M Bar and Restaurant
(323) 856-0036
1253 N Vine St
Los Angeles,
CA
90038
34.0938
-118.3269
Neighborhoods: Central LA, Hollywood
Hours:
Wed-Sat 6:30pm-2am
Sun-Tue 6:30pm-12am
Parking:
Lot
Last updated 3.09.09
What People Are Saying About M Bar and Restaurant
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The Scene
According to owner-actor Joe Reynolds, the "M" stands for music, martinis and mangia (Italian for "eat"). Enter through red velvet drapes to find a speakeasy-like interior dripping in dramatic red, from the vinyl booths to the server's micro-miniskirt. The crowd is eclectic and the mood is bohemian--low lighting, high artistic vibe.
The Food
The simple, casual Italian fare is almost an afterthought. Like the live performances on certain evenings, it ranges from inspiring to bland. The latter includes doughy pizzas with extras like prosciutto or artichokes added postmortem for texture, and so-so pastas. On the other hand, the scrumptious Roma tomatoes stuffed with a savory paste of garlic and anchovies and paired with tender chicken marsala in a luscious gravy, or baby-soft salmon in a mild curry sauce, deserve an encore. For dessert, try a chocolate chip-studded brownie or a smooth creme brulee.
User Reviews
hollywoodstar
October 12, 2007
I am always looking for a cool cabaret atmosphere in Los Angeles and it's not easy to find. M Bar has it. It's cozy with banquettes and red velvet a la old time Hollywood. I like to have cocktails and nibble and this is the place to do it. The drinks were great, but the little nibbly things on the menu were awesome. I had the chicken pizza which was so delicious and the calamari. My friend had pasta which he constantly raves about. What impressed me the most was the show. We saw this trio of comics called "The Qu**rs of Comedy" and let me tell you, they were hysterical. They showed video clips of them in their everyday life to introduce the audience to each one as he entered the stage. All three were very different from each other in appearence and in comic style yet the common thread among them works. I've called to find out if they perform there regularly and was told they do...go to M Bar and catch The Qu**rs of Comedy.
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yourownliz
August 10, 2005
We had a salad with seared Ahi and a Pizza. The other person must have been there on a bad night because the Pizza was good. My boyfriend is a Pizza snob and he enjoyed it. They brought our food late and to make up for it they gave us free drinks & dessert. Karaoke on Tuesday night sounds fun - we'll be back!
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jboydenjboyden
July 24, 2003
OK, I'll hand it to them. It's a great idea. And the pizza is really good. But it's downhill from there. The environment is cheezy -- you can tell it was done on a budget. Once the music starts, it's impossible to talk, so you just stuff your face and hope the guest singers are good (I enjoyed the two that performed when I was there, but my friends found them unbarable and had to go outside because the volume was so loud). But, ugh, the burlesque show? I was expecting something really great and polished but instead it was like watching a few girls rehearsing for a racey high school talent show. They just can't coregraph themselves and ended up looking kind of silly. If you want to see girls in corsets, rent some porn from the 1830's, and if you want a cool burlesque show, rent Caberet.
read full reviewThe Details on M Bar and Restaurant
Parking:
The large mini-mall lot provides ample parking. If it fills up or there's a valet, the metered spots on Vine are free after 6pm.
The Extras:
Enjoy a comedy show every night at 8pm. Check their website for a list of performers.
