We recently returned to the Beverly Hills location for my husband’s birthday dinner. As I had previously reviewed this restaurant before, I hadn’t anticipated writing another review but the exemplary service, the sensational quality of the food and the generosity of the manager warranted an update.
The morning before our reservation, I emailed the manager, Michael Hudson, who we had met on our last visit for our anniversary. I mentioned that it was my husband’s birthday and we were looking forward to seeing him again.
I didn’t hear back but sensed he had received my email as I did not get the usual confirmation phone call from Phillip. We arrived a few minutes late but didn’t wait long to be seated. We sat against the wall in the front section of the second floor close to the singers and pianist. It was the first time we sat in that specific section and it dawned on us that we could hear the music much better in that area so we’re making a mental note for future visits.
Our server, Summer, was likely the best server we have ever had at the restaurant. She was attentive but not overbearing. Her timing on refreshing our beverages was impeccable.
We started with the spinach salad which was split in half. It was perfectly dressed, not oversaturated with dressing.
The kitchen was slightly heavy-handed with the blue cheese but the bacon and crumbled hard-boiled egg was served in more equal proportion.
Next to arrive was the creamy, decadent lobster bisque which had chunks of lobster with each delectable sip.
The bisque always has the pleasure reflex, where one’s eyes roll to the back of the head on first taste. It just hits all the right notes, and no visit to Mastro’s is complete without this bowl of amazing goodness.
After the empty plates from starters were whisked away, our filets arrived. They were cooked perfectly, a bit charred on the outside with a warm, pink center. The filet was so tender I’m not sure a steak knife was even necessary.
The smell of sizzling, buttery beef wafting through the air was curtailed by the savory side dishes’ arrival.
The green beans were cooked just right, crispy but not overly oily.
The Gorgonzola mac n cheese had a slightly smoky top layer which enveloped a steamy, gooey, dense center.
The lobster mashed potatoes had very generous chunks of lobster intermixed with the luxuriously creamy potatoes.
Last to arrive was the trio of birthday cakes, courtesy of the restaurant. We were served with the mind numbingly decadent butter cake as well as a slice of the super rich chocolate cake.
New to the mix was the key lime pie which was a bit of a palate cleanser from the richness of the entire meal.
All in all, it was an amazing experience. The combination of dishes with the attentive staff made it the best night we have had at Mastro’s Beverly Hills. Thank you to Michael, Summer, your kitchen and staff for an impeccable evening.
Mastro’s Steakhouse
246 N. Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
https://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/Locations/CA/Beverly-Hills-Steakhouse/
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Stark’s is the beautiful replacement to the drab Jerry’s Deli which was a mainstay in the area for many moons. It was a surprise when it finally left but it had served its purpose, the area had evolved significantly and change was long overdue.
The entrance was moved from the right side to the center of the property facing the main parking lot. Walking in, it looks and feels like some of the more upscale restaurants in Santa Monica and Manhattan Beach. The inside of the restaurant looks completely different from its former inhabitant and the clientele looks to be more upwardly mobile. All were great signs from the onset.
Our server “Tweety” and his assistant were really on their game. What happened next was not at all their responsibility. We sat down and ordered drinks which we received fairly promptly. The table to my left ordered a dirty martini and got a very clean but full to the brim martini. The drink was sent back. Our neighbors to my right had not received their meal for some time and when they finally received their salads, one was supposed to not have dressing on it so that was sent back.
Our orders of Margarita flatbread and Caesar salad with chicken had not arrived 25 minutes after our order. What did arrive were our prime steak and pork chop entrees. Two minutes afterwards the starters arrived.
I took one bite of my steak and decided to stop eating it right then and there. I had recently bought prime steak from Costco just down the street and my home cooked steak was much more tender and flavorful than the hockey puck I had just consumed.
I tried the flatbread which had a crispy crust but soggy middle.
The Caesar salad was missing the chicken breast we ordered and my husband’s pork chop was a bit too pink in the middle.
I got up and looked for our server who I brought back to our table. I explained our issues and he asked what I wanted to do. I asked for the fish dish which could be cooked the fastest.
It took about another 20 minutes for the salmon, mashed potatoes and asparagus to arrive. The mashed potatoes were creamy and the salmon was moist, unlike the steak, but it lacked any seasoning. The asparagus was pretty good, a bit charred and smoky. I mentioned that the salmon was lacking in flavor but the texture was far improved.
To our server’s and the manager’s credit, my meals were comped. Before leaving, we spoke with an older couple sitting in the corner booth and asked how her steak was. She said it was good and much better than her husband’s chicken. We asked the couple to my left how their steak was and she had ordered it medium rare and cut it with a butter knife because they forgot to give her a steak knife but she thoroughly enjoyed it and was taking her leftovers home.
All in all, for the first week, there is much to be desired from the kitchen staff primarily. The meals took too long to be served and the food was inconsistent. The servers may be great but a restaurant cannot survive on service alone on the very competitive Westside. There needs to be a major reevaluation and reassessment of the kitchen crew before I would return to Stark’s.
At this point, I cannot recommend Stark’s for anything other than a casual drink at the beautiful bar. Yard House just down the street would be a better bet for those wanting a reliable reasonably priced dining experience and for those looking for a more upscale dining experience, Ruth’s Chris is far superior in quality with exemplary service.
Stark’s
13181 Mindanao Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
I have driven by Atmosphere and its predecessor many times in the past several years. It seemed more of a breakfast or brunch place but I was surprised that it had a nice dinner offering. In the spirit of trying out new restaurants every week, I made a reservation for this evening and off we went.
When we arrived, we were able to find street parking on Venice half a block away. We entered the restaurant and were immediately greeted by our would-be server, Dennis. The main dining room was a third of the way full so plenty of seats were available. We chose a nice half booth, half table halfway into the dining room.
We started off with a nice glass of Chardonnay and a draft beer.
Our appetizers included a margarita flatbread which was crispy and delicious, a light and piping hot macaroni and cheese and a large delicious helping of a Brussels sprouts salad, sans raisins with crispy bacon on the side. The trio made for a nice welcoming treat to the bohemian vibe of the restaurant.
Our entrees arrived shortly after our appetizers were finished. I ordered the steak and Parmesan fries with mushroom sauce. The steak was quite juicy and tender and the mushroom sauce added a layer of complexity. Sadly, the Parmesan fries were flavorless and were the weakest part of my dinner experience.
My husband ordered a burger and his order came with the garlic fries which were far superior to my order of wimpy Parmesan fries. He seemed to enjoy his burger though admittedly, I didn’t partake so I cannot truthfully vouch for it. However, his plate was practically licked clean so there’s that.
Overall, for the price, ambiance, casual vibe and great service, Atmosphere is a solid choice in a neighborhood which has fancier and budget busting eats like The Mar Vista and Little Fatty which are both fine restaurants but take serious commitment to deal with the large and loud crowds and the much fatter dinner check.
We were quite happy with our unpretentious and delicious dining option and would recommend to all who are looking for a quiet, solid dining experience on the Westside.
Atmosphere Mar Vista
12034 Venice Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90066
https://www.atmospheremarvista.com
We had originally planned on having a casual dinner at a newly opened ramen place in the area but on my drive home from work, I had an overwhelming hankering for baby back ribs. The only option was either Houstons’s in El Segundo or Hillstone in Santa Monica. To my chagrin, the Houston’s in the South Bay had no reservations available. The Santa Monica location appeared to have a 9:30 availability. However, when I arrived home, a unicorn reservation for 8 p.m. appeared on Resy which I immediately accepted. We arrived exactly on time and from entrance to exit, the entire dinner experience took 40 minutes.
Having frequented the establishment many times over in the past decade or so, we had our regular dishes in mind. We ordered our Titos martini and Titos Moscow mule to start. For our appetizer, we ordered the savory, crispy, cheese toasts which were absolutely divine.
Then we had the Thai jungle salad with filet mignon. The noodles were al dente, the chunks of filet were tender and juicy. The portion size could have easily been an option for a main entree.
However, we had other plans for our actual meals. My husband ordered the half chicken with black rice and beans. It looked to be moist and perfectly prepared, juicy, not greasy, with the perfect concoction of seasonings and spices.
The reason for our trip was my entree: the full rack of baby back ribs. I omitted the cole slaw in favor of a double order of fries. The ribs were so moist, juicy, flavorful that I nearly ate the entire rack. Realizing my gluttony, I stopped short with two ribs left to go.
Houstons/Hillstone has been a love of mine for nearly two decades. Their recipes at every location has remained tried and true and consistent throughout. That cannot be said of even some of the more famous steakhouses like Mastros or Del Frisco’s. I could easily recommend this chain and not fear any inconsistency in service of quality.
Hillstone
202 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
https://hillstonerestaurant.com/locations/santamonica/
Grace Gambin
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