(213) 405-1434
1855 Industrial St
(Mateo Street)
Los Angeles,
CA
90021
34.0359
-118.2333
What People Are Saying About Church & State
The Editor
Brandi Fowler
Citysearch
Appropriately situatued on Industrial Street in Downtown Los Angeles, this one-time loading dock for Nabisco has been transformed into a striking French brasserie. Though originally launched by Steve Arroyo of Malo and Cobras & Matadors fame, the space is now run by Yassmin Sarmadi with chef Walter Manzke helming the kitchen. Strings of light bulbs hang from the vaulted ceilings with exposed pipes, while the crimson and white brick walls add to the lofty feel. Smoky silver mirrors and small burnt orange lamps lend an intimate vibe for the adventurous foodies and Art District hipsters grabbing…
07/25/09
Mostly Good
by Noona
OVER ALL: C&S was pretty good and I'll go there again. Most of the food was flavorful and carefully prepared. THE STAFF: Mixed. Good sommelier, terrible bartender and strange waiter. We were the first to arrive so we sat at the bar for a drink. The bartender was MIA, then when she finally got there she managed to ignore us for a good ten minutes, even though we were the only ones without a drink at the bar. When we finally got her attention she was rude for no reason and mixed us a couple of extremely sub-par mojitos. This was particularly strange since the bar wasn't even that busy and it was or first interaction at the place. Really set up a bad mood for the evening. Our waiter was a bit goofy which would have been fine except we were having a serious dinner with the in-laws and it was a bit inappropriate. Luckily the food made up for that a bit. THE FOOD: The charcuterie, made in house, was a real highlight. We tried 4 dishes: Duck Confit, also made in house, was to die for. Steak Frites was equally delicious and cooked medium rare just like we wanted. A pork dish that I didn't try, looked good and our friend ate it all. The Bouillabaisse sadly was a major let down. Bland soup base, overcooked shrimp, and a very unpleasant fishy odor. normally I love love the smell of a fish dish coming to the table, but this was awful. WE had to send it back and we just ended up share the three first dishes. we ended the meal with a cheese plate that was fresh and yummy. Tried and full we head out to the adjacent parking lot, just to find ourselves ( and another couple) LOCKED OUT. A small sign indicated that we should go back to the restaurant and get a key. 10 minutes later the manager showed up and buzzed us in. Very unpleasant and seemingly unnecessary. Just hire the garage guy to stay open a few more hours how much could that possibly cost?
- Pros: NYCish atmosphere, charcuterie and most of food
- Cons: Bartender, parking lot closes before restaurant
06/18/09
Check It Out!
by gabriel213
wanted to take my friend out for a nice, but not tooo expensive dinner. and wanted to go to a place that ive heard of, but never been. we decided on church & state. im not mad at the location. i actually enjoy the fact that our downtown is actually looking like a downtown should. the addition of C&S definately adds to the potential of what downtown LA could hopefully be one day. anyway. the food here is really great. i highly recommend the sea bass. very tasty, and melts in your mouth. we made a reservation for 8pm on a friday night, and were seated by 8:01pm. the service was really good. our waiter was friendly, and always let his presence be known, without over doing it. we had a great time. the noise levels are fine. we were able to have a great conversation, with some great wine and food. although the desrt looked good, we were too full to try. our total bill was $85, and that was with a $32 bottle of wine. the ONLY negative, if any, would be the parking situation. on a busy night you could find yourself in a dark alley in the industrial part of downtown. but we were fine. and there are enough people in that area to feel safe. hope this review is helpfull. and go try C&S!
- Pros: food, service, location, wine selection, atmosphere.
- Cons: parking. but not so much.
01/14/09
Hidden gem in Downtown LA!
by jojoba17
Don't get thrown off by the surrounding neighborhood; Church and State is a hidden gem in the industrial part of downtown Los Angeles. Great vibe, great decor, great service. Our group enjoyed everything we ordered: marinated olives, mac 'n cheese, green beans, French onion soup, grilled cheese, lamb, sea bass, vegetarian casserole, apple crumble, and pistachio/cherry tart. All highly recommended. There were options for vegetarians as well, and the waitress was very helpful in pointing them out. We'll definitely be back!
- Pros: food, service, ambiance
- Cons: surrounding neighborhood
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