11/29/08

Stay away from 326 Beer & Wine; a bar

by jraposa

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I went to 326 Beer & Wine, a bar in the middle of the Farmer's Market and had the worst service I had ever had in LA, which can be pretty bad at times.

The bartender, a woman (if I should dare to call her that and not insult all females) was rude, dismissive and just plain surly.

I had been to this bar in the past and enjoyed it but this time was different.

The beers are listed on the wall and the was on named N.C. My friend asked if it was New Castle and the barhag snapped back "does it look like I have New Castle, what's the matter you can't read."

We just sort of laughed it off but she continued this attitude with most customers ignoring us even my other guests who were not there when she originally snapped were shocked.

We were not finished but after an hour or so she comes over with our check for which I originally gave her a card and lays her head down and asks me to sign the slip. She didn't ask if we wanted another just presented the card. I was in mid-sentence and continued my conversation. She rudely butted in again and

asked again. I said in a second, I'm having a conversation. She walked away muttering under her breath that we were jerks.

I have worked in the restaurant business for almost 20 years and understand if you are ending your shift and need to close out but don't just present me with a check without asking if we are finished, lay your head down on the bar and demand I sign the reciept while I am speaking to my friends after you were rude to us.

If you are not service oriented get out of the business. You do not belong behind a bar!

Get lost weaving through the stands of one of the oldest farmer's markets in Los Angeles.

by Saira Masood

In Short
Locals swear by the jelly donuts at Bob's Coffee & Donuts. Kokomo Cafe is a trendy breakfast joint boasting hipster waiters. Du-par's serves classic diner food, including some of the best pancakes in town. The Gumbo Pot is a great traditional-Cajun stand. Add to these literally hundreds of (expensive) booths carrying fresh fruit, nuts, candy, cheese, meats and fish. There's even more unique offerings, like acai antioxidant juices, imported wines, gourmet doggie treats and handmade jewelry. In summer, 40,000 people may visit daily, many of them in tour buses. The huge crowds don't ruin the fun, they simply add to the ambiance. But shopper beware: This maze of stands and eateries can keep you hostage for hours.

07/02/08

One of the Great Things In Los Angeles

by tonystarksgirl

There's different varieties of food. Great atmosphere. When you step into the Farmer's Market you feel like you are in a different time. Great place to hang out.

• Pros: food, atmosphere
• Cons: parking

11/23/07

Nothing special

by jericsmall

The Farmer's Market near the Grove actually predates the Grove (if memory serves). I suppose it is good at what it is, but for this frequency out diner, I'd prefer something more along the lines of a great dinner with a good waiter over this nearly food court type place. It's an institution, I get that. But it's nearly embarrassing to take out of towners to. The food stations server average food and their not quite the friendliest to the patrons. Make a reservation somewhere, and skip this train wreck.

• Pros: Interesting
• Cons: Poorly planned layout, ok food

01/16/07

Great Eats

by panchamora

The place is kinda small, well the shops that is...it's an outside mall but when you turn into a corner you are in a whole different world...enjoy delicacies and fresh-made foods in the eatery section...food is not too expensive and you have so much to choose from.

• Pros: variety

11/24/06

Simply amazing

by dmenkes

I love this place. With great international cuisine (the creole place and the brazilian places are my favorite), there's always something different. Whether you want a cup of coffee and a doughnut, some fresh produce for cooking dinner, or some gumbo, this place has it all. It's clean and there's a large parking lot nearby.

08/01/06

Smoke...smoke...everywhere cigarette smoke!

by jazzwoman53

If you have any sensitivity to tobacco smoke, Farmers Market is not for you. Everybody's smoking! There are plenty of security guards who look to be somewhat intelligent, but there is no enforcement of state or city ordinances about smoking in public, or especially, dining places. We attended the Friday evening jazz performance in the main dining area of the food court, and I had to go take a walk to escape the smoke. Unfortunately, people were smoking at every turn, even while they were picking fruit and vegetables from the vendor's stands with ciggies dangling from the corners of their mouths above the produce. Ambling out to The Grove wasn't any better. The place was swarming with trendy twenty-somethings in Euro-trash attire, and at least 50% of them were sucking on cigarettes. If I ever go back, it will probably be on a weekday morning when there are fewer addicts out-and-about.

• Pros: Attractive food stuffs in a hokie atmosphere
• Cons: Too much cigarette smoke! Parking is a challenge, too.

04/24/06

Great for breakfast or hanging out

by netter1

I've been visiting the Farmers Market since I was a child, and it's still one of my favorite places in Los Angeles. My father used to bring us here to shop for fresh fruit and visit the butcher shop. My mother used to bring us here for fresh bread and chicken pot pies. I've always loved the ambience of the place. Neighborhood residents chatting over coffee and donuts. Tourists browsing kitschy souvenirs and sampling the different restaurants. It's a bustling local attraction that still has a neighborhood feel. The only problem I have lately is the parking situation since the opening of the mall.

• Pros: ambience
• Cons: parking

02/23/06

The Grove? Please!

by kizmet_la

The best thing about this complex is Farmer's Market. I appreciate the luxury of buying fresh produce and the array of different foods offered. But the Grove isn't more than a pretty packaged shopping mall. Doesn't LA have enough shopping malls? What would make this place complete is perhaps some lounges, museums, affordable shopping for the not so skinny and not so rich patron. Most importantly, how about a dash of culture? LA is a melting pot of diverse cultures. Who thinks we'd all benefit from a place catering to only European culture? That is my beef!

• Pros: Nice landscape, Farmer's Market, Movie Theatre
• Cons: Overpriced, Closes too early, Not enough attraction

05/21/03

Farmers Market / Grove

by laguy

First off, I think the name needs to be updated since they built out The Grove extending the Farmers Market experience. The title should be called Farmers Market/Grove The Grove in itself has become my favorite outdoor shopping area and place to see a movie. Its a more mature and classy Universal City Walk with a taste of Disneylands Main Street (less the sardine tight crowds). It's what has been missing in LA forever, and now I dont need to travel to Santa Monica Promenade for the experience. Although its a year old shopping development, there is a charm of this new, well designed Grove right along side of the old Farmers Market with some of the best food in the city (do you like New York style deli food?)

Visit the Farmers Market/Grove and you will enjoy your day.

• Pros: Outdoors, Ample Parking, Best of old and new
• Cons: Grove can be larger