"I want to begin my review by urging you not to be misled by the ambiance or aesthetic shown in the photos. It's a small restaurant located in a rough area of downtown Los Angeles, surrounded by homelessness and situated in a neighborhood marked by unsightly graffiti. It appears to be beneath an apartment building. The "vibes" that look appealing in the pictures are misleading. The place feels dingy, trying to come off as upscale with mood lighting and a so-called "aesthetic" atmosphere, but it feels quite artificial instead.
We were served bottled water, but it turned out to be plain tap water poured into an unlabeled glass bottle. The "candles" were cheap battery-operated tea lights. To top it off, my chair was broken, and the whole restaurant smelled like sewage, which they attempted to mask with some sort of air freshener. Everything in the decor seemed extremely inexpensive, which hardly justifies their pricing.
When our food arrived, it was quite mediocre—definitely not worth the cost. We ended up sending the fettuccine back. It's worth noting that although they label themselves as a restaurant, the menu is very limited, with just a couple of burgers, fettuccine, or overpriced steak to choose from. Our server was awkward and seemed annoyed by our presence. We also submitted a special request for a celebration when making our reservation, but it was never acknowledged.
When the bill came, we were informed we couldn't split the check, and upon closer inspection, we discovered that a mandatory tip of 20% was already included. This was non-negotiable because "it's stated on the menu." Making tips compulsory is really not acceptable, especially for such average service. Then, when checking out, the payment screen prompted us for an additional tip on top of that.
I truly hope this place can make improvements, but overall, I cannot recommend it to anyone, especially those visiting the area looking for a nice dining experience in DTLA."
