02/02/09

Fun Wine Tasting Experience, Mediocre Food

by EconomicArmageddon

Because it's randomly located on the edge of the 405 near Sepulveda, you feel like you've come across a hidden gem.

They have a fairly extensive wine menu, and they give you cute little coaster-type papers to remember which brands of wine you've tasted. The menu is decent- tapas, and the chef delivers complimentary taster dishes as well. I had no issues with the service, and in fact have gone to this restaurant twice, albeit accidentally.

Overall, though, it's just so-so. Worth checking out... But kind of like a "renter" more than a "theater-worthy".

• Pros: Great wine menu

02/29/08

Good value for a nice evening out

by Beck73

For my husband's birthday I wanted to go somewhere we hadn't tried before, and I love small plates and wine (prefer whites), so Upstairs 2 fit the bill perfectly. Indeed, there was a long list of wines by the glass and a wide variety of hot & cold tapas. You could even order small (2.5 oz) glasses of wine. It was hard to choose. We split 5 tapas between us and that was about right. Granted, we also ate quite a bit of delicious bread dipped in olive oil. My only complaint was that the tomato sauce with the swiss-chard-tofu ravioli was WAY too salty. (Don't worry, carnivores, you can't taste the tofu.) Service was professional and helpful without being overbearing, and the pacing of the courses was neither too rushed nor too slow. When the bill came--wow-- I wouldn't have mind splurging for a special occasion dinner but it was only $60 total including 2 glasses of wine!

On a Thursday night the place wasn't totally full, but it's probably easier to make a reservation. The tables are rather close together so it's not exactly an intimate dining experience, but it's comfortable enough.

• Pros: service, variety of choices, wines by the glass
• Cons: tables very close together

11/29/07

Great gourmet cuisine for intimate experience or for larger parties

by gtrop

This review is going to be not just for the restaurant, but for an entire experience that my wife and I had here when we decided to have the reception for our wedding at Upstairs 2.

First the restaurant: the food is excellent, creative, fun. The wine selection is among the best you will find in Los Angeles. The service is outstanding and the atmosphere is both aesthetically pleasing and inviting. My wife is French, and she raved about the food, the wine and the service. She is demanding, so this says a lot.

The real reason I am writing this review, however, is because of the absolutely amazing experience that my wife and I had using Upstairs 2 as a reception for our wedding. It is important to underscore not just how happy we were with the result--the food, the setting, the service--but also, the entire process and chef Todd Barrie's impeccable professionalism from the first meeting to the event itself.

Todd Barrie is not just an amazing chef, but an extremely congenial person. He met with us multiple times long before the wedding, maintained contact with us up until the reception, discussed with us the different options, gave us samples of food and wine, and was incredibly responsive to our desires and (sometimes unorthodox) ideas. The price was very reasonable considering the all-around excellence. The entire staff at Upstairs 2 was friendly, helpful, and unpretentious. A miracle in Los Angeles.

If you have any sort of event that you would like to plan for 50-60 people, this venue is ideal. The food was just as outstanding for 50 people as it was during our other experiences at Upstairs 2. So for an evening out or for a larger party, I recommend Chef Todd Barrie enthusiastically.