On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Mediterranean, American (New)
Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Loading...
The food and ambiance is awesome ... great place to get a cocktail and relax.... also the live music adds to everything
I adore the ambiance of this place! Love the mellow mood of the inside, the wall-to-wall windows, cute tables, and the classical guitar during dinner. Nice!
The food was excellent. Ordered the baked brie appetizer and the vegan Hawaiian pizza. My first time eating pizza without regular cheese (I am a cheese FREAK, y'all) and it was pretty awesome!
I never know how many stars to take off for the price because this is L.A. after all and by now I expect my food cost to be inflated, but I always have to mention it. Prices were a little high for me, though splitting the brie and pizza with a friend it was totally doable.
I'll be back to try more of their yummy vegan choices!
5 guys, one girl. Usually I wouldnt get my way with anything but being that it was NYE and the fish taco joint they wanted to go to was closed (boohoo), I got my wish to do some upscale dining for our last meal of the year.
We opted for the outdoor seating. The ambiance and lighting were beautiful. Ample heating from all the torches probably singed some hairs but better than that shivering for an hour.
The menu looked pretty good and the prices are reasonable.
I ordered the Jidori Chicken with Moroccan spinach and carrot salad and polenta fries with tomato-harissa sauce. ($19) - So Flavorful! My chicken was so juicy and tender. The polenta fries were super crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. (i wish they were a little more generous with the portion)
My friend got the hailbut and scallops with portobello mushroom and pesto risotto ($21) - delicious. The scallops were sweet and tender and wasnt fishy, the risotto was cooked perfectly.
I tried the white truffle oil and gruyere fries($7). So delicious but also disappointing. So skimpy with the oil and cheese. It was a light sprinkling on the top but once you work your way through the mound, it's pretty much just blah-di-da fries.
I didnt really try the other dishes but seeing as how the guys devoured every bit in 5 minutes, I take it it was pretty good.
I really wanted to try their wines but didn't want to be the only drinker of the group. We passed up dessert too. boo.
Only downside to our evening was that we waited close to an hour for our meal. I'm guessing the kitchen was understaffed for the evening given that it was the 31st. Our waitress gave us complimentary bread but only one dinky basket for 6 people wasn't enough (one piece each?)
As sang by Sting, "No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this". (ok so i don't really know how that makes any sense to how I liked the place, but any excuse to connect the song to the restaurant.)
thumbs up.
Dinner with the lady. Nice outdoor area makes it look prime for Brunch but we sat indoors cause of the cold.
We did the Blue Crab Cakes, bowls of the Lobster Bisque and the Roasted Eggplant Soup to start and then moved to a pair of Salads (the Greek and House). For a light meal, the bill sure did climb fast. Everything was tasty but nothing special. They do offer a large Wine menu and a full bar.
I'll try this place again for some weekend Breakfast and maybe that will change things.
My main beef with this place is that big 'artistic' rose sculpture thing out front. It looks terrible. I hate it. The more I talk about it, the more angry I get.
DEEEEEEELISH Food!! Went for the really awesome happy hour, and had a great time. This place has good vibes:)
YUM, YUM, YUM! A friend and I went there for brunch this past Sunday and I don't think I can say YUM enough. The food was delicious and I was surprised that the restaurant wasn't packed. I would definitely recommend this place for brunch
The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that the toast that came with my breakfast was a little sad looking. It was one slice of bread cut in triangles that was so toasted it would have better served as sand paper. I think I could have removed some paint with that piece. I was also a little disappointed by the plastic containers of jelly. I would have expected a place like this to have homemade jam or at least jam in a nice ceramic container. The plastic jam and the aluminum wrapped butter just looked like poor presentation.
Other than the toast, like I said before FANTASTIC.
I can't believe this place is always empty - although it could be the cheesy scary giant stained-glass rose out front (that might be scaring people away).
The food is PERFECT - it's so good and freshly made which is nice. The ambiance is good - their brunch is really fantastic and they make pretty good bloody marys. We hope this place sticks around.
It's a great 'date place' but also a good brunch place (if your date went REALLY well....). Two thumbs up!
Desert Rose is my favorite place right now. I've been half a dozen times and have never had a bad meal. Actually, I'm always surprised how amazing the food is.
The salmon eggs benedict are perfect! The last time I was there I had a lobster burger that almost made me cry. It had chunks of lobster and an amazing bun and was only $14! They also have a full vegan menu.
The service is always friendly and attentive as well.
Try this restaurant. You won't be disappointed.
Completely deserving of the four star rating others have given... I went here NYE 2009/10 with a sizeable group and we had a great time! The decor is lovely (twinkly lights surround the outdoor space, and there is a gigantic stained glass (?) rose outside as well) and the ambiance is made swanky and festive by the live sax player by the bar. Although the kitchen was "running slow" I still enjoyed the experience and would recommend it.
First of all, eating outside on December 31st... LOVE IT. They had heat lamps surrounding our table and the waiters kindly adjusted the temperature settings for us. I was toasty and comfortable the whole time.
Second, the food was delicious. It's an eclectic menu (though deemed "Mediterranean" on Yelp, they have a selection of pizzas, several seafood choices, and even a southern-inspired pork chop dish with collard greens and sweet potato fries!). I had the chicken kebab with hummus and tabbouleh... thought I'd play it safe and go with the most Mediterranean dish on the menu. The chicken was flavorful and perfectly cooked, and I could actually taste the bean/tahini mix in the hummus. This dish also came with olive/spice topped pita bread. Yum.
Two gripes from my dinner companions, which deserve a mention here: 1) The wine we selected was not available and our waitress was sort of stumped when asked to recommend another bottle, and 2) Both people who had the scallops said they were undercooked and therefore slightly gross. So one star off, but overall a solid choice, especially for a group celebration!
This is awesome! My friend and I was on our way back from her doctor's appointment. We were like thinking where should we eat. Somewhere new.....Right when I saw DESERT ROSE. I was like this is new to us shall we try it?
As we walked in, there was a glass rose in front of the door. Tables were inside and outside. Service was GREAT! There was a LUNCH EXPRESS for just $10. So, I ordered a burger with Labense meat, fries and salad. My friend got a chicken on wheat bread with fries. This meal came with a drink so we ordered water and a sprite each.
The atmosphere was nice. The people around us were Americans. We were the only Asian adults there. Which was funny cause one person was like Asian people are pretty smart. We just laughed.
After lunch, we decided to look at the desserts case inside. We decided to purchase 4 different kinds + lunches = 57 (including tip). It wasn't too bad. We were satisfy =].
This place is so good!
Trendy, hip, clean decor - it feels fancy.
Space inside, patio outside - there's a neat rose statue outside.
Food is delicious - I had crab risotto that had lots of fresh crab, well cooked rice, and asparagus flavored so well that I actually ate it. My friend had shrimp pasta that was really fresh and tender, with excellent flavor with capers.
Service is attentive and friendly - cute waitress that always checked up and gave good recommendations.
Ambiance - great for a date. Music wasn't so loud, but it wasn't silent. There was a dude that came in later with a saxophone and backing track from his computer for some live jazz.
Price - it won't set you back far, it is reasonable, below 20 a plate for very savory food.
I went there with a group of friends and everything was amazing. We started with the house made hummus and pita bread which was probably the best combination of hummus's that I've had in awhile. Then we all shared the crispy goat cheese salad and if you love cheese, then you'll love the crispy goat cheese (so amazing)! Then I got the roasted eggplant soup which had a falafel in the middle (which was spicy...YUM). I had never had eggplant soup and I think that this was one of my most favorite dishes of the night. Then we all shared the fire-roasted vegetables which were very flavorful. For my entree, I ordered the chicken & beef kebab plate. I'm not a huge "meat" person and both were cooked perfectly and the side pita was a great combination. And for desert, we all shared the warm chocolate lava cake which was so creamy and full of amazing-ness! Overall, this place was great and I would highly recommend it for a group dinner or for a romantic date. The ambiance was perfect...great decor, live jazz music playing in the background and a fun crowd. Thanks for a great night Desert Rose :)
I was at Skylight Books for a panel on the State of Indie Music.
Desert Rose is just a few blocks over and looked inviting. It has a large patio shielded from the street. Inside the lighting is simple, but highly effective.
The eggplant soup is incredible. It's just popping with flavor and heat. It's seasoned with harrisa, a spice mix I remember from Morocco. Rather than serving it like a peasant soup, the presentation was elegant; the shape of the bowl, the exact placement of 3 fallafel, a sprinkling of herbs, and a thin drizzle of yogurt. Perfect.
Without question I've got to come back for dessert. The displayed pastries looked phenomenal. I restrained myself. I'd already had cookies & chocolate before leaving my house this afternoon, and I'd stopped at Scoops in route, as I was all over the place today. 2 desserts are wonderful, 3 is maybe excessive. But I've definetly got to remember this place as an alternative to the overcrowded Alcove for dessert.
The poor reviews have hardly anything to do with food or ambience but the location and decor? Who cares! Restaurant reviews should be primarily based on the FOOD people!
With that said, the food here is INCREDIBLE. Sure, it can be slow to come out, but it's well worth the wait. Maybe because the new chef (who i hear they flew from france) takes his time making your dish.
Great dinner spot for something relaxing, classy but not uptight.
Great lunch spot for trendy atmosphere (the fresh melon soup was to die for)
Authentic mediterranean dishes (chicken, beef kabobs and hummus=GOOD!). Pastas and seafood YUM (angel hair). Got the parmesan fries, theyz was aite not my favorite but still good. OH and they have yummy speciality drinks (sangria, etc). AND their chocolate lava cake with vanilla bean ice cream seals the DEAL.
To Start the atmosphere of the place is amazing i feel so relaxed and at peace from the water fountains in the garden to the jazz saxaphonist playing live. The food is great and completely full of flavor.
I recomend the shrimp capellini, and for desert the chocolate fruit tart.
The downside of this place is the food takes forever from the time you order to the time it asrrives in front of you its about a 35 min wait. Though the food is great the wait really isnt. You make the choice though.
A good place to show off and to enjoy yourself...
FANTASTIC food! And the caper martini has had me craving to have it again for the past several days. An added bonus was that they have a separate vegan menu, so I was able to go with a vegan friend. Yes, it's a little pricey- but I thought it was worth it, and so did the rest of my party.
Next time I'm in L.A., I'll be back!
Desert Rose suffers from a horrible disease, and I would like to call that disease CRAPPY LOCATION. I mean, look at the surroundings and you'd wonder what the hell this restaurant is doing there. However, location doesn't account for the restaurant itself.
This place gets a good 3 stars for me. Reason: pricy. I mean, the food was good, but I like having a bit extra left in my wallet for those nice after dinner coffees. But alas. Anyway, the food here is definitely a bit different, and if you're looking for different it doesn't get much better. I had one of their lunch specials of the day, having had a choice between 3. I got the quail. It was definitely something different and I was not disappointed.
But here's why you came to this restaurant: dessert. Yummy I got chocolate covered pistachio ice cream. Was one of the happiest things I've had that day.
So all in all, good food, bad location. You'll have to park on a really obscure street before you can make your way to this restaurant, unless you want to hand your car over to the extra sketch valet guy outside the restaurant, your choice.
Great place. Wrong neighborhood.
Don't you hate when that happens. When a perfectly reasonable restaurant or bar sets up shop in an area that doesn't seem like the right fit. Desert Rose is definitely that place. I felt like I should be sitting in WeHo or maybe somewhere on the trying too hard Sunset Strip. The upscale design, the red lights, it just didn't say East side to me, but in spite of that, we had a nice time here and the prices are definitely right.
I was craving a glass of vino and having not eaten all day and it being almost 10:30pm, I was pleased to learn that they were still serving. I went with the Fritto Misto which is quite a plate full of food. You will not go hungry if you order this app. I thought the shrimp was cooked perfectly, as were the artichokes and calamari, but a few of the pieces still had that battery taste, as in, not deep fried long enough. Another 20 seconds in the fryer would have fixed that.
The wines we went with were okay, but not my favorite. I was trying to go budget conscious and chose a $7 glass instead of the $11-$12 I would usually pick and I could definitely taste the difference. Oh well, baller on a budget, what are ya gonna do? ;)
One of the things I really did enjoy was the live jazz band that was playing on Saturday night. It was far too loud to sit in the main room, but if you set up shop on the patio with someone and sip wine and nibble, it presents a nice atmosphere. Also, the patio is huge and it wasn't packed at all, so this would be an excellent place for a large group dinner on the East side.
Definitely worth a visit and the service is really good too.
This place rocked. The food was great and the service was excellent. We drank some good beers and my friend said the wine they had was nice too. The guy who served us was really down to earth and was really cool to the table. Buy that guy a drink the next time you go.
This place is pretty cool. nice atmosphere and some good wines to choose from, they even have a… Read more »
Great place for a Happy Hour or a group.
Have been here a few times for Happy hour- which now they actually have Happy hour prices- and for dinner.
Drinks are good and well-poured. The appetizers are great.
Service is sweet/nice but slow and not always super competent. Nut, very nice service each time.
Desserts are great too.
Try it out!
I am not sure about the food, but me and my boyfriend saw the eye-catching design while driving by and decided to stop by for some dessert, and it was highly disappointing. We tried the vanilla creme brulee and not only was it way too sweet, it wasn't the expected creme brulee torched with a crunchy top.
But at least the gigantic rose outside satisfied the eye.
My cucumber martini tasted like nail polish remover. The food was OK. I think the waitress and I were mortal enemies in a past life.
Nice vibe, friendly staff, cute busboy, and great french fries!
We went here on my gay boyfriend's Cheat Day so we ordered a lot of fried food. "You don't even want to know how many points are in those truffle gruyere fries, girl!" They were good, but could use a liiiiittle more cheese. I mean, if you're gonna do it, let's effin do it.
We also had the frito misto: a plate of fried shrimp, calamari, artichoke hearts, and the root vegetable who must have hired the best PR firm in LA, fennel. It came with two sauces, a red cocktail sauce and a garlicky aoili. Sauces were great, the light batter was tasty, but seriously, what is the draw with fennel? Stop telling me it's awesome. I don't believe you. It tastes like a clump of the fry batter. Cut it out.
I had the crab and asparagus risotto with had lovely buttery large-ish pieces of crab. Total yum, Gay boyfriend had wild mushroom pizza, also yum.
Service was sweet and solicitous.
Something is wrong with the decor, though. The glass and the slate-- it feels like an airport. Not sexy. Sting would not shoot a video here.
where do i begin? i wanted to give 3 star, but then i wouldn't come back - and that wouldn't be an honest review - so i'm leaving at 2 star.
i knew the service would be slow (according to yelp) and food wasn't anything spectacular, however, a ginormous rose is hard to miss every time on our way to alcove so mel, sc, and i decided to check it out on the 31st for dinner. we figured at least there will be a plenty of tables (because it's usually empty) and no over charged prefix menu.
before i go on, i have to say nothing is impressive, only a decent dish was ($14) seven spice ahi tuna nicoise salad (oh and out of pizza. what?!). perhaps quick lunch would be a better option.
we sat at the patio area and a very dull waiter (who looks like he hates his job; also read about him from other reviews) warned us that it would take an 1 hour for food to which i said, 'yeah i read about it' with a smile and to which he snared at me. i told him i was only kidding but he completely ignored my apology and walked away. then tables around us started to light up cigarettes so i asked a man in a suit (turns out he was the owner) if we could dine inside since my friend is allergic to smoke. instead, he offered us the other side of the patio area (mind you there were plenty of tables available inside) so we moved. however as soon as we sat on the other side of the patio, a table behind us started to light up. that's it! i marched inside and pleaded to the same man, can we "please" sit inside, i do not want to play musical chair. when he asked who was our waiter so the bill can be transferred to a new waiter, i casually told him, i do not know his name, but he had no personality. that must have triggered something - he must have talked to the dull waiter - because later the waiter came up to us and apologized and was completely a different person. he even offered water when he wasn't even our waiter. a friendly waitress covered our table and the owner must have told her something too because she was so attentive to the point, our food arrived way before the other table which they were there before us. the owner even gave us free dessert and i left a nice tip for the friendly waitress. however, why am i only giving 2 STAR after all? because the food was really average, and service despite it got better, was NOT genuine what so ever. i felt like the folks were trying to prevent us from perhaps saying bad things about the place, it was definitely an interesting night, not the way i would have liked to spend the last day of 2009.
lastly, if i may say something to the owner because he gets an A for an effort, training is in order for the serving staff (take a q from osteria mozza, bottega louis, or state and church..) and perhaps revamp the entire menu because nothing really stands out - no identity.
Hello new favorite place!!! I have been here on the weekend for brunch, lunch and happy hour and I really love this place. The drinks are great and they have a good happy hour but the food is FANTASTIC!! Last week we had hummus (yummy) cheese plate(delicioso), risotto (the best and lots of flavor!), crab cake - need I say more? We were really hungry after drinking so much and the food is just great. The waiters are very attentive and took care of us the whole night.
The location is not the best given limited parking but they have valet. I love the ambience this place has - enjoy the sun and have a drink or have a drink in the shade. Comfy chairs inside and out, bright and airy and good vibe.
I recommend this place for good food and fun. Try and I guarantee that you will like i!!
food and ambience were good. they handled our large group just fine. there's a whole vegan menu but i was dying for cheese so i got mediterranean pizza. i could only eat 1/4 of. it was giant and had tons of feta and good olives. my sister and i ate it for lunch the next day so i got 3 meals out of a $12 pizza.
our waiter put on some weird fake european accent that he lost halfway through the meal. it was super chill and nice to sit outside. drinks were not good though. mine tasted like cough syrup. we switched to wine and beer when we figured cocktails were mediocre.
On a recent evening my wife and I were on a voyage to our favorite Mexican restaurant - Mexico City; when a bit of spontaneity hit me in an attempt to hot wire our predictable and sometimes mundane eating habits(although is doesn't stop at eating, but that is a different review). We had driven by this place probably a million or so times and I would always comment about wanting to try it; but we had to stick to our plan, and this was not it. Low and behold, "we're stopping today", I said, and that was that.
To my surprise, both me and my wife were taken on a tasty wonderland! We started with the blue crab cakes that reminded of my old college days spent on the east coast, where restaurants go, damn near bankrupt trying to stuff as much crab into them as possible. Next, I had the eggplant soup and my wife had the caesar salad and ...ohh - both were delicious! By this time I was ready for more. I knew that the next course would have to bring me back to reality. In the meantime our service was exceptional! Our server Sean was a salient tour guide; a masterful liaisons for my wife and the chef as her allergy's sometimes break the food Ferris wheel while we are stuck at the very top. But not this time! Our entree's were exquisite. I had the halibut/sea scallops and my wife the all popular salmon. This is food! This is service! So, the next time you find yourself on life's static route; meander about, who knows where the road will take you. Maybe to Desert Rose!
So I liked what i ate, I just think the prices need to come down. They are trying to have fancy Hollywood prices, when they could be just a great neighborhood restaurant.
I had the Brie, and i liked it alot. I also had the mixed greens with Goat cheese and pears and walnuts with Salmon. I liked that too.
My wife's very expensive steak was overcooked, so she wasn't happy but, i thought the sauce still tasted good.
I hear they have, beer specials at happy hour, so i might come back for that. Dinner is a little high for what we got so we'll have to see if we make it back.
Everything bad you've heard about this place is true, and everything good you hear is either an anomaly or written by a plant.
My boyfriend and I went there for a late afternoon drinks and appetizer outing. We waited by the hostess podium outside for a minute or two, asking that timeless question of ourselves - do they seat us, or do we? Finally some non-uniformed guy came over and seated us. Our waitress was right on top of him, getting our drink orders (thank goodness we'd had the foresight to order our drinks at the start!!!). They came after about 10 minutes. Then our silverware came 5 minutes after that. Then our menus came about 15 or 20 minutes after we'd sat down (did I mention we were starving?)...
So we get the menus and look them over, and we both kinda shrugged - it's very "Meh. I've experienced better." (which is why I gave it two stars!) They have a ton of middle eastern food on the menu, with a scattered bit of upscale American thrown in. We decided on two appetizer plates, and placed our order 5 minutes later. 20 minutes or so go by, and our waitress brings us fresh focaccia-style bread, which we devoured. Another 10 minutes, and our first appetizer plate arrives, and 10 minutes after that we got our second.
The food was good enough, to be honest. The brie appetizer that we ordered was pretty fantastic, but the long wait really dampened some of our enthusiasm. Our other appetizer was pretty good, but would have been amazing if we'd gotten it within oh I don't know... 20 minutes of sitting down.
Pros:
-Food's ok, drinks are ok
-Our waitress was extremely nice, and seemed to be aware of the problem but unable to do anything about it (everyone else on the patio was getting the same type of horrible service)
Cons:
-The wait time is RIDICULOUS. We felt ignored for most of our meal, and I still can't get over how long it took us to get a menu. As I said in the car on the way home, if this place wants to compete on Hillhurst, it's going to have to do a lot better.
My advice: Go to the Alcove, or Home, or anywhere but this place.
I wish this place was better since i live so near.
First off, the big glass rose is terribly gaudy. It has been so cool out I wonder how they get anyone out on the patio. It should be better once it warms up i guess. The guy playing guitar is a nice touch though. not sure how often he is there. I am mystified by the clientele the place attracts. I walk by often so I see everyone who is eating here. It is weird. or maybe los feliz is just weird.
I found the food to be way too heavy for my taste. Our service was pretty lame too. The server did not know the menu at all and had to come back the the table multiple times to get the order right.
I am not a huge fan of Alcove, but you get the same if not better environment with much better food.
I went for lunch and really liked the food. I got a Greek salad and my friend got a shawerma wrap that he liked. We sat outside and it was very nice. I went back for dinner and wasn't as thrilled. We sat outside again which was nice- there was a heat lamp, but it was still a bit cold. The dinner menu was really limited. I ordered a pizza, and then was told that they don't make pizza at night- only vegan pizza. The cheapest vegan pizza is $17 and... well... its vegan... ick. Instead I ordered the special of the day- ravioli w/ a tomato cream sauce and chicken. It was quite good. The bread they bring to the table is not so good... it's pita w/ all these spices on it.... very crunchy. I would prefer just plain bread that's good quality. Service was excellent. Both times I went it was very empty though. I wish them luck. They have a really cool looking giant rose sculpture outside.
Why didn't I come here before? I think it has a lot to do with the location, with the currently stalled flow of upscale down Hillhurst. The last few blocks before Hollywood Blvd. still has more in common with the area further south. That is to say, for a Los Felizer, this doesn't feel like Los Feliz.
The Cap'n Cork across the street has done an excellent job of upscaling. They are now the finest liquor store in the area. The Desert Rose is another step in that direction but they are ahead of the curve. Sitting outside at the Desert Rose one can only imagine how insanely popular this would be in Santa Monica.
But enough about all that. I finally walked down the street without being lured in by The Vinoteca or Simply Thai. I was on a mission.
This is a very good restaurant. The menu was small and to the point (the point being a charming blend of Italian and North African). The wine list went to the high end but had solid, inexpensive "table wine" choices in all categories. I especially like the carafe idea. A bottle is usually too much for the wife and I. Prices seemed quite reasonable.
The waitress had that cheerful, intimate way so popular now. You may or may not like that; we find it acceptable. Her service, and that of her backup, was impeccable.
The food - Tabouleh salad was perfectly done, perhaps too heavy on the parsley. Baked Brie was excellent, with a perfect amount of crustiness. Linguine with Sirloin...yeah, this totally worked for me.
I wanted a whiskey for desert and my waitress tried to come back to me with a list but could only remember a few. I went with her back to the bar and found a good selection, pointed out the bottle, and got a Highland Park 18 in a very proper snifter.
So all good, except the location. I couldn't forget what corner I was on. That will improve over time, though. Overall, highly recommended.
While Desert Rose has the ideal location and even a separate vegan menu...it is WAY overpriced. That is why I only gave it 3 stars. The food tasted deliciuous, I had a vegan portabello panini with Daiyo cheese. It came with a green salad (just lettuce) and I chose sweet potato fries for an extra dollar making my sandwich lunch cost $15!!! That was not counting a drink. The service was VERY friendly but a little slow on getting drinks to us. If they had been a little quicker they would've had an even bigger sale. Also, if you're going to try to appease the vegan crowd...add some vegan desserts and vegan brunch items!! Then I'd come back for other mealtimes! Desert Rose is good to go to for a special treat for your tummy and a little regret for your bankers!
So far so good. Easily becoming one of my favorite Los Feliz restaurants.
Food (quality, presentation, taste): Excellent
Coffee: Excellent
Wait Staff Service (servers, bussers, etc): Excellent to Good
Host (aka Management): Impressed me the second time around
Ambiance: Good
Music: Yes; excellent flamenco guitarist. CDs available for sale
Price: $$ on a scale of $$$$$
What We've Had: Mushroom Bisque w/ poached egg garnished with chili oil, Truffle Fries w/ Gruyere garnished w/ chives, Vegetarian Benedict, Beef Carpaccio with caper berries, Grilled Portabella Sandwich...
Every plate was a pleasant surprise and beautifully presented. Desert Rose introduced me to caper berries and I have been buying a jar where I can find them ever since.
Side Notes: the restaurant catered to a film crew of over 20 people dining on the patio and the orders seemed to be executed smoothly, so I'd say this is a good place for a large group as well. The FOH staff is dependable, though you might find yourself asking for your check 20 minutes after you were ready to leave, depending on who is serving you. Otherwise, enjoy the leisurely no pressure dining experience. The chefs looked happy and relaxed from my view of the open window kitchen which I find enhances the taste, presentation and overall experience of eating. Desert Rose has consistently delivering an overall enjoyable experience that invites our return.
i love this place! after 10, count em, TEN hours of moving, my boyfriend and i decided that we needed a treat. we wanted to try somewhere new and walked by desert rose after parking close to Home. we figured we could always walk back if the menu didn't call to us. but oh did it. we stayed. i just wish that we were not so gross and grungy from moving all day, but no one cared. thanks.
i love their cucumber martini...get it with hendrick's and ask them to muddle some cucumbers. they also have a great caper berry gin martini. yum.
dinner is great, but i find it's easy enough to just order a few starters and salads to keep you satisfied. the hummus, gruyere truffle fries and edamame salad are all on my list. it's nicest at sunset.
I've been twice, first time right after they opened. The service was dismal, but I chalked it up to opening jitters. So bad in fact, that they had to comp my meal (to my benefit of course) as they couldn't figure how to remove an item from my bill that they incorrectly charged me for and I literally had to wait over 20 mins while they tried to figure it out. But the food was really good, a very decent breakfast indeed so I figured I'd eventually go back.
I recently went, many months later. Food still very good, but service again, was terrible. The waiter we had seemed like he was about to fall asleep, just couldn't tell if he was understanding what we ordered. And sure enough, many of our meals were not complete. Two breakfasts did not have the toast with it, had to track him down and get it more than half way into the meal. My eggs were not cooked as I had asked, so they took the plate back and re-did. When the plate came back, the tofu that had been on the original one, was now gone. When I asked waiter, he looked at me like he had no idea it should be there. He does bring me some on a different plate, but it was half the amount originally.
Will I go back and give it another shot? time will tell. At least the food seems to be of good quality. Can only hope I'll luck out with decent service sometime and have a good experience.
Bartenders are great. Good drinks.
I didn't eat, but everything looked good.
Owners are terrible micromanagers.
Totally empty. They need to advertise.
Went to this lovely establishment for brunch today with my friend. She was able to select a nice brunch option from their varied menu. I knew that they had a separate vegan menu so I asked for that. There were no vegan brunch items but there was a nice selection of vegan apps, salads, pizza and sandwiches. I really enjoyed my portobello and vegan cheese panini. The sandwich ($14) was quite large and full of juicy flavor and came with fries and a salad. The service was very good, the outdoor patio quite large and shaded by a multitude of umbrellas. Would love to go back and try more food and maybe have a glass of wine or two!
Neighborhood: Glendale
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz
Category: Latin American
Neighborhood: Griffith Park/Los Feliz
Category: Pizza
I spent my first 6 years in LA in this area.…
screw u, west side! and ur beaches and upscale,…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My fave happy hours are a combo of food and booze…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
