Saddle Peak Lodge
(818) 222-3888
419 Cold Canyon Rd
Calabasas,
CA
91302
34.0782
-118.6926
Reviews & Ratings for Saddle Peak Lodge
46 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 46 reviews
mest game meat in town!
by anne429
February 16, 2009
I'm a big meat fan and this is one of my fav places in L.A. The elk is wonderful, the atmosphere is romantic (i'm from Montana so dead animal heads on the wall don't bother me- in a sick way i'ts comforting being in that lodge- reminds me of home :)- ) My meals have always been fantastic there. Sometimes I just wish it was a little closer! I can't wait to go back!!!
Disappointment
by Charlottey
January 06, 2009
One big disappoinment! I have been wanting to come here for years now, I thought my husband's birthday would be the perfect occasion to visit. Anyway, I made a reservation and requested a nice table and let them know it was his birthday. I guess that part didn't register. We were sat next to door to patio. Cold air was blowing eventhough the door was closed! We tried to let the table situation go. I ordered lamb chops and I asked them to make it Medium well but they were too fatty and uncooked so I left hungry. The appetizers are over priced and too small. I will say my husband liked his elk. I called today to tell the manager about my experience because it was bothering me so much. (I didn't want to say anything that night because I really couldn't have wanted to leave more.) Anyway, I really think this restaurant is overrated.
- Pros: Too over rated
Disappointing for its reputation and price point
by aglehming
January 02, 2009
Our visit was New Years Eve.
The Saddlepeak Lodge offered a special tasting menu. I was not overly impressed with the menu, but decided to trust in the chef. I was also intrigued by the wine pairings, and the wine pairings were absolutely fantastic.
Unfortunately the menu lived mostly up to my expectations = 2 disappointments, 2 good dishes, 1 wow dish. For a special menu at this price point, there should be no disappointments.
The dinner started with an amuse bouche of tomato soup - good, straight forward but no twists.
The 1st course was caviar...nice but nothing innovative.
The 2nd course was a lobster risotto. I love risotto. This was not risotto. It was watery lobster bisque with mushy rice.
The 3rd course was the STAR of the menu. Quail on a bed of couscous with cooked cherries. The quail was perfect with a spicy crispy skin. The couscous was fantastic. I am normally not a fan of couscous. This couscous was better that the couscous I had in Morroco. The sweet taste of the cherries was the perfect counter point to the spicy quail. And the wine stood up to the spicy quail and supported the cherries.
The 4th course was venison. We ordered medium rare. We got somewhere between medium and well done and ended up sending it back. The second try was medium rare. It was good, but nothing in the dish made it stand out over other venison dishes I have had before.
The 5th course was dessert and was another of my concerns. It was a trio of strawberries ? shortcake, sorbet and consomme. It made me think that the dessert chef was on vacation. After tasting this, I know he was on vacation. The shortcake was a 5 day old roll that was brick hard, slathered with some defrosted/microwaved strawberry preserve. The sorbet was your basic grocery store sorbet. The consomme was melted sorbet. The only saving grace to the dessert was the Muscat dessert wine pairing.
- Pros: Ambience
- Cons: Inconsistant Quality Food
Carnivore Haven! by Yvette D. at InsiderPages
Contributor
September 12, 2008
Feeling adventurous? Craving something different? How about elk or buffalo? Then head out here. It feels like you're in a cabin in the wilds. They have a great menu that also includes a few vegetarian and fish dishes. Great wine selection. You'll totally enjoy yourself here!
Meat-eaters' paradise by Penelope M. at InsiderPages
Contributor
August 17, 2008
This is a place to go when you're (at least temporarily) interested in delectable and somewhat exotic meat for dinner, and you're willing to splurge - it's easy to go well over $100 for a dinner for two. The restaurant is set in a building which once served as a hunting lodge, and is rumored some time in its history to have served as a brothel. Nothing like that goes on there now, though. It's elegant and sedate rustic elegance, and the food's great.
Amazing dining experience
by patrico
July 20, 2008
The food was a nice...these young guns really know what they are doing. The restaurant headed by GM iain Walling, chef de cuisine adam horton and sous chris Kufek has never been better. the meal I had there was fabulous. the food was no less than genius and the service was literal perfection. I think they are by far the best restaurant in the country and i have been to French Laundry and Joel Robuchon in vegas and those two can't even hold a candle to SPl (saddle peak lodge). the chefs are culinary masterminds producing some of the finest food i've ever seen. i sugget ordering the chef's tasting menu which is 8 courses of heaven. the decor is that of a cozy cottage settled away from the distractions of the busy and bustling city of Los angeles. Once again a great meal and beautiful service, a must if you have the time.
Pathetic
by foodfest4life
April 24, 2008
"Living on its reputation! One big disappoinment! I have been wanting to come here for years now, I thought my fiance's birthday would be the perfect occasion to visit, seeing how he loves game. Anyway, I made a reservation and requested a nice table and let them know it was his birthday. I guess that part didn't register. We were sat next to a crying baby (not there fault, but wouldn't havent taken too much commom sense not to seat us there). My view was of the ladies room door with a bright florescent light shining my way. We could barely talk above a quiet whisper because of the atmosphere. We tried to let the table situation go.
My salmon reminded me that they were clearly having an off night. It was served luke warm at best. The salmon I got at trader joe's last week was more tasty than this pitiful 3 oz peice. I will say my fiance liked his elk.
We ordered dessert thinking maybe they could redeem themselves at this point. We could barely get it down. The smores themed dessert was worse than the something my 8 year old cousin bakes out of the box. The brownie in it must have been 4 and a half years old. Gross.
The Kicker and the reason we are giving it only one star: I called today to tell the manager about my experience because it was bothering me so much. (I didn't want to say anything last night because I really couldn't have wanted to leave more.) I told him how excited we were about coming and basically everything I just wrote. He was welcoming of the information but respoded with, "oh well next time you come in I'll buy you a dessert and get you a great table" . You are going to buy me a dessert. I just spent $170 on cardboard and cold fish and you are going to buy me a dessert? Your dessert stinks! I thought some sort of compensation other than another desset would have redeemed the situation and I definitely would not be on yelp venting about this place.
Anyway, I really think this restaurant is overrated.
- Pros: Good service for LA
- Cons: Atmosphere on 2nd floor, FOOD
Does not live up to its Michelin Star
by dvdbosch
January 26, 2008
I am also amazed at the Michelin star. We went there last night for a friend's birthday dinner, so we kept the complaining to the staff at a minimum (did not want to spoil the evening), but this was a very mediocre experience with an extreme price tag. I agree with the previous review; it's the small things. Things like opening a second bottle of the same wine, then pouring a taste in the previous wine glass (minor faux pas), then pouring the new wine into everyone's half full glass of the previous bottle (major faux pas). It's just one example of a night full of mediocre service. The food was bland, the portions small, the meat tough and there were no interesting appetizers. Seriously, the meat in the main course (buffalo NY steak, tiny portion, $44) was tasteless and extremely chewy. Deserts were especially sad. On the plus side, their wine list is fun, full of hard to find US wines.
They claim the average per person dinner price (appetizer, main course and desert) is $55. That's plain false advertising. The cheapest app is $14, the cheapest main $40 and all deserts are $12. That's $66 for the cheapest option. Expect $200 - 300 per couple with wine.
This place COULD be great! I really hope they read these reviews and shape up. The Michelin star is a very high honor, and they need to do a major overhaul to truly deserve it.
Michelin star? How?!
by ghbrewster
December 25, 2007
When I see spelling mistakes on the menu, a minor red flag goes up. When the waiter gives us menus before offering a cocktail or water, that red flag gets bigger. Then when he opens the champagne and asks, "Do you want me to go downstairs and get champagne glasses for this?" (as opposed to drinking it from the bottle?) I start to think we should leave. But we stay and regret it.
We hadn't been to this place since 2004, and it has clearly taken a turn for the worse. Our waiter had no fine-dining skills, and I realized that the place doesn't really classify as fine-dining anymore. It's the little things. Glasses being placed in front of everyone while stretching across the table, rather than moving around it. Holding them by the bulb instead of the stem, so we have his grubby fingerprints all over them to look at. And the guy sniffed nonstop - I mean if a waiter has a bad cold, for the sake of his workmates and the customers, give him the night off! Either way, after pouring some champagne and taking our order, he left and we didn't see him again until he took the dessert order. He left the champagne bottle on the table, but I spied a nearby ice bucket and used it. We poured the rest of it, and the entirety of the red wine that we had brought. If bringing your own wine is such a crime that the waiter can't be bothered to pour it, then please leave off the $60 corkage. The first course was auctioned off. A busser kindly poured some wine for us at one point, as well as water. We asked the waiter for a couple of minutes with the dessert menu, he came back in twenty, then dropped the check while we were still eating. Atrocious service. As for the food, there are no longer any game appetizers (what happened to the bison tartare?) The main courses were bland and the desserts were awful. Does a caesar salad really belong on the menu at a place like this? The bathrooms were dirty. This place needs a major overhaul to avoid losing its hard-to-believe michelin star.
Atmosphere is incredible - this is LA?
by tknechtges
December 24, 2007
What a cool place to go for a wonderful, romantic dinner. My husband and I are visiting from out East and wanted something different - we found this place and were completely surprised to find a place like this in California - especially LA! What a treat. If you haven't been - go. Game meats are incredible - service wonderful. It is pricey - but worth the experience.
- Pros: Ambience, service, food
- Cons: Valet parking only, hard to find location
