09/20/09

as good as it gets

by dave m j

Ok....dan tanas....its the perfect location, is small enough to be personal, yes there are celebs now and then, but not that you'd notice, unless you looked, then your rude....you arrive, sit at the bar or a table, and are served by middle aged, experienced men, with a sense of humour and cockyness that makes you feel immediately at home....no bunny girls with tight tops...so you can take a beautiful girl or a wonderful wife to dinner without having an argument cause you couldn't help but notice, so no distractions....the food, well, i challenge anyone to find fault, even when its packed, the standard is still the same, its not cheap, but good things never are, they are special so have a special price, so dont look at the bill just enjoy....the bar....well, the bar is mike, not a bar, hes funny, rude but in a wonderfully polite way and always shares a drink and a laugh with you, he never asks if you need change, this place i so above that.....my recommendation from the menu, well its all good, but the lobster fra diavalo, sat at the bar at the end of a hectic or romantic day, is just the best way to feel good. i have been coming here for 25 years and never once have i had room to complain and am always congratulated by the people i bring with me on my choice.....thanks dan tanas....you are the one place good service and quailty still exists....dave

• Pros: whatever you order your in for a suprise
• Cons: sometimes its a little busy

03/03/09

Great place to celebrate an event!

by rsmorrow

This restaurant is much smaller than I expected. I went recently with some work colleagues and while I really enjoyed the experience I thought it wasn't the best location to have a work discussion. There were FIVE birthday celebrations (on a Sunday night!) so it's definitely the place for special events. The menu was extensive and I thought the Caesar salad was the best I'd had in years. The Eggplant Parmesan was delicious and the wine was decent and very affordable. I would definitely go back!

• Pros: small and intimate, ambiance, food, fun
• Cons: loud, small, crowded

11/10/08

Great Italian Restaurant

by DONIOI

My favorite Italian spot in LA, period. Service has always been great. The food consistent, delicious and very authentic. Specifically, the veal and chicken marsala are perfect. Spaghetti and meatballs make my mouth water. Tira misu and canelonni(sp?) can't be beat. I am amused at the negative reviews. Must be by people who couldn't get in or who can't afford it and it's very reasonable. Pity.

• Pros: Food, service, ambiance, price

03/29/08

If I lived in L.A. I'd be a regular, too.

by klf02

I can't get enough of this place. I don't even know if I can articulate my experience properly but here it goes.

My last 2 trips to L.A. (I live in Vancouver) have included dinner out at Dan Tana's. The 1st time was with my boyfriend. I had read many reviews about the place before arriving- positive and negative- so I was quite eager to form my own opinion. We both agreed afterward that it was truly a unique experience from top to bottom. The food, the service, the slightly dated decor, the clientele, the attitude, were all fab. Did I have the best steak I've ever eaten? Quite possibly. What some people may consider rude and pretentious service, I found to be tongue-in-cheek and feisty. Did we wait for our table even though we had a reservation? Yes. The place is quite small and it appeared people enjoyed hanging out there, so it's no wonder the wait is what it is.

My second visit was last week - March 20th- with a girlfriend from Vancouver. When we originally made a list of restaurants we wanted to go to, I insisted Dan Tana's be on it. The moment we walked in the door, it was deja vu. We were lucky enough to be seated in the front room thanks to Craig, the most awesome Maitre d' / manager. The place felt homey- full of character and characters. Good food, good drink and charming service made this one of my favourite memories of the trip. Special thanks to Craig for making me laugh repeatedly. Great cappucino from the man behind the bar, too. A real gem.

03/23/08

Certainly unique, but thats some good italian food...

by kingfood

I went there recently for dinner on a Saturday night. They certainly overbooked and there was prety much no place to move when we got in. Luckily, we hounded the host and got a table rather quickly. The hot was exactly like I hear he would be- rude in a funny way. I dug it, but I could tell others were put off. Once at the table, our waiter, I thought, had an old school, fast talking way about him , that I liked as well, but my girlfriend wasn't a huge fan. The thing is about this place is thats kind of their "schtick", so once we got over it and focused on the food and drink, it became a great night. The scallop saute was delicious, the chicken parm was everything I heard it was, the shrimp scampi was garlic heaven, and the drinks were stiff. If you don't love waiters making fun of you for picking up leftover sauce with bread, or saying that they are used to being annoyed because they too have a girlfriend, then this place might not be for you. If you can get into it, the food is well worth it.

• Pros: food (especially chicken parm) and stiff drinks
• Cons: waitstaff can be a bit over the top

03/03/08

Love to be used and abused? Then you'll LOVE Dan Tana's!

by lovelaeats

It's amusing to see a few regulars leap to the defense of this place. They should, because it certainly needs defending. Unless a customer is a celebrity or a regular, he or she is very likely to be treated shabbily. We arrived on time for our reservation, only to be told there was a 10-15 minute wait and we should have a "drink or two" at the bar. If only. The bar was absolutely packed and the overworked bartender refused to even look in our direction. So we were forced to stand in the cramped area next to the host stand for half an hour with no drinks, no service and no apologies, as the aging, toupeed, plastic-surgery nightmares who frequent this place jostled us left and right without as much as an "excuse me."

When we were finally seated, the food was like something from a drive-in movie, smothered in Ragu and ridiculously overpriced. The waitstaff and the elderly busboys were brusque and snappish.

All in all, a miserable dining experience. Dan Tana's is an "institution" only among a dwindling cadre of ancient Beverly Hills types who chintz is class and overpriced is good. LA has many, many more authentic institutions that treat all their customers well and deliver a solid dining experience. Dan Tana's doesn't want you. Leave it to its crypt-keeping regulars.

• Pros: None
• Cons: Overbooking, overpriced, rude staff, rude "regulars"

01/02/08

Dan Tana's

by beardlady

I have been going to Tana's for over 15 years, and just peeked at the reviews posted. People who don't "get" it and think you should stay home and order a pizza don't even belong there. Going to Tana's is an experience - there's a reason the place has been opened for over 40 years. The food is great - a real East Coast experience - and it's like being with family. Most of the staff has been there for a long time, and there's a great sense of excitement and humor there. Those who complain of rudeness and also threaten to stay home - stay home, as you should. They obviously don't get the fast-paced, fast-talking waiters, bartender and host. Go to Tana's for the food AND the experience. Food is always consistent - try the chicken parm, the whitefish, the steak. And don't miss out on the delish cappuccino ice cream.

Tana's isn't for the weak of heart, or of personality. If you can handle waiting for your table, enjoy the ride. It's wild!

• Pros: Great food; Festive atmosphere
• Cons: None

10/14/07

Very expensive poor quality food

by slpeck

The tab for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees & 4 glasses of wine will set you back over $230. The $33 saute Scallop entree is just a big plate of over-cooked rubbery scallops. It will leave a fishy taste in your mouth later on. Dont order a glass of the house Chianti either. Tastes like rot-gut vinegar. This was especially disappointing since there are chianti bottles decorating the ceiling, as if they are known for a good chianti. Martinis are good & expensive, but watch out... it's likely the waiter will spill 1/2 of it before he serves it to you.

• Pros: old school Italian decor
• Cons: bad food, bad wine, half-filled martinis

07/23/07

Extremely overrated

by cinnabarterv

I love historic restaurants, Hollywood history, and Italian food. I was greatly looking forward to dining

at Dan Tana's and went there on a special birthday. It was a great disappointment. The maitre'd

was very rude. We arrived early and the main room was only 1/3 full and he would not let us move

from a teeny table to a booth. His excuse was that he needed room for a crowd that would arrive

90 minutes later. We should have walked out of the restaurant at that point. But being imbued with

the restaurant's legend, and not wanting to make a fuss on a special day, we stayed. But I felt worse

and worse. The food was just so so. It was not worth the price. I would never give anyone a recommendation to eat here. BTW, you can't see the celebrities in the bar from the main dining

room. Why bother going to Dan Tana's? It has nothing to offer but B.S.

• Cons: Incredibly rude, ambiance and food overrated and overpriced

07/16/07

very rude employees

by natkat22

The employees are very rude, especially on the phone. I made a reservations but soon cancelled because of the meany on the phone. If they are like that right off the bat, I'd rather not pay money to eat there. The person who answered the phone gave me a "great" impression of what the staff is like--horrible!

• Pros: I dunno...I never went
• Cons: the staff