KA'TEEN — Restaurant in Los Angeles

If you’re looking for an unforgettable dining experience that transports you straight to Tulum without leaving Los Angeles, Ka’teen is the place to be. From the moment you step inside, you’re completely immersed in a lush, bohemian paradise. The ambiance is pure magic—warm, cozy, and intimate, with earthy tones, flickering candlelight, and an abundance of greenery that gives it that jungle-chic vibe. It’s effortlessly stylish, yet inviting, making it the perfect spot for a romantic date night or a lively group dinner.

The hostess was incredibly welcoming and looked effortlessly polished, setting the tone for the evening. We arrived to a fully packed house, so reservations are an absolute must. The music was spot on—energetic but not overpowering, adding to the already electric atmosphere. We took an Uber, so I can’t comment on parking, but judging by the popularity of this place, rideshare is probably the way to go.

Ka’teen takes their cocktail game seriously. Each drink is crafted to perfection, no watered-down nonsense here. Two standouts were El Santo, a tequila-based masterpiece with a smoky, citrusy balance that was dangerously smooth. The hint of pineapple and mezcal infusion gave it a tropical kick without overpowering the drink. The Carajillo Mezcalero was a beautiful twist on the classic carajillo, blending mezcal with espresso and Licor 43 for the perfect post-dinner pick-me-up. Rich, bold, and slightly sweet—an absolute must-try.

Now let’s talk about the real star of the show: the food. Every single bite was bursting with flavor, perfectly cooked, and absolutely addictive. The carne asada ribeye was outstanding—perfectly grilled, juicy, and packed with that irresistible smoky-charred goodness. The meat was so tender it practically melted in my mouth, and the seasoning was absolute perfection. The lamb shank barbacoa was an experience in itself. The meat was slow-cooked to fall-off-the-bone tenderness, deeply rich, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying. The barbacoa marinade was next level—smoky, slightly sweet, and layered with so many complex spices. One of the best lamb dishes I’ve ever had.

The striped bass ceviche was so fresh, so bright, and so well-balanced. The citrus cured the fish beautifully, giving it that perfect bite with just the right amount of acidity. Paired with crunchy tostadas, it was the ideal appetizer to kick off the meal. The guacamole and chips were simple but executed flawlessly. Creamy, fresh, and generously portioned, with just the right amount of lime and spice. The house-made chips were crisp, warm, and addictive. The aguachile was bold, spicy, and tangy. The shrimp were plump and fresh, bathed in a zesty, fiery marinade that had just the right kick. A must-order for seafood lovers.

Ka’teen is truly a gem in LA’s dining scene. If you’ve been dreaming of visiting Tulum but haven’t made it there yet, this is your chance to experience the essence of it right here in the city. The food, the drinks, the ambiance—it all comes together to create an unforgettable night out. Highly recommend making a reservation and treating yourself to this tropical escape.

A solid five stars. Can’t wait...

This pretty new spot by Chef Wes Avila (a Guerrilla Tacos, IFKYK) has so much potential. The restaurant is beautifully designed - like a Tulum meets South Beach vibe. A place for a date, girls night or a group dinner.

My friend and I had the chips and guacamole, scallop ceviche, lamb shank, and mushrooms in molé sauce. We had cocktails too, but while tasty, they weren’t standout items. The dishes were all ones I would order again but, and this is a BIG BUT, I hope that the next time, the service is a lot more attentive. Definitely where the “so much potential” part kicks in.

The waitress described the lamb as 6 hour slow cooked and we salivated at the sound of it, but we were not expecting that it would take what felt like 6 hours for it to finally make it to our table. As we saw tables that were seated long after us, receive their plates of lamb and other entrees, we patiently waited and waited with that oooh maybe that’s ours look on our face each time a server passed by with food, while our waitress attended to what seemed like everyone else. After a long leave of absence, she came back to our table so we could finally ask where our last dish was. She made it seem like it was on the way and disappeared. More waiting until we were finally able to flag down the manager who politely apologized and went to check on our dish. While we waited again, they brought over a couple flutes of champagne. It still took a few more minutes after that, so perhaps the reality was that our entree order was never placed. Sadly we were already slowing down in pace because the other dishes had already been served long before the lamb arrived. But still, after it was brought to us by the manager and Chef Avila himself (nice touch guys), we dove in. It was delicious, tender and flavorful, but just imagine how delicious it would’ve been if we hadn’t waited over 40 minutes for it. The entire experience took about 2.5 hours. On the plus side, we had time to catch up, but it really also reached the point of looking around wondering where our food and waitress were.

In the end, the manager pulled through with a discount for our long wait and for that we are thankful, but wish that the reason for the discount hadn’t been because we had waited so long. Mind you, I know we are in a pandemic and the restaurant business has been struggling with bringing people back to work, but this place was the most staffed I’ve seen in awhile, so you could not say it was due to the lack of workers. 3.5 stars but I’m...

This is a complex review to write, not due to lack of effort, but things that were perhaps beyond the staffs control. We arrived on time and were greeted by the lead host/ Maître d. He was charismatic, and offered a wealth of personality. He said he was organising the table and would be ready for us shortly. After taking some photos for 15 minutes, He mentioned our table still wasn’t ready, took us to a lounge, offered some house vodka shots or drinks and said things wouldn’t be long. After 45 minutes total, some in the lounge area (which was lovely I might add) We arrived at our beautiful table, with complimentary Corn chips and Guacamole which was delish. Before move on to the negatives I will mention the cocktails were brilliant and well balanced and our section server was pleasant and available, however limited in what she could offer at no fault of her own.

Before we could even order, we were told the kitchen was closing, shortly after the bar was closed, halfway through mains we were told kitchen was closing and asked if we wanted a dessert or coffee…this was so disappointing considering we were sat close to an hour late and it seemed unfair our experience was put at a disadvantage because of this.

Entrees. Chicken was more than dry, mushroom Birria was good but not excellent, the kitchen was still pushing food so we asked for more tortillas as we got 5 pcs for 4 people, our waiter checked with the kitchen - Chef said no.

The Churros we ordered half way through our mains as requested. It was evident the chef had made them when ordered and didn’t put the order on hold until after mains so they arrived cold and in edible and such a shame considering this was recommended by our waiter and requires very simple execution.

Whilst we mentioned something discreetly and were offered a brunch booking to “make it right” we booked this 3 months in advance and were looking forward to a dinner experience we simply didn’t get.

Over booking tables at the expense of your next reservations is a slippery slope, and takes away from the overall class of this...