Went to the District on the Bloc after a recommendation and a meet with a friend. Friend knows Enrique, our waiter, who is super attentive and we were able to be seated quickly. We sat at the booths but had the choice to sit outside. The ambiance was great, slightly dark and industrial with some lighting, and noisy enough to have a conversation and not be distracted. When we got our food it came out good. I had the French dip sandwich with side salad. My friend had the salmon plate with Yuka fries appetizer. We had a nice time because another friend joined the party and they let us gather for a good while since it wasn't all that busy. This is a great restaurant with a hip vibe next to the Starbucks under the ground street floor of the Bloc. read more

The ambience is good and service was great. There was more to be desired when it comes to food. I ordered salmon with a side of roasted or "fire roasted" veggies, but it looked like steamed and they just threw in soybean mixed with some other veggies to fill the plate... Think it's a good place for after workday for a drink. read more

District At The Bloc Definitely can hit the spot. Surprised they don't have a vegan burger option, but grateful for the Quinoa Bowl, Daily Cocktail Specials, Great Vibes and Service. Happy Hour everyday from 4pm to 7pm Open for breakfast daily, but we love a brunch situation. Side options are nice. I can't enjoy most of them, but definitely come more for the ambiance a slice of mellow chic in the thick of things Downtown Los Angeles. Open 7 days a week. Easy access via 7th/Metro Station And parking for The Bloc as well as local garages. read more

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Restaurant wasn't busy so we were seated right away. Decor was industrial meets art. The atmosphere was relaxed. The staff were incredibly nice, but inattentive. We ordered truffle fries, kids chicken tenders, crab cake and ribeye. The truffle fries were crunchy and flavorful. The kids chicken tenders were crunchy, but could have used more seasoning. The crab cake ate a tad greasy and lacked flavor. The ribeye had a nice char, but incredibly chewy. Overall, a disappointing meal. Paid $161.46 with tip. read more

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I absolutely love the district! I normally just stop here for a drink after work since it's right down the street from me, and they have the best Manhattans! In truth, I haven't had a full meal here yet but their loaded garlic fries and regular truffle Parmesan fries are absolutely delicious! The ambience and service here always make a go to favorite. The bartenders are great and make the best drinks. And they have a really good happy hour for those inclined. I highly recommend! read more

District - Truffle Parmesan fries - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Ended up here last night with a friend. Unfortunately, I'm not a fan. Maybe I should have said something however, I guess my choice not to ever go back is a statement in itself. I'll start with the service. Though friendly, other than the hostess, who was in my line of sight, we didn't see much of our server. I wondered if he was assigned elsewhere or to other duties - only checking up on us when time permitted or when he remembered to. Even us setting the empty water carafe at the edge of the table as a hint, took a while before it was replaced. On to the food. Pics look good? They can be deceiving. Grilled Pita Bread. Lacked chewiness. Not softness. Not pliable. Looking at the photo now, lacking any grill marks, either the bread was stale or whatever process was used dried it out (lack of any hydration process like steam generation). The entree, my porkchop - must have been sitting for a while before it was brought out to the table. The whipped potatoes weren't hot and had the pork chop been any cooler, I would have returned it. What stopped me was that we had already waited a while for the entree to get to the table. If you've followed me for a while, you know I rarely rate less than three stars. However, in this case, I'm not on the fence. For it's location, it's accolades and the cool decor, there definitely needs to be a return to the basics of being in the business of hospitality. And whoever the expo is who allowed the food to be served like it was should consider a different line of work. Bad night? Short staffed. Whatever the case is or was - District is one of the first places added to my list of "not again" in a very long time. read more

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The food was amazing. I was so pleasantly surprised. This is tucked away in the BLOC and a real hidden jam. The service is wonderful and I love the ambience. You can sit in the bar lounge area for happy hour or in the dining room with no happy hour service. This restaurant does charge automatic 20% service charge just so you know. I would definitely come back. read more

District - Salmon w fries and spinach. Was not overdone. Moist. Spinach was very nicely sauteed. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Stumbled upon this bar while shopping around the area. Came here for happy hour. The interior is pretty nice--couches and lounge seating along with patio and bar seating. Dim lighting. Definitely a place to relax and have a cocktail. Their happy hour menu is seriously limited when it comes to drinks. $10 for bud light/michelob beer, $8 wines, & $10 cocktail of the day (yesterday was Aperol spritz). I passed on it all and just got a whisky ginger. Simple, prepared with an EXACT shot measurement of whisky --nothing more lol. Surprisingly, this simple mix came up to $14. What? Ordered the loaded fries. Even though I ate it all, it wasn't loaded. Definitely had to add my own condiments to it. The cheese, bacon bits, and other sauce only covered the top. Not to mention, 20% gratuity already added to the bill. Definitely a mid spot for drinks read more

District - Whisky ginger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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We were staying at the Sheraton and did not want to go too far on certain days but also wanted great food. District helped us to solve this conundrum! Conveniently located inside the hotel, all we had to do was take the elevator downstairs and walk right inside. The service was extremely helpful and courteous and our servers were kind and friendly, with notable attentiveness for refills and other requests. I was also impressed by the bold and classy decor, which tastefully balanced light and dark elements. There was both booth and table seating and the setting felt intimate yet spacious. The food itself was wonderful. The waffles, breakfast burritos and the omelet were so so tasty. And the portions were more than generous, sometimes requiring a to-go box. A great and close by option! read more

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Had a great experience here! The dishes are standard American fare but *above* the standards for quality, freshness, and preparation. No microwave involved! Portions are generous, prices are reasonable, the bar makes great cocktails, and my server (Enrique) was super friendly and attentive. I don't how this was my first time here, being I used to *live* in DTLA, but now that I've "discovered" District, I'll definitely be back. Try the yucca fries. Those are GREAT!!! read more

Quite many times been here. Either lunch, happy hour or dinner. Food always good and filling. Service was okay, no extraordinary comments. Of course, if you're staying at Sheraton Hotel and don't feel like walking around Dtla just go down and it's easy access. This place is not noisy or loud just normal especially when lunch time is over. read more

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A few of us stopped by District LA after work on a Tuesday hoping to enjoy happy hour. Unfortunately, the bar and lounge area was completely full, and that's the only section where happy hour is typically offered. Thankfully, our amazing server checked with the manager, and he kindly allowed us to order from the happy hour menu while seated in the high-top area (not the main dining booths). That flexibility was much appreciated! I ordered the spicy margarita, Korean BBQ wings, and loaded fries. The margarita was a little on the weaker side, but let me tell you--those wings and fries were next level. Absolutely delicious, and I definitely indulged! The lounge area itself is beautiful, with TVs and a great vibe. It looks like they might host live music on other nights too, which makes this place perfect for a future date night. Bonus points for the valet parking--just $10 with validation, which is a huge win in downtown LA. I'll definitely be back for another happy hour or even a weekend night out! read more

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It's a decent hotel bar. I can't grade on food, only cocktails. They are decent. First night I went in to get a bottle opened for the room. Their opium was attractive similar to think of it as a cool party trick. Thus, I brought one up for the hubster. It was pretty and a number of people at the bar ended up getting one due to the visuals but that was about it. Flavor wasn't bad but also nothing special. Ambiance was cool but everything else mid. People were hit or miss. There was a hostess who was over the top amazing and so insanely friendly. I was trying to get milk for my little and she went above and beyond. Having a kid herself she didn't even get upset with some spilled out onto the floor. Most days everyone was cool with me walking thru as it's the only access to the plaza unless you walk the entire block or take the stairs and I was flying solo with a stroller. On the last day, there was a guy who was appalled I could enter his empty territory to exit the open door. But, hey....its LA, ya win some, ya lose some. Cool after hours place to hang out if you promise not to have expectations. read more

District - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The service was exceptional. I couldn't have asked for better. I ordered a cocktail and had it sitting as I was reading. Before I even noticed, my server went ahead and ordered a replacement after they noticed a couple of gnats in my drink. This place sits in the Bloc across from 7th and Metro. On a nice day, sitting on the patio makes for some nice people watching if that's your thing. No worries though because even though it's smack dab downtown LA, there's security to make sure we can dine in safety. read more

District - Angry Chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Happy Hour was excellent. The , atmosphere and customer service were outstanding I highly recommend!!

Came here with a friend after a questionable speed dating experience we endured together, and it was the perfect place to sit and yap over some appetizers! The flatbread and ahi tuna salad we got were delicious, although I would've loved more ahi. It was a weekday evening and quiet enough to have a convo. I'll def be back to try their mains! read more

District - Flatbread and ahi tuna salad - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Food - ok Servers- nice, friendly & polite Price- not good. They automatically add a 20% gratuity & service fee to your check even if it's not a large party; there were only 4 of us. I can understand doing that for a large party but we did not think this amount was worth it Automatic gratuity & service. Additionally, the pictures posted show 3 fish tacos per order. We only got 2 tacos per order. Might as well go eat elsewhere read more

Met up with a buddy after a black-tie event to loosen up a bit. Located at The Block, the District is one of those all purpose spots. Cocktails, meet up/mixer, watch a game, have a beer, lounge/kick back or to nibble on fiddles, whatever, it's a great place. We had a couple of Old Fashions, watched the Dodgers and ordered appetizers. The Bartender was super cool. Wings, parmesan fries, sticky bbq ribs and cheddar cauliflower were excellent choices to end the night. There's a outside space, lounge area, bar and dining seating. read more

District - Basil Hayden Old Fashion - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Love this hotel restaurant, they're connected to the Sheraton. Their opium drink was really good and would love to try more on the menu. Highly recommend sharing the crispy mushrooms and truffle fries. The Ahi salad was the highlight. Really great service, also this place is huge and perfect to have a party at because they have a private room. read more

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First time here and really enjoyed ourselves! Our server was super friendly and helpful and the ambience had a downtown feel we appreciated. Our three appetizers were all delicious and would order each of the three again. The chicken quesadilla was extra nice as it had a fat circle of fried cheese around it that I had not had before. read more

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Nice, upscale pub at the Bloc in DTLA. I love their outdoor area, that's where we chose to dine. I love seeing the Christmas decorations around, got me in the holiday spirit, but their interior has a nice, polished look as well. I found out about the District at the Burger,Beer and Bourbon festival where we sampled their sliders and enjoyed their yucca fries. So we came for more! I was too hungry to take photos, but we ordered their District burger which is very tasty, sophisticated in flavor with their bacon onion jam that gives it a kick. We also got their yucca fries again, it wouldn't be my first choice usually, but theirs aren't very sweet, they taste good, they are thick and loved the aioli! The Negroni-s were just OK, so I would try another cocktail in the future. Decent service, on the price side. I would come for their Happy Hour while in the area during week time. If you want a more adult experince for dinning in the area, the District hits the mark! read more

District - outside seating - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I had breakfast here only and the food was delicious. Great service and ambiance. Good location right in the courtyard of Joeys, Macys, Starbuck, and Uniqlo. Great time during my stay in DTLA. read more

District - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Tucked under the very corner of the bottom floor of the shopping complex where Uniqlo and Macys is located. It's right across from the Starbucks entrance, with a very small sign hanging. Big bar inside, and lots of seating. Plush booths, and old cigar room feel to it. Got the standard District Burger, but with the veggie patty, very good. Got the seared ahi tuna salad, also very delicious. The tres leches strawberry cake was perfectly fine. I liked that it was not coated with tres leches. I'm not a particular fan of tres leches, but I love strawberry shortcake things. So I was hoping this would hit the spot. It was fine as a regular cake, and not being too soggy was an added bonus. Since it's DTLA, the parking is also difficult. But they do have their own parking lot since it's located in the shopping complex. read more

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Came here for drinks on valentines day after an hour and a half they server came 1 no refill on anything and they still get automatic 20 percent gratuity it's dumb don't waste time or money here read more

Went in for a bite after a baseball game. The bar area was busy. I stood around for a bit to see if anyone would greet me or point me in any direction. That never happened. I looked around and saw there was a place to sit and eat. Went over to the other side and had to ask a waiter if you can eat there and he accommodated me and my friend. I wanted to wash my hands and the restroom requires a key as this restaurant is part of hotel. Had to wait for someone to come out before I can use it. Ordered food and it took over half an hour to get for just basic food. The server checked on us one time the whole time so I decided just to order water to drink as I saw the level of customer service was poor. read more

The food and drinks were ok. Service was extremely slow when we were first seated but afterwards it was fine. Both of us thought the food lacked seasoning. I ordered the chicken which needed salt and her "potatoes with sea salt" had no salt on it. The crab cakes taste better than they look so I recommend those. My 2 bourbon drinks were made too sweet in my opinion. I personally would only go back for the happy hour specials. Happy hour is daily 3-7pm at the bar/lounge only which was extremely loud the day we went but it didn't bother me. I went on Mother's Day and they gave us roses which was nice. read more

District - Espresso martini and bourbon sour - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What fun to stay at the DTLA Sheraton for a few days! And being adult enough to treat myself to the in-house restaurant on my own dime. I was actually in town to get a tattoo from a visiting artist, so really, I just didn't want to walk anywhere far for a substantial dinner. It was either District or another option on the same block right outside the hotel. I absolutely loved the waitress/bartender that kept a good conversation going with me, as a sipped on my Morphine cocktail and tried to ignore the delirium from my tattoo appointment. I ordered the Ribeye Steak with Whipped Potatoes and Mac n Cheese. Decent hotel food! Also the fastest service ever. Would totally come back. Love the classy ambiance! read more

District - Ribeye Dinner - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My three Boys ordered the rib eye medium rare and all three came out well done. Nuff said.

Food tasted pretty good. Huge chunks of crab in the crab cakes. The service was good and very attentive. Ambiance was great because they had on the NBA FINALS. They charge an automatic 20% gratuity. The only steak was a ribeye. I wish they had a filet mignon. read more

District - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Why is the Salmon Chowder on the menu if it's no longer for sale? Arrived 7:30 PM and we're not engaged by wait staff. The sound guy let the kitchen knowy table of 2 has not been served and by 9pm still no food. The District may be the only restaurant with a club vibe but the community is a hard working community and basic things like an accurate menu and 1 hr 30 minutes and counting should not be an unrealistic expectation. read more

District - No food...... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Dinner at District definitely hit the spot! We got their: Fish Tacos District Burger Herb Grilled NY Steak Flourless Chocolate Cake and Ice Cream My favorite dishes were their fish tacos and the burger! I loved the bacon jam and the arugula on the burger, and the toppings on the tacos! The steak was a little well done when we asked for medium rare, and I wish it had more chimichurri sauce. The chocolate cake at the end really was the perfect end to our meal. They have great cocktails here which makes it for a great night out at the Bloc! Virginia was our serve and she was so friendly and helpful. read more

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Went to The District with a group of about 12 on Saturday at around 5:30pm. Just some mutual friends bar-hopping -- a decent amount of people but nothing too crazy for a Saturday afternoon at a bar. Or so I thought. We arrive. The place is dead empty, maybe two people. We were the only people there trying to give them our money for drinks, which is a pretty normal transaction for a bar. We all got in a very organized line to order our drinks. Everyone is patient and having a good time. The bartender took FOREVER to handle the first transaction, 3 people buying some beers, a couple shots & a mixed drink. Kept going to the little computer with all the tabs and looking all confused for minutes at a time. Okay whatever. They get their drinks and the next 3 of us go up. The bartender walked back and forth past us for another 5 minutes without taking our order. Again going to the screen and acting confused, doing random little tasks, not saying a word as he walks by over and over. Finally he came over to take our order, though it seemed like a chore. I tried to order the pretzel. He said they didn't have it because "that's only on some of the menus and shouldn't be there anymore." Uhhhh okay? But then it really comes out: he begins to give us a lecture that if we all sat at a table, they would be able to get our drink orders in a timely fashion. But because we were ordering "from the bar" he would have to close our tabs right away. (???) is this why keeps going to that little screen all confused? was he incapable of using the machine? The catch with the table being, of course, that someone would have to put their card down for 12 people that we all barely know, and nobody wants to do that. He was absolutely flummoxed that we were ordering from the bar. An actual bar with bar seating. Despite him acting like it was a huge hassle that we were ordering, I still wanted a drink & ordered a beer. Oh shocker, they don't have the beer I want (also on the menu) either. At this point, I'm not sure if I'm even being told the truth; i've tried to order two things and he says they have neither, but he doesn't want to take my order to begin with. I decided i was done and didn't get a drink at all. About half of us didn't get a drink at all. Imagine being an empty bar and alienating the only group of people in the place. The half of the group that got drinks finished them. Others went two doors down to the hatch where the business was appreciated. Why even bother being open at that time if you don't want anybody there. Do not recommend for big groups, happy hour, or if you are not planning to sit down at a table for dinner service. read more

I'm not sure where to even start, but before I do, let me be clear. This is a review of "brunch" at District. I can't speak for lunch or dinner. But if you, like I was, are in Downtown LA on a weekend and are looking for a fun place to have a brunch with a few drinks, let this review serve as a warning for you. Based on everything I've read, District markets itself as a cool, quasi-industrial restaurant with a full bar that serves brunch. But HOO BOY does it not. It started off bad. We went up to the front entrance, which was guarded--and that is the right word--by two of the most inarticulate rent-a-cops you've ever seen. We approached the door and they closed ranks. I asked if the place was open. They stammered for a bit, and started to say something like "only if...". That's when I told them had a reservation, and something seemed to clunk into place for them. They moved aside for us, helpfully letting me open the door myself. Right away, the need for security was apparent. The full bar that looked so inviting in photos was a desolate ghost town. Walking past it, there was an area of tables that was maybe ten percent full. We found the hostess and told her we had a reservation. Despite there being four booths ready, for reasons best known to her, she decided we had to sit at the only one which had been recently vacated, and which hadn't been cleaned. We were told to wait, and five minutes or so later, we were seated. A server came over and asked us if we'd like coffee or orange juice. As I mentioned above, we were here for the weekend on a mini-vacation. We were here for brunch. So we asked for a cocktail menu. This man looked at us like we'd lost our minds. After taking a moment to collect himself, he said there was no cocktail menu, but asked us what type of cocktail we were looking for. Surprised, we said we weren't sure. He proceeded to tell us (despite a full bar ten yards behind him) that they had two cocktails available: a bloody Mary and a mimosa. Dismayed, we decided on bloody Mary's. In the meantime, we took a a look at the menu. Breakfast basics, with nothing too exciting. The waiter came back. I ordered a croissant breakfast sandwich, and my wife ordered a classic two eggs any style breakfast with chicken and apple sausage. After that, the Bloodies arrived. I can't express enough how awful these were. They tasted like tomato juice that had spent an hour being washed through a barrel full of sardines. There was no spice or citrus whatsoever. Despite the lack of spice, there was enough of some kind of gritty solids to make it feel like you were sipping a glass half full of wet sand. My wife and I each had a few sips. We left 3/4 of the glass full. Eventually the food arrived. It could have been worse. My sandwich was on a croissant that was way too wide, and lacked the structural integrity to keep the sandwich together. My wife's eggs were fine, but the chicken and apple sausage was so salty it was practically inedible. C- breakfast food. To their credit, the potatoes were good. We got the check shortly after. Automatic 20% gratuity. I would have given it anyway. None of it was the waiter's fault. But it sure feels unfair to have it forced on you. Finally, and most bizarrely of all, as we were walking out, one of the security guards stopped us to tell us that "the manager closed the door." She pointed to the door, telling us we couldn't go through. I asked her, in that case, how do we leave? She looked dumbfounded by that question. I asked again, and with a sigh that said plainly that it was an unbelievable imposition, got her keys out, and undid what must have been four lock mechanisms on the front door. It took three and a half minutes, and she shooed us out. This was, without a doubt, the worst brunch experience I've ever had. It also has to be the worst $100 I've ever spent. I want to be clear that I don't blame the wait staff. They did their jobs. But if you're in DTLA looking for brunch, I'd recommend 7/11 over District. read more

We had a holiday brunch at District for work. It's a simple menu and very good execution and seasoning for all the breakfast items ordered. We had a party of 8 and there were no complaints. Everything from eggs, pancakes, oatmeal and toast were ordered, they delivered. The servers were attentive, friendly and had our coffee and water refilled without asking. District is tucked away on the lower level of a shopping center shared with UCLA Health, Starbucks and a fitness center chain. This quiet, unassuming restaurant was quite the gem and has been in business in DTLA for a while. The ambiance was a little dark and pub-like but not divey at all. I couldn't speak to the price of the meal since it was paid for by my bosses. I really enjoyed this meal and will be back when I have time for a sit-down breakfast. read more

District - 3 egg omelette with ham, peppers, onion, cheddar and mushroom - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What a wonderful experience! Very interesting industrial like decor. Very cool vibes here. We sat in the bar in a cozy booth table & watched the football games and ate some scrumptious food. Matthew was our server and was exceptional. Very attentive with a great personality. We started with the crispy fish tacos, and they were divine. Perfectly battered with a great crunchy texture and the chipotle Crema sauce was to die for. Very interesting hybrid tortilla of flour and corn nice and thin just delicious. Then we had the quesadilla which we devoured. Very interesting Parmesan cheese crust skirt. Outstanding! Then we had the Korean barbecue wings, which were out of this world. The perfect crunch and very tasty sweet sticky barbecue sauce. Parking is a bit of a challenge, but everything else was spectacular! Highly recommend! read more

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My first time coming here. Came on a Saturday around 1:30pm. It was super cute, chill, casual. Coffee shop vibes with food, chill music and a bar. I ordered: * Seasonal Hummus Plate. * Cali Burger (I added extra pepper jack cheese), for my side I got the side salad with blue cheese dressing and shaved Parmesan. * soda water with lemon * non alcoholic drink with my face on it for fun read more

District - * Cali Burger (I added extra pepper jack cheese), for my side I got the side salad with blue cheese dressing and shaved Parmesan. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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District is the restaurant/bar located on the bottom floor of the Sheraton Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. We came here because we were staying in the same hotel and it was convenient. There are two entrances, one from the mall and one from the hotel elevator. The ambiance was very dark and cool with low lighting and plenty of booth seating. The menu had standard American bar food...sandwiches, salads, wings, etc. The service was very friendly, but very slow. Their house cocktails were great! I ordered the Lavender Blossom ($15), which had Maker's Mark bourbon, fresh lemon, lavender, egg white, and bitters. Our waitress said she would have a surprise with my drink...and when it came out, there was a picture of the Joker from Batman (Jack Nicholson) in the foam of the drink! It looked really cool! Better yet, the drink tasted really good! The lavender flavor was fantastic! I also tried the buffalo wings, which were pretty good. There were seven pieces for $17.99. Our waitress was really nice, but she took a long time to come to our table each time. Overall, we had a good experience at District because our drinks and food were good, but service could have been more attentive. read more

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First time here and it was just ok. There was a couple Of us meeting for dinner and catching up. I was the last to arrive to my group as I didn't see them in the bar and seating area. Checked in with the hostess that was working that night. Mentioned to her that I was here for a reservation under the name and she basically was like, we don't have anyone here under that. Mind you, reservations was made and under her name. I just didn't wanted to walk around looking crazy trying to find my group. All she had to do was look at the time it was for to tell me where they were seated. Not a good introduction to your restaurant. Service was just ok, it was slow and our waiter was nice but did forget things here and there. Could of been short staff, who knows. Food was just ok as well. Nothing major to really rave about. Overall, probably wouldn't come back for food but the bar area did look like it was cool spot for drinks. read more

District - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

i came here for christmas day dinner, and it was fantastic! it's in a hotel, so you can valet park for $10. there is plenty of seating, a good variety menu, and wonderful service! i got the angry chicken sandwich, and it was not bad. it's a pretty solid sandwich, and it's the perfect portion! i love the sweet potato fries as well. my family enjoyed their meal as well, and it was a great last minute dinner choice! read more

District - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

District is an industrial styled gastropub propped up on steroids to be a full fledged and large restaurant and bar located on the ground floor at The Bloc Shopping Mall in Downtown LA and servicing the DTLA Sheraton Hotel. When I say everything's 'on steroids,' I'm referring to the size of it all. Everything here is big, from the ceiling height to the large bar with huge shelves full of liquor and wine to the size of the dishes you receive at your table to the lights over your tables, these steam-punked and refashioned monster stew kettle sized pots, inverted to serve as lamp covers-- all of it. Big. But as is the case in real life, BIGGER is not always BETTER... My date and I settle into a chosen booth for our Day-After-Valentine's-Day Dinner before a film at The Alamo Drafthouse, and we're excited, both from the menu, the Yelp reviews and pics, from what we order, which is the 14 oz ribeye steak with herbed butter and sides of creamy slaw and macaroni and cheese and what is known as the "District Cheeseburger" w fries. Like I said, we were excited as we waited with our perfectly fine Penicillin and Paloma cocktails... The food arrives and, well, take a look at the pictures. Pretty stuff, right? Again, don't rush to judge a book by its cover. I like the first bite of my steak: it's cooked properly and is juicy but as I eat through more of it, it shows itself to be tougher than I expected and there's often a chewy chunk of fat I need to spit out. At the end of the meal I have a small saucer full of chunks I had to forego and I'm disappointed some that it wasn't more flavorful. It'd be positively great at a Sizzler, but here for $45? It's disappointing. The cheeseburger looks solid and my date assures me it's good but not as good as The Biltmore Hotel Burger just a few blocks away with the onion jam. The tomato slice poking out looks a little stiff and not quite ripe enough to me. The fries were stiff and room temperature, clearly pre-cooked and just shoveled up for orders from under an all too weak heat lamp... And this brings me back to those big, nifty-when-you-first-see-them lights overhead: the quality of light helps the food look good for Yelp pictures but man, I have a headache from them halfway through the meal! The light gets in your eyes and it's inescapable. My date tells me she was annoyed by them too. They need to be higher or dimmer or a more amber in tone because they are caustic... come to think of it, so was the first glass of wine we had by a major boho Cali producer that had a note that reminded me of the smell of ladies foundation make-up. We sent it back for an only average California Cabernet that gets us through the meal. Everything is just so so... I liked the sides enough, but the creamy slaw needed some seasoning and the mac and cheese could use something a little more distinctive in it too. Our dessert, a molten lava flourless chocolate hockey puck is tasty, performs as you want it to after cutting into its middle and leaking out, what with the frozen berry coulis they provide you not enough of. I can't help but wonder why there isn't whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to go with it all... even just a small scoop would've made it complete. The waiters and maitre'd are so nice and accommodating that the service gets a high-five as they are working hard to market the meal to us all throughout it, but at $160 for two patrons? Well there's a Jolibee across the street that has great fried chicken for two with sides and drinks for like $30. Just saying... District is that restaurant you go to after work for drinks and appetizers, either with co-workers or when, like us on this particular evening, you happen to want a sit-down meal before going to The Alamo Drafthouse. It's nice for that. But at the prices they charge, I can't help but feel there are many other options just a trot away that are more affordable... read more

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