Fork n' Film LA — Restaurant in Los Angeles

I went to the 1:00 pm showing of Hocus Pocus in NYC.

I am honestly very shocked at how bad the service was, how disorganized the staff were, and how subpar the food was. If the ticket price was 1/3 or lower than what it was it would have been acceptable but honestly it was not. The high ticket charge indicated to me that I would be receiving high level service and food, however this was not the case.

First, the email indicated that we should come about 30 minutes earlier than the 1:00 pm start time and that late comers might possibly not be permitted.

We arrived at 12:30, was let in maybe 10 minutes after this, and then sat and waited until after 1:30. This felt like a very late start and not a good omen. Once the movie started, I noticed that the courses were coming out piecemeal and haphazardly. A wedding service had better flow and order. I could not tell which tables were getting served first besides VIPs and then all other tables seemed to be free for all.

The first course of dead man’s toes looked like it was supposed to come out together as soup and breadsticks. However even the VIPs were getting served just the soup and the breadsticks came out at least 10-15 minutes after. For us it was reversed, we got served the breadsticks and did not get the soup until 10 minutes later. The table next to me on my right one girl got a soup, 10 minutes later the other girl got the breadsticks. Then eventually they both got everything but it was very sloppily timed.

The breadsticks were subpar and lazily done to look like toes. For $190+ a ticket you’d think some effort would be put into this. From there, it was a jumble of courses. Drinks came out whenever and then we were completely skipped for the candle course. I watched as the tables next to us were served this dish and we were forgotten. I had to remind our server that we were not given this and it took 20 minutes for this to be given as they had to heat it up for us. This was probably the best bite of the night as it was actually served to us hot. The coffin gnocci dish was luke warm, served to us way out of order and late to when it was supposed to on film and the wooden coffin it was served it was nothing more than a stained black wooden box from Michael’s. It had a broken hinge and I really cannot imagine it being considered food grade. So while very cute with the shovel spoon, I was distracted by this. Also this dish was not tasty. I could not taste black truffle in this at all. If it was tastier maybe I would be disappointed that it was only about 4 pieces of gnocci in this but I honestly did not care to eat more of it anyway. The shrimp pasta was laughable as what I presume to be a main course. 4 pieces of shrimp and not even large shrimp. I struggled to find what the high menu price would be on - breadsticks and soup, arancini, gnocci, and more squid ink pasta. all starches and literally the only protein was 4 pieces of shrimp. I felt cheated that I paid so much for such little return. Food profit margins for you guys must be high though! The last brownie course tasted good but seemed a little bit cheap - just a printed out graphic on some edible paper. Kind of cute but literally not high end restaurant worthy, which is what this price reflects. This was like a $8 dessert you might get at a bake sale. Not even a fancy fruit drizzle on the plate to try and make some sort of effort to elevate this dish. Also a photographer went around the whole place and took pictures of everyone - except for our table. I felt excluded but felt less bad when I found out that it was $20. Just seemed like another bit of disorganization to me. Also the manager at the beginning told us not to take home any props. I could understand about the cast iron cauldron or the coffin and shovel. But the little plastic pumpkin that the candy comes in? For $199+ a person that really couldn’t be included?? Absolutely came across as stingy. I am extremely disappointed in my experience and will not be recommending this to anyone I know and will not...

Ever wondered what it would be like to dine inside your favorite animated food film? Fork n' Film attempts to answer that question with their Ratatouille-themed dining experience. While it may not transport you directly into Gusteau's kitchen, it certainly serves up a heaping portion of movie magic alongside your meal.

The evening begins with a slight hiccup - poor lobby design leaves diners queuing outside an elevator, dampening the anticipation. The online photos promise an intimate theater setting, but reality serves up 20 tables in a convention room. It's less "dinner and a movie" and more "timeshare presentation with gourmet catering." However, once you adjust your expectations, the experience starts to simmer.

The meal kicks off with a classic pairing of champagne and popcorn (because nothing says "haute cuisine" like movie theater snacks, right?). From there, the courses roll out like scenes from our favorite culinary cartoon:

A charcuterie board that's more "meh" than "magnifique," featuring pita bread that could've been plucked from a pizza Lunchable. A zesty salad served in a miniature garbage can - a cheeky nod to Remy's humble beginnings. An oyster mushroom and cheese dish that arrives with its own pyrotechnics - a lit sparkler that fills the room with aromatic smoke. A "spectacular" potato soup served in a tiny pot with an equally tiny wooden spoon - charming, if not groundbreaking. Beef Bourguignon (or a surprisingly delicious tofu option for non-meat eaters). While tasty, the beef could've used a longer simmer to reach that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness we crave. I’m told this dish varies week to week, they also do chicken. The star of the show: Ratatouille. Or, in this case, “rat patootie” because it was no more than unevenly sized pieces of roasted root veggies in a vague red pepper sauce. Being the course that it is, one would expect this to have a much more interesting flavor or at least a more movie accurate plating. I had to rearrange the pieces a bit for the photos.

The drink pairings keep pace with the food, featuring a white wine blend, a sneaky sangria masquerading as red wine, and the pièce de résistance: a cocktail named "Ahh! a Rat!" Served alongside a (thankfully unarmed) giant rat trap, this apple-vodka concoction comes with its own special effects courtesy of some dry ice. It's a theatrical touch that almost makes you forget you're sipping "rat poison."

The meal concludes with a vegan crème brûlée that, while tasty, could use a thicker sugar crust for that satisfying crack. Pro tip: celebrate a special occasion (or fib a little) to score an amazing chocolate-dipped cheesecake brownie for dessert.

At $200 per person (not including tip or the amusingly unflattering commemorative photo), Fork n' Film isn't for everyone. It's best suited for those who love both food and films, particularly fans of Ratatouille. Think of it as a culinary theme park ride - you're paying for the experience as much as the meal itself.

While there are a few missteps (sound mixing issues, pacing hiccups, and a slightly disappointing ratatouille), the overall experience is as fun as Linguini's first chaotic night in the kitchen. It may not earn a Michelin star, but it certainly deserves a standing ovation for creativity.

So, if you're a foodie with a taste for cinematic adventure, Fork n' Film might just be your recipe for a memorable night out. Just remember to bring your sense of humor along with your appetite - after all, as Chef Gusteau would say, "Anyone can cook!" but it takes a true artist to serve...

Visiting LA for my birthday, my best pal and I tried to do this last year but we waited too long and tickets were sold out. So, we tried again this year and I flew out to LA. After attending Fork & Film’s Hocus Pocus screening, I posted a social media reel and was contacted by their marketing team for feedback on my experience. My response is still sitting left un-read after a week, which is unfortunate, because the concept itself has real potential. So here we are are instead...

From a culinary and event design perspective, the execution left a lot to be desired. The evening felt overpriced for the quality delivered in food and drink, both in presentation and flavor. Two of the three cocktails were undrinkable, and the food, sure it was themed, but it was under-seasoned, poorly plated, and served at inconsistent temperatures. Many of the food items were served in or on non food safe items, for example, a small wooden crafting coffin shaped box (served breadsticks for the 1st food course) definitely wasn't washed before it came back out for dessert later on. That's pretty gross. The plastic jack lantern kid's toy bucket that served one of the drinks, definitely isn't made of plastic that can withstand temperatures of a dishwashing machine. IF these items are a one time use, then why were we not allowed to keep them? So either it is overly wasteful or unsanitary. I'm going to put my money on the later.

There’s an abundance of creative inspiration to pull from Hocus Pocus. There are a ton of opportunities for playful, nostalgic, and elevated pairings. Instead, the dishes felt rushed and uninspired. For example, a large, cheese-stuffed arancini ball served lukewarm on a precarious skinny votive candle holder stand, with a ramekin of sauce on the side might sound whimsical, but in practice, it was difficult to eat and lacking in flavor and temperature. To be honest, it tasted like it came in frozen from Sysco. The icing to decorate our brownie spell books was broken and came out of the little piping bag kinda half melted, and some cheap eyeball sprinkles from Walmart to decorate it with? Eh, could have done better...

The ingredients appeared to be of low quality, and the cocktails were overly sweet, masking rather than highlighting any thoughtful mixology or creations. I don't need some $25 cocktail, but one of the drinks tasted about as cheap as the small plastic Halloween bucket it was served in. A functioning (cash) bar would have gone a long way toward improving the guest experience; instead, guests were limited to the drinks provided (one of each) unless you wanted water (yes, we did ask about other drinks or options).

The people who attended, the theme, and the movie, is what made this event fun. The amount of drinks/food you received through the movie was well paced so you always had something to nibble or drink on... if it all had been edible. The staff was friendly and polite.

The idea of a film and dining crossover event is genuinely appealing and could make for a great date or social outing, but the execution needs refinement. From the culinary development to guest comfort (those chairs did no favors). With a stronger emphasis on ingredient quality and presentation, Fork & Film could have people coming back on a regular basis without a blink at the price tag. For us, it was a one and done thing. With so many options for things to do around LA, I wouldn't really recommend this...