Taste on Melrose

Love the atmosphere, trendy, inexpensive ( for the area). Very friendly staff.

Pros: best mac and cheese

Cons: none

Posted 10/15/09

Velvet Nightlife is a web-site that allows you to tell Nightclubs in Hollywood what you are willing to spend for table service. The web-site works with club owners to help them reduce the amount of excess inventory that they have every night. It is not uncommon for a customer to be able to get VIP bottle service at many of Hollywood?s hottest clubs for a fraction of the normal cost. I got a table with two bottles of Belvedere for $400 including tax and gratuity.

Posted 05/27/09

I went here for brunch and the portions were extremely bland and small. We waited for 10 mins as waiters and waitresses passed by our table without acknowledging us and we had to literally stop one of them to say we were ready to order. I got a breakfast burrito and basically the eggs had the consistency of a sponge and had absolutely no taste. I am not sure how this place got such a high rating.

Pros: People Watching

Cons: Food, Service

Posted 04/24/09

Great restaurant in the heart of Los angeles, Testing Facebook connect with this review, is going to be deleted just testing lorem ipsum lorem ipsum are this already about 200 characters?

Pros: Great food

Cons: no cons

Posted 04/04/09

I didnt know what to get, so i kept it simple and safe with a burger and some fries. i was pleased and felt really good about spending my money on it. The place was really jumping, but it made me want to stay longer like I would actually miss something, lol...........

Pros: Example: best croissants in town

Cons: What are the drawbacks?

Posted 03/26/09

The food was great and the potatoes and french toast were amazing. It was a bit noisy at times, but overall, I had a great dinning experience here.

Pros: Food

Cons: Noisy

Posted 03/17/09

We have frequented here a hand full of times. Albeit the food is overpriced for nothing special and the service average, the pleasant atmosphere used to be enough to offset the unpleasantries. However the last time we went there was literally our last time. We were seated close to 45 minutes beyond our reservation time and no we did not arrive late. As a matter of fact we arrived 10 minutes early. The hostess was extremely standoffish and snooty. When we were finally seated the waitress did not take our order for another 20 minutes. We had to hail down the bus boy numerous times to get service. Our food arrived cold and bland. We were so unhappy with the food and service we asked for the check early but didn't get the check for another 20 minutes. Save the time, money and aggravation, go somewhere else!! We will never come back again!

Pros: COZY ATMOSPHERE

Cons: OVERPRICED MEDIOCRE FOOD, HORRIBLE SERVICE

Posted 03/11/09

I came here for brunch on a Saturday. Started off with a couple of very nice pomegranate bellini's. Next, a bowl of fruit. Very nicely cut, but a bowl of fruit for $6 is a bit steep. Oh well, another sip of the bellini's smoothed over any worries about paying $6 for some fruit. Next, the Crab Cakes Benedict and the Mushroom Lasagna. Both were quite good, though the crab cakes were a more special than the lasagna. Our server was very nice, the food came quickly, and the over mood was nice and relaxed. Nice way to spend a lazy Saturday!

Pros: Good food and drinks, nice atmosphere

Cons: A bit pricey

Posted 02/06/09

I passed Taste a few months back on my way to Lucques and thought this place looked cozy and cute. So I made a reservation for my best friend and I to try it out that weekend. A lot of disappointment was in store! Unfortunately, we arrived 20 minutes past our reservation, and once we arrived the hostess informed us they gave our table away. That was expected, since we were afterall late. So we agreed to wait until the next available table opened up (they told us the wait would be about 30 min.). We were the only ones waiting at the time. About 25 minutes of waiting, we noticed more and more people arriving (apparently many people did not make reservations that night). My girlfriend and I sat back and watched every last person (who came way after us) get seated. Finally, after 45 minutes the host approaches us and the couple next to us and informed us that we would all be seated in a few min. Finally, I thought! The host returned and seated the couple next to us, but not us! We just sat there like idiots waiting, but he never came back for us! So I got up and asked him why weren't we seated, to which he responded "Oh, I thought your table would be opening up but its not available yet." I told him that we had been waiting almost 1 hour and every person that came in was seated except us. He then said, in a rather nasty and condescending tone, "Well you WERE late." WTF? I told him, "you know what, nevermind. I don't think we'll be eating here after all." My girlfriend and I then went to retrieve our car from valet (only good thing about this place-cheap valet and super nice attendants) and here comes the host shouting, "Your table opened up afterall! Do you want to be seated??" I turned to him and shouted "H*ll no". All that punishment for arriving 20 min late! I DO NOT recommend this place! No cust service skills AT ALL.

Pros: Valet-cheap and friendly attendants

Cons: Rude host/hostess, bad customer service

Posted 01/13/09

This place is definitely overrated. And you're paying for the name/atmosphere. I had the ahi burger and it was not great at all

Posted 12/08/08

How did i not know about this place? This place is great.. The people are cool and the food is delicious

Posted 12/04/08

At best, this place is mediocre. I had the kobe beef burger. It came with caramelized onions, which I don't care for (I think they overshadow most things). I asked for raw onions instead and the waiter seemed annoyed, as if these caramelized onions were something a) special and b) were really going to make this meal. It also came with fancy mayo and I prefer mustard. Since I'd never had kobe beef, I wanted to taste it rather than the condiments. Again, the waiter seemed annoyed. Except I eat out often and I'm used to waiters being annoyed. I don't care. When you're paying nearly $20 for a burger, I damn well want it how I want it. There was nothing special about my burger except that it was nearly raw despite asking for it to be cooked medium rare. The environment was nice enough, typical LA-cafe, but nothing special. Overall, I'd never make a point of going back.

Posted 11/24/08

Went here with some friends and tried many things... the ONLY thing I was impressed with was the truffle mac and cheese. The burger we got was burned on one side and undercooked everywhere else. The drink barely had any alcohol. Not too impressive.

Posted 11/16/08

So, I do not ordinarily write or respond to food critiques. However, after reading the last review of Taste I feel compelled to say something! I LOVE Taste. The menu has influences from across the globe. I bring my family, friends, and business colleagues there to satisfy their every craving. Whether it be Indian, Chinese, Italian, French, Californian, Creole, Comfort... you cant go wrong its there!

The ambiance inside of Taste is very intimate and welcoming. NEVER have I seen any creepy crawlers and or any disgruntled employees. The service is great. The staff seems to remember faces very well. It took my wife and I only two times for us to be greeted like family. Taste is a "regulars place." I see a lot of the same faces. I even see other patrons talking to people seated at tables next them about their food! Taste is the kind of place that you know everyone there appreciates you. As I am sure you know, that is very hard to come by in this city!

For those of you wanting a great dinner with very friendly and personal service without having to sell your Land Rover... go there, you wont be sorry!

And oh yeah try the pork chop or chicken masala!

Pros: service, food, patio, monday wine night, cocktail menu

Cons: weekend rush

Posted 10/01/08

I have eaten here twice and I find the food to be okay, not great, but nothing to write home about. What bothers me more about this place is the dismal lack of customer service. I was seated on the front patio when several termites fell from the overhang and into my food and coffee. When I pointed this out to the waiter, he quickly referred me to the hostess/manager and guess what? She moved us to another table, no apologies, no embarassment, no kidding! She even seemed annoyed that I wanted to replace my coffee. It's a good thing I was finished with my food. Needless to say, I am clearly baffled why this restaurant is still open...

Pros: Close to many better restaurants

Cons: Food and service

Posted 09/30/08

I used to eat out, A LOT. For a month I tried almost every West Hollywood restaurant for their brunch. This one had a great menu, super-friendly and helpful waiter, and a great deal on their carafe mimosas (wink, wink). Tight, cozy atmosphere and my entire party enjoyed their dish. Fun place with celebrity sightings and great for people watching. We had the breakfast panini and breakfast burrito. Personally, I liked the burrito better.

Pros: Everything

Cons: Nothing

Posted 09/29/08

The breakfast panini is the BEST breakfast sandwich I've ever had... sun dried tomatos, egg, bacon, GOAT CHEESE, and avacado! I think it was for about $10. Seriously. Amazing.

Posted 08/25/08

The website's menu has not been updated in a long time. I was looking forward to the Wild Mushroom Filet on Lemon Risotto dish but the waiter informed me that that hadn't been served in a while and was off the menu. I was disappointed by that. However, I ordered the Summer Risotto (with choice of chicken or shrimp) and to my delight found that it was delicious!!! I've been on a mission to find the best Risotto in town and although not the BEST, still very good. It was a little salty, but buttery and savory enough to make me want to come back for more! The service was excellent, staff friendly, casual yet trendy atmosphere.

Posted 08/24/08

My friend and I went there to celebrate our birthdays for brunch. We arrived a few minutes before the restaurant opened so we sat on the bench directly outside the restaurant. Unfortunately they had sprayed wood cleaner (an oil based one) all over the bench earlier and had neglected to wipe it. So it was all over our purses and dresses. When we got up to tell them, they said "oh we must have forgotten to clean it." We still went in and ate our meal. The food was good although it took about twenty minutes for them to take our order. Not a huge deal since it was a nice day and we were sitting outside. What was a huge deal was the fact that NO ONE came to apologize to us about the fact that we both needed to get our clothes drycleaned and now had stains all over us that we couldn't remove. I would have appreciated the manager saying sorry and of course a small discount should have been offered.

Posted 08/16/08

This place is overrated. The food is OK - not great. Service is AWFUL! It took 20 minutes to take the order and another 20 to bring it to our table.....no apologies from management. Not even worth a visit....unless you like a restaurant for just its looks. Not worth it at all. Better try one of the MANY other restaurants on Melrose....just keep driving when you see this one.

Pros: On Melrose.

Cons: Everything else.

Posted 08/16/08

We happened to go to Taste on a Monday - the food was great, and the 1/2 price bottles of our favorite wines was even better! Nice neighborhood spot for dinner & brunch, we love it...

Posted 04/26/08

When I think of this restaurant, the one word that always comes to mind is "consistency." I have had numerous meals here, both dinner and brunch and I would honestly compare their food to the waitresses at Hooters...not mindblowing, but consistently above-par. The truth of the matter is, if you are planning to go to a moderately-priced, hassle-free dinner with 4-6 people, this is an ideal place to go. There is no 6'4" wanna-be actor standing outside with a clipboard asking the name of your reservation, the atmosphere is comfy and cozy with a good West Hollywood crowd, and the food is decent. For dinner, I would reccommend either the chicken paillard which is their signature chicken cutlet served lightly breaded with mashed potatoes and veggies, or their Kobe beef cheeseburger which features a rich filet of Kobe beef between a toasted seasame bun. It is also a a decent brunch place as well with dynamic egg dishes that you wouldn't find at Norm's or IHOP. A solid neighborhood spot definitely worth stopping by.

Posted 04/21/08

Went for dinner and had been highly recommended by friends. Maybe we went on an off night? Maybe the chef was in a bad mood? Whatever it was, none of our food was very memorable. We ordered with several items including the mac and cheese, crab cakes, kobe beef burger and ravioli. Ended with the cheese plate. All very bland and unoriginal, the crab cakes in particular. They tasted like unseasoned bread crumbs, I barely got any crab flavor at all. All the reviews point to this being a great spot, but we're not likely to return anytime soon with all the other options in the area.

Posted 03/09/08

I went here with a friend for dinner and I thought the food at this place was quite good. The menu was well thought out and they have an option of outside or inside seating. Excellent for warm summer nights in WeHo... We went there when it was raining like cats and dogs and even though the outside patio was covered, it was warmest inside. The place is small but very cozy with elegant decor. I do think this place is great for couples and a very small group of friends. The grilled artichoke starter was absolutely something to die for! It was grilled to perfection... I had the fennel seed ahi tuna which was amazing and my friend had the Kobe Beef burger. All delicious! There were two things that bothered me though. One, it took a very long time to get our grilled artichoke (almost like it was forgotten) and so the wait staff brought our food while we were still eating the artichoke! They should have waited until we were finished with the appetizer. It doesn't seem like they have efficient communication between the wait staff and chef. Being that the restaurant was very small so were the tables, there really wasn't any room for the appetizer and main entrees. We in turn, rushed through the appetizer so that our entrees did not get cold and to make room on the table... That was disappointing!! Two, the wait staff did not really check in about the food or if we needed more wine? We always had to ?find? our waiter? We also had the hardest time getting our check! Now, because of the rain, there were hardly any patrons in the restaurant and I honestly do not think this should have been a problem for consistent service. But there was a big problem. I would definitely recommend going there? I just hope they iron out the kinks with the wait staff.

Pros: rustic delicious food, elegant decor and romantic setting

Cons: wait staff and lack of communication with wait staff and chef

Posted 02/17/08

lazy service or tasty pizza

Posted 01/14/08

I found this place to be a welcomed change from the LA scene, even though it is in the middle of Melrose Ave. Food is great, staff is warm and not LA beautiful, clientele are diverse. It has a relaxed and modern feel without the "nnce-nnce" and club-like scene. Translation- it's ok to take your parents there. You can actually hear each other and have a conversation.

Posted 09/20/07

The first two times I went there, it was by myself. I live in the neighborhood and I wanted a nice dinner at a low-key but yummy restaurant. God bless my instincts on picking this place out. I was immediately seated(weekday nights around 8) No one looked at me like I was nuts for going in by myself(except for a few other customers) and the service was great. Food is AMAZING! I recommend the grilled romaine and crab cake appetizers and the Tiger shrimp tacos. Everything was cooked to perfection and the flavor combinations were superb. I loved the Chardonnay(the less oaky one.) LOVED the berry cobbler, but the lemon creme brulee was average. One of my waiters, Danny, was a total doll...and mighty cute too:) I took my dad there to celebrate a special occasion and he was equally impressed(though our drink service was a little on the slower side.) I know this might sound tacky, but I have learned to have great food on the cheap(hey, I'm in college) - order an appetizer(8-9 dollars) and dessert(8-9 dollars) and water. The appetizers are plenty for an individual meal. Tip well, and they remember you:) I COULDN'T RECOMMEND THIS PLACE MORE!

Pros: great food, outdoor dining, nice staff, great value, free parking two blocks away

Cons: it took a bit too long one time to get a glass of wine, but other than that -NADA

Posted 09/19/07

For some reason I thought that this restaurant was related in some way to Eat on Sunset so I avoided it like the plague. However, once I was corrected by a co-worker, I ventured here and was pleasantly surprised. I love the decor of the restaurant, very polished and trendy and sitting on the outside patio was very nice. The host and server were both very nice and helpful, starting the evening out on a perfect note. The truffle oil and mushroom mac and cheese was amazing and the watermelon salad was so light and very good. My boyfriend's only complaint was his salmon with bok choy needed a tiny bit more flavor. The server recommended we have the chocolate parfait for dessert. We were hesitant fearing that it would be too rich. However, it was light and delicious and I loved the carmelized banana and cream that accompanied it. I loved this restaurant and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a relaxing, yummy meal without the pretense of some other L.A. restaurants.

Pros: Great food, great service, great experience!

Posted 08/27/07

We went to Taste for the first time on Saturday night and LOVED it!!! The food was AMAZING! I got the pork chop with the mac n cheese. I've never tasted anything like it, I wish I could eat it all the time. Our server was great too. She was very attentive and helpful and funny. The decor was hip and the vibe was relaxing. I'm recommending this place to everyone I know, and a few I don't! I can't wait to go back!!

Pros: Service, food, ambience

Posted 07/16/07

Great for an informal business lunch, a small family dinner or a romantic first date. The restaurant offers outdoor porch seating, or more formal upstairs rooms which are airy and comfortable. The food is always excellent (although they don't have mayonnaise which is a minor disapppointment) and the service ranges from fine to very good. They are friendly and accommodating and the ambience is relaxed and un-trendy/snobbish, which I like. It is one of my favorite places to eat and no one I have taken there disagrees.

Pros: valet parking, can almost always get in without a wait

Cons: small menu, not enough desserts for my taste, although what they offer is delicious

Posted 07/13/07

Had a reservation for 7, and they seated people as they arrived instead of making us all wait. Our server (her name sounded like "Jerko") was awesome and attentive and took very good care of us. We all liked the food ( esp the mac and cheese) and the aptmosphere was nice as well. Overall, a great experience.

Posted 07/11/07

If you are looking for good food, yes this is the place, but if service is of importance to you than you should seek another restaurant. The staff is not service oriented AT ALL, and lacks a level of professionalism.

Pros: food

Cons: service

Posted 07/07/07

This place is amazing all around! Great, vibe, service, location, menu selections, and food! Never made a bad choice ordering.

Pros: GREAT FOOD!!

Cons: none

Posted 07/01/07

The pork chops and mac & cheese were wonderful. The server ws very attentive and friendly, and the ambience was warm and welcoming. I'd highly recommond this place.

Pros: Food, service, atmosphere

Cons: none

Posted 05/12/07

My friend and I had brunch here last month. It was Saturday afternoon and we had to wait in line for the seats, but it didn't take us too long. After we had our seats, we had a ommelet and french toasts individually. The food looked good and tasted better. And the price was quite reasonable. If there is any more can be asked to improve, oh well maybe i'd like to hve more choices in the menu and larger portion of food(hehe....) Anyway I still want to recommend others to go there.

Pros: atmosphere and outdoor dining, food was also good

Cons: less choices for brunch

Posted 04/07/07

My husband and I just moved into the neighborhood and decided to check out Taste. We walked in and got a nice table on the patio. We liked the atmosphere, it seemed very chill. We got the mac and cheese- simply amazing! We also got the crabcakes too, a little "too fishy" tasting for me, but my husband like it. I was wowed by the Chicken Curry dish. It was a good portion and that curry sauce is not spicy, but packs a lot of flavor. My husband got the Kobe burger and practically swallowed it whole. I didn't care for the fries too much. They seemed too hard or stale. Our waitress Jerica was really sweet and let us sample a few wines to figure out which one we liked. She made some good recommendations. The downside, they don't have liquor there. Overall, we had a fun time and definitly want to come back and check the rest of the menu.

Pros: Staff was really nice, the place looks cool, and I could eat the mac and cheese everyday!

Cons: No booze, only wine and beer

Posted 03/25/07

In looking forward to enjoying an evening with a friend in from out of town who I hadn't seen in a while, the evening turned out to be more of a challenge. Instead of the focus being on sharing some quality time with my friend, we were distracted on how unbelieveably horrific the service was. It's amazing how unprofessional and inadequate the entire staff of this restaurant was. By the time we actually did receive our food it was barely warm, which obviously meant it was sitting in the window for a bit. I highly recommend you seek out another location for an evening of dining out.

Posted 03/24/07

Went here on a Thursday around noon, had a beautiful seat on the patio, the place was not very crowded at all, and we still sat for about 20 minutes waiting for the check until finally my girlfriend had to go inside to fetch our waitress for it. I had the Taste Club which was really great, a little messy, but great. My girlfriend had the Penne, which could be a little less sun-dried tomatoey, but it was also good. Overall, it was a nice lunch experience - just wish the service was a little more on point...

Pros: Food, nice patio

Cons: service

Posted 02/19/07

my friend and i had dinner here and we enjoyed the mac and cheese (with truffle oil and mushrooms). it was cheesy, creamy and good. we also enjoyed the crab cakes -- not overdone. my friend had the chicken salad, and she had no complaints. i had the pork chop, which i thought was not doing it for me. it was juicy enough but the flavor was not doing it for me. parking was not bad -- if you can find metered parking on melrose. the price was fair -- entrees are under $20. i would probably go back for the mac and cheese.

Pros: service was friendly and helpful; mac and cheese

Posted 12/09/06

I went to Taste for my 3rd time last night and really enjoyed my meal. A great ambience with very friendly service. The truffle mac and cheese was AMAZING and the salmon was great as well.

Sit on the patio for a cool vibe.

Pros: Ambiance, service, food

Cons: street or valet parking, little pricey

Posted 11/29/06

Had lunch with a friend here a couple of weeks ago. The pizettas were a delight. The crabcakes and calamari were very good as well. My friend had the chicken salad and enjoyed it. I had the alaskan salmon salad... I felt the smoked salmon was way too salty, waaay too salty.... but i did enjoy the pizettas and my wine. The decor was delightful and service was pretty good as well. Will come back for lunch (especially because the prices are soooo reasonable)....hmm.. perhaps I'll come for brunch during the weekends

Pros: reasonable prices, pizettas

Posted 11/08/06

Got an invite to a T shirt sample sale for NATION Ltd. from Daily Candy the other day but had
no idea it was in this cool, funky restaurant on Melrose. Great idea though! Not only did I get
some trendy new T's for a great price but I had a glass of wine and they were giving out comp
apps during the sale! How cool is that? The intimate space is perfect for small dinner parties and I'm going back now to book my Xmas party!! More sample sales too, please!!

Pros: ambience, romantic dining

Posted 10/31/06

The moment my party and I arrived, our every need was met. The hostess was welcoming and seated us promptly. The staff is extremely courteous and knowledgeable about the menu and fabulous wine selection. If you're a lover of wine, you will appreciate this restaurant. The ambiance is perfect for a romantic date or a relaxing dinner with friends. The menu is compatible with any palette, offering vegetarian-friendly dishes as well. I highly reccommend this restaurant to anyone, especially those who are looking to break out of a restaurant rut. Don't forget that they are also open for lunch, offering a diverse selection of salads and sandwiches. The brunch is perfect for out-of-towners to experience. Definitely a winner.

Pros: Affordable, Wine List, Attractive Staff

Cons: No Monday Lunch

Posted 08/24/06

I was looking for a restaurant in my neighborhood recently and came across Taste through City Search. I was delighted by the service, food and atmosphere so I was compelled to come back to the site and share my thoughts. When I saw these recent reviews, I was quite confused! The service me and my wife recieved was more than satisfactory, it was beyond expectation. In addition to the amazing food, wine selections, and service, the employees made us feel very much a part of the nieghboring community, as we quickly learned through our delightful waitress that that is primarily Taste's objective, to make the locals, and anyone who enters Taste's doors feel welcome and assured that they will have the best dinning experiance in town. So, my hat's off to Taste, and I very much look forward to visiting again soon!

Posted 08/24/06

I went here with my boyfriend on a Monday night, for my birthday. I didn't realize every Mon. night, they have half priced bottles of wine!!! Schweeeet! We sat out on the patio on a perfect summer's night. We started with the roasted beet salad with goat cheese.... um, can we say, YUM. I had the short ribs and my boyfriend had the baked penne. It was so good, we practically licked our plates clean. Our waitress was so sweet and she always checked in on us regularly. She found out it was my birthday and brought me a slice of the decadent chocolate cake with a birthday candle lit on top. It was so cool that the restaurant did that! I loved everything about that night and TASTE was part of the reason that night was one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time! Cheers!

Pros: Half priced bottles of wine on Monday nights

Cons: Walking in was a bit of a wait - make a reservation!

Posted 08/24/06

I usually don't feel compelled to write these kind of reviews, but I was truly disappointed by the unbelievably rude service. I came in with high hopes based on some of the earlier reviews, but just don't get it. There are hundreds of great restaurants in LA, so I recommend going somewhere else.

The venue itself is nice, but the service was abrupt and we felt rushed along. The owner or the manager came by and basically told us to hurry up. I've never experienced anything like that in LA before! If you want to feel like a valued customer, don't come to TASTE. There's something to be said for an establishment that understands basic manners.

Pros: Close to Other Restaurant Alternatives.

Cons: Two Thumbs Down on the Rude Manager or Owner.

Posted 08/22/06