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    Gwen

    4.0 (1k reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM

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    Recommended Reviews - Gwen

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    Reviews With Photos

    Yasmeen S.

    Gwen was a great experience! My s/o and I got a corner booth on the patio, which was perfect. It wasn't busy when we arrived, so we got to enjoy a nice, quiet meal before it started filling up. The tables are pretty close together so having a little extra space made it even better. We ordered the beef tartare, flat iron steak, New York steak, and duck fat fries. The steaks were amazing - perfectly cooked, juicy, and flavorful. Between the two, I'd personally choose the New York steak because it has a little more marbling and I love a fattier cut. One detail I really appreciated was that they let you choose your own steak knife before the meal. It was a small touch, but it made the experience feel a little more personal and elevated. The beef tartare was different from what I'm used to. It was seasoned with sumac and it was served with pita bread instead of the usual toasted bread or crackers. The service was excellent! We felt really well taken care of from start to finish. The steaks definitely filled us up, so next time I'm going to have to order one of their salads because our meal was basically all meat!

    Busiate
    Todd B.

    All in all, the best meal I have ever had. I know that sounds like hyperbole, but for me and my guests, this was true. It was a splurge for us at $560 for 4 people. But for a milestone birthday, I could not have asked for anything better. I hope you enjoy. Pro-tip: Everything is à la carte. If you ask for more butter - $2. Blue cheese stuffed olives $1 apiece. They don't tell you, but they charge you. Caveat emptor. Food Beef tartare - 5* Raw beef with garlic aioli, fresh herbs and a special beef fat round bread to enjoy. This was amazing. The meat was fresh with a clean flavor. The herbs tasted like marjoram and a light citrus. The bread was warm, very soft, and really elevated the tartare. New York Strip - 5* I usually order rib eye, but wanted something meat-ier with less fat. Boy was I not disappointed. The crust was perfectly seasoned. Smokey and salty. The medium rare temperature was perfect. It was the best steak I have ever had. At that is saying a lot. Each bite melted in my mouth and filled it was a nice saline and slightly smokey taste. Unbelievable. Scallops - 4* Tasty and perfectly seasoned. The portion size was very small for the price. You only get two scallops with fresh peas and mustard leaf. They were good, but not worth the price paid. Busiate - 5* Thick pasta with Italian sausage, kale, burrata and basil. Wow oh wow! This was delicious. The green pasta was al dente, with a lightly dressed sauce of sausage, puréed basil and kale, with burrata dotted about. Light, tasty, and very satisfying. Gnocchi - 4* Fresh ricotta gnocchi was light, flavorful and very satisfying. Great mild flavor and just what you would expect from this comfort food. Creamed corn - 5* My friend ordered the corn, and she loved it. She is a picky eater and said this was the most amazing corn she has ever had. She didn't mind the mushroom oil at all. So that is high praise for her. Duck fat potatoes = 5* Crispy yet tender inside. Tasty and satisfying as you would expect. Bread and butter - 4* Excellent sourdough and butter which was just amazing. They will charge you $2 for extra butter without telling you. Service - 5* As one would expect, service was impeccable. We did have to flag down our server a few times, but all in all, service was great. Ambiance - 4* Small brick building with a very small dining room. Great to be able to see the cooking and chefs preparing your meal. The wood smoke smell outside is intoxicating. High ceiling, with some booths, a few tables and counter seating. Again this place is an absolute splurge. But if you can swing it and just ease into the experience you will not be disappointed.

    Katrina W.

    Ugh this place was life changing!! Definitely a cute date night spot. The service was incredible and the food was so so good. First, the bread/butter they give was so good, we had to ask for more. It was just the perfect amount of crisp/fluffy and the butter was so soft. We ordered the Market Lettuce, Lamb Ribs, Corn Garganelli (warning, it comes small), NY Strip, Creamed Corn and Duck Fat Potatoes. The market lettuce was so fresh and had great flavor. The lambs, oh my god, were so soft and melted in our mouths. I've never seen my husband so in love with a dish and he loves food. The corn pasta was super unique/yummy and you can't go wrong with creamed corn. The steak came with smoked salts that they also gave you to go in little containers. They let you pick your own steak knife which was a fun experience. The only item that I really didn't care for was the potatoes. It just felt like it needed some extra flavor/some sort of dipping sauce. Overall, we just really enjoyed the food, experience, everything here!

    Menu 5/2026
    Jason L.

    Gwen is a Michelin star restaurant located in Hollywood. There is valet parking in the back for $15 cash or $17 with credit card. There is also metered street parking ($1 for 2 hours) if you are able to find it. We made reservations the week before to come and celebrate a special occasion. Upon arrival, the staff knew we were here for a celebration and sat us at a 4-person booth instead of the usual tables for two. They also provided us with a glass of complimentary champagne. The server also mentioned that there were non-alcoholic options that they could offer as well for the complimentary celebratory drink. You will be greeted with a plethora of menus, including a very informative water menu. Our server, Jason, was very nice, courteous, and funny while walking us through the menu. He was very knowledgeable and provided great recommendations. They do ask that you order all of your food items in the beginning because it does take some time to prepare any of the steaks that you may order. We ordered the House Made Charcuterie, Lamb Ribs, Asparagus Risotto, New York Strip, and Duck Fat Potatoes. For our drinks, we ordered 16 Hours and Banana Shack. The 16 Hours was a very light highball and the Banana Shack was flavorful. We both enjoyed our drinks. We also received a complimentary appetizer, which I didn't catch the name of, but it was tasty. It was a piece of meat on top of the bread and also had two other components to it, including a small drink. It was interesting and tasty. We also received complimentary bread and butter, which was also good. The House Made Charcuterie had a variety of meats on there. All of the meats were cured in-house. This item seem to be the appetizer that the servers like to recommend. I did enjoy the spicy salami spread and it was definitely nice to try the charcuterie once, but I think we would pass on this next time. Our next appetizer were the lamb ribs. We both enjoyed this appetizer much more. The ribs were cooked to perfection and fell off the bones when you put into it. It was delicious! The first entree that came out was the Asparagus Risotto. It was full of flavor and we both enjoyed it. Before our steak came out, our server came by with a box of knives and had us choose our weapon of choice. He gave a background of what the handle and blade were made out of and a little history about the knife. I thought that was pretty cool and made our experience fun. The New York steak and the side of Duck Fat Potatoes came out last. The steak was made to a perfect medium rare and tasted delicious. The duck fat potatoes were nicely fried and were very flavorful. We would definitely order the New York Steak and the Duck Fat Potatoes again in the future. Overall, we had a really nice experience at Gwen. Maybe one day we would return to try out the items on the aged meat menu. A big thank you to Gwen and Jason for making our night special!

    Bread & Butter
    Basel Z.

    After searching for weeks for the perfect place to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary, I finally landed on Gwen. With great reviews, a Michelin star, and a ranking of #41 on the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants list, my expectations were sky-high. And maybe that's the problem. I expected to be completely blown away. Instead, it was just solid. That's not necessarily a bad thing (I'm still giving it 4 stars), but I do think Gwen is a little overhyped. We reserved seats at the Chef's Table, which was a fantastic experience. If you've watched The Bear, hearing similar kitchen terminology and watching the flow of service in real life is really cool. Watching the food preparation up close added a lot to the night. Our server, Jason, was excellent and knowledgeable about everything from the menu to the steak knives we got to choose from (that was fun and unique in and of itself). The restaurant is dark, but the Chef's Table seating made that less of an issue. I know the water menu isn't everyone's thing, but YOLO. We ordered the Antipodes water from New Zealand. Spoiler alert: it tasted like water. Haha. We were also given two complimentary glasses of champagne for our anniversary, which was a nice touch (although I was slightly surprised there wasn't any dessert acknowledgment). For food, we ordered, Tortellini, Duck Fat Potatoes and the 30-Day Dry-Aged Bone-In Ribeye (medium rare per the chef's recommendation and more than enough for two). Before that, we received bread and butter (incredible - we absolutely wanted more), amuse-bouche selections (shiso leaf with beef tartare and salmon on puff pastry - both excellent, especially the tartare), and an asparagus shot that neither of us really cared for. The tortellini was unfortunately the biggest disappointment of the night. For the price, it felt underwhelming. My wife and I each took a couple bites and the plate was finished. Thankfully, the steak delivered. It was delicious, and although we don't usually order medium rare, the recommendation was spot on. My wife still thinks she would have preferred medium, but overall it was excellent. Here's where I struggled though: for a Michelin-starred restaurant with this reputation, I expected the steak to be one of the best I've ever had. It wasn't. I've had better steaks at places without Michelin recognition or international rankings, and that gap between expectation and reality is ultimately why this isn't a 5-star review. Very good? Absolutely. Life-changing? Not for us. For dessert, we had the Triple Berry Sorbet, which oddly reminded both of us of a Fruit Roll-Up in a good way. Super refreshing and a nice finish to the meal. One thing to watch out for: our check initially included charges for the complimentary champagne. They apologized immediately and corrected it without issue, but it's worth double-checking your bill. Overall, Gwen gave us a memorable anniversary experience, especially at the Chef's Table, but it didn't quite live up to the pedestal it's been placed on. I'm glad we went. I just don't see myself returning. P.S. We almost ran into Curtis Stone. My wife is a huge fan so that would've been awesome. Apparently he had been there earlier that day. We missed him, but if he's around, staff said he'll stop by and say hello.

    Asparagus risotto
    Thomas C.

    An absolutely spectacular experience. First off, the service was lovely and amazing. Being able to choose my own steak knife was a unique experience. Second, the interior design was very comforting. That aside, the food is amazing. While Dunsmoor disappointed me, Gwen surprised me in an extremely positive way. Each dish served was crafted with care and flavor, and every bite was an experience. Hamachi Crudo- The texture of the hamachi is amazing. It's bouncy, but not chewy. Flavor is on point. 9/10. Chicken Liver- the texture of the liver is blended so smooth and creamy. It's paired with a fire roasted pita that has a beautiful charcoal taste. 9/10. Lamb ribs- absolutely amazing. This was probably the star dish of the night. This is a must get. 11/10. Asparagus Rissoto- creamy yet light. 7.5/10 NY Strip Steak- cooked to a perfect medium rare over an open fire. The texture was perfect and the flavors were very balanced. 10/10. Duck Fat Potatoes- it's hard to describe what flavors there are, but this is a very unique take. 10/10. Overall, each dish was amazing and I would definitely come again.

    Catherine L.

    My boyfriend and I came to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. He booked a reservation and we did the valet parking right behind the restaurant. The restaurant is dark, moody, and romantic. Service, drinks, and food were amazing. We were blown away by everything we ordered. The steak of course was delicious and perfectly cooked. My boyfriend really liked the scallops while I loved the pesto pasta. I think about the pesto pasta all the time. Every time I have pasta I can't help but compare it to the pesto pasta I had here and nothing comes close. If you are thinking about trying this restaurant you should definitely go for it. You won't be disappointed!

    Scallops
    John W L.

    Went for an early dinner and the experience was fantastic. The service was very friendly and attentive. Had to try the grass fed steak and was impressed. We enjoyed the charcuterie board and scallops as well. The ambiance inside was warm and cozy. There conveniently was valet parking next to the restaurant that we used. It is also located within walking distance to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and we went over there to take a few photos after our meal.

    Lobster fondue
    Mindy T.

    Gwen is a fantastic date night. Prices are on par with restaurants like this in LA, but you can use the Chase sapphire reserve dining credit here (as of 2025/2026). The service we got was attentive and everyone made us feel so special from beginning to end. The food was great, really had no complaints. Even the complimentary palate cleanser broth, amuse bouche, bon bons, and birthday cake were good. Favorite items were their steak (thank goodness) and mushroom spaetzle. I'd skip the scallops next time to try their other dishes. Can't wait to use my dining credits here again!

    Diane K.

    I had heard about Gwen from a few friends before, and my boyfriend and I wanted to try it. So we visited on Saturday evening, October 7, 2023. Gwen is a Michelin-star restaurant, and I really loved the elegant ambiance, the quality of the dishes, and the overall service and atmosphere. Appetizer - White Peaches: This was a very refreshing appetizer. It had a light and delicate flavor, and the tartness of the peaches paired beautifully with the coppa. It was absolutely delicious. Entrées - New York Strip Steak & Ocean Trout: Both dishes were excellent. New York Strip Steak was especially impressive--juicy, tender, with a perfect sear and very flavorful. It had a great balance between fat and meat. Dessert - Brown Butter Pecan Cake with cream cheese, pear butter, and cardamom ice cream. This dessert was amazing. I loved it so much--it was to die for. Our server also gave us complimentary white chocolate cookies along with bread and butter, which we really enjoyed. My boyfriend and I had a wonderful time at Gwen. It was such a pleasant Saturday evening enjoying great food together.

    Kanpachi Crudo
    Timothy T.

    3.5 Stars Dined here on a Sunday night in Hollywood and overall had a solid experience, though not without a few notes. They do offer valet parking, but since it's Hollywood, it actually wasn't too difficult to find street parking on a Sunday evening, which was a nice surprise. From the moment we sat down, the staff was incredibly nice and attentive -- almost impressively so. They have absolute hawk eyes. The second someone gets up to use the restroom, they're right there refolding your napkin. Service was polished and proactive the entire night. The seating arrangements feel intimate, but be aware that the tables are very close to neighboring parties. Great for ambiance, maybe not ideal if you're looking for a super private conversation. Food-wise, the Kanpachi Crudo was the star of the show for me. I usually don't love sashimi/crudo when the fish skin is still attached, but this didn't bother me at all. It was paired with cactus sorbet and grilled avocado -- light, refreshing, and beautifully balanced. My only complaint is that it comes with just four pieces, and I definitely wanted more. The Garganelli Pasta was somewhat reminiscent of a carbonara, featuring six large pieces of pasta and guanciale (a cured pork). It was different, but not bad -- hearty and satisfying, just not particularly mind-blowing. We also tried the O'Connor Boneless Ribeye (Valentine's Day special), a 20oz Australian cut priced around $200. It was cooked properly at medium-rare, and my wife thought it was perfect. Personally, I expected a bit more tenderness and refinement for that price point. It had a slight off-chew that made it feel less elevated than anticipated. The Duckfat Potatoes were fairly basic and became a little heavy after a while. As for dessert, the Lychee Pear Sorbet with Earl Grey foam started off strong. The Earl Grey foam was bold and pleasant, but after a few bites, the sorbet's texture and flavor leaned a bit "baby food"-like for me, and I couldn't really detect the lychee. Overall, I left feeling slightly underwhelmed considering the pricing and Michelin-recognized reputation. Service was fantastic, and there were definitely highlights, but the experience didn't quite justify the total spend. Minor touches -- like better lighting in the men's restroom mirror and having toothpicks or floss available (especially after a steak) -- would have also been nice. Still a good meal, just not quite the wow factor I was expecting.

    Jack, sommelier
    Drew B.

    Gwen is Special. The service and hospitality are top tier. From the host station to servers people are accommodating. We were especially impressed and taken care of by Jack, the sommelier. Impressed Drew the GM made it by to say hello and check in. The steaks were a "mixed bag" (forgive me!) The NY was not their calling card, shame on my for a lesser investment. The skirt was amazing. Sides were comically small and tragically delicious. An appetizer of stone fruit and smoke cheese was a shing moment and a glimpse of high level chef driven creations. We enjoyed some amazing and reasonably priced wines. The room downstairs is light with great energy and views of tge ooen kitchen and fires. Upstairs is dark with a more subdued vibe. Craig our server upstairs for a moment was off to a great start. Adam was nice enough to accommodate us downstairs in a hightop after selecting the wrong area on Open Table. The bread and Normandy butter was divine. There is a butcher shop and sausage galore for take away.

    Menu
    Marc S.

    First off the water menu was a first, unfortunately not pictured as I prefer my water to be free and LA tap gives the necessary bacteria for my gut biome. But the options were plenty for you water snobs. The food is scrumptious! The side dishes provided across your meals were great, they gave a soup (unfortunately the size of three sips) that was amaazing, probably my favorite. The bread although a little hard went well with the butter. The amuse-bouche was great and the prosciutto (or what I assume to be prosciutto) was a great pairing with the creme fraiche. The duck dfag potatoes were great, it was a good palate switch from the meats. Now onto the meats... The glaze on the lamb ribs was to die for, however it did have a berry tinge that I couldnt pinpoint the taste of that was a little off-putting. But it was still really good. The crispy grains add the extra crunch texture that elevate the dish. Overall amazing lamb ribs and you should order this app! For the steak we ordered the dry age steak, the cheapest of the options, but still ~$250. The meat was cooked to perfection as seen in the photos and tasted soo good (as I kindve crave it while writing this). However there were some parts that couldve been more tender, but I fear tenderness is slighlty uncontrollable. The muskiness of the length of dryness really does come out and tastes great. The Au Jus and sauce they add tastes so good, and you cannot blame me for drinking these individually. My water was always topped up and I probably didnt even lift my hand to fill my own cup as there is a reserve bottle on your table. My cloth napkins were folded everytime I left and came back to my table which was funny, but also shows their presentation and cleanliness. The restaurant is a little dark but I feel these types of restaurants always lean to that lighting. Overall great first experience and would love to try their other menu items one day!

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    Page 1 of 26

    Gwen Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Gwen

    What is the parking like on a Saturday evening?

    Hi Peter, We have a valet service available to our guests. The entry is off Seward st. There is some street parking available but not guaranteed to get a spot close by.

    Are they currently open. I see on google that this restaurant has closed?

    Hi Nicole, Yes we are open as usual Tuesday through Sunday. Unfortunately AI doesn't always get it right.

    For chefs counter? Is it a pre-fixed menu?

    It is not. It is simply a lovely way to experience the menu while sitting close to the kitchen and getting to watch the professionals.

    Do the steaks at Gwen come with side dishes, or must those be ordered separately?

    separately

    What is the corkage?

    $75

    What's the recommended dress code? Vibe? Thx

    It’s pretty casual, but don’t go looking like a bum.

    Is there an elevator here for someone on crutches?? Or will stairs be a must and only way to get upstairs? Thanks!

    It's on street level. There are no stairs.

    Is there a bar at Gwen you can grab a drink at before?

    Yes. Full bar, space is not huge but the selection and prices are great.

    Is there a prix fixe menu?

    Not when I was there, but I think they offer prix fixe menus on holidays.

    Do they have outdoor seating?

    Technically yes and no, they have an extension of the restaurant that is almost in a "greenhouse" like structure that is on the sidewalk but it's completely connected to the restaurant main room. So i'd say it's still inside. Maybe when it's warmer… 

    Do they have any halal items on their menu?

    Nope.

    Do they have A5 Wagyu at the butcher section?

    It depends on what is best and available at the time , if you check their page and subscribe it will let you know what's new or on the available list

    View All 15 Questions

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    The Mulberry

    The Mulberry

    4.0
    (132 reviews)
    7.4 mi

    The moment I stepped into this restaurant, I immediately fell in love with the decor. We went…read morearound sunset, and the golden-hour lighting made the space even more beautiful. I was instantly so glad we chose this spot to celebrate our anniversary because it was the perfect setting for a romantic date night. Now, let's talk about the food! Everything we ordered was delicious, with the exception of the Korean aguachiles, which we probably could've skipped. We also tried the bluefin bibimbap, oysters, and the oh-so-tender short rib that practically melted in our mouths. But the most unforgettable dish was also the simplest: the Korean fried chicken. It wasn't necessarily something out of the ordinary, but it sure tasted like it. The perfect crisp, flavor, and seasoning had us eating every last piece right down to the bone. Our server also made the experience even better. She gave us some of the best recommendations and were incredibly attentive and friendly throughout the entire meal. We absolutely loved this restaurant and are already planning our next visit!

    Another place I wanted to love, but the food is just not that great, very average…read more Love the ambiance, the staff are really friendly, and it would be a great date spot, but the food is a 6/10. If K-town is not your thing, I guess this is fine, but there are just too many great Korean restaurants in LA for this place to be worth visiting again.

    Photos
    Inside
    Inside
    Salad, had too much white lettuce which was very bitter 7/10
    Salad, had too much white lettuce which was very bitter 7/10
    Kimchi pancakes

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    Kimchi pancakes
    The Lucky Tiki

    The Lucky Tiki

    4.4
    (58 reviews)
    8.0 mi

    The food, drinks, and service is amazing!!!…read more The ambiance of this place makes me feel like I've been transported to Hawaii.

    The Lucky Tiki in Highland Park is the sister location of the original Lucky Tiki in West…read moreHollywood. This spot opened about a year ago, and has a cool speakeasy style entrance at the Highland Park Bowl bowling alley. It is a small space, and I would highly recommend making a reservation on Resy. You have 90 minutes to drink and dine. I parked behind the bowling alley where there is a medium sized pay parking lot. Park in a space, remember your space number painted on the ground, and go to the pay station at the end of the lot. I found the parking machine to be extremely finicky as did other people. After ten minutes of failure, I ended up moving my car to another space, and then it worked. This has nothing to do with the Lucky Tiki, but FYI if you park there. We walked around to the front of the bowling alley, and checked in. Seating options include at the bar, tiki hut booths, and high top tables. The décor inside is a tiki lovers paradise. The room has a high ceiling with many tiki lamps, floats, puffer fish, tiki huts, thatch, ropes, barrels, netting, carvings, a hanging canoe, and a large tiki right in the middle of the space. In addition to the great décor, when you order certain drinks, special effects are triggered. There was also great tiki music playing all evening. We sat at the bar since we always enjoy talking to the bartenders. We actually ran into Skipper Christian in the parking lot on the way in, and he ended up being our main bartender, with Nick and Jo also working behind the bar. We put in a food order right away. The chicken potstickers ($12) came with five tasty bites, and the garlic teriyaki dipping sauce was good. We also had the giant pretzel ($16) which comes with mustard, beer cheese, and ranch sauces. This was excellent, and the perfect filling snack before a bunch of drinks. My first drink was the Siren's Song (Flor de Cana Eco rum, lemon juice, cassis, Oloroso sherry, apricot foam topper, $19). This drink is served in a great mermaid with skull mug and triggers special sound effects and bubbles fill the air. Those bubbles on top of the drink had a great light citrusy apricot flavor, probably the best flavored bubbles I've ever had. The drink itself was very good and balanced with some complexity. She wasn't sure what to order at first, and Christian asked her what flavors she liked. He ended up making a spin on a Tradewinds with some mango and pineapple to go along with the apricot and coconut. It was nicely balanced and not too sweet, even with all that fruit in there. My second drink was the Sun of Suns (Tierra de Acre mezcal, coconut cream, Giffard mango liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, $17). This was coconut and pineapple forward with some good smokiness in the background. Her second drink was the Whatever Floats Your Boat (Ford's gin, lemon juice, velvet falernum, orgeat, passion fruit syrup, guava soda, topped with hazelnut passion fruit foam, $19). It is served in a cool boat mug, and triggers thunder sound effects and lighted mechanical Polynesian tiki characters paddling a canoe over the bar. This was another good balanced drink. It was a little gin forward and the passion fruit popped out, maybe from being both in the drink and the foam top. That creamy hazelnut passion fruit form on top is delicious. I'd happily have a glass of that on its own. We were still a little hungry so we ordered the Hawaiian pizza (marinara, diced pepperoni, red onion, pineapple chunks, hot capicola ham, $16). It was another good tasting, perfectly sized snack, and the crust was light and airy. We were already fifteen minutes over our time limit, but we got the green light to stay longer to order a third drink to share. We ordered the Tiki Diablo (Flor de Cana Eco rum, Worthy Park 109 rum, Alma Tepecha chile liqueur, orange juice, lime juice, mango syrup, guava soda, $24). This drink serves two people, is served in a cool volcano bowl with glowing red lava around it, and comes with a fire show. Unfortunately, right after it was served, the host came over and said we were over our time and had to leave shortly. Christian made up for it by giving us two tall pours to go enjoy in the bowling alley bar area which was fine. We were happy we got some extra time inside. The drink was also very good, balanced with a little complexity. We had a great time. There is so much great décor to look at. The drinks and food were very good, and some of the the drink presentations and special effects were the icing on the cake. All of the bartenders were very friendly and a lot of fun. We purchased up a few zombie glasses to take home as a souvenir. I'd definitely recommend visiting the Lucky Tiki in Highland Park!

    Photos
    Tiki hut booth
    Tiki hut booth
    Sailor at the Bar Entrance
    Sailor at the Bar Entrance
    Hard carved and painted Giant Tiki at Lucky Tiki

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    Hard carved and painted Giant Tiki at Lucky Tiki
    Thunderbolt

    Thunderbolt

    4.4
    (267 reviews)
    5.0 mi
    $$

    Matt B. and I are living with my parents these days, and one of the benefits of this arrangement is…read morethat we can leave the house quite easily after the kids go to bed. We decided to get a drink to celebrate Father's Day, only to strike out at the first two bars we tried--I guess a lot of places are closed at 9:30 on a Sunday. This is how we ended up at Thunderbolt, a buzzy bar in Echo Park, just far enough away that we'd never made our way over. I loved it immediately. Thunderbolt has the friendly, comfortable atmosphere of a neighborhood bar and the hip aesthetic and high-level cocktails of a millennial boozer destination. (Not that young people can't or shouldn't hang out here, but it seems especially geared toward people like us, who drank at Walker Inn a decade ago.) We ended up sitting next to a guy who regularly drives up from Palos Verdes. I guess the place gets pretty busy, but it was ideal on a Sunday night. Happening but not crowded, with just enough space at the bar for us to grab two seats together. The bartender was great, super helpful and welcoming. He also made excellent drinks. Thunderbolt is one of those bars with an encyclopedic illustrated book for a menu. Not a long menu, just a detailed one, with a lot of information available about each drink. We got a Liquid Picnic and a Barcelonnette--just one round to close out the weekend. Both were delicious. The Liquid Picnic was a smooth, savory gin martini made with London dry gin, tomato, citron, vermouth, rosemary, and black pepper. I learned from the book that it used clarified tomato water. (There was also further reading about the clarification process.) The Barcelonnette was a mezcal sour with Suze, passionfruit, and lime, the foam made without egg white through some geeky mixologist process. Thunderbolt is not our neighborhood bar, but we plan to go back when we can to check out the rest of the menu. It's a wonderful place, well worth a jaunt on the freeway.

    Was charged three times, totaling hundreds of dollars, and waiting for the pending transactions to…read moredrop (or stay :/) in 3-5 business days is no fun. We can't all be made of money, but this shouldn't have happened.

    Photos
    P- Town boxing
    P- Town boxing
    Thunderbolt
    Thunderbolt

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    Gwen - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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