Toluca Lake Restaurants

I spent my 31st birthday here and it was absolutely perfect. The food was fantastic, service was quick and friendly, more than anything though, they had old school Hospitality. Felt like I had been coming there for years despite it being my first time. Fantastic little neighborhood spot with delicious and creative dishes, they are a breath of fresh air in LA. 10/10, they’re worth every penny and more.

I loved everything about my experience, great drinks, amazing service, good atmosphere. I’d give 5 stars across the board but wish they had more vegan and gluten free options. I ended up just having a salad which was good but wasn’t enough for a dinner (adding nuts or mushrooms would have been nice but wasn’t available). Lastly parking with validation for a just shy of 4 hours was $37. That is ridiculous.

If you have a special occasion to celebrate, Verse should be your choice. We celebrated my b-day, and so did the table next to us and an anniversary two tables away. I gave 5 stars in all areas except the value, and only because the menu is quite pricey. We ordered Melamente, Pancho and MADD city cocktails; excellent creations. Following most of the reviews, we had the milk buns and octopus as appetizers. For dinner entrees, husband ordered the Branzino and I Crab Capanelli. We were not disappointed with the appetizers. Milk buns melt in your mouth; the whipped brown butter has the perfect sweetness. The octopus was cooked perfectly; so tender. I don't know how the chef came up with all the different sauces on the octopus but oh so delicious. So husband was a little disappointed with the Branzino as it was fairly plain when compared to the octopus. The crab capanelli was cooked al dente and the sauce was creamy with the right amount of saltiness. The toasted almonds added the unexpected crunch and well combined with the richness of the sauce. The only neg here is that it was difficult to locate the crab; the chef should really double up on the amount. Service was excellent as expected; ambiance - not too dark with just enough lighting to read the menu; and the live band added extra points to this special occasion. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience.

We had such a fun evening. Our server, Michelle, made sure we had an extraordinary experience. Food was delicious. Atmosphere was fun.

To dine at Musso & Frank’s Grill is to have an experience like no other in LA: old world style, dishes that have long since disappeared from the menus of any other of its competitors and the pleasure of knowing that one is dining in a space that has probably catered for virtually every great name ever to have graced Hollywood in the course of the past century. Look beyond the cheap and tawdry pseudo glamour of the rest of the Hollywood strip and allow yourself the pleasure of an authentic experience you will never forget, long after the memory of all the dross of the surrounding razzmatazz has faded into oblivion. Worth every penny twice over.