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Category: American (New)
11628 Santa Monica BlvdMon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
"5-stars for the amazing Prime Rib. Oh my goodness, it put Lawry's to shame. When you first walk into Bandera you might think you walked…" read more »
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Not only I've taken Nook for granted, but also I underestimated this hidden bistro. I always wanted to try Nook but forget it more often just because it's around my neighborhood. So I finally gave this one a visit and my impression? Nook gave pleasant surprises, consistently from start to finish.
Kurobuta pork belly with tomatillo, black-eyed peas, and shiitake - my nirvana!! Mixed of Chinese crispy pork skin with moist layered fat and Mexican green salsa sauce.
Spicy gulf shrimp & grits with Falls Mill Stone ground grits and linguisa sausage. Blazing tapestry of cheesy grits and tangy flavor. Purrrfect!
Chocolate banana bread pudding - Warmth of melting dark chocolate and slight tartness of the banana bread pudding are phenomenal and not too sweet - I'm obsessed!!
Who would guess that this little neighborhood bistro has big flavor to offer? Lucky me, this gem is around the corner...
pics - http://www.yummycrave....
I have never had a bad meal here.
It's not hold-your-breath-to-die-for, it's comfort food done really, really well.
Plus, they are always offering some sort of special or offer. (KCRW anyone?)
My problem is I tend to order the same dishes over and over again because they are so good and rarely try different things.
My go-to's are the mac and cheese, pork belly, crabcakes, shrimp and grits and the occasional pork chop.
Reservations are a must on the weekends though I was able to get in on a Friday with 7 hours notice.
Service is solid though the last time I was there, the waiter wiped up the drips from the wine bottle with his hand. I had to look twice to make sure there was no towel. Weird and seemingly un-hygienic.
I will overlook this since the good outweighs the bad but I will be on the lookout for the bare-handed wine pourer.
All the desserts are very good with the the bread pudding being my favorite. Last one I had was a little too toothsome though. Luckily I was too full from dinner to really care.
I visited Nook a few months ago for a couple of friends' birthdays.
I had the pork chops and they were excellent. I also tried the mac and cheese that everyone recommended, and it was better than average. They served some salty boiled peanuts as we waited for our food to arrive. They tasted kinda slimy and gross yest none of us could stop eating them.
Nook's a nice place, but a bit pricey considering there wasn't anything unusual on the menu or noteworthy about its food. The lighting was dim. Which is weird cuz it's not really a romantic restaurant. At certain dusk hours, sunlight will come shooting into the low lit space and make the ambiance even stranger.
This place is great! I went here last night and it was pretty full but we were able to get a table for 3 right away. We started with the pork belly and it was fantastic. Then my friend and I split the burger and the pot roast and both were delicious. I can't believe I didn't know about this place until recently! I definitely plan to come back and try other things on the menu, because so much of it looks good. The service was pretty good too, our server was friendly and helpful with suggestions. Oh...and they have Stone IPA, so I'm happy.
Can't wait to come back to Nook!
The Nook is fun to find, nice to dine at and is a first rate neighborhood place. The beer selection is excellent. The service is excellent. After a
few visits this is a place I would recommend.
Pricing is reasonable and the value is good.
Came here a couple weeks ago for a long awaited ladies' night. One of my girlfriends loves this place so we all agreed to meet up here. We didn't have reservations but it only took about 15-20 minutes to be seated on a Friday evening.
Here's the dish of what we ordered...
Kurobuta Pork Belly - http://static.px.yelp.... The crisp shitake mushrooms was a great add on to the dish, the tomatillo sauce was also delicious, but the black-eyed peas were pretty non-existent.
Yellow tail - http://static.px.yelp.... perfectly cooked to medium rare, the lentils and spinach were also pretty good. The fried basil leaves gave it a nice texture.
Nook Burger - http://static.px.yelp.... I didn't get to try this, my friend said it was pretty good but it just looked too massive for me.
Chicken Paillard - http://static.px.yelp.... Very moist chicken and the mash potatoes were also good.
Steak Frites - http://static.px.yelp.... Nice and tender, cooked perfectly to medium rare.
Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding - http://static.px.yelp.... It came out nice and warm and not too sweet.
The side orders we got were the mac n cheese and the okra and tomatoes. The mac n cheese came out SUPER HOT! It actually took about 5 mins to cool down and become edible. Once it cooled down they were just ok, wished it was more creamier. The okra and tomatoes were just plain blah. Other than that we all pretty much enjoyed our meal. The service here was great and never did we have to wait long to get our water glasses refilled. I'll definitely be back and next time I'll take a picture of the cute salt and pepper mini scooper!
i had such a FANTABULOUS eating day!!! =) ALL SMILES!!!
for lunch, i had food from the kogi truck (already reviewed).
dinner was here at Nook Bistro. it is a HIDDEN gem...when i say hidden, i really mean it. bf was parking and said, "we're here." i'm like, "uh...where? i don't see it." he's like, "right over there." me, "where??"
then finally as we got out of the car and started walking, he showed me. i'm like, "WOW!! i wouldn't never found it on my own." *thanx yelp...and bf. =)
there is an arrow pointing the the left. that is where this lil' bistro is. dim lighting, nice mellow music, clean decor, great overall feel as we walked in.
there are complimentary cooked peanuts -- the asian kind. they were a bit on the salty side...but still good.
we ordered
nook dinner salad -- flavor was fine. greens w/some dried
cranberries, sweet pecans but i expected more
salad...
crabcakes -- real crab, perfect patties w/a corn salsa and tabasco
viniagrette
spicy shrimp -- fresh shrimp with a spicy sauce over grits. luv'd the
flavoring of this also...sooo yummy!!
chocolate banana bread pudding -- it was sooo delish that i wanted
to lick the dish but we were in public *blush
service was excellent also. every time my water glass ran low, it was filled right back up. they give you new sharing plates for each dish. waiter was pleasant and attentive. i don't know his name -- boo me.
i must go back to try the burger, pork chops, other desserts, etc...
"happy eating day!! happy eating day!!" =)
** NOTE: on tuesdays, you can bring in your own wine for
NEGATIVE CORKAGE FEE day. they pay you $1 for
bringing your own wine. usually corkage fee is $15.
** NOTE on location for Hazel F
It is located in a small strip plaza right across the street from Cafe50s in the corner (look for the arrow) between the cleaners and the pizza place.
I was taken aback that a trendy little bistro style restaurant would sit next to Pizza USA and a chinese food-to-NO. But come in, and you're in another place.
They serve boiled peanuts, a first for me, and so Asian. you eat it almost like you would edamame. I had the Nook burger served on a focaccia bread with the usual fixings. Burger was a bit light on taste, but well grilled and prepared. A big wad of fries too. Burger runs about 13 here, and fish, chicken, steak run from about 20-30.
The funniest thing. My roommate ordered fish, to which they thanked you with a coupon discount promotion to the LB aquarium where you can look at but not touch, other tasty creatures. Think about what you just did.
This is a really great place with interesing offerings. Thankfully, it is independently owned and they pretty much do things their way which is not a bad thing. The food and the restaurant have a distinct personality which reminds me of the many independent (and fabulously good) restaurants in NYC.
Nook is a chic little place in a hideous strip mall. The juxtaposition is actually hilarious. I can NEVER get a reservation because they are always booked but I can walk in anytime and get seated right away. Like I said, they do things their own way.
Glad this place is in the hood!
This place reminds me of The Counter in Marina Del Rey, except much smaller, a lot darker, and sexier.
Complimentary boiled peanuts in shell - interesting but not in the least appetiziing. They really should do away with this item. It's a waste of money (for the owners) and food because no one eats them. I looked around and notice repeatedly people barely touch them.
Burger - This is one yummy big burger. Perfect to share with someone. I've had this burger more than once, and the fries consistently come overcooked. The last time I was there, I could not resist and had to let them know. They sent out a fresh batch that ended up being half overcooked and half soggy. Disappointed but I appreciated the effort and service.
Lentil Stew - is not a stew. It's literally a plate of dry cous cous with some lentils in it. There are no words. I literally could have made this dish at home. This dish is as dry as it comes. Where is the stew? Where are the raisins that were supposed to be in it? I want my money back.
Mac & Cheese - Light (and I use that word loosely), creamy goodness.
Location: in the corner of a small strip mall or to the right of a bakery.
Parking: free lot or street meters.
I got to the plaza and wandered into the streets.. where was this place?!
Aha, in the nook of the plaza. Gotcha. Haha...
And I love that they have parking!
I took a friend here for his birthday because I had read good reviews - I normally don't take people to places I have not visited, but a coworker had said it was good, too.
We were tended to by.. I want to say Courtney? Excellent service, excellent recommendations. Here are the dishes we ordered:
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: solid gumbo (and I'm from the South so I grew up on Cajun). Not quite Cajun spicy but good flavors.
- Shitake Gruyere Bread Pudding: disappointment.. too greasy/heavy/doughy.
- Chicken Palliard: A bit bland (and I eat bland as is) although the textures were great.
- Pot Roast: Excellent! Falls-apart-with-just-your-fork-tender piece of meat with melts-in-your-mouth yam puree.
- Key Lime Pie: Strong lime flavors. Ok.
- Strawberry Cafouti with Creme Anglaise: My favorite ice cream is Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake. Strawberry Cafouti is just like that except that it's warm and souffle-like. Quickly made "one of my favorite desserts ever" list!
No wine but all in all $78 before tax. Excellent service, nice ambience, decent table spacing. I'd give it a 3.5 stars for the food because it was a bit hit or miss, but I will go back for that pot roast and strawberry cafouti. And heck, half a star for parking!
Solid food, nice ambiance, great service.
I may be biased because it's my neighborhood gem but Nook is definitely the best ever! I can honestly say I've had almost everything on the menu and nothing disappoints. The food is consistently amazing - Korubuta pork belly (way better than Craft and Gjelina), New Zealand green lip mussel pan roast, pork chop, organic half chicken, chicken rice bowl, mac and cheese, chocolate banana bread pudding, key lime pie, and their beer and wine selection rocks!! And the staff is super friendly. A must visit.....
Funny, I found myself visiting the Nook the day that Linda N. got the ROTD for her review of this bistro. However I'd had it bookmarked for ages prior, the ROTD just helped remind me!
So...the thing is, I could find myself stopping by here if I lived in the neighborhood for some good appetizers and a drink before heading off to do something. But I wasn't so pushed over by the food to add it to my monthly visits list.
The interior is modern and attractive. Three of us sat comfortably at the raised row of tables stretching through the center of the restaurant. It's dimly lit, but not so much that you can't see your food. The bathroom was clean and candle lit, kinda sexy...I guess.
We all split calamari, crabs cakes, the burger, mac and cheese, and the brown rice chicken dish. The calamari, crab cakes and brown rice were excellent. Really what I was expecting. The burger was actually pretty disappointing, it just didn't turn me on. The mac and cheese was probably the most disappointing. I'm sorry to say that Trader Joes microwavable 5 cheese mac and cheese is much tastier by leaps and bounds. The main problem I think is that I prefer really rich, strong flavored cheese...and I found whatever they used to be bland and boring. I also didn't like that they don't bake the crumbley topping just for a few minutes before serving, coulda been crunchier. It kind of just caked up in my mouth.
Service was excellent, except for the buser who kept trying to snatch half finished plates of food from us while we still had forks in our hands. He was just a little to excited to be taking those plates back I guess. I think also it's a little pricey for what you get, but so are most frou-frou joints in LA.
If I get a chance, I'll definitely come back here again and try some of the other menu options. I especially curious about the bread pudding!!!
I came here for lunch and I loved it! Everything is fresh and light. I shared the BBQ Glazed Salmon Wrap and the Grilled Albacore Sandwich with a friend. The Salmon was a perfect medium rare and it was wraped with shitake, quinoa and baby greens. The Grilled Albacore was also perfectly medium rare and served with apple-fig chutney, pickled red onions, avocado and sprouts. I liked the sweetness of the apple-fig chutney. Each sandwich came with a side. I had french fries and my friend had the mixed greens. The fries reminded me of In&Out's except better. They tasted light and not drenched in oil. Both sandwiches were only $12. Definitely worth it.
And then we finished our meal with the Brownie Cup and vanilla gelato ($7). The brownie wasn't as chocolately as i would have liked. It was good but not what I was expecting.
Also, the service was superb! From the host, to our server, and even the busers. i will definitely be coming back.
This place rocks. The food is always tasty - simple yet creative. There is always plenty - no tiny portions. And the prices are very reasonable. The best part, though, is that it is always busy but rarely packed. The servers are first rate - no newbies in this place.
I went the first time 3 months ago with a friend. I've been back once or twice a week ever since and every meal has been a great experience...
Love, love, love this place.
I was here in...let me think...early April. I was home for the Mayercraft Carrier 2 (yes, I went...yes, it was fun...no, I don't care to know whether you think Mr. Mayer is a dreamboat or a douche bag.)
While I was home I wanted to meet up with a good friend of mine I'd met when we were both living and working in Korea. I also wanted to meet up with some old UCLA college friends. Someone suggested the Nook Bistro and I'm glad they did. The group had a range of eaters: a pescatarian (someone who doesn't eat any sorts of meats except for fish), someone whom (I think) zig-zags between vegetarian and just being a healthy eater, another friend not picky like me and me, an insulin dependent diabetic, who eats everything but tries to avoid simple sugars.
The menu at this place accommodated all of us both with diet preferences and price. We were lucky because we got the booth for four (this place is tiny). Our waitress rocked and our food was really very good. Now they change their menu, so what we had isn't on their current one. Just go. Trust me. Whatever they have will rock ;)
The only bad thing was I did loose my blood glucose meter. It was pink, really tiny and maybe to a non-tech person looked like something much cooler than it was. It was gone never to be seen again, but I got another one for free. Boo to the person who made off with it, but hahaha to you too, unless you're into or have to take blood samples a few times a day to measure your the sugar level in your blood.
This restaurant is what it's name implies, hidden, in this case in the corner of a strip mall. It is somewhat amazing how much the ambiance changes Improves) as you enter the restaurant. This restaurant has a huge number of positive reviews which I think are deserved. This review if for their french fries.
French Fry review:
The fries here are fresh cut and shoestring (McDonald's) sized. They have only a small amount of skin at the ends but are moderately flavorful. What sets these fries above the rest is the blend of salt/seasoning that they use. While is is completely unobtrusive, (mostly light salt) they have managed to come up with a fantastic addition to fries.
Nook is one of those restaurants that allows you to justify to your pretentious and artsy/snobby/foodie eastside friends that yes, you do in fact have great food in west L.A.
Their service is excellent, wine and beer selection artfully curated, and they have a few stand out dishes that I spend inappropriate amounts of time thinking about. Best bests- shitake and gruyere bread pudding (bubbling, crusty, melting deliciousness) the chicken paillard, and shockingly- an exceptional vegetarian dish with couscous and a curried stew. The latter is one of the best vegetarian dishes I have had in years.
Come early to avoid a length wait, and make sure to get the salty and savory boiled peanuts as you wait to eat.
You know your go-to neighborhood joint where you can order just about anything and you know it'll be amazing? Despite its best intentions, Nook simply doesn't fit this bill.
That doesn't mean that you can't still get an amazing meal here. You can. You just have to order well.
Stick to the dishes with low-country roots. The spicy shrimp and grits with linguisa weaves together a brilliant tapestry of flavors. The pork chop is perfectly cooked, although the salad and tiny potatoes it's served with seem like an afterthought. The boiled peanuts are a fine way to start the meal, and the savory bread pudding is almost as good as the desserts are.
It's the standard "bistro" fare that falls short. The mussels, burger, and steak frites are all pretty underwhelming. And I'm tired of mediocre mac and cheese.
When this place is good, it's great. I'd love to see the chef reinvent Nook as a contemporary Southern diner -- something this city lacks. You don't have to throw the baby out with the bathwater; just focus on what already works best, and let the dozens of other neighborhood bistros fight over the crumbs.
i've been dying to try nook for ages, but every time i was supposed to go, something came up. finally last night, the planets aligned. at 6.30P on a thursday, we walked in and found that the individual tables had all been reserved already, but there was room at the bar or at the central "communal table" where you have the option of being seated across from or next to each other.
decor is simple, elegant, modern, and warm. the menu shows some nice innovativeness, often infusing asian flavors. the carafe of sean minor chardonnay we got was suprisingly light, sweet, and clean, and actually drank more like a chablis, which was perfect for what we wanted.
the menu is diviided into small and large dishes, so we ordered:
chicken/sausage gumbo (sm) - really nice flavors with a mild kick. warm and comforting. the best dish of the evening.
pot roast of beef (lg) - this dish has strong asian flavors, highlighted by star anise. the seasoning was actually a bit overwhelming for me, and the chinese long beans that were in the dish were overcooked to the point of being gaggingly tough. the carrot puree was a vivid orange mass of blandness that did little to temper the seasoning of the star anise.
homemade mac and cheese (sm) - decent, with a bit of bite from a nicely aged sharp cheddar, but lacked the richness and depth of flavor that i've had at other places.
for dessert we had a cherry cobbler of sorts that comes with a beautiful creme anglaise. i ordered it a la mode, which was a good call, to add some much-needed variety to the textures and flavors. it really would have benefited from some sort of crunch though, as it was soggy but tasty.
overall a comfortable dining experience, but definitely go early or make a reservation to avoid the crowds and before the parking lot fills up. service was attentive. i'd go back to sample some of the other dishes, but probably wouldn't go out of my way.
A friend of mine brought me here for dinner one night. As you know, Santa Monica Blvd. can be pretty packed at the wrong times, so after 10 minutes stuck in the same place in our long line of traffic, we decided to just park and walk the 5 blocks (it was quicker).
It's been several months and I don't recall what I had as my main entree, but I do remember the grits. Now, they're not as good as the grits at Animal (the best ever made), but they are good. Cheesy, buttery, shrimpy, bacony, deliciousy. Like Animal, you cannot order them as a side unfortunately, but whichever entree they come with, I recommend you getting that one for the night.
It's not overly expensive, but I recall it being about $17.27 per plate. The seating is limited. The staff is nice. Tip well!
Nice LA-modern look inside the place. The food was good and service was excellent.
Kind of hard to find the place. It's in a strip-mall on Santa Monica Blvd. The food was fresh, cooked right, but a little simple. The mac and cheese was really good! try it out.
Not a bad place for maybe a date....or a small group of friends. The place is pretty small. Has a huge long table in the middle of the restaurant.
Nice simple place to grab a good tasting meal.
Really exceptional service, and excellent food. A little pricey, but hey, you get what you pay for!
My abosulte favorite neighborhood eatery. Unasummingly located in the corner "nook" of a strip mall, it's ambiance is surprisingly relaxed and chic.
I've nearly had everything on their menu, favorites being the pork belly, shitake mushroom & gruyere bread pudding and the shrimp, sausage and grits. The burger is succulent and may even give Father's Office a run for their money.
I usually have a glass of grigio and my BF a cooper's sparkling ale and we are always pleasantly surprised when we get the bill for less than one hundred dollars. Love it!
Service is always impeccable, the servers are friendly and helpful and the food comes out at a nice pace.
I've been trying to go to Nook for what seems like a couple of years now. My friend wanted to take me there for my birthday but when we called the night of, they said not to bother coming as it was really busy. And there was just the two of us!
So, I plotted when I could actually go. I set up a dinner for 8 people. There were a few others interested so I inquired what their largest table was. Unfortunately, that would be the booth for 7. Luckily, it worked out that 7 of us could come and I wished the others luck going some other time. The large communal table could not be reserved. Nor did the restaurant want to split a large table into a couple of smaller tables.
I've been hearing about Nook's famous short ribs for some time and decided to order that along with the pork belly for my appetizer. It may have been a meat overkill but I didn't care.
My pork belly was...okay. The meat near the fat cap was definitely tender but as you ate the rest, you realized it lacked moisture. And the tart green sauce only served to remind you how lacking the meat was. The black-eyed peas were barely cooked. I would not pay $12 for this again. I started dreaming about a salad.
However, I also had a taste of the gruyere and shitake bread pudding which was amazing and I was terribly jealous. The mac and cheese was so-so. I like more creamy mac and cheese dishes.
Then our dishes arrived. The short ribs had quite a bit of meat on the one bone which was placed on top of some smashed potatoes. Others at the table complained about how chunky the potatoes were. I didn't mind but I did mind the weird sauce.
It was tart, tangy, vinegary and just plain off. Could it have been bad wine? It didn't go well with either the short ribs or the potatoes. We had to ask for salt and pepper to try to save the under-seasoned short ribs. I will grant you that they were tender but I couldn't help but compare them to the ones I recently had and they just fell short. This dish was also not worth $26.
On the Nook yelp business listing is a coupon for a free dessert. Our sunny dispositioned waitress happily got the dessert for us and gave us the discount since we had a KCRW card as well.
We tried the strawberry clafouti since strawberries are in season now. It was basically like a custard with a undercooked pancake batter (it tasted better than this sounds). It was wonderful with the creme Anglaise.
I definitely would come back to try the other items. The pork chop was good though nothing I couldn't make myself. I would try the ribeye despite the description that included dill which is not my favorite herb. I also thought the wine list was pretty good. We had the Dr. Loosen riesling ($36 a bottle) which I know is a much sweeter riesling than most which is why I like it.
Free parking in the lot or there was plenty of street parking. $55 for my meal including booze, tax and tip. Nook does charge an automatic 20% gratuity for large parties.
Nook, I'm giving you another chance but at this time, I'm going to have to say 3 stars or "A-OK."
Could not find this place at first. We called them from the parking lot and finally found it next to the pizza place. Very interesting room. It is so unexpected to find such a nice place in a strip mall.
I ordered the gruyere and shitake bread pudding and the shrimp and grits. Bread pudding was very good and mushroom-y. The shrimp and grits had a slight heat to them, but I found it overall dish a little sour and salty. My vegetarian friend had the mac and cheese and the tomato salad. Tomato salad was interesting with tomatoes, feta and watermelon. The mac and cheese was not as creamy as I would like, and had a grainy mouthfeel. But they are properly seasoned and not overly salty.
Rounded up dinner with a strawberry shortcake. Lovely strawberries and cream, but did not care much for the texture of the shortcake. It was grainy, so I am suspecting cornmeal in the mix?
Anyways, I would return to try the other dishes. Service was good and love the atmosphere.
Nook is really hard to find. Apparently, they have a lot of fans as their hard to find strip mall location is not conducive to wanderers. I've lived 2 blocks away from Nook for over two years and yesterday was the first time I went.
I ordered the burger, which came with yummy fries. For $12, it was worth it. I saw quite a few couples order one appetizer and one entree and sharing the entree. The crowd is definitely older...or maybe that's just because I went to dinner at 6:15 yesterday.
If I ever have a craving for a gourmet burger, I'll go back to Nook.
It pains me... just pains me to talk bad about my favorite subject:
Short ribs.
I've longed for them to put this back on the menu for over a year now. Happiness came when the owner, Jeff, pm'd me a couple of months ago to tell me that it finally was. Unfortunately, when I had it last night... it definitely wasn't the same short ribs I ordered on that wonderful night in November '07.
Last night's ribs were really fatty... served ON the bone and the sauce definitely wasn't as good. Like 3 on Fourth's ribs, it was just a slab of beef with a brown, oniony sauce... it was mediocre at best... very bland and had no flavor. I had to ask for salt to make it better. The mashed, or smashed rather, potatoes were very blah compared to the fluffy, truffled mashed potatoes of yesteryear.
However, I won't be deducting any stars... because we did have 2 really shining stars last night... 1) the Shitake Mushroom / Gruyere bread pudding... Odd combo... delicious taste! 2) the Strawberry Clafouti... a light dessert mixed with almost a crepey / pancakey mixture with strawberries and creme anglaise... this was fantastic and for a second (or an hour) I wished that I was the only person at the table so I didn't have to share! It's seasonal, so come and get it before strawberry season is over.
Side note: They have Dr. Loosen Riesling... $36 for the bottle, not served by the glass. No more Vouvray.
.
I'm so sad to take Nook down a star... but feel that's it's necessary.
Had the burger last night and…
Read more »
Everything was prepared very well, fresh and flavorful.
There were three of us who dined on our visit. We had the crab cakes, mac and cheese, pork chop, chicken paillard and something else I can't remember right now. For dessert we shared the strawberry shortcake and bread pudding.
It had great atmosphere and was a solid meal at a fair price. Definitely would go back.
This place is a gem but keep your eye peeled cause you will drive right by it... Even if you are looking for the restaurant. Located in a corner of a strip mall, it is very very very easy to miss.
But you're effort in locating this place will be handsomely rewarded when you step into this simple contemporary restaurant. This minimalist contemporary decor is quite fitting for a restaurant that serves simple and delicious foods they serve here.
So on a Saturday evening, I finally made it to Nook and ordered mac and cheese, Cesar salad, and steamed mussels. Though the mac and cheese and Cesar salad was pretty good, it wasn't THAT good. For me the star of the dinner was the mussels. It was fantastic with just right amount of garlic and seasoning. I'd go back to this place many times over just for their mussels.
The service was very friendly and very attentive. Our server never let any of our drinks go empty and gave great recommendations for the food.
$10 Catfish burrito. Very very good. Nice clean taste. Coleslaw is awesome.
The salad: not so impressive.
Overall, just don't get the salad.
Nook is a fairly reasonably priced little place that tries to balance attitude with accessibility. I'm not convinced that they succeed.
The interior tries to be modern but cozy, but feels cramped. I hate the communal table, and I hate the crappy types who I am usually stuck listening to and being stared at by. I don't know why nook attracts such trashy types. You'd think they'd be scared off by the attitude. At the very least, one chair on each side could be removed, and they could make some more room for people. I really don't want to smell the people next to me and gag on their cheap perfume, much less touch/be touched by them. Somehow, the tables are always full with people who are going to spend five hours sipping some coffee or bad wine. On another disgusting note, the place mats are stinky-- like sour, moldy, stink. They are some sort of plastic mesh that obviously gets wet and does not dry thoroughly. SICK! I never touch it and keep my silverware off of it.
Speaking of smells, this place makes *you* stink, because their fan or ventilation system is not adequate and you leave carrying the sexy odor of fry-oil.
The service has been ok at times, but is generally slow. I have had it with the guy who always answers the phone and can't give any real idea of when a table might be clear, and always pushes the horrid communal table. He always says the reservations are full and they cannot take more... Really, as if they are booked months in advanced because they are soooooo hawt! His attitude, especially with nothing to support it, is beyond lame.
The food is ok for what it is. I like the boiled peanuts...nice asian touch. The salads are the best part of the place. My bf has usually been happy with his entrees-- he likes the burger and the pot roast. The vegetarian choices suck. The chickpea stew is a bad imitation of a Moroccan tagine, and I can make a more flavorful one at home with fresher ingredients. The rice bowl with veggies should more aptly be named a barf bowl, and I am sorry but $3 extra for one pathetic poached egg is ridiculous. That dish is amazingly boring and overpriced for what it is.
The sides are generally heavy and although they might be considered comfort food, they will only provide discomfort as they will sit like a rock in your stomach.
I've only had the key lime pie for dessert, and it is pretty good. Not the most sublime thing I've had, but it does the job.
The wine menu is crap. We've tried about six of them in the hopes of finding something decent, but they were all bad. I highly recommend avoiding the wines. Ultimately, they try to have affordable wines and still cover their alcohol license with the profits, so they have to sell really bad wines with a good mark up. The beer might be a better bet, but we had something that smelled so metallic is was nasty.
By and large, I've had better and we only wind up going to nook because it's cheap and my bf likes it... given my druthers, I'd never go back.
I think the cheapness is what makes people rave about it. They probably think they are getting a lot ("interesting" food, ambiance, etc) for a cheapo price.
It's pretty good, but feels like it's getting a bit tired and could use a pick-me-up.
Absolutely wonderful...
As anyone who knows me well can tell you, I often stick to small family owned ethnic restaurants due to their emphasis on food over all else. This tendency of mine has steered me all but clear of any place that could be described as nice looking. In this city of boundless excess, pretense and snobbery I sometimes forget that there are "nicer" little restaurants out there that actually have a passion for making great food, but in a pleasant setting.
For starters, the restaurant is aptly named...located literally in the nook of a strip mall establishment in west LA. Parking is easy and plentiful in the front parking lot.
The room is small and dark, with very dramatic lighting. Several booths line the walls, and there is a bar toward the front of the room. In the center is a single long high top which puts parties of diners elbow to elbow. Since we lacked a reservation we were seated at the high top table. This wasn't much a problem as we sat at the end...and coupled with the lighting, mood, and fantastic conversation made me not even realize there were other people around...let alone seated two inches next to me.
We started off with the pork belly appetizer. If there is such a thing as food nirvana it would be located within this dish. It was an experience not only of flavor, but an appetizingly clever juxtaposition of textures from crispy to delicately succulent. I liked it so much that I cannot accurately recall most of the individual ingredients... their synergy made for a flavor all its own, the parts of which become irrelevant.
For main course we ordered the Pork Chop and the Chicken Palliard. The pork chop was large and extremely tender and well prepared. One tiny complaint was the very tiny helping of roasted potatoes served with; you could count the nickel sized cuts on one hand and have fingers to spare.
The Chicken Palliard was, as advertised, flattened liberally by the mallet of a chef. Not normally a fan of chicken breast due to its characteristic tough dryness, this process indeed tenderized the meat and it was cooked most moistly. The bed of mashed potatoes and broccolini it was served with were also both above par.
For a variety of reasons, this was perhaps the best "New American" dining experience I can recall.
I was ready to give this place five stars based on their sign and photographs of their chickpea dish alone...and while I had first settled on three stars, two is more accurate as in "Meh. I've experienced better."
After reading which places would be casual, trendy and nice enough for a family dinner but a wide expanse of American cuisine, Nook seemed to fit the bill. Alas, we ended up hitting up Bar Food where the calamari and hot dogs where more up my boyfriend's dad's speed.
I had an afternoon to kill before we got back on the road to Phoenix and discovered this little restaurant is in the same plaza I was eating bagel and reading the newspaper! Happy little accident, I counted the minutes till 11:30. Wearing an oversized t-shirt and a guys hat to hide my messy wind-blown hair, I knew I didn't look the usual business lunch crowd, but the space is very beautiful, elegant and chic, and I especially like the glowing shadow-box like structures that displayed their wine selection.
I hemmed and hawed over the chickpeas or the nicoise salad, decided a nice warm meal would be great and I could save half for the long ride home. The first offering was warm peanuts in the shell. I don't really do peanuts, but gave it a go and didn't have any more-ech. More like microwaved than roasted. Had a glass of cab, not bad. Mostly groups of guy tech start ups wandered into the booths and lunch couples in their 30s-40s. I def started to look out of place alone w/my LA times.
Thankfully, the chickpeas came and it was....bland. Absolutely bland. I mean roasted veggies, chickpeas w/some herbs and couscous can be absolutely amazing...if you actually roast the veggies, simmer the sauce with fresh spices and some garlic wouldn't hurt either. The couscous was bland too. I started looking enviously at my lunch companions and they all looked like they were in heaven. WTF?
I got a chicken club sandwich to go for my bf and paid over 30 something for mediocre chickpeas, a glass of wine and a sandwich. I felt kind of lunch patron gang-banged for something so mediocre.
Later, I asked my bf how his sandwich was while we were on the road. He said it was really good-I asked if it was $10 buck good and he paused. "No. I thought it was like a $6 buck sandwich you got at a deli, to be honest."
What a disappointment. You steered me wrong, LA Yelpers.
A friend brought me here on my birthday
I thought the food and service was great what i often refer to as "quiet controlled service", Friend thought the service was terrible (as he is a regular their) ,so he spoke with the maitre'D Ryan i believe was his name.
Im not gonna lie the server constantly not checking up on us didnt bother me as much as it bothered my friend, although the waitress / busser failed to bring us penuts.
Anywho Ryan ensured the rest of our evening was a birthday celebration.
Pro : chocolate souffle with vanilla bean desert
Ryan ensuring we the rest of the evening ended on a great note.
Comp'd desert & a gift card for the birthday girl
Nook: any secluded or obscure corner.
Fits the definition to a tee. Not exactly a place you would stumble upon. It's wedged into the corner of a small strip mall and you would have never guessed such a cute little place was hidden behind the front door.
New Zealand green lip mussel pan roast- Best dish we had here. Loved soaking up the white wine sauce with the toasty sourdough bread.
Chicken Paillard-Very heavenly seasoned. I love salty food. Good amount of caper sauce over the chicken.
Homemade Mac & Cheese- Good crust on top, but wasn't as creamy as I would like.
Our server was extremely friendly and very helpful with recommending dishes and wines.
Neither of our coke of water glasses ever reached bottom because the servers were so attentive, maybe even a little to attentive.
We came very early, 5:30 on a Saturday night. We were the 1st ones there, but soon enough a few more groups came in. I can imagine this place getting very busy fast.
There's parking in the plaza or out on the street.
Takes reservations.
Modern and cozy, I would definitely come back.
Nook Burger.
Any burger with gruyere is a great burger in my book. The bread was crunchy, and the burger was moist... absolutely delish and a great deal for lunch.
Key Lime.
Nice acidity and sweetness, I'd definitely go back even just for the pie.
I can't remember what I ate the first time I went, but I'm definitely up to return a third time and try some more.
This place is a great find. Even though it is in a really run-down strip mall, once you're inside the front door you instantly forget.
My husband and I just walked in on a Saturday night and there was a short 25 minute wait. We were seated at their community table in the center of their space. Next time we go I would like to make reservations so we could sit at our own table.
The food was great and moderately priced for the quality. Great menu selection. My husband got the gulf shrimp with the grits, I got the chicken rice bowl and we split the mac n' cheese. Everything was delicious and the portions were generous - enough to take home.
Definitely recommend for a casual dinner.
10% Discount Continues
Neighborhood: Beverly Hills
Kids Eat Free!
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Los Angeles, CA
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Category: Diners
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