Grandmaster Recorders Events — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Incredible ambiance with good but not great food

I was really excited when finally checking out Grandmaster Recorders. I was surpirsed to find a long line with people that felt underdressed for a reservation we got a month ago, but we then soon realized that there is a Bar on the rooftop that is a clubby vibe while we got to set in the big open area inside, filled with really cool records and classic rock inspired furniture and color.

The waiter was very kind and introduced us to the world of Grandmaster Recorders, their mission for food connected with a long legacy of great music. We also got a lot of their cockail and food reccomendations, so we then set out on our mission to order a ton of different dishes and nibble at it with our group

FOCACCIA + WHIPPED BALSAMIC BUTTER + AGED BALSAMIC (9/10) This is the perfect tipe of apeptizer. The breed was incredibly fluffy, and the included butter was creamy and a bit sweet, but the flavor profile worked really well with the bread. Only complaint was that it wasn't presliced and it is a little difficult to cut a soft bread evently with a group.

PROSCIUTTO SAN DANIELE (3/10) I was very exctited to order this dish and was very surprised to see how generous of a portion the prosciutto was. Unfortunately I was disappointed in how I felt that I was able to chew through the thin proscuiotto rather quickly, feeling like there was not a good ratio of melons on the plate, and that the Mint that was scattered around the proscuitto was way over powering and that I couldn't truly enjoy the prouscitto that apparently was aged 24 months.

SALAMI PICANTE (7/10) This pizza had a good spicy kick to it which was pleasantly welcome. However, I don't think there was anthing else special. The dough felt a little too thin and crsipy, it didnt have a great crust and I couldn't really taste much of the sauce, I really felt like the salami and peppers was the most dominant flavor, which was good, but not too special.

MAFALDINE 2.0 (N/A) I will not be grading this one since my wife warned my that I probably wouldn't like it. She was right.

PAPPARDELLE (6/10) You can't go wrong with a dish like this. Pork, Vea;, Cheese, and pasta. Unfortunately, it felt a little bland. The pasta was cooked well and I did like the cheese, but the meat did not feel seasoned well and it felt like it was only there for texture. I felt that I have had better ragu pasta before and was disappointed that I was not very excited about either main dish at the table.

POTATOES FRITTI + CREME FRAICHE + CHIVES (8/10) This small plate definitely felt the most unique item we had on the plate, and I was really happy with it. It was simple, but the creme that it included was very flavorful and the potatoes, or jumbo tots as I called them, were very crispy and combined very well with the creme. It tasted like very fancy sour cream and onion Lays chips, which I really enjoyed

BABY GEM LETTUCES + SMOKEY EGG + WHITE ANCHOVY + CAESAR (4/10) I don't really know what happened here, we ordered some veggies as we felt that we were diving deep into meats and pastas, that we felt like this "salad' was over dressed and didn't provide anything good healthy wise.

COCKTAILS (7/10) We enjoyed our drinks, but didn't love them. We were surprised at the cost, being that most are over 20 dollars each.

Overall, I was really excited to go here and left a bit dissapointed. I don't think the food is objectively bad, but when you factor in the cost, it did feel overpriced and not special, The staff and ambiance was really incredible, and maybe you can have a lot more fun at the rooftop bar, but I think I will continue my search of finding a great Italian spot within walking distance of The...

SO DISAPPOINTED. First floor = Seventy One Bar + dance area w/ DJ; down the hall = restaurant. Second floor = bathrooms only. Third floor = rooftop bar.

Came in with a group of 4 - rooftop bar doesn’t take reservations. Went to rooftop & were offered a table by hostess “V”.

Ordered appetizers, drinks & shots from the BARTENDER AT THE BAR no server service was provided other than delivering the food to the table.

After drinks + appetizers, we each (4) went to bar to close out our tabs that covered said drinks and appetizers.

Went downstairs to restaurant & had ANOTHER round of drinks. Closed out tab.

On our way out, went to the THIRD stop at their venue,Seventy One Bar. After dancing for 20 or so minutes we were RUDELY approached by “James” “a manager” claiming server “Kennedy” on the rooftop TOLD him that they SAW my group skipping out on the check upstairs.

James verbatim said, “I saw you at the table and you didn’t pay.” My group spent over $600 combined after ordering multiple rounds of drinks, shots and food at the BAR from the bartender. James stormed off saying he’d “figure it out” and that he’d “be back.”

Understandably, at this point, we were no longer having fun.

James did not come back so we approached “manager Eric” to discuss what had happened and to make sure it was cleared up. Eric claimed he was sorry and that he’d speak to James. Neither of them got back to us so we decided to make our way out.

On the way out we see James and he says he “COMPED” the bill for us and not to “worry” about it … as if he did us a favor … saying he “took care of it.” No one was worried about paying for the bill James … but we WERE worried that you thought it was okay to insult and embarrass patrons like that. The gall to disrespect and embarrass us that way and think we’d hang around to DANCE after.

James ruined our night by accusing us of stealing and then acting like he did us a FAVOR by “comping” the bill. After James stormed off in the middle of us explaining that we had paid, Hostess “V” walked up and told us we should “just forget it” since the bill was “comped” and nothing else would be happening. Manager “Eric” eventually made James apologize but ultimately the experience was ruined.

It’s kind of hard to get back into having a fun time after you’ve been accused of stealing.

WHY would we stick around and go to TWO OTHER places within your establishment and spend MORE MONEY, if we were trying to skip out on the bill??

We were having so much fun. It’s so disappointing it had to end this way. We were disrespected and embarrassed by James, Eric, and V. We were lied on by “Kennedy” who we never even saw.

Why would we ever go back to a place where we were accused and harassed of skipping out on the bill?...

The most incredible decor and ambience is over the top great. The food is also very special. The burrata is creamy and fantastic as it the salmon starter. My partner had the Denver Steak that was cooked to perfection. I had the lamb shoulder that was a bit salty for my taste but overall pretty good and the ricotta gelato with carmel laced desert was incredible although a bit tiny to share. The cocktails are fun and I enjoyed the Late Registration. Just a note on the management policies. They are a bit offputting. When you get out of the car you are informed that parking is "only" 15 dollars if you leave by 9 pm. After 9 pm they tell you it goes up to 20! For Five bucks it is a strange first greeting. Then upon entrance which is really stunning the hostess tells us Welcome but you will have to give up your table at 8:30. Once we were seated promptly, it felt like an army of different waiters kept trying to pressure us to order quickly. First there was the pressure to order drinks and then three servers rotated over to our table to get us to order our entrees and it was uncomfortable to keep asking them to give us a minute. And ok so it is nice to be told upon entrance that we need to give up our table at 8:30, but honestly this was a very slow night and it was clear when we left 15 minutes ahead of schedule at 8:15, there was not one customer waiting anywhere to be seated. There was only going to be one party at our table that night and it was us. And my last comment is about the pre selected tip amount. The servers carry those small devices so they take your credit card and they run it on the spot. In this case the machine is pre programed to automatically apply a 20% tip. While I always give 20% there is something quite odd about the server standing over you and you would have to "unselect" the 20% if you decide to leave 15 or 18%. I just don't think this is appropriate at a restaurant of this style and quality. Maybe these policies come from Australia but the investor group that owns them seems to have adopted some very odd practices.. So Grandmaster gets a "5" for ambience, a "4" for cuisine and and service but a "1" for their management policies...There are so many new great spots like Magari down the street, I don't think I...