Beso

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! .

Posted 08/11/08

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)

Posted 08/10/08

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!

Pros: Decor, hot food and a great variety

Cons: waiter

Posted 08/07/08

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.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Service

Posted 08/06/08

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.

Cons: SERVICE- Better off going to another restaurant

Posted 08/06/08

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.

Posted 08/03/08

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!!!!!!!!!

Pros: all of it!

Cons: we ate tooooooo much!

Posted 07/28/08

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.

Posted 07/27/08

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!

Pros: ambience is somewhat romantic

Cons: everything else besides the ambience

Posted 07/26/08

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.

Pros: Flat Bread

Cons: Sangria

Posted 07/20/08

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.

Pros: mango martini

Cons: everything else

Posted 07/16/08

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

Pros: Food, service, food, decor, KISS

Cons: none noted

Posted 07/15/08

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....

Pros: Friendly staff

Posted 07/15/08

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.

Pros: decor, location, beautiful people

Cons: food, flavor, taste, texture of the food, service

Posted 07/14/08

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.

Posted 07/13/08

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

Posted 07/13/08

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.

Posted 07/09/08

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

Posted 07/01/08

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!

Posted 06/28/08

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.

Pros: Ambience

Cons: Everything but the ambience

Posted 06/26/08

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!

Pros: Courteous and friendly service.

Cons: None

Posted 06/24/08

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

Pros: A great dinning experience

Cons: Parking

Posted 06/21/08

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!

Pros: Decor, Bar Area

Cons: Parking, Customer Service, Food, Cocktails

Posted 06/19/08

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!!!

Posted 06/19/08

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!

Pros: A great dinning experience

Cons: The evening ended toooo quickly!

Posted 06/18/08

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..

Pros: Decor, hot food and a great variety

Cons: none

Posted 06/17/08

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!!!

Posted 06/17/08

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

Pros: Food, service, food, decor

Cons: None

Posted 06/13/08

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!!

Pros: Dec or, drinks, good looking customers

Cons: Horrible service, food is just okay

Posted 06/13/08

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.

Pros: rude host!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 06/11/08

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

Pros: Service

Cons: Parking

Posted 06/09/08

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.

Pros: ambience, food, friendly staff

Cons: slow service

Posted 06/08/08

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.

Pros: Food, ambience, service, valet on side street

Cons: nada

Posted 06/07/08

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.

Pros: Menu

Cons: na

Posted 06/04/08

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

Posted 06/04/08

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.

Pros: great big comfy leather chairs

Cons: location

Posted 06/04/08

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

Pros: I liked the chandeliers.

Cons: Pricey. Parking. Pricey

Posted 06/03/08

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.

Pros: Food, service, food

Cons: none noted

Posted 06/03/08

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.

Posted 06/01/08

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.

Pros: Loved it

Cons: I ate tooooooo much

Posted 06/01/08

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.

Pros: I'll b BACK

Cons: n/a

Posted 06/01/08

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!

Pros: drinks, seeing eva longoria

Cons: didn't save room for dessert

Posted 06/01/08

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.

Posted 06/01/08

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

Pros: A great dinning experience

Cons: N/A

Posted 05/28/08

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.

Pros: service and the delicious food

Cons: it gets really packed in the bar..but not really a con

Posted 05/27/08

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!!!

Pros: everything

Cons: nothing

Posted 05/26/08

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.

Pros: Great bar, nice ambience

Cons: Food, service

Posted 05/26/08

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.

Pros: Drinks and Decor

Cons: the food is overpriced and underseasoned

Posted 05/26/08

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.

Pros: A great dinning experience

Cons: none

Posted 05/25/08

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.

Pros: Decor, Drinks

Cons: Food, Lazy Servie, "HOLLYWOOD"

Posted 05/24/08