LIFE on Wilshire

I was there with my company for lunch. Besides waiting forever for our food, which ended up being great, the service was horrible...don't go there

Pros: Good Food

Cons: customer service

Posted 11/09/09

I went there for a birthday party and the atmosphere was great, the food was good and reasonably priced, but the music was horrible. It definitely did not motivate you to dance. They do this thing where they mix the beat of a song with the words to another, and while this could be good, in this instance it wasn't. I would go back for Monday night football, but it would not be on my list of places to on a Friday or Saturday night.

Pros: Good Drinks, Good food, Good Service

Cons: Horrible Music

Posted 10/04/09

my husband and I used to frequent this establishment because of the food. I am a chef and appreciate great food. That's not a problem for LIFE, however, their problem is customer service. We constantly have to get up to place an order, to get utensils and napkins. With that type of service we could have gone to a Mc Donald's, as a matter of fact you would probably have a better experience at Mc Donald's .
I was tempted to go into the kitchen and cook and serve the food myself. Bottom line- great food. . . horrible service. I would NOT recommend this place EVER! It is very unfortunate- I never have written a negative review on a venue, this is how bad the service was.

Pros: great food

Cons: service is horrible!

Posted 09/03/09

So, my friend and I came for trivia night and the place is just so nice. Good food, good drinks and the host, who actually is the owner, comes around to talk to everyone and ensures a good time. This place is a must if you are looking for something casually swanky. Enjoy!!

Posted 04/05/09

It is amazing to me that people write things on this site sometimes. Although here I am writing on it myself. I think many of your mothers, fathers grandmothers etc. always used to say if you do not have something nice to say don't say it all. Now obviously the review part is supposed to inform people whether the food was good or bad , service, ambience etc, I get that part. I even get when owners are idiots.. But some of you i think are forgetting that this is hollywood! Atleast this owner is at the club everyday cleaning tables, making drinks and fixing things most of the comments leads me to believe you even got in! Go to any restaurant or bar in the hollywood area see how fast you get, and see how your service is then come back to a place like life! Staff rotates in the town everyday cause every staff member is waiting for speilberg to call! As far as the owner is concerned so he is an idiot so what else is new! Club owners open bars to get girls and make money period! My suggestion is if you hate the place say you hate the place, Just because the owner is a idiot does not mean the food is bad or they steal! (which is hilarious ) and on that note the previous comment about bringing your own crowd? So you played there and it was not busy? Hmmm so you are saying you have no fans that came to see you, because I think... and I may be wrong here but it is your job to bring people to see you play.... Go try to play at The Hotel Cafe ... if you don't bring 75 people marco will not let you even go on to play .... Oh ya! and speaking of an owner that is a total piece of work and the service is awful and the food is terrible that would for sure be the Hotel Cafe! But strangely enough they are still in business and packed every night!!! inclosing I just have to say we have free speech in the united states so tell us all the the food is bad and the service too but no one cares about the owner or EVER so get a life! haha play on words! brilliant name for a club!

Pros: Amazingly beautiful place, Great live music spot

Cons: Still has not found its niche

Posted 02/28/09

Audience, bring your own. Nobody will be there to see your band. The owner, Mike is in my opinion a criminal. He locked my guitar in his office and it mysteriously dissappeared. Welcome underaged drinkers, you will be served. Soon to be out of business. I gaurantee it!!

Posted 02/27/09

First off the place bites big time. It used to be a decent place almost like Cheers where everyone knew my name and was glad I came. Now its lame, the owner is extremely rude unless you're one of his freinds, a glass of soda is 3.50 lemonade is 2.50, they even have the nerve to charge for entry. If you really want a decent meal and drink DO NOT GO TO LIFE!!!! For the prices you're better off at a real restaurant. Also, I just found out that Paul is gone, I've met so many different people up there thanks to that guy just introducing us to one another. Did you also notice the "C" they got from the HD that hides behind the cement wall. The food isn't fresh and again for the last time its OVERPRICED. So basically people Life On Wilshire is Lost On Wilshire...PS, it seems that eveyone's main problem is the owner, i've experienced it aswell as heard it from several employees. I noticed him responding to the more "in his favor" reviews, i'll bet he doesn't respond to the last 3.

Pros: there'a always an empty table!

Cons: why is there always an empty table?

Posted 02/24/09

Wow, I must admit the place is on the pricey side of things, it was worth it, teh 5 or six times I was there, when certain people are there. Amanda makes things lively with her cute, undeniable East Coast accent and Paul and his one-of-a-kind humor made people want to stay. Now, with Paul gone (from what I hear, issues with the owner) and the uncertainty of the other manager's schedule - it's just not worth going back to. Although the wait staff is great, the bartenders are very cool - it's the other end of the business that completely brings the mood and atmosphere to a catastrophic hault. The owner seems a bit pretentious and is seemigly only concerned with the his bottom line and pleasing his friends when they visit. I cannot begin to tell you the horror stories heard from the staff while they were serving us (at least 4 employees who are no longer there have complained to patrons) re: ownership! ... I honestly cant envision going back - no reason to. The place has gone from an up and coming hot spot to a has-been/never-was in a matter of months. Dont want to make it seem all bad, at least the food fairly good but with such high turn over, how long will that last? ...

Posted 02/22/09

So I see that the reviews went from great to terrible for this place and honestly it's the truth. This restaurant used to be such a fantastic place to hang out. The staff was great, food delicious, and atmosphere pleasant. I used to go to Life at least once a week and was never disappointed- that is until recently. Suddently all the familiar faces that I grew to know were gone- the waitstaff, the managers, and even the chef. I couldn't believe the turnaround, but in the service industry I figured that is normal. I tried to give Life a chance, even though I was concerned about the sudden changes, however I should have gone with my gut and ran screaming! Not only is the food inconsistent, it takes forever and doesn't excite me the way it used to. For the prices they charge for food and drinks, you would think they would have a decent restroom that isn't always broken or dirty- especially since half the times I have been there we were one of only a few tables. Last, THE RESTAURANT HAS A "C" RATING!!!! In Los Angeles where there are thousands of great restaurants, who eats at a C? Makes you wonder what going on behind those kitchen doors........... actually I'd rather not think about it. It's a shame to see such a great spot go down the drain. Save your money, and eat somewhere else!

Posted 02/22/09

First thing that got to me me was the $10 cover charge. Obviously I'm not a fan of the charge, but if you have to pay it, you expect it to go towards live music. Umm where was the music? I didn't hear any music for at least one hour, and soon after it was just a crappy band with 2 dancers who was one for no more than 5 minutes.

So that's one major strike. Another is the service. I was at Life for a bday party,and while our friends kept pouring in, the rest of the bar was nearly empty. We wanted to spread out and take another table, and the waitress fought us on this. Then of course was ordering. Took at least 10 minutes to get a drink in an empty bar, what? Pricey! and they fought me on closing my tab. Who does that?

I do not recommend Life as a bar or party spot. Pricey, boring, bad service, mean people. Maybe it's better as a restaurant, but I just don't know. I won't be returning.

Pros: at least you have room to breath

Cons: everything else

Posted 02/20/09

We have been frequenting this restaurant/bar for quite some time despite issues with slow service, consistently receiving wrong food orders (our guess - due to not enough staff coverage) and rising prices. It was a place of convenience with which to bring good friends back together. Our group continued to gather at Life on Wilshire because Paul and Amanda (managers) were always very friendly and inviting, as well as was most of the wait and bar staff. We thoroughly enjoyed Team Trivia. Paul, being a very entertaining host, kept us coming back week after week. Our understanding is that Paul is no longer part of the team. With his departure and the obvious high turnover of staff tells us that there is an issue with the owner. We will not continue to support an owner who seems to have little regard for taking care of good, hard working employees. It is no longer worth our hard earned money.

Pros: Very congenial staff

Cons: owner issues

Posted 02/19/09

I just discovered today that I won't ever be going back to Life on Wilshire. I enjoy the food, I think the staff is great and I really had fun at trivia, but I have heard horror stories from the staff concerning the owner. Today I heard that he was extremely disrespectful to the manager who hosts trivia and fired him.
I dont want my money going to a person like that. There are too many places in LA for me to spend my hard earned dollars at. Life is too short to be a bad human being.

Pros: the servers and bartenders, and managers and the b.s. they put up with

Cons: the owner

Posted 02/18/09

I'd have to agree with the other patrons the bar is a cool place when the right people are there, i must admit they are a bit pricey but the way the managers Paul and Amanda make you feel, its well worth the money being spent. I met the owner maybe once or twice, and i'd have to say, he's a bit on the rude side, one can tell he's brand new to the restaurant/bar business. But now that I hear Paul is gone, I seriously doubt my friends, co-workers or anyone i know will be returning to this place anytime soon unless, someway somehow Amanda and Paul take over. Also, trivia is a load of you know what, if you win you get a 50 dollar gift certificate, but when you read the fine print you didn't win anything but a chance to spend more money with them. The fifty doesn't kick in until you've past 25 dollars of your own money, and its only for food. There isn't a bar in town that would make me spend 75 dollars on food. I can't believe they actually charge people to buy a drink, its not Level 1 anymore, but yet they charge for entry, overall if you walk in ask for Amanda or Paul and if neither of them or there leave immediately....By the way happy hour isn't that happy its 2 dollars off a 12 dollar drink, anyother happy hour in town is always buy 1 get 1. The more I think about the more upset I get, beacuse I liked this place alot, based on the people. I'm going to miss trivia.

Pros: There's still Amanda

Cons: No more Paul

Posted 02/02/09

My office window looks out on Life and, because we are a crew that enjoys a drink, we go as often as we can. It's been the office bar for at least the last four years and it was called something else not too long ago. But that is not the point...We could go somewhere else but, like George Michael & Andrew Ridgeley before us, we choose Life.

It's easy to get to, is comfortable and well decorated, and has an outdoor seating area where I once got to drink accompanied by my awesome dog. The owner is a dog lover and even gave him some bacon. Needless to say, it's my dog's bar of choice.

We did have an odd experience there once, but I have to say it's a really pleasant place to grab a drink and some pretty darn good comfort food. The calamari is so good- how do they make it so good? It's neither oily, brittle or overdone. It tastes like it's supposed to- light, salty and crisp- and I find myself strangely craving it. I only wish they'd served it with a touch of marinara on the side, but it's good without it. The grilled cheese can also be good when you want something totally gooey. Those are my faves and I should say that I don't eat red meat. However, everyone in the office has a favorite on the menu.

It's just a great place to gather. It's lively some nights, more chill others and has a fun vibe but It's never too loud to enjoy yourself. I have had great experiences with my bartender and our servers and they've got some nice happy hour specials. And on election night, they had a ton of TV's set up for what looked like a great viewing party. It's very cool that they do things to make events like that special.You can drink and not miss seeing how the electoral map fills out.

It's definitely worth a visit. And if you don't enjoy the calamari I'll be incredibly surprised.

Posted 12/09/08

All-purpose party spot for entertaining visiting VIPs and office going-away lunches and after-work get togethers. The place is open, welcoming and very classy without trying too hard. The menu is a bit restricted, but everything I've tried has been good to excellent. I go as often as the wallet allows--the waitresses have always been insanely hot and wear chic designs that are the envy of the gals in our office. So far, I'm a lunch-only customer, but the manager, owner and chef are very welcoming and quite competent, and service is prompt and charming. Lately, the chef switched to a different brand of chicken sausage that tastes funky to me, but the seafood angel hair pasta could be the inspiration for a new religion. Favorite appetizer is the calamari and favorite beverage is the light Pinot Griigio. Prices are a smidge high, but the place is in walking distance of some dodgy areas and the price succeeds in keeping Life (quoting from Cold Comfort Farm) "ever so smart and select." As long as the doors are open, this will continue as my stylish, smile-filled refuge from a stressful, kitch-filled world.

Pros: Charismatic staff, prompt lunchtime service

Cons: I can't afford to eat there every day

Posted 11/10/08

So many things were bad about this place I don't even know where to begin. Mean waitresses with serious attitudes, poor service, would disappear for 30 minutes at a time, forget your drink. I had to hunt my waitress down twice to order drinks. When the drinks arrived, the glasses were half full. I had to send back my sashimi because the fish was bad. There was an automatic 20% gratuity for a party of 4, included in the bill, which I only noticed when I made sure I wasn't charged for the sent back sashimi. Our food order was given to another table by mistake with no apology or explanation making us wait longer. I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. NEVER go there!!!!

Pros: I never have to go back.

Cons: Everything

Posted 10/31/08

Check out the review of this and many other happy hours at: happiest hours(dot)blog spot(dot)com - no spaces between words, but City Search won't allow it any other way. What I don't like is that during HH, none of the apps are discounted. All regular menu price. That would be okay, but the food is just not that special. Had the burger sliders and I gotta say, the ones at Happy Ending are far better (haven't been there for HH yet, but soon). The mojito chicken skewers were GREAT - get an order, even at $8.75 for three skewers (yikes!) - and the grilled cheese was nowhere near the hype. The bread was hard and way over-toasted. If you want a grilled cheese to die for, go to Doughboys and order the After School Special. Nothing comes close (and yes, Campanile, I've been on GC night - it's over-rated).

What rocked about Life was the awesome decor - so big and comfy - but at 5:00 p.m. we were the only two people in there, which was both weird and good. Weird because you never want to be the only table in a bar, and good because the staff wound up hanging out with us and they were insanely cool - a lot of fun, liked their jobs, made good menu recommendations, etc. As a result, we got a few things that aren't on the regular menu that were AWESOME (but can't really review them, since it was just something the chef made for the fun of it) and not much of what we ordered showed up on the bill. I can't say much more, because I would hate to get anyone fired, but it was a fun, cheap night. Don't bank on having the same experience.

How are the drinks? Like I said, this was the best dirty vodka martini I have ever tasted, and it was five bucks. 'Nuff said.

Posted 09/17/08

My good friend had a big party here on a Friday night, and it was the perfect venue. LIFE accommodated over 100 of us and we had a fantastic time. Several of us ate dinner there and my meal was delicious. Much better than I was anticipating at a lounge.

I was surprised to see so few people besides those in our party at the club though. Mike says he doesn't use promoters or do lists, which is admirable-- hope it works.

Pros: Decor, food, outdoor patio, ambience

Cons: Music was too chill (abmient) after midnight

Posted 05/22/08

I would strongly suggest checking out Life on Wilshire. It is a great neighborhood spot. You may remember it when it was Level One or the Firm, but Life is uniquely Life. Not only did we have a great time, great service and great cocktails but the owner was more then happy to hang out, have fun and be part of the group too. You have to check out their happy hour and Thirsty Thursdays, where you are surely going to have a fun time. From what we heard the music is pretty awesome too...

Posted 05/01/08

I recently booked a party of 20 for a birthday party, and we had a blast! The waitress and staff service was fabulous, the food was good and inexpensive, the dancing was hot and wild. For party of 20, with about 15 people eating, are bill was more than reasonable. It is a great place to host an event, without worrying about the usual L.A. hassle of long lines, attitude, and pricey table service. Cheers!!

Posted 04/19/08

The food here is great at the regular price and for happy hour prices it is that much better. reasonably priced drinks and great friendly staff make this an excellent place to stop in after work, especially on Thursdays, when they have a huge pitcher of mojitos for just $25. Highly recommended!

Pros: Food, service, decor

Posted 04/16/08

I was so delighted to discover Life right across the street from my job on Wilshire. The atmosophere is very chic, with a lounge style and a great outdoor patio. The restaurant has a fabulous happy hour menu, with $25 pitchers of mojitos on Thursdays, and some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted. As a Boston native, I was shocked to discover the BEST clam chowder in Los Angeles. Life serves American food with a flare, like jalepeno mac and cheese, warm spinach salads, curry french fries and a grilled cheese sandwich with three types of cheeses, bacon and onions. The service is great, with a really friendly staff. It is easily my favorite restaurant in LA.

Pros: food, drinks, service

Posted 04/03/08

Great service, tasty appetizers, 20 dollar pitchers... You really can't go wrong with all of these available at Life on Wilshire. The people were really cool, fun,friendly. There was sports on the plasma's. Some hot girls! The place was very clean also,a big plus if you ask me!

Posted 04/02/08

Life on Wilshire is a cute, intimate lounge with nice decor and a friendly staff. I came here for happy hour with a bunch of co-workers and we all had a blast! Our waitress, Rachel, was very nice and accomodating and kept our orders coming. The best part of happy hour was the $20 pitcher mojitos and the yummy appetizers. The calamari and spinach/cheese dip are the bomb! If you're looking for a chill spot to hang out or for happy hour, go to Life!

Pros: Happy Hour, decor, staff

Cons: parking

Posted 03/18/08

would definitely go to again. the food was good so was the drinks. easy parking, nice atmosphere....

Pros: nice setting

Cons: n/a

Posted 03/18/08

The short version is this..they got it right at Life.
Great food, great drinks, friendly staff and a really nice atmosphere. Kinda the perfect spot.
Looking forward to going back again...and those $20 pitcher of mojitos is just part of the reason.
Life is good.

Pros: Happy hour!

Cons: Maybe parking...but for 5 bucks you can park next door

Posted 03/17/08

I had been here before they remodeled it and I can say that the interior has definitely been upgraded. It is really nice inside with comfortable seating and a few flat screen TVs for watching sports, etc.

The happy hour is definitely worth checking out for the pitchers of Mojitos. I don't claim to be a mojito expert but I can say that they are easily the best mojitos that I have had, and for a good price. They also have good fingerfood to choose from to go along with the drinks. Parking is a little inconvenient but not really that big of a factor so overall I would definitely recommend this place to others.

Pros: Mojitos

Posted 03/17/08

My boss arranged an outing to happy hour at LIFE on Wilshire. I was pretty skeptical, because it seemed pretty dead outside. But the interior is gorgeous, there seem to be plenty of specials and the Mojitos ($20 pitcher on Thursdays) were delicious. I love how happy "hour" lasts until midnight.

Great place to go chill, kick it with friends.

Pros: Yummy appetizers, great prices and deals, low lighting

Cons: Parking

Posted 03/13/08

This is a great little spot to hang out with friends. I was really inpressed with the wonderful leather couches all around the entire place. Parking is a little hard, but they have their valet, and when you go to Life, its only
5 bucks! Loved this place. Great staff.

Posted 03/13/08

We have been to this place before for happy hour and it was pretty low key. The drink prices and food are great at happy hour so we decided to take a few friends there for lunch. We waited about 10 mins before someone came to take our drink order. Once we ordered we waited almost 45-50 mins for our food to come out. We had to get our food boxed so we didn't even get to eat it there. If you have a boss that is going to crucify you for being late getting back to work, I don't suggest eating there for lunch.

Pros: Nice ambiance

Cons: Wait time

Posted 01/10/08

Life is soo much fun!! I've eaten in the restaurant for Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour, Trivia Tuesdays, and even for two private parties. Its the perfect venue for your friends. Not too crowded, the right mixture of people, full bar, and great food. I highly recommend visiting this spot... especially for Trivia Tuesdays!! You get teams of 6 together and compete for cash. Everyone is soo into it, you'll be talking about it for days. My team didnt win unfortunately, but it was worth the witty banter.
Life is a must!!

Pros: Large space, great for parties, huge dining tables for big groups.

Cons: Valet parking..its wilshire.. what can you do?

Posted 12/27/07

I had a birthday party there recently and I had a great time. The general manager, Mike, was helpful in heping me set everything up and they were incredibly accomodating. Bartenders were as nice and friendly as they come. Prices were reasonable. The atmosphere and the music was good. Not a lot of people know about this place yet, so check it out before it gets too popular!

Pros: Atmosphere, Location, and not many people know about it

Cons: NONE

Posted 11/28/07

FOOD IS GREAT! I HAD APPS, DINNER, AND DESSERT! REASONABLE PRICE. SERVICE WAS GREAT TOO! SAT ON THE PATIO AND STILL HAD A QUIET ENOUGH TABLE WITHOUT LOSING THE VIBE. WEEKENDS ARE A LITTLE BUSIER. IF YOU ARE LOOKIN TO CHILL CHECK IT OUT DURING THE WEEK.

Pros: AMBIENCE AND FOOD

Cons: LOCATION FOR ME FROM THE VALLEY

Posted 11/27/07

Life on Wilshire is centrally located ..the food is amazing and the prices are reasonable. We had a birthday party for our friend and they were very accomodating. A relaxed atmosphere and positive Vibe. The bartender was so GREAT she mixed up great martini's and made us laugh. This is a MUST for a date, happy hour or just a night out with a friend !!!

Posted 11/25/07

I just got back from the Monday nite happy hour and I have to say, this is my new favorite place. Happy hour lasts til closing on Mondays! So, we got excellent martinis for $5, beers for $4, plus there were discounted food options. I had a grilled cheese sandwich that was outstanding and very gourmet, with 2 cheeses, bacon, and grilled onions on a pressed roll. The fries were seasoned and delicious. Best of all was the service: the bartender was also our waitress and she was fun and chill. Then the owner, Mike, came by to check on us and was a very friendly guy. I definitely recommend this place.No hollywood pretentiousness, just a great place to hang out, meet people and chill (the couches are very comfy!) Apparently, they've got a great jazz thing going on Sunday nites now... guess I'll be coming back to check it out!

Posted 08/19/07