The Buttercup LA

I first fell in love with French macrons when I went to the La duree in Paris, France. Since then, I attempted to find the best macaron in Los Angeles. Bottega Louis was okay but I preferred ‘lette’s over them, and I liked the macarons at brodard in Westminster more than Lette’s. I still wasn’t happy with the consistency of the outside. I continued on my search. My sister-​in-​law lives on the west side and we live 40 minutes away. She told me that she had found something very similar to the macarons in France. I had to go and taste for myself.
The macarons are not too chewy, flaky, hard or gooey. They are pretty on point. I haven’t tried All their flavored but I have tried most of them.
The owner Mim is sweet and very pleasant. Although there are prepackaged boxes 2, 6, 12 and 24, you can actually email or call Mim for a special order. The pricebis a steal in comparison to other places — especially for the quality.
Here are the pre assorted packages
Assortment 1:
Chocolate
Coconut
Hazelnut
Orange Blossom
Passion Fruit
Sea Salt Caramel
Assortment 2:
Coffee
Earl Grey Chocolate
Lemon
Pistachio
Sea Salt Caramel
Vanilla Bean
Assortment 3:
Chocolate
Coffee
Hazelnut
Passion Fruit
Pistachio
Raspberry
Assortment 4:
Earl Grey Chocolate (2pcs)
Pistachio (2pcs)
Sea Salt Caramel (2pcs)
Assortment 5:
Chocolate (2pcs)
Coffee (2pcs)
Vanilla Bean (2pcs)
Assortment 6:
Pistachio
Raspberry
Rose Petal
Sea Salt Caramel
Taro
Vanilla Bean

just realized that this review from 2012 was never posted!:
Mim was fantastic with helping us pick a box. I was a little worried after leaving the store because I forgot what flavors I picked out. but they put itty bitty labels on the inside of each slot to mark what is what… loved it. My favorite was the pistashio! :)

I am writing a review despite the fact that, to my devastation, this location closed two days after my visit. Over a month later, I still consistently check back on the website to see if they have found a new location. Indeed, this is not a traditional bakery. They sell only prepackaged items (french macarons and chocolates) and art. However, the only thing I care about are the macarons. I really don’t care that nothing is made in-​store.
I bought the 12-​pack for $ 21, and fell in looove with the coconut, coffee, vanilla, and taro. Macarons tend to be expensive, but these macarons are definitely worth every bite. I have tried many macarons in my day, as these are my favorite dessert — and Buttercup LA is my #1 of all the macaron spots I’ve ever encountered. I WILL be the first customer at the door once they open up their new location.
BTW: If you don’t like the pre-​packaged macaron assortments, call a day ahead to have your own customized assortment made and delivered to the store (once they finally reopen).

Cute macaron shop offering delicious sweet treats.
Was in the area and stumbled upon this place. Cashier was super friendly and helpful. The outer shell of the macrons were perfectly crisp with a cakey/​chewy middle. Fillings were creamy, smooth, and flavorful. Good stuff!
They offer chocolate bars too in really unique flavors. Definitely try some out. They make delicious gifts. My friends really enjoyed them.
Glad we dropped by.

While running some errands in West LA, I discovered I was a few blocks away from Buttercup LA which has been on my Unilocal bookmark for quite sometime. Is this faith? Perhaps… but the choice of trying a yummy macaron at Buttercup was definitely more favorable and enticing than hopping back on the traffic congested 405 fwy.
I was surprised to discover that the place was more of a storefront than a bakery specializing mostly on macarons. There were no fancy display cases full of macarons, everything was pre-​packaged in charming little boxes and the flavors were pre-​set as well. I got box of six macarons which includes — taro, pistachio, sea salted caramel, vanilla, rose petal and raspberry. All were the equivalent size of Lette’s macaron, priced at $ 11 ($ 1.75 each) and delightfully good. The texture of the shell was moist and soft. Not overly fragile, nor too brittle and didn’t fall apart when you bit into it. Even the macarons inside the boxes were nicely labeled indicating the flavors that you got. My favorites were the pistachio, salted caramel and vanilla bean which were terrific and flavors were on point, but the taro was simply sublime and super yummy. The best I’ve had anywhere… sweet, buttery and great taro flavor.
It’s nice to know that Buttercup actually accepts advance orders a day before if their pre-​configures sets don’t fancy your taste. I will keep that in mind during my return visit.
So next time you hop back on the 405 fwy in West LA and notice traffic? Think «macarons»
Parking — street meter or parking structure across the street.

Four Stars for the following reasons:
— Macarons are DELICIOUS. Perfect texture and just the right amount of center to complement the cookie. My favorite so far is Raspberry and Salted Caramel. I am trying the Durian next as I am curious as to how they can tackle such a unique flavor.
— They are a local business that supports local artists.
— They have other unique candy on the counter.
I deducted– 1 star for the following:
— The macarons come prepacked. Take note! If you want to try certain flavors you have to call ahead and pick it up the next day. The bright side is the cookies are made in small batches so they don’t lose quality over the quantity.
— I was in the impression that it was a macaron store that happen to sell art and gifts. I was expecting more focus to be on the macarons but it is looking more like it is a gift shop that sells macarons. If you are expecting it to be more of a bakery, it’s not but don’t let that from stopping you from coming in and paying a visit.

This is the ‘cheapest in price’ macaron place I’ve ever been to.
But also the ‘least sweetest’ macarons I’ve tried which is a major plus!!!
I loved The Buttercup LA! It’s a small place where they sell different assortment of macarons in a cute box! Also, they have some crazy flavors like DURIAN macaron!
I am a bit sad that you can’t pick and choose your macarons and some assortments were not available even though I was the first customer, but I love this place! I will definitely be back more often!

So if you have an Instagram I’m sure you’ve seen colorful little macaroons, am I right? So I had to see what the hype was all about. I was driving down Sawtelle when I noticed Buttercup LA. I wasn’t sure what it was so I Unilocaled it and voila Macaroons! I had to check it out cause I had been wanting to try them out. So I parked my car, paid the meter, (Sucky part about living in LA), and walked to this place. I thought there would be a line but I was the only one there. I told the guy, working the cashier, that it was my first time there and he went on explaining the different flavors, the assortments and what not. I went with Assortment 6. He said it was the most popular one. It’s a box with six macaroons and one of each flavor for $ 11. I’m not sure about the price, if it is too pricey or about right? It was my first time buying them.
My favorite from that box were the Pistachio and the caramel one. OMG so delicious. The rose petal one wasn’t that great. I still have to try the Taro.
Anyways, the guy was really helpful. I’m definitely coming back for more!

I slowly fall for this place after each visit. I love the décor of the place and love the fact that there’s 45 minute parking validation in the garage below or unlimited parking if you’re lucky to find parking in the lot. I am a fan of the sea salt caramel and the durian. My friends who aren’t accustom to the smell/​flavor don’t enjoy the durian flavored maracon while my friends who have been exposed to durian their whole life love it.
These macarons are made elsewhere and are delivered to the shop daily. Therefore, they only have a set number of various flavors a day. There has been times when I went later in the day and they would be out of a certain flavor. They are already boxed up so you can’t really customize it to your liking. But be adventurous and live a little and try the different flavors that they have to offer. I have yet to try one that I did not like. They have assorted sets of 6, 12, and 24 but be careful and make sure they give you the right box when you order it because my friend picked a box that contained the Earl Grey but when she opened it later, she realized the cashier gave her the wrong box.
I like this location because it is convenient for West LA people and reasonable price!

[MY FAVE SALTED CARAMEL MACARON IN LA]
Other flavors? Not as memorable, but still tasty! I bought the entire 12 pack a while ago and I literally can’t remember much about them except I felt guilty about eating so many and that the Salted Caramel is so damn good… Good enough for 4 stars in my macaron book.
Their salted caramel macarons are filled with a filling that is more like a caramel than the caramel buttercream we usually see in salted caramel macarons. I love the extra chewiness the caramel provides.
They sell their macarons in pre-​packaged sets so you can’t really choose which flavors you get in your box but they do have a nice variety. I usually just buy the 2-​piece box of the solo salted caramel. Would recommend you to do the same!
They also sell cool chocolates like ramen chocolates and whatnot.

Bottom line at the top: probably the worst macarons I’ve had in LA.
–
Avoid! They are prepackaged in sets and you need to place your order in advance if you want to customize it. Not even worth the trouble in the slightest for how they taste. Salted caramel was squishy and stale at the same time. Skip and go to lette, bouchon, or little next door.

This is an interesting macaron shop. I am a huge macaron connoisseur, so when I happened to walk by this place, I had to check it out.
The reason why I am giving this place ²⁄₅ stars is because you don’t get to pick the flavors of your macarons! All of their macarons come in pre-​packaged boxes, so you can only choose from the combinations of boxes they have. It is annoying and I wish I could just choose my own flavors. I have no clue why it is like this. I believe I purchased Box 6, only because it had the taro macaron in it and that was all I wanted to try. The macarons themselves are great, but I just think it’s annoying that you can’t specifically choose which ones you want. This is the only macaron place I’ve ever been to where you can’t choose your own flavors!
In addition to macarons, they have random pieces of artwork on the walls, some jewelry, and other trinkets you can buy. However, I checked out the prices on some of the artwork and they are totally overpriced. I don’t know why anybody would pay such a large amount for those pictures.
Two stars for a nice lady at the cash register, and decent macarons.

Macarons are like Jennifer Lawrence … easy to love.
At Buttercup, the macarons are closer in quality & flavor to Gwyneth Paltrow than J-​Law, but the charisma of the artsy store and likability of the guy behind the counter make me a fan.
The Buttercup sells one food item … Macarons … and they only sell pre-​packaged boxes of 2 ($ 4), 6 ($ 11), 12 ($ 21), and 24 ($ 40) macarons. The most popular seller seems to be the boxes of 6 macarons with 6 different assortments available. Larger sizes like 12 and 24 hold pretty much all the flavors.
* Assortment 1: Chocolate, Coconut, Hazelnut, Orange Blossom, Passion Fruit, & Sea Salt Caramel
* Assortment 2: Coffee, Earl Grey Chocolate, Lemon, Pistachio, Sea Salt Caramel, & Vanilla Bean
* Assortment 3: Chocolate, Coffee, Hazelnut, Passion Fruit, Pistachio, and Raspberry
* Assortment 4: Earl Grey Chocolate, Pistachio, and Sea Salt Caramel (2 pieces each)
* Assortment 5: Chocolate, Coffee, and Vanilla Bean (2 pieces each)
* Assortment 6: Pistachio, Raspberry, Rose Petal, Sea Salt Caramel, Taro, & Vanilla Bean.
Of course, I truly wish I could mix and match the macarons. It seems to be the biggest flaw in their business model so I can load up on flavors I like.
I went with Assortment 6 for $ 11 because it had the two most interesting flavors: Rose Petal and Taro. Taro was great and Rose Petal very nice. I also liked the Raspberry.
Validated parking (for 40 minutes, I think), in the underground garage made visiting The Buttercup LA an easy choice for some macaron joy to go. It took me a few minutes to find the entrance, but it is right next to Pinkberry which was easy to spot.
The hype for The Buttercup is through the roof. It may not sell magical macarons, but they do sell macarons … which everyone hearts … plus the service and cute décor make The Buttercup LA worthy of a song.
Why do you fill me up (Fill me up) buttercup, baby
With your macarons (Macarons) and mess me around
And then worst of all (Worst of all) I want them all, baby
Makin’ me lose my will (Lose my will) but I love you still
I need you (I need you) more than anyone, darlin’
You know that I have from the start
So fill me up (Fill me up) buttercup, don’t break my diet

I am NOT a dessert person — sweet things tend to hurt my teeth (long story) but my friend loves macarons and I had heard that Buttercup had durian macarons! (and I love my durian) So we came here after dinner one night. I only tried the durian macaron and it was DAMN DELICIOUS. I love the smell and taste of durian so I would have preferred a stronger scent, but it was still sweet and pleasant and tasted very durian-​y! Not too sweet and the macaron was nice and soft so it didn’t crack when you bit into it.
Side note — the store is ADORABLE. The girl who was working the counter was soo nice and friendly and we chatted with her a while we hung out in the store. The artwork on display is all for sale too! So that’s pretty cool.

Yaaay finally! Macarons in Sawtelle!
Love this store! Great location! Great customer service! Yuuuumy macaroons!
I’ve come to this place to buy a box of 12 as gifts… for myself. Since I work at the VA Hospital I find the location convenient. The macarons come in cute packaging and I’ve given them to my coworkers as gifts! They have boxes of 2, 6, 12… and 24!!! YESSSSSS!!! They also have yummy chocolate bars other adorable gifts for a loved one.
If you’re in the area you have to stop by! The owners are super helpful and friendly!
Just for the heck of it I did a Lette vs Buttercup LA. Check the photos page!

During my food run on Sawtelle, a group of us stopped by Buttercup LA for their decadent macarons. I picked up a pack of 8 that included Salted Caramel, Pistachio, and Earl Grey Tea. My favorite was the Salted Caramel. It was the perfect sweetness and it was chewy and moist.
What I didn’t care for was the pre-​packaged assortments of macarons. Unlike Bottega Louie where you are allowed to choose your own assortment, Buttercup LA macarons are pre-​packaged so you can’t exactly mix and match what you want. The prices are slighter less expensive than Bottega Louie depending on what package you order (the more you buy, the more you save). Bottega Louie will still be my favorite macaron spot, but Buttercup LA isn’t far behind.

Buttercup LA is a great place to stop by for dessert! I’m a huge fan of their selection of macarons, chocolates and different artworks. Buttercup LA is tucked away behind Coco which is a boba shop. It’s located directly on the west side of Sawtelle.
Service: The owners are a couple and they are very friendly and easy to talk to. They seem like such great business owners and are so welcoming. They also have great suggestions when you ask them and are very knowledgeable when it comes to what they sell.
I have personally not tried the macarons from here, but I have tried the artisan chocolate bars that they offer here. *Macarons are sold in 2, 6, 12 and 24 boxes that are prepacked so you can’t pick and choose which flavors you want. They have 6 assortment boxes if you choose the box that contains 6 macarons. To me it seems like they have a great assortment. Anyway, back to the chocolates. They have chocolates that contain ramen, lime and salt tortilla chips, champagne, apple pie, mint, popcorn, french toast and much more. I tried out a couple of them. (Just to make things clear, these chocolate bars are not made by them, but by an actual chocolate company from Seattle)
Apple pie + graham cracker: Sweet, sweet, sweet! Wow that was sweet! I personally did not taste the «apple» but you can definitely taste the cinnamon. I can only have a small piece at a time, but the cinnamon flavor was delicious!
Tortilla lime + salt: I know all of you are trying to think of what this is like… Just think of a tortilla chip, dipped in chocolate. When you bite into it, you get a crunch from the chip and then you can get the salt and lime flavor. It was extremely interesting and I was left puzzled. I wasn’t sure if I loved it or hated it. I mean, I love chocolate and I love tortilla lime chips, but together?! I’m not sure, but I am glad that I tried it out!
I highly suggest you come here to try out either the macarons, chocolates or both!
Artisan chocolate bars: $ 4.50
Macarons:
2 $ 4
6 $ 11
12 $ 21
24 $ 40

Eat your heart of, Sawtelle. May your heart and tummy be full of macarons.
I stumbled upon Buttercup LA when I was getting my milk tea fix at CoCo right next door. It’s a very sweet and simple shop. You walk in and go straight to the case of beautiful and cutely boxed macarons. Yes, boxed macarons. No choosing of flavors which is the only bummer for me.
Since the macarons are shipped to the location since there is no bakery or kitchen, they come pre-​boxed and pre-​selected for you. The cashier informed us of this and said they try and mix and match as much as possible.
Here are the prices: (as far as I remember)
2 for $ 4
6 for $ 11
12 for $ 21
There are 4 different combinations for the boxes of 2 and 4 combinations for the boxes of 6! The worker there was very friendly and informative of the product and company! The macaron boxes are kept in a refrigerated case and she recommended I let my macarons warm up to room temp before attempting to indulge myself
I had the Earl Grey and Salted Caramel box. I really enjoyed the Salted Caramel. Crisp shell and moist and flavorful filling! The Early Grey was too subtle for my taste, but still good otherwise.
The prices are comparable to other macaron places in LA. On the same level as Bottega Louie and a little higher than that of Lette. Definitely a site worth checking out if you are on the West side.
Located at the Olympic Collection. There is a parking lot, but I would recommend parking in Sawtelle, either metered or residential and walking right over. But be wary, the abundance of yummy food places on Sawtelle may lure you in before you even get to Buttercup LA!

Crispy outside, moist & flavorful inside.
Wow, finally a macaron store close by in West LA! At the cross street of Olympic & Sawtelle, you will find this nice little clean macaron store. The store itself has nothing much in it. You go in directly and get macarons. Clean and not much to look around. The lady was really nice. I wasn’t gonna get any, but decided to try some after being tempted by its beautiful packaging.
The Chocolate Macaron was heavenly. Its rich chocolate inside gave me a feeling of Godiva. I have never tried a Macaron with such strong flavor of chocolate before. The Macaron was just made perfect here.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Unilocal!
I picked up a box of the prepackaged dozen yesterday, and upon entering the store:
–Incredibly bare, simplistic, almost contemporary, if you want to give it that.
–One worker, kind of awkward, but welcoming nonetheless.
–A window case of boxes of macarons
All of their macarons come prepackaged in varieties of doubles, half dozens, dozens, and a box of 40, so you lose that «I get to pick and choose my flavors!» kind of thing. The dozen comes with one of every flavor, just by the way. Are you doubting yourself now? Do you want to give up the ability to buy just one in order to try these?
YES — these are probably among the best macarons that I have ever had. I’ve tasted macarons from Botega Louie, Lette, a hoard of shops in San Francisco, and even Ladurée in the past — and Buttercup LA meets their competitors to a tee. In fact (aside from Ladurée because really… that’s tough competition), Buttercup LA’s recipe and consistency beats that of most macarons in Los Angeles.
It’s this incredible contrast and balance of texture, creaminess, delicateness, and distinct flavoring. I can almost guarantee you that not one of these macarons will have a crack on its shell prior to you opening the box. Buying it for a gift? They come beautifully wrapped in cute, vibrant boxes, these are sure to impress.
Considering the market price for these, Buttercup LA is a steal when you buy more.
*2 for $ 4
*12 for $ 21
(I’m sure the half dozen and box of forty are under $ 2 per macaron, but I don’t remember.)
If you care for Volcano Tea, your receipt is also a coupon for 10% off. #winning