Melisse Restaurant Review

chef Josiah Citrin s French/New American all-star - Lamb Sugo with toasted breadcrumbs, and a seared strip loin of Miyazaki Wagyu

If you love high-quality French leaning cuisine there is no place better. My family and I have enjoyed this restaurant for a long time. It's always excellent.

There is nothing not to like about this place....except maybe the price. Considering the quality and amount if food, though, it's worth it. The truffle Egg is the bomb. I had the John Dory and the duck and the quality was phenomenal. I also recommend the souffle to finish off the meal.

white and clean interior designs and also bread and wine.

Fine dining, everything was perfect, the service was superior, Chef Citrin even came to our table and welcomed us,

Not impressive at all. The food is average and pricey. The stake is trouble coming from Chicago. The scallop is dry
The waiter is so mean and rushing take the plate without excuse me. I will not recommend this place at all.

Interesting but not memorable experience. My wallet will remember it for a long time though!

josiah citrin has re-invented the brasserie in santa monica...and a fine example at that!

Outstanding! easily the best restaurant in Los Angeles. Everything is perfect.

I have to admit, The service and hospitality were impeccable but the food was lacking quality in my opinion. Dont get me wrong, it was good but definitely not worth a months rent. I would not reccomend for the price they charge.

The food was good, service was good. My sister's birthday was awesome, we all celebrated her birthday in a nice quiet room, but it got hot, we didn't get enough cool air, and that got uncomfortable for most of us.we were 10 in our party. We told them that we were hot and that we were not getting enough cool air but our needs were ignored

Food was great but it is very pricey for the quality served.

What a fantastic experience ! The tasting menu was fabulous , the cocktails were super original ( and good!!) the service was really efficient and helpful ( including the valet ) . No need to take any supplements ( sorry , the truffle was not necessary) and cherry on the cake , the dessert and la Pate de fruit were perfectly finishing this meal !!! We ll be back ...

Overrated. Meal was not up to par with what we expected. Our waiter was excellent but the other servers were not very attentive and gave incorrect descriptions of several dishes we were served. Overall it felt like a very tired experience and food that was too rich without real flavor.

My favorite restaurant of all time . I eat here at least two or three times year.

Best food, best service, hands-down!!!

Get the tasting menu and put aside three hours for the best culinary experience of your life.

Staff was courteous and attentive. Food and drink were wonderful. Pleasant atmosphere and had a very comfortable evening out. Definitely would recommend for a date or a fancy meal with friends or family.

Had A Really Good Time Here, Every We Had Was Amazing, I Got There Really Hungry, Not The Best Place For That Cause The Food Takes A While

Terrific! Will certainly be actually arriving back once more. The location is extremely excellent for me.

Exceptional food, friendly staff members, always good ambience. They charge affordable rates and the food quality is excellent. 5 stars.

Worth every penny, this was a delicious birthday dinner. Splurge for the wine tasting.

Amazing dining experience with extremely good wait staff. Helped make my Grandmother's birthday wonderful!

The Service is spot on. Creative dishes. All perfectly timed.

The service was really subpar, too many tables and not enough staff. This led to the wine pairing coming after we had finished the course. No question the food is good but no better than restaurants far less expensive, like rustic canyon across the street, making it hard to justify the price tag when the service and experience lags.

Still the best in Los Angeles. Superior food, superior service, superior decor and superior wine list.

nice food, they have dab of ranch but it has too much sauce

Awesome dining experience and superb food! Will come back soon. Thanks.

Chef Citrin knows how to cast a spell. Everything from the first moment to the finish is designed, curated, and made from excellence. Something you HAVE to experience. The pursuit of excellence through the art of cuisine

Wonderful experience
..

stellar, but spendy, however, it's worth every penny!

Food was delicious. The truffle egg was my favorite dish. The experience was flawless. Waitstaff was informed and courteous. They where attentive to my needs and wants as a vegetarian and made menu adjustments tailored specifically for me. If you get the chance to make a reservation here please do.

A nice little french spot in Santa Monica. A little pricey but well worth it. I recommend the egg caviar and wagyu beef.

this place definitely lived up to its high rankings - the food was top notch and it's been a long time since i have enjoyed 3 hours in a restaurant without feeling rushed by the staff. the ambience was very conducive to intimate conversation, the wine list impressive, and the service attentive. unlike many french restaurants that leave you wanting to stop by an in-and-out afterwards, the 5 courses left us all comfortably satisfied. the fois gras portions were surprisingly generous and every dish was meticulously prepared and presented. such decadence doesn't come cheap, of course, but this

Know going in it will cost a ton, and it will be worth it. From bread to dessert they do it right. A genuine night out.

Amazing flavors and exquisite presentation. Attentive staff are always around. Overall a great place to dine. Remember to dress accordingly!

Great food, best in the city.
Good service!
Felt very safe with their Covid procedures.

Only got delivery from this place during COVID and let's just say it's one of the best best decision I've made during COVID! Delicious delicious I love the chicken sandwiches and wings! Rebaked both after getting the delivery.

Orders:
- The Sando (mild): amazing flavor, juicy chicken. I never thought I would like pickles but this Sando really just made me realize why pickles can complement such a wonderful sandwich
- Wings (mild): three chicken wings; love them so much as well. The wings have so much spice and flavor, and they're all made to perfection!

Overall, I love this place!!

Pommes mousseline. More butter than potato but it will be the best thing you've ever consumed. Jidori chicken. Do the chef's tasting. Always a treat. Brian Kalliel- the sommelier- is the best in California. Let him choose all of the wine and you will have the best meal "experience" you've had in a long time

My favorite number one restaurant in LA. I was sad to see the old cucumber dish was gone, but all the new menu was just as good or even better. I love that all the flavor is so natural from the ingredients, never over powered by seasoning which many restaurants do in LA. The wine paring was unique and fun, and personally, it was the best paring experience I had so far after visiting some Michelin restaurants around the world. I cannot wait to visit again.

If you arrive early, I recommend visiting the Citrin bar. The cocktails are great. Great balance of flavor and alcohol and not too sweet.

best food service ambiance in santa monica. If you can afford it go for it. all my friends laughed when i posted the portion on IG hahahaha

Downright terrific. Two Michelin stars? Easily worth three. Impeccable, exquisite and precious. The plating, the tastes, the flavor profiles - just spot on. That coddled egg caviar with the cauliflower mousseline and the creme fraiche/whipped cream with lemon zest topped with caviar? That's what fine-dining is all about. And oh yum - all manners of interesting hits to come after that - lobster bolognese - just Heaven. I travel for food - I mean i'll fly to Chicago just to go to Alinea, or Italy or France and just go from restaurant to restaurant - and Melisse holds it's own and then some. Bottom line - is is delicious? Do you crave certain dishes to keep you coming back? Big yes on that. Service is impeccable, waiters are fun to chat with, wine pairings are spot on and the sommelier gives you a great run down on what flavors to focus on. And a GREAT wine list. Especially if you like Bordeaux with some age on it. 89 and 90's? They've got 'em. And stick to those 3rd growth bargains. L.A.'s best restaurant.

Undeniably good french food, but the tiny pours for the "wine" pairing were inexcusable and half the courses were paired with oddball fortified wines that were too inaccessible even for a wino like me.

Your experience starts with the first person who greets you. Hostess sits us and first thing she tells us the CDC only allows 1.5hours to eat. My wife who is already hangry then starts to panic thinking we are not going to have enough time to eat. I spend to much time trying to figure out what adult beverage I want and don t have time to look at the dining menu. Since she felt rushed she wanted to order right away. She wanted to do the 4 course tasting menu with the upgrade for $150 per person. I ve done them at many Michelin restaurants so when it was on me to order I said give me the same thing as my wife. Not knowing their was different options. Lobster roll (2nd course) was my favorite out of the meal. I felt the main course (beef) witch seamed to be pot roast and some steak Medallions was ok but the sauce (gravy) was way to salty. Our waiter was very nice and Eventually told us that they are going to kick us out. Me being from Nebraska already had the mentality I d like to see them try to kick me out. Not the best, not the worst.

We had the 10 course meal. It was great!! The waiters and staff are attentive to your needs and requests. It is one of the great places to go for a special occasion. Please be aware that meal times are 3-4 hours for the 10 course meal. Overall, an excellent experience for french food in LA.

Fantastic. Just go try it. Everything was a medley of flavors and beyond unique. The service was some of the best I have ever experienced as well.

Superb chefs...Great good, elegant service, amazing wines, epic cheese cart, and friendly people!

i liked the food, except for the beef cheek which was chewy. excellent service. honestly, overpriced.

Wife and I had such a great experience. We will be back next year!

Prices are good, the prep time is very quick, the service is great, and the food quality is rather good. I would advise dine-in, because sometimes take-out or delivery can cool off.

The combo plate comes with a good mix of salad and hummus, and the meat portions are generous.

extravagant three hour dining experience if you go for the full tasting menu. the service is outstanding, right down to the too hip for words sommelier. the only vegetarian tasting menu i have ever heard of was tremendous.

Just like most french restaurants, it's a prix-fixe menu, which usually makes for an interesting dining experience. The ambiance is nice, and the wait-staff is relatively well trained and personable. The food itself attempted to be creative, but was truly forgettable.

I think this restaurant is nice if:

1.You're trying to show off

2. You are truly just looking to have a 10 course meal in a nice atmosphere and have nothing else better to do for the next 2.5 hours and are willing to pay $200/hr. for it.

3. You hold a firm conviction that the more you pay for something, the better it must be (what I believe to be their target audience)

If you don't fall into any of those 3 categories, then this probably isn't the place for you.

In conclusion; nice atmosphere, cool concept, forgettable food.
So if you're a big "foodie" not the place for you.

Overpriced food, overrated service and you can do so much better at other fine dining establishments in Los Angeles.

To bad ...that Santa Monica is chasing away fine dining.

Wonderful! It's very high end dining, but without the hoity toity attitude!

Had a high expectation before going there, but the dining experience wasn't anything specially. Ordered 4 courses meal, add couple courses from other menus. I admit that they are good food, but definitely do not deserve 2 Michelin stars. The service is what disappointed me the most, take forever for me to get my server. When I ask to see the wine menu, I'll get responses:" one second sir, let me get your server"..... I mean, C'mon.. Just grab my menu please. None of other Michelin restaurants I've been have such poor services. They often go extra miles to make sure you have the best dining experience.

But heard the Ten courses menu is better, double I would go back and try tho..

2 stars for the service, 4 Stars for the food. Average 3 stars.

Michelin stars - 0

Most Westside places don t stand up to the price. Melisse overexceeds. Service, ambiance, drink, and food are all perfect.

Quite possibly the worst formerly rated Michelin restaurant in Los Angeles if not in the country. Terrible flavors, undercooked food, rotten customer service, and overpriced beyond belief.

We got the prix fixe menu with the wine. It was good, the wine and sommelier was the best part. Great date spot, good service, good sized portions (we were both full by the end, which doesn't always happen with tasting menus). However it was not one of the best meals I've eaten, I ended up eating some of my spouse's plates that she wasn't a fan of. At $5-600 for a two person dinner, I would consider returning for the wine, but would also rather go to one of the other Michelin restaurants I have been to first.

Although good food, I don't appreciate the snobby vibe all over this place. Amazing caviar

This restaurant while attempts to be the equivalent of a Michelin restaurant, it just does not match up. The menu looked very interesting, the entry level tasting menu was $150, however to really get something of interest you have to add in $50, yes $50, supplements. So, the $150 menu really was $250 when you add in the supplements. Then when the food came, it was cold and certainly not up to Michelin standards. Now for the wine list, great wine selection, but in my many years i have never seen such markups. Some as much as 7 times the retail price. One does not even see these sort of prices in 3 star restaurants in SF or NYC. Restaurant just average, would consider good if 20% the price.

Overpriced - limited choices
Only three menu choices: 4 course selection $135, 7 course selection $165 and 10 course selection $195. Options in 4 course limited unless pay supplement of $15 plus dollars.
We do not go to expensive French restaurants to rush, but it took way too long between courses...poor service. The Waiter appeared bothered with questions, and answered very loudly and disturbing. Will never return.

I've been to this restaurant a few times, and I must say the food is always great! Try the lamb shank, and you'll know what I mean by great. The staffs are nice, and the ambiance is perfect for a romantic dinner. It is great to go to a restaurant where the service is always good. I recommend it highly for visitors who might be tiring of local cuisine.

Go here for more than a meal. Everyone that works here is exceptional at serving the customer. The entire experience from start to finish is a little hard to describe. I will say this though - we were there with a baby that occasionally needed to be taken outside to keep entertained. Without even asking staff would come and notify me right BEFORE a plate was to arrive. Special place.

Put yourself in the Chef's hands & you will be blown away by his amazing talent!

Food is interesting and well made. The atmosphere is authentic and relaxing. Always excellent service. Nice wine selection. Great asset to Melisse. Thank you so much again for taking care of us .

Everything was terrific, except for one young, petite sommelier, who was snobby and unfriendly.

I've never had such awful service at a fine dining restaurant. Our waitress seemed over whelmed with too many tables and decided to focus on some and not others...I guess we weren't ordering enough drinks, but then I couldn't get her attention to order more.

When asked how our meal was we mentioned the service was lacking but nothing changed. By the end even getting our table bussed seemed too much to ask.

The food was fantastic but the service isn't ready to be open right now. It's ashame that they are open when their staff seems disinterested in being there.

This was a birthday dinner and it was awesome! The food was delicious, everyone was very friendly, Professional, and our waiter's timing was perfection. In today's food world. Really do I experience something that professional waitress and waiter's performed in the 80's. Timing!

Great French cuisine experience from an L.A. restaurant! Be prepared for a series of small portions that are great tasting. Service is good, but be patient and indulge in conversation while waiting for each serving. Pricey, but I'll visit again.

Excellent Mac and Cheese among other goodies. Great service to boot. Nice sports bar environment

Had A Really Good Time Here, Every We Had Was Amazing, I Got There Really Hungry, Not The Best Place For That Cause The Food Takes A While

Spectacular experience on every level. Cocktails sublime. Ambiance perfect. The staff attends to every small detail including ironing the table cloths so they are perfectly pressed. The staff indulges and spoils the guests beyond description. Each course is presented with sincerity and knowledge by the Sous Chefs. And the food is plated and prepared like an episode from Chef's table. Perfection from start to finish!

Beautiful new garden oasis. Same warm welcome, extraordinary cuisine and world class service. Congratulations on perfect adaptation to outdoor dining. What a pleasure!

This is a great restaurant that can pair great reasonably priced wines with great food.

pricey, but one of best restaurants in socal for foods, service, mood, and everything

Exceptional. Their sommelier does an incredible job. The already delicious food was enhanced quite a bit by the wine pairings.

Refined and refreshing French. The amount is small. The price is high.
The store is also nice. Maybe good on a special day. There is a Michelin star.

Best restaurant! Chef Josie rocks. Top notch service, top notch food experience, top notch everything

pretty good but a total rip-off. still got to give it 5 stars for trying so hard

Healthy and tasty food done absolutely to perfection for a very good price. Would recommend!