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What an amazing experience to dine here. The restaurant was small but there was enough space between us and the table next to us. Everything on the menu was perfect… the cocktails were all named after movie quotes, how special! We were totally in love with the Uni panna cotta, I’ve never tasted anything like this before, a must-try if you come! I also want to mention that their toast was amazing!! I love the crunchiness texture so much, definitely kept you full even though the rest of the portion is small

Simply stunning experience. Every meal and cocktail is a balanced masterpiece, and the service is expert. Elliot made our meal flow perfectly with memorable recommendations and graceful patience with our pickiness on wine temperature. Highly recommend, will be telling all my friends and coming back!

HLAY has immediately become one of my favorite restaurants! This place has a quirky, eclectic vibe with creative food and drinks to match! Every dish we tried was excellent, and even the bread was memorable. I recommend the Uni panna cotta, which was an absolutely unique flavor. Other highlights include the chicken liver mousse, the steak tartare, strachiatella, and the shaved ice dessert. I am already planning to return here to try the other half of the menu.

Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and made a reservation online. The team was very efficient and even laid out a special ribbon on the table for us. The staff was helpful with drink suggestions and made sure to cross check all the allergies that one of our party had with the dishes, and made sure to mark it clearly on his menu, which was helpful. The drinks were slightly Asian influenced, and I got something off of their Tiki-inspired menu. All the drinks were delicious albeit ice heavy. I think our favorite dish collectively was the uni panna cota. It was savory, but also sweet and slightly tart. A flavor bomb for sure. The low point was definitely the ribeye, which ended up being the most expensive dish. The black pepper sauce was very delicious, slightly reminiscent of HK style black pepper beef cubes. The entire party agreed that the thick cut slices were also very satisfying. The glaring issue really was with the beef quality and cook. First off, the rib-eye toeing the fine line between being super crusted and burnt. However, the big kicker was a huge tendon running through 85% of the pieces. It was already difficult enough for the steak knife provided to attempt to break through the tendon; with all four of us sawing, the table kept violently rocking back and forth and a glass almost fell over. Even if we somehow managed to cut through (which we mostly didn't), even swallowing was difficult. I chewed and chewed each to try to break it down more, but all that happened was that it turned into meat gum, and I was forced to try to swallow the bolus whole. I'm sure my companions had the same issue. For a $130 piece of meat, I feel like we shouldn't having to be going to war to get it down our throats, but that's just me. Not sure if other diners had a similar experience, but I would be wary of ordering this. This aside, the rest of the dinner was very enjoyable. The staff were attentive without being overbearing, and the other dishes were satisfying. The portions seemed a bit small, but we were extremely stuffed by the end of the me and enjoyed the other dishes very much. 3.5/5 given the sad state of the steak, but rounded to 4 for the overall experience.

I’m glad HLAY reopened! This was one of my favorite spots for drinks. The bar program continues to be one of the best in LA. I got the “Somebody Stop Me!” Blanco and Pisco cocktail - it was my ideal drink: not too sweet nor strong. If I had the ability to handle more than one drink, I definitely would have tried more on the menu. The food was a mix of hits and misses. The good: chicken hearts and escargot skewers. Super tasty and well seasoned. The meh: uni panna cotta and frog legs. The uni panna cotta seemed like one of the most popular items, but the sauce on top was too vinegary. The frog legs seemed like a good idea in theory but when the predominant sensation is spicy, there’s not many other flavors that come through. The salsa negra dipping sauce that came on the side was one of the most unique flavors I’ve tasted in a long time. We enjoyed the pear shave ice dessert so much! Valet parking is out back for $8.

So happy they reopened!! Their menu is small but so effective. And the drinks, wow. It’s just as good as I remembered. I’m going to let the photos speak for themselves…

Met friends who suggested this place! Didn’t really have any expectations other they our dinner companions were into food and wine. So glad we went. Everything was done so well. My favourite dish of the night was the savoury Uni Pana Cotta. Other highlights were the Ahi Tuna carpaccio and a Scallop with a umami dressing!

GO HERE RIGHT NOW IT WILL BE YOUR NEW FAVORITE!! My cousin and I checked out this place on our birthday trip to LA. This was by far the best meal we ate! KUMAMOTO OYSTERS : Hibiscus, Ginger, Cassava, Wasabi ** Great texture, bright and tangy! BURRATA : Yuzu Kosho, Shingiku, Pumpkin Seed, B&G Bread ** Holy burrata this was good. The green sauce was reminiscent of a chimichurri- herbaceous with a bit of spice! SPROUTED BROCCOLI : Ginger, H.O.P., Seeds, Nuts ** Not gonna lie, when this came out we got a little nervous as it looked like a health food lunch bowl- not what we were looking for. It turned out to be absolutely delicious and we finished every last bit of it! HERITAGE PORK BELLY : Nam-Jim, Key Lime, Pineapple, Herbs, Shallots ** Pork Belly was crispy and delicious. The pineapple appeared grilled and had some heat to it! The mint, basil, and cilantro on top added a nice freshness to the dish. ROASTED CHESTNUT MOCHI : Coconut, Muscovado, Halvah ** DELICIOUS GET THIS DO IT JUST GET IT!! Nutty, creamy, and I’ll dream of this forever. Service was incredible- Personal, Knowledgeable, and made us feel as if we were welcomed into their home. I can’t wait for our next trip back to try whatever incredible things they come up with!