Boulevard

11/26/08

Great Bar

by laddy2 at Citysearch

The dining area was eerily empty. The bar area is great for a quick drink with friends. If I return, it would be to visit the bar area only. What a grand old hotel.

• Pros: Great Bar Area
• Cons: Empty Dining Room

11/09/08

THE WORST SERVICE, CARELESS. OVERPRICED

by martinaz at Citysearch

I can not tell you how disappointed I was with the service. The food is better than average, not great, for the price they charge: ( salad is $25). But the service is no better than a diner. It is a shame this restaurant has gotten worse and worse since they opened a few years ago. The decor is great and the location is unmatched but the service, or lack of it, leaves such a bad impression. We ordered a salad and I asked the waiter I am vegetarian and I want " no bacon and no turkey". I could tell he did not pay any attention to what I said. The waiters are mostly Latino and speak English just enough to take a basic order. They brought my salad back with " chicken". After waiting for 10 more minutes I was able to get the attention of the waiter and asked him to take the salad back and bring me one without chicken. He did, but he replaced the Salad with a cup of dressing and cheese. It was the most disgusting salad you could imagine. My wife's fish and chips arrived and they did not bring the ketchup until we were done eating the fish and the Chips was already cold. Our drinks did not arrive until we were almost finished with our meals. In fact they brought the drinks after we complained to two different waiters and then the on duty manager. The manager was very well polished and polite but instead of offering any apologies or explanations just put the drinks in front of us. We were so perplexed. This was the LAST time we went back. Don?t go to the BLVD if you value your money and time.

• Pros: OK Bar for Drinks ONLY
• Cons: Overpriced, rude, bad service.

12/08/07

The Bar: For Better or Worse, A Beverly Hills Experience

by mike3333 at Citysearch

I have yet to eat at The Blvd, but I have visited the bar a few times. On the plus side it's a nice room in a great location, right on Wilshire directly across from Rodeo in the handsome Beverly Wilshire Hotel. I've heard the dining room is sometimes eerily empty, but on a recent Thursday night both the bar and restaurant were full but pleasantly just shy of crowded. Like the Four Seasons and Beverly Hills Hotel, The Blvd. is a place to treat yourself to an expensive drink among the fascinatingly odd cross-section of Beverly Hills characters: The older men is suits, the very old folks with oddly-colored hair and stretched skin who never leave the 90210, young, attractive women with older men, young men with too much time and money who are either fighting or will soon fight an addiction, foreign tourists, and the occasional working girl wandering through willing to satisfy any Pretty Woman fantasies.

The downsides are basic: The place needs a better plan to welcome guests--the current station is just remote enough from the entrance that you're not exactly sure who you're supposed to speak to about a table or drink. And at close to $20 per drink (two scotch and waters and a glass of champagne for $58 and change), the place should be VERY welcoming to its guests, if not downright grateful. If you just spent a day overspending in the Golden Triangle or need a convenient place conduct some quick business (expense account recommended), treat yourself to this pricey Beverly Hills experience.

• Pros: Great location, handsome room.
• Cons: Pricey drinks, even for Beverly Hill$.

11/28/07

Recommended if you want to pay a lot for water

by marpop at Citysearch

One of the coolest things I found about this very spacious big-money Beverly Hills resto is the water menu -- they've got the clear stuff from just about every region in the world, with little descriptions about each -- so maybe Voss has a 'smooth finish' or some other Russian water has a 'sweet aftertaste' -- quite a novel way to market water. Anyway, the food was pricey, of course, and really wasn't worth it. We sat at one of the far west booths and I practically sunk into it, I had to keep propping myself up. The bar area was the most lively and I noticed a lot of slick business types stuffing their faces. More than likely won't ever go back but glad I tried it once.

• Pros: Cool water menu
• Cons: PRice

10/01/06

Great Food, Service, Atmosphere

by Elischa at Citysearch

Yes, Chef Conny Andersson has left the building...but he has been replaced with a doll of a gentleman, Chef Brain Moyers. His food is delectable, elegant, and simply delicious. It's a breath of fresh air when you order something that isn't overly complicated and you just taste the natural goodness of the food in each bite. I love the earthiness of the ingredients he chooses. The atmosphere is elegant, but not overwhelmingly stuffy. If you are looking for a restaurant where you don't have to scream to hear each other speak, this restaurant is for you. Don't be intimidated by the Four Seasons hotel name. Service here is impeccable, and they are always willing to make your stay enjoyable. Hospitality is part of the experience, and I love going there.

• Pros: Tables are spaced out, privacy, people watching
• Cons: none