Bandera

Horrible experience this last time. Had reservations and still made us wait over 50min. So we left!

Went to this place on a date after work. Staff was very very nice! Mood is so romantic, white linen, candles, music playing in the background. Overall good experience.
Only thing I would say is that food is a little pricey and valet is $ 7 but other than the experience was great.
Try the jumbo shrimp appetizer! The red sauce has a good kick to it!

Great place for steaks and drinks. I approve. Try their ribs very very good. Bandera on Wilshire and Harrington.

GIVE ME THAT BABY BACK RIBS!
As a graduation dinner, family decided to come to Banderas. I love the dark interior with the live jazz playing at the entrance.
Family decided to order margaritas and glasses of wine for the table. Nice and light for the intense entrees we were about to eat.
I ordered the ribs as they were recommend by many. These ribs $ 32 were the best thing on the menu! Literally falls of the bone and melts in your mouth. They didn’t go too light or too heavy on the sauce. My friend ordered the enchiladas with Kobe tri-​tip. The beef was too chewy in my opinion but the enchiladas was really good. I think but some carrots in the enchiladas which was an unexpected ingredient in the mix.
For dessert, we ordered the Banana Cream Pie. The crust tasted like a warm oatmeal cookie which complemented the light banana cream. Also has some caramelized bananas and whipped cream as finishing touches.
Definitely filling dishes! Would go back just for the ribs!

I feel like this is the Westside version of an Olive Garden or Red Lobster. The menu appears to be designed for mass appeal and the execution is similarly basic.
The skillet cornbread was lauded by our waitress as very popular and she assured us our decision to order it was the right one. Sure, it is a large portion if you care about that sort of thing. However the cornbread itself lacked any sort of finesse. It was so saccharinely sweet from honey and heavy from the butter and cheese baked within. It could’ve used a lot more heat from the jalapeños, which appeared to be pickled.
I ordered the fish sandwich and substituted my salad greens for french fries. That substitution was a mistake. The fries tasted as if they’ve had been freezer burned. Half of them were too hard and the other half were soggy. Two thumbs up for the fish sandwich, however. It was cooked (fried) very nicely and the pickles were a good addition.
The hub had the rotisserie chicken with pommes purée. Both were average. Too much butter on the pommes purée and the chicken lacked seasoning.
The beer and wine are overpriced, which I suppose is par for the course in Brentwood. Luckily I had a gift card that took care of most of our check. I will not be going back.

This restaurant on Wilshire Bl x Barrington has been in business for a number of yrs, so I recently suggested it to a friend and we went last nite.
We had a cozy tablebooth for 2 and were happy campers once the hostess showed us to the table and it being a saturday nite. The live jazz band was playing and the whole vibe of the place was a party-​like atmosphere, no seats left at the bar, a very casual feel. They recently went up in their prices, but I knew that beforehand and was not concerned.
We ordered 2 glasses of wine which was delicious (sauvignon blanc) and we were both thinking Caesar Salad. It was a blessing that they did not serve bread, we didn’t miss it. Our salads were exceptionally big and very delicious and allowed us to enjoy and relax with our wine. I would definetly recommend this restaurant since the menu is so varied. Ordered a cheeseburger med. rare, it was mouthwatering! oozing with flavor, and perfect for us to share umm, umm, great great great! Their menu has it all, and I could eat there a couple of nites a week. Just Go!

Great service, no corkage fee, delicious food. I love the jalapeño dip, but I still prefer the spinach artichoke dip. I guess that I’m ‘old school’. I love the famous French Dip sandwich. They make simple things taste extraordinary. Hanna at the bar is a sweetheart. Valet parking ($ 7) is convenient and efficient. The live jazz music is incredible for a Tuesday night (or any night!). I love the cozy atmosphere.

This is one of the coolest restaurants I’ve been in. Has an old world charm with live jazz and great atmosphere. Prices are high, but food and service are excellent.
Baby back ribs with 2 inches of meat on both sides of the bone. Half consumed martini glass replaced with fresh chilled glass. Incredibly perfect hot fudge Sunday for desert.
Dark and cozy. Really love this place. Like I said expect to spend a good amount of money, $ 50.00 steaks $ 33.00 ribs but really cool and classy.

Once again another place that I always wanted to try and finally got a chance to. If you drive too fast you might miss it since it’s on a corner and the sign is a little hidden. There is street parking at meters that are free either after 6pm or after 8pm. If not there is also valet parking in front of the restaurant. We called ahead because they close at 10pm and we were probably going to get there at 9:30pm. They informed us they will continue seating people up to 10pm which was nice knowing we weren’t being rushed.
There is a nice ambiance to the place, with live musicians playing jazz and a bar in the middle, with the seating along the perimeter. The staff here was amazing. From the hostess to the server, we had excellent service.
Everything that was ordered was delicious as well. The queso appetizer had a very creamy thick texture with a mix of cheeses. The chips were nice, light and warm and when we ran low, the server automatically brought some more chips out. The french dip was super tender, juicy, and melted in your mouth. And of course the banana pie is one of the best you will ever have.
–Street parking available
–Get the banana pie!
–Super tender french dip-​even when i brought the leftover home and warmed it in the oven it was still tender!

Hillstone Restaurant Group is one of my favorite restaurant groups. All their restaurants, of which Bandera is a part, pretty much have the same restaurant, give or take a few differences. For my sister’s birthday, I got to play decision maker and chose Bandera since we had to stay somewhat close to Westwood and I like the food.
Our party of four started off with an appetizer of the jalapeño corn bread. It came out super fast. The cornbread was not as good as I remembered it and it was kind of mushy on the inside, but still good nonetheless. For the entrees, I ordered the French Dip (I get this 99% of the time), my older sister ordered the cheeseburger, and my younger sister ordered the rotisserie chicken. My French Dip was awesome as always and my sister liked her cheeseburger. I tasted the rotisserie chicken and it was a bit too «soft» and even though I know it was cooked thoroughly it kind of had an uncooked taste to me so I was not a fan.
The ambiance here is nice — clean, modern, open kitchen, and moderate noise level. It’s not a crazy loud restaurant and there is a live jazz band but they’re not so loud that you can’t have a conversation.
Parking: unless you can manage to find street parking, you will have to valet park for a service fee of $ 7.00.

Prime Rib ⁵⁄₅ — I’m gonna go ahead and say that they have the best prime rib in LA.
Ribeye Steak ⁵⁄₅
Banana Cream Pie ⁵⁄₅
Pricey but the food is definitely up there. I don’t come here as much anymore because they got rid of ‘take-​out’.

Omg the rib-​eye is a must order! Medium rare with tomato slices. The only downside at this place is the waiting if no reservation and the noise level. I could not hear the live music. Besides that it was an absolute wonderful restaurant

Hands down, best steak house ever. My review is a few weeks late. The rib eye is a must! They have live music. Classy crowd.
Staff is attentive to detail. Clearly their managers hire great staff. They take pride in what their restaurant has to offer. Kudos for them for delivering exceptional results.
Shout out to our awesome server, I believe her name was Breanna. Highlight of my night was when the manager Laura came out to say hello.
I will be back. In my opinion this beats Mastros all day.

My sister has been raving about these ribs for years so when her birthday came around, I decided to treat her to her favorite meal. The ribs are cooked to perfection as the meat falls off the bone — no knives necessary. The jalapeño slaw and shoestring fries are an absolute must for sides. Make sure to get the chipotle aioli also. Don’t forget to try the duo dip for a starter: chunky guacamole and zesty cheese dip served with fresh tortilla chips. For desert, the banana cream pie or homemade ice cream sandwiches are both amazing.

²⁄₅ for fairly amateur service, disappointing food at this price point, but good drinks and an enjoyable atmosphere and ambiance. Do not come here if you’re looking for a memorable, flavorful meal but rather come for after-​work drinks and smaller bites as so you won’t be too underwhelmed. I was am really disappointed and since I had made the reservation for the entire party, I felt like I let everyone down which is a really crappy feeling. This was my first time at a Hillstone Restaurant Group so maybe I should have known better but I won’t be returning to any others by the Group.
Everything was looking good until we go to interacting with our server and ordering. We had reservations for a Saturday night and were seated promptly, even though some of the party was delayed a little bit. Correspondence with the hostesses had been a pleasant and easy experience. We arrived to live jazz music and a lively atmosphere… the place seem probably 85% full which was a great sign! I had read the negative reviews here prior and so far into the night they seemed to be one-​off experiences.
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Drinks:
We ordered a few cocktails to start. The first issues with our waiter became evident as he wasn’t really great at recommending any of the drinks, other than asking what kind of main spirit we preferred. Obviously he isn’t the bartender but some more guidance would be beneficial.
I tried the Paloma, which was tequila, grapefuit, lime juice and pink peppercorns served straight up. It was very smooth, and while the peppercorns weren’t that pleasant in of themselves, they flavor they imparted to the drink was nice and a little different.
The 13^th Street was really refreshing and a nice twist, made with vodka and muddled white grapes and basil leaves. This was served on the rocks and was tasty. At $ 14 each, these drinks are definitely on the pricier side considering many places in LA have cheaper yet more complex drinks. They were good though this gives the place a star.
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On to the food:
When being walked through the menu, we had asked our waiter a number of questions, including details on the main courses and any specials. It was really surprising how uneducated he was when it came to being able to provide details on the dishes to any worthwhile degree. His menu speech was pretty uninspiring and left us all kind of anxious to even order anything in the first place…
Grilled artichokes: I’m really not sure what the big hype is about these… they’re literally grilled artichokes with an aioli/​mayo sauce… really nothing special here. Are they good? Well yeah they’re cooked and served with aioli so of course they’re going to be enjoyable but absolutely nothing that can’t be done at home or worth the price.
Special asparagus: We had to joke about this plate when it was brought out. Essentially 4 different colored asparagus cut up and *again* served with this same «Chef’s Special» aioli. Stop making a big deal out of this damn sauce.
BBQ ribs and chicken plate: Again, I don’t see what the hype is about these ribs. The sauce was too sweet and it definitely was not as tender as everyone said it was. Those that claim these are great ribs must not have had any decent BBQ before… The chicken was tender and pretty good. I opted for sides of kale salad (pretty tasty, but along the lines of a deli salad you might get at Gelson’s) and the blue cheese tomatoes, which were really good although didn’t really go with the BBQ part of the dish. At $ 32, I was really underwhelmed.
Dover Sole: Alright so the waiter had said it was a really nice and flaky sole, flown in from the English Channel and nicely pan fried. Sounds pretty good, right? Well it comes out as a long filet essentially deep fried like you’d expect in fish and chips. Not quite, but *way* more fried than any of us desired and let to believe. Those that ordered it ended up carving away the breading which didn’t leave a whole lot of fish left. Oh did I mention it was also served with the same damn chef’s sauce? Man. Don’t recall the price of it but I wouldn’t think about ordering it again. Why ruin a perfectly fresh and good fish???
Ahi tuna platter: The presentation of this dish was all-​star and what I had expected all the dishes to look like. The cook was pretty nice and the sauces were good too, albeit too salty in my opinion. Served with the kale salad and roasted beets, this was the only standout dish. At $ 31 I’d say it was worth it.
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We had no desire to try the desserts at this point since and I didn’t trust the prior reviews anymore to try them. We made the best of the evening enjoying each others’ company and the music but none of us had anything good to say about the food. Maybe I’d return if there’s a happy hour on drinks and other food but otherwise I don’t intend to return here nor to any other Hillstone restaurants.

As much as I like most of the Hillstone Group of restaurants Bandara’s is good but for me it was not knock your socks off great. I had the BBQ Beef Back ribs. Yes they were tender but almost like too tender and fall off the bone to the extent that the meat was all on the plate and nothing stuck to the bones. The peanut coleslaw is always good. The jumbo shrimp are always a good bet as well.

Located on the corner in Brentwood. The décor is nice, interesting art work and a dark cozy bar feel with jazz playing.
We sat at the bar which was full but it was enjoyable!
The jumbo shrimp appetizer was delicious!
Deviled eggs here are a must try!
The burrata was fresh and tasty.
Shared the rotisserie chicken a popular item here but I found it to be just average. Good just not fabulous like I was expecting from other reviews.
The cornbread wow yum!
Banana cream pie is amazingly good don’t miss this treat!
Hard to talk at times since it’s loud!
Service is friendly and attentive.
Valet parking here.

One of my favorite Hillstone restaurants. Pulled up at the valet (only parking around and $ 7) and walked through the kitchen which was kind of cool. The restaurant itself has a great vibe and perfect lighting for a date night or just to hang at the bar. We ordered the Mancho salad (highly recommended) with the artichokes to start. We moved along to the rotisserie chicken and the ribs, so damn delicious! And for desert, the banana cream pie, amazing! We brought one of our favorite bottles of vine because I read that they did not charge a corkage fee. Wrong! $ 15.
All in all, we had a great time. Will return again soon.

I’m a big fan of all Hillstone restaurants, but Bandera is probably my favorite one, although R+D Kitchen is a close second, with Houston’s being my least fave.
The ambiance of the Brentwood location is really romantic and has an upscale, yet relaxing feel. They had a jazz band playing the night we came, which made for a fun experience. We tried the grilled artichokes, which were exceptional — some of the best ones I’ve ever had, which is saying a lot, considering I order them almost everywhere I go! The real standout is their prime new york strip — you really can’t go wrong with it. It’s perfectly cooked and well seasoned. I would actually say it’s the only steak I’ve ever had that is even remotely comparable to Mastro’s, which is my favorite steakhouse (although Morton’s is also a close runner-​up). I stupidly ordered the BBQ beef ribs, which were still tasty, but definitely nothing special. I figure if you’re going to spend the money on Bandera, then you might as well stick to their better dishes!
They’re known for their banana cream pie, so it goes without saying that it’s worth trying! The service is great here and parking is surprisingly not that difficult, despite where the restaurant is located. They offer valet service, but there’s also plenty of parking on the street — although don’t be surprised if you miss the entrance, as it’s a bit hidden. I love Bandera and can’t wait to come back soon!

This is such a great place to come if you are celebrating a special occasion. We frequently come for birthdays and other special occasions. Yes the prices are high but since this is a high end steakhouse it is to be expected. I have always had great service and have never had an issue getting a reservation. The steak is obviously a good choice but I was also pleasantly surprised by the crab cakes. I am original from Maryland so getting a decent crab cake in Lis Angeles can be difficult. Also try the grilled artichokes as an appetizer, they are to die for.

Excellent service, great food, beautiful ambiance. I’ll definitely be back. The rotisserie chicken & beef rib combination was amazing!

Bandera is probably my favorite restaurant from the Hillstone group. Offers a sexy dark atmosphere with an open kitchen concept which I love! Steak is comparable to BOA and Bandera offers better service in my opinion. You definitely get an East coast vibe that really isn’t offered anywhere else in West LA. The banana cream pie is to die for!!!

Let me preface this but saying that this is my favorite restaurant in LA. The ambience, the service and the menu are all just so great. Modern yet, classic. Fun but with class, this place is everything you want a high end restaurant to be. The crowd is a more upscale crowd, but the ones that want to just grub hard and avoid pretentiousness you see at other high end restaurants. There’s also live jazz which is always nice because it adds to your experience and keeps your mood up.
Now for the food. Let me just say I dine in at Bandera all the time and my reason for putting 4 stars is also related to my recent $ 300 take out order where I ordered 6 entrées of the beef ribs and a whole chicken and some other goodies.
Now although it’s not always right to judge food on take out or delivery, this issue is also to my previous experiences of dining in. Let me just say I come here mainly for the ribs. I don’t want to say they use to be the best ribs in LA, because I don’t want to accept that the issue is going to be ongoing, but my last experience was absolutely terrible. When you pay so much for ribs, you should never ever get dry ribs that you can’t cut through with a knife. It’s just unacceptable. As for the whole rotisserie chicken I picked up for the kids. We could not cut them up easily into pieces because it was so undercooked. I was surprised that the chef would allow this considering I saw him packing the food which he did beautifully himself. But you know, I just have had bad experiences lately and this last take out order was the straw that broke the camels back.
One last thing, they told me I could order food for takeout either before 5:30 one after 9:00 on the Sunday I wanted to pickup. Either that or I would have to come in anytime in between order and just sit at the bar and wait. That’s not right and that should change. If you don’t want to accept take out orders during busy time, that’s on them, but to not accept it unless you sit and wait is just ridiculous.

Went here last night with a date and for a Tuesday night, the place was hopping. We waited a bit and were finally able to snag two seats at the large bar in the center of the restaurant. They had a very good jazz band playing but it was very loud and hard to hear them. The wine list is fairly unimpressive as there were not a lot of wines by the glass to choose from. The French dip was great. The fries were crisp with a horseradish dipping sauce that really enhanced them. The vibe in the place is fairly nice. The dishes that passed us looked to be substantial. Definitely a place to go back to.

This is another in the Hillstone chain of properties. This one has a huge bar in the center of the room surrounded by boothes, dark woods and a kinda cozy lounge.
They have live jazz most nights, that was a nice touch.
The menu is what you would expect from a Hillstone property:
Several wild fish dishes, some chicken, fall off the bone tender back ribs (beef in this case) and great veggies. Sadly artichokes we’re out of season the night we went but if they have them I highly recommend them. They are grilled and served with an aioli. Fantastic.
Desserts were kind of just OK for me. The Oreo ice cream sandwiches were really overworked, I needed more Oreo flavor and less fancy sauce.
We also have the banana cream pie which was also just OK…

Usually a fantastic meal. Tonight it was average. When the fries are the best part of your meal you know it’s an off night. Got the ribs and they were super fatty. The coleslaw is not what I remember. The cornbread was really good and tried the hot fudge sundae. Hot Fudge was fantastic but the ice cream tastes like supermarket brand quality.

Great service, no corkage fee, delicious food. I love the jalapeño dip, but I still prefer the spinach artichoke dip. I guess that I’m ‘old school’. I love the famous French Dip sandwich. They make simple things taste extraordinary. Hanna at the bar is a sweetheart. Matt Jones is incredible as well! Valet parking ($ 7) is convenient and efficient. The live jazz music is incredible for a Tuesday night (or any night!). I love the cozy atmosphere and service keeps bringing us back for more.

Excellent food. Atmosphere is swanky. Love the vibe, live jazz and a very pretty crowd. I’ve been a few times and the vibe is consistent. Croutons in the salad were a delight derived from their in house skillet cornbread.
Choose to dine in to have the full fresh experience other wise you may be disappointed with the take out. Both chicken entrees were dry and the Brussels sprouts were under cooked.

If you know me, you know I LOVE hillstones/​houstons! Even before all the wacky name changes, houston’s is where my family goes for every and all occasions. The 2^nd street Hillstone is still the best in the business. Found ourselves hungry and in brentwood on a Thursday night, we decided to pop for a late dinner.
The placed was packed and LOUD! I guess Bandera is sorta a singles scene type place? Who knew! We managed to find a corner spot at the bar where the three of us could have a quick bite. Well, unfortunately, that necessitated someone actually acknowledging and serving us. I’m not convinced the bartenders were necessarily overwhelmed by the full bar, rather unequipped to handle the situation. It honestly reminded me of a spring break bar, where you are leaning in begging to get attention. The bartenders avoided all eye contact for a good 15 minutes. We looked for a manager to air our grievances, but none was to be found.
When the bartender finally sauntered up to our corner, he was nice enough, but not terribly patient. I ordered my drink, and my dining companions were sorta figuring out what they wanted, and he started to awkardly back away. Like he didn’t have time to engage with us?!
We also ordered food, obviously delicious, but I can get the french dip at Hillstone and not be mobbed by over-​eager singles and ignored by pretentious bar tenders.
I’m very disappointed in the Hillstone restaurant group. They pride themselves on service and consistency, and I think if one of the corporate honchos were in there, they would be appalled at what this restaurant has become! That’s not to say I wont be at hillstone or R&D this weekend!

Surprisingly had never been to a Bandera. Was expecting Houston’s and I thought it was actually much better. Food came out incredibly fast.
Cornbread was real good and my entrée of beef ribs and chicken was even better. Just a really solid meal overall.

I’ve never seen a vibrant, bustling, full restaurant hustle out guests so promptly upon closing (at 10 PM in LA, no less) ’til now. I don’t know why this place closes at 10, but it does, and with emphasis. (Is there a noise ordinance in the area? Can we finish chewing this bite first? Haha. I’m funny.)
Otherwise, it’s cool.
If you order the cornbread… yes, I said cornbread… you will like it. But, if you put it in a to-​go box for 10 minutes and then go eat it in your car, YOU WILL LOVE it more! Not because you are in your car, but because the steam in the to-​go box makes all the flavors come alive and gets rid of the any crumbs and dryness. After all, it’s cornbread, not crumbbread!
Cornbread = 3.5 stars
Old fashioned = 4.5 stars
Jazz =4.5 stars
Service = 3.5 stars
Parking = tricky
Hours = 2 stars

Went here last night with a friend to try it and for a Wednesday night, this place was crackin… Lol I mean they had a jazz band playing and I could hardly hear them playing. Yes it was that loud… Lol The food was pretty god. We ordered cornbread (it was pretty good but can live without it) and tomato & burrata salad (their infused balsamic reduction that they have in the salad is amazing) for starters. For our main course we had salmon with mashed potatoes (it was okay, it had a strong fishy taste to it) and Half Rotisserie Chicken with mashed potatoes (it was cooked to perfection, the chicken breast wasn’t dry at all).
Overall the place reminded me of Houstons. Their food serving is quite generous. My favorite was the tomatoes & Burrata. I do wish we were able to hear the Jazz Band better. Seating a little closer would have helped.

I came to Bandera for an anniversary dinner with my girlfriend this past weekend and all I can say is WOAH, this place did not disappoint. You could drive by Bandera dozens of times without ever noticing it but as soon as you walk in, the ambiance is classy and the jazz band playing in the background creates a romantic and intimate atmosphere. The servers are friendly and attentive, but not too in your face, making the whole meal is a five star experience.
We started with the Dip Duo (hand made tortilla chips with guacamole and a jalapeño queso) and some drinks. The guacamole was very fresh and tasty and the queso – which was chilled and more like a cheese ball than traditional queso – was smoky and perfectly spicy. When we started getting low on chips, they even brought us more so we could keep going. No complaints there! The servers were great about refilling drinks as well. I really want to try the Skillet Cornbread
When it came to our meals, I got the Rotisserie Chicken & BBQ Beef Ribs Combo with coleslaw and pommes purée (which is basically just a fancy way of saying mashed potatoes) and my girlfriend got the Macho Salad, tossed with roasted chicken, avocado, dates, goat cheese, and almonds. All of the food was incredible: the meat was beautifully marinated and cooked, making it tender and flavorful, and the sides perfectly complemented the meals. The ribs fell off the bone they were so tender and whatever the BBQ sauce is they put on it I could drink. Well, maybe not drink but you know what I mean.
Overall, the delicious food and the upscale ambiance with live music played by a jazz quartet made for an incredible anniversary dinner. I would definitely recommend Bandera for any special occasion or nice dinner!

Great date night spot for a couple that loves a satisfying meal. Cozy intimate seating, delicious food, on point service, and live jazz music. Bandera has never disappointed me. Here are my faves:
Dip duo (⁵⁄₅ stars): guacamole and jalapeño queso. Kind of a random menu item, but a must try! Both dips are SO good!
Burrata (⁵⁄₅ stars): just the way I like my burrata! Fresh and creamy served up with perfectly ripe tomatoes. Sometimes you just gotta go simple and let the flavor of the high quality ingredients speak for themselves.
Enchiladas (⁵⁄₅ stars): these are made with squash! So unique and oh so good.
Macho salad (⁵⁄₅ stars): an incredibly filling and flavorful salad! Chock full of yummy ingredients like roasted chicken, goat cheese, dates, avocado, almonds, and cornbread croutons. I don’t like croutons, but I devour every crumb of these!
Banana crème pie (⁵⁄₅ stars): save some room, this is one good banana crème pie! Nothing fancy or unique about it, but classics are classic for a reason.
I’d go once a week if I could, but prices are pretty high. Makes for a great splurge dinner.
Ps. Make reservations whenever possible! It gets crowded! They have a large bar for you wait at if you end up not making a reservation.

Dinner, wine and live jazz is the perfect ensemble for any night especially Sundays. My boyfriend and I frequent this restaurant every so often and it’s truly become our sweet night cap to the weekend.
Live jazz happens nightly and the band is just a joy to watch. Sit at the bar for a view of the band or just enjoy the audibles anywhere else in the house. It’s comfortable in pretty much every seat, sophisticated and relaxing.
I’d suggest making a reservation. Sometimes there’s a wait (last Sunday, 45 minutes) but the bar is open seating for anyone who doesn’t mind that route.
FOOD
* Macho Salad: roasted chicken (I get it without), avocado, tomato, goat cheese, cornbread croutons (the BEST part), dates, crushed almonds and lemon vinaigrette is $ 21 of deliciousness. This salad, as simple as it sounds, can’t be beat.
* Iron Skillet Cornbread, $ 8. It’s crusty on the top, soft and stuffed with cheese and jalapeño inside, served in the cast iron. The extra-​toasty croutons they toss in the Macho Salad are far superior but this one wouldn’t be a poor decision as a side.
* Banana Cream Pie: bananas, whipped cream, granola crust, caramel, chocolate sauce, $ 10. We ordered vanilla ice cream to go along side, which is entirely necessary. One is plenty to share for 2 people.
PARKING
Street (Barrington usually, Wilshire meters or cross streets) or valet for $ 7.

This is one of my favorite restaurant in los angeles. First, the ambience is awesome. You walk in and there’s jazz piano and the occasion upright bass playing. The cocktail list is limited but its all the cocktail drinks you want. I’ve gotten the dark and stormy, and the mojito. The wine list is a little longer but i usually just stick my pinot noir.
some of our favorite appetizers are the artichokes and the smoked salmon. The sauce for both is amazing! We actually just ask for extra so that way we can use it for everything.
Our entrees have included: the chicken, so savory and juicy. We’ve also got the steaks (all of them), its all big enough to share and enough to take home and eat some more. I also recommend the kale side salad dish, its only a side salad but it is a real salad plate that one can eat as an entrée. It was delicious.
My favorite part is the dessert. We got the banana crème and it was soon good! I would definitely come back again! Oh, and also because we had our first date here!

I can’t believe I’ve only recently been to Bandera! It’s such an amazing bar/​restaurant!
You walk in and you feel like you’ve stepped into a cool, jazzy speakeasy. There was a live jazz band playing next to the grand piano. The artwork is also pretty cool and if you do want to eat there’s several booths available provided the time. Most of the restaurant is taken over by the bar top and it’s the perfect place to hang out on a Friday/​Saturday night.
The drinks are just as snazzy as the place. I recommend the spicy margaritas! They were definitely on the stronger side ;)
I went on a Saturday night and even though it was pretty busy, the server was fun and attentive. Since this is more of a restaurant, the place does close at 11pm — even on the weekends. Plan a nearby outing if this is your first stop!
Definitely coming back :)

I can’t believe it took me this long to write an updated review. I love this place. I live one block away and work in the building next door. Needless to say, I am here often. The food and service are on point. This is the place to go for a great steak on the west side. I’ve been coming here since I moved back to LA (2008), and I’ve never had a bad meal. Sure the food is pricey, but you get what you pay for: amazing steak (fish, salad, appetizers, EVERYTHING), great service and a sick vibe. I really enjoy the live jazz music at night (after 6p daily). This is also a great place to go grab a drink at the bar… if you can find a spot.
If you are willing to shell out a big of coin for a great meal, this is your spot.

Get ready… You’ll need a helmet, because your mind is going to get BLOWN! Bandera might seem unassuming on the outside, but once you walk in, this restaurant is always packed and buzzing with excitement. They have live jazz music every night (the cool, melodious, upbeat kind, not the screeching, broken-​instruments-​crashing kind) and the vibe is upscale and sophisticated without any pretentiousness. I love that they have real, satisfying, and beautiful food that’s not tiny, or plated with tools that I pluck my eyebrows with. Our party of 5 chowed down on:
Grilled artichokes– a MUST! Charred, smoky, artichoke hearts served with an addicting remoulade. Go ahead, eat your heart out… wah-​wah (thanks Jazz band)
Tomatoes and Burrata– I’d like to live in this gorgeous, delicate and delicious plate of food. Soft, juicy roasted tomatoes and toasted ciabiatta loveliness.
Rib eye– a show stopper; huge, perfectly cooked and works brilliantly with the sweet campari tomatoes and tangy creamy blue cheese. This will definitely put some hair on your chest and make your token vegetarian friend dislike you a lot more. Especially once you clean that bone like a rabid dog (it’s that good).
Ahi tuna with roasted beets– stunning AND delicious. It’s light, vibrant, fresh and the subtle Asian flavors pack a lovely punch; your annoying meat-​loving friend will even like it. The kale salad with peanuts was so phenomenal, I ordered my own side of it and refused to share. I’m officially obsessed (and VERY selfish).
Cheeseburger w/​fries– I had no idea that everything here is made in house… right down to the soft, fluffy, perfect bread. And I thought my husband had the best buns in town… One of my favorite burgers in life. Amazing flavor and every bite is the perfect balance of salty, spicy, creamy, and beefy.
Salmon– what a sexy, yummy piece of fish. If I were that salmon, I’d flaunt those grill marks all over town. And those luscious creamy parmesan mashed potatoes?! Out of this world delicious. They must source their potatoes from a farm in some potato galaxy far far away.
Roast chicken and Rib Combo– Ok, DISCLOSURE: I don’t like ribs. That is, until Bandera made the best effing ribs I’ve ever effing had and turned me into a believer AND a rib lover and apparently gave me turrets. So good, I asked to help clean the bones. Yes, ME, former rib-​hater!
We sat right by the kitchen and watched the magic happen and were just wowed by everything and every impressive plate. It was like dinner and a free show. And among all the hustle and bustle, the chef himself even came to our table to deliver our banana cream pie– the perfect ending to an even perfecter meal. We were so full, I could barely walk. You know what they say, once you go Bandera, you’re gonna need a wheelchair.
So yes… Bandera, you win. Mind = blown.

Enfin… un restaurant américain pur jus, dans une ville où l’on mange tous types de cuisines!
Ici, on appréciera le bar circulaire pour siroter une bière californienne en attendant qu’une table se libère. Le personnel, attentionné, viendra ensuite habilement vous conseiller sur le choix des plats. Les viandes remportent souvent tous les suffrages et sont accompagnées de légumes frais, soigneusement préparés (la cuisine est ouverte et visible par tous).
L’ambiance est à la fois cosy et animée… Un très bon spot.