208 Rodeo Restaurant — Restaurant in Beverly Hills

I visited 208 Rodeo for Valentine's Day with a reservation at 8:45 PM. We were seated about 10 minutes late, which was understandable. However, the rest of the experience was unacceptable.

Service & Food Delays:

We ordered beef carpaccio as an appetizer, which arrived at 9:10 PM—without bread or plates. Our main server noticed this and brought us one plate and some bread, along with butter and herb oil. Unfortunately, the bread was stale.

We then waited 50 minutes for our main courses, which finally arrived at 10 PM. At this point, we were starving.

When the food was brought to our table, the waiter asked if everything was good before we started eating. I mentioned the long delay, and he replied that the kitchen was very busy and that nobody could talk to the chef because he was angry.

Food Quality & Portion Sizes:

The Black Truffle Pasta was shockingly salty, so much so that I, someone who rarely notices salt, had to drink water to clear my throat. I took a sip of the sauce and confirmed it was overwhelmingly salty. My partner tasted it and couldn’t eat it either.

I asked the main server if the dish was supposed to be this salty, and he initially said it was because of the sauce. I insisted he try a spoonful, at which point he took the dish to the restaurant manager, and I saw it being sent back to the kitchen.

While waiting, we ate the Bolognese, which was slightly undercooked but at least edible—though the portion was very small.

After another 10 minutes, the truffle pasta came back, but this time it had less sauce, more chopped chicken, and barely any pasta—it was basically a bowl of chicken. While it was not as salty as before, it was still far from balanced or enjoyable.

Shocking Pricing & Hidden Costs:

The final bill was $270 for two people, despite ordering only two pastas and one appetizer. Here’s why:

Black Truffle Pasta: $85 (+$12 for chicken) – No price was listed on the menu (M/P).

Beef Carpaccio: $28, but with a $65 black truffle add-on (which was never disclosed).

Bread: $6 and Truffle Butter: $12 – even though we never explicitly ordered them.

Water: $10 – bottled.

When we questioned the bill, the server spoke with the manager and only removed the bread and butter ($18 total). Later, when I called the restaurant, the manager agreed to remove the $65 truffle add-on for the carpaccio.

Final Thoughts:

This restaurant is overpriced for the poor food quality, long wait times, and small portions. Hidden charges and lack of price transparency doesn't give a good feeling. The staff admitted they feared communicating with the chef, which says a lot about how the kitchen operates.

I do not recommend 208 Rodeo to anyone looking for a quality...

Parking: There is a parking garage on Rodeo and Dayton that provides quick access to the restaurant. After 6pm, you can park for a $10 fee. The walk from the garage to the restaurant is pleasant. Although it’s a short distance, you’ll walk by a number of the finest luxury designer boutiques.

Reservations: Reservations were not only easy to book, but available at short notice. There is no fee for lateness or cancellation. Upon arrival, I stated that I had a reservation, but I think I would’ve been seated just as quickly had I not.

Service: There was a waiter nearby at all times to assist us with our needs whether It be placing an order, refilling water, asking for the bill or directions to the bathroom. I think this also has to do with our seating, We sat directly outside the restaurant, therefore all waiters/waitresses , busboys and host needed to walk past us often. The outdoor fridge containing desserts and sparkling water was directly across from our table, making service quick.

Food: In this day and age, many restaurants are charging for bread and some are not even offering It at all. 208 Rodeo hasn’t abandoned the bread option, but does charge an extra $12 for truffle butter.

We ordered the 208 Burger. This includes a Wagyu blend, caramelized onion, sharp cheddar, truffle aioli, brioche bun, garlic fries. This fries were thinly sliced. The burger is filling and is enough to satisfy you if eating It alone.

I ordered a side of Truffle Mac and Cheese. The portion size was small and It lacked salt. Both the salt and Mac and Cheese were finished the next day as leftovers. Once adding a bit more salt to the Mac and Cheese, the taste improved dramatically.

My guest ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese. This was toothsome, but why pay $36 for an appetizer lobster Mac and cheese, if you can have a half Maine lobster tail for six dollars less or a lobster spaghetti for $12 more.

Comfort: This restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating allows you to enjoy dinner while watching the sunset. There are outdoor heaters provided that will absolutely keep you warm.

Overall, this is a beautiful restaurant. You have the option to eat indoor or outside. It’s pretty easy to snag a reservation here and the ease of parking makes It a much more accommodating experience. I would definitely recommend this place for...

I have passed by this place on numerous occasions. The atmosphere is beautiful and so I decided to finally give it a try. There was an older gentleman at the front who looked like he was the host. I asked how long the wait was, and if I could get a table outside. He looked around and promptly sat me, however he was unwelcoming and quite cold in his demeanor. A smile and/or a "How are you?" or "Welcome" would have been nice. I was then greeted by my server who was much more polite. I asked for a purse hook, and he promptly brought one out for me which was nice. First, I started with an appetizer which was the tuna tartare. Good taste, however, I wish they would have added a few more taro chips. My main course was the truffle pasta. I had scallops added since it did not come with a choice of protein. Upon biting into the first piece of scallop, I noticed it had a fishy after taste. Now, I have had scallops before (both small and jumbo kind) and they normally do not taste fishy unless they aren't fresh or have been sitting out for a long time before being cooked. For a moment I thought, maybe it was just me. This IS an upscale restaurant after all right? So, I proceeded to continue eating my meal. After the second piece, the taste got worse. I thought to myself, okay this definitely isn't fresh. I brought this to the attention of my server. He said he would check with the chef to be sure that they were fresh. Sometime later, my server returned and said, "I checked with the chef, and they are fresh." I once again voiced my concern that they tasted funny. He replied, "Trust me, they are fresh." I took his word for it, but I should have been sterner. When you're paying an extra $42 for 3 pieces of scallops, you expect it not to taste funny. Heck, even if it cost $10, it still shouldn't taste funny! There was no reason for me to make this up. I have had tasty scallops at other restaurant establishments that were delicious and did not have a fishy taste. I was so disappointed, especially for having paid $127 for a plate of pasta that was ruined by this experience. The reason I am giving two stars instead of one is that my server was nice, but I am not sure that was enough for me to come back again. I also hope that the host can put more consideration into being more welcoming...