The Magic Castle®

(323) 851-3313

7001 Franklin Ave
Hollywood, CA 90028 34.10414 -118.341779

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Neighborhoods: Hollywood Hills, Central LA

magiccastle.com/

Last updated 4.22.11

ambiance
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. FYI, you either have to be member of Magic Castle or be invited by a member to come, and the evening can get expensive between valet parking and the required dinner reservation.
  2. Valet is the only option ($8) and the drinks are a little pricey, but you're paying for ambiance.
  3. Make sure to get a tour - half the fun is seeing all the cool little rooms and bars and getting the history of the place.
drinks
50.0% positive
  1. The food was o.k., as were the drinks (the meat dishes and the lasagna were wonderful, the fish.
  2. Valet is the only option ($8) and the drinks are a little pricey, but you're paying for ambiance.
food quality
58.33000183105469% positive
  1. The food was mediocre, but the service was great.
  2. Good news though, the food at the place is actually just as good as the magic acts!
  3. We were never served bread, petty, but it surmounted by the fact that when our orders came (filet, prime rib, ny) the dishes came cold and overcooked.
  4. had the Steak Milton (it had a crab and hollandaise sauce which was really good.
  5. The service and meal was terrible, shows were decent.
  6. The food was o.k., as were the drinks (the meat dishes and the lasagna were wonderful, the fish.
  7. If you like crowds, mystery and good food dine there.
  8. The Date would've been 100% successful if it weren't for the disgusting food!
  9. the food was GREAT - the filet was perfect.
  10. It was the most expensive meal we have ever eaten--and not really worth the money.
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. The meals and the service was excellent,the menu varied: the Sunday Brunch exceptional.
service
80.55999755859375% positive
  1. The staff was really nice and the magic shows were very cool - not cheesy like I thought they might be - some of those magicians are really good.
  2. The meals and the service was excellent,the menu varied: the Sunday Brunch exceptional.
  3. The food was mediocre, but the service was great.
  4. The service and meal was terrible, shows were decent.
  5. The service was very attentive and personable, not snobby and snippy like other "Hollywood places
  6. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.
value
20.0% positive
  1. The best trick is the marketing campaign that draws an audience for a show who's value disappears in mid-air.
  2. Valet is the only option ($8) and the drinks are a little pricey, but you're paying for ambiance.
  3. FYI, you either have to be member of Magic Castle or be invited by a member to come, and the evening can get expensive between valet parking and the required dinner reservation.
  4. When I looked around at another table, I noticed they brought them glasses of water not an expensive bottle.
  5. It was the most expensive meal we have ever eaten--and not really worth the money.
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/23/11

Get Invited and Go There

by Enchantment

The Magic Castle is an invitation only club, and it is widely considered to be the home of magicians worldwide.

I perform there, and I see a lot of posts online about how to get in if you don't know a magician. Usually they recommend emailing a performer. It's important though to understand why it's a private club. The members consider it to be a very special place, and they only invite people there who they trust will respect the club, the staff, and the art of magic.

It's a bit of a risk for us to get a stranger into the club, because if they cause trouble for the staff or have a bad attitude, it falls on our shoulders. So if you contact a performer to get in (as I see suggested on so many forums), I'd recommend writing a really nice note explaining how much it would mean for you to go there. You might also let the performer know that you'll make certain all of your guests will respect the club rules. I would think that most performers would respond favorably to a really nice note.

The bottom line is that it's a private club to ensure that the guests who attend appreciate and respect the experience. So, if you demonstrate those things, you should have success getting in.

David

w w w. magicandwine. c o m

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/06/08

A member says it's great...of course, I'm not biased

by magicmikela

Being a member for 9 years I can truly say the Magic Castle is an amazing experience- whether you've gone once or many, many times. You have to be with a member or have a pass from a member to get in- the biggest downfall is its a little pricey, but it's definitely a unique/cool night out. Definitely try to go in with a member if you can- If you do, you don't have to pay the $20-25 door charge (and on top of that, you don't have to make reservations for dinner, though it's worth it for the experience). The drinks are around $10 each and the food is around $30-40 each. Not too bad. All in all, do it, it's awesome.

-Magic Mike Jacobson

w w w.magicmikela.c o m

PS If you ever need a pass (or a magician), let me know!

  • Pros: A really fun, unique evening
  • Cons: Pretty expensive and the food is sub-par
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/05/08

AMAZING experience!

by jumpjumpjump

Possibly the coolest / most unique dinner setting in LA....truly amazing experience for my date and I. Had no idea what to expect and had read all the reviews....the food was GREAT - the filet was perfect. The staff was really nice and the magic shows were very cool - not cheesy like I thought they might be - some of those magicians are really good.

  • Pros: Great food...even better magic!
  • Cons: Gotta know someone to get in
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

06/18/08

A truly magical evening

by jenheidir

This was definitely one of the more unique nights out I?ve had in L.A. The whole place really does looks like an enchanted magical castle; every room filled with either magicians performing for guests or practicing their tricks for each other. I?ve never seen so many talented magicians in one place in my life. FYI, you either have to be member of Magic Castle or be invited by a member to come, and the evening can get expensive between valet parking and the required dinner reservation. Good news though, the food at the place is actually just as good as the magic acts! My steak was cooked wonderfully, and my apple pie was deliciously sweet with perfectly flakey crust!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/29/08

Best time you can have in LA without attending the Oscars

by narcissus78

I've been granted the opportunity to visit the Magic Castle three times now since moving to Los Angeles, and each time has been a uniquely rich and incredibly enjoyable experience. The atmosphere is like nothing else - the required formal dress and singular ambience really make you feel as if you have been teleported back a few hundred years and across the ocean into a mystical (possibly haunted?) castle. The magicians are top-notch, especially those performing in the close-up gallery, which is not to be missed. There is a wide range of entertainment aside from the shows, including Irma the ghostly pianist, the WC Fields museum and more. The food is also fabulous - on my last visit I ordered a meat sampler special, and the filet and lamb were both out-of-this-world (not to mention the parmesan mashed potatoes). Hopefully you can make nice with someone who is a member there, because you can't get in otherwise. If you ever have the chance - GO. You'll be in for a truly unforgettable experience...

The Details on The Magic Castle®

Place Categories:

  • bad experience
  • mediocre food
  • quite good magicians
  • very cool magic shows
  • really nice staff
  • excellent meal
  • overcooked dishes
  • pricey drinks
  • amazing place
  • cool little rooms
  • cool bars
  • talented ve
  • wonderful fish
  • famous parlor
  • enjoyed magic
  • brilliant lineup
  • like crowds
  • perfect medium
  • more unique nights
  • expensive bottle
  • famous stage
  • famous mentalists
  • very attentive service
  • perfect filet
  • not big fan
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