LALA'S Argentine Grill On Melrose — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Our Business Dinner at Lala’s Argentine Grill - Melrose Avenue’s Undersung Maestro In the sprawling gastronomic tapestry of Los Angeles, where culinary fashions flare and fade with the seasons, there exists a particular breed of establishment that transcends the ephemeral. Lala’s Argentine Grill on Melrose Avenue is such a sanctuary—a testament to the notion that true culinary artistry need not announce itself with avant-garde pretensions or Instagram-baiting theatrics. The hospitality industry’s oft-repeated mantra of “service first” frequently dissolves into hollow platitude, yet under the orchestration of Horacio and his immaculately choreographed team, it crystallizes into tangible reality. Their approach to service exists in that rarefied sweet spot—attentive without suffocation, present without intrusion. They embody the disappearing art of reading a table’s rhythm, materializing precisely when needed and receding gracefully when conversation deepens. This is not service as performance, but service as genuine stewardship. The chimichurri that inaugurated our feast served as a verdant harbinger of pleasures to come—a vibrant emulsion where parsley’s brightness was tempered by garlic’s earthy warmth and lifted by the subtle acidity of vinegar. This seemingly simple condiment, the calling card of Argentine cuisine, revealed the kitchen’s foundational philosophy: respect for tradition paired with flawless execution. The New York strip arrived medium-rare with unerring precision—a carnivorous opus that spoke to Argentina’s profound understanding of beef. The exterior bore the elemental kiss of fire, giving way to a center of ruby succulence. Its inherent richness was neither masked nor manipulated, but rather coaxed into full expression. The accompanying mashed potatoes achieved that elusive balance between rustic integrity and silken refinement—not merely a starchy necessity but a considered complement to the protein’s commanding presence. A triumvirate of vegetables—broccoli, spinach, and zucchini—provided cruciferous counterpoint, each maintaining individual character while harmonizing with the plate’s broader composition. These were vegetables treated with respect rather than obligation, a refreshing departure from the perfunctory treatment side dishes often endure. To invoke Vanessa Williams seems entirely appropriate—indeed, they “saved the best for last.” The caramel crêpes emerged as the evening’s unexpected crescendo. The delicate pancakes, whisper-thin yet structurally sound, cradled their molten amber filling with dignified restraint. This was dessert that understood its mission—to conclude rather than compete, to satisfy without overwhelming. In a city perpetually chasing the next culinary novelty, Lala’s stands as a quiet rebuke to such restlessness. Here, in this unassuming outpost of Argentine gastronomy, one finds something increasingly precious: a restaurant that knows exactly what it is, executed with conviction and grace. Horacio and his team have created not merely a dining establishment but a sanctuary of hospitality—a place where the fundamentals of breaking bread are elevated to their highest expression. In the final analysis, isn’t this what we truly seek when we dine out? Not pyrotechnics or innovation for its own sake, but rather that rare alchemy of thoughtful food, genuine service, and an environment that allows human connection to flourish. By these essential measures, Lala’s doesn’t just...

I haven't been to a restaurant in the last 3 and a half years; today to celebrate Father's Day I just had one place in mind, Lala's. I did Uber and Lyft for a little over 2 years and had soooo many passengers from that place, dropping off and taking to and I used to hear many good things about it, so the expectations where high for today's visit. Sadly to say, not the best experience, at all. My family and I got there and were told to wait about 30 minutes, which I didn't mind considering the current situation. It gave me time to go over the menu and locked in as to what I wanted to order for appetizers, Chorizo, Provoleta and calamar frito, that's when all went down the hill. The place was not full, so I figured it would all go smoothly, not!!. Let's start with timing, terrible; it took over 30 minutes to get them; the chorizo was so dry, it felt like a pepperoni sausage, the provoleta was not melted thru entirely, we had to cut it with a knife, and the calamar frito spent a few minutes more than intended in the fryer, it's not a good taste when the breading goes beyond its supposed color and cooking time. We were 5 minutes into the appetizers when the main courses came in... all I could think of was "who the hell is running the kitchen?", in what decent establishment you get your main dishes just when you are starting your appetizers?? BIG, BIG MISTAKE!!! My wife order the Entraña, she said it was "good", one of my kids ordered the burger with fries, he said he liked it a lot, my other son got the Suprema Napolitana, waaayyy too much cheese and you could see the breading was overcooked. Mashed potatoes were too salty. I ordered the Entraña con ajo and salad, it was fairly burnt on the edges, not much flavor to talk about and the side salad with tons of oil. In all honesty, I should've sent everything back to the kitchen but I just didn't want to make such a scene and I know my wife wouldn't have been to happy about me complaining in that way. So we ate what we could, didn't want to risk with dessert. Paid and left with an unhappy feeling about this father's day dinner. I know there are a lot of 5 star reviews, the atmosphere of the place is very nice, is clean and inviting and the prices are really good. Too bad this time we didn't get there in a good night. It felt like the cooks were not trained enough or don't care about the quality...

Food is so-so, not impressive but certainly not bad. A refreshing change from my regular cuisine. However, I was far from impressed with the customer service. I came in thirsty and hungry and was greeted friendly and seated immediately. I sat at the table for quite a while before the waitress seemed to notice. After she took my drink order, it took much longer than it should have to retrieve my drinks. She brought it to me and i ordered my food. She had a hard time understanding my specific (yet incredibly simple) order. After I slammed down my first beverage, I was ready for another. I waited and waited for her to come around, but she never did. I tried catching the attention of other waiters and bussers, however it seemed that they didn't look my direction or simply didn't care. I saw them refill drinks at every other table, ignoring our table in the corner. It was busy but not near full, with half to three quarters of the tables taken. I literally had to interrupt my meal with my friends and family to stand up and walk to the front desk and ask for refills. The lady at the front desk was fairly courteous and understanding, and asked my waitress to refill drinks at her tables. She came back around with a pitcher of tea and water and refilled the waters at my table. I requested she refilled the sodas at my table. She agreed, left to go to the kitchen again, and did not return to my table. She waited upon her other tables as usual, refusing to so much as glance at our little table in the corner. For the second time, I had to stand up and remind her at the front. She finally ended up giving me my first refill of the night, by the time we were all done eating. Later on, after we received our check, the bussers began to take notice of us, removing plates from our tables, just to make their jobs easier when we actually leave. As I left the building, they did not acknowledge me at all. Everything was winding down, so it's not like they were too busy to wish me a good night. As someone with experience working food service, the staff seem to have very poor communication, multi-tasking and...