Boulevard

A friend and I had stopped by for dinner to celebrate her birthday. The dining area was eerily empty. The food, when it arrived, was OK, but not at all great. My lamb was served with a sauce that tasted a lot like (I imagine) window cleaner! The service was definitely slow. At the end of the meal, a very buff, full-of-himself, and not-at-all-friendly Latino came to our table, gave us the ticket, then stood there, with his arms crossed (I kid you not), glaring straight ahead as I fished in my handbag for my credit card. He acted as if he were 'standing guard' to make sure that we paid before we left. I cannot begin to tell you how mild-mannered me and my guest both looked (and are). We certainly did not look like the kind of patrons who would 'dine and dash'. I was appalled. What I should have done is told him off then called the Manager over. I have never been treated in that way at ANY other restaurant in my life. Instead, like an idiot, I paid and left a good tip. I will never return to dine there. The bar area is great for a quick drink with friends. Presumably they've got you on security camera to make sure you pay there too, but whatever. It's a nice bar. But it is tres cher -- $20 and up per drink, when I was there.\r Pros: Great Bar Area Cons: Empty Dining Room more

I can not tell you how disappointed I was with the service. The food is better than average, not great, for the price they charge: ( salad is $25). But the service is no better than a diner. It is a shame this restaurant has gotten worse and worse since they opened a few years ago. The decor is great and the location is unmatched but the service, or lack of it, leaves such a bad impression. We ordered a salad and I asked the waiter I am vegetarian and I want "" no bacon and no turkey"". I could tell he did not pay any attention to what I said. The waiters are mostly Latino and speak English just enough to take a basic order. They brought my salad back with "" chicken"". After waiting for 10 more minutes I was able to get the attention of the waiter and asked him to take the salad back and bring me one without chicken. He did, but he replaced the Salad with a cup of dressing and cheese. It was the most disgusting salad you could imagine. My wife's fish and chips arrived and they did not bring the ketchup until we were done eating the fish and the Chips was already cold. Our drinks did not arrive until we were almost finished with our meals. In fact they brought the drinks after we complained to two different waiters and then the on duty manager. The manager was very well polished and polite but instead of offering any apologies or explanations just put the drinks in front of us. We were so perplexed. This was the LAST time we went back. Don?t go to the BLVD if you value your money and time. Pros: OK Bar for Drinks ONLY Cons: Overpriced, rude, bad service. more

I have yet to eat at The Blvd, but I have visited the bar a few times. On the plus side it's a nice room in a great location, right on Wilshire directly across from Rodeo in the handsome Beverly Wilshire Hotel. I've heard the dining room is sometimes eerily empty, but on a recent Thursday night both the bar and restaurant were full but pleasantly just shy of crowded. Like the Four Seasons and Beverly Hills Hotel, The Blvd. is a place to treat yourself to an expensive drink among the fascinatingly odd cross-section of Beverly Hills characters: The older men is suits, the very old folks with oddly-colored hair and stretched skin who never leave the 90210, young, attractive women with older men, young men with too much time and money who are either fighting or will soon fight an addiction, foreign tourists, and the occasional working girl wandering through willing to satisfy any Pretty Woman fantasies. Pros: Great location, handsome room. Cons: Pricey drinks, even for Beverly Hill$. more

One of the coolest things I found about this very spacious big-money Beverly Hills resto is the water menu -- they've got the clear stuff from just about every region in the world, with little descriptions about each -- so maybe Voss has a 'smooth finish' or some other Russian water has a 'sweet aftertaste' -- quite a novel way to market water. Anyway, the food was pricey, of course, and really wasn't worth it. We sat at one of the far west booths and I practically sunk into it, I had to keep propping myself up. The bar area was the most lively and I noticed a lot of slick business types stuffing their faces. More than likely won't ever go back but glad I tried it once. Pros: Cool water menu Cons: PRice more

Yes, Chef Conny Andersson has left the building...but he has been replaced with a doll of a gentleman, Chef Brain Moyers. His food is delectable, elegant, and simply delicious. It's a breath of fresh air when you order something that isn't overly complicated and you just taste the natural goodness of the food in each bite. I love the earthiness of the ingredients he chooses. The atmosphere is elegant, but not overwhelmingly stuffy. If you are looking for a restaurant where you don't have to scream to hear each other speak, this restaurant is for you. Don't be intimidated by the Four Seasons hotel name. Service here is impeccable, and they are always willing to make your stay enjoyable. Hospitality is part of the experience, and I love going there. Pros: Tables are spaced out, privacy, people watching more

We have had several dinners and lunches at the Blvd to finally realized how bad is the culture at the Regent Beverly Whilshire (now part of the Four Seasons). The atmosphere is beautiful and very sophisticated but do not expect courtesy or dedication. The food is good but the service makes it unattractive. Hopefully you wont get caught between waiters arguing with each others. Pros: Great Location Cons: Bad Culture more