Beethoven Market — Restaurant in Los Angeles

We were genuinely excited to try Beethoven Market in Mar Vista, and while there were some definite highlights, our experience was a mixed bag overall. Our entire table rated it 5/10.

Ambience & First Impressions: The setting is absolutely beautiful. As soon as you step inside, the space feels inviting and stylish, setting the stage for what we hoped would be a great evening. Our server was lovely--sweet, attentive, and really the standout in terms of service. I cannot remember her name but she needs some recognition.

Food & Drink: We started with the focaccia, which unfortunately came out cold and consisted of a single small slice--disappointing. To their credit, they replaced it promptly, which we appreciated. The squash blossoms and rice balls were enjoyable, and the pepperoni pizza was crispy and delicious--probably the best thing we had- which isn't saying much.

The lemon pasta was light and pleasant, though not particularly memorable. The carbonara, on the other hand, was rich, flavorful, and easily one of the stronger dishes of the night.

The rest of the meal was less successful. The Caesar salad was overwhelmingly fishy--anchovy-forward to the point of being hard to eat. The octopus was rubbery and overly salty, and the mussels were not only extremely salty but served cold.

Cocktails were creative and well-crafted. However, a strange moment came when the bartender made an offhand, somewhat awkward comment about our dirty martini with extra olives--nothing offensive, just oddly out of place.

Service & Timing: Aside from our server, the overall service felt rushed and disjointed. Appetizers came out almost immediately after ordering, which made us question whether they were made fresh. The bread being cold only added to that concern. Despite asking for our dishes to be spaced out, the rest of the courses arrived while we were still working on the first round, which created a cramped and rushed dining experience. We noticed the table next to us seemed just as frustrated by the pacing.

Final Thoughts: Prices were on the mid to higher end, as expected for a trendy new spot in West LA. Some dishes and drinks delivered, but the inconsistent execution and oddly paced service made it hard to fully enjoy the evening. Beethoven Market has potential--great atmosphere, a few standout items--but for now, it feels like style is outpacing substance. Hopefully with time, they find...

Beethoven Market is undeniably a hip spot with a cool, stylish vibe—the kind of place people talk about, which explains why we had to wait three weeks for a reservation. Unfortunately, the food and service didn’t live up to the buzz.

We started with the Caesar salad, easily the best dish of the night: crisp, well-dressed, and perfectly balanced. From there, however, things went downhill. The octopus arrived dry, though the bed of cannellini beans it was served on was comforting and enjoyable (though it’s hard to go wrong with cannellini beans). The zucchini blossoms were greasy and underwhelming, lacking the lightness and flavor we were hoping for.

For mains, the fish of the day—a red snapper—was overcooked and dry. We had specifically asked a server if it was a boneless filet, and were assured it was. My wife bit into a bone, and when we mentioned it, our waiter dismissed it with, “Well, they tried, and can’t get them all,” before walking away. That cavalier response left a bad taste, overshadowing the dish entirely.

The rigatoni carbonara didn’t resemble a traditional carbonara—it leaned more toward a pepper sauce without the depth of flavor you’d expect. The pork collar was tough to cut even with a steak knife and unpleasantly chewy, making it a struggle rather than a pleasure to eat.

To their credit, the menu prices are fairly approachable compared to other trendy restaurants in the area. But even with that in mind, there are plenty of better places to eat on the Westside that deliver both on flavor and service.

Bottom line: Come for the vibe if that’s your priority, but if you’re looking for a memorable meal, Beethoven Market...

Overall, I really enjoy Beethoven Market – the prices are relatively affordable (though they've already increased in the three months they've been open...), the food is very solid (love the carbonara), and the cocktails are great. However, the service is seriously lacking.

The hosts up front always have a bit of an attitude for seemingly no reason, like a "you should be so lucky to be eating here" kind of thing that I really don't like. It took my friends over 25 minutes to get a glass of wine after ordering – my cocktail came sooner (though still took too long). That is unacceptable. It took our server more than 10 minutes to bring out the dessert menu after being asked. Finally, after receiving the check, we waited over 30 minutes for someone to take our payment, and eventually had to ask someone who wasn't our server to do so – and it still took another 10 minutes or so.

Beethoven Market is a gorgeous restaurant and the vibes are impeccable, but for a place that's booked solid three weeks out and constantly has a 2+ hour wait for walk-ins, I expect a better customer service experience. I get that things are busy, but if you can't handle it, perhaps you should be booking...