A-Frame

Doesn't Recommend

dan s.

Joined 7 months ago

Sorry, food was greasy and just not great -fun but not enough to go back

insulinwolf

Joined 2 years ago

Despite the Roy Choi buzz, this place is just OK. The patio is nice, with an interesting stone fire burning, and I would recommend just having a drink and a bite to eat there as opposed to the whole restaurant experience. Why? Well, first off, the food is just so-so. The Baby Back Ribs and Cracklin' Beer Can Chicken were both on the dry side, and the sauces provided - one green (basil, I think) and one brown - can't infuse enough moisture back in. The Swordfish Tacos were actually tastier, and not dry, which was a plus. The DYN-O-MITE potato tasted like a shoe sole dipped in sour cream and the Pork Tonkatsu was dry - though the cubed daikon served with it was actually quite tasty. The Chu-Don't-Know-Mang churro was just sweet - not enough contrast there. The service was uninspired - they basically just dump the plates on the table - and the music inside is WAY TOO LOUD and NOT VERY GOOD (is bland funky a genre?). Conclusion: have a pint and some popcorn, then go somewhere else for dinner.

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Contributor72

Joined 4 years ago

Just OK, Some High's, Some Low's. I went with some friends who had been there recently and who really liked the place. We got there at 5PM, just at the time that the dinner menu was made available. I liked the cool vibe of the interior, and the server was a very attentive and delightful young lady. The management must have read the reviews about difficulty in getting water refills, because we were continually drowned in agua, so no problem there.

The biggest issue I had (and there weren't many negatives) was the tiny cocktails. Perhaps the smallest drink glasses on the west side, and at $11 per cocktail! Even the Coke was served in the tiniest bottle that Coke produces. What gives with this?

OK, OK, so we really went for the food (and the menu caveat was true...eat with your hands, reach across the table, etc. Not an experience for the dainty-at-heart). We started with Heirloom Pickles which were unusual and tasty, but the dipping sauce alone was worth the price of the Pickle plate...sort of a creamy chimichurri that we even used later for other dipping. I forget the name of the first salad we ordered, but it was just kind of blah. The Warm Cornbread and Chicken Salad was much better and very tasty...I'd stick with the latter if you must have a salad.

The piece de resistance was the Baby Back Ribs. They were succulent, flavorful and by far the best item we had - they had an Asian WOW factor. We also had the highly touted Cracklin Beer Can Chicken and absolutely loved it - almost as good as the ribs. A side dish we tried was Kitchen Fries (very unusual and tasty fries, with purple Okinawan sweet potato, yam, and Korean sweet potato - the aforementioned creamy dipping sauce paired wonderfully with the potatoes).

We were disappointed because my friends had previously gone bonkers over the Coconut Cheesecake, and they wanted me to try it. Unfortunately it was banished from the menu. The server said it had been very popular, along with some other items that had been on the menu, but the management wanted to go "in a new direction". My advice: listen to your servers and keep those items that "work". We had the Peach Cobbler (newly added to the menu). The peaches were wonderfully fresh and sweet...the only complaint was the size of the tiny ramekins used. Come on guys, people usually share and these ramekins are just a teaser. Raise the $7 price if you have to, but tiny ramekins? No.

All in all a nice experience, and we will probably return, knowing what to order and knowing to avoid the teensy cocktails and maybe stick to beer.

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lakerjae

Joined 2 years ago

Blazin J's Furikake Kettle Corn....A MUST TRY!!. This place is a must visit, and the Blazin J's Furikake Kettle Corn is a must try!

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MeginLA

Joined 7 years ago

Roy Choi's brick and mortar hot spot. Hidden on the outskirts of Culver City in a converted IHOP Roy Choi unleashes inventive food, family style. Communal seating, no reservations and mismatched dishes give A-Frame a relaxed feel. He set out to create a restaurant where you want to share everything on your plate and he succeeded. Each dish is full of flavor and unexpected surprises and the kettle corn is a must try. Friendly waitstaff and an excellent bartender keep things moving. The only drawback: the wait. Get there early or wait by the outdoor firepit as you won't be dissapointed.