Crustacean Euro Vietnamese Cuisine

Try the Pink Lotus!!! Be ready to be surprised! From the fish in the floor to the food.. this place is always fun and amazingly delicious!

Posted 10/20/09

Crustacean makes you wait for a reservation, but I promise you that wait it well worth it! I had family visiting from the east coast and wanted to take them out for a memorable meal. The restaurant has exquisite Vietnamese cuisine, and my grandma literally died over the coconut shrimp. My meal was amazing too, but it was the TYku cocktail the waiter suggested that pushed my experience over the edge!
If it didn't take so long to secure a reservation we would have gone back every night they were in town!

Pros: to die for shrimp!

Cons: hard to get a reservation

Posted 08/24/09

I went to Crustacean for the fist time last week and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I was impressed by the Koi "Walk on Water," and the rest of the decor was absolutely beautiful The waitor was helpful and attentive, and my food was excellent! (Especially the garlic noodles- yum!) Crustacean is pricey, but definitely worth every penny.

Pros: Garlic Noodles, Service, Ambience

Posted 08/02/09

What a disaster of a restaurant!

We had a reservation, but were seated more than 20 minutes late. When we were, we were given a HORRIBLE table in the aisle...where people were walking back and forth next to us. We asked for another table, and we got SO MUCH attitude!

The music was loud and obnoxious, the waitresses were bitchy, and the food didn't even look that good. In fact, we didn't even eat! We left and walked a few blocks to a little Italian place for dinner.

Instead of them being nice and helpful, it felt like the waitresses wanted to tell us "you should be glad we LET you sit here!"

Pros: None

Cons: Service, environment, waitresses, music

Posted 05/03/09

1. Food is not authentic (and I am Vietnamese)
2. Famous "prawns" are always overcooked and rubbery.
3. Garlic noodles will give you heartburn - so greasy.
4. You're paying for the lease, not the quality of food.

Pros: You're in Beverly Hills

Cons: Overrated - ridiculously priced

Posted 04/19/09

I'm gonna use my friend's favorite word when sumthin's not good.'HORRIBLE'!!... I hope this review I'm writing reach millions of people.My husband & I went to this place for my friend's birthday dinner for our 1st time. I heard this restaurants' name so many times, I was happy to finally go. I've been to quite a few upscale restaurants & I've been to regular diners/cafes. Check this out... I don't even have to get into how the food was, what I'm going to say I feel is worse. My hubby & I arrived a lil late to my friend's gathering. I ordered the crab w/ the shell (whatever the dish is called). I then asked my friend's sister what she ate,and she told me the crab w/ NO shell. I said 'Oh, I wanna change mine to that, I'll let the waiter know'.The waiter brought out a crab plate which was the one w/ the shell. Another guest @ the table had ordered crab, so it was given to her, she began to eat off the plate. About 10-15min. later another crab plate had come out, this one NO shell (the one I wanted to change to). I noticed it was the one I wanted so I was gonna eat my food.The waiter & I had small talk & he noticed I had the plate with NO shell , he reaches over to the other guest's plate that she had ate from & switched our plates like it was the thing to do! Are you kidding me?? I told him I need to exchange this, & his response was 'oh no honey! I'm gonna still charge you for this'. Make a long story short- my plate was exchanged after the manager gave me a lecture about times being hard w/ the economy & they can't waste their food like that. Makes me wonder what other things they'd be willing to do , to save their food??? Hint,hint: if something falls on the floor behind closed doors.

Pros: the lovely fish in the floor,aw!

Cons: hard time exchanging an untouched dish!

Posted 03/06/09

So disappointed. Took my husband there to celebrate his birthday and we are still waiting for our hot food to be bought to our table. There was excuse after excuse of why it was taking so long. Can you imagine??? We were told it was because we ordered an appetizer and then told is was due to us ordering filet mignon for dinner. It was amazing that the table that came in 45 minutes after us ordered appetizers and dinner and their meal arrived way before we even walked out of the restaurant. This was Saturday evening and I am now at work on Monday afternoon. They just can't handle the fame or the crowds. We were ignored several times when we tried to find out the status of our dinner. We still have not received any follow-up from anyone to apologize for running my husbands birthday!!!!!
Don't waste your time going there, it's all hype!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted 01/11/09

I've been to several high-end restaurants local and overseas, and I will tell you this place is nearly unmatched when it comes to seafood. Let me preface this by putting down some of the previous reviews and setting them straight a bit. This is an UPSCALE, Beverly Hills restaurant. Yes, its expensive, yes, you're in Beverly Hills and yes the food in insatiable. I am mind-boggled by reviews that go out of their way to point this out. Anyway, I was with my folks to enjoy a birthday celebration and we were thoroughly impressed from start to finish. Our reservation was attended to promptly where we sat down in the beautiful main eating area. You walk over a large fish tank as your path, which is really cool and unique. The waitress was very friendly and helpful with the menu selections. Our three cocktails were served in a decent amount of time, all made great. Beef Satay and Crispy Rice were the two appeteizers, small portions, ($9.99ea), so somewhat expected. Two crabs (out of the shell) plus a lamb dish for the three of us. Absolutely delicious crab mean, cooked perfectly in their sauce, I tried some lamb and it was very tender, simply ignore the microwave comments from other review. We split a garlic noodle, which is a must have, you'll want to order more, I guarantee it. Lava cake and another, I forget the name, were both very good... Had myself a camomile tea, which I enjoy.. Bill was expensive, but we were all aware of the price beforehand, so no jaw dropping when we were handed it. Overall the place is beautiful, the entire staff was completely on top of things. Couple things I thought was odd was the position of the table, let my seat cramped, so we had to adjust it... Other than that, this place is a true pleasure if you're looking for a nice evening (birthday, anniversary, or a really impressionable date), not a place I can afford to see once a week, but when you do go, you'll remember it.

Pros: Absolutely memorable crab and garlic noodle, very attentive staff

Cons: Awkward positioning at the tables

Posted 12/13/08

It's like a slice of heaven from the moment you pull up in front of the restaurant to walking in the entrance way. It is beautifull...the ambience and architectural design as well as the common themes of water and sea life. And the food and conversation is probably the best part. Definitely recommend the Dungeness Crab and the garlic noodles. Also, the prawn (large shrimps) and the filet mignon entree is VERY Good as well.

Pros: Ambience, Parking (Valet or Garage across the street), Waiter service, Decorum inside restaurant

Posted 12/05/08

It seem as if every table was placed with much thought and with great attention to the feeling of the place. The food was not memorable, but who noticed when the ambience was so dramatic.

Pros: Decor, elegance

Cons: Price for the quality of food

Posted 11/16/08

I'm not surprised to read some bad reviews from 2008. I'd never been to Crustacean before, but this was my first time and my last. The restaurant is beautiful and the walk on water is nice, but they have tables wedged into places that require a contortionist to navigate! The waitress was nice; she was enthralling with her description about Crustacean's history and the "secret kitchen" into which only An family members or employees with 10 years' + experience are allowed. I thought, "this food should be something!" We started with a sampler plate. It wasn't "bad," but when I saw that it cost $25 it was!! I mean, really. $25 for a plate of nicely presented appetizers? Our shrimp entree was tough, even the waitress agreed, "someone overcooked these!".. she took one back and returned with two, one on the house! Unfortunately, none of the shrimp were remarkable, and the very small portion of garlic noodles... jeepers! Those cost $11.00? I've been to hole-in-the-wall style Vietnamese kitchens in the Mission District in San Francisco where not only do you get a better value, but the food TASTES better, too! The crab was very good, but for $50? Crustacean is overrated and not at all worth the money. Our dinner for two was $200 w/ watered down martinis--my mother could make better and she's 91! I cannot recommend this place. The inside looks great, but spend your money elsewhere and get better value and better taste. The "secret" is out: there is nothing so special about Crustacean. Follow up: I note that a reviewer may interpret me for a miser: not at all: I've dined in some of the finest eateries in many countries on six continents; many were much higher priced than Crustacean. Here's a tip: if you pay $1 or $111, it doesn't matter: lousy food is "lousy." "Vietnamese" is not a trivial cuisine to cook, and poorly made drinks served with equally mediocre food says something about the business, not the diner.

Pros: Nice fish under the walkway! I wonder if they would taste better than what I ate...

Cons: Whoever did their tasteful interior design should now help improve the taste of the food!

Posted 11/02/08

good lychee martini cocktails. Waiter's crab recommendation was great. The crab was a little oily, but nevertheless, tasty and infused with lots of garlic. The garlic noodles were delicious. If you like lots of garlic in your food, there are lots of selections on the menu. The decor was romantic. The band was a little too loud for my liking. I would have preferred something a little more mellow.

Pros: dungeness crab and garlic noodles

Cons: loud band, price

Posted 08/09/08

Dood. if your going.. remember your paying for the ambience. Really..you can come to my house and i'll make you the best damn garlic noodles in town..all for $5. I'll even add shrimp in them suckers. Smart Vietnamese people...selling it for 15x the price. So really...if you do get the garlic noodles...get a side of rice...it's bland and salty afer a while. And they should have the host/hostesses in the front be a little more welcoming. C'mon...how ya running your business.

Pros: your walking on water woo hoo!

Cons: the whole place is a con

Posted 05/08/08

We arrived on time for our reservation and waited for 30 minutes to be seated. while waiting at the bar we were largely ignored by the bartenders who were busy making drinks for the tables while ignoring those at the bar. While seated at the bar we noticed several of the wait staff sampling customers drinks that were waiting to be delivered to tables. One waiter in particular put a straw that had been in his mouth back into a customers drink at least 3 times. Once seated at a lovely table in front of the wait station and half hanging out into the main aisle our poor service began. We asked for a wine list and then our waiter disappeared for about 15 minutes. The bad experience continued from there with the food being nothing more than over spiced, over cooked, under sized portions, of not so special items. The patrons were loud and the band only added to the noise. The organ player had tuned in a sample that sounded, I kid you not, like a fricking accordion. I wasn't paying to be at a bad Polish wedding but thats what it was starting to feel like. Then the highlight came with the bill $480 for dinner for 4 not including tip. Red Lobster was starting to look attractive after this experience. I have no problem with expensive if I'm getting what I'm paying for and this was so far from that kind of quality, it was insulting, I felt robbed. The final insult came with the interminable wait for the valet and a $10 fee with tip for that as well. All I can say is don't bother with Crustacean there are far better places around at half the price and places at this price that are orders of magnitude better.

Pros: none

Cons: EXPENSIVE, Poor service, bad food, loud, EXPENSIVE

Posted 05/03/08

The famous crabs are excellent, I would totally recommend the Roasted Garlic Crab. But if you prefer a lighter choice, the Drunken Crab is also great.

A must order is the garlic noodle side dish, it tastes amazing as well!

Posted 04/30/08

Very simple and good. Enjoyed the garlic crab and noodles. The atmosphere, waiter's and bar tenders-great. The front desk rude and snobby! I have been there a few times and it's always the samething. No prompt seating with or without reservations.

Pros: decent

Posted 03/28/08

Went to this place with my boyfriend and his parents and it was one of the best meals I have ever had! The decor is fabulous with a koi aquarium in the floor beneath your feet. The bartenders were nice and attentive while we waited for our table. Once seated our waiter was amazing and made sure we loved everything we got. Definitely order something from the secret kitchen which is a kitchen only family members of the restaurant are allowed inside of, because the lobster and their signature garlic noodles from there are to die for! This place is not a cheap place by any means but if you want to splurge this place is the place to go hands down. One of the best dining experiences of our lives.

Pros: beautiful place, amazing food from the secret kitchen, helpful staff

Cons: took a bit to be seated, adds up quickly

Posted 02/17/08

It's really expensive for deep fried or microwave food, beautiful place to look and being look at, but if you go for the food, you are in the wrong place.
Just ask the server to tell you the truth, and you will find out that even the Lamb is Microwave, with plastic wrap and everything.
But of course you are willing to live the fantasy and pay for the big bucks for it.
Be smart about what you pay for to put in body!!!

Pros: Nice looking

Cons: Deep fried or microwave food.

Posted 01/27/08

Crustacean was really something when it first opened in the '90s, an over-the-top interpretation of Asian seafood in a unique (the underfloor koi-stocked stream trickling through the bar) and quite stunning (the multi-level dining room is warm and comfortable, unlike many of today's glass and concrete morgues). The food was exciting, interesting, fun and expensive, and at the end of the meal you felt like you really experienced something.
These days, much of the novelty has worn off. The food seems tired, as if whoever dreamed up the menu is long gone, leaving the second string to crank out dishes based on fuzzy memory. The prices remain high, but you're left wondering why since successful high-end chains now create equal fare at lesser rates. Crustacean is aching for a redo and splashy reopening. Give the interior an evolutionary, not revolutionary update, dredge the stream for any missing Hollywood starlets and hire a chef who wants to do great new things with seafood--and make sure the fish is as fresh as Crustacean once was.

Pros: Comfortable interior, some interesting dishes

Cons: This fish is getting cold

Posted 11/30/07

NOV 21, was my birthday and my lovely girl was taking me out to a fancy restaurant. I have lived in Chicago,NYC and Miami and now reside here in downtown LA. With that said I can definitely give my opinion on fine restaurants that I have had the pleasure of dining. The interior of Crustacean is beautiful, the service is supreme but the food is a RIP OFF. I don't mind paying for delicious food but this was a joke. Not to be mean but the small portions and the average taste left me hungry afterwards. Nothing special about the "Garlic noodles" except the price. A couple of empty Lobster tails with 5 pieces of meat on a plate full of noodles $40. Since when did the price of noodles go up? I had the Chilean Sea Bass that was 4 fork servings in size. Our waitress was a doll. . . and very attentive. The band that was playing during our meal should have been in a pool hall tavern. They lacked the style to accommodate such a stylish room.
Very disappointing Dinner. My Girl was the main person to complain and apologize about the evening.
I'll stay down town and dine at places like ROY'S. . . . . on 8th
The rest of my evening celebration was Fabulous. I would not recommend this place at all.

Pros: Service, Interior Design

Cons: Average food

Posted 11/22/07

I just finished my first meal at the restaurant. I'm disappointed. Let me start off by saying that if you are not from los angles or unaccustomed to a "dining experience" then Crustacean still may interest you. The famed decor is actually quite impressive, the service and people watching are both excellent. The drinks are surprisingly strong.
Now to the important part... the food. We started our meal with an appetizer variety plate consisting of fried shrimp, beef skewers, dumplings and another kind of pastry type shrimp food. The plate also came with three dipping sauces. The shrimp was good (however, only four came on the plate) the beef was overly marinated and very salty. The dumplings tasted no better then the ones you can find in the freezer section of your local TJ's. The plate came out luke warm at best. Overall the appetizer was fair.
I next ordered the "Colossal Prawns" (their description, not mine) with garlic noodles. I had heard that the garlic noodles were the thing to have at this restaurant and i'm now wondering, as i drink my fourth glass of water and still feel parched, if all of the other reviewers who have eaten these noodles live in some kind of culinary vacuum and have never traveled east of the 110 for Asian food. The garlic noodles are spaghetti with garlic sauce. Salty garlic sauce. Honestly, they tasted no better than food court Chinese. I wanted to love them, and i did not.
The "Collossal Prawns" were of average size. I think i was served five. They were also thoroughly spiced with garlic- pretty good. However, they came out cold which was a surprise and incongruent with the level of service in the restaurant.
I also sampled some of my friends' dishes, one of which was the Crab. Let me say, as apathetic as I was about my food, i was equally relieved that I didn't order his. I watched with empathy as he attempted for 25 minutes to extract threads of crab from undersized legs. For $50 this was a joke.
Desert tray was exelent

Pros: Ambience, service, desert

Cons: entrees, value, small selection

Posted 11/02/07

First and foremost, I have to give this place an A+ for decor. Really, it has an incredible ambience and yet you feel like you have so much privacy. The service and staff was also an A+- they were all so attentive. However, I was underwhelmed by some of the food. The garlic noodles were of course, delicious. I also got the Roasted Crab (which was enormous and messy- but you can pay an extra $9 to de-crab- I should've done that) but I didn't think it was any better than any other Vietnamese or seafood restaurant I had been to. Also, the food got cold right away so it wasn't entirely enjoyable to eat. The yellowtail for an appetizer is also recommended (soooo good.) Of all the dishes I tried, I think I liked the Tiger Prawns best (and it comes with the garlic noodles!) We ended with the coconut cake which has a delicious filling. Overall, a good exeperience, but I was looking to be Wowed and I wasn't entirely.

Pros: Yellowtail, garlic noodles, decor, and SERVICE

Cons: Not worth the price

Posted 10/23/07

Aside from feeling like an idiot that I thought I would fall into the stream (didn't see the glass), I loved this restaurant.
Our server was attentive and suggested some great picks. Our wine was just what I expected and I left satisfied and happy (love was in the air that night too).
I would probably prefer to sit downstairs next time, though.

Posted 10/14/07

I was fortunate enough to have eaten here for free one evening a few years back -- the tab was picked up by some company that was trying to schmooze my former employer. The restaurant itself is amazing, with water flowing under your feet on the first floor and a great overhead view from the second floor. The open-air design of the building and the tasteful decor set the mood for what will most likely be one of L.A.'s top "Pan-Asian"/seafood restaurants. The service was impeccable, even for our high-maintenance party of about 8 or so. The food was delicious -- try as many different things as you can if you get the chance. Crustacean also has a very impressive cognac / brandy / rum selection in their dessert menu for smooth sipping as you reflect back on the one or two C-notes you just dropped on dinner. Enjoy!

Pros: Upscale ambiance, excellent food, impeccable service.

Cons: Beyond expensive.

Posted 08/28/07

To start, great location and easy parking. Valet service available and a garage directly across the street with a $2 flat rate. On entering, beautiful surroundings including the underfoot aquarium leading to a large two story main dining area that is not expected from the smaller entrance. Beautifully done interior, simple, not overly creative or unique but charming. The server was knowlegable and told an interesting history of the restaurant which enhanced our anticipation. Drinks came relatively quickly after some prompting minus one which was forgotten but soon remedied. The appetizer plate with the beef skewer, chicken dumplings, crab puffs and coconut shrimp was 'ok'. The beef was luke warm at best, cheaper cut, the puffs burnt at the ends and the shrimp tough and over fried. Dipping sauces were nice but nothing extraordinary. The highlight of the meal was the appetizer special lobster salad which was decent. Nice greens and veggies with a miso soy type dressing that is familiar to anyone that has had chinese take-out. The over-hyped grilled crab was some of the worst I've had. It was absolutely soaked in oil which overtook any other flavorings that may have been present. I literally went through 4 steamed napkins trying to keep my fingers degreased. I honestly felt it was something you would get at Red Lobster. My friend's entrees were ok, the seabass being nice and predictable. Nothing I haven't had many times before. The beef tenderloin overdone, no more flavorful than the skewer. As for the garlic noodles... pasta with lots of oil and some garlic. That's it. And that is the Signature Dish! The chinese place around the corner has a similar dish for $7. Wow. Very typical of LA I guess. Lots of hype surrounding something that gets a 'C' in comparison to places I've frequented both here and New York for a quarter of the price. Will not be returning and recommend you go elsewhere to spend that much of your hard earned money on a meal.

Posted 08/24/07

I went to the original when I lived in SF- at the beach, then its expansion to Union Square-not even sure if that still exists..but have now been living in LA for 6 years and cannot believe I hadn't eaten at the BH one until 2 months ago! My loss!! The food is absolutely delicious!! Go simple...crab & garlic noodles (someone at the table MUST get it) my husband prefers..tiger prawns & gn...you CANNOT go wrong nor will you break the bank with these orders! Go authentic and wash down with vietnamese beer . If you are still hungry, get the fried bananas/plantains...I also recommend sitting in the backroom/or the balcony for dinner..front room is a scene.. if you prefer a scene ask for a canopy table by the live jazz band... great happy hour-try some small dishes, have a beer, listen to music..downside-slight delay on table that I don't think was necessary, valet can be really tough, still smell a bit garlicky..

Pros: Food , Service, Live Music

Cons: Valet

Posted 08/08/07

NUFF SAID. if you want to pay $250 for "secret kitchen 007 superdooper special garlic noodles" and some overcooked junk shrimp (4 pieces for $40!!!!), by all means go here. the garlic noodles are the same as you would get in pfchangs. yes its noodles. wif garlic. not sure whats so secretive about it. seriously. go to pfchang, spend $25, and save your extra loot for suntin else. and by the way....if you order the sampler tapas appetizer platter you will seriously bust out laughing. $30+ for 3 people...its beef teriyaki, some nasty depe fried nasty rangoon thing, a potsticker (you can get better frozen ones at ralphs), and some other forgettable thing. you can get all this kind of stuff at any chinese restaurant that is 1/4 the price and taste better. i honestly cant believe the horrible quality of food and price they charge here. listen to me and avoid this place...trust me you will be better off without this experience.

Pros: leaving the restaurant.

Cons: everything man. werent you listening???

Posted 07/30/07

So this was our second trip to LA and our second visit to Crustacean. I have to say that things went downhill in the 3 years between the two visits. Our San Pellegrino water came out warm. The appetizers came out cold. So at that point when the waiter asked how everything was we immediatley told him the issues. The waiter litterally chuckled thinking we were joking even though no one was smiling. Anyway, he asked what we wanted done and we asked him to fix everything. He went off and spoke to the manager and came back and said they'd give us free dessert and replaced our water. The entrees came and they too were horrible. This place really has no business serving food. After explaining to the waiter that we wre not sticking around for dessert, we asked for the cold appetizer to be credited. The waiter calls the manager and the manager discloses that the appetizer costs 80 dollars (the menu said 18.95). We asked to see the menu and the manager returned without the menu saying it would be credited. I'd highly highly recommend you do NOT dine at this excuse of a restaurant. Maybe go in and look at the fish tanks and then leave. Just don't do it.

Pros: Nothing

Cons: Food, Service, Noisy

Posted 07/18/07

I don't get this place. The kitchen is a secret place, only family is allowed, bad idea. They probably need to let someone else in there as I was not impressed at all with cuisine. It is a very beautiful restaurant if food isn't that important.

Pros: Beautiful setting

Cons: Average Food, very expensive

Posted 07/17/07

For my cousins 18th birthday we hired Crustacean to cater his party. The food was absolutley AMAZING!and the staff was soo nice-- i was amazed. we have used them for every event since and the food continues to awe us. Chef Helene's An's food is so healthy and light and the crab and noodles (a family favorite) is DELICIOUS! o-- and the new york steak is sooo juicy and tender. By far the GREATEST find ever!

Pros: FOOD, STAFF, HOLLYWOOD CROWD, GARLIC NOODLES

Cons: NONE

Posted 07/05/07

My bf took me here for my bday and we really enjoyed ourselves. We were seated nearly right away. We even enjoyed our walk to our table over the Koi "Walk on Water." For those who don't know what I am talking about - to see it is to believe it...there is a river (covered in glass) of koi throughout the restaurant! It was definitely cool. Our server was amazing, polite and attentive. Upon learning it was our first time at the restaurant, he told us a little history about the An Family and suggested some of his favorites and what the restaurant was best known for (and what you will read about in the preceding reviews) the garlic noodles and cracked crab - needless to say, we followed suit and got what the place was known for! I must admit - that it was humorous to look around the swanky place at everyone with bibs tied around their necks! I enjoyed EVERYTHING I ate. I highly recommend getting the tapas appetizer with the dumpling, chicken satay, coconut shrimp, etc. YUUUUUUUUM! Enjoy!

Pros: Great food, ambiance, and service

Cons: Pricey but worth it

Posted 07/01/07

The prices are sky-high, at least in my opinion, but I don't think you can find garlic baked crab of the same caliber at any ol' seafood joint. You can't pass up the garlic noodles either. Plus, the ambience is pretty amazing with the underground koi pond/aquarium that guests can walk on top of (you don't see that just anywhere...)

Pros: crab and garlic noodles, ambience

Cons: expensive

Posted 04/22/07

I've been to this place several times; once to this location, and several times in San Francisco.

Both are outstanding. The Beverly Hills location was a better experience.

*** Fantastic atmosphere / layout.
*** Great food (I recommend the dungeness crab with garlic noodles)
*** Very good service.
*** NOT a good place if you are bringing young kids.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for good crab, good food, or a great environment.

Pros: Food, service, atmosphere

Cons: Not good for kids

Posted 04/15/07

I HAVE READTHE OTHER REVIEWS AND I GUESS I WENT ON A GOOD NIGHT. IT WAS A MONDAY AND WE HAD MADE RESERVATIONS FOR SIX FOR DINNER. WE WERE GREETED BY A VERY FRIENDLY HOST WHO SEATED US QUICKLY EVEN THOUGH WE WERE A HALF HOUR EARLY. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT WANT TO BE SEATED UPSTAIRS AND THAT I WOULD WAIT TILL MIDNIGHT IF THAT WAS THE CASE, WE WERE SEATED DOWNSTAIRS QUICKLY. WE ALL ORDERED COCKTAILS AND WHEN ONE PERSON IN OUR PARTY WANTED 7 UP IN HER DRINK, ONE OF THE STAFF ACTUALLY WENT DOWN THE STREET TO BUY A CAN FROM A STORE! NOW THATS SERVICE. NOW I HAVE BEEN IN GOOD RESTAURANTS AROUND THE WORLD AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT THE FOOD MET MY EXPECTATIONS. I WAS KIND OF WORRIED AFTER READING THE REVIEWS BUT WE ALL FOUND THE FOOD TO BE WONDERFUL. FROM THE CRAB TO THE NOODLES TO THE STEAK, EVERYTHING WAS TASTY. SO I GUESS MAYBE IT DEPENDS ON THE TIME AND DAY YOU GO, BECAUSE ALL WENT WELL ON OUR VISIT. OUR BILL CAME TO ABOUT $1000 BUT WITH TWO ROUNDS OF DRINKS AND TWO BOTTLES OF CHAMPGANE PLUS THE FOOD AND TIP, WE FIGURED IT WOULD BE ABOUT THAT MUCH. I AM GOING FOR LUNCH THIS WEEKEND SO WE'LL SEE IF ITS ANY DIFFERENT. SO I GIVE THE JOINT TWO THUMBS UP! AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY FOR WATER, TELL THEM NOT TO BRING ANY.

Pros: SERVICE, FOOD, DECOR.

Cons: NONE

Posted 04/10/07

i have been to crustacean several times and the menu is just average. however, the garlic noodles and cracked crab swimming in garlic are EXCELLENT! i have had the prawn, and i was sadly disappointed. the dessert menu does not provide anything exciting. so the only thing that keeps me coming back are the garlic noodles and the crab! btw, eating here (especially with drinks) is not cheap.

Posted 04/09/07

We were seated promptly but then it took 20 mins to order drinks and we had to ask for water 10 mins after that. We constantly had to raise our hands to get our servers attention and then the food came and it was lukewarm. We ordered the shrimp with garlic noodles (shrimp was overcooked), snap peas (delicious but almost cold) and the roasted crab (bland, nothing special). I had 3 lychee martinis with dinner and each one was totally different then the last (very annoying). My date and I will never go back!

Posted 03/31/07

Very romantic, beautiful ambiance, not to mention the Koi swimming, beneath the floors. This place is my boyfriend's favorite for the crab, and the "to die for" garlic noodles. He took me there for the first time, although it was really pretty.. real Beverly Hills-ish, the food was just okay, and waaay overpriced for what I had. I must admit the garlic noodles are yes, worth the hype, but the tiger prawns were overcooked and chewy. For the price I would expect them to make it perfect ( and $18 for a side of baby bok choy? hell no. I could buy a whole crate and cook the same myself for that price!) . Be sure to ask for tap water, or else you'll get $7 Fiji bottled water. Service was prompt, and our waiter was always attentive. There was even a point where I was so indulged with conversation, I forgot to put the napkin on my lap, the waiter quickly put it on for me. Unless you're going for the garlic noodles and crab, I wouldn't go back. Between the 2 of us, we had 2 entrees, 1 bottled water and 2 glasses of wine = $230 w/out tip. If you decide to go, make sure to get the garlic noodles , crab, and some wine. Thats pretty much that's all that's worth the price over there.

Pros: beautiful ambiance,garlic noodles, crab ,great wine

Cons: not so good quality for the price.

Posted 03/28/07

I waited a week to write my review because I thought it would allow me to calm down. I made reservations for a party of 6 for my mother's birthday only to arrive and be informed that we were not in the books. The rude man at the front said he could seat us outside on the noisy, cold sidewalk or in the noisy bar. I tried to reason that this mess up was not our fault and my father is hard of hearing so the available options were not reasonable. After much pointless communication with the chauvinistic host, we had to accept the bar seating. Then came the horrible service...bottled water when tap was requested, not enough glasses, wrong meals, etc. My father was unable to hear a thing. This had been my mother's favorite restaurant for many years until that night. The only positive part of the entire evening was my family and the food. Everything else leaves a lot to be desired.

Pros: crab

Cons: host, service

Posted 03/18/07

I've had catering from this restaurant before and was impressed with their food/service. I've attended events that hired these guys for catering, and again, was impressed. BUT...
To celebrate our 1st year wedding anniversay, my husband decided to surprise me and made reservations and requested a "nice table" to celebrate our special day. Since I've never dined there, I was excited. I've heard people rave about the garlic noodles and dungeoness crab, their specialty.
Entering the restaurant, I saw a couple of opened tables, but we were quickly taken upstairs. We were seated next to a couple that I could reach out and touch. We were also behind a family with loud, obnoxious kids. On top of all this, there were holes on the wall with electrical wires sticking out, what I believe were for light fixtures. I was appalled, but since my husband was doing a nice thing for me, I didn't complain. It would have hurt his feelings. So I sat quietly and looked forward to the so-called great food.
The waiter was very good. Although busy, he was attentive. On his recommendations, we ordered the sampler appetizer special. Since it wasn't on the menu, we didn't know it was going to cost us $24! It was tiny! I was forgiving because it was good.
I ordered the crab and garlic noodles. My husband ordered prawns. Each plate was $42. Fine, I will pay ANYTHING for great food, right? Well, we paid, but the food was just MEDIOCRE at best! What the hell is everyone raving about? The garlic noodles were more like spaghetti noodles with A LOT of butter! The crab, which was described as having garlic and all sorts of SPECIAL spices, was drenched with BUTTER and sprinkled with BLACK PEPPER. If their idea of special secret spices are nothing but black pepper and butter, anyone can make this dish at home!
I'm in the entertainment business, I eat at a lot of nice restaurants. This place is not worth the $250 we spent there, not even $50. So over-rated... and hold the damn butter!

Pros: None

Cons: Price, Food

Posted 02/28/07

This seems to be a "hotspot" in LA. The food was good, but not worth the price. Typical second rate service. Loud and echoing because of the poorly designed accoustics, although it is pretty in a pretentious, glitzy, LA kind of way. Totally unimpressed. A pass for a second time.

Pros: Valet Parking

Cons: Mediocre food

Posted 02/16/07

I just went to the absolute best holiday party catered by Crustacean Restaurant. From trays of Garlic Noodles in minature take-out boxes to a gorgeous food table with Shrimp & Salmon to make delicious healthy wraps.
But my favorite must have been the super tender Braised Short Ribs.

Pros: Fabulous, Delicious, Gorgeous

Cons: Can't imagine a con

Posted 01/24/07

If you really want to treat the one you love to a night of absolutely fabulous, I stronly recommend Crustacean. The Garlic Noodles are so great, you both have to eat them to avoid worries later. Wrap it up with Chocolate Lava Cake.

Posted 01/19/07

My friends and I went to gift exchange for Christmas and we really liked the holiday lights and decorations. We waited about 10-15 minutes to get seated passed our reservation time which wasn't too. The atmosphere is nice but a bit loud. Defenitely recommended to check out once.

Pros: noodles, decor

Cons: loud, bathroom line

Posted 12/19/06

This is my ultimate favorite restraunt. I love the food the service and the atmosphere. I have been here a thousand times and it seems the food just keeps getting better and better. For all you first timers I would get the garlic noodles and the crab. And a word of advice don't share the garlic noodles get your own.

Posted 11/19/06

Best garlic noodles EVER!!! I highly recommend the Banana Fritters!!! Beautiful ambience... good service. Delicious desserts. Worth it!

Pros: Garlic noodles, can't go wrong with the desserts (banana fritters)

Cons: none awesome place

Posted 11/19/06

First let me start with the positive. The food is very good. The garlic noodles are great. I don't know if it's possible to eat without ordering a side of noodles but I've never been able to do it. The food on the special menu is also spectacular expecially the dungeness crab dishes.
On the flipside the wait can be very long without a reservation and on busy nights the restaurant is quite loud (very difficult to have a intimate conversation)

Pros: Garlic Noodles

Cons: Crowd noise

Posted 10/09/06

Definately the sexiest happy hour in Los Angeles!!!!! I was so excited to discover a happy hour tailored to a more professional and sophisticated clientele. Their bar menu offered a nice selection of drinks and appetizers at half off the original price. I had an amazing Kobe burger that is exclusive to their happy hour menu and excellent signature cocktails. They had plasma tvs with the latest sports game at two parts of the bar and an accoustic band that came on as we were leaving. I went there with a couple of girlfriends and found the crowd very upscale and attractive. Perfect for after work drinks or meeting with a client or potential dating partner.

Pros: Street parking available, live music, attractive crowd

Cons: More of a professional industry crowd vs a hollywood scene

Posted 10/04/06