Citrin Restaurant

The food at Citrin was excellent, and I highly recommend the crab risotto, duck, and steak. We enjoyed the duck and steak so much that we decided to try the Dirty Chicken for Two, but it turned out to be much larger than expected. The service and ambiance were decent; we were seated on the patio because we had our service animal with us. The only downside was the "health service charge," which we discovered was the restaurant owner passing on the cost of providing healthcare to their full-time employees. This felt a bit off-putting, as we believe it's the owner's responsibility to take good care of their staff. Despite that, we still enjoyed our meal at Citrin.

Published at 4 months ago

We had a dining room seating with the tasting menu.

We thought the food was amazing, but pricier than expected for a one star Michelin restaurant - especially in comparison to other 1 stars we’ve been to.

Also, they had a mishap with their QR code for their extended wine list which took us to an old menu. It resulted in a charge that was several hundred dollars more than what we wanted to pay. They quickly remedied the situation and refunded us that amount. The service was top notch and some of the best of any restaurant we’ve been to.

I would recommend bar seating vs dining room seating for a better vibe and warmer feeling. The dining room feels a bit cold or corporate.

Published at 5 months ago

Citrin was the most disappointing fine dining experience I've had in the last several years.

We selected the four course tasting menu. The food was good but not exceptional, the real issue was service. We arrived at the restaurant in at 7 pm and left at 10 pm. There were 15-20 minute gaps between courses which seemed inexplicable, with nothing on the table. This was apparently due to a large party in another part of the restaurant which Citrin did not have the capacity to serve. I regret the 25% tip I left for such a poor job.

This was not a Michelin star experience.

Published at 2 months ago

Wonderful place to have our last meal in LA. The lobster bolognese and spot prawns were absolutely amazing. The pear pavlova was also fantastic. Loved it all!!

Published at a month ago

Amazing food, the lobster bolognese and the egg caviar are superb. The service was a bit patchy - after waiting 10 minutes had to request butter for the bread rolls and the server kept forgetting the descriptions of the meals, which is not a big deal but given you are paying for Michelin star quality you’d expect better - it felt a bit like trainee night but surprising for a Saturday night. But highly recommend the food.

Published at 3 months ago

Celebrated the second anniversary of my son and daughter-in-law here at this Michelin 2023 awardee restaurant and we all enjoyed it and truly made the occasion very special. They even had a little Happy Anniversary note on their table when they found out about the occasion and they were given a cake to share, which I thought a very nice gesture.
Entering to that red door ( on 11th side of street) sets the mood of the evening. I was greeted nicely by the hostess and felt welcome and seated to the table right away while waiting for my son and DIL.

The ambiance was nice, totally more modern than the last time I remember it, and was so happy we were given the booth table.
Food was amazing as expected of a Michelin star awardee chef owner and everything was thoroughly enjoyed by all 3 of us. From the appetizers all the way to their cocktails and desserts!
Service was excellent! When I told the hostess I couldn’t read the menu because I forgot my readers, she came back to give me readers and made sure to let me know they were sanitized. When I was asking for a particular way of how I wanted my cocktail , our waiter said “I got you” and indeed he did so perfectly the way I wanted it!
There is a valet parking available on the 11th street.

Published at 4 months ago

I dined here on New Year's Eve and it was a great time. All of the food tasted wonderful and high quality. I was a big fan of the kanpachi crudo and the lobster bolognese. The basil bread was amazing, some of my favorite that i've had. I also loved how they had 3 small desserts instead of one big one. The service was really friendly and knowledgeable as well.

Published at 5 months ago

Citrin was a nice experience in L.A. The food was pleasant, service was excellent and the atmosphere was pretty nice. We were lucky enough to get a nice "round" table where my wife and I could sit together and look out, which was enjoyable.

Foodwise everything was good, not mind blowing for either of our sakes, but still quality.

It was worth the stop though prices might seem a bit stiffer compared to some Michelin's around the world. However, for L.A it was pretty good!

All in all a good experience

Published at a year ago

Delightful and beautifully presented meal. We ordered a la carte (no tasting menu) and the dishes were all excellent, especially the Lobster Bolognese. The portions are quite small, so either plan ahead or order appropriately! The restaurant interior is beautiful. You ll need a reservation a fair bit in advance for primetime weekend seating. The service was also great. Overall very high quality.

Published at a month ago

Wonderful place to have our last meal in LA. The lobster bolognese and spot prawns were absolutely amazing. The pear pavlova was also fantastic. Loved it all!!

Published at a month ago

Citrin was the most disappointing fine dining experience Ive had in the last several years. We selected the four course tasting menu. The food was good but not exceptional, the real issue was service. We arrived at the restaurant in at 7 pm and left at 10 pm. There were 15-20 minute gaps between courses which seemed inexplicable, with nothing on the table. This was apparently due to a large party in another part of the restaurant which Citrin did not have the capacity to serve. I regret the 25% tip I left for such a poor job. This was not a Michelin star experience.

Published at 2 months ago

Overall it fell very short of a Michelin star restaurant, especially the service. I do not recommend. Food - Overall good but not great - Tomato soup was excellent, highly recommend - Caviar in egg was interesting, great presentation, but flavor was lackluster - Halibut special was excellent, perfectly cooked - Lobster Bolognese was good but didnt meet the hype, Id skip it - Cheese supplement was excellent, very large serving. One order can serve 4. - Desserts were ok, the final amouse bouche was better than either standard dessert Service - Extremely disappointing for a Michelin star - Water glasses sat empty unless we requested they be filled. We had to do this multiple times. - Staff passed items (eg sauces they were serving) across the table in front of us - Serving was not coordinated, dishes arrived haphazardly - The 4% opt-out service charge is unusual and off-putting

Published at 2 months ago

Published at 2 months ago

Published at 3 months ago

Amazing food, the lobster bolognese and the egg caviar are superb. The service was a bit patchy - after waiting 10 minutes had to request butter for the bread rolls and the server kept forgetting the descriptions of the meals, which is not a big deal but given you are paying for Michelin star quality you d expect better - it felt a bit like trainee night but surprising for a Saturday night. But highly recommend the food.

Published at 3 months ago

The food at Citrin was excellent, and I highly recommend the crab risotto, duck, and steak. We enjoyed the duck and steak so much that we decided to try the Dirty Chicken for Two, but it turned out to be much larger than expected. The service and ambiance were decent; we were seated on the patio because we had our service animal with us. The only downside was the health service charge, which we discovered was the restaurant owner passing on the cost of providing healthcare to their full-time employees. This felt a bit off-putting, as we believe its the owners responsibility to take good care of their staff. Despite that, we still enjoyed our meal at Citrin.

Published at 3 months ago

Published at 4 months ago

Celebrated the second anniversary of my son and daughter-in-law here at this Michelin 2023 awardee restaurant and we all enjoyed it and truly made the occasion very special. They even had a little Happy Anniversary note on their table when they found out about the occasion and they were given a cake to share, which I thought a very nice gesture. Entering to that red door ( on 11th side of street) sets the mood of the evening. I was greeted nicely by the hostess and felt welcome and seated to the table right away while waiting for my son and DIL. The ambiance was nice, totally more modern than the last time I remember it, and was so happy we were given the booth table. Food was amazing as expected of a Michelin star awardee chef owner and everything was thoroughly enjoyed by all 3 of us. From the appetizers all the way to their cocktails and desserts! Service was excellent! When I told the hostess I couldn t read the menu because I forgot my readers, she came back to give me readers and made sure to let me know they were sanitized. When I was asking for a particular way of how I wanted my cocktail , our waiter said I got you and indeed he did so perfectly the way I wanted it! There is a valet parking available on the 11th street. Parking: Your best bet is do the valet on 11th street. Hassle free and they re nice!

Published at 4 months ago

Do not come here unless you have 2 hours to waste. We ordered 4 things a la carte, 2 tiny appetizers, the corn agnolotti that was also a small portion, and the 16oz steak. They left ~15-25 minutes in between each 2 bite course. We were HUNGRY an hour and a half into our meal. We also had a comedy show afterwards that we let them know about in Burbank that we would be rushing to. And they did not do anything to speed up the service whatsoever. We wanted to get the dessert but didn t have the time to. Do not understand the need for the kitchen to be SO SLOW.

Published at 4 months ago

We visited Citrin during Dine LA week to sample their menu and celebrate our anniversary. The evening was pleasant, and the staff were fantastic, showing great kindness and love throughout our visit. For our main entrée, we had the ribeyes, which were cooked to a perfect medium. The meat was tender and flavorful, but it lacked the extraordinary taste and wow factor one might expect from a Michelin-starred restaurant. The highlight of our meal was undoubtedly the Pavlova strawberry dessert. Its presentation was impressive, and the taste was delightful, making it a memorable end to our evening. While we enjoyed our time at Citrin, we felt that the $99 tasting menu did not quite meet our expectations in terms of flavor and uniqueness. For a Michelin-starred experience, we hoped for more.

Published at 4 months ago

We had the pre fixed menu. I can assure you the tomato soup is just that - tomato soup. The food is good but not great. In total the meal was paced out over 2.5 hours which we felt was too long. The michelin star should be reviewed

Published at 4 months ago

Published at 5 months ago

I dined here on New Years Eve and it was a great time. All of the food tasted wonderful and high quality. I was a big fan of the kanpachi crudo and the lobster bolognese. The basil bread was amazing, some of my favorite that ive had. I also loved how they had 3 small desserts instead of one big one. The service was really friendly and knowledgeable as well.

Published at 5 months ago

We had a dining room seating with the tasting menu. We thought the food was amazing, but pricier than expected for a one star Michelin restaurant - especially in comparison to other 1 stars we ve been to. Also, they had a mishap with their QR code for their extended wine list which took us to an old menu. It resulted in a charge that was several hundred dollars more than what we wanted to pay. They quickly remedied the situation and refunded us that amount. The service was top notch and some of the best of any restaurant we ve been to. I would recommend bar seating vs dining room seating for a better vibe and warmer feeling. The dining room feels a bit cold or corporate.

Published at 5 months ago

Published at 6 months ago

Great experience, amazing food and drinks. Their lamb is a must try. We tried the tasting menu and everything was so good and made to perfection

Published at 7 months ago

Low quality service, but the food was great. They were able to accommodate vegans if warned beforehand (asparagus risotto was amazing). Plenty of vegetarian dishes as well. We ordered a bottle of wine that never came and only saw the waitress maybe 3 times over the course of 4 hours. We sat outside on the patio, so that might ve been the issue. Amazing wine options, fish collar was pretty good, truffle pasta was amazing, vegan asparagus risotto was great, and the passionfruit cocktail was excellent. Atmosphere was a little odd - music was all over the place and too loud. Dietary restrictions: Vegan options if you warn them beforehand

Published at 7 months ago

We really wanted to love this place but so many things were just not sufficient for a Michelin Star. The music was loud rock which did not fit the atmosphere, which to the contrary was actually lovely, calming and ambient. While the servers were nice, the service was extremely slow. Half of us the table sat there for 40 minutes awaiting the team to clear our plates. It took a long time for them to take our order and bring out the bread (which cost $15). The food took a long time to arrive. I ve been to enough Michelin Star rated restaurants to know that if you re yawning and your mouth feels dry, you ve been waiting around too long. Their wine pairings were nice, but the pour was the smallest pour we d seen. The food was okay. The duck serving was so small - half of the meat was fat (which for most is not preferred), and the actual meat could fit into 1/4 of a cup. It wasn t a dinner. All in all, I would skip this one. Not worth it.

Published at 8 months ago

Michelin rated sister restaurant of Melisse which is located in the bottom level. Came here to celebrate my parents anniversary and they had a little printed sign congratulating them. The ambiance is darkly lit with modern decor. Tasting menu is $165 as of March 2024 and includes four plates with the option for up charges. Everyone at the table must order the pre-fixe. Credit cards accepted. Valet parking available or you can opt for metered street parking. There were young kids in the restaurant. Service was alright - our waiter forgot that we told him that we only needed two wine glasses and instead brought out four in addition to some other minor complaints, so I took a star off for lack of attention to detail that other Michelin places have. Otherwise, the food was good, with my favorite being the dessert course. Some thoughts on what we tried below: Asparagus panna cotta - the amuse bouche was fun to eat and incorporated both asparagus and white asparagus. It was creamy and cool. Basil brioche - this came with French butter from Normandy. You could choose this or the French roll. The bread wasn t warm but the flavor was unique, if the color a bit too on the leprechaun green side Lobster bolognese - this is a molded pasta with butter foam on top (not your traditional pasta). Our waiter recommended just cutting into it like a bar, and it was fun to eat, if a bit cold. Egg caviar kit - my dad absolutely loved this. It s $25 extra but the caviar carefully placed into an egg shell was such a novel concept White asparagus - another upcharge, but also worth it if you like morels. The brown buttery sauce on the bottom was umami and delicious. Scallops - both my sister and mom opted for this. It was tasty and very tender. Crudo - this came with a generous amount of five pieces. It had some foliage on top which looked very aesthetic. Red mullet - my mom got this and the fish was cooked perfectly. The skin was crispy while the meat was flaky - she liked this a lot. Lamb - this is recommended to be cooked medium rare, and I agree with that assessment. It was very tender with the right amount of fat for a juicy burst of flavor and salt. Duo of beef - this comes with beef cheek and another cut. My sister preferred the lamb over the beef, which I agreed with. Cherimoya - both my parents got this since they prefer a lighter dessert. It s a tropical flavor and the restaurant added little candles for them to blow out. Chocolate cake - this had a chocolate filling and came with ice cream on the side. I love the combination of hot and cold in a dessert, and felt like it was the right level of sweetness.

Published at 8 months ago

Beautiful atmosphere, lovely food,

Published at 9 months ago

Very good (not exceptional) food, excellent wine list, and hard-working busboys. However, surprisingly, for a Michelin restaurant, the sommelier and waiter provided very poor service. The waiter was inattentive and rarely came around after taking the initial order, except with a big smile when it was time to bring the check. Sommelier never checked on the wine after the first taste and initial pour. We were left to pour wine for ourselves after the wine glasses remained empty for a long time with no attention from the waiter or sommelier. Food seemed to take an eternity between dishes. Not what you expect after spending $200 per person. $15 valet parking. The owner responded to my post, see below, and asked me to write to him to provide feedback. I wrote to him but he never responded. So, seems like the invitation was for show so that readers believe they care.

Published at 9 months ago

I visited Citrin on February 14th, looking forward to a special Valentines Day dining experience. Despite my understanding and acceptance of seating at the patio due to a 30-minute late arrival, the service level was far below expectations. From the beginning, there was a noticeable lack of communication from our server, particularly when setting the table and throughout the service. Confusion regarding our cocktail order was apparent, as it seemed to be offered to multiple other patrons before finally being served to us. A significant issue was the delay in serving a bottle of wine we ordered. Our glasses remained empty for nearly half an hour without any acknowledgment or apology for the wait. Additionally, despite being the first guests seated at the patio, we watched other diners who arrived after us enjoy their courses, while an hour into our seating, we had not been served our first dish. When we brought these concerns to the manager, the response was dismissive, suggesting the problems were due to kitchen communication and subtly implying our tardiness as a factor. The decision to leave was met with no apology; instead, the manager mentioned I could use his personal number for any complaints. Having dined at more than 15 Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide, I found the service and professionalism at Citrin that evening lacking, especially compared to my experience at Melisse four months prior. I hope this feedback prompts Citrin to review and improve their staff training and management to avoid similar experiences for future guests.

Published at 10 months ago

Most of the food was delicious and beautifully prepared. However, my medium-rate 16oz wagyu arrived cold with a large unrendered fat cap and it wasnt well seasoned. Honestly I would have sent it back but the service was incredibly slow. In my heart they owe me $200 back for that course. The rest of the meal was delicious. A little pushy with the truffle shavings and wine pairings too if that gives you more of a sense of the vibe. Cocktails were amazing and my server was delightful. If youre looking to love your steak maybe Gwen.

Published at 10 months ago

I personally really loved it here. They are very thoughtful and were ready to do everything to help me to have a great experience. Nice food, nice service. At first I did not want to try dining experience but ended up and do not regret it. Will be back to have a la carte experience as well

Published at a year ago

Great food and service.

Published at a year ago

Spectacular meal at LAs best restaurant. We had a small mix up about our seating location and the staff found the perfect table for us within a few minutes on our arrival. From the moment we sat down our server Lana was making suggestions to guide us through the menu and took care of us like we were family. I still love the egg white foam infused cocktail with delectable cherries to start my Perfect meal. The service is so precise our water glasses are topped off continuously and the staff definitely anticipates your every need. The amuse bouche beets with tangy tangerine sauce was stunning. We were four and each of us had the price fixe meal which was a great adventure. I had the scallops which were amaizing and our friends had the spaghetti with lobster and sea foam that was a work of art. My partner had the egg starter with caviar which is worth every penny. And I loved the locally sourced rockfish which was a real treat. The rib eye steak was cooked perfectly and the plate was gorgeous. Every detail from the potatoes to the colored salt on the plate had been prepared like it was going to be filmed for Chefs Table. The somollier was also delightful and gave us a wonder bottle from France and her passion and conversation and knowledge of wine was a real treat for all of us. The pear desert was light and special and the hand made chocolates they give each table at the meals end were just the best. This is one of those few restaurants that you can never get tired of and is world class terrific!

Published at a year ago

Food was overall delish. Service was incredible. Pasta dishes were awesome - lobster was the best. Risotto was too small. Salads weren t impressive. Sea bass and Rockfish was yummy. Food : 5/5

Published at a year ago

Food was good but ended up getting food poisoning that same night. Service is terrible, had to ask multiple times to even get water or drinks and food service took over 2 hours. Avoid this place, not worth the money!

Published at a year ago

Food, service and wine were all excellent. First time being at a Michelin Star restaurant and wow - they know what they are doing.

Published at a year ago

Food was really underwhelming

Published at a year ago

Excellence experience with top service!

Published at a year ago

Among the best restaurant experiences for me in the past few years.

Published at a year ago

Service is excellent and the food and drinks are very good.

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Citrin was a nice experience in L.A. The food was pleasant, service was excellent and the atmosphere was pretty nice. We were lucky enough to get a nice round table where my wife and I could sit together and look out, which was enjoyable. Foodwise everything was good, not mind blowing for either of our sakes, but still quality. It was worth the stop though prices might seem a bit stiffer compared to some Michelins around the world. However, for L.A it was pretty good! All in all a good experience

Published at a year ago

I m not sure why anyone would write a bad review about this place, it has been my favorite restaurant to dine at for years. The outside section is so romantic and quiet. Perfect for a first date. The food is just astonishing and it s just an overall amazing environment.

Published at a year ago

A wonderful, unpretentious Michelin star restaurant. The lobster bolognese and ribeye are highly recommended. Service is consistently top notch.

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

The service was fantastic but the food definitely doesn t worth the price! The 4 course menu with some extra options up to 85 dollar was pretty bad for such high price! Food

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

First time at a Michelin star restaurant. Everything was prepared very well. I am a chef/owner of a restaurant on the east coast and I certainly appreciate the dedicated staff for preparing a wonderful meal. P.S. my two kids joined my wife and I and they accommodate them as well

Published at a year ago

Great service. Tomato soup was the best Ive ever had. Country rolls also excellent (Basil rolls overwhelmed. Too much). Polenta with sauce (veal dish) very tasty.

Published at a year ago

They cant cook their veal and steak right! Both dishes are super chewy and took so much effort to eat! For a 1 star restaurant who cant cook their meat right its super disappointment. Also their truffle spaghetti is very basic. Nothing stand out from their restaurant. Also desert... I feel like Costco pre-made desert can almost match the taste. No surprises.

Published at a year ago

Do you like Michelin Star restaurants in Europe? Then dont go here! The service is untrained and very rustic for this price range, which fit well into a Mexican restaurant. The food is of good quality but nothing special, the portions of the 4 course menu are more than sufficient and too large. The service is very uncoordinated and unprofessional, there is no sommelier or he was not introduced to us. With the very large but good one. Unfortunately we were left alone to choose the wine. The restaurant itself is very loud when most of the seats are occupied, it has more of a bar atmosphere. In short, its definitely not worth $600 for two people. And dear management: pay your employees properly so that they can pay their health insurance and dont get an additional 4% from the guest.

Published at a year ago

Really good food. But you can t serve that bread.

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

I very much enjoyed this place. My first real taste of fine dining, it was exhilarating. I did the tasting menu with my friend, where we got each of the options and split them. I think it is slightly overpriced, as some of the food (the steak) was not up to par. My favorite dish of the night was most definitely the lamb. The buttery, savory meat melted in your mouth with an explosion of flavors that require the utmost precision to execute.

Published at a year ago

We were excited to try this place for our anniversary. Turned out to be just a pretty ok restaurant, nothing outstanding. Service was just barely ok, friendlyish but bored and slow. Food was just ok. The truffle egg - at an $85 supplement - was interesting I guess but a little bland. Overuse of foam on everything. Portions extremely small. Decor was new but dated and furnished with lots of veneers and cheap materials. We were super disappointed, especially at that price point (tasting menu) the experience wasn t even remotely worth it. Check your bill carefully as we were charged hundreds over our bill for things we did not order. Won t be going back, there are too many great restaurants around - absolutely bewildered how this place was awarded a Michelin star.

Published at a year ago

Tasty but small

Published at a year ago

I did not feel that this restaurant was worthy of its Michelin star. I ordered the preset menu. The initial experience by our waitress was not welcoming at all, and in fact came off a very smug and stuck up. I did not feel as if I was welcomed, and instead felt as if I was just one more person. This is not the feeling that one should have at a Michelin star restaurant. The food itself was very nicely presented, but unfortunately the taste again was not worthy of a Michelin star. Overall, the restaurant is beautiful, but I felt Michelin should re-review this restaurant.

Published at a year ago

First time here was with my friends trying the regular tasting menu, and it was an amazing experience. We came again during Dine LA Week and this second experience was not as pleasant. Food was okay but our server of the night has been extremely impatient. I even saw her roll her eyes a couple times. She provided the check only 1 min after serving us dessert although she kept saying no rush. I felt very uncomfortable about her attitude. To me seems like they do not welcome guests during Dine LA Week then. Sharing two pics to prove that I did came twice.

Published at a year ago

As a local, I had the pleasure of dining at Citrin, a one Michelin star restaurant in Santa Monica. From start to finish, the knowledgeable and friendly staff provided excellent service. My partner and I opted for the 4 course sampling menu, which allowed us to indulge in all the culinary delights offered. Of note were the delectable amuse bouche, which set the perfect tone for the meal, and the flavorful basil bread. As a vegetarian, I was thrilled with the truffle risotto and truffle eggs, while my partner enjoyed the lobster capellini. Each dish was thoughtfully paired with a local wine recommendation by the expert sommelier. We concluded our dining experience with the decadent dark chocolate dessert, and the cozy atmosphere added to the overall ambiance of the restaurant. While the prices may be high, Citrin is definitely worth considering for special occasions in Santa Monica.

Published at a year ago

Great food with Great friends. A beautiful night.

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

So we were excited to try Citrin as it s a one-star Michelin restaurant local to where we live. Staff were knowledgeable & friendly. Stand outs included the hostess (cute brunette) who sat us, the water/bread server (younger female), & the Hispanic male who walked us through each presentation. We did the 4 course sampling so we could try everything. Stand outs: amuse bouche (great flavor & kick off to the dish), basil bread (we loaded up so we didn t starve from small portions- thank you bread girl, MVP!), the sauce with the halibut dish, the lamb, & the dark chocolate dessert dish. Let downs: portion sizes were really small (to be expected for restaurants like this, but sad to spend $450 to have to load up on bread), lobster bolognese (served with spaghetti noodles & little meat so it just came off cheap, & scallop (literally one with nothing special about it). The overall ambiance was nice, but the music was off-putting as they were listening to a Hall n oats playlist? Had me more in the mood for some fried diner food rather than something upscale. They do charge a 4% fee to provide health insurance for their workers, which we support (just an FYI). Also, ensure you check your bill because we were charged for French press we didn t order. Would likely not return as it s just not worth the cost.

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Very nice evening with great food. The truffle egg and wagyu surf-and-turf (this umami broth !!! ) were great. Both the lamb and the artichoke agnolottis absolutely amazing. And the highlight was the chocolate as well as the Grand Marnier soufflé! Perfect service, very good wine. An all-round perfect evening!

Published at a year ago

Overpriced and Underwhelming. We were so looking forward to this experience because of its Michelin association (actually unclear if it has one star or is just bib gourmand, pretty misleading either way since it deserves neither). We ordered the tasting menu which sounded great on paper, but turns out was not only a culinary disappointment but also just a bad deal overall. The dishes a la carte would have been almost exactly the same price, if not cheaper if you don t eat red meat. Hard pass. The bar Happy Hour from 5:30 to 7pm had the same food menu for much lower prices (and is walk-in only so no need for reservations). Our waitress said that the HH portions were smaller but that also seemed to be untrue based off of the dishes that came out to the people next to us at the bar compared our dishes from the tasting menu. Do not waste your money on having all your silverware replaced between each course. Drinks were decent (for happy hour, $11 each).

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

Love everything about this place

Published at a year ago

Published at a year ago

A whopper is better

Published at 2 years ago

Restaurant was not what it s blown up to be. Tried the dine LA menu and wasn t worth it and food tasted subpar especially their signature caviar dish. Wait staff was also not knowledged of the menu and wine selection.

Published at 2 years ago

So disappointing. I really wanted this experience to be great, but it wasn t. I have eaten in 1, 2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants in multiple countries and cities. Although Citrin does not have a star the expectations are set high by the way the restaurant is described, the fact it s coming from a 2 star chef and the high price. The issue here really stems from the price for what you get. We spent $600 dollars for 2 people. There was nothing bad about the food or the service or the restaurant, but there was nothing great about it. This meal should have cost less than $300 dollars and you would just about be satisfied you were having an acceptable meal. Key points: - the oyster at the start was a nice touch; - the lobster pasta was nice; - the sirloin was awful, again it was edible, but the expectations of this dish is something that s going to wow you. You really had to cut through it and chew it. It should have been like butter!! - the deserts looked good ish but tasted average. Again this should have been wow factors. - service was way to fast. We had 3 dishes in about 45 mins. We had to ask for a pause before the deserts to enable us to catch up with our wine. - we had half a bottle of champagne and a bottle of Pinot nior. There was minimal attention on toping up our glasses. So much so we had to ask for our champagne to be topped up after we had empty glasses for 5 minutes (the bottle was no where near our table so couldn t do it ourselves). We should have easily been able to drink the champage with the fish course but due to this and the rediculous speed the courses were served we still had half a bottle by the time the steak came and now a full bottle of red to drink! - the staff were very pleasant but generally lacking any coordination. Several more junior members looked lost. - there was a very loud and obnoxious American lady and her partner drinking at the bar. Instead of politely asking her to be quiet the bar staff engaged and joked with her shouty behaviour. After leaving we felt deflated but we can joke and laugh about it now. I feel sad and sorry for those people treating themselves to this type of experience for the first time. They would come away thinking that this is what great is . And it s not. Josiah Citrin, you must do better. You are robbing people.

Published at 2 years ago

Underwhelming and overpriced are the best words to describe. We are in Santa Monica for our honeymoon and after finding Citrin on Google and reading reviews about the chef, we thought Citrin would be a great option for a lovely dinner. I do have to say that we have eaten at a number of 1,2 and 3 Michelin star restaurants over the years including le Bernadin and Gabriel Kreuther in NYC and are happy to pay for amazing food when it s worth it, but this is far from being star worthy and worth the $584 dollars we paid for 2 people. I have to say that the staff were trying hard however there were a number of factors that really let this place down: - drinks : we ordered a half bottle of champagne to have with our starter and 2nd course however were left with empty glasses and the bottle of red wine we ordered for our mains/meat courses was then poured, leaving champagne in the bottle to be drank - speed of service : courses were brought out super fast! We d had 3 courses (plus an extra oyster course) having been in the restaurant for just less than an hour - surroundings : a bar is situated very close to the restaurant and there was a considerably noisy guest that really disrupted the ambience - food : no wow factor on any dish. Courses were ok but we had high expectations given the Michelin stars of the sister restaurant and were left feeling rather underwhelmed. Dishes lacked a wow factor and were lacking in flavour. Dishes with extras such as truffle would be charged at an extra 100+ so not really the exciting and delicious food described on the website. - in and out within under 2 hours (would have been less if we hadn t have asked for a 15-20 minute break between our main and dessert due to feeling super rushed! Positives - oyster Amuse Bouche was lovely, lobster Bolognese was a nice dish. Will not be returning here!

Published at 2 years ago

Delicious amazing beautiful food. Wonderful service. Def on the $$$$ side, but great for a special occasion!

Published at 2 years ago

Published at 2 years ago

Beat six course dinner I ve had

Published at 2 years ago

Soufflé!!!!

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Published at 2 years ago

I so, so wanted to love this meal. The wine pairing was lovely and the Lobster Bolognese was delicious. My wagyu wasn t cooked all that great. The team offered to replace it but by that point I had tried cutting thru half of the small portion of meat and didn t want them to waste another piece. Ultimately what I found surprising was asking for 4% service fee to help pay for health care. I m all about health care (I m Canadian) but gosh, shouldn t that be the owner that appreciates their staff enough to provide it instead of asking the guest to, on top of gratuity on what is, admittedly, a quite expensive meal for what you receive.

Published at 2 years ago

I ve dined at Michelin one and two star restaurants in multiple cities in multiple countries. Citrin charges Michelin level prices but fails to deliver. $390 tasting menu for two. With two drinks each, plus tip, the total came out to $700 for two. Unremarkable service. Unremarkable food. But dessert was delicious. I would say it s not worth the money spent. Not even at half the cost. The couple next to us who brought their crying new born baby and watching the husband watch TV on his phone didn t help.

Published at 2 years ago

Very expensive just to be hungry after. Valentines dinner. Lamb ribeye was meh, Fishy was good, mushy sauce was good, Cocktails were great. Overall not worth $500 for two . Disappointing. Oh the gm was very attentive and kind to us so respect to her!

Published at 2 years ago

Amazing food, Amazing service, Cant say anything negative about staff except their awesome. Drinks are 5 diamonds. Courtney GM is 5 diamonds .

Published at 2 years ago

Published at 2 years ago

My wife and I celebrated out 37th anniversary at Citrin. We are definitely foodies .For over 40 years in L.A. we have enjoyed most of the finest restaurants since Wolfgang Puck was the chef at MaMaison. We had the finest dinner and service of all time at Citrin tonight. A wonderful find in a declining dining world. The Señora lamb chops were the best ever as was the whipped potatoes. the Melise salad. the Dover sole and the incredible chocolate soufles. The service was incredible. It was an all time memorable experience and they deserve a standing ovation.

Published at 2 years ago

Published at 2 years ago

Fantastic food, every time!

Published at 2 years ago

Published at 2 years ago

Food was delicious, I loved their signature lobster bolognese! The service was also top notch. Very happy to have Citrin now open in Santa Monica.

Published at 2 years ago

Josiah has done it again with his seasonal menu, he states his inspiration was drawn from his life experiences and his past. A beautiful experience that should be shared intimately. It s best to do the tasting menu and experience everything he has for you.

Published at 2 years ago

An interesting blend of the formality or Melisse and the creativity of Citrin. The outdoor space they have created is charming, and the personality of Josiah Citrin comes through again and again. The food is great, and although expensive, still is a great value.

Published at 2 years ago

Absolutely delicious food and drink.

Published at 2 years ago

Very classy, fantastic cocktails and fabulous food! The bartenders are brilliant, they are attentive and personable. Great place for a date, beautiful atmosphere and they took care of my fiancé and myself really well. Highly recommend!!

Published at 2 years ago

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Published at 2 years ago

Good food. Service not too warm.

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Published at 2 years ago

We finally ate here; options are 4 course tasting or a la cart, we chose the latter. Everything was good but their signature lobster capellini is outstanding. Order 2 as is a small serving. The duck breast was memorable too.

Published at 2 years ago

Unsurpassed Cuisine, a most for the serious food warrior

Published at 2 years ago

Group shared many dishes for unique menu tasting experience in creatively designed outdoor garden. Each dish was masterful in taste and presentation. Many praises for the basil brioche, truffled egg, yellowtail, octopus, boeuf bourginnone, sole, chicken, apple tart and chocolate cake. Divine!

Published at 2 years ago

Fantastic food and even better service! The manager Chloe went above and beyond to make us feel welcomed during our visit. Will definitely be visiting again the next time we are in Cali!

Published at 2 years ago

Published at 2 years ago

Excellent food. Service was equally good. Everything was cooked to perfection. Ill be roasting my pears all the time now.

Published at 2 years ago

Published at 2 years ago

Absolutely amazing customer services, the general manager & his assistant (James & Lauren) facilitated a last minute surprise for friends visiting Citrin over the phone with me in Australia! Service like this is very rare but highly appreciated !!!

Published at 2 years ago