Reservations at Ann’s Wine Bar had eluded me in our prior visits to the Hollywood Bowl. I somehow missed the window to reserve prior to the event and by the time I figured it out, either they were fully booked or the available times were during the show. By some miracle, I happened to check Open Table five weeks prior to the concert and booked the first available reservation seating. On the day of the event, we arrived at the gate 30 minutes before our reservation. I found out after waiting a bit that the gates were opening at 6 p.m. but nobody would be allowed in prior to that time except the VIP for the separate party next to the entrance. Once we were allowed to enter, we were about 15 minutes late for our reservation and shockingly, upon our arrival, many people were already seated. Luckily, our reservation wasn’t given away or cancelled, and we were seated immediately.

Unbeknownst to me, the entire venue was beer and wine only so I opted for a chilled sauvignon blanc which was actually quite lovely. There was a short wait for starters and sides, but once they were ready, they arrived one right after the other.

The salad was served slightly chilled. The lettuce was fresh and crisp. The grapefruit added a bit of tartness while the avocado gave it a bit of creaminess. The sugar snap peas were added a burst of pop and flavor.

Next up was my husband’s favorite dish. The potatoes were buttery and had a mix of mealiness and silkiness.

Third on the list was the farro which had a nice blend of sweetness from the raisin but also had a bit of heat.

There was an extended delay between the starters and the main entrees so I opted to get in line for the tour merchandise which probably took about 30 minutes to reach the front. As I was walking back up to the restaurant, the entrees were finally served.

The fried chicken was served piping hot at 7:13 pm. It was crispy, savory from the BBQ sauce with a slight tomato creaminess from the dipping sauce.

The sea bass smelled smoky and was lovely and flaky served on a bed of cool julienned strips of carrots, zucchini and beets adding a contrast of texture.

Reserving one of the first seating times was definitely the right way to go because parties lingered at their tables, and we definitely would have missed the opening act of the concert. All in all, despite the staggered service, we had a great experience and would definitely return as the quality of the food was exemplary.