The Mulholland — Restaurant in Calabasas

We had one of the most disappointing dining experiences we’ve ever had here.

We ordered three steaks: two medium and one medium-rare. The two medium steaks came out completely raw—dark red throughout. We politely sent them back. They returned the same way, as if they hadn’t been cooked again. For context, we eat steaks at restaurants all the time and know the difference: medium is pink throughout with a thin red center. These were blood red end to end.

After returning the steaks twice, the manager came over, assured us she would personally handle it, and yet the steaks still came back a third time, somehow still uncooked! After multiple attempts, we gave up. By that point, the other two members of our table had finished their meals. Two of us were left with inedible plates, and our two kids were waiting for us to leave. The server had the audacity to ask if we wanted to bring the two $70 steaks home to our dog to eat! After the fourth attempt, we finally said enough is enough we just want the bill and to go home.

When we requested the bill, we had to wait an uncomfortably long time. Our server finally arrived and told us, “If you have any issues with the bill it’s above my pay grade, I’ll have to bring the manager.” Shockingly, the two steaks were still on the bill. The manager returned and asked, “Did you not enjoy your meal?” as if this was about taste rather than the fact that the food had been sent back four times, remained raw, and was simply not cooked to a standard temperature expected from any restaurant that serves steak. Only after explaining ourselves again did she agree to remove the steaks.

To make matters worse, the server then came back and asked if we wanted to keep the 4% “optional kitchen gratuity” on the bill. For a kitchen that couldn’t cook a basic medium steak? Absolutely not. He then had to go back again to get that removed.

This was an incredibly poorly run experience from start to finish—bad food, mishandled service, and zero accountability until pressed. We left hungry, frustrated, and baffled that a restaurant would think this was acceptable. The right thing to do would have been to, without hesitation, remove the steaks from the bill WITHOUT us having to ask. To make matters even worse, after those two steaks were removed from the bill we STILL ended up spending almost $400. What a disappointment.

If they had just said listen the kitchen messed up, we’ll take the steaks off the bill and comp some wine or something like that, we wouldn’t have felt compelled to leave...

Calabasas is not known for its selection of quality places to eat. The locals seem under the impression that local "Italian" restaurant Tosca Nova is the height of sophistication. Or, worse, Marmalade Cafe. But now they have The Mulholland to set them straight. Thankfully.

Beautifully positioned in the middle of Calabasas Old Town, and beautifully appointed with a combination of contemporary styling incorporating elements of the original fittings - the hanging light fittings adorning the front meshing nicely with the surrounding Victorian style street lamps are a beautiful touch - the whole aesthetic only adds to the incredible atmosphere.

Admittedly, our 8pm Friday reservation dropped us smack bang in prime time, with customers crowding the cosy bar area at the front of restaurant, and while the concertina doors were closed on a cool March evening we were immediately looking forward to warm summer evenings and sitting on the forward deck looking out over the Leonis Adobe museum grounds over the road

The food! Just fantastic. We like our food and travel extensively with "places to eat" topping our "things to do" and I would have been happy with the fare served in any of the countries we'd visited. A little pricey - what isn't these days - but the quality is excellent and generous where it counts....the crab salad appetizer particularly good in both areas. And the scallop crudo, while small packed substantial punch with smokey undertones and a beautiful crispy buckwheat crunch (amazing combination, compliments to the chef).

Service was prompt and attentitive. Friendly without being intrusive, and - unlike so many American restaurants - we never felt rushed.

Special shout out to the super innovative cocktail menu. Sophisticted combinations of unusual ingredients, and wonderfully generous portions (so fed up with $20 drinks gone after two sips).

Five stars. Definitely...

The restaurant's first impression is overshadowed by the host, who comes across as cold, angry, and generally unpleasant. The owners should consider addressing this or assigning someone else to that position.

The restaurant offers a pleasant atmosphere; it has a modern, urban vibe that is a refreshing change from the atmosphere of Calabasas village. The space is clean and well-maintained.

The waitstaff assigned to our table was excellent: lovely and professional. However, the menu, with the exception of the focaccia and fondue, was disappointing. The appetizers were particularly small, which was a blessing considering their lack of flavor. The eggplant was extremely thin and burnt, served with couscous that neither looked nor tasted like couscous. The salmon dish, appeared okay but had an off taste, suggesting it might have been undercooked or spoiled. Needles to say, it remained untouched.

Overall, the dishes are not only small and lacking in flavor, but overpriced, with the fondue being the sole exception—a dish that's difficult to ruin. Given the offerings, it's difficult to classify this as American cuisine, and the execution doesn't capture the essence of French cuisine either, which is known for its delicious food even in small portions. We had high hopes for this place; unfortunately, we won't...