Men & Beasts | Modern Chinese Restaurant & Tea Lounge - Los Angeles, CA — Restaurant in Los Angeles

A Sublime Culinary Find at the Crossroads of Sunset & El Varado Men and Beasts, the newly opened plant-based Asian eatery at the intersection of Sunset and El Varado, is hard to miss both visually and gastronomically. Hailing from a successful Miami run, the LA location makes an immediate impression with its sharp corner presence and an interior that blends precision, warmth, and attention to detail. What surprised me most is how this restaurant doesn’t advertise itself as “vegan” and frankly, it doesn’t need to. The food speaks for itself with bold, harmonious flavors that happen to be entirely plant-based. There’s no sense of compromise here only elevation. Started with the smashed cucumber salad, simply the best I’ve ever had. Crisp, cold, perfectly dressed, refreshing and packed with flavor. Then came the Sichuan pepper oil dumplings, a textural and aromatic knockout. I also had the truffle fried rice, which was deeply satisfying and aromatic without being heavy one of those dishes you think about the next day (so I took some home with me hehe)

The salt and pepper seitan “wings” were probably my least favorite as I am not a fan of seitan, but well crunchy and savory / tangy. The bao, filled with oyster mushrooms, was pillowy and rich earthy, sweet, and umami in all the right ways.

Another thoughtful touch: the menu is paired with a small tea kettle and a curated selection of teas green, roasted, oolong, jasmine a subtle but elegant nod to tradition, and a perfect match for the food. And dessert? Don’t leave without the corn and miso ice cream. I’m not exaggerating when I say it might be one of the best ice creams I’ve ever had sweet, savory, and haunting in the best way.

Whether you’re vegan or not is irrelevant here. Men and Beasts isn’t a vegan restaurant it’s just incredibly good food that happens to be vegan. Every detail, every bite, feels deliberate, refined, and joyfully satisfying. I’ll absolutely be back. And I highly recommend it to anyone with a palate, curiosity, and appreciation for...

A gorgeous little spot with wonderful food and very friendly service! Every dish was delicious, the monkey buns in particular were a stand out and I'm already craving them again. They tasted exactly like barbecued pork, and the dough was soft and impossibly buttery for being vegan. I always have to have tea if I'm having Chinese food for dinner, and their selection was small but very high quality. I was really impressed with their Ali Shan Oolong, it was one of the best I've had, and I appreciated that they included a jianshui (I am assuming!) teapot to brew it in. Service was lovely. Everyone was warm, outgoing, and patient with explaining the menu and answering questions. The venue is beautiful and cozy. Expect to park a block or two away in one of the residential areas, but nothing too bad. I can't wait to return to try the rest of the dishes on the menu, maybe once...

So good! We went last week and my non-vegan partner even keeps talking about it, if you're concerned about the wider appeal. Sipped on a delightful tea. The cucumber salad was our favorite but everything was so delicious. Thought the truffle fried rice was a little dry to me a sauce might balance it. They have quirky homade ice cream flavors similar to Salt and Straw if you're into that.

Staff was nice and attentive! Great service. It's a bit of a different layout with a nice outdoor space as the main dining area, tables for a variety of party sizes. There's an indoor bar/tea lounge separated by the kitchen. You have to go out and around to get to. Not a complaint, just an FYI

Parking is what you'd expect for this area. Some meters and street parking around. I'd give yourself some extra time to find a spot especially at peak hours.

We'll definitely be...