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Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhoods: Mid-City West, West HollywoodMon. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"Home is delicious. Whenever I'm in LA, I request -- nay, demand -- that we go here. And my friends have no problem with that. Their chicken…" read more »
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As one of my go-to lunch options during the workweek, Newsroom has treated me well over the last couple of years. I was actually coming here before I became it's workday neighbor, and now I've gotten to know it even better. Before I started getting lunchtime carry-out here, I enjoyed coming here for the fresh food and enjoyable outdoor patio. It's also pretty reasonably priced too. I still take people who visit me at the office for lunch here for a more laid-back local spot. Much better than taking them to the Ivy (which is across the street)!
The menu items at Newsroom try to convery a sense of healthiness, and there are a lot of vegan and vegetarian items. For a regular workday lunch, I often pick up a bowl of the vegan soup of the day to go. I've tried numerous soups here and liked them all except on the rare occasion that they're too spicy. Now I always ask if it's spicy first. The North African veggie soup, split pea soup, and curried cauliflower soup have been some memorable ones. Too bad I never know which one they'll have on a given day.
The salads here are also a good bet. I especially like the Big Sur Caesar which features a very tasty tofu among other toppings. For something a bit more filling, I also recommend the crab and shrimp quesadilla. It's proved to be a good dinner when I'm working late at the office.
Out of the many times I've eaten at Newsroom or had their carry-out, I have found it to be a solid choice. I've had a few disappointments along the way, but overall it's a safe bet for some good food in a great location.
I didn't hate this place but it did not wow me either. I ordered the Tandori Chicken Salad and to my dismay the chicken was terribly overcooked - it felt a little bit like eating paper mache. The presentation as well was not impressive and I didn't really like the whole "cafeteria lunch time" vibe of the restaurant.
The redeeming quality of my lunch was the seasoning on the chicken, which was quite tasty - and I dug the mango chutney dressing. Check Newsroom out for a quick lunch in the area but don't make a special trip.
People thought this was:
Thumbs Middle (c) SA.
I vouch this place is seriously hit or miss. Except on prices, where you can always count on paying more than you'd think.
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BEWARE YELPERS!!! They are ripping off consumers by listing their famous arttichokes as "M.P" on the menu and then charge 14.95 for one...I was shocked when I got my bill today. All the prices seem to be higher than normal ...I was a regular and will never ever go back!
People thought this was:
This place is in the center of hussle and bustle. So yes, parking and traffic will be some what of an issue here. But, if you want some good healthy food, then I have found few I could really recommend. The only thing that could make this place better is more delightful workers. If you are used to a country-style homelyness than this place might turn you off, but if your used to the LA vibe of where everybody is in a hurry and just trying to get through the day then you will be good here. It was delicious and had reasonable servings for the price. The biggest bonus at this restaurant is that you can get REAL freshly juiced... juice. Again, for a reasonable price too. I would go back and I would recommend this place to my friends.
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Food here isn't outrageously fantastic, but for what it is -- a casual, bustling lunch spot -- it… Read more »
NAME: Newsroom Cafe
TYPE OF CUISINE: American veggie trendy
ADDRESS: 120 North Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90048
PHONE: 310-652-4444
WEBSITE: No got
RESERVATIONS: For large parties, yes
GENERAL LOCATION: East side of Robertson, midway between Beverly and Alden
HOURS: Mon. 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
DELIVERY SERVICE: No
BANQUET FACILITIES: Possibly by rearranging tables and chairs
CATERING: Possibly
TAKEOUT: Yep
NOISE FACTOR: Could get noisy
VEGGIE FACTOR: Very possible
KID FACTOR: Keep the shriekerscreamers out of here!
OUTDOOR SEATING: Yes
AMBIANCE/ATMOSPHERE: Very pleasant! A comfortable and roomy main room, and a roomy outdoor section which is protected from the street noise and fumes pretty well. My son took me here for Father's Day and I was surprised by the light attendance. We had no trouble getting seated for breakfast. This is definitely a place to come on quiet Sunday mornings.
FOOD: I had the blue corn waffle, hoping for something light. Alas, this particular Belgian waffle is very dense because of the batter. I was disappointed, but I was expecting something else, so I have no real complaints. Dave had potatoes and eggs of some sort, and it looked very tasty. (Click on the name NEWSROOM at the top of the review, and then click on the photos of the food -- very appetizing!)
The menu looked intriguing. They had catchy names for what appeared to be a good deal of imaginative dishes. I look forward to coming here again and ordering some of them.
FOOD PRESENTATION: It came on plates.
DRINKS: The usual. Coffee was good.
SERVICE: Excellent: friendly, attentive, and efficient.
PRICE RANGE: I would suppose about $20 per person.
PAYMENT: Cash, CC
PARKING SITUATION: Street parking, pretty good on Sunday mornings, but arrive in time to do some circling. Other times, I imagine it can be as bad as Hillhurst if not worse.
RED FLAG: Parking
GREEN FLAG: Service with a smile, intriguing menu
AMBER FLAG: At one time or other, it had a "C" rating card (see http://publichealth.la... )! make sure you find out about this before you go! There is NO excuse not to have an "A" rating, because even they need only have a 90% out of 100% to get one.
EDIT, 6/21/09: I called them and asked what's up with the C rating. They hastened to assure me that they now have an A rating. Just look carefully should you go in...
People thought this was:
I've eaten here several times and would say it is one of my favorite dining experiences in Los Angeles. The food is awlays fresh, reasonably priced, and service even on a busy weekend is decent.
I've had breakfast scramblers, soups, sandwiches, drinks and even the acai bowl. All were delicious and again, very fresh. I always leave feeling like I ate something healthy and am well fed.
I would recommend the smoothies, breakfast options and definitely the acai bowl!
Food was great and affordable. Cool place to people watch since it's in west hollywood.
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The service is AMAZING.
The food is some of my favorite.
And I guarantee you will not have a better yerba mate.
Everything is always spotless, and I can't understand how it could be thought otherwise.
Being in the service industry I saw a sign once to employees on a door about how they don't trust them, and check their bags when they leave etc.
This made me sad.
Your staff should be treated better than your customers.
Then people won't WANT to steal.
And that heavy heart won't bleed over to service either.
If someone is stealing, prove it, and reprimand, threats are juvenile.
I know this is silly, but again, noticing something like that on a door where customers can catch glimpse really makes me sad.
Again, AMAZING FOOD.
AMAZING SERVICE.
ONE OF THE BEST LOCATIONS IN LA.
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I had high hopes for the Newsroom. Good location on Robertson. Check. Good prices considering good location on Robertson. Check. A plethora of meat substitute, which I ADORE. Check. Why, Newsroom, couldn't you deliver?
I am a sucker for anything that's spotlighted on a menu, so I decided to try the Ultimate Maui Veggie Burger. The verdict? Bland, bland, bland. And those Terrific Tasty Terra Chips? Yeah, those were bland too.
Why two stars instead of one? Because for some odd reason, I want to go back and try something else. Darn you, Newsroom!
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I just had brunch here this morning and have to give it 5 stars for the healthy food factor. The food is fresh, organic and the restaurant represents the healthy lifestyle. It was a hard choice today, I gazed over to the Ivy and fantasized about crab hash and rasberries scones... then had a financial reality check and continued my way to the Newsroom. When walking in there is just a clean, exotic and fresh vibe, to the right a wonderful juice bar, with mountains of whole vegetables pied high awaiting their unevitable destiny. I kind of wish I tried a fresh pressed juice, but that will have to wait for next time- or even a smoothie, the Egyptian Punch sounded wonderful, Mmmm papaya. We sat outside on the patio and proceeded to scan the menu. We shared the blue corn bluberry pancake which was really unique and delicious! I would have never thought corn would work in a pancake. I had the famous veggie burger and my companion had the chicken avocado turkey bacon burger which was soooo yum! the veggie burger was great, baked onions.. however my buns were a little hard so I took the top bun off and ate it open faced. The service was great and I am looking forward to going again for a juice or smoothie- The smoothie options are creative, you can even add E3 Live, Echinaesa/Golden Seal to protein... the Amazon Power smoothie(with acai) may be a must during cold season for sure!
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Service is pretty good here. I wouldn't say that anything particularly jumped off the page. The goat cheese salad was so so. I do like the fact that they serve breakfast all day. It's nice that they have outdoor seating, but it's SUPER LOUD out there. You have to yell acrosst the table, spitting on your guest so that they can hear you. Also i think that it's over priced, but i guess thats what you get for eating in BH.
I would say, only go here unless you have no other ideas. Plus sometimes you can catch a glance of a celebrity, but if you're over the hollywood stars then venture elsewhere.
I work in the same building as the Newsroom Cafe, and since it was going to be raining today, I thought I'd order some takeout from a place I didn't have to walk far from. Plus, I haven't eaten at the Newsroom since well before they were shut down for the C-rating (see previous reviews for details).
I believe a restaurant gets watched even closer when something like that happens, and they didn't get an A rating back by just doing nothing. I saw the new refrigerators and sinks and such getting moved in a few months ago. So... I gave them another chance.
Today I ordered the Umbria Omelette, which is a fritatta-style omelette with roma tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. It comes with a side of potatoes and two different types of bread.
The omelette itself was pretty good. Definitely not worth the $10+ I spent on it, but it was pretty good. I wanted something different for lunch and something that would give me energy for the afternoon. That did it.
The potatoes were a bit greasy and the bread was excellent!
I only give 3 stars for this review because I'm stingy, and the prices are a bit high compared to what you get.
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Green bananas are the preemie babes of fruit: they are just not ready for this world. -And if they are so unfortunate as to have been forced unceremoniously out of the warm womb of the tropics, they must, as any preemie, be incubated until they are of proper colour and specs...
They must NOT be put into my smoothie.
Some shim-sham juice doctor committed this sin...and after one sip I could not eat the rest of the day without tasting poor, lifeless green banana. Is not the oath of smooth operators everywhere, 'First, do no harm'?
I reckon that is what you get at a place where all of the waitstaff aspire to be models and actors. I want people who know what eating is! People who aspire to be grand servers and cooks!
Yes, the scene -and the green- are enough to keep me at bay.
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For years I've depended on the newsroom for tasty and pleasant lunches and dinners with friends and family, not to mention an amazing happy hour that includes half off chicken caesar salads, quesadillas, and I think all drinks. And note this happy hour existed well before the Economic Downturn. While at busy times it's hard to get a seat, it's often easy. Great outdoor patio for watching stars at the Ivy with your binoculars when you're not sucking down in a guava margarita. Healthy, great menu variety, decent prices.
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I don't get up this way much, the air being much too rarefied for my taste. I prefer beach-side hoods where the air is saltier and less pretentious. It's usually in conjunction with a visit to a museum that I get a chance to fog up the windows of Nanette Lepore, Hurley, Surly Girl, Intermix, True Religion and the host of other expensive fashion addict pimp shops. But someone I know said I simply must try the Newsroom Cafe and so I simply did.
I was too early for the lunch menu and had to satisfy the beast with breakfast which I can do just fine. I ordered up the "Woodsie" omelet, its name in regards to the shitake mushrooms, no doubt. It came with two types of fresh breads (9-grain & rosemary), rosemary home fried potatoes and some delicious strawberry jam to slap on the breads.
While surrounded by the crème de la crème of Hollywood/Beverly Hills fashionista establishments, the Newsroom Cafe provided a nice, decent breakfast that cost a total of $15.64 (inc great coffee) and made it an affordable side-trip in an unaffordable location ($440 for an "on sale" sweater Made in China?... fuck that.).
Nevertheless, next time I do LACMA, I'll drop in for the lunch soup special and save enough extra minutes to gawk at some killer new shoes and wish that I could afford them (...maybe...this surfer girl feels fine barefoot or in flip-flops most of the time).
P.S., There was a hostess and service was timely and efficient during my visit and I hope it goes the same for you, next time.
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I had never been to Newsroom before, but have walked by it billions of times. For a friend's birthday shopping trip we stopped in for a bite (and for happy hour). Margaritas, Mojitos...for $3!??? Hell yes.
I ordered a chocolate cake. That was amazing. Melted in my mouth and not dry at all. Some friends had the Ahi Tuna, but it came with pasta..I know it sounds like a weird combination, but it had a bit of a marinara sauce in it, that pulled it all together perfectly. It was soo good. Can't wait to go back to Newsroom. I can't believe I'm going to write this, but I will... for all of you celebrity hunters who care, Audrina (from the Hills) was dining at the table next to us. Haha..
Went here last night for dinner. I'll give it 2.25 stars, but since there isn't that option, I'll have to round to the nearest whole number. haha
First off, there is no hostess at the front, so we kinda stood there a bit confused as to what we were supposed to do. Then, this guy walks up and says "anywhere you like". We opted to sit inside which turned out to be a big mistake due to this old, fat lady talking incessantly about herself in a loud, annoying voice. UGH. Why is it that people like that always have to make such a loud scene. Whatevs.
Perused the menu which offered mostly healthy stuff and opted for the fusilli with grilled garden veggies. Kid had the cheese penne pasta. Friend had the steak and eggs.
10 min later, he comes back to take our order. 15 min later the food finally arrives.
How was it? It was mediocre. I've had better, in fact, I can cook better than this.
At $28 for the steak and eggs plate, wtf were they thinking? $28? This isn't a nice restaurant. I can understand $18, but $28?
Dinner was $70! Umm... what?
I didn't know about the health code violations with the rats and roaches, but after reading other people's reviews, I'm sure as hell not coming back here! When I left, I noticed the B rating and was like ohhh.. that explains the food. Bleh.
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there is only one reason to come here: the amaaaaaaaaaaazing fire-roasted artichoke. i've had a lot of artichokes and this is truly the best. i think it's prepared with dollops of crack. it is one of my favorite things to eat. ever. squeeze some lemon on it and order an extra side of the dip. it's a rich, garlicky pesto tofunnaise, which i'm also suspicious has some sort of crack fusion. holy crap it's good. a bit overpriced for an artichoke (market price, ranging from $9-$14 i'd say), but i'm happy to pay it. sometimes i'll even get 2. and lick both plates afterwards.
the rest of the food...not so memorable. great location, but the service is hit or miss (usually miss). i give the place 2 stars, and a 3rd star for the artichoke alone. their health code rating has fluctuated a bit too, but i honestly love this artichoke so much, i've ordered it to go when they had a c-rating.
ew, should i not have admitted that? that's gross, isn't it?
well, damnit, it's *that* good.
Newsroom Cafe' has a "C" Health Code Rating as of June 27, 2008. Generally, this favorite industry lunch spot located across the street from paparazzi hotspot The Ivy rocks a B, but they're trying to hide their current C rating behind a pole at the moment (check the pictures! I have proof!)
Anyways, despite the rating that makes you think it's a dirty Thai or Korean restaurant (shouldn't all ethnic restaurants have a B at best to make you think they're legit?), Newsroom Cafe serves a lot of pretty good vegetarian friendly dishes, good salads, and disgusting pasta dishes for those of us on the Westside.
Some of my favorite dishes here are the vegetarian drumsticks, which can fool even the biggest carnivore, the generous artichoke appetizer, and I used to really like the salads here before turning vegetarian (I believe an Ahi Tuna one was my favorite). Things I don't like here are any of the pasta dishes, which always feel like something that I could make and the pasta always comes out a little hard for some reason, no matter what dish you get. Definitely stay away from the pasta.
What's weird about Newsroom is that I've gone there with a B rating, got the pasta, and had to go doodoo, but I went there with a C rating, got the vegan spinadilla (spinach quesadilla) and there were no bad doodoos to be found.
And $5 for parking is a little rough, so try and park on some of the residential side streets if you come here for lunch, won't be too tough to find a spot west of Robertson near Kitson Kids. If you're going for lunch on a weekday, come by before 12:00 and you'll be seated immediately - gets a little busy after 12:30 PM, which is when the crowd of people who loves "C" food comes out.
Be a man! Go to a C-Rated Restaurant and live to tell your friends about it! It will grow hair on your chest, tongue, and women will flock to you because of your adventurous spirit.
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Things just got worse and worse for the Newsroom on Robertson.
First it was a "C" rating in the window for mold around the ice machine, paint chipping, dirty shelving, gnats in barware and refrigeration problems. Yikes...
Now it's a complete Dept of Health closure for vermin infestation, and not the cute little Disney kind....
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It has a C-rating? Not cool.
I'm going to check out the Interim Cafe on Wilshire, which I hear is owned by the same guy and essentially has the same menu. Stay tuned for my review...
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This trendy spot on Robertson Blvd. has been my tried and true for as long as I can remember. It's a… Read more »
Don't be afraid of the vegetarian hot wings. They're the best thing on the menu. I'm a meat eater and a definite wings eater, and I think these are some of the best hot wings I've ever had. The texture is decidedly meaty and they taste phenomenal, with or without the blue cheese dip. They're also adorable - they come on little bamboo skewers so you get the visual effect of chicken wings.
My usual order is the Wild Mushroom Psycho Ravioli, partly because I love saying that string of words, but also because it's delicious. It has a real deep garlic and roasted tomato flavor to it, and they pile on the mushrooms! The mushroom barley soup is also a standout.
I'm withholding that last star just because I don't think the food is consistently great. I've had some pretty mediocre pasta and I'm not a big fan of the burgers. Also, never order a small juice unless you want to pay out for a couple sips in the thinnest glass you've ever seen.
Otherwise, service is great, the decor is nice, and there's great people-watching. Definitely worth a go. Do note, though, that they won't seat an incomplete party, so try not to keep your friends waiting too long.
I have actually been here twice - once, months ago with my son when we had lunch and recently for drinks before dinner.
Our lunch was very good and we didn't wait long even though the place was crowded. Drinks were good - we opted to buy a bottle of wine along with some beers. All in all a nice place to stop in and relax - and they even have newspapers and magazines.
People thought this was:
It is what it is here.. what can you really expect here?
Paparrazi? Check. Celebs getting punked on? Check. Bad food served across the street? Check. Valets? Check. Camera action? Check. Healthy food? Check. Yummy sandwiches? Check. Veggie burger? Check. Sexy time?
Cheers.
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Two hours after landing in LA, I came to the Newsroom for lunch with a few colleagues. I'm told that, while I was washing my hands, a group of paparazzi chased Paris Hilton into the Ivy across the street.
It was certainly a sign that I was not in Kansas (or in this case, SF) any more.
However, the place was very unpretentious, despite the initial attack of LA-ness. The hostesses bounced around sans visible anorexia or even makeup, and our waiter was a fun, young guy with a couple of tattooes and a rad earring; if anyone here was an aspiring actor/actress, you wouldn't know it. The menu was casual, funky, affordable (although the focus on carbs and calories and degrees of raw-ness added some unnecessary pressure to my decision), and most importantly, it was full of edible things for herbivores such as myself.
I ordered the vegan "spinadilla", which was unremarkable. More importantly, my boss ordered the veggie burger, gave me a bite to try, and then spent the rest of his meal fending off my amorous advances toward the rest of his delicious patty on its whole grain bun. Clearly, I had made a serious mistake in not ordering what I am now convinced was perhaps the best veggie burger I've ever had. Now that I'm back home in Boston, I can only remember it as the one that got away.
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Ass-tastic! This place sucks.
We should have known from the B rating to turn around and leave. The B rating was because the place was closed for 2 days before our visit due to cockroaches which required chemical treatment - ick. Apparently they have problems with rats too - barf. This was all information we did not know until AFTER we ate there and left. Thanks to TMZ for the info.
As for the disgusting food, me and Mr. Biscuit both had the Avocado Chicken Bacon Burger thing - aack. We should have clarified that burger meant ground chicken loaf/hockey puck and not chicken breast. It was awful and I should have sent it back but I was hungry and the server basically left us with a soundtrack of crickets after our order was taken.
In fact, the table behind us waited for 10 minutes to get change when paying their bill. And my other friend Steve did not get his pre-packaged and bottled iced tea until after the entrees arrived. Um, how hard is it to bring that? Oh, and it was brought by a manager-type, not our server.
This place is awful and I would rather eat at Bristol Farms just around the corner on Beverly. In fact, stay away from all the Roberston Blvd. eateries - they just plain suck!
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+ extensive menu--plenty of both vegetarian and meat options so there's something for everyone
+ reasonable prices
+ relatively large portions
+ relatively tasty food-- the veggie barbecue "chicken drumsticks" (complete with wooden "bones") with mashed potatoes was tasty, but the side salad was a little wilted and lacking in substance and flavor
- friendly, but not very attentive service (service was mediocre, borderline poor)
- weak drinks--was there even rum in that mojito?
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Read all about it! Within weeks of my new position, I decided to take the afternoon off for some new clothes and a happy hour to boot. I'm not sure if it was the drinks offered at the shops along Robertson Blvd. or at the Newsroom but I got drunk. At least I wasn't too bad and still had my judgment intact not to purchase a t-shirt that proclaims "I'm number one single" (inside joke). In any case, an afternoon ending with me drunk dialing random people using someone else's mobile phonebook can't be too bad.
I would like to qualify this review is for Happy Hour only. The drinks were strong and varied but I wasn't in proper condition to begin with. The happy hour food was good but could only remember eating the bruschetta. A vegetarian person we know likes their veggie food but we think she's been a vegetarian too long and forgot how non-veg foods really taste. Also, this is a great location to enjoy drinks out on the patio and spot your newsworthy people, at least these days, across the way at the Ivy.
Here is a tip: As I mentioned earlier, a few of the shops along Robertson Blvd. offer drinks hoping you won't notice the hideously expensive gear they sell so Newsroom is a perfect location for pre or post drinking as well as shopping for the latest hipster fashion.
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Got props for the fact it's reasonably priced and that you can walk up and get a table for lunch with no reservation (both rare on Robertson).
Menu was ok, but I seemed to always end up going for the salads as nothing else took my fancy. Now, that's not a bad thing - eating salad is good for you, but I'd rather have been tempted by a tasty 'real' entree.
Service could be a little slow sometimes.
Why the past tense in this review? Everything was going well until I heard that the place got shut down by the local health administration. I won't be eating here again.
Okay, I admit it. I went here cause I was too cheap to pay for the Ivy...ha.
Actually, that is only partly true as this place was recommended to me by a local. I was told they have a great organic breakfast and I was not disappointed. It was just the error(s) in the order/ service that gave this place a 3-star.
Ambiance - Cool, trendy and very LA (to someone from CLT).
Food - Great! I order the Eggs, Onion, Chicken Sausage. It was not too bad. Although, I asked for egg whites and they fumbled the ball on it by keeping the yokes. The waiter did try to make it right, but I rarely send anything back. The great part was the Blue Corn Waffle. It came nice and hot with blueberries, bananas and maple syrup. Smelled great and tasted even better...all organic for just $8.95.
Service - Just Okay...like I said, messed up my order and my date's order...so that took it down a star.
Likes -
* Food (organic and good)
* Location (watch the stars across the street)
* Price (for Beverly Hills)
Dislikes -
* Service - although polite, just missed the mark
* Price (I am not in CLT anymore)
Overall, good food.
Breaking News...I will definitely give this place a second chance!!
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Fruits and veggies juiced to one's desire.
Definitely will be back to munch on something from the novel-like menu.
They have a scrolling marquee that advertises the dvds currently for rent. Magazines are also available for sale.
Customer service is surprisingly down to earth and friendly.
-1 star for the room temperature carrots.
People thought this was:
Newsroom is what I think of LA - healthy with vegetarian alternatives (they even had organic ketchup!). We went for brunch before our huge shopping excursion on Robertson.
I ordered steamed egg whites which came with nice and thick slices of toast and potatoes. Egg whites were good, the thick slices of toast were heaven to bite into and slathered with buttery goodness. The only complaint I have is the potatoes, they were a bit soft (I should have asked for extra crispy) and the rosemary was a little bit strong for me. My friend had scrambled eggs with mushrooms, chicken apple sausage and potatoes as well. We also had green tea with infused with lavender (I think) and that was a lovely accompaniment to our brunch.
Our server was friendly and accomodating, definitely a place I'll go to again when I need energy for a long day of shopping....and celebrity sighting (maybe I'll get to see Britney, Lindsay or Paris!).
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After a "hike" in Runyon Canyon, on to Robertson to find parking if you can, and then get a seat at the Newsroom. It can be a long long wait, standing there with the homeless dudes wearing nicer clothes than you, and the rich BH people wearing nicer clothes than you, and the famous people wearing nicer clothes than you, and eventually you start wondering why you're not panhandling, instead of ordering a decent cup of coffee and some good grub off a menu that has a little of everything breakfast/lunchy...
Its an interesting spot to go and people watch, and get people watched. The food is good, worth returning, but parking, and the tude of BH is a but too much for me.
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I wasn't all that impressed actually. I thought that it was wildly overpriced for what you got and the service was mediocre.
I met a couple friends there Saturday evening. I noticed that one of the specials of the day was a three salad combo that came with swordfish and it was $15. I asked if instead of the swordfish (I am a vegetarian) I could substitute in another salad or add something else in. The waitress said that depending on what I wanted to substitute in, they could possibly do it. I asked for the chopped salad to be added in and she said no. So, I just ordered it anyway and asked for double portions of the other salads and no swordfish.
When my order came there was this giant piece of fish sitting right on top of my three salads. UGH......and boy oh boy did it smell STRONG. ICK. After I finally caught my waitress's attention, she immediately noticed the giant piece of fish sitting on top and took it away. I made a mention to please make sure that they didn't just take the fish off the dish and re-serve it to me! She assured me they wouldn't but I am still dubious!
So, when it came back I noticed that there was in no way any double portions of salad given to me to make up for the lack of swordfish. I basically paid $15 for a small amount of lettuce, some hummus, some couscous, and four TINY triangles of burnt pita bread. Everything (other than the burnt pita) tasted fantastic though. The veggies were all fresh, the hummus was tasty, and the couscous was great. But, such small portions and so overpriced.
Plus, I am just not a big fan of places that are supposedly vegetarian friendly but yet wont accommodate making meat dishes vegetarian! Seriously, for $15 couldn't they have spared a bit more hummus and couscous and maybe thrown in a few more burnt pieces of pita bread? You can buy an entire container of hummus at any grocery store for under $5!
Anyway, I also got a fruit smoothie called "The Empress" which had apples, pears, bananas, and strawberries in it. That was delicious! I loved it!
My friends liked what they got and didn't seem to be bothered by the cost. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing. I totally won't be in a rush to go back, I will just go to Urth Caffe next time for sure! Possible location for celebrity sightings though, Steve O was sitting at the bar next to one of my friends before I arrived!
People thought this was:
I'm a nut for nostalgia... and eating at the Newsroom did it for me yesterday. I was elated that I found myself in the vicinity of this excellent health food restaurant.
I was actually on my way to an audition in Beverly Hills...the first one I've had in 20 years!! I took a deep breath...blew dust off my resume...grabbed an old 8 x 10.. and drove out of the Marina with a heart full of hope and palms full of sweat.
The audition was over soooo fast, I barely remember what I said, but it was good for me to have the experience...again.
Since I did have a lot of time left on my meter, and remembering that I was near one of my fave restaurants in BevHills, I ducked into the patio of the Newsroom, long before the actors, agents and doctors arrived for lunch.
It was great to be back!! Over a decade ago, I worked at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, around the corner on Alden, and I dined at the Newsroom weekly with my lunch pals. It was like visiting an old friend.
Nothing had changed (except their prices)... I ordered my favorite Ultimate Maui Veggie Burger, which is a multi-grain, eggless burger, baked onions, sliced roma tomatoes, red leaf lettuce & pesto-tofunnaise, served on their delicious toasted multi-grain health bun. The bun, by itself, is worth the trip! It comes with an organic mixed green salad with mandarin oranges and walnuts, and is tossed with a Balsamic-Tarragon Vinaigrette.
Not only is their food healthy, but it is rich in color, and most pleasing to the palate.
I may not have landed a print job, but I definitely scored a damn good lunch!! :)
People thought this was:
It's the weekend - 10:30
Line starts forming out the door.
Women are all dolled up looking their best in their high heels, designer clothing, with perfume oozing from their direction (in case a celebrity drops by).
The music, well it's that typical lounge music you always hear at bars (no words, bad beat, annoying tempo).
Sound like the typical LA nightlife scene? Up until now, I bet it does.
It's actually Sunday - 10:30AM to be exact.
The line out the door is for brunch.
The women here are dressed up and trying ridiculously hard to look their absolute best.
The music, well it's too damn early and to start playing that junk in any venue.
The food was not all that great - the blue corn blueberry pancakes were good, nut nothing special; fresh squeezed orange juice was insanely good; scramble was fair at best (vegan sausage, spinach, caramelized onions etc.); potatoes were horrible. Everything here is organic/vegan/healthy/(insert latest health trend here) etc.
The OJ and view (of the women) are the only things that do this place any justice.
People thought this was:
Ive been here only once, and loved it. The only reason i found out about this place was because i missed my reservation at Ivy. Boy, i could care less about Ivy after I tried the Cedar Plank Salmon, French Toast, and Hummus. Yes, weird combo, but i was with 2 others that ordered those items. I really enjoyed this place.
I guess the only downside is the price. However, i expect that when dining in that area.
I can't believe I MISSED writing a review for the Newsroom Cafe!! tsk tsk I tell ya.
If your whistle needs wetting...go here. They have a fairly strong list of beverages from blended fresh fruity juices to a few Elixir (teas and tonics) to coffees shaken, stired, steaming, and frothing...skinny and fat!
The menu is quite extensive but isn't for everyone. I happen to love it but case in point...took my dad here for lunch one day...thought I'd give him a taste of the sights. You know...so he could sit on the patio and perhaps see a who's who of young, hip Hollywood. Well, that and I knew the food was fabu. Not to him. First of all, he didn't have his glasses so reading the endless meanu was a trial and tribulation all in itself. Then, he just HAD to bitch that the chips aren't "chips"...they're Terra Chips...you know, made out of beats, turnips and, uh, terra. lol AND...he just can't stand iced tead that has any sort of tropical flavoring and after arguing with the waitress over what TYPE of tropical-ness was to be invading his tea, he settled on water. lol
So don't bring old-fashioned, meat and taters, Coor's Light drinkin' folk here...they won't get it. Me, I get it.
Big fan of the Applewood Smoked Bacon sammie...oh to die for. They also have a rotating special list for breakfasts so be sure to check them each time you visit. The muffins are fantastic...relatively healthy and moist. You won't be let down with one if you're in a hurry!!
People thought this was:
Newsroom is one of the more underrated spots in LA, and quite frankly, it's a refreshing place to grab a bite to eat in the tundra of Robertson Blvd fakeness.
The breakfast is very good. The menu has a mouthwatering assortment of egg dishes with various ingredients and accompaniments. There is a myriad of vegetarian options that actually taste really good! Prices are reasonable for the location. The dining room has a nice high ceiling but the large space makes for less than perfect acoustics. Grab a table outside and enjoy the weather on a nice day.
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Monday Industry Night
Neighborhood: West Hollywood
Chili's 3 for $20
Neighborhood: Westwood
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: Ethnic Food
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Category: Vegan
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Category: Vegetarian
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