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Melisse Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Restaurants French American (New), French [Edit]
1104 Wilshire BlvdSanta Monica, CA 90401
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
(310) 395-0881
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 6 pm - 9:30 pm
Fri-Sat 6 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Rena M. said: "Came here Friday night for dineLA. This restaurant is located at the Huntley Hotel at the top floor. The view is amazing. The entire restaurant is all windows so you have a beautiful view of the city no matter if you are in the…" read more »
414 reviews for Melisse Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Try their tasting menu, you will be in heaven."
(in 143 reviews)
"Lobster bolognese - with wine pairing."
(in 56 reviews)
"The seared foie gras was my absolute favorite."
(in 28 reviews)
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414 reviews in English
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Review from Jeremy S.
Milwaukee, WI
1/25/2012
I was looking for a seminal dining experience in Santa Monica and I got a reservation at Melisse hoping I would find it.
I specifically went for their Foie for All tasting menu and was not disappointed. The chef Josiah Citrin put this tasting together in response to the upcoming ban on the delicious fowl that is quickly approaching in California.
In addition to the food what made this an interesting and fun experience was that I was the first patron to order this menu. Consequently, the staff was intently interested in how it is served, what it entails and how it was paired. As I was dining alone it felt like I was sitting in the kitchen having dinner with the staff. Fantastic. I ordered the wine pairing and the Sommelier Brian came up and we discussed what his thoughts were, he asked if I could be his guinea pig experimenting with different pairings. He was looking for the perfect wines to enhance the the flavors the chef was to present and I was quite willing. Brian was interesting and and relaxed and became my companion on this culinary adventure. I appreciated his lack of pretension and enthusiasm for wine and food is something that is getting harder to find in fine dining.
Dinner began with the Foie Gras Cromesquis, rendered Foie Gras, frozen and then encased in a lovely batter and deep fried. The resulting concoction is a fritter with a hot melted Foie Gras center. This set the stage for what was a grand evening.
Highlights include:
Torchon and Crisp Foie Gras, I love crispy foie gras and lesser chefs tend to burn it, this was so crisp and light it was perfect paired with the bitter endive and celery. Delightful.
The Truffled Foie Gras with Chicken Oysters was fantastic with the best Consomme I have ever had complimented by a perfectly crisp oyster.
All of the courses were artfully prepared and presented and I found the experience I was looking for, the servers were all congenial and genuinely friendly especially my waiter Amber, Brian the sommelier, and the Chef/Owner Josiah Citrin.
The only negative I have is the decor, while it is well executed I found the decor to be a little cold and sterile.
Enjoy the experience.
Jeremy -
Review from jennifer n.
Fountain Valley, CA
1/19/2012
-1 star for the pretentious atmosphere.
my houston friends took me here for her birthday.
let's start with the pretentious atmosphere: the hostess or maybe maitre'd commented about our attire, too casual, but she still showed us to the table with a look.
to my delight, Ryan was our server. he was handsome and very accommodating, made us feel like home, well not home home, but comfortable. he picked three bottle of wines for us (1 red, white, and a moscato); they were great especially the red. oh, they do not have wine by the glasses, by the way.
before the meal, the chef sent our table 2 amuse. interesting yet interesting. i wouldn't order it if they were on the menu.
our table decided to go with the 4 course meal. i started with the duo foie gras terrine (cold). it was absolute amazing. buttery and melts-in-your -mouth good. thanks for the food orgasm i had with the foie gras, the pretentiousness of the place somewhat decimated. course 2, i bypassed my second course for another 1st course, this time it was the seared foie gras (hot). AMAZE-O_M_G balls! home run with that one! i was full and satified. yet here comes the 3rd course--venison cooked medium rare. i've never tasted any lean meat as such with delectable tenderness and flavor. touchdown. i over did myself. at this point, i was overly stuffed. i had a cheese plate for dessert, of which i didn't even touch. sad to have it taken away but i just couldn't eat anymore! ah, what a waste of CHEESE. and i love cheeeese.
all in all, i am a fan. Ryan, thank you for the experience.
(ps. we didn't have time coming from redondo beach for live uni and oysters, mind you, thus please excuse our appearance, ma'am).
4 people = ~$800 + ~$220 tip. -
Review from Ray B.
Torrance, CA
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
This became my favorite restaurant when we came in last year and did the Melisse 10. This year, we wanted to do it again and celebrate my birthday. Again we did the 10 course meal and were more prepared than we were the last time.
We were celebrating my birthday and Melisse had a nice card and chocolates set up at our table. They even had a seat for my wife's purse!
The amouse buche was amazing and set the tone for the entire meal. This year, most of the courses were different from what we had last year. However, I was delighted to have the Egg Caviar again, as this was my favorite thing on the menu. Each course was amazing, but I especially enjoyed the lamb dish and the egg caviar. Both deserts were awesome! I could go on and on, but since I'm writing this while at work, I will just say this place is completely a MUST DO for any foodies out there!!! -
Review from Taffy W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/8/2012
My boyfriend is probably better than yours. Sorry. He surprised me last night with dinner at Melisse!
I love upper crust dining. I pay attention to Michelin stars and ratings. I've never been to Melisse, but it's reputation preceded it. As soon as we pulled up and I saw the sign, I squealed like a 5 year old on Christmas!
So why 2 stars? First, you can't compare these types of restaurants to others. They are a league above typical LA restaurants. I place them a different scale than others. You get a Michelin star, or in the case of Melisse, you get two, it sets itself apart. And you pay for it, but usually it's worth the cabbage.
But I think Melisse has lost it's edge. Michelin hasn't been through LA since 2009, and maybe they should rethink Melisse when they come back. It lacks a lot of subtleties that similar establishments of this caliber must have: the caviar was mushy, the temperatures of the dishes were off, the courses weren't very well unified, they had two trainees (including a child in street clothes). The food was like a bunch of different flavors on a plate, not a single dish. The dessert lacked expertise (pudding and side of fruit? noobs). These features are forgivable in normal restaurants, but at a high end restaurant, it's just sloppy.
I encourage anybody who loves Melisse to try out Providence, which also has 2 Michelin stars. You will see an aura of perfection that Melisse lacks, giving it's well-deserved ranking some credibility. -
Review from Rosalie M.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2012
I came here for my birthday dinner and I have to say, I was skeptical at first. I'm not the type to just deem a place great by the mere fact that it's expensive and hoity-toity, but after trying the amuse-bouche (palette exciter), I got excited. I was a little disappointed that we got there late so the service was a bit rushed--so that's something to keep in mind when going to a four to 10 course dinner! Other than that though the food was phenomenal.
Each course was beautifully presented and tasted like heaven. I'll have to come back to this review once I remember the name of my fave dish, but until then I'm quite positive there's nothing from the chef's kitchen that would disappoint.
I would HIGHLY recommend Melisse if you are part of the 1%. -
Review from Nikki A.
Brea, CA
2/1/2012
As someone else also mentioned the atmosphere is very pretentious ..
We felt very uncomfortable .. The service was very attentive, they probably filled up our glasses three times in five minutes. We sat for a long time and no one came to get our order. Finally when we were asked for a drink we gave in our order. No one ever introduce himself/herself through out the night , nor did anyone explained any of different menu options to us.
The Chef sent out table two amuse, they were def good! interesting to say the least.. We got the ten course meal.
THE FOOD ITSELF WAS AMAZING.. the service I wasn't a big fan of.
I can't really do a comparison with Providence.. somehow I felt alot more comfortable at providence and their cheese cart was def better...
Here they treated us as second class citizens , not sure why, maybe the fact that we were two young ladies, wearing jeans
The staff was very knowledgeable to say the least which was pleasant. They did mess up in setting our plates and such few times.. which was fine.. Will I go there again? Probably not! I would go to Providence over Melisse simply because they made me feel better.. and food .. they were both very good.. just wish providence also had the caviar with egg .. OH MY .. AMAAZINNNG
I'M GIVING this a five star for the food mainly -
Review from Andrew F.
Ann Arbor, MI
Updated - 1/6/2012
[For the full review with pictures, see the link to my blog on my profile.]
This was our third time doing the Carte Blanche, and it was the best one yet.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/22/2011
[For the full review with pictures, see the link to my blog on my profile.]
This was my fourth meal… Read more »
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Review from Sonia T.
12/15/2011
WOW! BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE!
My husband took me here for my birthday and every little bit of it was amazing!
From the moment we walked it, we were treated like VIP's. The hostess took and hung my coat, no number needed, boom.
Our table was fine and I must say that as we looked around we decided that every table was a good table - but if you have a large party you should sit under the giant chandelier.
Also, they have a little pedestal for your purse! Ive never seen that before! It was fabulous! I hate putting my purse on the ground or cramping it behind me in my seat. Amazing!
Since it was my birthday I of course order some champagne and they wheeled over a cart with all the champagnes.
And of course they had an amuse bouche, love!
We both had the 5 course menu, I added lobster and foie gras =) I guess I wont go into detail, Im sure its been done, it needless to say, everything was amazing. A delight for the senses and eyes! Even my husband, who typically hates these fancy, small portions places was entertained and even left full after the meal.
The service was like an incredible choreographed dance, the waitstaff would bring your food and clear the plates at the same time.
The sommelier was fantastic as well, its not often that you say that because when does a sommelier ever stand out? But this guy did!
We brought a special bottle of wine with us and he informed us that corkage ($30) is waived if you buy a second a bottle and recommended a $30 half bottle of white, what a great deal! Also, the bottle he recommended was out so we got a more expensive one for the same price.
The night couldn't have been more amazing! The only problem now is, I want to go back! But like most us I cant exactly enjoy a $400 dinner every weekend.Listed in: Best Meals of my Life!
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Review from brandi g.
Los Angeles, CA
12/29/2011
My birthday dinner. Chefs menu. Trust the chef, he will not disappoint.
This place is as good as everyone says, possibly a bit better. One of LA's finest, for sure.
Beautiful presentation, fresh ingredients and excellent service. What more can you ask for? -
Review from Misty K.
Fullerton, CA
12/7/2011
This is my favorite fine dining restaurant I've been to in the LA area. I recommend Melisse ahead of Providence (both 2 star michelin).
Where do I begin? The service is INCREDIBLE. Always. I've been several times, and I always feel very special, whether I come alone or with friends. I've had the 4 course meal, and I've also done the 10 course tasting menu. Both are fun, but I recommend the tasting menu. Slightly smaller portions, but a very fun way to try many of their specialties. Make sure you ask for the cheese cart during the meal, as there are incredible choices! The tasting menu even comes with 2 desserts. It's hard to pick highlights, but I would way that the caviar egg, the foie gras, and the John Dory fish were wonderful. And the cheese cart (hint: ask for the triple creme cheese).
The owner has come out and greeted the guests at their tables on two out of the 3 times I've been here. He is so friendly and unpretentious. I seriously love this place.
On a special occasion, please try this restaurant. You won't be disappointed!! -
Review from Kelly H.
Marina del Rey, CA
1/4/2012
AMAZING!
My boyfriend surprised me with a romantic dinner here a couple of weeks ago. The service was the absolute best I have ever seen. The servers were attentive and knowledgeable without being pretentious. Very elegant and romantic ambiance. We had the 5-course tasting menu with the cheese course added. Every bite was perfection. Unique selections and well-paced for an optimal dining experience. -
Review from Abby D.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
For our farewell LA dinner, my boyfriend and I looked for a restaurant that would leave a lasting impression on our dining experiences, so we had to go out with a bang! It definitely had to be a special pick, and with the help of yelp reviews (thank you!) we found our gem: Melisse.
Think of your dreamiest dinner: hosts treating you like a [well-liked] celebrity, waiters serving you with utmost attention, staff members harmoniously working together like a well-oiled machine, comfortable seating, a place for my PURSE to rest, classy but laid back ambiance, and food so delicious your eyes roll to the back of your head. Yes, this describes my gastronomical experience at Melisse. All that was missing was the dream tune, clouds, and lights shining down from Heaven.
The only things I would change are:
1. to expand my belly a tad more so I wouldn't be too full at the end of the 10 course meal (and then proceed to eat more of the treats they give you!)
and
2. receive fatty paychecks so I can fly to LA and eat here more often!!
You, Melisse, are my favorite restaurant EVER. -
Review from vivian l.
Santa Monica, CA
1/9/2012
went here last night for my friend's birthday dinner. yes, the food was great, but now i know it's really the impeccable service you are paying for! i made a reservation on opentable for 9:30 and in the notes i put "demetri's birthday. vivian is pescetarian." when we arrived there was a "happy birthday" sign and truffles sitting on the table. then the host came to explain my options for dining from the set menus since i couldnt' eat the meat entree. loved those nice personal touches.
during the meal, each time we stood up to use the restroom, someone came and folded our napkins. as each course came there were 3 people to bring them. 1 for each person's plates, and another person to explain what we were about to eat. at the end, the host even gave my friend a complimentary glass of port for his birthday.
the lobster from the 4 course tasting menu was my favorite dish. very very sweet! all in all the service is what i'll remember, even more than the food. -
Review from K K.
Orange County, CA
12/12/2011
Came here on a Saturday with reservations. Was seated immediately. Wait staff were all very cordial. Decor is modern but inviting with plush booths mixed with various sized tables. Wife & I had the "10 " prix fixe dinner ($150pp). Our favorites were:
Caviar poached egg: creamy and smooth, perfectly seasoned by the salty caviar
Seared foie gras: melts in your mouth and well balanced with persimmon & cranberry reduction so the richness is not overpowering
Maryland dayboat scallop: very fresh and seared to perfection
Atlantic black bass en ecaille: skillful crusting of the bass skin to a "chip like" texture without overcooking the fish.
Some suggestions if Melisse staff is reading:
There was a loud and somewhat boisterous large group of people which detracted from the otherwise romantic and elegant atmosphere of the restaurant; perhaps groups can be seated in the smaller sectioned off area to minimize the noise.
The sunchoke veloute was great except for the etrog lemon. I don't mind its use to flavor the soup, but would personally take it out prior serving. I enjoyed the soup until I bit into the etrog lemon at the end which gave a sudden burst of bitterness and somewhat left an aftertaste.
Overall, I recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a modern, yet elegant ambiance paired with fresh ingredients prepared in a combination of traditional and nouveau French style.
Note to the gentlemen: Should probably come with a button down shirt and jacket at the very least; casual suit is probably most appropriate. This is an upscale, 2 Michelin starred restaurant after all.
Note to Chef Citron: James was extremely knowledgeable about every dish, especially the cheeses. He was attentive and made my wife and I feel very welcome. He was also the only one among the waitstaff to always have a smile on. -
Review from Johanna C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/7/2011
Melisse is a two star michelin rated restaurant and this award already speaks highly of the restaurant. It is a very popular restaurant so reservations are highly recommended. My husband took me here for valentine's day and made a reservation at least 2 months in advance...we also did not eat on the exact date of February 14th but celebrated a few days early to avoid the crowds and get a reservation.
Parking: It is difficult to find parking in this area of santa monica so I would recommend paying for the valet service that is located at the side of the restaurant. Besides, if you plan to pony-up a good amount of money on food...you might as well just go all out and get valet parking, right? I should also add that if you can afford coming to melisse then complaining about parking should not be high on your list of things to complain about.
My 5 star rating: i usually write in all lowercase but for this review i'm keeping it short and sweet...
- SUPERB SERVICE: for the woman, there's a small ottoman next to you for you to gently place your purse on so you do not have to lean over or hang your purse anywhere
- DIVINE FOOD: we ordered half a bottle of red wine that the server recommended and each had the tasting menu
- EXCELLENT EXPERIENCEListed in: **5 STARS**
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Review from Kym T.
Los Angeles, CA
11/13/2011
We have dined at 2 (Spago and Providence) of the 4 Two Michelin Star restaurants in Los Angeles. People forget that Michelin stars are given on food and nothing else (service, ambiance, etc.). Melisse would easily get 2 michelin stars in all categories if they were ranked. I put them ahead of Providence and Spago easily!
The sommelier, host, server, back waits and chef were awesome! Chef came out to say hi to some tables when he was able to get out of the kitchen. The service was impeccable (perfectly executed proper dinner service), they didn't miss a step (served together, cleared together). Our bread plates were always full, water glasses, wine glasses, and mis en place.
We did the 10 course tasting menu ($150). The portions were perfect and incredible. I do not eat Foie Gras and the server was so accommodating for making a substitution. He never once made me feel bad or uncomfortable for asking. The John Dory was the best we ever had and of course egg and caviar is always so dreamy. Our friend ordered the white truffle (alba) risotto and it was the tastiest risotto I have had. The scent of the truffles was mesmerizing and puts you in a happy place.
They also have a 4 course menu for $115, 4 supplements (all with white truffes) and for 2 menus (small).
The seating is interesting. They have a dining room with multiple tables in the center and then booths half way around. Then a dining room that can be closed off and then a separate dining room away from the main dining room. I would suggest requesting a booth. They are comfortable and roomy. If you are going as a group here it's great they actually have rounds for 5-8 people! I love sitting in circles with big groups because no one is closed off.
They have quite the wine menu and a typical corkage program. We brought a bottle of lafite rothschild and bought a bottle so our corkage was waived. $30/bottle for the first two and then $50/bottle after that.
There are a couple meters on the street that Valet is on, so if you see one take it otherwise valet is $8.50.
They have a very interesting reservation confirmation system. You make the reservations and then you must call within 48 hours to 12 hours of your reservation or they give it away. I think it's a great system.
There is no dress code here which is great. There were men in slacks and jeans and women in dresses and jeans. It makes the experience a lot more comfortable and relaxed.
This place does not disappoint. Every penny was worth it.
If you are looking for a true fine dining experience in Los Angeles this is your place. If I forgot anything and you have questions message me! -
Review from Alma P.
11/5/2011
One of my foodie friends has been raving about Melisse for awhile so we figured out a date for us to go so I could try it. I had high hopes as any two star michelin has to be pretty darn good. I have to admit it probably is the best I've tried in LA.
The service was fabulous... from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. Everyone was so professional and polite yet friendly in a way that sometimes you dont' see at fine dining establishments. I also found it very charming that Chef Citrin came out and personally greeted every table, and he was as friendly as the rest of the staff. It almost made it feel like I was having dinner at a friend's house instead of a restaurant - I loved it. :-)
The food also did not disappoint. We did the the 10 course tasting menu and it was a great way to go. The portions were perfect in size and timing. The standouts for me were the caviar with egg and the scallop dish. The seared fois gras was also fabulous but I didn't care much for the persimmon cake that came with it. Otherwise it was perfectly cooked. Another big standout was the cheese cart --- OMG, the cheese cart.*sigh* We weren't even supposed to get it with with our tasting menu but they let us substitute the cart for the cheese plate which was very generous of them. I also highly appreciated how knowledgable the staff was with all the cheeses.
Melisse really is a treat and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who has an opportunity to dine there!Listed in: My Michelins
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Review from Ralph O.
Chino Hills, CA
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
The wife and I came here for my birthday. We both got the 10 course tasting menu as the chef who created the menu received 2 Michelin Stars. I also included the wine pairing with my meal. My favorite dishes were the egg caviar, the seared foie gras and the crispy black bass. The wine pairings matched well with the dishes especially in the beginning dishes. I didn't take much notice of the pairings for the later dishes probably due to the alcohol taking effect. The staff did a great job describing each dish but didn't do as good a job describing the wine for each dish. A couple of the wine descriptions were just 1 sentence descriptions. The staff from the valet staff to the wait staff were terrific and all very friendly.
You have to call at least 72 hours before your resevation to confirm it and if you don't you may not have a table when you show up. The valet charge is $8.50, seemed a bit pricey. The best place to sit is one of the booths. They will try to accommodate you as best as they can about the menu items, we were told they will allow one change on the menu. They are not strict on a dress code. People came in casual wear. They give bread throughout the meal, there was a selection of 6 different breads, my favorite was the rustic country bread.
We've dined at three 3 Michelin Star restaurants and this place certainly compares to two of them and beats out the third one. Overall, a great experience and if my wallet permits we will be back. -
Review from P t.
CA
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
This restaurant would be in my top 10 dining experiences ever! Wow! The service from the moment we walked in the door was impeccable. The food and the presentation were also impeccable. Each dish was extremely creative and absolutely delicious. Our waiter was charming, attentive and not obtrusive. The wine he recommended was fabulous. The decor is beautiful high end hotel so I thought it would be stuffy but for some reason it wasn't at all. I think it was the deliciously warm lighting. It was an absolutely lovely surprise evening. This place comes with a serious price tag so you may want to be prepared unlike my friend and I who just happened to wander in and get a table. We went with the four course dinner but I definitely want to go back for the ten course dinner. Anyone want to take me for my birthday? Anyone? Hey you A.H. Yeah you!
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Review from Lee L.
Long Beach, CA
1/28/2012
we finally went here and weren't disappointed. first off, loved the intimate and well designed dining room. we were lucky to get a booth on the side and it was a great setting looking out over the small, but well executed room. the food, of course, as excellent as its reputation. the executive chef came to open our wine bottle as he did at other tables. i thought that was a nice gesture although maybe he was out to promote his new book? in any case, fantastic dining experience.
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Review from Basil M.
Temecula, CA
1/4/2012
Went here with a good friend for dinner. WE wanted to have the carte Blanche menu, but we had a few dietary restrictions, and weren't sure if they would be accomodated. The fear was, they would simply omit those items, and not change the menu/dish, and we would have a sub par experience. Chef Citron came out himself, and said we have nothing to worry about.
So we had the carte blanche. Lots of hits, a few so so dishes... no misses except one. I love foie gras... I order it everywhere I go. One of the courses was a trio of foie... two of the three were amazing. The third was a poached foie, and it was served in the poaching liquid. It was horrible. It tasted extremely gamey, and the texture had become hard and grainey. It was bad. What a waste of a beautiful piece of foie.
All in all, best meal I have had in LA. -
Review from Poppy C.
San Francisco, CA
10/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
There are plenty of other reviews extolling the virtues of the cuisine at Melisse. I agree with those reviews, I enjoyed many delectable treats that night, with the egg/caviar starter and an insanely beautiful delightful cheese cart as my very favorites.
Service leaves a little something to be desired. It wasn't horrible it just wasn't anywhere up to the level typically experienced at Michelin starred eateries. Our first waiter disappeared shortly after presenting our menus and someone in a nice suit that seemed to oversee the dining room took our orders. The first few pages of the wine list were torn out and the man in the suit promised to find us another but seemed to forget. Although we eventually flagged someone down who brought us a new wine list we still waited about twenty minutes to get our first glasses during which time an amuse bouche was served. Several of the courses were served but not announced/explained which became a sort of amusing game where I would eat first and then try to guess what it was. I remembered some of what we had ordered but guessing the amuse bouches were much harder.
I think Melisse was probably just understaffed that night. Everyone working there was very pleasant and my dinner date was quite amused by what he perceived as our servers bossiness in issuing directions as to which order we should consume our cheese. (That was really my fault, I am a sucker for epoisse and had put together an overly stinky cheese plate) -
Review from A J.
West Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012
This place is deserving of its Michelin star status. But to be completely honest, I've still had better. It made for hard competition, I'll give this place that. The multi-course meal, the attention at your table and the optional truffles over anything and everything will make your senses explode; not to mention your wallet. Anyone living in LA should come here at least once to try the finer side of west LA.
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Review from sasha h.
10/1/2011
Came here for my birthday and absolutely loved it. This is my favorite fine dining spot in LA. This might not be saying much given there are only a handful of high end places (ursawa, spago etc) but it is good even when comparing it to NY or SF. Restaurant is pretty big and it wasn't that hard to get a reservation. From the outside it doesn't look like much but the inside is very elegant. The place looks pristine and the table settings match really well with the room. Service we had was fine, it wasn't off the charts but they also never took long to clear our table, get our drinks, bring each course out etc. They also cleaned off the tablecloth after each course. They were really nice and brought me an extra dessert for my birthday and comped a glass of wine. Will say the sommelier was very good, their wine list is enormous, it took me forever to decide.
I thankfully had gone during truffle season so basically added truffles to every dish which ended up adding more to the bill than the meal itself would have otherwise cost but it was damn good so recommend it. Most of what i had gotten is no longer on the menu but the few things that still are. If the risotto or pasta ever come back during truffle season, get that and add truffle!
California porcini mushroom - the risotto was so well cooked and the garlic added a nice flavor
Almond crusted dover sole - fish prepared to perfection. It's prepared tableside and is a nice little show
duck - there is a different duck preparation now than before but the duck itself was fabulous so i'm sure it still is despite new sides
chocolate dessert - i love chocolate so its not hard to please me but this was a whirlwind of chocolate in my mouth. Meant for those who really just want chocolate, otherwise go with the strawberry cream soda or toffee pudding
Get the cheese here, looks like fungus but tastes very good (that is if you like cheese) -
Review from Glen G.
I'm not a foodie, I just front like one on Yelp. No need for overused food adjectives, cause shit was just good, truth.
One of my favorite meals...also, the longest. I flew into Phoenix but ended up driving 6+ hours here just to sit down and have a 6+ hour meal. My ass wasn't happy, but my palette took precedence.
Go w/ the carte blanche for the full experience. You'll be BMF up in here @ $250/pp, but totally worth it.
Full 15 course excluding the amuse:
http://www.yelp.com/us...
The only negative I had was on a few courses during the middle of the meal is I don't know if the server was busy but we had to call them over several times to describe the prep and ingredients. Having my amigo say "Salmon...enjoy." doesn't exactly prepare my senses.
So:
1. Come early and hungry.
2. Wear something comfortable...hey it's LA. I rolled up in jeans and Chucks. Summer dress w/ room to grow for the ladies.
3. ???
4. PROFIT
Now excuse me while I go back to my fruity pebbles and frozen Costco chicken for the next few months... -
Review from Sylvan Y.
Los Angeles, CA
10/28/2011
Fancy, elaborate but expensive restaurant! French style always tastes delicious but not much amount. I feel like the atmosphere there, probably even more than the food....
Remember to reserve it, because it is popular.
Try lobster! -
Review from Eli G.
Michelin Stars #25 and 26
We ordered the Carte Blanche and it was a great meal, but was a notch below all the other Los Angeles two star restaurants. Most dishes were superb, the wine pairings were top notch, but there were a couple misses.
1. Tomatoes: In jelly and covered in goat cheese and crushed pistachios. The latter of which I will be stealing to make at home. Both were very refreshing.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
2. Oyster: Topped with melon, ginger, and basil, I didn't think the flavors would work but they did. Fruit and oysters was a great and sweet combination.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
3. Mackerel: Another great bite. Topped with god knows what, it continued the theme of light and tasty dishes.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
4. Corn Veloute: The best dishes of the night. This was the first of many dishes, where one of the servers proceeded to shave a large portion of truffles onto the dish. The "soup" was light, airy, rich, creamy, deep, and earthy all at once. It was truly great.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
5. Caviar and Egg: A classic combination that executed perfectly. The American Ostetra went perfectly with the poached egg, and the lemon crème fraiche added just the right amount of brightness.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
6. Tomato Salad: The smallest and best I've ever had.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
7. Trio of Foie Gras: Three tiny preparations of foie, seared, mousse, and pate. The pate was the best by far while the other two were just on par. Of course "par" for foie gras = delicious.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
8. Artichoke Risotto: The four bites of perfect risotto was more than enough to satisfy me. And of course the heaping of truffles helped as well.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
9. Spot Prawn: The major misses of the night. It was very over cooked, resulting in tough and chewy meat. Talking to a friend, who was there the night before, he too had an over cooked shrimp.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
10. Fish and Uni: Good combo but nothing amazing, it was just okay.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
11. Rabbit and Cherries: Another "good" dish that fell short of "OMG!" The rabbit was prepared three ways and was tasty, just not mind blowing.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
12. Iberico Pork Shoulder: Iberico pork is known to be the best pig in the world. Here it was a large chunk, cooked very rare! It was actually pretty good but didn't really taste like pork. If anything its flavor was closer to beef. It was good, but again not amazing.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
13. Cheese: Between us we had 8 types of cheese. Maybe it was us, maybe it was the cheese monger, but only 1 out of 8 was great. It's hard to know what you like when presented with a cart of two dozen cheeses. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
14. Strawberry Yogurt: The first dessert was a nice way to ease out of savory and into the sweets. It was light and fluffy and not overly sweet. This was a win.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
15. Chocolate Quad: Chocolate overload for sure. At this point we were both pretty full and had trouble finishing this one (4 hours of eating will do that). This was a tough transition from the last dish as this was its polar opposite in the world of sweets. All four items were super rich, heavy, and sweet. But all were great as well.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
16. Peaches and Ginger Beer: Back to light and refreshing. This was pretty good, but not ground breaking.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
17. Petits Fours: Honestly, I could barely eat these I was so full. But the few mini bites I had were nice.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Overall it was a great meal. But if I had to choose between coming back here or going back to Providence, Spago, or Urasawa, I would choose one of the other three. The other downer was that was asked for a copy of the menu and wine parings and never gave us the wine list. We called back over the next few days and were told they would get it for us, but they never did. Sad, since we wanted to get some for home.Listed in: Stars Stars Stars
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Review from Shalini R.
Austin, TX
10/2/2011
Melisse is one of the few 2 Michelin star restaurants that offers a vegetarian tasting menu. The "10" menu is not vegetarian, but vegetarians are treated well here.
My full review of the Melisse vegetarian experience:
http://un-granola.com/... -
Review from C.C. S.
Los Angeles, CA
10/26/2011
Best meal of my life and it started with the best soup of my life - Spring onion parmesan soup with crab cake. My wife and I have been in the culinary world of sops for some time and this one, though simple, takes the crab-cake. For my second course, the Ris de Veau was excellent - perfectly textured and flavored (and I had never had sweetbread before). For the main course, I had the lamb and sausage.
http://www.yelp.com/us... -
Review from Sandy G.
Beverly Hills, CA
12/27/2011
"The best food/The rudest sommelier"
Reviewed December 26, 2011 NEW
This was a most lovely Christmas Eve dinner. The food was outstanding. The restaurant deserves its two Michelin stars.
On the other hand the sommelier deserves a black mark for his rude manner. We were unaware that we were standing in the wrong spot in the dining room since the hostess had placed us there. We were shocked when the sommelier reprimanded us in an insulting and demeaning manner, telling us we were disturbing the people nearby. We couldn't believe we were being spoken to like this by a restaurant employee. We were there to celebrate my husband's birthday! Later in the evening he tried to apologize, but his bizarre behavior put a damper on what would have been a perfect dinner. -
Review from Erica S.
Sherman Oaks, CA
10/17/2011
This is the best restaurant in Los Angeles! This is my boyfriend's favorite restaurant so I've been here three times now in the past year. He is pretty much a "foodie" so I think that is saying a lot.
The environment there is very laid back and the servers are quite friendly which I really appreciate. Everything here is beyond delicious and so delicately and meticulously assemble by the chef. Eating here is really a treat. I always get champagne when I drink here because it makes everything even more special.
The only thing I don't like about Melisse is the decor...I am giving this place 5 stars...because its Melisse...But I always feel like the interior is a little drab and not super uplifting...But it is very elegant and simple, which I think a lot of people love, and that way the emphasis can be placed on the food, rather than the interior... -
Review from Jess C.
8/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Top 5 Dinners of my LIFE.
The 10-course is apparently the Yelp favorite; I loved it, much more so than what Providence had to offer. The service was impeccable - complete with the whole simultaneous dropping off of plates and lifting of lids....
And yes, the wine pairing is worth it. Nice, generous pours, just the way I like it :) -
Review from Sylvie C.
7/10/2011
At $600 for three people, this should have been the best meal of my life. I've been showing my parents around town this weekend, taking them to what I consider the best of the best...unfortunately, I put Melisse at the top of the list, simply because of the 2 Michelin stars and outstanding yelp reviews. I had never been, and thought hey, while my parents are here to pay for it, lets do it. Unfortunately, my parents and I left unimpressed...we arrived hungry, ready for a tasting experience. With high hopes, we ordered the tasting menu, which personally, I thought was a little too flexible. I believe a tasting menu should be set by the chef...it wasn't really any different than just ordering off the menu.
While the service was professional, I was disappointed when the waiter convinced my dad to add truffle to his lobster bolognese - little did my father know that several shavings of truffle would slap on fifty extra dollars. While I understand it is truffle season, take the effort to incorporate the truffles into the dish! Shavings on top of each dish don't magically create a winning plate.
I thought the fish courses were unimaginative and uninspired. And sort of disgusting. I maybe took two bites of the Dover sole. Again, I love truffle, but was disappointed in all of the dishes it was sprinkled over. One dish I will commend is the Artichoke Soup. The desserts were OK. Beautifully presented. But again, just OK.
The service was disappointing as well - there is definitely an air of arrogance floating around. The dining room also had no imagination - it was just "fancy".
I'm going to give Melisse another chance, and hopefully the next time doesn't disappoint! -
Review from Abby S.
Burbank, CA
1/13/2012
Good food, good service, what more can I say?? Except that prices are not surprisingly high for the kind of restaurant this is. Go for that special occasion and you won't be disappointed..
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Review from Dane S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/16/2012
worth every cent .. .. everyone who works there has excellent knowledge of the cuisine & wine
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Review from scott k.
Santa Monica, CA
Updated - 7/10/2011
Am 0 for 4 at this place.
Still can't figure out how this place gets good reviews!!!
While service is good the food isn't.
The wine is outrageously priced!!!
Portions are small for what you get.
It's all about the name and going to the most expensive restaurant in la.
Go to bouchon or bazaar.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/14/2010
Been here before, disliked it, didn't get it, came her again, HATED it!!!
1) this is the most… Read more »
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Review from Sharon T.
Los Angeles, CA
8/22/2011
I can't follow the herd on this one. Melisse was good, but not "holy cow! must frequent and forgo all other French restaurants" good...
The restaurant is posh in a 1990's sort of way, with even a "purse ottoman" available at each table for women to place their bag on. They request business casual attire, and no cellphones and cameras. However, almost every table had someone taking pictures, talking or texting, and in jeans (khaki shorts and a baseball cap was even spotted on a patron leaving their table).
Dinner was a 10-course meal, with perfect wine pairings offered by the Sommelier. The service was impeccable, and the wait staff seemed to have practiced their synchronization to match that of Olympic swimming hopefuls. There was an egg caviar and braised beef cheeks in the lineup that were deliciously memorable, but all other dishes were forgettable (especially since it was spread over 4+ hours). Both my husband and I feigned recollection of the rest of our dinner when our friends asked about it just a few days after.
For the price (and the time) spent, I expected a more incomparable dining experience. -
Review from Angie K.
Los Angeles, CA
7/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was taken here for my birthday, and I very much enjoyed our delicious (and long!) dinner. The main area's elegant interior and the impeccable service alone validated the earning of its two Michelin stars.
Upon first walking in though, we were guided to the back room for a more "private dining experience." This private dining area had about three tables max and little to no interior decor. It really wasn't much to look at. I politely asked to be moved to the main area upon walking in, and we were taken care of immediately by our attentive server. I guess some people prefer a VERY private dining experience, but you might as well just eat at home. I believe the atmosphere and the decor of fine dining is as important as the food itself and was surprised that anyone would want to eat in such a closed room.
We opted for the main 10 course meal, priced at $150/person, plus $50 supplement for Truffle Risotto. Our server told us they had just changed the menu for the summer, so this may be a little different from the traditional menu:
1. Amuse
2. Egg Caviar: Lemon Crème Fraîche, American Caviar
3. Wild Japanese Kanpachi: Champagne Cured Salmon Roe, Tokyo Negi, Turnip-Brulée
4. Dandelion Velouté: Oregon Chanterelles, Crispy Buratta
5. Seared Foie Gras: Persimmon, Pain d'Epice, Santa Barbara Pistachios
6. Maine Lobster: Matsutake Mushrooms, Salsify, Lobster Broth
I got:
6. White Truffle Sweet Corn Agnolotti
7. Black Bass "En Ecailles": Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Chestnuts, Kyoho-Amaranth Broth
8. Prime Beef Rib Eye Cap & Braised Wagyu Beef Cheek: Potato Galette, Swiss Chard, Carrot, Bordelaise Jus
9. Pont L'Evêque Tart: Petite Salad, Honey Pepper Gastrique
10. White Chocolate & Macadamia: Mochaccino, Macadamia Crumble, Milk Chocolate Sorbet
Everything was gorgeous to look at and my palettes were well entertained. But please portion control. I was so full by the fifth dish that I started to get annoyed of my unreliable stomach that let me down. I don't remember much on the later half of the course, but overall, I loved it here. It's somewhat similar to Eleven Madison Park in NY. -
Review from John N.
Manhattan, NY
11/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here last weekend and got a chance to see how the kitchen was run and meet all of the people back there. I was very impress w.the food they were sending out and every single plate look gorgerous. They do deserve the 2 michelin star in my book.
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Review from mrs h.
Los Angeles, CA
9/19/2011
We went to Melisse for our wedding anniversary. Ever since our Providence experience, I've been looking to find another restaurant that's just as good if not better . . . Melisse almost has it. We were going to get the "10" tasting menu but our waiter "kindly" let us know that it would take about 3 hours. Considering we got seated a little late (reservations for 9:30, seated around 9:45, close to 10pm by the time the waiter was ready for our order) and we have a little baby at home, we decided to go with the regular menu which takes about half the time. The way the regular menu works is that you pay $115 for 4 courses (some items cost additional).
We were served two different Amuse Bouches - the tomato in jelly and covered in goat cheese and pistachio (that was ok) and then a shrimp ceviche and cucumber flan (really amazing).
First Course -
Seared Foie Gras: pure bliss! GET THIS, you won't regret it. Even if you hate Foie Gras, you'll love this. The foie gras was accompanied with some preserves which really complemented the buttery, salty taste of the foie gras. Ugh, I'm still thinking about it.
Lobster Bolognese: this was good but not nearly as good as the foie gras, but still very yummy. I could've done without the foam - I don't like foam, it weirds me out, looks like spit. sorry, it does.
Second Course -
Santa Barbara Prawn: good, not great.
Lobster "Flavors of Thermidor": Wow, totally amazing. LOVED this.
Third Course -
Prime Rib Eye - this was very tasty but I would suggest trying something else. My husband says steak should be eaten in larger quantities so he wasn't very satisfied.
Duck Breast and Confit - Besides the foie gras, this was the other standout item. This was the second time I've had duck and I was a little apprehensive about having it medium rare but I'm soo glad I ordered this. Portion size was pretty big too. It was perfect. Literally perfect.
Fourth Course -
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate - I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this was. My husband and I loved each little chocolate item on the plate (he ordered it but let me finish off most of it . . . he's a good husband).
Sticky Toffee Pudding - not my favorite, dessert is my favorite part of the meal and I was so sad by how much this sucked. I should've yelped what dessert to get because I'm pretty sure anyone who tried this would say the same thing - skip it. The mocha ice cream that came with it was pretty fantastic . . . but not good enough to make up for the bleh toffee pudding. Also, it's not even a pudding, more like a weird dense bread/cake. Just weird and unacceptable.
All in all, we had a very nice dining experience. Like others have said, get the "10" or "carte blanche" tasting menus - we did the regular menu because of time constraints and I regret it. We paid a sh**load and didn't get half the experience. I'd rather pay a little more for the real deal. Maybe next time. And next time I'm definitely paying extra for the Fromage - a cheese expert swings by tableside with a HUGE selection of cheeses. I didn't see this until we got our dessert. Definite must.
Random notes, unrelated to food - the interior isn't designed very well, pretty bland. The purse stools are awesome. The music is pretty loud and not very good. There are signs that say "no cell or flash photography" but I saw a lot of people on their phones and several people had waiters take their photos (with the flash). Valet is $6.50.
