give this place 4 stars considering the good value.
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I feel like I am in the movie "They Live" with all of these good reviews, is Echo Park really that desperate? I am completely surprised by the positive responses.
Think of William Sonoma or Pottery Barn throwing up in an old taqueria in a gentrifying neighborhood.
I wanted to like this place, but after being in this place with my girl, I hated the fact that I came because I DIDN'T want the result that I got. I mean who doesn't want a great restaurant with a liquor license nearby their house. I have lived in Echo Park for 6 years and I am not the " I think I am cooler than you that you just moved here, nor do I feel that Echo Park used to be so cool before you moved here. The place is at its best when people are just plain friendly.
Which brings me to this bewildering point...I went in there with said girl and it took about 10 minutes for any recognition of any type. There was hardly anybody in there and I stared at a bartender (I am talking eye contact )who had nothing to do but clean glasses for, well for nobody. Then, she struck up a conversation with what I assumed is the owner, as he was assuming the "I am doing nothing but checking on you doing nothing pose"...all the while we sat drink-less and unaddressed.
Now I am thinking "Wow these guys don't really care about this business, or they are so sure the food will blow you away that they are stand-offish."....It was my opinion that this is about to suck because if you have ever worked anywhere that is any good the entire staff is a team and you step up when somebody spaces.
Waiter shows up we order a wine that must have been crushed aged and bottled because it took another 10 minutes to get back, the bar is 3 feet away. This is 20 minutes of sitting there are 8 people in the restaurant, and we still have not ordered an appetizer. We finally do order the mussels, I would say one third of them are closed and slimy, ewe.
It is my theory that if you have a fillet Mignon at your establishment you should be proud of it, it should be like showing your cock. In this case "15" needs some implants because the fillet Mignon is a golf ball drizzled and decorated like some Brentwood poodle.
There are so many other diatribes and nuance filled smart ass remarks I could make about this place, but the only thought I have energy left for is one of having Gordon Ramsey coming in and giving it straight to the management for the sake of the neighborhood.
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I went to eat dinner at 15 with a bunch of girls and we had a blast. The atmosphere inside is clean, crisp and chic. They got a little bar in there and have a decent, unique menu to choose from. We missed the whole "15" deal but we ordered a variety of goods anyways. We had some yummy salads to start with and I had a very flavorful, moist salmon with some mango salsa. mmm...get in my belly. After that we finished off with some bread pudding- now that is usually no where near my dessert option but my friend insisted...and I am glad she did. It was absolutely amazing!!! I think we wanted to lick the plate....gotta go out to try it!
I would mos def go there again-this time for the "15" deal.
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I love this place.
The food is awesome, and the servers are friendly.
I've had the Salmon (melt in your mouth pan seared with the tangiest grilled mango, perfect balance!!!)
The burger with frittes is juicy and cooked to order.
They have great sides, tasty cocktails, etc.
Please support this place !!! I Can't imagine echo park without it.
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A friend randomly chose this as our dinner destination from a list of online reviews, and we were all glad we went. Apparently they have a prix fixe menu for $15 (includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert), which is insanely inexpensive considering what we got. It's only served from 5 until 6:30, so get there early! The place reminded me of a room in someone's house (a very nice house, mind you)---it's small and cozy but modern/nice. We didn't make reservations but were seated ASAP. I think we got lucky bc the place became packed shortly after our arrival there at 6:00 p.m. on a Saturday. I got the Mac and Cheese appetizer, which was pretty hearty but VERY cheesy (white cheese, not yellow). Another friend got one of the salads, which was just lettuce and oil (bland) and another tried the tomato bisque, which had a nice flavor but was too salty. I got the steak entree (liked the parsnip puree, which looks deceivingly like mashed potatoes)---I also liked the fact that it was already cut into slices for me since I'm lazy like that. This entree is on the regular menu for $17 alone normally! Friends who got the hamburger enjoyed it (it was supposed to be made with Kobe beef but it tasted like a regular hamburger to me). Dessert was a teeny slice of bread pudding, which was actually very good but would have been even better had it come warm and not cold and in a larger portion. Then again, I guess I'm being too greedy considering it was only $15. I didn't like their drinks too much. I ordered the Guava Mojito (didn't really taste like either and was weak), and my friend got the Peach Cobbler, which tasted like peach juice (then again, she did ask the waitress to have her drink made w/ more juice than alcohol but I asked for the opposite). I'd def be back! Oh, another bonus is that there is street parking nearby (they don't offer valet).
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always searching for good local eats, i yelped 15 and brought my friend here tonight to test it out. we came about 5:30 for an early dinner so we could make the musical "the color purple" at the ahmanson theatre...which was AWESOME by the way...but i digress.
the decor inside is pretty nice. let's you feel like you're having a fancy dinner but for affordable prices. since we came between the hours of 5:00-6:30pm, we were given the option of having their set menu which was a two course meal plus dessert for $15. what a deal!
my friend and i decided to get their set meal and to share our dishes. for the first course, we got the mac n' cheese and hearts of palm salad. both were pretty tasty. for the second course, i got their hamburger (i am on a burger run as of late) and she got the skirt steak. both tasted ok, though these dishes could benefit from more seasoning. the fries were phenomenal though. thin and crispy, just the way i like them. for dessert, the chef's pick was a lightly sweetened bread pudding. that was pretty delicious. after rounding this meal with a glass of red wine, i was pretty stuffed.
all in all, the food merits 3 stars, but i think the ambience and the good service added the extra star to make it a well rounded 4 star experience. i would come here again. it's always a good thing to support local businesses with my stomach.
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Finally tried this place out last night with my boyfriend after we've driven by it several times wondering if it's any good.
AMBIANCE:
The decor is fine, i always wish for booths instead of individual chairs, but hey. i would lose the battery operated candles, though.
SERVICE:
I wonder how long this place has been open-- or how long the servers have been serving tables-- every server we came into contact with seemed uncomfortable and unsure of him or herself. Very friendly and nice but seemingly very inexperienced.
FOOD:
I will preface this by saying that I cook (fancy food) a lot and have worked in many restaurants.
first, it needs more vegetarian options on the Entree menu.
Wild Mushroom Empanada Appetizer = FIERCE. sooo good. don't miss this one.
Lobster Risotto Appetizer: a healthy portion, and pretty tasty. but seriously folks, defrost the lobster before cooking it. Better yet, use fresh lobster.
Pasta with short ribs: my boyfirend had this one. It looked really good but when i tasted it it was kinda bland.
Wine List/Wine: you MUST be joking, folks! just atrocious. and i was pretty sure i watched the bartender mix two different wines in my first glass. not a good idea when you're trying to build a reputation. Plus, the specialty cocktail with the name of "Citron My Face"?? not appetizing.
overall, it wasn't a bad dining experience, though. the BF and I decided that we'll wait 6 months and come back. hopefully by then they will have worked out some of the kinks.
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My husband and I went to restaurant 15 on a weeknight. First of all we're very picky people about food and service at restaurants. We love our neighborhood and we always complain about not having good restaurants with good reasonably priced food and good service. Restaurant 15 is absolutely a very satisfying restaurant if you want to have a pleasant dinner. I like the decor. It's very clean and simple. It has a high end-dining like environment but affordable and more casual with a TV at the bar. The TV is good for sports' fans. The bar is nice and
comfortable so you can meet a friend there after work.
The friendly waiter made a huge difference in our experience. You know how hard it is and almost impossible to meet a good, friendly and professional waiter in LA!
But in restaurant 15 they really take care of you. You don't have to look for a waiter to have your glass filled with water.
The menu is limited. I was disappointed first but then after I tasted the food I thought is better to have quality food rather than bad quality and quantity food.
For an appetizer we ordered "The "15" Mac n Cheese". It was the healthiest and lightest Mac n' cheese I've ever had. The al dente cooked Fusilloni pasta was lightly white sauced and mixed with right amount of shaved Parmesan cheese. It was very delicious. The portion was generous enough to order it as a main course. "Hand picked herbs & field green salad dressed with roasted shallot dressing" was a good complimentary salad with Mac n' cheese. I thought the salad needed a
little bit of citrus in dressing. I ordered "Seared Sea bass over parsnip
puree, seasonal vegetables & tarragon oil". It was very delicious. We enjoyed the parsnip puree. It was a good touch. My husband ordered "Braised short ribs with roasted tomato and fingerling potatoes with seasonal vegetables" We both thought the rib was not tender enough. I think the wine sauce was very delicious. Over all it was a good dish too.
The wine menu was not the best ever but at least they serve wine. I like to have a glass of wine when I go out to have dinner.
The restaurant 15 is definitely in our favorite rest. List. Highly recommended.
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Yes, finally a place where we Echo Parquers can walk to.. This place is quite a gem: great interiors.. great food at a great price... we loved it and will sure get back. Try the ribs... awesome!
by no means, think 4 stars isn't a recommendation. the food here is the best i've had in los angeles, no joke. we were a party of eight, and passed fork fulls around. every dish was delectable and so different in comparison. alot of flavor profiles creating a curious dish. i NEVER eat everything, and all dishes were cleaned. on top of that, the prices were beyond reasonable. maybe helping to build a regular clientele?
the not so good. everyone at the table mentioned the service. its a staff of cafe food runners, not all that high end or well trained. now that i think about it, was there a front of house manager? wine list is so boring. i am well educated about wine, and so were a few of our party. there is a minimal selection and i can see its all from wine warehouse... aka gallo... aka overproduced. lastly, the room is a converted living room of a house. off vine has the same problem of feeling much like a house warming party.
despite all that, go for the food.
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You have to be in the know to know where 15 is, since it is a relatively non-descript grey building in back of Los Burritos, with only a small "15" on the front.
Great neighborhood restaurant for those who can find it though. offering a $15 3-course prix fixe between 5-7. The mac n cheese was delicious with freshly shaved parmesean on