My first review, but not my first visit, to Lulu. It opened in 2021. I actually dined here twice in one day. Located in the lovely courtyard of the Hammer Museum (which has free admission), Lulu was conceived by Alice Waters, one of California's pioneering chefs, of Chez Panisse in Berkeley fame. Locally sourced, farm-to-table California cuisine did not exist before Chef Waters. Her friend David Tannis was Lulu's original chef. I returned here recently because the LA Times food critics are quite enamored of Lulu's current chef, Giles Clark. Lulu is an outdoor restaurant with most seating beneath several trees and umbrellas. There is a more protected bar and dining area, but they're still open-air. As such, my visits during the recent heat/humidity wave were hot and sticky. I brought my own fan. But it's a beautiful space, very peaceful and serene. Lulu is open for lunch and dinner, with a light mid-day menu between. Both lunch and dinner offer a 3-course prix fixe menu plus numerous a la carte dishes. The prix fixe menu, and some of the a la carte dishes, change daily as the menu is market dictated. Rest assured seasonal local produce anchors the menu, some are lovingly on display as a centerpiece. There is a daily agua fresca and shrub. Note the lunch prix fixe is $20 less than dinner. On the day I visited, the menus were the same (don't know about portion size), but they are sometimes different. I did the prix fixe for lunch, then a la carte for dinner. The agua fresca on this day was raspberry with 2 floral ingredients, one may have been geranium. It was delish, on the tart side. The fresh-squeezed lemonade I had at dinner was equally tart and delish. The prix fixe this day was: 1) eggplant babaganoush with grilled onion and cucumber salad 2) meatball and tomato tagine with haricots verts, olives and saffron couscous 3) cardamom-orange chocolate custard with pistachio brittle. I also received some Clark Street bread and butter. Everything was fab, especially the produce, as expected. My dinner dishes were: 1) chilled corn soup 2) tomato salad a la Niçoise with olives, egg and anchovies 3) rigatoni with lobster mushrooms alla vodka 4) summer melon sorbet with gingersnap. The soup, salad and sorbet were late summer in bowls and on a plate. The pasta was substantial with the meaty mushrooms and the sauce had a kick. Service was great at both meals, and the host at lunch was fab--I think he was a manager/do everything person. My dinner waiter pointed out Chef Giles when he was sitting in the courtyard; he looks quite young! Definitely worth visiting! And you can enjoy the (air conditioned) galleries before or after. read more

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This is a lovely space. It's associated with the Hammer museum at UCLA. It's in the courtyard with an outdoor seating area, as well as indoor seating. There is jazzy latin tinged music playing and it's just beautiful. So that's a winner. This place was inspired by Alice Waters, who was a main force in the California Cuisine farm to table movement. Her restaurant in Berkeley, Chez Panisse, was the most amazing restaurant in the East Bay when I went to Cal. This place is far different. But it's great on its own terms. The menu tonight is themed with a movie playing at the Hammer. So it's not the normal fare. But from what I understand, they do a different prix fix menu every night, in addition to their normal offerings. This meal was wonderful. The first course was a poblano chile filled with a walnut based stuffing. It was delicate and brilliant. It was also a dish from the movie that was served at a wedding and everyone fell in love. The main was a medley of different seafoods (scallops, shrimp, clams, and tilefish) with vegetables (hominy, garlic, avocado, onion, and chile) and a lovely broth that was deconstructed and wonderful. The dessert was just enough too. It seemed to be inspired by the wedding cake from an early scene in the movie. Really great. The service is perfect. The waitperson was friendly and helpful. The food was served well timed and the plates cleared efficiently, never rushed. It was a great meal. I loved this place and I'd come again. This series is movies about food. Like Water for Chocolate is a movie I saw when I was in law school, and 29 (young). I loved this movie 33 years ago. I loved it again. The meal at LULU truly accented the film. Thank you LULU! read more

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Great food; simply presented, not over seasoned. Great service; never had to ask for more water, wine, etc. Great venue; covered/outdoor options in a beautiful courtyard. The menu changes almost daily depending on what is freshly available. And, not expensive. So, we can go back again. Special thanks to Patti and the rest of the staff. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - Pork Tenderloin and Bandol Rose pairing - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Lulu's is located in the Hammer Museum. It's in a covered outdoor area. Great ambience! The menu changes daily with a variety of salad, soup, and sandwich offerings. There is a Three Course Offering as well. Service was excellent! We were a group of four with a reservation for lunch. Immediately seated and our server was very attentive. He answered all of our menu questions (I had to Google a few of the menu options first!). We started with an order of Country Bread, definitely recommend, warm with a wonderful crunch crust! I ordered a salad with protein. It was very small for the price ($26) and shortly after I was very hungry! I was thankful I at least had bread to help fill me up. The salad, Chicken on a bed of greens with dressing, was excellent. The chicken was marinated and very tender. The Miso dressing light and tasty. It was just much smaller than expected for an "entrée" salad! One of my friends ordered the Mixed Green Salad for $12, and it was much larger than mine! The ingredients are all very fresh but at least more greens on my plate would have been better! A bit more chicken too! This is an Alice Waters restaurant and inside a museum, I expected pricey but did not expect to leave hungry especially after spending $40 (with tax and tip) for lunch. read more

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Amazing food. Deconstructed appetizers were so clever and delicious i had the trout as my main course hard to describe but was seared beautifully went with a group so we got to try many unique finds don't hesitate to go and try this out read more

I'm going to get slack for this and it's definitely an unpopular opinion but I have never been impressed by Lulu (I am sorry)!!! And I'm the odd one out because several of my good friends LOVE this spot. I've been 3-4 times now and each time I'm left with a hefty bill and an unremarkable / not memorable meal. The staff is great! The ambiance? Fantastic. However I am a foodie at heart and I would rather eat a great meal at hole-in-the-wall than a mediocre meal in a nice venue. This meal (small portion of fish with side of some chopped vegetables, drink, 1/2 shared pasta, and a split dessert) was over $90 - my fault that I didn't look at the prices as I expected this to be more like $60-70. As a graduate student, that hurts my wallet so much. Mind you this is with the UCLA student discount. At this phase of my life if I am going to pay that much for a meal it better be super good, and this was lackluster. Flavors were bland. Granted it is well known for being farm fresh with local ingredients, so I am sure that is what ups the price tag. But to serve an entree without at least 2 sides for this amount of money is kind of wild - where are the mashed potatoes or other carb?? I will say the bread was good (I think it's from Clark Street so no surprise) but I can just buy a loaf at Clark Street myself. After this last visit, I concluded that I won't be back solely because the taste and value isn't matching the price. I left hungry. But give it a try for yourself, as several people I know list this as their favorite place in LA. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - Drink - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Service is good, atmosphere is nice, food is great. There just isn't enough of it. Ordered the pasta porcini (that's probably not the right name) and left starving. The price of a high-end full meal; a portion equal to maybe half an appetizer at most places. Soup didn't come with bread or crackers. Hmmm. Also confused because the waiter explained to us - not sure how it came up - that they're paid a living wage (yay to that!) and don't work for tips. Yet there was an 18 percent service charge added to the check AND space for a tip on the bill. Again, hmmm. Finally, my real complaint, and I've eaten here several times, is that there's nothing but carbs and small-ish salads on the menu for people who don't eat meat. It's L.A. Lots of vegetarians. We would like more options, please. read more

The 'Like Water for Chocolate' menu that was paired with the movie in LULU's Film & Food series was truly unique. I had never eaten anything like Chiles en Nocando, much less tried to make them. And although I grow my own tomatillos and use a molcajete to make salsa verde, it was clear that the Pozole verde de Mariscos was made by a chef at the top of their game. To crown it all off, the wedding cake, recreated from the film was a piece of art... that tasted divine. I feel so fortunate to have this restaurant in my neighborhood. p.s. really enjoyed my pea-shoot martini as well! read more

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Located in the Hammer museum courtyard, Lulu stands on its own as a nice restaurant serving up a lovely dining experience. They offer a 3 course prix fixe menu or a la carte ordering. The menu changes daily I believe, based on what's fresh, and all of our dishes were vibrant and well-prepared. I went with the prix fixe because the pork secreto sounded phenomenal, and it was. All of the flavors on the plate came together to create a flavorful dish and the plating looked like a piece of colorful artwork. Even the salad to start was fresh and crisp, and the peach ice cream to finish it out did not disappoint. They really are serving up beautiful, elevated fare here in an atmosphere that feels like a little oasis tucked away from the street. Our server was very professional and attentive as well. read more

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A visit to Los Angeles is never complete without dining at LULU at the Hammer Museum in Westwood. Every visit offers a new culinary adventure, with an ever-changing menu inspired by the seasons and thoughtfully sourced ingredients. The meal began with a refreshing peach shrub, the perfect way to start the meal on a summer day with a large slice of fresh peach. Next came a beautiful dish of cucumbers and fennel served with a unique and absolutely delicious almond aioli. The chilled summer squash soup followed and was wonderfully refreshing on a warm day. The fresh country bread and butter were an excellent accompaniment. The pasta course featured Fusilli Pesto Genovese with braised potatoes, very thinly sliced string beans, and fragrant Genovese basil with a fabulous marriage of flavors. Quite simply, it was the best pesto pasta we've ever had--fresh, vibrant, and perfectly balanced. A sweet ending to the meal included a delightful plum crumble, a wonderful seasonal finish. Dining al fresco in the shaded courtyard with a gentle breeze made for an especially relaxing and enjoyable experience.As always, the staff and server were professional, warm, very welcoming, and attentive. Convenient parking in the garage too LULU continues to be one of Los Angeles' finest dining destinations, combining creativity, exceptional ingredients, and flawless execution. If you're visiting the Hammer Museum--or simply looking for an unforgettable meal--this is a restaurant that should not be missed. Highly recommended! read more

Lulu at the Hammer is a great spot. The service is warm and attentive, and the food? Absolutely amazing. It's one of those places that just feels good from start to finish. Now I will say--it's a bit on the pricey side, but the flavors and the ambiance make up for it. read more

I have had drinks at this cute restaurant inside of the Hammer Museum before, but this is the first time that I had dinner here. The service was excellent. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. We ordered a butter lettuce salad with goat cheese and a radish to share. It was fresh, but nothing my special. I ordered the gnocchi and it was very delicious. My companion ordered the smoked salmon. It was basically smoked salmon over goat cheese with two macadamia nuts. It was underwhelming. Overall, I would give this restaurant 3.5 stars if I could. read more

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In the Hammer museum, I've been wanting to come here every time I go to a flux event. Finally here. The service is phenomenal. Kudos to Noah! I'm having the gnocchi ricotta with squash. I didn't consider it could be zucchini, but it is. Mushrooms on the side. Nice and crunchy. Lovely sparkling wine. Cute little salt container worth of mention. Niki comes in a hot plate which I highly appreciate. Not too many vegetarian options but I'm glad I love this one. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - Gnocchi - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Courtyard vibes + French 75 = an idyllic afternoon at Lulu. I wandered into Lulu during their snack service (2-5pm) and felt instantly charmed by the sun-dappled courtyard. Think chic garden party meets laid-back California cool. The staff were warm and attentive, making the experience feel extra special. I opted for a round of small bites.. all $12, which felt reasonably priced considering the quality. The focaccia sandwich was a savory dream, and the chocolate cake? Decadent without being too heavy. To top it off, I sipped on a French 75 cocktail.. gin, lemon, and sparkling wine.. a crisp, citrusy delight that tasted like vacation in a glass. One tiny hiccup: a few overly enthusiastic bees joined us at the table. I spent a good chunk of time perfecting my gentle drink-defending swat technique. High stakes stuff when your cocktail is that good! read more

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First time at Lulu and was not impressed. The positives: the setting is beautiful and the service was friendly and attentive. We each ordered the tomato salad nicoise- it was half a tomato, a hard boiled egg, a few olives and a chopped up anchovy filet for $24- what a joke. All of us left hungry. They need to actually feed people for the prices they charge. read more

The food: terrific, had a delicious Chicken Milanese and my lemonade was great. Small glass but tasted fresh and very good. The staff: couldn't be better. Friendly inviting and welcoming and here's where it stops, at the maître 'd or the person who seats you. Snarky is the best way to describe him. No smile and made a "snarky" comment when my husband picked up a menu at the front desk, to take a look at it. The patio is a beautiful, open area - a terrific place to have lunch, especially in the summer. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - The outside patio - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My friend and I were looking for a cute place to grab some coffee and it was a little chilly out so agreed we'd stop at the first place we found which happened to be Lulu at the Hammer museum. It was so cute! even though we were cold, we were drawn in by the open air setting with tables and umbrellas and heat lamps! great, friendly service - they explained before they seated us that they only had small bites at that time of day (4pm) which was fine with us. - almonds - 5/5, seasoned with something yummy and hit the spot - sourdough bread and salted butter - 5/5, chewy delicious sourdough slices (six slices) - hot chocolate with oat milk - 5/5 would love to go back again! read more

I am at a 4.5 but it is a nice environment and you have to love Alice Waters. The food was nice but not filling. I definitely recommend ordering appetizers. The fish was beautifully presented. Tastes are elegant and crisp and the wine selection and service were EXCELLENT. Millet muffin was a treat. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Such a beautiful farm to table restaurant. With live music too which enhance the mood and making it fun. This is conveniently located in the Westwood village close to UCLA campus and in the same courtyard of the Hammer Museum. I ordered couple items from the a la carte menu. Portion is not big which allow you to try multiple dishes. I love how each is arranged aesthetically on plate - some are sprinkled with mini florals which add a side of artsy to it. I pretty much recommend everything that i tired. everything prepared just right to my taste. - starter: gem salad with cucumber and beets, cheese board with bread and butter, garlic soup with poached egg - entree: clams (huge!) with garlic and toasted bread, rockfish with white asparagus (2 orders), ricotta gnocchi with English peas and leek soup - Dessert: Chocolate pavé with crème Chantilly, Coco butter mochi, Apple-berry crumble, Strawberry rhubarb sorbet We tried all four desserts on the menu! Just can't resist. i am surprised that they all taste superb. Not too sweet which is a compliment. Service is attentive and friendly. Our orders came out pretty quickly. We parked on campus and walk over. They do offer valet parking on the location. $15. read more

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Lulu is a nice restaurant with a very pleasant atmosphere at the Hammer Museum... the staff are very friendly and the food and drinks are good... it's a nice date or family gathering place. read more

The food is beautiful quality. The service is lovely. The portions are absolutely insulting for the price. To get a 20$ cheese plate that was literally 3 small slices of cheese was shocking. I like an expensive meal ~trust~ this might not be worth it despite the truly succulent duck. read more

We had our team holiday dinner here at LULU. It's located inside a courtyard that connects to the Hammer Museum, so there's a nice level of seclusion as well. They have the Prix Fixe or Ala Carte menu, but I stuck to the latter for this particular evening. Fortunately, it was a restaurant accommodating to vegetarians, especially for me and a colleague of mine. The tricky part is that the menu is different every single day. Therefore, what I told you that ate may not be there the next day. I'll highlight a few of the items: 1) Butternut Squash: This was shared with the group, but was a solid appetizer 2) Manzana Manhattan: We ordered individual cocktails to start before dabbling in a bottle of wine (Margaux) for the table. The wine was self explanatory, but loved the presentation of the Manhattan. 3) I ordered the Eggplant Parmesan and was thoroughly impressed. It was a small portion per the eyes, but truthfully very filling and not heavy. I just think the sauteed spinach was the perfect complement too. Loved the presentation and the extra touch. 4) Chocolate pave with cream chantilly was the perfect night cap. If they get any minus stars, it's that the service was kinda slow. But the food made up for it. So can't so wrong. read more

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Scrumptiously delicious food which is 100% healthy and ethically sourced. An impeccable Staff offers excellent service and maintains a calm, warm, welcoming, stylish atmosphere. read more

I have lived in LA for over 20 years and this was the WORST restaurant I have ever been to. I went with my friend and we both ordered the falafel, hummus, and olive plate. When it arrived there was a smear of hummus on the plate. 5 tiny falafel the size of a nickel each. A small pile of cabbage? Underneath that was a smear of hot sauce. And I found ONE fragment of an olive. I complained and told them the portion size was unacceptable as an entree for $24. We were told they could give us more olives and hummus. They brought out a total of 4 olives for my friend and I to share and about 1/8 cup of hummus. Then when we were ready to leave the server came over and left the bill. We tipped 20% even though we were unhappy with the meal because it wasn't the server's fault. When I got home I saw that the service charge was pre-added before we got the bill. So we ended up being tricked into leaving a 40% tip. DO NOT EAT HERE. This place is a shameful disgrace. Copy of my receipt so you can see the automatic 18% that we missed when we calculated our tip. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - Automatic 18% service charge added to all meals - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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STEPH JUDGEMENT: Artsy and spendy, with pretty good food. The Hammer is one of my fave museums, and I finally decided to try its restaurant for lunch on my last visit. As it was midday midweek, seats were easy to come by. Since I was alone I decided on a bar seat. The restaurant is beautiful and serene, in the shade of the plants in the courtyard. They don't have a huge menu, but their choices looked appealing. I decided on an eggplant banh mi (served with pickled vegetables) with an iced tea. I found the top slice of the bread to be a bit too hard, but the rest of the sandwich was tasty, and the iced tea was fine. The service at the bar was cordial and prompt, and it was a very nice museum cafe lunch, with prices to match--a little over $30 with tax and tip. Not sure if I'd make a habit of it with so many other options in the area, but it was good to check out at least once. read more

LULU Restaurant LA - Eggplant banh mi - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Located in the Hammer Museum in Westwood, LULU offers simple yet delicious offerings in a serene setting. With most the seating outdoors, LULU's ambiance is relaxed with ample seating and spacious interior. The dining is casual and the menu is simple offering prix fixe or a la carte. With recommendation from the server we went with the stuffed squash blossoms with ricotta. This to me was the star of the show, it was lightly fried stuffed with ricotta top with shaved parmesan. Highly recommend you get this dish as it unlike anything you have tried before. Also ordered the Gem lettuce salad seasoned with a tangy zesty flavor similar to caesar salad. It was refreshing and flavorful. The main we went with the Rib Eye which took quite a bit of time to get to the table for some reason. The staff gave us complimentary bread due to the wait of the main. If you are in the Westwood area definitely give LULU a try as it is a wonderful place to enjoy a meal. Also know they charge an 18% service charge to total bill. read more

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Lulu was just okay. The service was fine, and the menu had some fun options, but nothing really "wow"-ed me. Sitting outside we dealt with bugs, a few crawling on the table, a few in the water, and the table didn't seem particularly clean. The beets were delicious and the figs were a nice touch to my entree but overall did not particularly have me wondering about other menu items or excited to return. The museum area is lovely of course. read more

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Lulu is like a little oasis inside another oasis (Hammer Museum). We only had soup, deviled eggs and bread so a slightly less detailed review. Service was great from greeting to seating to taking our order. Very attentive. Water refilled quickly! The soup was "better than I make" and the deviled eggs were outstanding. The secret ingredient is wasabi and that gave them a nice little kick. The mini-loaf of bread, and butter was perfect to go with the soup and to clean up the egg remnants. Would love to try more of the menu next time. We loved Lulu's and the Hammer! read more

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I've been wanting to try Lulu for so long, and our experience was definitely worth the wait. The restaurant has an amazing ambiance as it's nestled in a beautiful courtyard within the Hammer museum. To start, we got the arancini and, baby gem salad, and warm goat cheese salad all per our server's recommendation. The salads were fantastic! The arancini was just okay, it was very small and mine didn't have much cheese in it. Two of us got the vongole pasta, and the other two got the leek and bean gnocchi. Everyone loved their entree! The vongole had a generous amount of clams, the pasta was cooked perfectly, and the sauce was flavorful. The portions were on the smaller side so we also got bread, and the butter it came with was so delicious. We wanted to try the desserts and got the pistachio cake and apple crumble, which were great. Would highly recommend Lulu! read more

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I had such a great time here with a friend. Service was amazing and the food was so delicious! also pretty outdoor seating. We had a few drinks here and its perfect right before looking at the art. We also played ping pong upstairs which was fun. Just a few things we ordered and all were great! Super fun day! read more

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The portion size was so small that I was hungry after ordering a main dish. As this was the case, I fear how minuscule the small plates are. read more

I wish I could eat here every day!! I was here today and realized I had never left a review. I've been here so many times and it's always delicious. It's almost like someone cooked it just for you, fantastic farm to table organic food. Innovative recipes, incredible flavors blended together, truly inspiring. It was raining today and it was still charming. The courtyard lighting is natural and lovely . The staff is knowledgeable and attentive. And if you have time you have one of the best museums anywhere to wander through!! What could be better?? read more

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For $90.06 I got a tiny steak which was very good and one drink. I would be embarrassed if I were the restaurant. The bar staff didn't know what cut the steak was. In the future I will only have a beer here it is a ripoff for food. read more

The food was good but the portion size ridiculously small. I don't eat a lot but left hungry which was very unusual for me.

The food was delicious, but the portions were ridiculously small for the price. My dish was $48 (before taxes and fees) and there was literally about 1.5 ounces of lamb on the place, a tablespoon of parsnip foam and two baby carrots. Delicious, but not enough food. It would be okay with me if the dish were vegetable forward and light on the meat, but it was neither. read more

The ambiance is spectacular and to be honest all you get here is the vibe and decoration . Im sorry to say service is not top notch in LA anymore! They have a limited menu which is understandable but looks like they have a full bar so they should be able to make any drinks you wish. But they said the bar tender is on lunch and we cant make you anything out of the menu! I ordered the mint team which was very delicious and my boyfriend got lemonade. Couple of servers were nice but the other ones didn't care. Well the location gives this place the advantage for sure. read more

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Been to LuLu a few times and I can't wait to go back! Loved the starters, main and desserts. Service is great, ambiance is romantic and fun (outdoors). The food is very unique, amazing chef! Than you oh, and parking is easy too. Street parking right outside with meters read more

LULU Restaurant LA - Pistachio ice cream - New American Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The ambiance was nice. The food was overpriced. I ordered a salad with goat cheese. It was more like an appetizer salad instead of a lunch salad. I would not dine at Lulu again. read more

Wonderful ambience and great food and service in a unique setting. We had a great lunch today. My goat cheese salad was perfect with a nice glass of Chablis. One of our guests raved about the chicken milanese and the pasta special was equally great. We finished with a superb pistachio cake. Parking underneath is easy and the ambience delightful. Can't wait to return. read more

The food was beautiful and delicious. They managed to make rice porridge (congi) a memorable dish! The old fashioned cocktail was also very good. The service was polite and thoughtful. They even helped reposition our seating to enhance our comfort. The courtyard seating was beautiful and very cozy even in December with the use of outdoor heaters. Would definitely come back! read more