Insider Pages Reviews for Beso

2 Stars: Glad I went once, but probably not again (by balletbrooke)

balletbrooke — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:00:00 GMT

from the hype that I heard about this place when it opened (probably from the Eva Longoria interviews) I fully expected GREAT guacamole and MEMORABLE tortilla soup. Guac was nothing special, and tortilla soup was miniscule, served in a huge bowl, had too many tortilla strips and was very thick. Service was very spotty. Better to go there if you want to see and be seen.

5 Stars: One of the best for LA (by Sneakerhead)

Sneakerhead — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I've dined out in places like New York City, San Francisco and the like and definitely in Los Angeles. One thing that I always found about Los Angeles is that usually everyone is pursuing a career in showbiz when working in a restaurant. What I found at Beso however was a completely different story.

I dined there recently, 8:00 reservation, with five friends who are great company, but also a little picky and critical when it comes to restaurants, especially when the prices are high. Upon Arriving, we were very happy to find an interior design like something you would find in the aforementioned New York. There were anywhere from 2 to 4 people up front either answering the phone, seating guests, or greeting guests. All of them were very polite and very professional as if this was their actual job which they took very seriously while at the same time being jovial enough not to scare people. A recurring theme we would later find out. We also noticed that there was a manager upfront, overseeing everything while he had time, which was a relief to us since we've heard mixed reviews about reservations and people not getting seated on time.

We only waited at the bar for about 20 minutes, we were about a half hour early, and were immediately greeted by 2 smiling bartenders and they both went to grab us menus, even though one of them was making drinks for what turned out to be the tables in the restaurant. Both bartenders were very attentive and made spot-on suggestions for drinks for each one of us. The drinks were not weak by any means and not strong either. Exactly inside that perfect window of taste and value. We were also treated to a complete rundown of the menu and anything we asked about was answered. And if they weren't "exactly" sure of the answer, one bartender would go ask the chef while the other one continued with us. Apparently, one of the bartenders, Alex, created the cocktail list. He was very nice and said all the right things. Funny thing is, unlike most people in LA this guy seemed pretty genuine. We didn't get to talk with the other bartender much, as every time he would come over to join in our funny conversation with Alex, more tickets would come out of this printer. That guy is Joe I believe. As we were getting seated we kind of wished that we sat at the bar because we were having such a great time up there.

Upon being seated, our server came over who also had a great personality and a good sense of humor. His name was Jonathan. Again, anything and everything we had a question about was answered to a tee. He even went ahead and made suggestions on how to order certain foods as far as what to share and other things that are "must haves" like the skirt steak tacos, the halibut chop, etc. We ordered a couple bottles of wine with our dinner and the same manager that we saw in the front was also like the sommelier i guess. Or he has a twin or something. Talk about being in two places at once. Very polite guy, Ethan. He gave us a few suggestions for well balanced reds that they carry which were on the mark just like the bartender up front. This experience was almost too perfect and we were waiting for something to go wrong, but we ended up just waiting and waiting. Jonathan came by to joke with us a few times, but with the priority being to make sure everything came out ok. The food was perfect, nothing cold, someone ordered a flat iron medium which actually came out medium. We decided on churros for dessert which I have to say are now one of my favorite desserts.

I had such a great time here and so did my friends. We've been telling so many people about this place and will return soon. It would be a great place to go to just for drinks as well, since they serve a full menu at the bar in case anyone gets hungry. It's crazy that it's been open for a year and a half and still doing well in a city like LA.

Thank you to all the staff that made our night one of the best nights out in recent memory

5 Stars: This place is insane (by xmdesigns)

xmdesigns — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Beso was one of my best experiences.

I came from the east coast to visit a friend of mine. She suggested that we come here, but like most of the people I hang out with we only go to dive bars. I didn't think I would enjoy a place like this at all. You hear things like its owned by that desperate housewives chick and its in hollywood so it must be a stuck up kind of joint. I did promise my friend that i would go wherever she wanted though so we came anyway. We went straight to the bar and thats where we ended up eating because this place was filling up quick fully booked for the night and we were lucky to get the seats at the bar that we got. We got our drinks fast and people behind the bar were busy, but still found the time to check on us. The food came out fast. We didnt order a steak or anything like that. It was one of those pizzas with shrimp and sausage or pepperoni and tacos. I hate to admit it it but i would actually go back there. I t was great people watching the food was great, the drinks were great. She even got me to order something of the drink menu which I never do. I'm just a whiskey guy but they had a drink made with gentleman jack honey and grapefruit I think it was!

My experience was completely unexpected and when I'm back in town I'm coming here

5 Stars: Long Overdue Review (by coppercoin)

coppercoin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Every time we go to a show, since wicked (saw it 3 times), my friend and i have to go to Beso.

The bartenders remembered us the first time we ever returned which is impressive in itself, since this is a busy are and the theatre crowd must be coming through here every day. It seems like every time we arrive, there are droves of other people waiting to be seated which more than likely are coming here for dinner and then off to the show afterwards.

Our experiences here have all been wonderful. We talked to one of the servers, even though we sat at the bar, who had a lot of funny things to talk about after explaining one of the new items on the menu that she had delivered to us. We always order the blackberry collins and the tequila spa. There are other things on the menu, but those seem to suit our tastes perfectly.

Hollywood and Los Angeles in general need more place like this one. It feels like home for many reasons besides just nice people and good service. We will continue our tradition of dinner at Beso before every show because every time we come in they treat us like we're really important to them.

Thank You Guys,
Penny

4 Stars: Pretty Good (by DirtyLarry)

DirtyLarry — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I enjoyed coming here. The reviews are mixed but it's definitely worthwhile. Keep up the good work

3 Stars: Nice time (by Jonesyboy)

Jonesyboy — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

didnt have any food so i cant give it 5 stars but we had a great time we ordered drinks which were really good and the music was cool and different. i had a great conversation with the bartenders and a manager. it was very busy but it was early so thats probably why. cool place though

5 Stars: Fun (by protonmol)

protonmol — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

It was a girls night out. My friends and I picked this place because 2 of them had been here before and the rest of us hadn't so. They said it was fun and when they mentioned the upstairs it was already a done deal. We ate down the street at katsuya which was ok. I wish my friends that had been here before told me about the style of food. There is literally something here for anyone no matter what they crave. We looked over the menu and asked the cute bartenders about it who were very helpful. They make great drinks too. The drink list here has stuff ranging from girly types of drinks to stuff that has absynthe in it. Tried that once somewhere and never again. We were so happy with everything we ordered.

Up at kiss lounge the music got kind of loud but it was really fun. They didn't have the same drinks as downstairs but it was still fun anyway. We did retreat to the downstairs bar which was closing but we could escape the packed lounge.

Great time in general and more than you would expect from a place like this

5 Stars: Rules for eating at beso (by RatherBCamping)

RatherBCamping — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Rules For Eating At Beso

Bar
1. Order a drink from the specialty cocktail list

2. If at all hungry, order the skirt steak tacos and the margarita flat bread

3. Get to know the bartenders. They're a cool group of people. I'm sure I've met them all, one is a girl. They are super friendly

4. Come early if it's friday or saturday. It's very hard to get a spot at the bar after 9 sometimes. The surrounding lounge is cool, but it's not the same experience. You can see everything up at the bar (your fun surroundings). And the cocktail servers while very nice, don't have the time that the bar staff has to talk to you.

5. Have fun. It is la and it is a high profile restaurant, but speaking for the people who work here, it is the easiest place to fit in and just enjoy your time.

Restaurant
1. Come hungry. There are so many things on the menu that are worthwhile, but you also have to save room for desert. The churros are my favorite.

2. Trust in your server's ability to recommend food even if you're not a first timer. In my experience, they know their stuff and seemed always willing to go the extra mile.

3. If you like wine, find the wine guy there. I went there one time and he wasn't working, but he's very knowledgeable.

4. This place gets super busy on the weekend so act accordingly the week before and reserve a table. Walk-ins seem to happen, but it's easier that way. Sometimes it is more fun to get stuck at the bar though.

5. Bring a camera or a pen and paper for an autograph. There are celebrities here every time I come.

Last time I was there, I saw Eva Longoria actually go over to random tables and talk to people. It was very pleasant to see that and she took a picture with other people who just walked right up to her. I love this place

4 Stars: KISSES FOR BESO (by MadisonAvenue)

MadisonAvenue — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT

This place makes me feel like i just stepped into a Meatpacking District Restaurant The classiest and best looking guys in H-wood. Awesome, beautiful space. Great sushi and service every time I come. The bartenders are the best. If you like Manhattan lounge/restuarants you will love this place. Great for a bite to eat and then drinks at the bar or the upstairs lounge. LA needs more places like this.
XXO BESO!

1 Stars: Will NOT go back (by laleh007)

laleh007 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Very very overpriced, very ordinary food (the fish and steaks are very fresh) but that is about it...the flatbread was burned, the side dishes came 5-7 minutes after the main dish and the vegetables were raw inside and the asparagus was terrible...the fries was COLD...way way way too expensive..don't waste your money.

3 Stars: Bathrooms-need Help! (by CSMobileUser2)

CSMobileUser2 — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Great restaurant but bathrooms doors don't close. Where was the building inspectator? Eva you should know better.

4 Stars: The nightlife scene - classy and memorable (by AliBabyGirl)

AliBabyGirl — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I had an amazing time at Kiss with me and my ladies! The door guys were courteous (of course, we looked the part ;D ), the bartenders were generous, and the DJ's didn't mind the millions of requests we sent his way. LOL! I'd recommend this place to anyone. Maybe I'll see you there sometime! I'll be the hot blonde in the middle of the mob of dancing hotties!

Ali

3 Stars: test (by consafos3)

consafos3 — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

As your primary network, UC Riverside will appear next to your name for people on other networks. You'll also see UC Riverside people first in searches.

1 Stars: Not a great experience (by Asile)

Asile — Tue, 26 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

We went for my friend's b-day, the place is nice, but the food was not good at all. My tortilla soup was cold, the "soup" was really thick, more like a sauce. My friend order a wine, the waitress who was really clueless took forever to bring it and he also order a side of asparragus which never came. I don't mind paying those prices, but at least it should be good food and a nice experience. I wouldn't recommend this place. The chef/sous chef should learn how to prepare a real tortilla soup (they have the wrong idea).

3 Stars: Just ok (by AllieJ)

AllieJ — Sat, 23 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Beso is really beautiful inside and I saw Tom Green the night I was there, which was cool. However, i was not super impressed by the food. The french fries were soggy, the serving sizes were small and the Paella was fair at best. If you are looking for great ambience (and have a lot of cash to spare) this is the place to go, but don't expect superior food.

1 Stars: FIRST AND LAST TIME (by mvioli)

mvioli — Tue, 12 May 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I don't mind paying top dollar for top quality, but this place is awful...The food is better at a taco stand while service is embarrassing and the valet is nowhere to be found

1 Stars: beautiful decor (by danira2)

danira2 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

The waiter was clueless. Slow and out of it. He was confused about the wine list. He did not put in most of our order. Basically, he was an alien from another planet that landed at Beso and did not know what he was doing there. Very fustrating for such a nice place to have awful service.

5 Stars: One of Hollywood's most beautiful restaurants (by paulpierce2)

paulpierce2 — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Have dined at Beso several times and always had a great time. This last visit it turned out they were debuting a new menu for the spring and they had added several new items. We had the halibut chop (never had a fish 'chop' before) and the flat iron steak. Both were fantastic. Tried the ceviche sampler and octopus & calamari appetizers. The ceviche sampler was really cool in that there are three presentations, two of which are actually ceviche "shooters." This was a great, fun way to approach the dish.

The restaurant was packed, but the music was at a good level and the tables and chairs are so comfortable it didn't matter.

3 Stars: Just ok (by KatieC736)

KatieC736 — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 02:00:00 GMT

The food was great. But other than that...Our server was HORRIBLE. It just ruined the whole night for us. If the server was better, I'd have nothing to complain about. It's too bad, because the food was really good.

3 Stars: dont do it (by Poeticalmath)

Poeticalmath — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT

this place is definitely fresh looking. But the people that come here to eat are very snobby...... other then that i enjoyed myself...... Too busy making fun of the snobby people... .lol

4 Stars: Just Lovely (by cshin65)

cshin65 — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT

I love this place. It's just my style- beautiful decor, mouth watering tapas, and great mixed drinks! I'm def. going back and bringing a few friends. :)

5 Stars: Give Beso a BIG KISS (by pbs969)

pbs969 — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Really enjoyed this restaurant. The service staff was so nice and the food was excellent. Recommend the guacamole and skirt steak tacos from the Taqueria portion of the menu. I thought I would have a terrible experience as that is what usually happened with a new, much-hyped, eatery. Thought it would be overpriced, but I thought it was reasonable, compared to NYC prices. Saw 2 stars leaving as well, so it was quite an experience. Location is a bit strange - mixed in with clubs. Perhaps this neighborhood is changing.

3 Stars: Overpriced, Mediocre Food, Terrible Service (by katmo1864)

katmo1864 — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The positive is that the atmosphere is great. It's a beautiful restaurant. It ends there. For all the hype, I was very disappointed. I dine out a lot at high end restaurants in L.A. and Beso leaves a lot to be desired. The service was TERRIBLE. We sat there for over 20 minutes before anyone even approached our table. It took another 20 for us to get a drink. The tortilla soup that is supposed to be so special was more presentation than anything. It's a small cup of COLD watery soup served in a giant bowl. Didn't make it any more appetizing. The steaks we ordered medium were served WELL done and totally dried out. We had to keep asking the busboy if he could find our waitress so we could order wine. The service really was pathetic. Then, the bill came and we both felt totally chiseled for what we received. We won't be back. Have very low expectations if you go - then maybe you won't be disappointed.

3 Stars: horrible valet, not bad food (by lawlynn)

lawlynn — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

went to beso with a girlfriend on a saturday night. the valet line at 8:30 was insane and the valets were rude and horrible. had to wait 15 minutes after our reservation time for a table even though there were a number of tables that remained open the whole time we were there. the food was fine but not spectacular. the drinks were good and strong. but for the price, i would definitely go elsewhere.

5 Stars: AMAZING (by chriscab)

chriscab — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The food -Amazing. The atmosphere -Amazing. The service -Amazing. I highly recommend it. It is very trendy, but it also has the traditional awesome mexican food taste. I will def be returning to this place.

3 Stars: Beso (by liltamby5)

liltamby5 — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Overrated....food's not that great. Of course you're just paying for the environment and the bougsie hollywood scene. Not my type of thing.

5 Stars: Great food and drinks. A+ (by carlsbaddad)

carlsbaddad — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

A great evening for my family and friends. Our party of 6 arrived early so we enjoyed a fabulous drink in the bar and then were taken to our table by the nicest hostess, she was soooooo nice. The food was wonderful, served hot and flavored to perfection. Dessert was terrific! We love this place.

5 Stars: yum (by jackiebcbg)

jackiebcbg — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum! yum!

5 Stars: yum! (by love2travelfar)

love2travelfar — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

came in last week and loved everything from the flatbread they give you for free at the table after you order to the after dessert drinks! the XOXO is amazing along with the other drinks as well. I got the filet and loved it. it was cooked to perfection! but everything was great and will come back again.

2 Stars: Great atmosphere, Horrible food (by lovete)

lovete — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I ate at Beso this past Saturday night and the only good things were the atmosphere and flat bread. There were three people in my party and none of us thought that anything was special. We ordered 3 appetizers, 3 entrees, 2 sides, 1 dessert, 4 cocktails, and a bottle of wine, and ended up paying $500 including gratuity, which is fine if the food was good, but it wasn't. None of the appetizers are worth mentioning, My paella was salty, and my sister ordered the filet, which was decent but way to peppery, there was too much pepper in my paella as well. The only thing at the table that I didn't try was the bass. The souffle was under par just like the sides. The service was mediocre at best. I will not be returning to this place ever.

5 Stars: Delicious (by jerrymcgwire)

jerrymcgwire — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

besos is awesomo.. The food and the atmosphere is so hollywood. Great trendy spot to get your eat on a spot a celebrity

5 Stars: Nice restaurant (by pelegia98)

pelegia98 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

The food is good. My friends and I enjoyed the atmosphere. We will definitely come back. Self parking in Hollywood is always a nightmare.

4 Stars: Excellent appetizers! (by bebek123)

bebek123 — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I had dinner at Beso this past Saturday night and was very please with how quickly we were seated. Our reservations were at 7:30. It's a beautiful and very trendy 'hollywood" place.
I was really impressed with all of the appetizers we ordered. Everything had a very unique flavor to them, like nothing I've ever tasted. I'd have to reccomend the Tuna Tartar Tacos, Artichoke dip and the oh so yummy Sea Bass Ceviche! mmmm it was soo good!!!!! The flat bread with a red spread was amazing too. I wasn't very impressed with my entree but the appetizers blew me away, VERY FLAVORFUL!
They also had some fun fruity cocktails, although I wasn't really impressed with that either.
The service was excellent though.

2 Stars: Big pricey night out! (by CynMcKeever)

CynMcKeever — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Just went to this restaurant last night?.it?s was OK. Valet guys were great but $12bucks (plus tip) to park and then when you pick up your car your have to wait across the street on the corner?strange? The place inside is beautiful. Very romantic. Music not to loud and our waitress was very nice. She was not from LA/CA. lol She was on it. It is a pricey menu. Looking at $50 to $100 per person and that?s with 1 $15 drink. The menu didn?t really impress me. I thought this was a tapas place? It offers very little tapas and they too are very pricey. The guacamole and flat bread were tasty. Over all the food was ok?nothing special. I would go back if people invited me but it would not be my first choice for a night out.

4 Stars: perfect date place (by sone50173)

sone50173 — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

This place is amazing. Good food, good atmosphere and good staff. Ordered the skirt steak, lobster tacos and margherita flatbread. Soooooooooooooooooo good. Everything we ordered came out pretty fast and our waitor was super nice. I'd come here again.

1 Stars: Unbelievably difficult to get any help!! (by Ginacook01)

Ginacook01 — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Let me preface this review with this being the first time I have ever written a review, and secondly I am in the industry. My mother (from San Antonio) is in Hollywood with three friends celebrating her birthday. She and her friends (at the last minute) made reservations at Beso tonight before going to see the play Wicked, so I call to try to take care of their bill as a birthday surprise. I called three seperate times trying to get to a person as all you can get is answering machine hell. On the fourth try I got a hostess at the front door, she could not have been more helpful!! Very accomodating, understood what I was trying to do and was trying very much to help me (even though it was about 9:00pm) and you could hear the restaurant was busy!! She put me on hold and while trying to find the reservation the manager on duty picked up the line. He started the conversation introducing himself and then quite rudely proceeded to tell me he had been made aware of the situation and that if I wanted to pay for someone's dinner I could only set that up ahead of time, because I would need to fax Beso a copy of my drivers licence a front and back copy of my credit card and a signiture to match, blah blah blah, oh and there is no one in the office in the evenings so "no one can help you at this time".
Here are my issues: 1. Managers should be as empathetic as hostess, never say no to a guest or a future guest 2. Have a live person answering phones 3. No access to a fax machine?? very hard to believe
Very dissapointing experience.
Gina

2 Stars: Desperate for money (by natasha b.)

natasha b. — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:09:00 GMT

I felt like Eva just woke up one day and said, " i can make a lot of money by putting my name on a restaurant. " It took up an awesome location for okay food. Its not expensive or anything, but not good.

2 Stars: a little disappointing (by Traci K.)

Traci K. — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 03:21:00 GMT

i guess there was too much hype with eva longoria giving the chef her tortilla soup recipe (which was just OK) the food is ridiculously overpriced considering the portion size too

5 Stars: Treated Like a Celebrity (by LALady2781)

LALady2781 — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

We went there a few times and each time the food was really great, paella was out of this world and I really enjoyed the Tortilla soup. Guacamole was pretty good as well.

I was most surprised with the treatment, a lot of hollywood "hotspots" tend to treat anyone who is not famous not very well but this place is the opposite. The whole staff treated us very well, managers coming over and offering extra services- it was a special event and without saying a thing they brought us desserts for the table as well as rum cake to bring home.

Great time, beautiful place, not the normal stuffy atmosphere.

4 Stars: Good Experience (by saingok831)

saingok831 — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went to this restaurant couple times last month, and it enjoyed it very much. The food was tasty, and the servants were polite and quick to response. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to people.

5 Stars: IMPRESSIVE! (by foody555)

foody555 — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I didn't want to like it.. but I DO!! I am actually so sick of HOLLYWOOD... but Beso is worth seeing. Just a great vibe. Beautiful place. Valet parking was sooo easy & convenient. Professional. ($12).

The door man Robert (HUGE, TALL GUY FROM Les Duex)... is COOL!
Dino the VIP host (always wears a hat).. is the host with the most.

JUST A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO ..
hang out in the bar
go upstairs to the Kiss Lounge
or have dinner in the beautiful dining room with awesome chandeliers.

I love the set up! Great energy. EXCELLENT! MUSIC! Nice crowd.

3 Stars: Busy but only okay (by sushi33)

sushi33 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Went to Beso last weekend with a large party of friends. Everything was just okay from the drinks, to the food, and the service. I was just not very impressed, especially for the amount of money our men had to drop. My margarita was not so good (how do you screw up a margarita)? Although other people at my table loved their fruit cocktails. We had mixed reviews for the food, some people loved theirs and others didn't, but everyone agreed the flatbread is delicious!!! The server seemed a bit overwhelmed but was very sweet and friendly. I didn't get the chance to ask for his food recommendations (like I usually do) since everyone at my table was constantly giving him drink orders. So if I ever do go back I'll be sure to do that and hopefully have a better experience. Ohh... the ambiance is gorgeous!!!!!!!

3 Stars: Beso discriminates against age/status. Are you somebody or are you relagated to the upstairs?? (by Debfab)

Debfab — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Beso would have received 4-5 stars from me had it not been for the way they treated us when we walked in. It was my birthday and my girlfriends took me there for dinner. Upon arriving we gave our name and mentioned that we had asked for a booth only to be told that the only booth available was upstairs (out of sight?). The young woman who seated us gave us the "once over" before informing us we would have to sit upstairs. We protested to no avail. Our waiter was the only thing that saved the night.. he was adorable and understood our disappointment, trying to make us happy. As the evening progressed we all noticed that several booths downstairs remained empty, prompting us to think that they may have WANTED us to be upstairs since we were over 50!!! It certainly appeared that way since we made a pretty big stink about not being seated downstairs.
The food? Good! The restaurant is beautiful and as I said, our waiter was delightful. But we were all so completely put off by the way the young people treated us that we will never go back. Yes, they will stay busy...it is the hot place in town. But this FOOD WRITER will make sure everyone I know hears about the discrimination that occurred. I'm quite sure Ms. Longoria or Mr. English would not want to be known for this type of treatment of their customers. As a former restaurant owner, I can assure you, this sort of thing catches up to you. Too bad... it would have been one of my favorite places.

2 Stars: Flat bread was good!!! (by butterflylove1985)

butterflylove1985 — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I couldnt write what I really wanted to say about my trip to Beso with my friend last Saturday because they found a few glitches. But the service, food and valet were not good. The chicken was hard, the drink was way too strong, the valet couldnt find my car and the group of men next to us were so loud. But we still love Eva Longoria... we will not be going back to the restaurant but we will go to her night club.

5 Stars: New favorite (by notApickyEaterBut)

notApickyEaterBut — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

WoW. I am so overwhelmingly impressed. We went early because we didn't have reservations . We grabbed a drink at the bar, slow service but the tasty drinks and cute bartenders made up for it.
The ambiance was absolutely BREATHTAKING! We asked to sit in a booth on the balcony, and the hostess sat us right away. The waitress was amazing! She recommended everything from cocktails through dessert and was right on! I felt like she made the entire meal an experience rather than just going to eat. She was super entertaining and we all had to laugh when her uniform's tie almost caught on fire from the table's candle. And by the way... why do they have the girls wearing ties circa 1990? For all of the money they spent on decorating the place, they made the girls look like managers at In and Out.
My husband and I will definitely be back. However, next time we will park on the street and save paying 10$ for valet parking.

4 Stars: Will go back if in area. (by sweetlee)

sweetlee — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Food was pretty good, nothing too special. Service was okay but the ambiance is beautiful. Went with big group and had a great time.

5 Stars: Hot spot to try, we loved the food (by Lv4ny)

Lv4ny — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Friday night was a blast in Hollywood, ending with a fine dining experience at Beso. From the host to the dessert A+. Not one person in our group was disappointed. A fantastic end to a great evening.

5 Stars: Appetizers to die for (by Dadstreat)

Dadstreat — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Had to try this new Hollywood HOT spot!... WOW....I am glad I listened to my daughters. The host sat our party immediately and the server was not far behind. He siggested some terrific appetizers and we were not disappointed. Our dinner was great, 5 filets good exactly as ordered and the taste was great. We ordered a variety of side dishes all served hot and seasoned just right. Dessert........loved it!. We will be back next week. Thank you Eva.....

1 Stars: horrible (by suprsimn)

suprsimn — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

made a reservation 2 weeks for a nice night with family in from out of town for one night only. they have the gaul to call me the day before to tell me they overbooked and there is nothing they can do. that's good customer service dont you think?! oh, i wasnt even a weekend night...a regular weekday night nonetheless! unless i get a free meal, i'm not going there.

5 Stars: way to go Todd and Eva!!!!!! (by dianna9)

dianna9 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My friend who is a chef from Iceland, and I were in LA for the week and decided to try a new hot spot last night (a Monday night)! We were a little late for our reservation, but the hostess and manager Ben were very polite and accomidating. We had a drink at the bar while we waited for our table and found the bartender and drinks to be excellent! Service was great, chef Katie was amazing and was very "hands on" with her staff and guests. The oysters were fabulous, tortilla soup, not so much - sorry Eva! The flatbread was great. Our favortie was the skirtsteak and the veggies - the best roasted corn I have ever had. We were told we had to try the dessert and so glad we did!! The churros were to die for, homemade ice cream so yummy, and beautiful strudel!
Wonderful dinner and evening!!!! Katie and the pastry chef rock!

3 Stars: Not as bad as you would think (by primrose)

primrose — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

In all fairness - this was actually a lot better than we expected for a " trendy " restaurant .
LA has plenty of these restaurants , Geisha house , ONE , STK where it is more about being seen and less about the food .
The manager invited us to come eat at this new place and our expectations where very low - from the moment you arrive you get that " want to be so trendy " feeling - and with that comes the less interesting food .
We sat upstairs - which was actually really nice and SURPRISE - the food was really well made .
We both enjoyed our meal very much - not quite in the category of SONA , Providence , CUT etc. but a lot better than expected and ..... yes we might even come back! .

1 Stars: At least I tried..... (by asuzak)

asuzak — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My friends and I decided to try new restaurant in HW for one night. We wanted to go to BESO even though review of this restaurant was pretty bad. You know, everyone has their own taste and opinion, I wanted to see on my own. I was seated 30 minutes after my reservation time, but that was OK. I know sometimes people don't leave the table on time for next guest. After we seated WITHOUT a menu. we were looking around for a waitress. Few minutes later, someone drop of few menu. 10 minutes went by WITHOUT a server, we stopped a buss boy and asked if he can call waitress for us. When she stopped by, she said "Oh, you ready to order?" What happened to "I'm sorry It took too long to stop by" or "How are you"??? AND we ordered few things but she said " We don't have that and that one also. I thought someone already told you." .....YOU are the server who let us know what's going on about menu and food! Please don't blame on someone! After all, We didn't want to stay there any more hours to have dinner, so we left. This is my FIRST time I walked out after I sat down for dinner at the restaurant..... (After we left BESO, we went to different restaurant and we had great service and food)

5 Stars: A great dining experience,service alittle soft (by pattilovesthehills)

pattilovesthehills — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

We arrived a little early Saturday night wanting to get a drink b4 dinner. The host came and got us a few miniutes prior to our reservations and we were seated. The server recommended a few appetizers; however he was a little unsure of the rest of the menu. Wellllllll the appetizers, dinner and dessert did not disappoint any of us. The food was excellent a little pricey for the portions, but what great taste and served HOT. Our party truly enjoyed our dining experience. Thank you!

3 Stars: Good food, terrible service... (by am1975)

am1975 — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I took my girlfriend to Beso last night for her Birthday. I had made reservations far in advance on open table We checked in and they made us wait about 15 minutes for our table which was annoying. In the mean time I ordered a glass of wine from the bar and they charged me for a different more expensive wine then the one that I ordered (plus she was NOT friendly) We were finally seated and our waiter had NO personality and at times was actually rude. We asked him his opinion on some dishes - he had no opinion. This place is expensive and the food is good, portions well appointed but they really need to hire some new staff. I worked in the service industry for many years and I don't think that it is acceptable to have poor service at a fine dining restaurant.

1 Stars: Not off to a good start! (by sgeshti)

sgeshti — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I'll cut to the bottom line: This place has horrible service. Took me a week to get someone on the phone to make a reservation for 20 people. I was told to email this person, call that person and after a week and a half, they told me that I called too late and that they were not going to be able to accommodate me. This place is truly a joke.
Eva-If you ever in a million years read this, which I'm sure you won't, but if you do...your place receives an F+ in my book! You really need to provide better staff members that can accommodate the public.

1 Stars: ummm....not so great.....better food at other trendy LA spots (by candymac5)

candymac5 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:00:00 GMT

A party of 8 of us tried Beso for the first time on Saturday night, great ambiance, has a really cool NY vibe based on the interior. The portions are ridiculously small for the prices they charge, and overly priced is what you see here even for a trendy LA restaurant. The guac and aritchoke dip were good but at $12 each you are better off with Acapulco. We also ordered the margarita and mushroom flatbread, the mushroom was bland and the margarita was decent. The steak tacos were pretty good appetizers but again $15 for 3 tiny bite size tacos were ridiculous. Their beet salad was hardly anything but rabbit food, bland and tasteless. The only highlight of the evening was their chocolate souffle and their churro dessert which were quite good.

5 Stars: 4HOURSOFFINEDINING (by adate2remember)

adate2remember — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

my g'f's and I met there last week after some serious shopping on Rodeo Dr. Every 1 should end there day like we did. What a fabulous restaurant on the corner of Hollywood and Ivar. We had a blast, 6 girls out on the town and enjopying our first stop. The host, lounge,server,wine, FOOD, did I say the FOOD, dessert all great.. We will be back. Great!!!!!!!!!

5 Stars: yummy! (by hollywoodgal)

hollywoodgal — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

first off I would like to say that I was there on sat night late and the review b4 mine said that jlo was going to come in but didn't. TOO BAD SHE DID! check out tmz and all the other sites to prove it. But thats not why I loved beso. I loved the food and drinks! the fruit cocktails are A-MAZING. the flatbread is so addicting and who can forget the filet that melted in my mouth, my date got the tacos, they didn't fill him up but that was fine because we saved room for dessert. the churros are great and a must when dining at beso. i will be back soon and hopefully another celeb will be there.

1 Stars: Wow, what a joke!!!!! (by jaypizzle)

jaypizzle — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

we were there to celebrate my wife's birthday and it ended up being a big joke! Horrible service, hostess was rude (didnt get her name: short, blonde blue eyes), prices are ridiculous,portions are from a kids menu, and the food was horrible. I had the paella and the shrimp was rubbery. My wife had the tortilla soup, it was so bland and tasted like it came from a can. Another one of our guests ordered the sea bass, when it arrived to the table we just couldn't help but laugh! It looked as if it was someone elses leftovers on a plate!

You must make reservations for a special occasion, i called 25 days in advance and had a total of 6 people in our party. 2 weeks later i tried to add one more person, but turns out we had to have our reservation moved from 7:30 to 9:30! That freakin sucked.

Restrooms were small and smelly.

We were there to celebrate my wife's birthday and made it clear when we made the reservations, but the staff had forgotten that. After we sang happy birthday to her, the waiter came over with a cupcake that had a candle in it. The waiter (afro-american, shaved head, thick black glasses) was the only one that was cool and gave us good service.

$10 to valet our vehicle and waited around 10 minutes for them to bring it to us!

One of the bartenders said "j-lo will be in soon". Hahaha wouldn't you know it, she never showed!

3 Stars: Great Flat Bread! (by letyg)

letyg — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Lovely decor and friendly staff. The flat bread with chorizo is fantastic. The sangria on the other hand was too sweet and thick. My husband had the paella which was delicious. I orderd the fish special which was a bit too dry. I would defintiely try this restaurant again.

1 Stars: NO NO NO (by expenseaccount)

expenseaccount — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Simple breakdown: wait staff - simply rude. the table clearers were so sweet, but the main servers were down right awful. food. after tasting four dishes, none of which we finished, i cant believe people are writing that the food is good here. rubbery seared tuna you cant cut with a knife, lobster flautas that taste like they came from a frozen box, snapper ceviche that was simply drowning in lime juice, and whatever else we had wasnt worth remembering. bathrooms: dirty small and smelly. I was so disappointed I almost cant believe this is a Todd English restaurant. Hey the space is nice and the drinks are good, but give the good people of LA a little credit. A nice drink, fancy decor, and a line exists everywhere here. If you cant control the kitchen, you're left with just another hollywood club to keep the lights on.

5 Stars: A great dining experience (by superp7)

superp7 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My daughters decided my wife and I needed a night out in Hollywood. Why did they wait so long......We arrived at Beso and from the moment the host opened the door "an unforgetable experience took place'. We all loved it! Our server mentioned a few appetizers and entrees and we were not disappointed. The food was served hot and had great flavor. The dessert was special as it was my daughters birthday and Beso really went out of their way to make it a special event. After dinner we were invited up to the 'Kiss Lounge' and continued the celebration. Thank you Beso, we will be back........p7

1 Stars: Could It Get Any Worse... (by valsters)

valsters — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

So, I thought it would be a fun outing for my girlfriends and I to have a good dinner at one of the most talked about restaurants in town......Boy was I wrong. The "I Likes": Friendly staff, fresh and tasty cocktails, beautiful decor and fun for people watching spot. The "I Dont Likes": Over priced food (its one thing when its actually good, but another when it is absolutely awful!!), and even worse...the desserts look appealing, but they are just as bad as the food, and to top it off, we got our desserts for free because my freinds returned two plates of food because they were so bad. I was VERY dissapointed and feel embarrassed for Eva Longoria. I think the staff was so nice, because they feel so bad for the patrons. I mean, c'mon, watery tortilla soup, overly salty lobsters flautas, and flavorless salads. We couldnt stopt talking about how much better Taco Bell is.

Dont go to Beso if your hungry......! Its a dissapointment. Oh, and you have to walk an entire block to get to the front entrance if you decide to valet....they take up about 5 good spaces of meter parking....

2 Stars: Great place to go if you are not hungry.... (by chabichang)

chabichang — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My friend and I went to Beso last month to check out the buzz about this place. I was very impressed with the decor. Beautiful!! Hostess were very nice too. I ordered a glass of red sangria while waiting for me friend to arrive. It was OK and I though "hum.. I can make better sangria than this!". When my friend arrived at the scene, we were promptly seated to a dining table, and our server came to explain all the specials of that night. Everything SOUNDED really good. To start off, we ordered a dozen of oyster, which was HORRIBLE. I almost THREW UP IN MY MOUTH. We ordered a guacamole, which was not worth the price. Flat-bread was so mediocre and does not worth a applause. We shared a pork chop, which was actually surprisingly decent, but it was nothing like pork chop. It was more like pork loin. I wonder what kind of chef is creating the menu...
Server was not rude, but for some reason, he seemed to want to rush us to finish our food.... very very UNCONFORTABLE! We had to tell our server that we were still working on our food several times. And best of all, he gave us NO SMILE!
All and all, this is a typical Hollywood scene where the decor is beautiful but FOOD IS "WHATEVER!!!" I recommend to visit here just to get some cocktail.

1 Stars: Kiss Lounge = NOT Fun (by smt10)

smt10 — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I found that the "Kiss Lounge" being promoted to be an unpleasant, overpriced experience. I have not dined at the restaurant, so I cannot speak to that aspect, but I can say that the nightlife aspect was probably the least fun I have had in Hollywood.

I was turned off right from the start when my friend and I (2 females, definitely "attractive" for the purposes of being able to get into clubs/bars) were made to wait at the staircase for no apparent reason. The guy didn't give us a reason when we asked what the wait was for, and randomly let us go in a few minutes later. "Ready, set, go!" Cute. When we walked up, it clearly was not overcrowded, and the guy to girl ratio was probably 2:1. Still cannot figure out what the "wait" was for...it just felt rude and pretentious.

The drinks were expensive, which I can somewhat understand for an upscale place in this area. However, I didn't order anything special--2 SoCo shots and a vodka tonic--and it cost $35. Not to mention that Michael the promoter, who lured us to the lounge by promising "comped" drinks, went MIA the second we got there. I wasn't trying to put a lot of effort into tracking him down for a few free cocktails and feeling like a cheapo. Again, I just thought it was very rude and slimy to promote your event by falsely promising free drinks to lure girls to your spot. Great marketing technique though--you did get me and my friend there to check it out. But now I will never go back and am writing this review.

The crowd was decently attractive, nothing special. However most of the guys that we encountered were skeezballs. The space was pretty small--just one big square room with one bar. I will say that the music wasn't bad.

We made the most of it and had an ok time, but overall it was a waste. Got duped into going there once--it won't happen again, and I'll make sure none of my friends waste their time either.

1 Stars: Avoid at all costs! (by PeedoffatLA)

PeedoffatLA — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

After a wonderful meal at Beso we had been invited by our host for drinks at Kiss. The pantywaste of a doorman/bouncer refused us admission even after being advised who our hosts were. Apparently, even though they are regulars at the establishment, he was blissfully unaware of their name.
Kiss, you have become a pathetic caricature of what LA has become. A laughing stock

5 Stars: Secret Kiss Lounge @ Beso on Tuesdays! (by g2nights)

g2nights — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

On Tuesday nights I promote a lounge that is attached to the back half of Beso called Kiss Lounge, its a very sleek upscale Hollywood Crowd so you must be of the same nature to enter the lounge, im being forward because I am an honest promoter & dont wanna waste your time nemore than I wanna waste mine....IN order to be considered you & your friends that will be attending MUST add me on my space (myspacecom/g2nights) & then send me a message with your email & number of people in your group.

5 Stars: Only good things to say (by myfavoriteplacestoeat)

myfavoriteplacestoeat — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 02:00:00 GMT

am usually reluctant to eat at restraunts in Hollywood let alone Mexican Restaurants, because they usually have a pretty vibrant atmosphere but the food is not good. Beso is a rare exception because it boasts the nightlife vibe of a Les Deux (i.e. hot girls and celebrities) but with the food of a great restaurant. I was also surprised that the service was very good and the waiters were very friendly. Another plus of Beso is that they have a great lounge upstairs called KISS, however you better know one of the owners if you want to get in. If you can't get in to KISS, the bar at the front of the restaurant looks like it had a pretty good scene.

Unfortunately I did not have a camera on me, but these are the dishes I recommend:

Read the rest on my blog, myfavoriteplacestoeat

3 Stars: Tex Mex? I don't think so. (by weeza280)

weeza280 — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

OK, I'm a Texan, from San Antonio that is famous for TexMex. I've lived in Southern California for several years and visit Texas quite often, but I'm glad to be here, however, there is one food culture I miss is TexMex...so, a year or so ago, Eva showed up on Jimmy Kimmel's show and announced that she was going to open a 'TexMex' restaurant in Hollywood. Great! She was going to have thick flour tortillas, puffy tacos, etc. and the menu was going to contain the texmex recipes that she grew up with.....so, I have one question, Eva. Where is the traditional TexMex items on the menu that you talked about on Jimmy Kimmel Live? Where are the puffy tacos, thick flour tortillas, texmex enchilada's. Is there a secret menu not published.

I haven't been to the restaurant, but I've been waiting for the day to come when she would open it. Much to my disspointment, those items just aren't published on the menu. I'm not saying I won't go. But I'd be in the car tomorrow, if I knew that in close proximity, there are 'TexMex' food items somewhere to be found. I thought Eva was going to deliver!

1 Stars: Beso Muy Malo (by briannaknowsfood)

briannaknowsfood — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Went there last night to celebrate my friend's bday. Service was horrible. At least 30 minutes between us finishing our appetizers and receiving the main course. Not a fan of the food either. Can 't figure out if this is a mexican, american or steak restaurant.The menu is all over the place. Food lacks flavor and the portions are small. Oh yea, whomever made the comment about the doorman being on his cell phone was absolutely right - first thing I noticed upon entering the place. Overall, I'd say this is a great place for atmosphere and drinks - don't go for the food.

4 Stars: Courteous and friendly staff, interesting and delicious food. A "destination" restaurant. (by Gloria91107)

Gloria91107 — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

A group of 7 of us (including 3 little girls ages 8, 11 & 13) had early (6 p.m.) dinner at Beso on June 24 before a performance of "Wicked" at the Pantages Theatre. We were also celebrating the birthday of one of the adult ladies and brought in a supermarket birthday cake. Beso is clearly a trendy, adult restaurant and we had some concerns about the unusual menu. We explained our time concerns to our server (Jonathan) and asked him for menu suggestions for everyone in our party. We were treated with nothing but friendliness and kindness by the entire staff. We settled on orders of tacos and flat bread dishes (Jonathan explained they were like pizza) and simple side dishes. The food was delicious and well prepared. And we were shocked by the manner in which our birthday cake was served. The simple cake was beautifully "plated" and included a complement of fresh berries and ice cream with each portion. The servers included "sparkly" birthday candles and treated us like royalty. Our dinner set the tone for a very special evening of "dinner and the theatre" for a group of moms and young daughters from the eastern LA County suburbs. WE WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND BESO TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS. THANK YOU!

5 Stars: What great food (by bythec)

bythec — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My wife and I met our daughters up in Hollywood Saturday night for dinner at Beso. Well......from the moment we stepped foot in the door to the after drinks, our celebration was a night to remember. Our server recommended a beautiful bottle of wine to compliment our dinner, suggested a few appetizers and discussed the specials very professionally. Our party throughly enjoyed our dinner. Everything was cook to our liking, seasoned just right and served hottttttt.... There are some restaurants in Hollywood that should try the food at Beso and taste the difference and especially food prepared and delivered to your table and not a warming light.......We completely loved this place. I highly recommend this beautiful and satisfying restaurant and applaud the owners for giving Hollywood a new great place to eat. p7

1 Stars: Disappointed (by helpme101)

helpme101 — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

GNO (Girls Night Out) and we wanted to choose a restaurant that none of us have been before. We heard the buzz on Beso, which the "buzz" turned quickly into a "Fizzle". Had a 7:45 reservation for 5, 4 out of the 5 arrived at the valet ($10) at 7:48 pm ant entered the beautiful decor restaurant. The one gal trailed about 10 min behind (by LA standards we were right on time) Beso wouldn't seat us because we were incomplete (one person missing makes all the difference) we ventured into the bar to have cocktails. (ordered 1 round of drinks $90...thank you very much!) Did I mention that I even sent back the Margarita. All the drinks were poorly made (except for the glass of champagne...can't really mess that up??) During cocktails we immediately told the hostess that we were complete. (7:55pm)
We waited about 15mins then a second visit to the hostess (8:20pm) I see the manager running around but never came to us to explain why we haven't been seated (I hailed him down)
8:35 pm we finally walked thru the restaurant (I do mean thru) to the very last booth (view was of the side-station, POS systems and the entrance to the restrooms) I told the Hostess that this is unacceptable and that we want the middle booth. She stated "the owners have that table reserved". She gets the manager (the one that is avoiding us at all cost) He said that there is nothing he can do but if we would like to wait for another table that should be getting up in 15mins, he'll buy us some apps. Back to the bar we went.
We ordered another round (just to play it safe I stuck to the champagne) Apps Ordered: Flat Bread with arugula cojita cheese and chips & guacamole (how difficult is that to make good) apparently it was: No flavor to anything. I guess salt & pepper was off the grocery list. My friends (one a personal chef) and I discussed if this was a sign of what's to come...we are out of here! Off we went to try to restore GNO at Comme CA...Mission accomplished!

1 Stars: Bad, Bad, Bad food (by keza923)

keza923 — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I have lived and dinned in Hollywood for over ten years and i have to say that Beso's food was one of the worst tasting I have ever had. Even though the surroundings were beautiful it could not make you for the poor flavors. Not one of my guests, in a party of 6 could finish their meal. It makes me sad that all these places try to make up poor food with glitz and glam. Guess what, its not fooling anyone!!!

5 Stars: Excellent Menu, who's who in Hollywood (by Boomersdad)

Boomersdad — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Its been 10 years since I have been in Hollywood and based on a recommendation of my wife's g/f she suggested BESO. We loved the place from the moment we walked in to our after dinner drinks. The food was all prepared wonderfully, served hot and great taste. Loved it all!

5 Stars: Best menu in Hollywood (by Disney7)

Disney7 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

This place is beautiful and so are most of the people in the restaurant. The drinks were refreshing and the bartenders are very professional. We arrived at the restaurant and were greeted by the host who escorted our party in to the bar. We were seated within 5 mins and our server recommended a few appetizers to start the evening. They are to die for! What a great variety of appetizers! Our food arrived within a reasonable time, served hot, fresh and well seasoned. The steaks and scallops are a winner. After a great meal we ordered a few different desserts and they did not disappoint us. This restaurant is in a class of its own and we can not wait to eat there again. Peterpaul..

1 Stars: Food is the worst (by girlpower35)

girlpower35 — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went to this restaurant a couple weeks ago after seeing a movie down the street. The decor is nice and you get a nice impression as you walk in. However, the menu is a challenge. The food is not seasoned well. Pretty bland to say the least especially the Paella (my friend ordered this). I had the skirt steak and it was burnt not charred, not to mention it was $29 and did not include sides which were extra. The waitress did not mention this, the plate came out with just some meat and uneatable garnish.. well you could eat it if you wanted something that doesn't taste good. Anyhow, this place is over-rated. The food is the worst. If you are looking for the typical hollywood scene then this may be the place for you. There were a lot of the typical hollywood types around hanging by the bar looking for a meal ticket. Thumbs down avoid this place like the plague!!!

5 Stars: Magnificiant (by drofmusic)

drofmusic — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Our dining experience was excellent. We arrived about 30 mins early and anticipated our table not being ready. We waited maybe 5 mins; however we all needed a drink after watching Boston beat the lakers. Our host was gracious, the server immediately asked if we wanted another drink and within a few mins our appetizers started arriving and they great. We ordered our dinner and asked the server to wait about 30 mins b4 he placed our ordered. Dinner was served hot and delicious. What a kitchen. We all were pleasantly surprised that the food arrived cooked to perfection and H O T!. No room for dessert, but heard from other tables aroud us that it was a compliment to their great dinner. What a great way to end anevening that started out not so good with the Lakers losing. Hell I made reservations for Sat. night for my wife and I. A great dinning experience from start to finish. ppp7

2 Stars: The truth about Beso (by ClubgoerLA)

ClubgoerLA — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

In short:

The guy at the door barely took his eyes off his cell phone when he opened the door. I went in and out of the restaurant a couple times, and each time, this guy was on his phone, texting away.

I found out that they stop serving food at 1100, so we got there about 1030. We sat in the lounge and patiently awaited some service. Nothing! We wait for 15 minutes until I finally decided to go look for a server. I found 2 on the other side of the bar, talking to each other. One of the girls comes over..who was obviously hired for her looks and not her brain power, to take our drink orders. Another 10 minutes go by when the other waitress comes over, without drinks. I tell her we want to order food and she informs me that the kitchen is already closed. What?? I tell her that we have been waiting for service for 30 minutes and she better accommodate us, because we are starving. So we place our food order with this waitress...a little while later, the other waitress brings the ordered appetizers. Where the hell are our drinks?? She gasps in surprise (she obviously forget completely) and returns a few minutes later with them. As she is leaving, she picks up one of the appetizer plates and takes it away. The plate is completely FULL of food still. I think it was the flat bread...I tell her a few minutes that we weren't done, and make her bring me another plate. MY God, we paid $15.00 for that warmed up pita bread...we want to eat it!!! So I got my entree, which was probably the only thing that was worth the money. Oh, and the drinks too, they were decent..

The background music is good, a lot of beautiful people in the place..but overall...definitely not worth it.
The food was mediocre..The service was HORRIBLE...

BTW Eva, I like the pull out mirror and the linen -like towels in the restroom, NICE TOUCH, but please, do something about the horrible service!!

1 Stars: not good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (by latif1962)

latif1962 — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Unfortunately, the whole experience wasn?t worth it, from the bouncer that stood in the front, who was so unpleasant, to the bartenders who were completely unprofessional.
The food was very average and took forever. I?d say if you want a fun night out done right try the Bungalow Club on Melrose.

5 Stars: Great Atmosphere (by cabernetlcriscuolo)

cabernetlcriscuolo — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

We had the pleasure eating at your restaurant last Saturday night. First of all the host at the door gave us our first impression, she was lovely. The appetizers were wonderful, especially the flat bread pizza. Our meals were excellent, we loved the Filet's. The decor is to die for. We don't live close to your restaurant but will definitely make an effort. We will recommend it to all of our amazing friends.

L Criscuolo

4 Stars: better than expected... (by pbj22)

pbj22 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

after hearing positive and negative things about beso, i wasn't expecting much. but, the overall experience turned out to be pretty good. the food was above average, with some things being quite delicious (any of the flatbreads, the skirt steak), others pretty good (tacos, tomato salad), and a few that missed the mark a little (our watermelon tuna appetizer lacked flavor and was way too salty).

when we arrived, we had to wait 30 minutes after our reservation time for a table even though the place was half empty, which was a little annoying. however, the bartender was extremely friendly and unneccesarily bought us a drink as we waited. the decor is quite beautiful and the open part of the kitchen is nice to watch.

the place is new, so i think they're still ironing out some kinks, but overall things went pretty smoothly. the only real complaint i had was the extremely slow service. our waiter was informative and friendly, but was probably overextended (i counted his tables and he had four 4-tops and a party of 8 in his section) so we were somewhat neglected, i.e. we sat with an empty table waiting for dessert menus for about 15 minutes. the desserts were interesting and tasty, although the espresso is terrible (order coffee instead--it's ok). the prices were reasonable and most of the staff seems pretty laid-back and unpretentious. i would definitely recommend beso if you're looking to try something new and fun.

5 Stars: don't believe bad reviews (by claygrant)

claygrant — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My wife and I recently visited Los Angeles and had our eyes going to a star's restaurant. We'd read the article in USA Today recently and really wanted to go to Beso. Well, some of the reviews we read on CitySearch almost scared us off. Then we thought: "Something is wrong here. All the reviewers either LOVE it or HATE it."

We LOVED it. The atmosphere, the food and the service were all impeccable. The casually elegant atmosphere was perfect, we loved the food (beet salad, guacamole, scallops, tacos), the drinks (margarita, vodka raspberry Collins) and the service (not rushed, very informative). The big bar near the front looked very inviting for a drink and an appetizer if one doesn't want a full dinner.

I'm not sure what restaurant the HATE reviewers were thinking about. It seems like either they don't know/like Spanish cuisine, or aren't Desperate Housewives fans. We're not big fans of the show (now Tony Parker, that's a different story ...), but we are big fans of Beso. We'll definitely go there again on our next trip.

5 Stars: A great dining experience (by RaysNYCPizzaluvr)

RaysNYCPizzaluvr — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

On the corner of Hollywood and Ivar I found my new favorite Restaurant. As a former bartender of the world famous 'Imperial Gardens Restaurant' on Sunset Blvd, I know a good thing when I see it. Drinks, service, food are A+. I met my girls there and we loved the whole dining experience. I loved this place and will return soon.

5 Stars: cipriani of LA (by vanhornnyc)

vanhornnyc — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Coming from NYC to LA and the land of sun is filled with great food and beautiful people. Beso was no exception. The Scallops and Steak are dynamite. Avg wine selection. Staff and service were slightly above avg. Most impressive was model after model kept walking by our table to the private lounge upstairs. It was just like being at Cipriani in NYC...except with a Latin flavor

5 Stars: GREAT MODERN LATIN (by hugefoodie)

hugefoodie — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Definitely sexy...dishes...decor...cocktails. Went to Beso last night and had a great meal. The menu is varied enough to cater to the ladies in little dresses (us...and the owner) and carnivorous men. We were seated promptly. Cocktail recommendations were great. Timing was good. Flatbread was baked a la minute (or at least it seemed that way). The artichoke guacamole is a must-have...unique, tasty, delicious. Beet salad was perfectly seasoned perfectly dressed. A few more beets would have been appreciated though. Crudo was elegant and had a nice balance of flavors. Tacos were creative and represented a nice blend of latin & modern american cuisines. Service was friendly although a little "stressed." It was definitely forgivable though, as the restaurant seemed to have filled up at once. My only complaint is that on the way out, neither the maitre d' or hostess acknowledged us. However, a cook who happened to be at the front DID. Yes, there were quite a few high profile clientele, but I would return for the food, not the other guests. P.S. Definitely better than a 1 star review, more like a 3. Contrary to what Virbila implies, it's a restaurant first, a place to see and be scene second.

5 Stars: The Best (by oceansblue4)

oceansblue4 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

SImply the best! I liked it a lot. Pricey...but I liked it a lot. Very good. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Good!

5 Stars: Loved the appetizers (by Disneyfreak7)

Disneyfreak7 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My 4 beautiful daughters and my wife surprised me last night and took me here. I loved everything about this restaurant. If I can only get them to take me there for Fathers Day. I really love this place.

4 Stars: Better than the haters say (by cocineroeduardo)

cocineroeduardo — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Dined there last Thursday and enjoyed the experience, is it the best restaurant in town? No, but we enjoyed everything we had. Those who criticize price don't understand how expensive raw materials are, dry aged Brandt beef is not cheap! To say the tacos are bland...is just silly. What do you want them to taste like? The tacos are actually pretty interesting and include items far outside the traditional fillings, that alone makes them worth trying.

4 Stars: Great Steaks and food served HOT! (by Loves2Cook)

Loves2Cook — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My son took me here for my birthday and I totally enjoyed our evening with my daughter in law, grand daughters and my son. I loved all the different dishes that we ordered. I am a very picky eater and I enjoyed all of the food and in fact took some of it home to eat the following day. A great restaurant! The server was very nice, especially when he brought me a birthday dessert. mmmmmmm. I have recommended this restaurant to my friends and can't wait to get back up to Hollywood.

5 Stars: Great food and drinks. A+ (by DrLC)

DrLC — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Dine Friday night and we all were pleasantly pleased with the decor, drinks and especially the food and service. We enjoyed a variety of delicious appetizers and the dinner was served hot and terrific. A great experience! My friends and I will be returning, as we are looking forward to trying other items on the menu. Great food, good price and a fantastic evening. I'll be back.

5 Stars: was shocked at the decor!! (by pictureperfect08)

pictureperfect08 — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

there is nothing like it in LA, just seeing beso at night was worth everything. What a beautiful restaurant!
not only that but the drinks were amazing!!! we had to wait a little bit for our table, but it was expected because of how popular it is! While we waited we enjoyed the coctails at the bar for a while! over all great night!

5 Stars: Great price, exceptional food (by GlassSisters)

GlassSisters — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Beso, Beso, Beso! We love this place. My sister and our husbands finally ate at this beautifully decorated restaurant. Up till last week we had only sat in the bar area. We love the bar and we love the restaurant. All of our food was flavored and cook perfectly. Hollywood has another fantastic restaurant with class, service and great tasting food.

5 Stars: Loved it all (by NYPic7)

NYPic7 — Thu, 29 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Arrived here from NY on a Friday night and headed to Hollywood. I met my wife and 3 daughters there and our Hollywood experience started on a very positive note. A beautiful restaurant with class, great service, dricks and the food was terrific. My wife and I both shared the steak ( due to us ordering and sampling many of the great appetizers) and were pleasantly surprised on how well the steak and our food tasted. We ended our meal with a great dessert and headed to the show. A great experience! I highly recommend it and will return to dine again on my next west coast trip. See you again. NYpic7

5 Stars: Best place for great food and service (by mariemarie07)

mariemarie07 — Wed, 28 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Beso was great! The drinks were to die for and the service was on point. Im generally a picky eater and our server was really helpful. I had the filet with the cream spinach and mashed potatoes...AMAZING. Our food came out fast and it was steaming hot. I was expecting it to be a while since they were super packed but it didnt take long at all. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this place. Even if its just to go to the bar for drinks..which we did after dinner..its amazing.

5 Stars: had a blast (by drinkinneatin)

drinkinneatin — Tue, 27 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went into beso despite the poor reviews on this site... And I am so glad I did!!! The food was great and the drinks were amazing!!! I will be back!!!

1 Stars: Horrible Food and Service (by elag15)

elag15 — Tue, 27 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I was very excited to try out Beso since I had heard the bar was amazing and it was the newest hot spot in Hollywood. Little did I know I would be in for a horrible dinner and service upon my arrival. I went to Beso last week to have dinner with girlfriends. When we arrived, the place was pretty empty as it was early, about 6pm. We were seated but didn't have a waiter ask if we needed drinks until about 15 minutes of waiting (there were plenty of waiters standing around and no one acknowledged us.)

We finally ordered dinner and the waitress was raving about the ?shrimp? so we ordered that with other items on the menu. Everything we tried was either cold or overcooked and lacking taste (especially items from the ?taco menu?). I was very disappointed with the quality of the food, especially for the price. It was outrageous to pay $30 dollars for (6) shrimp that were cooked with the shells on them!! I really love shrimp so paying that much money for a few left me feeling like I was ripped off. What really upset me was the fact that they practically kicked us off the table after we were done with dinner and had paid our bill. The restaurant started to get busy and I?m sure they had people waiting for a table but I don?t appreciate the host coming over to our table to ask ?would you care for drinks at the bar now?? I have NEVER been asked this at a restaurant!

If you want to just go for a drink before a night out on the town, then the bar is great but I would not recommend dinner there. They really need to work on their service and their food. I?m definitely never going back.

2 Stars: Overpriced food in a great setting (by elizainhollywood)

elizainhollywood — Tue, 27 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I decided to have dinner at Beso before catching Wicked at the Pantages and I have to say, it was one of the most overpriced and mediocre meals I have ever had. The yellowtail crudo needed more flavor. The steak didn't have much flavor. And for the prices they charge, you'd expect the kind of steak you'd get at Lowry's. I have had great meals in Hollywood and this one was not one of them. The decor, the drinks and the company were the best part of the meal (the caipirinhas were wonderful). If you're looking for a good meal, I recommend nearby Magnolia, Hungry Cat and The Bowery as great alternatives.

5 Stars: Great food (by picciano)

picciano — Mon, 26 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

On Saturday night,our second trip to Beso was well anticapated. This place is amazing. From the moment we were greeted at the door( a very nice young girl) and showned to our table my guests were totally impressed. We ordered a round of drinks and I took it upon myself to order a few of their great appetizers. Well, the drinks were great and my friends enjoyed the appetizers( flat bread pizza, guac dip) Once again I ordered the steak and was not disappointed, cook to perfection and with soooo many side dishes all wonderful. We ended the evening in the bar (completely satisfied from dinner) by ordering a few rounds of drinks. A great ending to a perfect dining experience. BTW! Service, food,drinks are well worth the value.

2 Stars: I had to see how BAD it really was!!! (by mspretty50)

mspretty50 — Sun, 25 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I know... you told me so! So we went out last night to celebrate a promotion, we even forgot our reason for being there it was so bad! We had reservations for 9:45pm arrived 10mins early asked us to wait in the lounge or bar we sat at the Lounge for about 20mns. w/no service finally a waitress came over and took our drink order 30mins. later no drinks?? So another waitress checked on us took our order and finally our cocktails arrived after being there for 45min. she did not charge for the drinks which was nice of her. By then we had checked on our reservations twice, I finally got so upset I asked for a manager and instead the hostess came all of the sudden we had a table ready! I must say i did dread a review where they are more interested in getting single girls seated very true. We had a beautiful both and a nice waitress it stopped there.

The Food: Taco Bell has better guacamole, the flatbread was good, my Hubby loved Paella, Drinks were good & strong and my Skirt Steak was overdone burnt nasty, bland. To type of Latin influence here (I?m Mexican) I love Eva we are not haters but, if we spend $170 on Dinner for 2... It better be good! I would not recommend this place on my worst enemy. BAD ALL AROUND! The decor was nice but I seen BETTER!!!

If we ever return it would be only to the Lounge to have the Paella my Hubby liked, and the good cocktails.

5 Stars: Couldn't have been more impressed! (by loverofgreatfood)

loverofgreatfood — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

So I generally read reviews for restaurants before dining at them and for Beso it was no exception. I read some negative comments on this site and it made me more apt to go try it for my self. I mean its Todd English's food creation and Eva Longorias so called "baby" so I just had to try it. And to be perfectly honest, im SOOOOO glad I did!!! From the second we walked in...I knew we were in for a great night. The food was beyond words--we had the skirt steak with the cream spinach and the pan seared halibut (all of the food came out piping hot!, the drinks with the fresh fruit in them were AMAZING(I would totally recommend the blackberry vodka collins) and the icing on the cake--THE DESSERT. a must is the churros with the home made ice cream sandwiches. Over all it was a night to remember. The service was great! I will be returning to Beso again!!!

1 Stars: Restaurant is so beautiful...but it ends there! A disapointment! (by Sassysuzeeq)

Sassysuzeeq — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

VERY DISAPOINTING! Todd.....Call Chef Ramsey! Maybe he can help you! But, I will say the Restaurant is beautiful....5 Stars for that, Eva, but it ends there. Expensive for bad food and worse service. Such a shame!
A real disapointment as my husband and I were sooo looking forward to it! A celebration that turned
out great after we stopped, else where, and got some real food! I had high expectations and we wanted to
see for ourselves to see if what "they" are sayng was true...it is true. (My husband would not eat his dinner after one taste) Eva, I still love you! SassySuzeeQ

2 Stars: Beso - Decent Food - Charming Ambience - Not Worth the Cost (by artegone)

artegone — Thu, 22 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Beso is beautiful with modern decor and luxurious touches. Crystal chanedliers hang from the exposed beam ceilings, creating a lovely juxtaposition between sophisticated and rustic that is echoed in the food and presentation. The food is totally decent, but disappointing for the price and not quite worthy of the ambience. Still, I didn't hate it. There are great cocktail & wine options. I'd be much more likely to stop in for drinks at the bar than I would to dine at Beso again.

1 Stars: Laughbly Stupid. Pretenious, Phony Exclusivity. But it's so bad, that it's funny. (by BelAirAlejandro)

BelAirAlejandro — Mon, 19 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Are there enough losers around to patronize this place? I almost recommend Beso, only because normal people will enjoy a sense of superiority when they this. If you've got low self esteem, if you need to be abused to feel good, if you worship celebrities so much that you feel special just to be in a restaurant owned by one, then this is the place for you. It's not popular enough to have a long line, but they try to exclude people, just to showhem how exclusive they are. It's a crazy marketing plan. Perhaps, people who are mistreated will want to come back and "show them" that they can be part of their world.
There's a bouncer who is really large, probably 7 feet tall. He intimidates people, and says "I'm in charge here. I'm the m'aitre d'hi."
Inside, they tell people that they cannot come in for drinks. You need dinner reservations. I actually heard them say: "We don't want people like you who come in to have a drink and look around."
Is there really anything wrong with that?
Then the bouncer goes up to people and says "Don't be intimidated, just because I'm so big."
Someone responded: "OK, and don't you be intimidated just because I'm educated."
You won't see celebrities, just pretenders.
But the insults are actually funny. After they tell people to leave, they say "There's a Denny's down the street, for you."
The food is average and inconsistent. Denny's is better.
I overheard someone say: "After this, I don't even want to watch 'Desperate Housewives."
It's become a sport to give it back to these shallow snobs. People call up and make reservations for themselves as "Jeffrey Katzenberg". Or they do so simple math in front of the pretentious employess just to mess with them. It's like flogging the village idiot, but they deserve it because they are claiming this false superiority.

2 Stars: Nothing Special. (by hesselgesser)

hesselgesser — Sat, 17 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Beso my a**. Thank God there's a Del Taco two blocks away. Just kidding.

Just to be honest, I don't think this place is/was all that great. If you're looking for some new, hot, special place - there are a number of other places that I'd spend my money at. This place has a good location and high ceilings, that's about it.

The decor is decent, but not as nice as it should be to raise the kind of attention they think they deserve. The scene is not all that special either, if that's what you're looking for. If you are impressed by a bunch of b listers or people who act like they have more money they they really do, then maybe you'll like it.

5 Stars: Nice evening out (by LagunaCGSG)

LagunaCGSG — Fri, 16 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

The 2 hour drive from Laguna Niguel to Hollywood was worth it. $350.00 for a party of four wasn't bad. The food was excellent, and the background music really helps create the atmosphere Eva tried to create. This is a very trendy, elegant well thought out floor plan. Don't let the outside of the facility fool you. Margarita's are a must. Becareful when you bump into a star, it is bound to happen. My wife Loved it, it was a great evening. I read the other Review's and in all fairness evryone has differnet taste. Despite all of the dinning my Wife and I have done this is my first review. If you can afford it , I think you should try it.
I think there are 3 components to a good evening, the food, Service and most important the company.
Enjoy your Journey.

4 Stars: Wonderful! (by Acox101)

Acox101 — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Great service. I do not understand all the negative reviews, but my husband and I had reservations for Friday night. We arrived a little late and were seated right away. The service was out of this world!! I highly recommend the mango martini. There was never a moment I felt like I needed something that my server did not provide!!! We had the special that evening of the shrimp flat bread, the lobster empinadas, and the blackened shrimp. I would say the blackened shrimp were a little hard to eat and were stuck to the shell, but the rest of the food was great. We tried the strawberry rehbarb for dessert and were also impressed with it. I will be visiting Beso when I return to LA next time. Also the atmosphere was wonderful and decor was amazing.

1 Stars: The WORST of Hollywood (by angelori)

angelori — Sun, 11 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I made reservations for Beso a month in advance for 8:15 on a Friday evening - why, I have no idea. The restaurant wasn't even full until about 10:00. The main dining room had 5 empty booths when we were being seated (late). The hostess attempted to seat us in the corner of a back room, behind a loud table of 12. When we asked to be seated in the main dining room, she said all of those tables were reserved for other guests. I asked to speak with a manager, and things only got worse. The general manager was a complete dooshbag and had the nerve to tell us that each of those tables were reserved for the restaurant's "investors", but he would see what he could do. We were taken to a table upstairs; when we again questioned this decision with the hostess, she responded by saying she's "just a messenger." At least we were now overlooking the dining room. We had a perfect view of the "reserved tables," and nobody was seated at those tables until over an hour later. What's worse, unless the "investors" are 20 to 30-something obviously single women in tight clothes and stilletos, this guy was obviously full of sh*t. Not to mention, he seated tables of 2 or 3 girls at those tables of 6. Seriously, does he think that these girls are going to be better restaurant patrons than 3 couples?? We later learned that the "investors" were on a table right next to us. We attempted to use the upstairs bathroom, and one of the "investors" jumped up and said it was closed for a private party. Uh,we used that same bathroom 10 minutes before, and there was NOBODY at this "private party." He even made one of the waiters close the curtains and put a "private" sign in front of the door. Seriously? This place could not be any more cheesy and pretensious. This is not the kind of place long time E. Hollywood residents (like myself) want in their neighborhood. This place won't last more than 6 months. Eva Langoria should be ashamed to have her name associated with this place.

4 Stars: Great Artichoke dip and Guacamole (by ACope)

ACope — Fri, 09 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I have to disagree with the negative responses. I went with three girlfriends, celebrating an engagement announcement on a Tuesday night probably 2 weeks after opening. Eva was there, which was nice to see, but most importantly was the delicious food. Although service was a bit rusty (I presumed it was the newness of Beso, working out its quirks) they were still apologetic and took care of us with an on the house drink (how any hospitality staff should do it!) From the artichoke dip to the Ricotta flatbread and mini tacos were fabulous. Our main entree, the snapper was good but not great. Coming from SF where all food is a delight I have high standards and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I will be going back. :-)

4 Stars: Beso (by Shireen R.)

Shireen R. — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:00:00 GMT

Actress Eva Longoria and celebrity chef Todd English have partnered up to open this restaurant. Their menu items are eclectic and contemporary. They have a lounge area as well.

1 Stars: Dissapointing food, awful customer service, (by critix123)

critix123 — Sun, 04 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Went there on a Friday night, wasn't that busy. Our server never checked back on us to see if we needed anything, we had to ask repeatedly for more water, and forks from other servers!! The artichoke dip was excellent, however that was it. Eva's tortilla soup is a joke, such a fancy presentation for a such a bad soup with only 2 thin slices of chicken, very disappointed with it. Then we ordered steak, which got to us COLD, and the taste was off, nothing impressing. Same thing with the pizza we didn't even finish. 3 out of 4 dishes were bad. The decor in this place is amazing, and because of the location and the price we had higher expectations. Service was sloppy, the only thing they brought really quick was the check.... go figure.

5 Stars: All the Haters can save it & eat some where else!!! Beso is the real deal (by kristina100)

kristina100 — Sat, 03 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

First of all after reading all the Haters reviews I don't think I would of gone near Ivar itself. Luckily I have a brain and a love of food, so I decided to check it out for myself. And I am glad that I did. I had an amazing evening at beso! I felt that I received the whole experience at Beso of fine dining with out the stuffiness. From the amazing food to the decor, the great staff, & fantastic white sangria... I was sold people! I would definitely give beso a try and be the judge for yourself. I could go on and on about my meal but words would not do justice. I will say this, it would be a sin to go and not try the churro desert!

1 Stars: worst place to eat (by peckly)

peckly — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:00:00 GMT

i am a friend of chef Ramsay and trust me i've tried over thousand restaurant in LA n never came across such horrible food in my life. if u love ur life please dont eat at Beso!!

1 Stars: I strongly believe that if Eva's Latin American roots could, they would rise up and choke her. (by tanz)

tanz — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

HORRENDOUS. Please don't eat here. How do you ruin guacamole? Is that even possible?

Only saving grace were the beautiful chandeliers and the never ending jokes this place will provide you. If you need to laugh try eva's tortilla soup - such a presentation has never been done before.

I never felt so guilty for spending money in my life.

5 Stars: EXCELLENT FOOD, BEST DRINKS IN TOWN (by isa2g)

isa2g — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I really don't get where all the bad reviews are coming from. I'm a foodie and this is one of the best restaurants I've been to in a while! The lobster taquitos were to die for, the scallop crudo exquisite, the lamb was exceptional, and the creamed spinach beyond anything I'd tasted before. I wasn't too keen on the french fries my friend ordered as a side but who the heck orders french fries when at Beso? For dessert you have to go for the churro. Pure ecstasy I swear. The mixed drinks shouldn't even be called drinks. That's how good they were. Indescribable. The maitre D was a little stuck up but we only dealt with him for 2 mins. I was disappointed that they didn't offer to transfer our bar bill to our table once we were to be seated. In turn, our waitress was courteous, educated, funny, serviceable and anything else that I can express. Alot of stars around and beautiful decor. A homerun of a restaurant. Yes, it is pricey but if you are going to be upset at 15 dollars for 3 taquitos then you shouldn't go here. I would have paid 20 for 1 and I'm not rich... I just like my food.

1 Stars: The stars are strictly for the beauth of this restaurant (by hwoodpopart)

hwoodpopart — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

After reading the previous reviews I was not too keen on going to Beso for dinner. When I called to change my reservation to a larger number I was told they couldnt really do that, but would see if something could be worked out, they said they were really busy and had limited tables. Well to my surprise the restaurant was HUGE and empty, why was it so difficult to add two extra people? We all had drinks at the bar and that was pretty much the highlight of the whole night. The artichoke guacamole was oily and the chips were way too seasoned, the flatbread was charred, literally...I mean are they too busy back in the kitchen they cant pay attention to a piece of bread on a grill...I know 4 year olds that are capable of toasting bread properly! The paella smelled really fishy, the crispy lamb ribs were inedible and the tuna tacos were drenched in some sort of green sauce. Besides the drinks at the bar, the other highlight was the churros and the homemade oreos and some banana tart type dessert, they also make their own fig newtons, but for me going out to a nice restaurant is about getting a steak cooked to perfection or an amazing creme brulee, not ordering something that was packed in my sack lunch in elementary school. This restaurant is confused, the decor is beautiful and the food should match, this food belongs at a back yard bbq that is being held by a novice chef. Needs some work to say the least.

1 Stars: Great for cocktails... ONLY! (by malu310)

malu310 — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I attended Beso Restaurant on a Friday night. I had to make the reservation well in advance, approximately 1 month. Upon arriving I thought it was cute but nothing special. Although I had a reservation and arrived 15minutes early, I had to wait more than an hour to be seated, and there weren?t even too many people dining. Luckily, there was a fabulous bar with fresh fruit cocktails; I really enjoyed the drinks? That?s where it ends. I had guacamole it was of subpar taste, nothing special at all. My entree; paella which, according to the server, was supposed to be ?excellent!?? HARDLY!? it was fishy and I never found the chicken or Lobster?.It was not good. I selected the coconut creme Brule as my dessert and it was good, but once again, not great. For 2 people the bill was upwards of $200, money which I considered to be a complete waste, with the exception of the cocktails. I had much higher expectations for the restaurant, especially since Eva put her name on it but it did not measure up. If you want to dine out in the Hollywood area I would recommend Geisha House or Ketchup, any restaurant in the Dolce Group is a great choice and value for your money. I would have rather had a meal from Del Taco. Personally, it was not worth the anticipation, time, or money.

5 Stars: beautiful restaurant and great food (by idem94)

idem94 — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Beso last saturday with my family the restaurant was beautiful and the food was great it's a little pricy but it's totally worth it I think that you pay for what you get and what we got at Beso was delicious and the I'm talking about everything. Also we were very lucky that Eva Longoria was there with Tony Parker and some of the San Antonio team players. Eva is such a nice persont hat she was gretting all the people table by table and she accepted taking pictures with all the people that wanted to take pictures with her and she is beautiful so I think it's was worth it every penny I spend there and also mix drinks are delicious.

5 Stars: Very Intimate Atmosphere and Great Food!!! (by bridgetta713)

bridgetta713 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I have to say that I read a lot of the reviews before eating here tonight, and I was a bit scared of the menu. BUT, it was the COMPLETE opposite! I LOVED the food! We started with the Lobster Taquitos which were excellent. Yes, its expensive for 3 little taquitos, BUT its lobster, so its to be expected. Then we had the crab cakes. OK, Im from Maryland originally, so a crabcake is a BIG deal to me. I usually send back crab cakes because nobody knows how to make them. I've lived in LA for 5 yrs, aand only found 1 great crab cake since, until tonight. It was AMAZING! I love the spice they put in everything. Its definitely a different kind of Latin food with a twist. For the main course, I had the skirt steak, which was pretty good. My boyfriend ordered the Sirloin with mushrooms, and peppercorn sauce. The sirloin was OUTSTANDING! And it was much better flavor than the skirt steak. For dessert, we had the churos and ice cream sandwich. It was a great display with 3 cinnamon/buttery churos that came with a chocolate and caramel sauce. We liked the caramel sauce better. It also came with a brownie that was filled with a chocolate mousse, and 3 small brownies that had a mint cream filling which was sooo good!! Then, the amazing chocolate ice-cream cookie sandwich--WOW! The cookie dough was basked in mini chocolate chips, so every savory bite had a ton of chocolate chips! The atmosphere was very intimate and relaxing. From the dim lighting, the trendy music, the very upscale draperies, chandeliers, different color woods with a Latin/European flair that also had an asian influence. There were even private rooms that you could have, the walls were lined with many booths-- which in most places theyre arent many booths and you have to book them in advance.
From the door, the service was very friendly, and the waitress was very on point. The only complaint that I may have, is that they have a great drink menu, but I found some of the specialty drinks to be too sour flavored.

2 Stars: not recommended (by shelly24)

shelly24 — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

My sister was visiting from NY and we made reservations 2 weeks in advance for 7 people wanting 8:30 seating but they said all they had a 9. They take a credit card number at the time of reservation. When we got there the door men were friendly, valet is $12 (but expected for hollywood) bartenders are friendly and drinks are great and priced well. Our waitress was nice, but then it went down hill....we started w/ the steak tacos which we had to send back and got the lobster toquitos which were good but 3 of them were $15! the beet salad was good.. 2 of the guys got steak both were not happy but ate it one got swardfish it was ok nothing special and we all shared the sides which were just OK and filled up on the guacamole and drinks. Because of the disappointment the waitress brought out 3 desserts which again went un eaten by sweet lovers... sorry.. but it just isnt worth it!! The decor is nice and maybe check it out for a drink but dont eat!!!

2 Stars: Disappointed (by Tags)

Tags — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

We came from NY for a long weekend trip and had 9 pm reservations for 7 people. The staff was friendly and attentive, the drinks were the best part of the visit, nice and strong. The amosphere was modern and the leather cushioned chairs very comfortable. That's where the best parts of our visit to Beso ended. The women's bathrooms were dirty and a couple stalls were out of toilet paper. The place wasn't overly busy at all so the rest rooms should have been taken care of - especially since wait staff seemed to be just standing around. The $14 guacamole was the best part of the meal and the chips it came with were great, there were 7 of us and one order seemed to be enough for all to share. The taco entrees (steak and lobster ones) reminded me of elf food, they were about the size of a deck of cards. We got 2 orders of each for all to share. The steak ones were so bad, (no flavor, bad after taste, rubbery texture) 2 people took a bite and we had to return them to the kitchen. The lobster tacos had good flavor and texture but not what I would call a meal. Oh yeah, and they charged us for the 2 orders of steak tacos that we returned uneaten. They did however comp us 2 desserts after we already ordered 2 others because it took a while for the ones we really wanted to come out. The desserts we got were so bad we couldn't even finish them - which is extremely rare for people with a major sweet tooth. There were no complaints on the taste/flavor of the chili rubbed steak and fish entrees. Though they would not be enough to fill up a hungry man.
If you are looking for the experience and atmosphere grab a drink at the bar then head someplace else for dinner.

5 Stars: so good! (by dianthus010)

dianthus010 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I loved the food! My husband and I went there for my birthday, and everything was perfect. I love Eva Longoria and her restaurant does not dissapoint!

1 Stars: Not Customer Friendly (by MWW1)

MWW1 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I had the worst time getting a reservation here. I made a reservation over a week in advance for my birthday party and the restaurant made me give them a credit card number in order to save the date. When I called back two days before the reservation to confirm the size of the party, the restaurant told me that they could not find my reservation and repeatedly hinted that they did not believe that I made one (basically, the problem was mine, not theirs). I had to scramble to find a reservation somewhere else due to the error of the reservation staff. I can't speak to the quality of the service or the food, but if the reservation system is any indication, this place is terrible. I suggest going somewhere more customer friendly, my experience has completely soured me on this place and I have no intention of ever eating here.

3 Stars: Todd, what happened? Get back into the kitchen! (by Tuberosela)

Tuberosela — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Very pretty restaurant and great to have a corporate party at. Overall, the food was flavorless and the plating not attractive at all. Coming from a celeb chef I was quite floored. The "Chopped salad" tasted like something you would get at the supermarket and last time I checked a chopped salad didnt just have chopped romaine and tomatoes. The main dish came out and looked like something from a bad diner. I also had the tuna tacos, which were attractive to look at, but the taco chips were too thick and greasy. From the few plates of dessert we ordered the lemon one was the best.
Hollywood restaurants come and go, this one will "go" One just cant come back to a pretty restaurant if the food is mediocre.

2 Stars: Don't bother (by Piggleworm)

Piggleworm — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Upon arriving at Beso I was unable to get a table and to this day I can't figure out why. It certainly was not the food as I didn't finish anything I ordered. That's saying a lot considering I'm a founding member of the clean plate club. The only thing that was halfway decent was the short ribs which were in fact short. SHORT ON FLAVOR. I'm pretty sure it was just a McRib sandwhich without the bun. It can't be the managment that kept the dining room full as there didn't appear to be any. Maybe it is the decor though I can't comment on that as I didn't have a flashlight and therefore couldn't see much within the overly dark confines. The only thing that would get me to the return would have to be the service, or at least my server in the cocktail area. Malinda (or was it Miranda) was sweet, knowledgeable, profesional, witty, and had a genuine/beautiful smile. To bad I'll NEVER see her again as I'm taking my buisiness elsewhere. Sorry EVA!!!!

1 Stars: Too much Eva Longoria, not enough Todd English. (by topchefsilverlake)

topchefsilverlake — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

The decor is beautiful, albeit a little dark, the ceilings are high, and while there were a fair amount of people there, it wasn't not too loud. But...the service was lousy. I got the impression from our waiter that he was more interested in giving off a certain air, then actually telling us about the food. I ordered the "special", an heirloom tomato salad with mozzarella cheese with a pesto dressing. It would have been delicious had the tomatoes been soft and ripe instead of hard and crunchy. I also had the steak tacos. Three hors d?oeuvres size tacos with lackluster tasting steak. It wasn't seasoned, and wasn't a good enough cut of meat to go unseasoned. The tacos looked cool despite their miniature size, and that's the overwhelming problem with this restaurant, and many like it in Los Angeles. They are trying everything to make it look, feel, and seem hip, trendy, classy, etc. Private upstairs dining, beautiful fake breasted blondes walking everywhere. When it comes to substance i.e. the food, it totally misses the mark. An expensive mark at that. No one should spend 15 dollars on 3 substandard, mini-tacos. Oh, and 10 dollar valet parking?

3 Stars: First impressions are hard to fix (by ClassyGlassJoe)

ClassyGlassJoe — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

So, I just moved out here from Boston and I've been trying to figure out how to find a decent place to eat in LA. A co-worker just recently informed me that citysearch is the only way to find decent eats. Long story short, I found Beso. Let's start from the beginning. The valet was slow and rude. I don't mind the rude part so much, just be rude quickly. Then I found out at the door that there's a dress code?! Are you kidding me?!! I had to argue with a guy at the door because I didn't have a jacket. I was in business casual office clothes and I got some schmuck in $150 suit he bought from Kohls tellin me that I can't come into his joint.
However, it's a nice place once you get in. It's huge inside which is probably why it looked like they had more servers than customers. The best part of the evening was the drink I had at the bar called The Tequila Spa. I have to say I was pretty impressed. More impressive was the bartender- extremely knowledgeable about the cocktails and about booze in general. It's nice to see that there are still a few bartenders in town that aren't just actors pouring drinks. When I got to the table, things started looking up even more. I had read all these things about the wait staff not knowing the menu and I didn't have a problem with my waiter. He was honest, direct, and I thought pretty knowledgeable. Although for the life of me I can't remember his name. Phil or Frank or something like that. Anyhow, he steered me in the right direction the whole way. Overall I think the food was good. Nothing to call home about, but it was certainly NOT disappointing. The Lobster Tacos were the only thing I thought were great. Everything else was decent. My suggestion to this place is to drop the "Hollywood" BS act and focus on the food and providing good cosistent service from the time you get outta your car to the time you get back in. Because no chef can compete with the bitter taste of my first impression.

3 Stars: Disappointed (by SexyBruin)

SexyBruin — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I called Monday (3/24/08) to make reservations for 2 people for that Friday. I was told that they were completely booked, but if I was interested I could be placed on the waitlist and if there were any cancellations they would call me. I received a call Friday around noon, that if we were still interested a reservation had opened up at 6 pm. We arrived at 545 and there were only two other patrons at the bar. The wait staff and cooks were still getting ready for the dinner service. We sat at the bar and a very nice, attentive bartender suggested we try the Tequila Spa. I got that and my friend got a mojito with kiwi which the bartender also recommended . Both drinks were good. We were seated at 640 and there were still only about 10 other people. The decor of the restaurant was nice. The space is very large and there was a lot of room to seat people. The menu contained different types of food selections that could appeal to all different palates and tastes, which is always refreshing to have. As an appetizer we ordered the guacamole and chips, nothing special. The flatbread was charred and we had to ask for it. I ordered the lobster tacos, which had a nice flavor combination, (the portion was a tad too small to have as an entree), and my friend ordered the chili rubbed skirt steak (which was flavored and cooked perfectly). All in all the food had flavor but we felt it was a bit pricey for what the portions were. We ordered a cookie tray for dessert with Passionfruit sorbet. The assortment of cookies really complimented each other. The sorbet did not really taste like a sorbet (it seemed to have been made with milk or cream, which sorbet isn't).The waiter was nice and the ambiance was pleasant, but there were a lot of waiters standing around not doing anything. My friend and I are still wondering how they had a waitlist if only 1/4 of the tables were full when we left at about 815 pm.

1 Stars: They decorated it well at least (by Pomex)

Pomex — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:00:00 GMT

The night started out right, the restaurant was beautiful; they spared no-expense on the decor, it too bad they did not put that effort in the actual food they serve. There were five of us in my party. We ordered guacamole for a starter and to be honest, hands down the best thing we ate, but the problem was they server a lot of guacamole with only 10 chips. We had to ask for more twice until they brought us the proper amount.
When our entrees arrived it seemed okay. Elf serving sizes but that is standard in most upscale restaurants in LA. I got the 24 oz Bone in stake. For the price I expect stake that melted in my mouth, instead I got chewing gum. I have purchased better stake at Von for $5. It was full of fatty gristle and very tough. Another aspect I found interesting is the stake came with just a dripping sauce no veggie or some type of side. My friend had the Seafood and chorizo paella. It came with a bed of rice and mussels and clams. Over half of the shell fish did not open up upon steaming. Out of 12 he was only able to eat 4 of them. When we brought it to someone attention we were brushed off. Another friend had a fish plate. It looked good until she took a piece off and put it in her mouth. It was so hot it blistered her tongue; it was a good 8 minutes till she could eat it.
Two of us had the Eva Tortilla Soup. I have no clue where to even start; this was the worse thing on the menu hands down.
We hoped desert would save the meal, importunely it did not. In a group of five people who love sweets, we left over half of both deserts un-eaten and even that took effort
The night ended with the valet service bringing us our car to the opposite side of the street of the stand and us, and having us walk across Ivar to get to the car. Something in 10 years of LA I have never seen valet service do. By the time we got home every single one of us felt sick that carried on to the next morning. I do not seeing this place lasting

4 Stars: Well done dark decor, great food hits, one big miss (by 072970)

072970 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Happened into Beso on their 2nd day of officially being open.

The design aesthetic was very strong, if a tad on the dark side. The waitresses had the same simple black cocktail dress vibe as the The menu was simple and well done.

Service was timely, however the lack of familiarity of the waitress about the dishes (especially considering how few there actually are) was beyond opening week jitters. We had to ask if there were any specials on the menu, and out waitress replied that yes there was 1 - a snapper. When she forgot to offer any more than that single piece of information, we had to inquire further and were met with little additional informaiton.

Food was spot on, with one exception. The flat breads grilled on their main-room mini-kitchen were very flavorful and perfectly cooked. We sampled several of the taco dishes, including the skirt steak and taquitos, and they were excellent. Seafood and chorizo paella was very good, almost perfect save for a bit too much creaminess in the preparation that drowned out some of the natural flavors.

Our one miss was on Eva's tortilla soup (sold as a family recipe). It came out luke warm, was presented in a two part fashion display in an oversized bowl that made it hard to eat. And the soup had an overabundance of cilantro and the flavor, even forgiving the dunking of Cilantro, was inedible and had to be sent back. They handled the mistake very well and took car of it immediately and without question.

I would go back as the food was above the mediocre over-priced fare in Hollywood. This meal was good enough to recommend to others.

1 Stars: Terrible Food (by slewis1)

slewis1 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Our experience at Beso was so bad, it actually inspired me to write a review (never done this before)! The service was disastrous and the food uneatable. The only decent dish was the guacamole, but then again, it was no better then your local 24-hour hole-in-the wall taco stand. The chips were stale and the bread was so charred it turned to ash in your fingers. The soup was watered down Tabasco. My fish (the special whole Branzino w. supposedly three sauces), came out as a dry charred fish on a plate w/ no sauce, and when I ask them to fillet it, usually a simple task done at the table, they took it back and it arrived 10 minutes later cold, it was over done, chewy, fishy, and tasted freezer burned. When I flagged down a waiter (took another 10 minutes), to ask about my ?three sauces? they told me I was actually supposed to pick 1 ?of? 3 sauces but they were out of 2. The sauce was so bad I just asked for lime and drenched it. I actually felt sick after eating at Beso.

4 Stars: Elegant decor and tasty food (by diesel40)

diesel40 — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:00:00 GMT

The decor is beautiful and had a great atmosphere. The bar is enormous and the drinks are both delicious and strong!! We ate in the lounge where the staff was friendly and attentive. Both of the guacamoles were tasty as well as the lobster taquitos. We would definitely go back to sit in the dining room or lounge and try more of their menu!