The Rooftop — Restaurant in Los Angeles

So I heard really good things about this place so my friends and I decided to try it recently and let me just say that our experience was completely different. We arrived to our appointment, got seated then waited a good 15 mins wondering if anyone was going to come greet us, and ask if we were ready to order or simply wanted water while we wait. Eventually a server came and asked what we wanted, fast forward to us ordering and the food taking FOREVER!!!!! The server brought some of the food we ordered, and we decided to wait a bit so we were all eating at the same time, but eventually just started eating because we didn't want the food we had to get cold. The remaining of the food taking a good extra 20 mins and it was FRIES and another side dish, I don't understand why that wasn't the first thing to come out. Let me not forget that the server forgot about my friends drink she ordered. The server would drop food off and then disappear, so when the server next to our table was free I asked her if I could order a drink ... a regular drink, she tells me that we basically have already been there for too long so she needs to speak with someone higher up and ask. HUH? all that for some juice?! Mind you we've been here for over an hour and majority of the time was waiting ON OUR FOOD AND DRINKS. I see her continue to serve people while I'm waiting about 10 mins for an answer.

I'm over it at this point, I've been more than understanding I feel because I was extremely patient and so at that point I ask someone walking by who works there if I can speak with the manager, he says ok and walks away. Here comes our server (PM is what it says on the receipt) asking what's wrong and I say I would like to talk to the manager and he says that he is the manager. I'm in shock because the service he gave us as a server was NOT manager material, it was very poor customer service. He states he talked to the lady, and gives us 25% off our food and walks away to get our bill. After the lady comes back and apologizes and says it was a lack of communication from her team and continues to try to butter up the situation after she was already so rude in her tone and by her comment. The manager/server comes back, I still never get a drink, and he continues to keep a charge for a drink I ordered but didn't like (which he started he would take off the bill). We pay the bill and I ask the same lady who questioned our time being there since they charged us can I get another drink to go of the same price she says yeah... it takes another 25 mins for my drink, I realize I should've not asked for it because it shouldn't have taken that long. While we sit back down and wait eventually a different server comes to the table real fast and drops off a cup and just walks away. No here's your drink, no hi who ordered the drink, no anything. The drink looked suspicious, I ended up just throwing it away. Customer service at this establishment is TERRIBLE. I wouldn't recommend this place at all, and that's unfortunate because it was my first time and I thought I would have such a great experience and it was complete opposite. The 1 star is...

This type of review could have been avoided had they had better management. The issues were so small but due to the way they were handled it really made our first-time visit one to remember.

First, it’s hard to tell who’s on staff and who is a guest. We waited 15 min after we were seated to even be acknowledged. Staff kept walking by and all of them made eye contact but no one came to greet us as our server until 15min after we’d been waiting. The server Daniel finally came over. I’m not sure if he was our appointed server of if he was given our table last minute but waiting 15-min after you’re seated to just be acknowledged is a little long. My husband (who never complains) was even getting antsy.

We intentionally ordered to VERY basic items: Sweet Potato Belgium Waffle and the smoked salmon bagel. The sweet potato waffle came out but unfortunately it was definitely a regular waffle. Even our server Daniel agreed it was not correct. When we sent it back the kitchen denied that it was a regular waffle saying “we used a white sweet potato and that’s why it’s that color”. Regardless of the color it did not taste like a sweet potato waffle. Daniel voluntarily took the waffle off our tab and apologized. While that was the right thing to do, I’m not sure why the Kitchen would try to convince us it was a swept potato waffle but…Whatever.

We had planned to order more food and drinks contingent on the satisfactory of our initial orders but after the “waffle debate” we got the check. I was so irritated (not angry) because the whole situation seemed so petty and dumb so before we left I spoke to the manager (who btw made a point to check on the table next to us (twice) never once asking us how our experience was going). At this point we’d already paid so we weren’t looking for her to do anything but did want to bring to her attention how our experience was. We informed her of the wait time, the waffle issue. She admitted they have been having challenges with staff and said the communication was bad there and admitted the waffle order was wrong. She also said she “hoped we would come back for the real sweet potato waffle.” Why would I come back? Why couldn’t they have just re-made the waffle since both she and our server knew it...

I was out with friends on Thursday. We discovered this place on Yelp when we were looking for rooftops that were available and open for the evening, and I'm really glad that we did! It feels like a hidden gem in the heart of DTLA that's frequented by locals. It wasn't very touristy or filled with influencer types that you can find on the Westside of LA, so I felt like I was right at home. It was elegant, laid back, and the views were great all around! The staff was highly accommodating, down to earth, and the atmosphere was perfect!

It was unfortunate that the drinks and the timing of our food and service was slightly disappointing, but I'll still give it 5 stars because I'm willing to overlook a few downsides as I ended up having a great time, and because I believe that they'll do better with time!

My drink, the Painkiller, recommended by our waiter as the sweetest drink on the menu ended up being pretty strong. I tried watering it down, but I couldn't finish it, and took it to go to my AirBnb with me.

The burger was also lacking a little bit of seasoning, tasting slightly salty. I feel like they could do better with time, but for now, it didn't live up to my Chicagoan standards. It was good, but I feel like it could get better.

They were definitely understaffed and could use an additional waiter or two to catch up on orders, and to also improve their timing. It took a while to get our bill, and to get our food brought out to us.

All in all, I will mention again that I had a great time here, and I'm looking forward to coming back on my...