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Inn of the Seventh Ray

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128 Old Topanga Canyon Rd
Topanga, CA 90290

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(310) 455-1311
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Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Inn of the Seventh Ray - Topanga, CA
Reviews
( 32 )
( 21 )
( 9 )
( 10 )
( 32 )

Best

We were married in November 2010 at the Inn of the Seventh Ray, and have only the most positive things to say about Wedding Coordinator Kelly Hancock and the entire staff of the I...

Worst

This is where my Husband preposed to me. It is the most romantic restuarant I have ever been to. If your going to do it in a restaurant this is the place. I will say the food is n...

good but not great 3/29/2006

hi, nice location but in my humble opinion a little overrated as far as the food is concerned then again it was valentines and the quality all over drops due to quantity. nice presentation, nice atmosphere, remember liking the soup more then the entree maybe i should try them again and keep you posted Pros: service Cons: price more
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Someplace different 2/27/2006

Well I finally made it up to this Long standing LA oasis and wow, Leave the city behind for the night. Just fifteen minutes from Santa monica the restaurant feels like a completely different world. the service was warm and friendly, the food outstanding. Definately worth a trip up the hill Pros: Fireside dining, Friendly service, romantic more
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great view, so-so food 12/5/2005

we came here for my birthday once, and when speaking of the surroundings and ambience, you can't get much better. the food, on the other hand, could use some improvement. all the food seemed to be a little...blah. nicely presented, but pretty bland. maybe their leaning towards a vegetarian/organic menu overshadows their leaning towards TASTE. otherwise, you can sit in one of their nice booths in a rock or at a table, look at the nature around you, watch the coyotes, or deer or the 10 cats they have wandering around the place. but i guess you can do that just walking around in the woods too, and save yourself some dough. Pros: beautiful surrounding, romantic atmosphere Cons: bland food, high prices more
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a glimpse of heaven 11/18/2005

This memory will last forever....the pure food without the contaminents to drag you down afterwards you leave, the excitement in a menu of creative dinning, the lights, the frogs, the coyotes, the joy on the wait staff's faces....this is not just a job for them. Our waitress lives their menu and sensed our needs before we did. We could have stayed all night. They give no sense of rushing you. This is a place to commune. Pros: pure food, tables spaced, sweet staff more
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Come for the view.. 11/7/2005

not for the food or service. I've been here 3 times spread over a 10 year period, every time hoping things have changed. It is a beautiful location, but so is going for a hike. At least then you can bring along food that is tasty, cheap and properly prepared! Pros: Location Cons: Food, Service, Price more
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One of the worst 10/13/2005

On my last visit to this place there was actually a line for the hostess to complain. It was like Christmas at Costco. Now there are two places I will never go to again,but at least the employees of Costco are not rude which is something the Inn of the Seventh Ray doesn't seem to realize. They act like they are doing you a favor for the priviledge of letting you spend your money there. Never again!!!!!! Pros: the setting, the dishes, the silverware Cons: the help, the help, the help more
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Great ambiance, if you could ignore the hostess 9/16/2005

We have never ever encountered such rudeness, arrogance and insensitivity on the part of a restaurant hostess. First complaint letter ever written to an owner was responded to with excuses concerning logistics. No apology or comments were offered regarding the behaviour of the hostess. The food was good, but we were barely able to keep it down. Pros: Food, service Cons: Hostess, owner's attitude more
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Looks are everything. 8/13/2005

I've been going to the Inn of the Seven Rays, once every couple of years, for the last 15 years. It's been consistent. The food is always mediocre, and the ambiance exceptional. I returned a few days ago, and found a change. It is now costly. Dinner and wine for four was $250.00. The Halibut of bland. The duck uncooked, which was sent back and returned less uncooked. The $50 organic wine could have been purchased at Trader Joe's for $5.00 and Sara Lee makes better deserts. The serving staff are efficient and pleasant. We were told that they have a new four star chef. If that's true, he stoled two of his stars off a sidewalk on Hollywood Boulevard. Pros: Wonderful atmosphere, Pleasant staff Cons: Mediocre food, Overpriced more
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Amazing Food, Amazing Setting - Slooow Service 6/3/2005

The food and the ambiance are the best in LA. Creative dishes served creekside. However, the service is slower than molasses. The staff is always very nice, but a dinner can easily take three hours, and while that's OK if it's the customer setting the pace, half an hour between courses while you look at your watch can be a pain. We were just there last weekend and it took 20 min. for them to take our WINE order, then another 15 minutes to get the bottle. Be prepared to spend a loooooong time there. It is worth it, though. Pros: Amazing food, Organic, Beautiful setting Cons: Very slow service more
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Picture Perfect 2/21/2005

Had the most romantic V-Day at this well lit outdoor courtyard in the middle of the canyon. The prices are reasonable, the food is pretty good, the service is decent, but the atmosphere is very quaint and super romantic. If you want a picture perfect spot, this is the place. more
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Need to be in the mood. 1/31/2005

Went there on a friday night, food was good, but it was a tiny bit pricey. The atmosphere and setting is the best part, very intimate, like in the middle of a small forest clearing. You need to be in the right mind and mood to enjoy it, its a place to relax and not rush anything. I was very impressed by the progression from the entry to the outdoor dining area, definitly sit outdoors. Service is good too. They have a lot of heaters so its not a problem sitting outside in winter. Pros: ambience, food, relaxing Cons: slightly expensive more
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worst possible experience 1/13/2005

Service was non-existant. Food was terribly disappointing - bland and mediocre. Ambience was the only thing it has going for itself. Such a shame to waste a beautiful place with lack of care in food and service! Being a foodie, I'll spend $$$$ if a restaurant is quality. Inn is worth a nickel. Pros: ambience Cons: , poor service, bad value more
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Pleasently Surprised 11/22/2004

I had never heard about this place until we went there for my mother's gradutation. People who have writen bad reviews mention waiting forever. Maybe it was because it was a Sunday, and lunch time, but we didn't have to wait. Learning it was a vegetarian restaurant, and being a carnivore myself, I expected to be dissapointed. But it ended up being a rather unique and memorable dining experience. All the good reviews are probably more based on the ambiance, which is by far its draw. I'm not a vegetarian or soy expert, the mere mention of soy usually sends me running. This on the other hand was pleasently surprising. Even though a little hokey (soup made with vibrations?), it was surely a dining experience I will never forget. Pros: ambiance Cons: , mediocre service more
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Worth a try at least 8/1/2004

I wasn't sure what to think when I read the previous reviews, but after visiting the restaurant, I have to say it is a very nice restaurant for dining. I think it may depend on what one orders, but the free range chicken I had was absolutely marvelous and worth the price! The best chicken I ever had, perfectly cooked. My friends tofu on the other hand was a tad overcooked. Appetizers were good-we had a grapefruit salad and portebello mushroom. It might help asking the waiters what they recommend. In my experience, the service was good, food came quickly, we made reservations a couple days previous and were seated within a couple of minutes of arriving (we went on a sunday summer night), parking was quick and only costed 3 dollars, and the atmosphere as most say was very enchanting. Definitely good to try for a special occasion. Pros: food, atmosphere more
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Mixed Feelings... 7/25/2004

Stopped in just for wine, salad, and an appetizer after hearing much about the place and wanting to check it out. We arrived 15min before our reservation but were proptly seated. After the ""oohs and ahhs"" over the atmosphere, everything went downhill. Since it was late and seats were opening up, we asked our server to move to a more romantic booth and were made to feel this was a major inconvenience by our formerly conginial hostess. I would swear the wine we ordered was a bad bottle; very acidic aftertaste and cloudy color, but the server made excuses and didn't offer to bring another bottle. The Chickpea Salad ($10) was mostly garbanzo beans. We were lucky to be seated far from a very loud wedding party; any closer would have totally destroyed the evening. We did enjoy the soup and crabcakes. Go for the atmosphere, but not much else. Pros: incredible atmosphere Cons: , testy service more
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After Much Anticipation... 7/21/2004

I've been a strict vegetarian for almost 15 years, and waiting to try out this hallowed restaurant that promised to be an herbivore haven for the three since I've moved to LA. Imagine my disappointment to report we didn't even make it to the appetizers. We were seated about 30 minutes after our reservation (no bar to lounge in, just a dorky new age gift shop). The prices were exorbitant. And for a ""veg"" restaurant, they only offered three truly vegetarian entrees! Between the bad vibes, the high prices, and the lack of viable menu options... We walked out. Lovely surroundings, absolutely-- Consider picnicking with some Whole Foods in Griffith Park instead. Pros: Beautiful Ambience, Organic, Unique Cons: , Freaky hippy staff, Few vege entrees more
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If You like new things 3/24/2004

If you like new things, I think you'll enjoy this place. It has all natural foods no artificial stuff. The vegitables were great and so was the steak. Certain foods I never liked tasted good. The food was prepared very differently and you must have an open mind to enjoy it. The service was ok. It's the type of place that you take your girlfriend to talk and not hurry up and finish. That's why a lot of people think the service sucks. I think it's just a way to help you keep your privacy and romance. Pros: Scene, Healthy Food Cons: , No open bar more
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Cayote Heaven 2/15/2004

I went with a party of 8, and there were raves for the steaks ordered, and good for the lobster. I had the vegetarian tasting menu, which I considered [along with the meat tasting menu] to be a bad value, as you get 1/2 portions for not that much less than you would pay to order ala carte. Very off-putting sauce on vegan duck. Service was very casual, and not too attentive. Location is amazing, with cayotes howling. Chairs/tables not too comfortable. Pros: Location, ambience, vegetarian options Cons: , service, parking more
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Lovely 9/30/2003

Other reviewers must have gone on an off night because I found this to be a wonderful spot. The food was excellent and presented well. The service was attentive without being overbearing. The location is simply gorgeous. Well worth the drive and cost. Pros: Location/ambience, Food/presentation, Service Cons: The drive home after , a bottle of wine ;D more
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you're kidding me right? 7/15/2003

This place is extremely overrated. I trust and VALUE all citysearch recommendations but this place was horrible. I was looking for a nice place to dine with my new girlfriend and decided to take the drive from Santa Monica to the INN. The drive to and fro was by far the best part of the trip. Scenic and breathtaking. We got there and found the service to be very slow and the tiny portions of food not even close to matching the HUGE prices on the menu. The service, when you can get their attention, was lackluster at best. The highlight of the evening was watching the coyote emerge from the woods and watch the fellow diners. An occurence I hear happens quite regulary. If you're going to do Malibu dining dress down and go to Duke's instead. Pros: location, coyote, well lit Cons: service, over priced food, parking more
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Menu for Inn of the Seventh Ray


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Editorial

  • The Scene
    Burning incense and trees strung with twinkling white lights set the lushly romantic mood. There are even a few secluded gazebos perfect for popping the question. Other tables...

  • 10/20/2004 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm Sat 10:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm Sun 9:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm
  • Payments: Visa, Discover, Master Card, American Express
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