Daisy — Restaurant in Los Angeles

A great and very creative Chef driven experience. Small menu offering but packed with great shareable options. We ate the obligatory Queso Fundido. I can't say that it differentiated itself in any way from any other well made one, but it was solid. Good blend of cheeses that stayed melted even as it cooled, served with warm whole wheat flour tortillas and topped with pico and salsa macha. There was chorizo as well that was not notable or memorable but it did leave it's trademark red fat pool. I ate an octopus taco. The octopus was perfectly tender and delicious but it was drowning in pineapple salsa. The salsa was delicious but it was too much. There was one small-ish tentacle about the size of a fat thumb, but I could barely taste it because of the salsa. The salsa was spicy- tasted like it was roasted or grilled and infused with some hot chilies. Nice acidity. It really needed twice as much octopus and half as much salsa to work. More char on the tentacle. Finally we shared what was ostensibly guacamole but without the seasoning ingredients, with the addition of rib eye carne asada for an upcharge. It's billed as mashed avocado which is what it is, the avocado was perfectly ripe and it was well seasoned with salt and lime but I felt myself wanting the rest of the ingredients that comprise guac. Onions, chilies, cilantro, tomato etc. The grilled rib eye was disappointing. Taco trucks cook the chopped meat on a hot flat top until it's crispy and dried out, that's fine for inexpensive meat but not rib eye. I really hoped it'd be a thin rib eye steak grilled whole, rare and chopped, so the juice and blood ran down and mixed with the avo to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. it could have been cheap top round and no one would know the difference, it was so overcooked and crispy. It was served with perfectly fried half tortillas for dipping, you can see in the photo. Needed two more, we finished the rest with our spoons. I can't figure out how they got all 3 tortilla halves to fry into exactly the same...

As a local who frequently passes by this spot on foot, I saw the build up for a long time. I was excited when it opened and the potential for another local bar. The atmosphere is great. Love the layout, large bar and it’s really well decorated. The hostess let us have a table that wasn’t claimed in time from a reservation. Our server was really nice and answered a lot of our friend’s questions. While everything was really great, I just have this nagging feeling it was overhyped and overpriced.

First, the menu and decor puts a heavy emphasis on the authenticity of Mexican tequila and mezcal. Yet, they served “smashed avocado.” I’m at a loss for why it’s not just guacamole on the menu. And that smashed avocado (photo included) was $18 with just a handful of chips. We had to ask for more. Guac and margs go together like PB&J, but I don’t think our guac was worth the price.

Second, I would recommend the classic margs over the specialty ones. The classic one was delicious . We tried two specialty margs which were $20 each. My mangoneada was worth it - tasty and well presented. However, my boyfriend’s sour apple marg left much to be desired. It looked just liked the classic marg.

My friend ordered the tostada de atún and the ceviche which I gotta say had a great taste. I dipped some left over chips in the ceviche sauce because it was that good. But were these two small dishes worth nearly $50? Maybe to some, but not to us.

Another interesting thing that came with our check was a 4% surcharge for “equitable living wages and employee benefits.” I appreciate any business that recognizes the importance of their staff’s wellbeing. And they do seem to keep their staff happy, but at the high prices this place charges, the 4% they need from that could come from the profit margin and not directly from the customer. We had two main plates, two appetizers and 8 drinks. With tip was nearly $300. I’ll come back for a drink or two, but anything more than that isn’t...

It's awesome to see the old space that housed The Sherman now transformed into the stylish Daisy. We had a great time here--the service was quick, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was on point.

Here's what we tried:

3.5/5 | Salsas De La Casa | $12 Good, but nothing to write home about. A little overpriced for what you get. The salsas had a solid kick, but I still think Casita's salsas (and their 5-for-$9 deal) are better.

5/5 | Carne Apache | $24 This was a standout. Super tasty and refreshing--kind of like beef tartare with a nice sesame oil twist.

5/5 | Taco De Pulpo | $10 Absolutely amazing. Served on your choice of corn or flour tortilla with crispy cheese inside, the flavor is out of this world.

5/5 | Taco Arabe | $10 The marinated pork was tender with a nice citrusy vibe that made each bite really satisfying. The mint leaves were a nice touch for presentation, but I'd prefer them cut into strips so the flavor is more evenly spread.

4.5/5 | Mangoneada Margarita | $20 Great flavor & unique presentatio

4/5 | Salsa Macha Infante Margarita | $20 Very unique flavor, unlike anything else I've had--almost like Thai peanut noodles. It's one of those drinks you wouldn't want more than one of, but it pairs perfectly with the Carne Apache. Not for everyone, but if you like unique drinks - give this one a try.

Overall, Daisy is a great addition to the neighborhood and a great spot for a date night or drinks with friends. Would love to see them offer 1-2 more taco options, turn down the music a bit (was difficult to have a conversation), a weekday happy hour and improve the salsa appetizer. Also, just a heads up - they do offer corn tortillas for those who are gluten free, it's just not written on their...