Arden Restaurant — Restaurant in West Hollywood

A TACKY NIGHTMARE MASQUERADING AS AN “ENCHANTED GARDEN”

After my recent experience at this so-called “enchanted garden,” I feel compelled to warn others—particularly those who value elegance, service, and atmosphere—before making the same regrettable mistake I did.

From the moment I called to make arrangements for a small birthday celebration, the red flags began waving. I politely requested to be seated prior to the arrival of the birthday guest, a completely reasonable and common practice at any respectable establishment. Instead, I was met with an astonishingly rude reservationist "manager"—a young woman with the tone and attitude of someone doing me a favor by simply picking up the phone. She curtly informed me, “Our policy is to seat everyone after they have arrived, so no guarantees,” in a voice dripping with condescension. Then she just kept repeating herself like a robot. When I asked to speak with a general manager or requested a callback, no one ever followed up. That alone should have been enough for me to cancel and take my business elsewhere. Lesson learned.

Walking into the venue was nothing short of jarring. The name “enchanted garden” is an absolute misrepresentation. What I found was a gaudy, slapdash attempt at whimsy, with cheap-looking fake flowers and dollar-store decor silk flowers thrown together. The reviews on here saying the venue is "beautiful" are obviously from people who think silk flowers on birthdays are also beautiful.

The atmosphere was chaotic, loud, and completely devoid of class. For a Saturday brunch, the Music was blasting at a volume more suited to a frat party than a dining establishment. Forget trying to have a conversation without yelling. The crowd consisted primarily of underdressed, young adults—many in fast fashion pieces that screamed SHEIN—loudly snapping selfies in every corner, more interested in their Instagram stories than the dining experience.

As for the food? Dive bar-ish at best. Unimaginative, and plated with all the finesse of a bar food. It became immediately clear that the focus here is not on culinary excellence or hospitality, but rather on creating the illusion of a trendy “vibe” for people who don’t know any better.

It’s also worth noting that the staff—largely young, rude and utterly untrained—appeared far more interested in feeling entitled to work at such a "cool place", than in delivering even a passable level of service. The entire place seems to be run by inexperienced twenty-somethings who confuse attitude with professionalism.

If you are seeking a place with charm, class, and genuine hospitality, look elsewhere. This was one of the most disappointing, tone-deaf experiences I’ve had in probably a long while. I left horrified that I had subjected my guests to such a tacky, amateurish environment.

To ADULTS who value elegance and quality: save your time, money, and dignity. There are far better venues in this city where style meets substance, and where guests are treated with the grace and respect they deserve.

UPDATE ON BUSINESS RESPONSE: ENTIRELY FALSE. At no point was I contacted by three separate team members, nor did your General Manager try to contact me. No calls were received, and no emails were sent — a fact easily verifiable through my inbox and call history. To suggest I was “unwilling to be helped” when no genuine effort was made to reach me is ABSURD. I stand by my review. Rather than acknowledging the internal misstep, you’ve chosen to fabricate a narrative in which your team is beyond reproach and the customer is dishonest. That choice speaks volumes — and is not in your favor. Frankly, it is tacky (like Arden) and concerning. Rather than taking feedback as an opportunity to improve, you have fabricated the facts, deflected blame and tried to discredit the...

I have been really sick for years and haven’t been out in almost two years. So finding a restaurant to celebrate Christmas Eve for the first time in a while was pretty important to me.

Once I saw the pictures of Arden on OpenTable I knew I just had to go there. Obviously, the food and service had to considered to. After a deep dive of photos, reviews, and reading their Christmas Eve pri fix meal options, it was settled. We were going to Arden!

Making a reservation and special seating requests was so easy. They also are one of the few newer restaurants that actually answer their phone. I was running a few minutes late and they were really accommodating.

The valet was cheaper than taking a ride share service and the gentleman was so polite.

Walking up to the entrance was gorgeous. It just kept getting more and more beautiful as we ascended the steps and made it to the restaurant floor. Luckily, they also are very wheelchair/handicapable! I normally am in a wheelchair and would have easily just ramped up to their wheelchair elevator and been let out on the main floor.

Once we made it up to the floor we were immediately greeted by a very kind employee who assisted in helping us find the perfect table for my needs. Water and my requested coke almost immediately showed up at the table!

Our waitress, Mika, just made out night. She was extremely informed about every dish listed in each category on the menu. Food arrived promptly, hot, and with a smile. I needed a slight change to the dish I really wanted. And even though there were no substitutions, she came up with a great idea and made it happen for me so I could enjoy my meal.

Mika had a fabulous disposition, was funny and kind, and was available/checked in the perfect intervals. Plenty of service without being smothered. We never felt rushed, even though they were busy. She kept my water and coke filled without asking, helped us adjust the heat when needed while keeping other customers comfortable, and was just an all around delight. She completely made our night.

Additionally, I have to commend the pastry chef, specifically for making literally the best puff pastry I’ve ever had. My appetizer was a sheer delight for the senses and that puff pastry made it. I almost want the recipe.

At the end of the meal, Mika showed us the best place to take a few couple pictures. When she noticed the very kind busser was maybe taking photos I wouldn’t have chosen, she stepped in a snapped the perfect pictures.

All in all, it was the perfect evening. Finally going out with my amazing husband to a restaurant. The noise level was perfect for conversation, and the staff and ambience were the perfect backdrop.

I can’t wait to go back and try their regular menu. Which I was kindly informed changes seasonally. So if there were certain dishes we wanted to try (the prawns and truffle pizza were called out specifically), we were kindly told to make it back before the new year.

As a Los Angeles native, I’ve seen many restaurants come and go. It was a pleasure to see a restaurant that not only put money into the look and marketing, but solid staff, exceptional ingredients, and wonderful food!

I can’t recommend them enough. Below are pictures of some of our food (sadly we missed taking the entree pictures….it just was so tantalizingly gorgeous, I jumped right in!).

Do yourself a favor a check out Arden for brunch, lunch, dinner, and it’s really awesome speak easy! You won’t be...

I had a very disappointing and stressful experience using Curbstand’s valet service at Arden (8289 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046).

On June 5, 2025, I was dining at Arden when my car keys, along with my house keys, were stolen from the valet podium. The theft occurred while my keys were in Curbstand’s possession, which created not only a costly inconvenience, but a serious security risk to my home.

Curbstand (the valet company) acknowledged the theft and agreed in writing to reimburse me for the key replacement and Uber costs. However, they refused to cover the reprogramming cost of my car, despite the fact that the theft occurred while my keys were under their care. More than six weeks later, I still have not received the promised reimbursement. I have not heard anything from my original contact (Jonne) since June 24, 2025, and no one else from Curbstand has followed through.

I had also contacted Arden directly to let them know what happened. To their credit, they responded with concern and escalated the issue with their valet partner.

The lack of responsibility from the valet company is disappointing and unacceptable. Guests should not have their keys stolen while enjoying dinner, and certainly should not be left to deal with the fallout alone.

I strongly advise others to think twice before handing your keys over to Curbstand. If something goes wrong, you may be left with no support, no reimbursement, and no accountability.

Update: Following my initial review, I did eventually hear back from Curbstand and they have now processed the reimbursement they originally committed to, though it came after six weeks of silence, follow-ups, and ultimately, a public review.

I appreciate that their co-founder and team finally responded and issued the payment, and I’m glad to have some resolution. That said, I want to note that they didn’t to reimburse the $350 car reprogramming fee, despite the theft of my keys occurring while under their care.

I’m updating this review to reflect that payment was eventually issued, and that Arden’s restaurant management was communicative and supportive throughout the process, doing their best to escalate the matter with the valet service.

While I’m relieved to have received partial reimbursement, I stand by my original concerns regarding Curbstand’s lack of full responsibility regarding the full reimbursement of my key. My recommendation, use their service with caution and always ask about liability before handing...