Father's Office
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.
Fri-Sun 12:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
69 Reviews for Father's Office
I am really not about:
Lines, bouncers, long lines, bouncers, restriction of choice.....Im the type of guy that likes some flexibility. FO is just taking the soup nazi approach a little too far for me...I mean really is it fun and relaxing hunting people down for a table?
Burger great - beer good...just not my scene.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (2)
This place is alright. The food is alright. The beer I just couldnt get into. I tried a few. I ended up going with 1 i knew about, but wasnt my fav. The bartenders were cool. They just need more of them. I think this place is a bit to expensive. I dont see myself going back. My boyfriend didnt like it either.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (3)
Douche Burger Club Du Jour
I think FO bought space to be on the front page of Yelp.com this week. If the marketing team or owners actually read these reviews, I don't think they would be so eager for the prime front page real estate.
Let me explain my experience here....
1. What I saw: A large party was already inside. A single member of the party just arrived and wanted to go inside to join the rest of their already seated friends. What's that the bouncer says? You have to STAND IN LINE just to get inside and join your friends? Wait... aren't those women just walking in? Oh... you're saying that they left to go smoke? Um.... from across the street at the parking lot? Right.............
2. What I experienced: After standing IN LINE (still, wtf?!?) with a friend, we got inside. Since this is larger than the SM location, I was expecting a lot more seating and the people in side to be comparable to the seating availability. NO! Not only was "every seat taken", but 3 minutes after ordering, my food came out. I'm holding a beer, a cart of fries, and for the first time in my life, I'm livid that the waitstaff is now standing there with my burger and I'm without a place to sit. The second that I get mad at a place for speedy service is a situation that I never want to be in again.
The last straw? Having a member of the wait staff say that the only place to eat is standing up and placing my food on the side of a booth ledge! After standing in line to get in!
Welcome to the elitist Burger Club from Hell.
We eventually found a space to sit, sharing a space (which you're supposed to do, duh people) with a nice couple. But, overall, this place and these people need to take the proverbial stick out their asses.
The Facts:
1. The beer on tap is almost the same as the SM location.
2. The people here are more stuck up, trendy LA than the SM location
3. It has a damn bouncer, a rope and a line longer than the SM location.
4. I'm over 18 and not in college. Therefore, I am not interested in hustling for a table space from pretentious table hogs with my hands full of $25 of food and beer.
5. See number 4.
It reeks of burger elitism. The SM location, abet smaller and not near the Jazz Bakery, the people are friendlier, a better vibe, UNDERSTAND THE FACT THAT YOU NEED TO SHARE TABLE SPACE and is a lot more interesting.
I will try NEVER to come to this location again. Not worth the $12 for the burger, $5 for the al la carte (they come in a cart - the irony is flaunted in your face) and a $8 glass of peach beer.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
3.5 stars
Got here around 6 PM. Scoped the place (which is significantly larger than the SM location) for about 5-10 minutes but couldn't find a table. I sent the hubby to ask people to scoot over outside (I didn't feel like schmoozing tonight) and I ordered dinner. This location works just like the one on Montana. Order at the bar, grab a number, and pray and hunt for a table. It's really ridiculous what we grown adults do for a fancy-ass burger and 100 (not really) different beers on tap.
The burgers were cooked incorrectly. I asked for mine medium well but it was cooked well the whole way through. My husband ordered medium and it was medium well. I just think this place isn't worth the trouble. The sweet potato fries are delish (.5 star ) but I can find comparable ones at Vegetarian Grill or The Counter.
Oh! I gave a star for the cool communal sinks. I love this..you can see everyone wallking out of the bathrooms and make sure they wash their hands!
Another star for the free parking lot. So much easier than Montana!
The last star for the name of their mobile Father's Office Truck (a la In N Out).. MOFO!!! I LOVE IT!
So all in all, go for the experience, just to say you tried the Burger Nazi's F.O. and then drive yourself over to??? Hmm... can't say I've found my favorite burger place in LA yet...
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
I have never been to the Santa Monica location because I heard of the long lines and parking in that part of town is challenging. This new location is walking distance to where I live, although both times I did drive there. I've read and heard about FO for over a year and was anxiously awaiting when they would finally open their Culver City location, just so I could finally taste what all the fuss was about.
Lets go right to the important stuff: burgers and beer. I don't drink beer or alcoholic beverages, so I can't comment on their wide selection of beer offerings. I do love a good burger and while it is a pricey burger at $12.50, I still like the taste and texture of the hamburger. I don't crave for ketchup when eating this burger either. When you say 'rare', the meat really is rare (unlike most restaurants which overcook meat to be on the safe side), so I order medium rare instead. I've noticed that usually one side of the hamburger has more cheese flavor on it, so maybe the cheese slides towards one side during preparation. So now I have a local place to go to when I crave burgers.
I have taken my older brother and bf with me on separate occasions. they both prefer the shoe string frites over the sweet potato fries. I like the sweet potato fries. They also like the diet Cane Soda that FO offers. I don't drink diet drinks, but I love the Mexican Coke they offer, since its made with real sugar instead of corn syrup.
The ambiance is like a modern bar. A little homey but definitely with a modern vibe, especially the shared open washroom from both genders. I don't mind going up to the bartender to place my order, but I don't like the challenge of finding a table. I think the line manager lets in too many people during the busy periods, forcing people to try a find a spot to sit in. Or maybe they do this purposely, so that people are forced to interact with (gasp!) total strangers. Luckily, both times I have visited, the people we shared a table with were very friendly and nice to talk to. I do get irked when a group of 4 hogs up a table that's meant to seat 6. That's just plain rude and selfish. If you don't want to interact with strangers, then go to a restaurant with reserved seating.
People are complaining about the prices, btu I am glad that it is pricey. If they charged less for their food, then there would even be more people and longer lines. It also prevents me from visiting this place too often because that would be devastating to my waistline. So like the nearby Honey's Kettle, this place is best to visit in moderation.
The wait can get long during dinner time, but if you want a shorter wait, then come by for lunch, especially on weekends. Parking is plentiful, especially across Venice Blvd.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Cool (2)
I liked F.O. but I can't fully support an establishment that tries to convey an "old school" vibe but also has a rope and line at the door. (One star off for that).
I get it. There's been so much hype about the montana blvd location that they've got to regulate the crowd. Though it's probably necessary, it just seems wrong. The cognitive dissonance involved with trying to hold the concepts of "neighborhoody bar" and "douchy club" in my head at the same time is, well, just too much.
Is any of that really important? Probably not. It's all about the burger and, as advertised, it kicked ass. Cooked to perfection and, hey, it actually tasted like meat. The whole "no ketchup" rule is a bit Soup Nazi but you can understand the rationale when you take a bite of this bad boy. It's very, very good sans ketchup.
What else? The bartenders and door guys were friendly. The space is beautiful and airy. The music selection was decent.
After washing my burger down with some Arrogant Bastard brew (7.2 alcohol) I began to reconsider my initial dislike of the slickness.
It's not exactly my scene but that burger was definitely worthy.
Check it out. (Off-peak).
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Cool (1)
I've always liked the original Father's Office but it had 3 things that always kept me from loving it: the crowd - Westside yuppie types, the hassle - having to fight for a table / waiting to get in & distance - I live far, far away. This improved greatly for me in all 3 categories.
It's roughly 3 times the size of the SM location with one long room almost entirely open to the outside. There's an outdoor patio that increases the size even more. The bar runs along the length of the room with the taps behind it. There are 72 taps in total BUT each is duplicated, so actually there are only 36 draught beers available. The beer selection, while quite good, is a bit more pedestrian than the other one. Nothing really stands out as something you couldn't find elsewhere. That said, there's plenty there to enjoy.
The food is exceptional. The sweet potatoe fries with bleu cheese are unbelievable. Of course, they are known for their hamburger and that will not disappoint. Love it. It's worth looking into some of their other dishes as well as everything I've tried has been extremely tasty. I kinda went with what I know, so I didn't ask for any pairings; but I guess each dish has a corresponding beer to go with it.
Unlike the previous location, this one has a full liquor license. With that they have an impressive selection of spirits much in the way they pick particular beer. I saw someone order a a drink that came with a dropper full of liquid - a bit pretentious, yes. With all the good beers though, I didn't feel any need to go into the liquor section.
Again, you pay for what you get. A tulip of Delirium Tremens is $8. The food isn't cheap either.
The location is dangerously close to my office, so I'm hoping they will remain open only a few days for lunch so I don't become a poor man.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
WOW, the line! and i'm not impressed...i had such HIIIIIIIGGGGHHHH hopes, like high apple pie in the SSSKKKKKKYYYY HOPES! and it just didn't live up to the hype i've heard for years about father's office :(
dare i say it??.... the burger was just...aw-ight.
open seating is not that great (especially when you don't care for the crowd), the beer selection is good, the sweet potatoe fries are DA BOMB, but that's about it.
i so sad, i don't think i'll go back :[
I never bothered with the original Father's Office after hearing about the wait. It's just beer and a burger, I thought. Well, now in the safety of the new and actually accessible F.O., I can say I get it. Why so many people would pay $12.50 for a burger, why sweet potato fries are so much tastier than their plain brethren, and even though I refused to visit until a less crowded version emerged, maybe even why people would wait half an hour for a table.
It's a bar first, so as for the drinks, I loved all of the beers that I tried. Their Craftsman Hefeweizen was light and fruity and a perfect set up to my dinner. The Great White Ale was similarly light and refreshing and I finally got to try Delirium Tremens (thanks Shauna!), served in a glass covered in cute little pink elephants. At $6 the beer was reasonable.
The food was delicious! I haven't bothered with burgers and fries in at least 6 months because it's just not my thing, but this baby sucked me in. The meat was juicy, the cheeses perfectly complimentary, the bacon (which I am not crazy about) not overpowering, and the overall combination of flavors so good I devoured the whole thing. The fries weren't greasy but a mixture of crispy and soft. Thank goodness they got cold or I would have probably eaten the whole cute little shopping cart full.
I was also impressed with the overall look and vibe of the place. It was fairly sleek and minimal but not cold, thanks to the use of lots of wood. Bathrooms have unisex sinks and are labeled 'daughters' and 'sons.' The bartenders were also surprisingly friendly and quick to help us.
Crap, now I want another burger. Guess I finally understand why they needed this second location...
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (5)
Cool (7)
"I hope this burger lives up to my expectations."
So yes, I've been to the Santa Monica location and thought it was the greatest burger ever. I have been looking forward to the Culver City location for what seems like years.
When it finally opened, I plotted when I could get over there. Luckily for me, Ruth L asked me if I wanted to go and of course I did! We were joined by Ayelet I and her boyfriend.
Parking is a breeze as they have lots. I do wonder about the 2-hour limit but no one seemed to care much. Well, except for some shady guy I saw telling someone he was the parking attendant and needed some money but the driver ignored him and the "parking attendant" jumped in a car and took off. Odd.
I had heard FO2 was either massively busy or "dead" according to some drunk guy I met at a bar. Note to self, never trust drunk guys you meet at bars. We didn't have to wait in line and managed to score a table in the "private room" as the bartender later told me it was called.
It's definitely a lot larger, organized, cleaner and nicer than the original location. But what about the burger?
Weeeeeelllll, I liked the SaMo location better. FO2 has only been opened 3 weeks so I'll definitely be back to try it out again. My burger on Tuesday night was a little bit too done for me. I asked for it medium and it was pretty much cooked all the way except for one really bright red spot in the middle. The patty seemed a bit thinner than what I remembered and the arugula wasn't as neatly placed in the bun. But! I still loved the sweet onions. Mmm, onions.
Oh, and I ordered a glass of Delirium which knocked me on my ass as I rarely drink beer. Aww, but how could I pass up the glass with little pink elephants all over it?
But because of all the other pluses, I'm giving this place 4 stars. The sweet potato fries definitely rocked though. And I must admit we may have foolishly ordered way too many shopping carts full of 'em. Oh well, gimme more of those perfectly crispy sweet tater fries!
Service was pretty good. Yes, you order at the bar and then wait for your order at the table but bussers were coming by sweeping for empty glasses and plates constantly. Sitting in the back room reminded me of a really modern log cabin. I felt like I was in Colorado again. There was a flat screen TV in that room which was distracting but probably not as distracting to me as the vegetarian sitting at the next table and was picking at a bowl of "something." I think she even had water!
Um, yes, this place is good for people who love burgers and beer. Go!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (7)
Funny (5)
Cool (8)
I've been a *big* fan of Father's Office in Santa Monica for a while, so naturally I was pretty excited when I heard about F.O. 2.0 in Culver City (although a new location on the EAST side would have made a hell of a lot more sense). Their beer selection and burgers really are as good as everyone raves about. But since that's all anyone raves about, I'm not going to say much more here.
What I will say here is that the new location is in dire need of a hostess and an actual seating system. When you have a tiny hole-in-the-wall of a restaurant/bar (like F.O. Santa Monica), the free-for-all laissez-faire seating policy makes sense. But when you have a HUGE outdoor seating area as well as an enormous bar/table setup inside (like they do at F.O. Culver City), it only serves to aggravate people who must wait in a huge line just to get inside where they have to wait again to place an order, followed by (yup) MORE waiting to find a place to sit and enjoy their order.
But, that's assuming you actually make it inside. Take this following example of my recent experience under serious consideration before you go- I will NEVER go back to their Culver City location again, and I'm seriously considering a company-wide ban despite my love for their burgers/beer.
My girlfriend and I showed up, waited in the long line for about a half hour while our friend was on her way to meet us. We got towards the front of the line and she still hadn't made it, so we let a bunch of other folks go ahead of us. After a few minutes, our friend showed up, but the arrogant prick of a manager (a skinny bald guy with no tact, no class, and no soul) would not let her join us in line. He then informed us that the three of us would have to go to the back of the line if we wanted in, since our party wasn't all there together. "It just wouldn't be fair to all the people in line." WE ARE THE PEOPLE IN LINE you moron. We even offered to ask permission from everyone behind us, and at one point even got them all to raise their thumbs-up in agreement so that our friend could join us at the front, but to no avail. This jerk wouldn't budge, and I won't either on my decision not to ever again give them my money.
I should also mention that we then drove a half-mile down Culver Blvd in search of another (better) gastropub and found Ford's Filling Station, which had a better beer selection, an equally amazing pub burger, and some of the nicest, fastest service I've ever experienced. And all without a reservation. So take note Father- don't screw with hungry folks, or we'll smear you on the internet.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
(3.5) i was excited about FO because of all the hype it got from the santa monica location. in my mind, i'm thinking YES, i FINALLY get to try FO because 2 locations must mean more room SOMEWHERE for me. tackling the santa monica one seemed like an uphill battle; i shall not fight for food unless there's a famine and i need to battle for the last loaf of bread at ralphs because my hungry family is waiting for me at home.
hype is a funny thing. i think my expectations for their food was at a 10 but my tastebuds gave me another number when i actually ate my office burger. maybe i'm just use to a particular kind of burger (and NO, i don't just eat at mcdonalds. i eat burgers everywhere i go). who knows because i was unimpressed with the burger i got. the sweet potatoe fries were another story though. DANG...how many of those can i stuff in my mouth at once?! they were delicious and though i might have clogged my arteries by dipping them in the mayo concoction that comes with their fries, the semi-heart attack may well be worth it once you taste that sweet, crunchy bliss. oh so good. they had a variety of beers and i picked a "fruity" one....yes, that's the extent of my beer knowledge.
my meal turned out to be about $28 with tip included. i thought the price was too much for an alright burger even if the sweet potatoe fries were yummy. i will definitely give FO another try before i make my final verdict...but for now, 3.5 it is.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
Overall, my experience was very nice. It wasn't too crowded on Saturday afternoon. We got in right away, ordered promptly and found room at a table. We enjoyed the lovely weather and our beers while waiting for the food. As other reviewers have mentioned, a medium cooked burger is more like medium rare. Next time, I'll get well done. And the cheese was barely noticeable. We shared the sweet potato fries, which are delish. Although there's no ketchup, you are served a small container of white sauce that tasted like a combination of ranch and horseradish sauce. Sounds gross, but it works.
The bathroom set up must be mentioned! They are labeled Sons and Daughters, and only contain the toilet stalls. Gorgeous subway tiles on the walls. Sink and mirrors are communal, in between the restrooms. I enjoy this arrangement, because you can see if your date washes their hands. Also: gorgeous red tile behind the sinks.
I ordered the burger, sweet potato fries and a cider. Total was $25. I wasn't sure about the tipping protocol, so I tipped both the bartender and the bussers.
Perrrrrrty good!
Had to wait about 40 min for a table seating 7 at 7pm on Wednesday. I chalked it up to people's needs for a humpday burger-n-beer pick me up.
Once inside - hooray! The interior is cozy, the room is buzzin with laughter and conversation. And the playoffs are on the tube! Yes! I pick myself a delicious belgium brew, order, and our party grabs a table. We squuueeeeze our butts into a table that would comfortably fit 4.
The thai mussels - PREEEETTY GOOD! Small lil things, not the spiciest or most complex thai flavor in the sauce, but mussels go GREAT with beer. Especially spicy or fruity ales. Everyone at my table was scared of them (could it have been because I was the only asian of the group? maybe) - I slurped the whole bowl down solo. Very enjoyable - I recommend it!
The oatmeal stout ribs - they were pretty good. The rib meat was VERY moist and tender, but the sauce it was cooked in still had too much of an acidic beer taste on them, no smokiness. Helped me gulp down my delicious Stout beer a lil faster though, so that's good.
I still don't enjoy the burger. The sweet potato fries were soggy. The goat cheese gratin was MEH. :-/
But you can't go wrong with the delicious beers here and the upbeat vibe. The bartenders are super cool and bus boys will keep your table free of clutter. Pretty pretty good!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
I've never been to the original place, so didn't know anything about it. My friend suggested we meet up for dinner here. He said it was no reservations and first come first serve which I really didn't understand until I got there and ended up eating dinner standing up at the bar. My only complaint. You seat yourself wherever and whenever there is room. So basically you spend half your time looking around and trying to find something or you're standing next to someone's table waiting for them to be finished..how awkward. So anyways, the place is really super cute, alot of wood, dim atmostphere, really cozy, outside picnic style seats....I liked it alot...and lots of beer and wine (even wine on tap!!) to choose from...the menu is fairly small, so we both ordered the FO burger and sweet potato fries to share. I would definitely enjoyed my food alot more if I wasn't standing and eating...argh, because it was so damn crowded...but the burger was really REALLY good...fat meat patty, juicy and loove the fries, came in this cute little metal shopping cart. I had a glass of wine too. Good crowd, good food, good place to go after work and hang out.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
They didn't let me special order my burger. What if I don't want the caramelized onions? What if I'm allergic to them? What if I'm paying 12.50 for a damn burger and you're telling me I can't get it without onions?
Madness.
Okay, so, I pay 12.50 for the burger and opt to pay the extra 2.00 for the slim fries. Sweet.
Me: "Can I get some ketchup for these fries?"
Snooty looking waiter, who is a boy, so he shouldn't look that snooty: "We don't have ketchup here."
Go to hell, Father's Office. Go to hell.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (4)
Funny (4)
Cool (3)
i didn't think it was possible to find a better burger than in and out in so cal. the office burger melts in your mouth. it has the right amount of juicyness to the burger & toastyness to the bun. very good selection of beers as well. this place smokes apple pan. ketchup is not an offering there and you will see why.
negatives
no waiters, you only can order at the bar
seating - everyman for yourself, first come first serve
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
By process of thousands of years of evolution, I'm not the hunter-gatherer type. I don't really enjoy entering an establishment and then having to scope out my table, elbowing other patrons out of my way (instead of clawing them, of course). Every woman for herself, survival of the fittest -- that's the way of Father's Office.
Luckily I have some friends who don't mind such a situation, and they speared us a nook in the back room. We then clamored at the bar to order, gathering our own beverages, too. What the heck is the appeal here? You had to wonder.
At first bite, however, a bit of redemption; I loved the sweet potato fries, and the staff/owner can certainly boast to having a unique burger (the caramelized onions sell it, in my opinion). I'd have to agree with Joshua V. on the ketchup issue, though. I mean really, at what point did requesting ketchup warrant a snub at any LA eatery? Pardon me for being so gauche.
In the end, I'm glad I finally tried the infamous Father's Office burger, but seriously? This is no casual bar. Why go to such great lengths to hide that it's really a hip restaurant with an extensive beer list? Organize the seating issue and get some darn Heinz in there and I'd be a happier yelper.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
I finally went to Father's Office. I heard about the location in Santa Monica, but never been. I had no idea what to expect. I knew that I was hungry and I wanted a juicy burger with good fries. So me and my BF go to the Culver location. Parking was easy. Then we had to stand in line like going into a night club but with no VIP. I thought that was off. So we get inside and figure out that we have to find our own table and order everything from the bar. It was annoying since I've never been to an establishment that runs like FO. Anywho, we were eyeing for a table, slowly going back and forth and looking for peeps that were about finish and ready to go. Luckily we grabbed an inside table since it was a bit cold. We ordered our food and drinks from the bar. I realized at this point you couldn't personalize your burger like the Counter. I was craving a meat patty so I ordered the burger, skinny and sweet potato fries. We had two drinks, I wanted a cab, but they didn't have it, so I had another red wine the bartender suggested which cost $13 a glass and my BF had beer for $6 bucks. The food is good but a little pricey for what it is. I didn't think I was gonna spend that much for a burger dinner.
Would I go back? Well I would go back to hang with friends and have drinks and apps. When I have my next craving for a burger, I would go elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, the burger was delicious, but I like to have options when it comes to ordering a juicy burger.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Cool (1)
This place is overhyped and over priced and the place is too cheap to hire enough staff. My steak salad was okay and our fries tipped over in that stupid cart thing so I couldn't try them. I paid more than $60 for two and had to fight for seats. Ridiculous. There weren't even burgers available when we went to the "soft" opening.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Psyched about FO2 finally opening... just a slight detour on the way home making for an enjoyable way to ditch rush hour traffic.
72 taps mirrored with 36 types of beer. More in bottles. And they have some cocktail options although no vodka is available.
Menu is the same, again, I'll never give this place a perfect score as long as they insist on serving their burger one way and one way only. That ain't right.
Great, well trained staff, with excellent knowledge of the oh-so-tasty brews. Best selection of Craftsman brews in the area.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Father's Office only has one burger...but DAMN, it's good!! And I like how they don't accept customizations on their FO burger - it gives it character. The meat is cooked very well and it goes great with the bread and sauce. The sweet potatoe fries are also bomb diggity, but in my opinion the fries are a little on the expensive side.
The beer selection is also very good...they have a lot of good beers on tap, but I wish they brewed their own beer!
I got a good vibe from FO...very warm, comforting, but also trendy. It has a very modern look/feel to it. Only main problem is the lack of seating...
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
The new location is much more spacious and has a nice outdoor seating area with overhead heat lamps! Hopefully this will lighten up the load on the Santa Monica location.. now on to the food...
After being a loyal fan of the Father's Office burger, the other menu items beckoned, but they could not compete... We had the duck with salad, ribs, sweet potato fries, and burger. The salad was ok, but the duck was flavorless. The ribs were disappointing as well; dry and a mediocre sauce... The sweet potato fries and burger were spot on as usual. Lesson learned, no need to stray again.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
You gotta love this location. more parkings and especially more tables. there are around 10 tables at the patio, and some can sit up to 8 ppls. They also have heat lamp installed above your head, so it will keep you nice and warm at this weather.
The space provided a lot more room for people to walk and order. You order at the bar, and the waiter will deliver your food to your table. You gotta love their sweet potato fries and burger.
I will suggest you to arrive and be ready to wait in line for a bit during dinner time. I know it's a LA thing, but it's better than pack with people and can't walk. I will come here for often to chill and get a beer.
There is really no point in me reviewing FO on Helms as it is nearly identical to FO in Santa Monica, but there are a few significant differences that warrant a second shout out!
1. WAY more tables and outdoor seating can't possibly hurt. I love the heaters, and appreciate that there is a space for a private party.
2. Parking is actually easier, if you can believe it!
3. The sweet potato fries are cut ever so slightly thicker.
Those things aside, I think I still prefer the original. Though let it be said that FO2 will always hold a special place in my heart because of my first visit. Picture out-of-town NYC friend, pushing aside another patron, diving into a seat, planting her body and purse firmly at the table and proclaiming "I'm here" loudly. In only the way a NYC gal can do... we claimed our space.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (3)
Cool (3)
Whoa! Where did this place come from? Obviously heaven! OMFG! A great friend of mine told me about it and after they picked me up on Saturday (from the repair shop bcz I had 2 flat tires!) they took me to the 'office.'
This place was just great. Simple, clean and great food. It was packed at 2:30p and getting busier.
I ordered the cheese plate, side of the fries, burger, beet salad and the Thai salad.....don't worry, there was not just 2 of us there!
The burger is amazing. It was so simple and so refined. Great flavors with the caramelized onions and Gruyere (I think) cheese. The cheese plate had a great walnut honey mixture thing going on and was presented very nicely.
This is the go to place for a casual, quality beer drinking afternoon with some friends.
We did not eat because we were pressed for time, but our bartender (Larry) was incredibly well-informed and helpful. He poured us two excellent lagers (1903 and Scrimshaw) and was able to answer all of our semi-inebriated, pain-in-the-ass questions about what, exactly is in a Negroni, etc. I have had the food at the other location and it looked to be the same (the best burger in LA, in my opinion). The decor is a pleasing, masculine, minimalistic style with great warm wood and the bar is wonderful. It was a completely full house, but it didn't feel cramped as the Montana location usually does. Love the patio as well.
I work right around the corner, and go to the Jazz Bakery a lot (right next door to FO2), so I'm looking forward to a stream of fine whiskey and cold beer to preclude the upcoming shows. Glad to have a great bar like FO2 finally arrive.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Funny (1)
Cool (1)
More seats + Outdoor tables + More diverse crowd + Best burger in town = 5 stars
Dumbfounding bouncer + line = -1 and only in LA
POSITIVES:
- Close to work, when I want a lil liquid stress reduction
- Heaters installed overhead outside, perfect for human barbecuing
- Washing your hands next to the opposite sex is titillating fun!
- French fries served in mini shopping carts; so much fun to drive off the table when finished with contents
- Woodchuck on tap (and a billion other things, too)
- Did I mention proximity to work?
NEGATIVES
- Actual line formed after we were in, filled with actual adults, manned by an actual bouncer
- I have a gluten allergy and was treated as a filthy peasant girl when I asked them to just skip the whole bun on the burger thing. Filthy peasant girl! How dare I!
- Guy who sat next to us and, within earshot, said: "I'd like to spread her butt cheeks across my face."
- There are only chairs on ONE side of the table. The other side is apparently just for looks. OR they're really accommodating for people in wheelchairs, in which case, I suppose that can be moved up to the "Positives" list
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (3)
Funny (6)
Cool (1)
These burgers are not my thing, but I ordered some muscles and they were great. Would I go there again? Probably not unless someone made me. Or if I wasn't hungry because it is not an enjoyable process to get your food here and find a place to eat it, and then go back to the bar again if you want something else. They aren't worried about it though. the place is packed. The novelty seems to be sucking the life out of all the restaurants around it.
One of the things that sucks people into this place is the cool sign. The arrow on it with the star was built and designed by my father at his office in the 1960s coincidentally, Conrad Escalante. He owned a company called Superior Signs in Long Beach and that particular model was one of his hallmarks in the atomic age. It's called the "Astro--Star" and hipsters are finally giving it it's due.
I think they may have even had someone mold a replica to make this new one they got.
For what it's worth, my wife liked her burger but it was too fancy for me. The fries were awesome though. I hear they don't serve Ketchup but these fries are so good, you could do without the ketchup fatty. As for the beers, I ordered a Japanese ale on tap and it was excellent.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (3)
Cool (6)
Okay, I'll start this review by saying that I'm petitioning to get the 1st handed to me instead of one of the two ahead.
Father's office is officially open. And what a wonderful change from the original.
I have to say the free parking and the much more ample space make this a home run. Soo much better than the other location. Same great atmosphere, same great beer, same great food. But I have to say a cooler and younger crowd.
The heaters on the patio make all the difference. Food was a little slow but the anticpation of trying to hunt down a table suppressed any anger over that.
I still think that there system of ordering food and scoping a table is going to be a problem as this place gets crazy.
Also I can't believe I saw so many grown ass people waiting in line outside.
All in all a great addition to the culver city bar scene.
Woo hoo Father's office! Now give me lots of props so i can get my 1st 1st!!!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (8)
Funny (6)
Cool (4)
First time ever at FO...while the burger is as advertised, it was surprisingly small in size. The beer selection is awesome, and from everything I hear this is infinitely better than the other location in regards to size and overall fit.
Funny thing, a line, yet it wasn't crowded at all inside, what gives? Trying to make it a Hollywood club?!? Busy outside empty inside? Go figure.
This bar is great!! A buddy brought us here to try their burgers. He made it sound great.
So we gobbled those burgers up...
The fries are super thin and delicous. The sweet potato fries were also good. They came in a shopping cart (sweet potate fries a la carte) get it? shopping cart? I didn't, but cute nevertheless. shopping cart, father's office? is there a correlation?
Lucky my buddy is a pimp and explained that this place was a self-serving bar. No service at the table except the bus boys to pick up after us. Luckily the girls decided to take the ends, and I hate sitting on the inside, but it was actually a good thing. They substituted as waitresses. buwwhahaha
"Get me a beer... more fries... etc... etc... etc..."
I'm not fond of alcohol. My mommie said's it's hell's water so I shouldn't drink it, but daayaammm!
I loved Linden's Peche Lambic Belgium drink.
If' you're a chick or a man who is not shy to like fruity drinks... this is the bomb. tasted like a carbonated fruit drink rather an alcoholic beverage
I give this place 5 stars cause I'm craving that belgium beer. Great place to take a girl and have her order this. Get her plastered and take her home....
j/k
n-e-wayz...
3 - average
4 - would come back
5 - craving this place
My first 5 stars... all because of this Linden beer. Now if you have tried all the beers there and have been there and done that. I apologize for hyping this place up... but as a virgin drinker who knows nothing about alcohol...
I'm gonna search for this beer so I don't go broke from multiple visits. Now I know where to take my alcoholic friends.
Cheers!
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Funny (1)
The new setup is fantastic... and the staff polite.
Food good as usual.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Funny (1)
Cool (2)
Went here with some friends on Saturday at noon and there was already a line to get in. Turns out the line was so they could check I.D.'s before going in. After we found our own table, we ordered food and drinks at the bar.
We got a couple burgers, beet salad, sweet potato fries, sauteed mushrooms, warm duck confit salad and the cheese plate. Everything was delicious. And we washed it down with a carafe of dolcetta (didn't know you could have wine "on tap") which was tasty.
It's amusing that they don't allow substitutions and don't give ketchup, but that's their prerogative and demonstrates the confidence that they have in their menu, which is very short, but still very popular and validates the same.
I definitely like this place better than the original mostly due to the extra space and extra people to take your order, they also appear to have more beer and hard drinks. Also parking does not appear to be an issue at this location. Food is the same which is to say that it is amazing. I won't spend too much time on the burger and that horse has already been sufficiently beaten, but I would give it 6 stars. Tried the oatmeal stout ribs and they are unbelievable, we had with La Fin Du Monde which is a Belgium style Canadian Ale, outstanding combination. I will be back often.
Bookmark Send to a Friend Link to This Review
People thought this was:
Useful (2)
Cool (1)
0
9