The Little Door

We visited The Little Door for their New Year’s set menu dinner, so this may not reflect their usual operations, but it does give a sense of how they handle a busy night. Ambiance: The setting was undeniably beautiful, with soft dim lights and natural tree branches creating a charming atmosphere. However, the tables were packed very close together, which made the space feel crowded rather than romantic or intimate. The music was loud—though enjoyable—but added to a rushed vibe. Service: Unfortunately, service was the weakest part of the evening. Our server asked for the entire order upfront—starters, mains, and dessert—and only returned once to drop off drinks. Even that simple order wasn’t correct: one of the drinks was wrong and had to be sent back. It was clear they wanted us to eat quickly and free up the table. When the check arrived with a mandatory 20% tip and a prompt for an additional tip, it explained why the server did the bare minimum: the gratuity was guaranteed. For a $400 dinner, we expected more attentive service. Food: Starters: Flavorful, with the duck confit being the standout dish. Mains: The salmon was beautifully presented, tasty, and a generous portion. Desserts: Earl Grey crème brûlée and coconut sorbet with berries were just okay—forgettable enough that we didn’t even take photos. Overall: While the setting was lovely and some dishes impressed, the rushed service and lack of warmth left us underwhelmed. Perhaps it was just the New Year’s chaos, but we don’t see ourselves returning soon.

This was my first time visiting this restaurant, and I chose it to celebrate my birthday. I was verbally congratulated, but that was the extent of any effort from the restaurant to acknowledge the occasion. As for the food, we ordered mussels, a mezze platter, and a fish dish, along with two Aperol Spritzes. Our server asked about the preferred order of dishes, which we appreciated. The mezze platter and mussels arrived first, but after that, there was a long delay with the fish. Eventually, a dish was brought to the table without any explanation or introduction. It did not look like the fish we ordered. When I asked the server, she confirmed it was a mistake - it was actually octopus - and left it on our table. The food itself, including the mussels and octopus, was tasty. However, we never received the fish we originally ordered. After about 50 minutes, I approached a server to ask about it. I was told that there was “no space on the table” and that they were waiting for us to finish some appetizers before preparing the main course. I found this explanation unconvincing and somewhat unreasonable. It would have taken just one simple question to ask whether we were ready for the next course - assuming the order had actually been remembered. Instead, it felt like the dish had simply been forgotten. While mistakes can happen, giving such a reason rather than acknowledging the delay was disappointing. In the end, we decided to cancel the fish. Overall, my experience was mixed. No one made any effort to make my birthday feel special. Throughout the visit, no one checked on us to ask how everything was or if we were enjoying the food. At one point, my friend was left with a plate full of empty mussel shells. I had to call a server and ask for it to be replaced. Although the plate was taken away, no clean plate was brought, and I had to ask again. I would also not recommend ordering the mezze platter. It felt like a waste of money - the babaganoush was overly salty, the couscous was cold and slightly undercooked, and the rest consisted of random piles of vegetables. Overall, it resembled a leftover plate you might put together the morning after a holiday. When I paid the bill and thanked the server for the service, she responded with a visibly displeased attitude, despite the fact that I left a 22% tip - which, frankly, did not reflect the level of service we received, especially on such an important day for me. I’m glad I tried this place, but unfortunately, my experience was not a successful one, and I’m unlikely to return.

Food was definitely great, used to go to their old location in santa monica. Their atmosphere is magical, service is alwayas great, and food is really tasty. Just wished they would give us a better seating on my recent dine there, it was my anniversary and had a reservation, but got a table way in the restaurant by the wall not in the pretty area. And the other parties that came after us kept getting the better seats.

The Little Door is my go to spot in LA for a romantic dinner and it earns that reputation. The candlelit courtyard, ivy covered walls, and intimate dining room make it one of the most atmospheric restaurants in the city and it’s been voted one of the most romantic spots for a reason. The food lives up to the setting. The Mediterranean inspired menu is consistently excellent, with beautifully cooked meats, fresh seafood and dishes that feel rich and indulgent without being heavy. Everything I’ve had here has been well executed and reliable, which is exactly what you want in a place you’re bringing someone for a special night. It’s the kind of restaurant that’s perfect for dates, anniversaries, Valentine's Day or any night where you want the room and the food to do some of the work for you. A classic for a reason.

The entrance is REALLY a so little door, that we overlooked for the 1st time 🤣. Very nice, but a bit crowded interior, friendly and professional service. The Mezze Plate as starter, the LOCAL BLACK COD, MARY'S ORGANIC CHICKEN, PORTUGUESE PIRI-PIRI SHRIMP were good choice. Dessert was not on the menu, you could choose from a blackboard, Overall with starter, main course, dessert, cocktails we spent ~ 100 usd / person there, but it was worth every cent.

Went here for our first anniversary. Beautifully decorated, the little door leads you quite literally into an incredibly atmospheric and romantic setting. The service was attentive, polite and very professional, I was slightly disappointed as I had hoped to be placed in the main hall but ah well. The starter of Mussels w/ Curry Sauce was delicious. Never mixed those two flavor profiles together before but damn. I didn't love the Cous Cous main as much, the portion was very generous but I dunno, something was off with the flavors which is a shame. Overall though, great time.

We came to The Little Door to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I’ll start with the positives: the food was excellent—no complaints there. The wine was great as well, and the ambiance truly is romantic and whimsical, just like the photos suggest. That said, while the food was very good, I felt it was overpriced compared to other high-end restaurants we’ve experienced in Los Angeles, especially considering the overall service. Unfortunately, the service is what really brought the experience down. It felt a bit snobby and inattentive. I normally don’t dwell on how I’m treated, but there was a noticeable shift in tone once my husband mentioned we live in Ontario (California, not Canada). After that, the interaction felt different—almost as if we were being viewed as second-class guests. It did make me wonder whether that, or even our phone number area code, played a role in us being seated right next to the bathrooms, despite informing the restaurant ahead of time that we were celebrating our anniversary. The seating itself was fine, but it was hard not to notice that there were much nicer tables available for what was supposed to be a special occasion. What could have still ended as a pleasant evening was ultimately spoiled at the end. After we paid the bill, the waiter approached my husband and questioned whether he had made a mistake, since only a $10 tip showed on the electronic payment. We calmly explained that we had left cash on the table to cover the full tip and that the $10 was simply extra. He did apologize, but followed it with, “sometimes people make mistakes,” which felt unnecessary and awkward. I remained polite, but honestly, something about the entire experience just didn’t sit right. I’ve had far better, warmer, and more professional experiences at restaurants that are equally—or even more—high-end. This could have been a memorable anniversary dinner, but the service ultimately overshadowed what should have been a lovely night.

The restaurant itself is beautiful and cozy although it gets load if you sit inside. The food was not at all impressive. The mezze plate didn’t even look appetizing and the different samples were mediocre. The chicken and lamb shank had no taste and were very buttery. The service was good but they charged us for asking for more bread with the mezze plate which I have never seen before.