Westside Tavern

5/21/2016

My fiancee and I came here on a busy Friday night at around 6:30-645pm and the place was packed from the pre-movie crowd. We were told that we'd be seated by 7-715 and didn't get seated until around 730 which wasn't so bad.

After we were seated we were greeted by a very friendly server who told us the specials of the night. I ordered us the cornbread which was true to it's description, warm but not hot with a great whipping butter. In hindsight we should have probably only ordered one order as one order can easily feed two hungry people as it's nearly the size of a brick.

Next we ordered our entrees and my fiancee discovered that she wasn't hungry so I ended up ordering the grilled cheese for myself. It came out really quick in under 15 minutes and was accompanied by a large side of tomato soup.

I really didn't like the shop as it had no refinement, i.e. basil or any other tastes it was just an average salty tomato soup. My fiancee likes salty stuff so she ate nearly all of the soup and enjoyed it. Meanwhile the grilled cheese was pretty amazing, yes, it was basic but it was on a perfectly buttered and toasted Texas toast and I could taste at least 3 unique cheeses in it my fiancee liked it so much after trying a bite that she nearly ate half.

Overall this place isn't extremely fancy or refined but they do offer good service and do the basics just right. We'll be back for the bacon potato skins and the shrimp ceviche and of course the lobster roll if they ever get it back on the menu.

7/11/2016

Food is just decent but a little overpriced. Maybe because it's LA and inside a shopping center? My steak tasted beyond salty and was a bit too charred. I was trying to make a flight so I didn't even have to send my imperfectly cooked steak back. We were the first customers to set foot inside on a Saturday morning but our server hardly came around. I kept having to flag another guy down constantly to put in more orders.

The corn bread appetizer was just OK... I'm from the South and it needed a little more moisture. I think the beignets were my favorite. But that is just fried dessert.

6/22/2016

No flexibility in substituting side orders
With main course .... Very strange !!!
Too casual for my taste ....

5/15/2016

Been here a couple times, and I don't know why, but this place continues to surprise me. Located in the mall, this place gets very busy. Parking is in the garage, so no real problems there. I would venture to guess that a lot of people eat dinner here before going to see a movie upstairs. The interior is very modern with dim lighting. Always seems to be a crowd here no matter the hour. The service was ok. A little on the slow side, and then when we did finally get our food, it felt like we were being rushed to finish and leave. Nonetheless, the food is exceptional! Their Brussel sprouts are some of the best I think I've ever had. I tried their Tagliatalle special most recently, and was not disappointed. The food is a little pricey, and the portions are not overly large, but they are filling. Overall, this place is solid, and worth checking out when in the area.

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  Brussel Sprouts

  Brussel Sprouts
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  Chicken and Avocado Club

  Chicken and Avocado Club
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  Tagliatelle Special

  Tagliatelle Special

5/5/2016

• 1 check-in

I came to Westside Tavern with a few coworkers and a client for lunch and it was delicious! It's located in the mall, so use their garage parking which is free for the first three hours.

This is a really clean and stylish restaurant. It's very sleek and it's quite big with a couple of bar areas as well as plenty of seating. Our server was really nice, attentive and helpful! We were deciding on what appetizers to get and he was helping us and telling us what his personal favorites are. We ended up going with the Tempura Fried Crispy Blue Lake Green Beans and the Roasted Mushroom Flatbread. Both were very delicious and were enough for 4/5 people.

For my meal, I got the prime beef dip with mixed greens. The salad was good and the prime beef dip was good for the most part. It had potential but it was slathered in horseradish and it was way too much for me. It said horseradish was included with the sandwich on the menu but I wasn't expecting it to be that intense. I still ate half of it and the rest of our group really enjoyed their meals. The french fries were tasty and easy to eat since they're the yummy shoestring fries!

Overall, I enjoyed eating here. I think this place would also be great to grab a few drinks before seeing a movie upstairs since they have a couple of bars with plenty of booze!

12/18/2015

• 1 check-in

This was my first time at Westside Tavern and it was a bit of a mixed bag.  I was part of a group of 9 about to see the first showing of 'The Force Awakens' at the Landmark Theatres upstairs, so we decided to grab some grub here first.  

The restaurant itself is very clean and nicely designed.  It's very conveniently located amongst a myriad of business that can just walk over, or it's also immediately adjacent to the parking structure for the Westside Pavilion that will give you 3 hours free parking.  The staff was very pleasant - no complaints there.  Being that it was a weeknight, it was clearly a place where people frequent after work for some socializing and libations.

The food is probably where this place falls a bit short.  My friend and I both ordered the same thing...the Turkey BLT with Tomato Basil soup.  The sandwich was just okay...nothing to write home about.  It wasn't until my friend mentioned that my soup looked different than theirs that I realized they had brought me Chicken Tortilla instead of Tomato Basil.  Because we were pressed for time (and I also like Chicken Tortilla soup) I didn't bother to bring it to their attention, but I'm sure they would have corrected it.  Unfortunately, the soup was disappointing...somehow bland, yet also too spicy (if that makes sense).  But I did taste my friend's Tomato Basil and didn't like that at all (and they wouldn't eat it).  It was oddly tangy.  Honestly, a bowl of hot marinara sauce would have been better.

Some friends ordered burgers that they said were pretty run-of-the-mill, while others had the fried chicken.  I tasted the chicken and wasn't impressed.  I would much rather stop at a Popeye's.  On the plus side, we did have the Hummus with Pita Bread as an appetizer which was pretty tasty.  

Given the prices (slightly higher than average), I really wasn't satisfied that I got my money's worth and don't know if I would return as a place to grab a meal.  To me, this seems best as a place to get drinks and some appetizers before (or after) your movie.

One other thing...the Yelp page said they take reservations, but they wouldn't take ours and we were even told by the Hostess that they don't take reservations.  Their website says they take "limited reservations", so plan accordingly.

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  Turkey BLT with what was supposed to be Tomato Basil soup, but they brought the Chicken Tortilla soup instead.

  Turkey BLT with what was supposed to be Tomato Basil soup, but they brought the Chicken Tortilla soup instead.

6/10/2016

It's ok.  I got the salmon burger and it was a tad over cooked. Come to think of it I wasn't asked how I'd like it cooked.  Meals are a bit overpriced for what they are and not a whole lot of healthy options. Service was good.  Great that you can park at the mall for free for 3 hrs.  Not good that even with reservations for just two people and when restaurant's not even crowded they won't seat you until the other person arrives.  Great that we both booked a reservation through opentable and they let us both keep our points. For work lunch probably won't come back.

2/29/2016

• 3 check-ins

After spending the whole saturday at UCLA taking a course, some friends and I decided to come here for dinner. This  restaurant is located inside Westside Pavillion Mall.
We had a great time, food and drinks were good. Service was excellent.
Nice atmosphere but a little dark.

6/8/2016

Woash. I was super-surprised this place. The cheeseburger (so rightly named) was a work of art. The meat was tender, perfectly pink and lightly charcoal-broiled. The sauce, the bun, the carmelized onions, I mean, come on - why would I come back and order anything else? It was perfect. Topping it off was a gently spiced carrot soup and ridiculously-perfect tempura string beans with a jesus-sauce that took me straight to heaven and back. My face nearly fell off I ate so fast. It was perfect. Thanks Westside Tavern. Your name is bland, but you food is of the Gods.

3/6/2016

• 1 check-in

I broke on of my major rules... I ordered a burger. Because you know if you can't make a burger you dont deserve to own a restaurant or a dog.

But good golly miss molly I sure was surprised by the delicious juicy burger that had just the right amount of toppings and just the perfect amount of salt pepper seasoning on the outside.

Now you are all saying, Gosh darn it alex, all you got was a burger... yelp review status revoked.

Fortunately for you... I am a great moocher. I got some of their BBQ flatbread and it was delicious and had the right amount of bread, cheese, sauce, and chicken ratio. There wasn't too much or too little (that is was good ratio means, redundancy at its best).

The bread pudding... or whatever it is called was also good and was a nice little soft not to wet delicious happiness.

THE VERDICT: If I ever move back to LA I will frequent this place about once a month (no not a once a week place), they do a great job of combining flavors and ambiance into happy tickle fights in your tongue.

3/16/2016

Came in here for a quick bite before a screening at the Landmark Theaters upstairs.  Ordered the Tempura Green Beans, Mushroom Flatbread, Mac N Cheese, and Lamb Dip Sandwich.

Tastewise, the Tempura Green Beans and Mac N Cheese were tasty.  Tempura green beans had a nice crunch and wasn't too greasy.  However, some of the beans were fibrous and were a bit difficult to chew through.

The Mushroom Flatbread did not work.  The dough was thick and dense, so when baked to a crisp on the edges, the center was a bit difficult to chew through as the crust did not become light and airy on the inside.  The combination of mushrooms (which were overshadowed in flavor and in quantity by the other ingredients), avocado, and arugula did not work.  The flavors were muddled.  

The Lamb Dip had plenty of tender and moist thin shavings of lamb.  However, the roll it came in was very thick.  My friend ended up just eating the meat and leaving the bread behind.  

Service here is good, and we were seated quickly even without a reservation.  Perhaps there are other dishes that are excellent, but this wasn't a very good first impression.

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• See all photos from Sklar T. for Westside Tavern

2/22/2016

• 1 check-in

Westside Tavern was a good lunch choice on a Sunday afternoon.  It's located inside the Westside Pavillion and can be reached from Pico.  The feel is a little corporate...kind of like a nicer Black Angus, Yard House or a Seasons 52...dark wood, minimal lighting and a mix of booths and tables.
Our host was very friendly and we didn't have to wait for a table.  Our server took his job VERY seriously, but was oddly kind of pretentious.  We ordered the salmon burger, the prosciutto & burrata flatbread and the roasted cauliflower.  
My companion loved his salmon burger and I really enjoyed the flat bread.  It was very unique as the crust was not a traditional pizza crust, it was a very crispy and thin crust that was almost a cracker but more substantial.  The cauliflower never arrived.
This place was a good for a quick and easy lunch.  Nothing super special, but solid if you are in the area.

7/3/2016

• 1 check-in

This restaurant is fantastic-great food(Mac&Cheese-the best I've had, and I Love M&C) +++ service!!! The servers are awesome,  very attentive and attractive!! We had Jason, he was so pleasant and made the experience great. Best restaurant on the Westside!!!

1/8/2016

Average, waited a while to get a party of 4 seated after they told me it would only be a few minutes, waited almost 30 minutes.

Tried the lamb dip sandwich, it was pretty good but I would probably try something else if I came back again, prices are pretty fair for what you get though. We also got the calamari appetizer which was pretty okay as well. The place is not bad but not amazing either.

5/27/2016

• 1 check-in

We saw this place being built and open and we've been coming here forever. Tavern + Landmark = perfect Friday night out. Tonight was the first night we sat at the bar. I wish we didn't so we could've kept our fantasy that this was a great, clean place with great food and great drinks. Service was not the best at the bar. Bartender was not friendly and picked up something from the floor like it was nothing. Then I realized the strainer was all rusty. Hmm... Extra iron, they thought???

1/5/2016

I love this place, it's litterally restored by hope in mall restaurants located next door to movie theaters.

They have one of the best standard burgers in LA.  In house grind with cheddar on brioche.  It's excellent.  Their chicken panini is excellent.  their fries and garlic aioli and spicy aiolis are excellent.  Their chicken and meatball flatbreads are excellent.  They have Pranqster on tap among other beers.  Just try it....

Plenty of parking in the mall garage.

Pricing is very good $$.

Waitstaff and bartenders are super helpful and friendly.  The space is super clean and classy.

Just love this spot, I'vebeen there 3x in less than 2 weeks and bring new people every time.

They also have 2 private dining rooms for groups/parties/corp presentations.

1/17/2016

• 1 check-in

Came here after seeing the sticky toffee cake on food network... and we only ordered the toffee cake so I can't comment on anything else!

The cake is extremely decadent and is a MUCH share item for $9. The cake itself is warm, moist, and 'just' cooked. The edges are slightly crispy and adds ans excellent  texture. The toffee sauce is also very thick and goes perfectly with the cake. The cake is topped with barely sweetened marscapone cream. As a result, the dessert isnt too sweet at all, which was my main worry.

This dessert is so rich and heavy that we ate dessert at 3pm, and didn't need any dinner.

Restaurant itself is large and trendy. There is a large bar seating area. Free 3 hour parking in structure. Service was a bit slow.

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  Sticky toffee cake.... so rich and decadent

  Sticky toffee cake.... so rich and decadent

8/8/2015 Updated review

What's New:

(1)  They now accept reservations for seatings after 5 pm.  And it will be at their Cedar Room.  westsidetavernla.com/din…

(2)  Prosciutto & Burrata Flatbread - Recommended

(3)  Sauteed Idaho Trout - Not Recommended.  

(4)  Chardonnay - If you order without specifying the winery, they''ll ask you what you prefer (buttery or crisp).  Nice.

Other Info:

(1) Service still good.

(2)   Parking is free for 3 hours without validation.  But if you're staying longer in the mall (like watch a movie at Landmark), be sure to get it validated because the fee will be less.

(3) Open Table Reservations:  Although you can reserve thru Open Table, you get no points for it.

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  Prosciutto & Burrata Flatbread - Recommended

  Prosciutto & Burrata Flatbread - Recommended

6/11/2016

Came in about 9:30pm tonight. Was promptly seated and staff was friendly. Unfortunately once we were seated we were ignored and didn't receive any service. We watched a few tables around us get seated and served - and no one even asked us if we wanted water, drinks, etc. Not sure what was going on. About 10-12 mins passed, and we had enough. Nothing yet. Not even any contact. Too bad because we were looking forward to a nice meal, but never got the chance.

2/5/2016

Not a place for foodies but definitely a 'safe' option for some decent American food.

Service and seating were actually A+ and props for the quick service even after a power outage and our server had informed us that the kitchen hoods were out of service!

Grilled Salmon Burger - This should be labeled as a "Ground Salmon" burger. The salmon comes out in a patty form vs a fillet. It wasn't a bad burger and it was tasty and moist. I wasn't overwhelmed or underwhelmed. Just satisfied. I wouldn't order it again though. My gf said she thought the fries we got tasted a day old.

Herb Roasted Lamb Dip - I'm not a big fan of lamb but my gf liked this entree. The lamb meat-to-bread ratio was very good and it was also a good choice, but nothing spetacular.

WT is a good, safe choice for lunch and dinner but I won't be rushing back to it as a go-to choice.