06/04/09

Nice Ambience, decent food But some great coffee

by Nirali2009

Michael's a great place for a romantic dinner but it more on the expnsive side. The food was decent but the presentation was lovely.

Also, I must say being a coffee enthusiast the place served a great cup of coffee ! Idid some research and its called weaver's coffee - I would definitely reccomend trying the coffee there....

• Pros: Nice patio and great ambience
• Cons: Expensive

07/10/08

Nothing memorable...

by traveler9

There's really nothing terribly wrong with Michael's, but nothing stood out. Aging decor, plastic seats on the patio. I do not pretend to be a gourmet, but I do know when I'm dining on wonderful food. This restaurant does not provide that. I had the poached lobster, which was just ok, and probably the smallest piece of lobster I've ever had in my life...for $ 46.00! Nothing was served with it. Nothing! No potato, no green vegetable....just alone on the plate. The waiter was adequate, but very full of himself, which is epidemic in LA. Yes, the patio is very nice, but the food and service was mediocre. It seems to be existing solely on it's former glory. My husband and I left the place hungry, which was easy to do when you receive very little food. When you spend hundreds of dollars on a meal, you have the right to expect to be wowed!

• Pros: The decor...
• Cons: Uninspired food....

11/16/07

Would not recommend!

by stella21

For what the prices are, the service was pretty bad. One of my favorite things to do is to go out and have a nice dinner. Of course it is at a cost but when I went to Michael's I was shocked at how we were treated. There was hardly any attention towards us from our waiter. It was like he was too good for us. I felt like we were being judged because we weren't in "suits" on a business dinner. The food was great and I wouldn't mind spending the money if the service matched the price. The decor was also very outdated and made the whole experience a huge waste.

02/22/07

Very expensive dissapointment

by monicatoyoda

Went with boyfriend for romantic dinner. Very sad to go there - wont go there again if I can help it. Service was very poor. Waiters were rude and quite frankly for a place like this I was shocked! Food was served cold - duck wasnt even that great anyway. Sad sad sad. I felt sorry that my boyfriend had to pay $300 for a dinner that wasnt worth $30.

12/12/06

The rabble-rouser of the early '80s restaurant scene is aging gracefully.

by Contributor

The Scene
When owner Michael McCarty opened his namesake establishment in 1979, it was like a whirlwind through the city's restaurant scene. The chefs in his kitchen were pioneers of what came to be known as California cuisine. Walk through the dining room, with its '80s flashback decor, and revel in the atmosphere of the lush garden patio.

The Food
What was groundbreaking in 1979 is classic in the new millennium. The kitchen still showcases the fresh, local ingredients that are hallmarks of California cuisine. The starters are filled with unique flavor combinations. The seared foie gras is complemented by a sweet and sour vanilla sauce. Entrees are more familiar: fork-tender rack of lamb, poached Maine lobster, and a hulking New York steak with shoestring french fries.

10/30/06

Nice food with a lovely setting

by so_adorable

I'd heard about Michael's for years - but since i was daunted by the price - i'd never consider it as an option... But when i saw it was a featured restaurant during the Dine-Out restaurant week, I jumped at the chance. The food was quite good - but I wasn't blown away by it. I'd have been disappointed if I was paying full price. The service, although friendly, was rather slow - especially around dessert time... we waited over 5 minutes staring at our desserts while waiting for the coffee to arrive until we reminded our server that we were waiting on some coffee...

Also - be sure to request patio seating when making reservations - i had garden envy while sitting inside the dining room - i didn't know... oh well.

• Pros: Lovely garden, well prepared food that was nicely presented
• Cons: slow service.

08/14/06

Amazing service, food and ambience ... at a price

by triplejjj

I'd heard about this spot - just a half a block down from the Promenade across Wilshire - but never made a point to visit. Absolute gem, with a tree-filled patio and impeccable service. Menu was tasty meats and seafoods. But, expect to pay $30-ish per entree.

05/21/06

Worst Dining Experience Ever

by cpq

We had a dinner party for 15 people for my wife's birthday. It was the worst restaurant experience I've had in my entire life. Service - terrible! They made us feel like they were doing us a favor by throwing us some dinner rolls every 1/2 hour. Food - even worse. I ordered the 'Honey Pork' not 'Hockey Puck'. Three different orders were sent back. Steaks undercooked and cold. Pork hard as a rock. The waiter was arrogant and condescending and couldn't have cared less about how poorly things were going. With all of the fantastic restaurants in this city, nobody needs to put up with this crap, especially at those prices !

• Pros: Nice Back Patio
• Cons: Expensive, Terrible Service, Mediocre Food

09/26/05

Expensive but worth it.

by alliecat74

Michael's has been on my "to eat" list for a while. It was definitely worth it!! Yes, the place is like walking into a time capsule from the 80's, but it has it's own bungalow-esque type of charm. Not to mention, the enthusiastic owner, Michael walking around meeting and greeting. The oysters were delicious, the heirloom tomatoes were FABULOUS, the salmon was yummy, and the rack of lamb was good.

I'd recommend calling ahead and requesting the patio seating. i would definitely come back. the hostess had an attitude, but everyone else was amazing.

• Pros: food, romantic
• Cons: expensive, stuck up hostess

07/09/05

Nice, but don't go there hungry!

by mamba

Went for my hubby's birthday and sat outside- overall romantic atmosphere and attentative service. The food was excellent in taste, but portions were extremely small. We started with an appetizer, a few martinis and then entrees; however, we were both still hungry when we left (even after finishing 2 desserts). My husband had the rack of lamb (which was pricey) and this must of been the world's smallest lamb! Only 4 or 5 bones with very little meat on them. Next time we'll stop at Fatburger beforehand.

My only additional comment, I agree about another reviewer mentioning the plastic lawn chairs. Also, a lot of the umbrellas had giant scorch marks on them where the heating lamps had been too close. In fact, one was so bad it looked like it had been on fire at one point. For being fine dining (and expensive) the furniture is a little tacky.

• Pros: delicious food
• Cons: small portions, tacky furniture