Palomino

In Short – With magenta-and-tangerine taffeta curtains, potted palm trees and a bright blue Matisse reproduction, Palomino is all upscale Vegas-style glitz. The bold decor fits well with the bustling room, full of aspiring "it girls," studly UCLA docs in scrubs and old-school Holmby Hills residents sipping dry martinis. A winding bar frames a dining room with soaring ceilings. A predominately American menu with European-influences features items like paella, glazed tenderloin of beef and pear-bread pudding.

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:: Within walking distance is Diddy Riese, a Westwood Village tradition where you can get a big scoop of homemade ice cream sandwiched between two fresh-baked cookies for only $1.

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User Reviews (28)

ambiance	100.0% positive	“The service was good, the food was good, the ambience was nice.” “Plus, it has great ambiance: low lighting makes it comfortable and relaxed even during the evening bustle.” “Palomino serves comfort food in a casually elegant atmosphere.” “nice classy atmosphere and excellent crab and artichoke dip.” “The bar area is pretty comfortable , gets a nice crowd and the place has a generally nice appearance.” “The atmosphere is nice - not too formal or casual.”
drinks	80.0% positive	“The food is suprisingly tasty- the gorgonzola fries and the tomato basil pizza were seasoned perfectly and had just the right amount of salt to please any "drunchies" that may have occured as a result of the $2 glasses of wine.” “After a long week we were anticipating an evening of good food, drink, and good customer service.” “And after 10:00pm most of their great appetizers are half off, and they have drink specials for $2.99.” “The bar area is pretty comfortable , gets a nice crowd and the place has a generally nice appearance.” “The mojito drinks are highly recommended.” “Great happy hour for food and drinks.” “Try the ten sage drink, its the best gin drink I've had in my life!” “The food and drinks are not ridiculously overpriced.” “Expensive drinks” “The bar, can't rave enough about it!” “We were never asked if we wanted to order food, or another drink.” “I've never been for dinner-- but in terms of a bar, not to find someone to hook up with, but a place to have great conversation with friends, this is the only spot in los angeles in my opinion.” “Palomino is great, especially as a bar that's a little more upscale but doesn't have to be pricey: their happy hour makes that possible.” “Even the wine that we ordered was very disappointing.” “They have wine (red and white) for $2.99/glass, awesome and not bad.”
food quality	81.57999992370605% positive	“We were never asked if we wanted to order food, or another drink.” “Good food but poor service” “Great happy hour for food and drinks.” “okay food, terrible service” “nice classy atmosphere and excellent crab and artichoke dip.” “He ended by saying that it was probably the best plate of food he'd ever had in his life.” “Palomino serves comfort food in a casually elegant atmosphere.” “My friend even got sick from what we believe was bad crab.” “All the dishes were no good.” “The food and drinks are not ridiculously overpriced.” “After a long week we were anticipating an evening of good food, drink, and good customer service.” “He got a seafood dish that was good but not great; I got a bowl of plain spaghetti drenched in oil, with unappealing chicken shreds thrown on top.” “That covers all the fresh taste of the food.” “Good food, great wait staff” “Went to Palomino for a quick business lunch with a colleague -- ordered the fresh fish, companion ordered salad/sandwich combo.” “Late night happy hour that starts at 10pm has great half price food. I love the mini pizzas, which are on a very thin crust- almost l...” “The service was good, the food was good, the ambience was nice.” “The food is solid but the service is poor.” “The food is suprisingly tasty- the gorgonzola fries and the tomato basil pizza were seasoned perfectly and had just the right amount of salt to please any "drunchies" that may have occured as a result of the $2 glasses of wine.”
menu variety	80.0% positive	“The menu isn't very creative and worse, isn't executed well.” “The menu is awesome.” “The restaurant is child friendly and has a kids menu.” “everything is delish from pom-martini to selection of colorful mojitos, wish they would bring back the cran-drop.” “Even UCLA students on budgets can afford some items on this huge menu.”
overall	100.0% positive	“This would be a great place for a special occasion or first date.” “good place for a nice sitdown dinner.” “The bar area is pretty comfortable , gets a nice crowd and the place has a generally nice appearance.”
return potential	100.0% positive	“like the Palomino in Palm Desert and I want to like this place too, but just can't find a reason to go back.”
service	61.539998054504395% positive	“Ordered sparkling water, waiter poured it into a dirty glass (lipstick on the rim) -- when asked for a replacement, he brought an empty glass -- apparently forgetting that he had dumped out the contents of my bottled water!” “Good food, great wait staff” “Love this place, and the manager soooooo nice and accommodating.” “After a long week we were anticipating an evening of good food, drink, and good customer service.” “The waitress recommended the mojitos.” “The next time the pretentious bartender walked by us he dropped off the tab and went to another customer.” “The server was very knowledgeable and attentive.” “we got out of the table feeling disgusted because we came to the conclusion that that server's conduct was in poor taste (i think that tips are earned for good service and not automatically given.)” “Good food but poor service” “The restaurant is child friendly and has a kids menu.” “The food is solid but the service is poor.” “okay food, terrible service” “The service was good, the food was good, the ambience was nice.”
value	94.44000244140625% positive	“Even UCLA students on budgets can afford some items on this huge menu.” “do not plan on going to Palomino again, although I do hear that it's happy hour is amazing and cheap.” “Late night happy hour that starts at 10pm has great half price food. I love the mini pizzas, which are on a very thin crust- almost l...” “The food and drinks are not ridiculously overpriced.” “happy hour prices are excellent.” “Palomino is great, especially as a bar that's a little more upscale but doesn't have to be pricey: their happy hour makes that possible.” “good value for the money.” “Dinner is not too bad either and the price is reasonable.” “little pricey for everyday meals, but worth every penny.”
wait time	100.0% positive	“After a long week we were anticipating an evening of good food, drink, and good customer service.” “Went to Palomino for a quick business lunch with a colleague -- ordered the fresh fish, companion ordered salad/sandwich combo.”

02/27/11

Not my favorite, but not bad.

by PhotoJake

Pretty good Happy Hour but way too crowded and impersonal. The bar area is small and you have to stay there for the happy hour deals, thought that was weird. Service was average. prices were good and the Pizzas were great.

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06/10/10

Can't Find a Reason To Go Back

by ForAKnight

Let's start with the positve. The bar area is pretty comfortable , gets a nice crowd and the place has a generally nice appearance. The bar area is set up so you can have after work office get togethers and all sit together.

BUT, the food just isn't ... what's the word ???... Good. I've tried seafood, salads, pasta and apps and i haven't found anything i would order a second time. My friend even got sick from what we believe was bad crab.

Except for the salads, the food doesn't seem to taste fresh. Gives me the impression I could microwave most of it at home. The menu isn't very creative and worse, isn't executed well. The bar food is especially dissapointing.

A much better idea is to go across the street to Napa Valley Grille or a couple blocks to the W Hotel.

i like the Palomino in Palm Desert and I want to like this place too, but just can't find a reason to go back.

Pros: cocktails...ambience
Cons: food....parking... food

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10/22/08

All the pretense with none of the quality.

by losangelesdiner

I don't know what it is that people see in this place. I've been there a number of times, usually for business dinners, and I have been uniquely unimpressed each time. The menu is overly ambitious, with too much window dressing for the core of each dish. Prices are very high given what they wind up delivering on the table. The wait staff is garden-variety, unimpressive, and generally exhibits "attitude" towards the customers. Give this one a pass. They've figured out the pretense and the pricing but are woefully inadequate in living up to the image they think they're projecting.

Pros: Not much
Cons: Price, service, food quality

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08/31/08

Utterly disappointed!

by Angel05

We've four of us, ordering a variety of appetizers and main courses. All the dishes were no good. The taste of all dishes was very strong, probably because of all the spices and sauce added. That covers all the fresh taste of the food. It turns out the Paella was too sour (too many lemon pieces), the soup was too spicy (it's supposed a mushroom soup!), and the fish and scallop tasted without any freshness. Even the wine that we ordered was very disappointing. Overall, we think that this restaurant is overrated and we will not go back again.

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07/07/08

Happy hour rocks!

by tlorenz

Palomino is great, especially as a bar that's a little more upscale but doesn't have to be pricey: their happy hour makes that possible. The food is suprisingly tasty- the gorgonzola fries and the tomato basil pizza were seasoned perfectly and had just the right amount of salt to please any "drunchies" that may have occured as a result of the $2 glasses of wine. Plus, it has great ambiance: low lighting makes it comfortable and relaxed even during the evening bustle.

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Editor's Tips

02/27/11

Not my favorite, but not bad.

by PhotoJake

06/10/10

Can't Find a Reason To Go Back

by ForAKnight

10/22/08

All the pretense with none of the quality.

by losangelesdiner

08/31/08

Utterly disappointed!

by Angel05

07/07/08

Happy hour rocks!

by tlorenz

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