Steep LA — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Steep LA is very stylish, visually nice, plenty of attitude ("Oh, look, a turntable! With an LP in it!" I think we were supposed to react.).

Unfortunately, not very good.

First, currently there is no government mandate for any COVID-19 masking, but there was a clear sign at the entrance saying masks are required, so we put on our masks, I'm cool with that. But the people in front of us, friends of the staff, weren't wearing masks and weren't asked to do so. Are masks a requirement or not?

Second, there was confusion about where we could sit and whether we could have real cups or were going to get to-go cups. So, after being warned of the deadline for leaving, my wife and I sat at "the communal table". But I guess there is a seating chart, we were not allowed to sit next to each other, a worker came over and made my wife move to sit opposite me instead next to me—because two more people might come in who…don't want to sit next to each other?

Third, before our tea came the other people at the communal table left, and the same worker came to collect their cups and clean that part of the table. But cleaning meant spraying Windex on the table, upwind of us, just feet away. We are supposed to enjoy fine tea mixed with the fine mist Windex in our faces? We objected, and her reaction was that it wasn't Windex that she sprayed. The woman showed NO appreciation for why atomizing ANY cleaning product in our faces would be a bad idea.

Fourth, they are all ostentatious in how they make their tea, measuring things just so, but when our green tea came it wasn't very good, it lacked in any flavor beyond bitter. The casual tea I sometimes make myself in the afternoon is much better, I once had a coworker who made tea at his desk that was better still. I have had fancy tea out and it can be sublime. Just being out and letting others worry about the details has its own magic. This place couldn't pull off either.

If you are looking for a pretty place, to be seen, with a mishmash of boutique items to go admire in the back (both a rack of T-shirts AND a black bicycle), you might like this place. They even serve some kind of food.

But if you want to trust you will be treated well and drink good tea, don't bother with this place.

Compare for contrast my review of the very wonderful Angry Egret Dinette, just a...

As a long-time patron of Steep LA, I’ve enthusiastically supported the space not only for its curated teas and inventive pop-ups, but for what it represents—a thoughtful homage to Chinese tea culture, championed so passionately by Lydia and her team. Over the years, I’ve brought friends, attended events, and spent well over a thousand dollars supporting what I believed to be a rare and meaningful culinary venture.

However, my experience yesterday was nothing short of jarring. During a casual visit with friends, what should have been another serene tea session was abruptly derailed by the disruptive and erratic behavior of part-owner Samuel Wang. Visibly intoxicated, he initiated an unprovoked verbal altercation with one of my guests over a trivial matter, and soon after, turned his hostility toward others in the room—including myself—despite my having no involvement.

To witness someone in a leadership position behave so belligerently, and inebriated no less, is profoundly disappointing. It casts a shadow over the professionalism and integrity that Steep LA has worked so hard to build. This was not a fleeting lapse in judgment—it was an aggressive, public outburst that left multiple patrons uncomfortable and disrespected.

For a hospitality-driven space, this kind of behavior is not only unacceptable—it’s damaging. I strongly urge the management to reflect on how such conduct undermines the very culture they’ve sought to celebrate. At the very least, an acknowledgment and public apology from Mr. Wang is warranted.

Steep LA remains a venue with immense potential, but moments like this remind us that ambiance is not just aesthetic—it’s human. And yesterday’s experience was anything but...

This is just a review leans more on their cocktail menu over anything else.

We love the vibes, we know the tea is great. Bites are delish (even just the Furikake Popcorn is worth having more of). But after a few cocktails we felt they didn’t match up to the price based on their flavor profiles. Lack of balance was the common consensus across a few of these. I’m not sure he actually taste tested some of these, but they either just love sweet drinks without regard to how they really taste or just a bunch of friends be family. Take for example the Pineapple Cake Daiquiri. A mix of rums, juice (sweet) and some egg and butter (savory). Neither really complimented the other and the ingredients felt disjointed. I’m curious on the ratios because with rums and pineapple especially it can get very sweet and overpower the other ingredients. I honestly felt the lack of some other acid like citrus (yuzu or lime would have probably bridged this better) would have helped. Some others tasted fine though there wasn’t anything that immediately made them pop.

I get that this is main a tea spot. So it’s admirable that they even have a cocktail menu. But I’d probably stick to that myself the next time I come in. Their cocktail menu does look adventurous if not for the sake of mixing up a lot of different ingredients together. So maybe I’ll try again someday.

The tea as always, is amazing and flavorful and taste pretty much EXACTLY how they...