This place has the vibe of a cozy neighborhood cafe (and I love cozy neighborhood type spots), but…read morethis place feels like it punches way above its weight in terms of food (creativity and presentation), hospitality, and general enjoyment. I mean seriously, the level service feels way more elevated than it needs to be. It's also a delight that when they bring you dishes, they give you a small background of each dish. Just a fantastic dining experience all around with great food. Easily one of my favorite new (to me) restaurants and my favorite in the beach cities. The menu had enough items where there was a good variety, but not so large as to overwhelm. What we ordered...and I really enjoyed each and every dish. Individually and as a whole. Headcheese Toast - a loose interpretation of a patty melt from Langer's Deli Bistro Salad - delicious light vinaigrette dressing Beef Tongue - a dish very personal to Chef Katya with roots in southern Russia Chili Crab - eats like a risotto and influenced by the famous chili crab of Singapore Lamb Pappardelle - perfectly cooked pasta with delicious lamb Fish Diane - an old timey way to prepare fish Jidori Chicken - just a really well prepared chicken that was juicy and flavorful with delicious vegetables

I really wanted to love this place. I read all the glowing…read morereviews and convinced myself the negative ones were probably just misunderstandings... but wow, I had it completely backwards. First, the restaurant itself is undeniably cute and cozy, tucked away in a corner of Hermosa Beach. Our first impression was honestly great, and we were excited to try it. Our reservation was at 5:00 PM, but when we arrived, the staff was still inside having what looked like a team huddle or group therapy session well past opening time. At first I thought maybe I got the hours wrong and they actually opened at 5:30. Nope -- 5:00 was correct. I understand pre-shift meetings happen. But maybe do the motivational speech at 4:50 instead of making customers stand outside after your posted opening time? They finally opened the doors around 5:10. Once seated, our server introduced himself by saying he was also one of the chefs, and apparently everyone dressed in white both cooks and serves. I didn't really understand the concept, but honestly, I don't care who brings the food as long as the food is good. These are what we ordered: SQUID -- This tasted like it had been marinated directly in seawater. Painfully salty. I genuinely did not understand the dish at all. Boiled squid with egg salad? Why? The portion was tiny, and we were hungry, so we basically used the mussels tart to dilute the salt enough to finish it. MUSSELS TART -- Actually delicious. No complaints here. BISTRO SALAD -- This was honestly shocking. It was SO sour that it was practically inedible. -- we literally take straight lemon shots every morning but this dish was hard to eat. This wasn't "bright acidity." This was weaponized vinegar. Bitter, aggressively sour, and tongue-numbing after one bite. We had to send it back because it was simply not edible. CABBAGE -- Flavor was good overall, but parts of it were so burnt that I genuinely questioned whether it was intentional or someone forgot it existed in the kitchen. Maybe it's culinary art I'm too uncultured to understand. FISH DIANE -- Delicious. No complaints at all. What ultimately made us decide we won't return wasn't even the inconsistent food -- it was the attitude. They still charged us for the salad we literally could not eat after sending it back. Then the couple next to us asked to keep one menu because they planned to order more later. One of the servers told them not to leave it on the table because she didn't want the menu to get dirty. The menu was a single flimsy printed paper menu. Not leather-bound. Not handmade parchment from the 1700s. Just printer paper. The whole experience felt oddly pretentious for a place serving burnt cabbage and acid salad. Some dishes were genuinely good, but the hospitality felt nonexistent and the food was wildly inconsistent. Cute restaurant, but definitely not somewhere we'd return to.

Went here over the weekend with some college friends who were in town. Some of us had glasses of…read morewine and some of us did the wine tasting. The selection was very nice and we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. They also have charcuterie plates for purchase which rounded out the experience nicely. The employees were very friendly and helpful. Daryl kept us laughing the whole time. We all agreed that this was one of the highlights of our weekend.

Husband & I wanted to do wine tasting for Valentine's Day yesterday & found this place on Yelp as…read morewe were in the area. Glad we dropped by bc they had old world wines which we love. The ambiance was laid back & they had outdoor seating. Weather was breezy & beautiful & wanted to sit outdoors but it was full so we sat indoors which was nice as well. There was only server & she was hustling & bustling so we had to wait a bit but we didn't mind. The server apologized for making us wait & checked up on us a few times which I appreciated. We opted for 2 tastings each mixed in with 4 white & 4 red wines. The tastings weren't spectacular but good enough for a small pour. I like that they serve a variety of new & old world wines & service was excellent & that's why I rate this place a 4 star. The price was reasonable for the tastings & we ended up buying 3 bottles of French wine to take home. I would definitely come back bc they mentioned that they change their tasting menus weekly. I also like that they serve small snacks on their shelves & charcuterie boxes in their fridge to take home or eat it on the spot with the tastings.

The gnocchi mac and cheese was delicious! only complaint is small portion lol. the service was…read moregreat our waitress was really warm and nice i would definitely come back for the food

Skylar, AJ and ALL other staff were great. Food was phenomenal. Vibe was on point. Live band was so…read moreentertaining. Drinks were yummy. Will definitely be back! The steak sandwich has me drooling just thinking about it. Absolute BEST steak sandwich I have EVER had. 10/10 spot.

A comfortable wine spot to chill and talk in MB. This venue is not at all presumptuous- we like the…read moredown home vibe.Its clean and cute. My daughter is a member here and always takes us here when we are in town. They have some delicious wine and nosh. I loved the Hand of Fatima platter and was so excited that they are available to purchase. The staff is always friendly and attentive. We are looking forward to stopping in the next time we visit.

Barsha has been my favorite place for wine (and beer!) since 2016. The wine selection is exquisite…read moreand unique. You won't find anything here that's also sold at mainstream stores (thank god!) The charcuterie and bites are high end and so delicious. I also can't rave enough about every single employee there. It's like visiting family. This place has my heart and I'm so glad it's in my neighborhood so I can go ALL THE TIME.

Me and my sister-in-law, was extremely pleased with the service and everything that we ordered. We…read morewill definitely be back again

The food and drinks are splendid and varied. The staff was attentive (for example, our water…read moreglasses were always full) and helpful (particularly in selecting pre-entree drinks). The ambience was laid back during our recent mid-week visit with out of town guests. We have a family disagreement whether the price was worth it or not. I say "yea" and I'm the one who is bothering to write the review, so...

I have been here 3 times now, so we can assume I like the place!! Came twice with girlfriends and…read morewe all got wine flights - I love that they have 3 diff flights to choose from! Very cool!! We also got various meat and cheese boards which went well! And the most recent time my hubby and I came on New Year's eve! It was decorated festively and hats, and tiaras and horns which got us in the mood! We each got a glass of wine while waiting for our reservation at TRB! They even had live music with a lady singing and playing piano/keyboard - very nice start to our evening! Keep on, keeping on!

Another amazing Sunday afternoon at this beautiful boutique wine bar by the beach! The owner Amber…read moreis a friendly and wonderful host recommending the best wines to our individual palate and providing 5 star service! We were a group of 6 with 2 doggies and had a wonderful time! Best way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

It's expensive, but good. I've been here many times, and they are consistent. Personally, I…read moreprefer In N Out and it's cheaper there, but this place is good. I prefer it to Shake Shack. Service is great, and you might have to wait a little while for food. So, I have a new rating system......I will be write what I feel honestly about an establishment. The only ratings I will give are 5 stars, which is enjoyable, or 3 stars which is "needs work."

A very tasty burger and the ingredients were all very fresh. Next time I'll get it with easy on the…read moresauce (it was a bit too overpowering and oozed out the other end). Tots were good but they are nothing special. Next time I'll get the fries. It's a relaxed and casual atmosphere (we sat outside) and I'll certainly try again.

Great place for a large group dinner…read more... Came here for my friend's birthday dinner, and it was great. Our waiter was the man. Super attentive and explained the menu well, especially since we were sharing. The bread is a must get, we got a the ceviche (super tangy and good) and french onion toast. The pork and rib eye were our favs. So tender, perfectly charred. The coffee toffee pudding dessert was also a must get. Will be back for future large group dinners.

Sleeper restaurant, true hidden gem! Very inconspicuous and I've never noticed it before…read more The place is small and loud and you may have to wait a bit but the host is so gracious and attentive. The service is outstanding! Food is meant to be shared and is perfect for a night out or celebration. The dishes are so imaginative--flavorful and visually appealing. We started off with cheese appetizer to warm up. Not amazing but a solid starter. The badger flame beet salad was very tasty with pistachio and ruby red grapefruit. Not much greens but delicious. The hamachi crudo tasted fresh but I'm a purist and always prefer the fish flavor over the vinaigrette dressing. The beef tartare was a tad under seasoned imo. The mains blew my mind. Usually the mains are outshined by the starters in a fine dining establishment. Not here! The Indian egg was something I've never had. A soft boiled egg enveloped with an Indian spiced sausage was surrounded by cucumber, sumac, and yogurt. A mandatory order. The smoked and fried chicken (brined a few days prior per our server) was hot, delicious, and complimented with a soy and chile sauce. Great meal in itself. Get it! Hand rolled spaghetti was coiled with a mixture of mushrooms in a brown butter sauce. Super savory. Great starch, goes well with everything. Can't wait to try more dishes during future visits!

Small restaurant up the hill from Hermosa Beach…read more The moment you walk into Sosta, you feel like you are entering someone's home kitchen, and feel like part of their family. The fact that they speak Italian adds to the feel of authenticity and the waitstaff was on point the whole night. The dim lighting with the real wax candles, adds a intimate touch. The food started with a simple Hamachi Crudo, which was simple and elegant. The warm bread that accompanied it is a nice and appreciated surprise at the beginning of the meal. Next up was the octopus, which was served warm, and was not rubbery or chewy at all. The eggplant Parmesan was a little bit on the colder side, but taste wise very sweet, tender, and you could tell each portion was made lovingly. The gnocchi was soft, creamy, rich, and decadent, and the sauce was equally rich and a great pairing. When you were only served five pieces of gnocchi, somehow you feel more appreciative of each bite and that was certainly the case here. You probably wouldn't want to eat a whole bowl of the stuff as it was extremely rich and luxuriously creamy. The last dish was the tiramisu which had a strong coffee flavor. Everything about the night was wonderful and I would highly recommend trying it out!

Wow, seriously some impressively good and excite-fully delicious food. This is my kind of Italian…read morefood! These dishes had the technical precision of a Michelin Star chef and the food packed the punch with flavor. We started the evening with Yellowtail Crudo. Perfectly cut and seasoned with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. It needs nothing else, it just melts away in the mouth. We then had the Octopus Salad which came with potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper and olives. Very delightful and wonderful. We then had a pasta which I had the pleasure of trying for the first time, Spaghetti with Mullet Roe. The pasta was perfectly al dente and had a touch of seafood on the palate. Extremely delightful. Next we had some Gnocchi. Perfectly cooked little pillows in the mouth. Last we had the Ribeye. One of the best steaks I have had in a long time. It was as good if not better than any American Wagyu I have had before. And again perfectly seasoned with just what a steak needs, Italian olive oil and rock salt. Overall a truly fantastic meal from a truly wonderful restaurant. The waiters were all super on top of everything and very friendly. I can't wait to return.

Absolutely excellent experience! Joe was amazing! Request his service and, to his employers, give…read morehim a bonus! He is the jewel of the establishment!

I've been dining here for eight years, and it has never disappointed. There are so many reasons I…read morekeep coming back. First, the food. It's consistently delicious every single time. My personal favorites are the lobster mac 'n' cheese, mussels, fish and chips, and the lobster bisque. Everything is flavorful, fresh, and prepared with care. Second, the bar. The drinks are perfectly balanced--strong enough to enjoy, but never overpowering. There's nothing worse than ordering a cocktail that tastes like juice with zero kick. That definitely doesn't happen here. The El Chapo margarita (along with many others I've tried) will have you feeling warm and fuzzy after the first sip! The location is another huge plus. If you enjoy people-watching, this is the spot. You get a perfect view of all the action, which makes the experience even more fun. Most importantly, the staff. Joe, Nicole, and (I believe his name is El D) El Dorado are fantastic. They're friendly, personable, attentive, and always seem to anticipate what you need before you even ask. They offer great suggestions and are wonderful conversationalists. They truly make you feel welcome, and if they have a moment, they'll happily stop and chat. I also want to give a special shoutout to Joe, the manager. I was organizing an event for my women's group--about 20 guests--and needed a venue that could work within a firm budget. When I called, Joe didn't hesitate to accommodate us. Many other South Bay locations either didn't respond or were outrageously expensive. This was seamless from start to finish. Joe worked with me to select the appetizers and music, ensured we always had water refilled and glasses topped off, and made sure every detail was handled. We had plenty of wine and appetizers, and the front area was reserved just for our group. The event was wonderful, and Joe's kindness and professionalism made it all so easy. Everyone loved Joe! Highly recommend Playa Hermosa--this place truly is a gem.