The Dresden

The soups (clam chowder and French onion soup) were DELICIOUS. They were amazing and I will happily go back for either.

I also tried the lasagna and New York strip, which were alright. Not bad but not the greatest.

What made my partner and I's experience amazing was our server, Gustavo. He was friendly, went above and beyond (providing salsa on a dish that normally doesn't require it), always smiling, and genuinely cared for our experience.

Gustavo- muchísima gracias por su buen servicio y hospitalidad.

The Dresden is hilariously bad. Two stars are generous but there is a reason listed at the end for why another star is omitted. Read on.

French 75 cocktail was very watered down. There was a slice of citrus on the rim but I have no idea what it was because that too had no flavor. Returned it and got a martini which was actually good.

Escargot. This took twenty minutes and one shell was empty and a second shell we couldn't get to the snail! But the big issue was there was broken shell in the butter. We were crunching our way through the appetizer. Needless to say too, the snails themselves were abysmal.

Wedge salad. This one was weird because the iceberg didn't quite have a dressing. It was more like a thick spread you might find on a bagel. It was bland, the bits of blue cheese were bafflingly bland and the bacon bits, also totally without flavor.

Lamb rack. This one was at least not bad. Bright green outer space mint jelly, a bland baked unripe tomato and the lamb itself which was average.

Here's the bad part though, so pay attention: We arrived for dinner at 7pm and were finished before 8:30pm. At 8:30pm, in the neighboring lounge, a band was scheduled. On our bill we were charged a LIVE MUSIC FEE. Firstly, we weren't in the lounge, we were in the dining room. Secondly, we were paying for our bill before 8:30pm when the music was scheduled to play.

Sorry, Dresden, you've lost your tacky charm with that last one. Not returning.

First came to eat in the Dresden Room over 30 years ago. Again went multiple times in the early 2000's to see & hear Marty & Elayne whose duo singing lounge act was legendary.....Kind of like a Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé.

20 years later, I'm dining with friends, and I'm time warped back to a place that never seems to physically change which in this case is a good thing.  

Old school mid 20th century restaurant & lounge with impressive pristine, white leatherette boothes & chairs to add a subtle lush sophistication. Spiral black wrought iron chandeliers twisting down like stalactites. Black stained wooden 2x4 lumber beams as vertical accents which seem a bit awkward like a movie set that doesn't seem quite finished. 

Waiters are dressed in ties, black vests, white dress shirts which seem to hark back to at least the 1970's if not earlier. Pacific Dining Car, Dal Rae, Taylor's along with Dresden all seem to to convey what typical luxury dining was like when our grandparents were young. Musso & Frank also comes to mind, but that goes back to the late 1910's. 

0) Warm Focaccia-like bread soft & moist with mild garlic butter.   

1)  French Onion Soup had a comforting, deep beefy broth infused with a sweet onion under tone. Broth soaked, classic piece of toasted french bread. The cheese covering the soup didn't seem to be Gruyère with a more pronounced fermented, dairy Umami, but more like a bubble gum, bland white cheddar. Still a deal at $9. 

2) Veal Marsala: Medium thin cuts of white veal lightly sautéed & coated with what may be corn starch thickened sweet Marsala wine & beef broth. Baby artichoke hearts seem bottled & in subtle vinegar. Button mushrooms add a bit of earthiness. 

Mashed potato scented with butter was the accompaniment. 

1-2a) ANTINORI, "TENUTA GUADO AL TASSO IL BRUCIATO" Tuscany, Italy, 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah varietals blend into a black fruit richness. Blackberry, dark plum, dark chocolate, bit earthy, smooth acidity balanced by fruity sweetness. 

Tannin was still a bit strong giving a grittiness on the tongue. Aerating il Bruciato in an oversized decanter would have mellowed out the tannins. My swirling the wine oxygenated it so that by the time I was half way through, the wine acceptably presented itself.

3) Coconut Whiteout Cake: Multilayered soft, plush, dense white cake with thin layer of apricot jam in between along with velvety vanilla custard. Coconut flakes, whipped cream frosting. Spotted by red raspberry syrup. 

3a) Regular coffee's bitterness and acidity was a good counter to the richness of the dessert. 

We got to Dresden at 5pm on a Saturday and were the first ones there so dinner service by the kitchen was fast. Waiters here are efficient and unobstrusive. Food is closer to 3+, but being able to go back to the previous mid-century upped the stars to 4.

Walked in on a whim and so glad we did! The ambiance is exquisite with that of a classy jazz club and the restaurant seating area giving that lounge vibe. The bar area does get busy as we were there on a Saturday night. But we found seating at the bar and had no trouble ordering our drinks. They had a live band playing and although it was a little loud it was very enjoyable. We ordered a margarita and another tequila based cocktail called Breaking Bad which the bartender described as similar to another cocktail called The Penicillin which is found at most bars. The drinks were potent and refreshing. Loved the service and atmosphere

We had an amazing get together at the Dresden thanks to accommodating manager Jim and the amazing staff. The drinks were fantastic and so was the food. The ambience is one of a kind as it has always been. Thanks you

Horrible street parking
Dark interior
Rude af bartender. Didn't acknowledge us or say "I'll be right w/you" like a normal customer service worker would.
Nasty cocktails (mai tai & old fashioned).
Will never return or recommend.
Three stars only for the historical "Swingers" legacy.

Thinking of the movie "Swingers," The Dresden was one of my dinner destinations to hit up during our week-long vacation to the Los Angeles area in May, 2023. Z and I met up with my cousin, Eric, and his family here for supper on the night of the 7th. This was my first visit to the restaurant side, I had visited the bar & lounge area with a couple of my best friends back in the '90's (EEK! I need to stop dating myself here!!).

Venue: A grade/5 stars. Even if you never saw them featured in the movies ("Swingers," "What Women Want," "That Thing You Do!." or "Anchorman"), the plushness of this 1950's era restaurant and lounge will still wow you. The gorgeous booths have a luxurious feel and are very comfortable. The dining room on the left side is romantically chic with pink walls, white opulent seats, and white table-clothed dining booths. The lounge on the right is dimly lit enough to see that the booths and seats are richly reddish brown, adding subtle colour popping through the room of earthy hues and walls of rock. If you have seen "Swingers," you will definitely recognize the scenery of The Lounge.

Food & Drink: C grade/3 stars. Below are some items that we ordered:

ESPRESSO MARTINI - Listed as one of their SIGNATURES, this is a nice cocktail.

RIBEYE AU POIVRE - A good size plate this was. Eric and MJ shared this as well as the PENNE ALLA ARRABIATTA between the two of them.

FILET MIGNON AU POIVRE - I customized my dish by swapping the Béarnaise sauce for the creamy peppercorn sauce from the RIBEYE AU POIVRE and opting for the wild rice blend instead of the potato choices for side. I was somewhat disappointed by the lack of wow factor in this dish, it was just ok. Oddly, the LONG GRAIN WILD RICE had more of a calrose rice texture. The portions were generous, though.

CACIO E PEPE - Z really enjoyed this pasta. The serving looked small, but the dish was filling. A little of this goes a long way.

RIGATONI & MEAT SAUCE - My niece, Sora, happily finished her pasta without complaints.

PENNE ALLA ARRABIATTA - My cousin, Eric, was not super jazzed by this dish.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE - Thick and creamy.

BLACKOUT CAKE - Richly chocolatey.

Service: B+ grade/4 stars. Our server was friendly, attentive, and accommodating.

The Dresden is a Hollywood landmark + cool lounge + swanky restaurant all in one. It's worth a visit or two or more!

Great service. Attentive to our table needs. Food exactly as presented on menu: wonderful. Good portions.

Came in to celebrate my sister's birthday. One side is the restaurant and the other side in the lounge. This place is like a time capsule for old Hollywood. Food was very good and our waiter was very nice.

I really, really liked this place. The decor is a fantastic throwback to the late 1950's dinner house. The placement of booths is wonderful and must have been amazing to see when the restaurant first opened simply because of the forward-thinking interior designer. You'll have to see it for yourself to truly appreciate the layout of the dining room.
The service was spot on. The staff was friendly and efficient.
We had prime rib and a New York cut. They were both excellent for the price. Truly a good value in an exciting ambience.