(818) 990-0500

12969 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA 91604 34.145372 -118.41522

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Neighborhood: Studio City

patinagroup.com/restaurant.ph…

Hours:

Monday - Friday: 12pm - 2pm

Monday: 5:30pm - 9pm

Tuesday - Thursday: 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Friday: 5:30pm - 10pm

Saturday, 5:30pm - 10pm

Sunday: 5:30pm - 9pm

Price:

$$$

Last updated 9.13.11

Category:

Restaurants, Bistros

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, B.Y.O.B., Private Rooms, Lunch Spot, Date Spot, Casual Date Spot, Breakfast, Hotel Restaurants, Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Notable Chef, Business Dining, Online Reservations, Group Dining, Happy Hour, Fireplace, Carry Out, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List, Private Parties, Prix Fixe Menu

Cuisine:

French, European

Other Locations:

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Pinot Bistro

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – "Bistro" is an abused term these days. But in terms of atmosphere, Pinot Bistro actually deserves the title. Walk past the maitre d' and you're in the Latin Quarter, circa 1920--all tiny black-and-white tiles, oversized clocks and plush leather banquettes. – – The Food – The menu is a mix of bourgeois cuisine and bistro staples, with equally mixed results: A stunning starter of sea scallops offset by salty, thick-cut bacon precedes a bland salmon fillet. A matchstick-dry duck confit is inedibly bitter, but the heap of parsley-flecked fries that follow are…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Pinot Bistro is no misnomer; the wine list includes an impressive number of reasonably priced, thoughtfully selected vintages.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Don't be fooled by the charming decor.”
  2. “The atmosphere is charming and the appetizers were amazing!”
  3. “The setting was superb - bright and cheerful, great food, cozy a.”
  4. “Intimate, cozy setting”
  5. “My boyfriend and I were looking forward to a romantic treat, but the food was bland and the atmosphere felt like grampy's country club (not warm or inviting, very frigid and proper).”
  6. “Cozy and romantic with dark rich wood paneling, beautiful bar, where you can start your evening with a chilled to perfection St.Germain martini or a refreshing glass of French rose bubbly.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “My cousins crab cakes and Caesar salad was really good.”
  2. “Our waitress was able to recommend wine for each dish, and she sent out a small dessert with a lone candle at the end.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “International selection of wines by the glass, ($9-14) welcomes singles to strike up a conversation with friendly, attentive and knowledgeable servers.”
  2. “It took another 20 minutes or so just to order some drinks.”
  3. “Our waitress was able to recommend wine for each dish, and she sent out a small dessert with a lone candle at the end.”
  4. “Cozy and romantic with dark rich wood paneling, beautiful bar, where you can start your evening with a chilled to perfection St.Germain martini or a refreshing glass of French rose bubbly.”
food quality
70.0% positive
  1. “My cousins crab cakes and Caesar salad was really good.”
  2. “On the plus side, the staff was pleasant and apologetic, the food great.”
  3. “If you like to waste your time and money on below average food and service, then the Pinot Bistro is the perfect place to dine.”
  4. “On the lighter side, they offer fresh chilled seafood platter and the goat cheese salad is excellent.”
  5. “The appetizers and entrees are consistently delicious.”
  6. “The service was terrific, the food was to die for.”
  7. “We had crispy goat cheese gnocchi and a great French onion soup.”
  8. “The courses came right on top of one another and each was a unique meal.”
  9. “They timed our meal perfectly - my tomato bisque, salad and halibut were simply delicious.”
  10. “My boyfriend and I were looking forward to a romantic treat, but the food was bland and the atmosphere felt like grampy's country club (not warm or inviting, very frigid and proper).”
  11. “Their "Frisee Aux Lardons" or otherwise known famous Lyonnaise salad ($12.50) with spinach, bacon, with sherry vinaigrette and poached egg is the best I had in LA.”
  12. “received a dirty plate for my bread.”
  13. “At this restaurant, we spent a lot of money, and the food was very good, but not great.”
  14. “Horrible food.”
  15. “The food was fairly good.”
  16. “The food was so terrible, I couldn't believe it.”
  17. “The only "authentic" French Bistro this side of town.”
  18. “Dreadful food (in a charming room).”
  19. “The food was really not that great.”
  20. “The setting was superb - bright and cheerful, great food, cozy a.”
  21. “If you love cheese, go for the classic baked French onion soup, or try their daily Casseroles such as:”
  22. “Basically, the service was terrible, the waiting time between courses was ridiculous, and the food was very dry, bland, and not hot.”
  23. “The food was wonderful.”
  24. “Our waitress was able to recommend wine for each dish, and she sent out a small dessert with a lone candle at the end.”
  25. “The steak was good, but there was like, 4 tiny peices of it.”
  26. “Fantastic meal!”
  27. “We finally settled on a table slightly better than our original and hoped the food would compensate for the bad seating.”
  28. “On a good note however, their pino noir was quite delicious, and the bus girl was very attractive.”
  29. “To paraphrase the Woody Allen joke, the food was so awful and the portion was so small.”
  30. “Which would explain the dreadful food.”
menu variety
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “with fabuolus choices of quality ingredients and great value as one would expect from a neighborhood Bistro.”
  2. “International selection of wines by the glass, ($9-14) welcomes singles to strike up a conversation with friendly, attentive and knowledgeable servers.”
  3. “The menu was nice, but not inspired.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “What a great place.”
return potential
50.0% positive
  1. “However, the managment at that restaurant is terrible and have a bad attitude (in which I wouldn't go into detail cuz I know someone there) Enough said, I wouldn't go there again and definitely wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone.”
  2. “Pinot Bistro is now our favorite of the Pinot chain, and we will surely go back again!”
service
76.91999912261963% positive
  1. “International selection of wines by the glass, ($9-14) welcomes singles to strike up a conversation with friendly, attentive and knowledgeable servers.”
  2. “thought that perhaps we were the only ones getting bad service, but all of the tables in the restaurants were waiting at least 15 minutes per course, and no, the place was not short of staff, nor was it packed with customers.”
  3. “We went on Sunday and the service was great at the beginning and slowed greatly after a larger party came in.”
  4. “Our waitress was able to recommend wine for each dish, and she sent out a small dessert with a lone candle at the end.”
  5. “The service was terrific, the food was to die for.”
  6. “On the plus side, the staff was pleasant and apologetic, the food great.”
  7. “Our waitress was outstanding, as were all the other employees, from the hostess to the busboys.”
  8. “Basically, the service was terrible, the waiting time between courses was ridiculous, and the food was very dry, bland, and not hot.”
  9. “The waiters and servers are really nice and very pleasant.”
  10. “Very nice room, fine enough service.”
  11. “The service was good, not very good.”
  12. “The service was mediocre at best.”
  13. “If you like to waste your time and money on below average food and service, then the Pinot Bistro is the perfect place to dine.”
value
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “At this restaurant, we spent a lot of money, and the food was very good, but not great.”
  2. “with fabuolus choices of quality ingredients and great value as one would expect from a neighborhood Bistro.”
  3. “If you like to waste your time and money on below average food and service, then the Pinot Bistro is the perfect place to dine.”
wait time
50.0% positive
  1. “thought that perhaps we were the only ones getting bad service, but all of the tables in the restaurants were waiting at least 15 minutes per course, and no, the place was not short of staff, nor was it packed with customers.”
  2. “It took another 20 minutes or so just to order some drinks.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/19/09

Great Food, Lovely Atmosphere

by PatinaFan at Citysearch

We had a great time at Pinot Bistro. The food was wonderful. My 10 year old nephew was with me and he tried snails for the first time. Surprisingly, he loved them! The experience was positively memorable. We were luck enough to meet the Sous Chef, Steven Mary. He has a wonderful personality, warm and knowledgable. He even sent a surprise dish to the table. He made the experience priceless.

  • Pros: Sous Chef came out to the table to talk to us
  • Cons: nothing I can think of
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/01/09

Fantastic meal! Deserves more love; it's back on my radar!.

by revfood at Citysearch

I hadn't been to Pinot Bistro in a LONG time (maybe, 10 or 12 years) but i wanted to take my girlfriend out for dinner and ended up there somewhat randomly. Both of us loved! It's unassuming and romantic, and the only real French place I've seen in a while that isn't stuffy. Wine list is amazing and the kurabuto pork belly blew my mind. Stopped in a week or so later with some friends, couldn't get a table so sat at the bar and drank and ate...once again a great time....i didn't even know they had a bar. Anyway, thanks Pinot Bistro!

  • Pros: Some of the best food I've had in a long time, anywhere.
  • Cons: The music... it's THAT bad, but a little outdated...
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/25/09

VALUE, QUALITY, SUPERIOR SERVICE!!!

by diamondbar at Citysearch

"Little Gem" of Studio City...Cozy and romantic with dark rich wood paneling, beautiful bar, where you can start your evening with a chilled to perfection St.Germain martini or a refreshing glass of French rose bubbly. International selection of wines by the glass, ($9-14) welcomes singles to strike up a conversation with friendly, attentive and knowledgeable servers. There is just no attitude here!!! The only "authentic" French Bistro this side of town...with fabuolus choices of quality ingredients and great value as one would expect from a neighborhood Bistro. Try the Rustic Country Pate, ($11) - laced with foie gras, served with country toasted bread and pickled veggies. Their "Frisee Aux Lardons" or otherwise known famous Lyonnaise salad ($12.50) with spinach, bacon, with sherry vinaigrette and poached egg is the best I had in LA. On the lighter side, they offer fresh chilled seafood platter and the goat cheese salad is excellent. If you love cheese, go for the classic baked French onion soup, or try their daily Casseroles such as:

Bouillabaisse, Rabbit Stew, Cassoulet just to name a few. From the sea: Scallops with Candied lemon zest, Steamed mussels with Dijon mustard and white wine or Salmon Filet with herb Gnocchi in a light

spring garlic sauce,($26) or a Filet of Rainbow Trout with leeks and shitake mushroom($28) cannot be missed. For carnivores there is a 9oz. tender Hanger steak, ($19.50) or perfectly grilled Rib Eye with choices of classic sauces such as: Brandy peppercorn, Choron, Bearnaise or Truffle Butter. Saturday night highlight is the Short Rib with bone marrow and horseradish sauce ($28) or try the Kurobuta Pork belly with lentil. If you have any special request, the waiters managers, as well the chef are very personable and accomodating!

For a finale order a Brioche chocolate Bread pudding complimented by a glass of port or

move to the patio to sip on an XO. cognac or enjoy your favorite cigar. You?ll be glad you came to Pinot Bistro

  • Pros: Quality, Value, Ambience, Service
  • Cons: Although on Ventura blvd., not very visible from the street
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/30/08

Overrated Restaurant

by mattc2333 at Citysearch

Food was ok (average), I tried different main dishes but it's definitely overpriced. I been to many Patina Group restaurants in LA or Vegas. I really really wouldn't recommend this restaurant. You can definitely get the same food with cheaper price elsewhere. The waiters and servers are really nice and very pleasant. However, the managment at that restaurant is terrible and have a bad attitude (in which I wouldn't go into detail cuz I know someone there) Enough said, I wouldn't go there again and definitely wouldn't recommend this restaurant to anyone.

  • Pros: pleasant waiter/server
  • Cons: parking, management attitude, overpiced food
1 Star Rating: Poor

06/28/08

Bad Waiter/ Luke Warm Food

by ssss01 at Citysearch

My husband and I were looking for a good French bistro and were very excited to try Pinot Bistro. The ambiance seemed fine but our waiter (shaved head/bald, French man) was a huge disappointment. If you end up going to Pinot Bistro regardless of this review and get this man as your waiter, please ask to be seated in a different server's section. I've read many reviews on CitySearch and know as well as you do to disregard some. Also, I've never left a review on a website. However, I was compelled to share my story so no one else is caught off-guard by this restaurant. The food was fairly good. However, my husband's lamb was luke warm though the plate was piping hot as were the vegetables on my plate. The thing that upset us the most was that the waiter never asked us how our meal was or seemed concerned in the least regarding our dining experience. After our appetizer, we were clearly finished (utensils at 4 o'clock) and he passed by twice looking straight at us before thinking to remove our plates. I know I might sound obsessive but when it's so easy to appease someone with an easy "how is everything" I just don't understand why it is so hard to do.

The food was fine but there are so many French bistros in the area, I don't know why anyone would waste their time with this one.

  • Cons: Service

The Details on Pinot Bistro

Place Categories:

  • dreadful food
  • really nice servers
  • knowledgable wonderful personality
  • not recommend chain restaurant
  • mediocre service
  • simply delicious goat cheese salad
  • authentic french bistro
  • nice menu
  • excellent fresh chilled seafood platter
  • amazing appetizers
  • great place
  • really nice waiters
  • nice room
  • fantastic meal
  • apologetic staff
  • refreshing glass
  • simply delicious tomato bisque
  • consistently delicious entrees
  • order drinks
  • charming decor
  • cozy setting
  • bad taste
  • romantic treat
  • nice fine enough service
  • positively memorable experience
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