AOC

One of my favorites!!! Great place for lunch with clients and friends.
Food is always dependable and the staff is so sweet. Love it!

AOC has a cozy ambiance and attentive service with a menu that all sounds amazing. Glad to say that the menu lived up to expectations, I only wish I could have tried more things.
The best choices of the night were the soft shell crab, the fried chicken and the arroz negro. The batter on the crab was light and the green herbaceous rice was flavorful. The Spanish fried chicken was juicy, boneless, and fried with a perfect seasoning. The arroz negro reminded me of squid ink risotto flavors punched up with aioli and a brightness from a hint of lime.
I really enjoyed the chicken liver toast and we also tried the manchego, Jamon focaccia which was good but not exciting. The only thing we didn’t love was the Swiss chard.
We sat inside and I would recommend outside of you can, it’s prettier in my opinion. Their wines by the glass list was also excellent.

I don’t really know what I can say that others haven’t already. This could be LA’s finest Restuarant (perhaps the best cuisine in the world). A few notes —
1. Their creative alcohol menu is phenomenal. Take an über here and enjoy — you’ll be too drunk (and happy) to drive home.
2. The Spanish Fried Chicken and Cavalo Nero… nothing more to say.
3. Get the whole fish dinner platter, and thank me later.
The best dinner in LA awaits — quit reading this and GO!!!

Came here for my sister’s 21^st bday with my family on a Wednesday night. We had reservations and were running about 15 mins late but we got seated promptly.
AMBIANCE: Restaurant is small and cozy. Lighting is dim at night. There’s an outdoor patio which would be great during brunch. Ceiling is really low and people here were really tall so they looked like giants!
PARKING: Don’t bother looking for street parking. It’s located on a busy street in Beverly Hills so space is limited. Go with valet. $ 8
SERVICE: Server was nice but could of been better. She would come by often but would only ask, «Are you guys doing alright?», every single time but didn’t offer anything more.
FOOD: Tapa style and meant for sharing. Our server recommended 8 – 12 dishes for 4 people. We ordered only 6 cause we have a small appetite and one dish was a large platter.
–ARUGULA CHERRIES PICCOLO SALAD: Recommended for 2 servings only but we just wanted enough to try. The pistachio aillade adds texture and the cherries and the vinaigrette make it tarty. Good but for its price and value, I would rather try a different dish.
–SOFT SHELL CRAB WIH GREEN RICE: I love soft shell crabs! It’s lightly fried. Also has ginger aioli on top
–SPANISH FRIED CHICKEN with romesco aioli and chili cumin butter: Reminds me of Taiwanese popcorn chicken but with different herbs and spices. The cumin makes it unique! And the aioli dip is good too!
–MANCHEGO AND JAMON SERRANO FOCACCIA: One of my favorites! Wasn’t sure what to expect but I love bread. Served like a pizza topped with arugula, walnuts and drizzled with date syrup on the focaccia. It was a mixture of sweet and savory. The bread was tough but tasty nonetheless.
–ARROZ NEGRO SQUID, SAFFRON AIOLI: yummy! Another fav! The rice is like a paella with squid ink. The hint of lime/​lemon within the rice was what sold it!
–PORK TENDERLOIN PLATTER: By the 5^th dish we were satisfied, but this one filled us up! The tenderloin was flavorful but I was overwhelmed by everything on the dish. Possibly cause I was getting full. The morsels and fried potatoes were a nice touch.
–MOCK GODDESS cocktail: For my sis’s bday drink, we wanted to get her something unique. I asked for our server’s recommendation before I found out the cocktail menu was on the back of the menu. If I had known, I would of picked something else. It tasted like an alcoholic green juice! So LA! Green tea infused vodka, cucumber, arugula (they love arugula here!), jalapeños.
One thing that I thought was annoying was that they automatically charge 3% to cover the employees health care benefits. It can be removed upon request but we paid it anyway. Although, shouldn’t the employer be paying this? It’s just off putting.
Food was great here! Would love to come back for brunch.

Possibly one of the most consistent places in all of LA, I’ve been eating here since the old days when they were closer to Fairfax, and honestly they do get better with age. Just a fantastic dining experience through and through. And I love the atmosphere, it helps that they fill the house every night, so the dining room always looks like a happening place.
The Spanish chicken, the brioche, vitners plate, the flank steak, and the faro are all a must… End your meal with the ‘pot dé créme’ for desert and you will be forever converted. Thanks AOC for being you.

Had a late lunch here recently and sat outside in a cute little courtyard with nice ambiance. I had the spanish fried chicken with romesco aioli and cumin-​chili butter. I didn’t even eat the aioli on the side, as the boneless fried chicken morsel drizzled with the butter were sooooo good.
My husband’s burger was good, but there was only one measly and thin slice of Manchego cheese that was lost against everything else. They need to add 2 or 3 slices of cheese … the fries were outstanding (hand cut, not greasy, firm with some small crispies).

We made the mistake of eating at Terronis Saturday night, which gave meaning to our meals at AOC! Not only is food as good as it gets, but the service is fantastic. Unlike Terronis, we were able to add to create changes to their menu so that we could have the meal we wanted.
I can’t wait for our next visit as we live in Orange County so it’s a bit of a trek, but well worth the drive.

Street parking if you’re lucky if not there is valet.
Nice ambiance with indoor and outdoor seating. Attentive staff.
Tapas style food so all dishes are sharable, some are bigger than others.
Things I got:
Bacon Wrapped Dates
Spanish Fried Chicken, Romesco Aioli, Chili Cumin Butter
Hanger Steak, Horseradish Crème Fraiche
Cauliflower, curry and redwine vinegar
Recommend:
Arroz Negro w squid and saffron aoili — absolute favorite, can’t wait to come back and get this again.
Soft Polenta, wild mushrooms, mascarpone, germolata, swish chard — great! I just wish this was a smaller dish because its really rich

This place is fabulous
Happy hour 1700 – 1900
Pistolero is a MUST along with the bacon wrapped dates
The «EastSide» is amazing but not a part of the happy hour deal
The food and ambience is great!!!
Absolutely recommend

Good service, beautiful ambiance (outdoor seating), nice food & beverage presentation. Everything was delicious excluding one of the salads we ordered… most of it was left on the plate and they failed to inquire if we enjoyed it. Overall everything else was perfect, I highly recommend this restaurant. Everyone is very warm & welcoming (hostess to the bar man, server and bussers).

Love the happy hour here. They have a good selection of beers and wines, and the food is delicious. Highlights were the burrata and broccoli foccacia (like a flatbread pizza with a crispier crust), the Spanish fried chicken (the aioli is to die for), and the bacon wrapped dates. It’s cozy inside, but there is also a pretty outdoor patio that is nice to sit at night, too. Parking is valet — don’t waste your time trying to find street parking in this area of Beverly Grove if you’re coming during dinner time.

I was here for brunch with two friends. I forget what they had but I do remember we shared daily cheese plate and I got the fried chicken and waffle. Their cheese changes daily but every cheese we tried was solid, so I think any cheese you get here will probably be excellent in quality but dependent on your personal taste preference.
As for the chicken and waffles, it was really good! I chose to have the syrup on the side to not get the waffle too soggy. The chicken FYI is boneless but breaded and fried excellently, very crispy and not smothered in batter. The chicken itself is really juicy and tender even though it was white meat. I’m not too sure how they did it to be honest.
I think the real draw of this place is actually the interior design and open foyer in the middle of the restaurant. It’s a great place for brunch with a group of friends or for a couple’s date/​intimate evening. This place is pretty popular though so 100% recommend a reservation. I plan on coming back myself to try out more of their menu at different times!

Been to many of Suzanne’s restaurants and she does a fantastic job of catering to the masses from gluten free to vegan options. AOC which is one of their higher end restaurants with a Spanish flare has a beautiful atmosphere and located among some interesting cuisines on 3^rd street.
I’ve been here for dinner and lunch which both fell short on numerous occasions. However, while I was at a dinner party few night ago — people were raving about the brunch so had to try it myself to see.
My husband ordered the Spanish chicken and waffles which were spicier than the normal chicken and waffle. Waffle is a cornmeal waffle which has a gritty corn cake feel that plays well with the chicken. I ordered what I thought was baked eggs and wanted it more cooked instead of running eggs and instead received a half cooked chickpea dish that was watery with a fried egg on top. To my disappointment, I tried a few bites and left it. The chickpeas were par cooked and kale was quite oily. It lacked any salt or pepper with an over powering taste of oil. On top of it all, food took nearly 40 mins to arrive and when we got our check, there was a phantom charge for a side of jam which we had removed.
Overall, it was an okay experiment but not one that I would try again for brunch. Quite surprising seeing how their baked eggs at Tavern are super delicious and actually BAKED.

My boyfriend and I cannot get enough of this restaurant! Spectacular ambiance and service, everyone is so friendly and helpful without overdoing it. The cocktails and food never fall short either! Your classic farm-​to-​table with perfectly portioned meals so you feel satisfied not gluttonous. A fantastic location for an intimate dinner with your special someone, friends or family. I highly recommend the Spanish fried chicken, bacon wrapped dates and any of their flatbreads.
PERK: By far the best happy hour deal in town! $ 6 wine $ 4 beers paired with their heavenly dishes makes for a perfect afternoon treat. Also great bites for $ 10!

This place has been around for some time but I finally got to try this place. It has a small bar area, inside and then ‘outside, that is covered with canopy so essentially still inside but with feeling of being outside.
I started with some focaccia type of bread with creamy cheese, which was pretty soft and with flavor. Then I ordered a mocktail with cucumber. It really tastes like a healthy California version, which I would like for weight control but not for a fancy lunch.
I then had Spanish fried chicken and fries. I thought chicken lacked the meat a little bit, but it was properly fried, and the sauce dip was well balanced with the chicken. Fries were not bad either. I finished with coconut dessert, which would have been a little better if colder, but wasn’t bad.
Overall I thought I liked the experience of dining here. Will stop by again in the future

We came here for my dad’s birthday over the weekend and boy are we so freaking happy that we did! This has been one of our utmost favorite dinners we have ever experienced!
First entering the restaurant, the two hostesses (both brunette tall pretty) were super sweet, fun, smiling, and great hostesses!
We first sat inside then asked to sit outside which we were happy to do, it is a semi open roof but there are plenty of heaters to keep you warm
our waiter was nice, friendly, and a good help for the questions we had
the dishes we ordered are as follows:
Chicken liver crostini: slim pieces of sliced bread, thin spread of chicken liver, thin prosciutto and salad oh it was so good; chicken liver had a strong taste of goodness but was not overpowered and the prosciutto balanced it out! bread was delicious as well
Brioche prosciutto, gruyère & egg: this, of all the menu items, was the least favorable of the orders. we expected it to be amazing from the photos, and even when it was brought to the table, we were all saying «wow that looks good!» but it was no big deal:/ the brioche was thick and lightly buttered, there was hardly any cheese, the egg was thin and just two slices of prosciutto, but most of it was just covered in a forest of salad
Spanish fried chicken: holy moly this was amazing; boneless chicken pieces, so so so so juicy and tender, skin was crispy and flavorful, amazing flavors of cumin, chili, and lime, and the aioli was light and flavorful; easily one of the tastiest fried chicken dishes ever
Faro salad: this was definitely a favorite; big heaping plate of faro salad, with black rice, currants and pine nuts, vegan deliciousness, fresh flavor
Farmers plate: this was a fresh light plate that hit the spot on every aspect! muhammra was a nice twist on my people’s favorite dip — sweeter, thicker, and less crunchy usually due to the walnuts this was a nice twist! hummus also had a unique flavor which was good! all the vegetables were deliciously roasted and flavorful, and the buratta omg dee-​lish-​us! the slices of bread were so tasty too, nice touch for all the parts of the dish
Lamb ribs: WOW these were amazing; only complaint was that we wish there was more! two ribs with amazingly tender meat, a delicious bark from the grill, pomegranate salsa was superb and cooked well enough to eat whole, absolutely amazing ribs
to drink i had the fire and smoke, tangy like margarita and sweet nice to wash it down
overall this is a very strong 4, we will definitely return and were super happy with the first time!

Came here to celebrate my bf’s bday. Parking is a bit tough… it is easiest to valet. It will cost you $ 8.
Sit out on the patio. It is so pretty. The only downside is the tables are pretty close together… it was difficult to carry on a convo because we couldn’t hear each other.
We got the foccacia, brussel sprouts, arroz negro, Spanish fried chicken, pappardelle, and carrots. The stand outs for me were the fried chicken and carrots. The brussel sprouts, I was expecting it to be a warm dish but it came out cold. The pappardelle was a bit too salty. It was in a creamy sauce with mushrooms.
The fried chicken was so moist. But I could only handle a few pieces as it does get a bit overwhelming. The carrots were delicious! They were perfectly cooked and the carrot purée on the bottom was yummy as well.
For dessert, we got the chocolate torte. This was so rich and decadent. A little went a long way!
The only thing that kind of irked me was when the waitor brought our dessert, he also brought our check. And a minute after, he comes back and picks up the check. I felt like he was basically telling us to hurry up and get out.
I don’t think I would go out of my way to visit AOC anytime in the near future. I was a bit disappointed because I had heard so many positive things.

The Long Story for Brunch:
AOC has been one of my favorites and a go to spot for a long time, but life happens, and AOC relocated. And low and behold I find myself by the AOC on a Sunday and see cars lining up for Valet??? WHAT!!! AOC serves Brunch? I flip that U, forgot plan C and drove up to valet, ditch my keys and head on in. I’m so set on having trying the brunch until I hear,” Do you have reservations?” My heart sank as I thought to myself.(What? Whatever? do I have what? Why would you ask me that? I didn’t even know you served brunch …)Then I realized, I’m in Los Angeles. «No, I don’t but you have about 10 tables that are open» boom the attitude ! «Well they are reserved and if we can a cancelation we will let you know «then she proceeds to sit us at a communal table (ugh!) luckily it was empty. As the drinks continue to pour, a table opens up and we get moved — yay me!
The short story– I think I found my favorite brunch spot, AOC might have won its grove back with me. The cocktails were top notch, the food was great, the ambiance well– it’s AOC… And they always got that right. It’s a cozy, classy spot with great food and great booze. Sunday Brunch at the AOC and Sunday Supper at Lucqes — unless you’re at the Hollywood Bowl is how Sunday’s are meant to be spent!

Everything about this place was magnificent — the food, the drinks, the atmosphere, and the service! Came here around lunch time with reservations, and we were seated at the outdoor patio area. With great weather and a serene garden, the patio made for a perfect setting.
First out was my Mock Goddess: green tea + cucumber + arugula + lime juice + jalapeño. So refreshing and good. The jalapeño was a surprisingly delicious kick!
We wanted to try the bacon wrapped dates and I’m glad it came in a very small plate because they’re such a guilty pleasure. The combination of grease from the bacon and sweet from the dates made these a delightful treat that didn’t leave me hating myself thanks to their bite-​sized portions.
The rest of our order included the Spanish fried chicken and Vinter’s lunch, both of which were amazing! I couldn’t believe how soft and buttery the Spanish fried chicken were. I loved the creamy garlic bite that the romesco aïoli added to the meat. I dare say the fried chicken I ate at AOC was superior to that of Ad Hoc in Napa Valley. Vinter’s lunch was a charcuterie board that came with a mix of things — rillettes, cheese, cured meats, pickles, roasted grapes & grilled toast. I am a big charcuterie fanatic and this one did not disappoint. The board was quite large so we had to pack a portion of it home.
Service was attentive. When I asked to replace one of the cheeses on the charcuterie board to a different type, our server did so without hesitation. We were frequently checked up on, even if it meant that she had to constantly walk in and out of the restaurant to reach us. I really was impressed with everything here.
Parking: limited street parking or valet.

Love this place! I came here for dinner recently with 3 of my girl friends. We made reservations beforehand and were seated promptly at a nice booth.
We got a bottle of the Branham Cabernet (Napa Valley, 2013) to share. I’m no wine connoisseur but my friends and I all agreed that this was a VERY good cab! It was SO smooth and paired well with our food. I personally don’t like cabs that much, but I really enjoyed this one because it didn’t taste acidic and it was easy to drink!
Most of the plates here are small. As there were 4 of us, our server recommended getting at least 8 to share. But we decided to just get the following 6 dishes and we felt satisfied (not exactly FULL but satisfied):
— BACON-​WRAPPED DATES: OMG soooo good!!! Sadly it’s a tiny plate and only came with 6 bite-​sized pieces. I can eat at least 10 of these by myself. PERFECT balance of sweet and savory. Crunchy and chewy in all the right places. Definitely one of my favorite dishes here! Highly recommend!
— BRUSSELS SPROUTS SALAD with balsamic, radicchio, burrata & crumbs: Delicious! This was an incredibly tasty salad, very well-​dressed. The burrata was SO soft and fresh! This is a dish I could eat everyday and not get sick of.
— ARROZ NEGRO with squid and saffron aioli: AMAZING! This dish is kind of like a squid ink paella. The texture of the rice was perfect. The seafood flavors were perfect. There was a citrusy brightness to the dish that really made it shine. You must try this! But maybe not on a first date because it might leave you with black stuff in your teeth.
— SPANISH FRIED CHICKEN with romesco aioli and chili-​cumin butter: the chicken came in like a popcorn chicken form – fried boneless little pieces. Easy to eat, well-​seasoned and good for sharing! I liked the flavor of the spices and the aioli dip.
— HANGER STEAK with roquefort butter and shallot rings: it came out medium-​rare as we requested. This was pretty good but also pretty forgettable. Nothing too special about this one.
— SALT COD BRANDADE FOCCACIA: this dish came out last after we reminded our server and it came long after we finished everything else. Pretty sure they forgot about it. It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting… it was more like a mini pizza and a little too salty and fishy for my liking.
Service: a little disorganized but overall good. One of the workers brought out a plate to us 2 times after we had already gotten it. It was meant for another table. But our server was really nice, though a tad bit MIA… I think if the service was top notch, I’d give this place 5 stars.
**Random Celebrity Chef Sighting: We saw Chef Aarón Sánchez here!
Parking: Street or Valet $ 8

I came here for my birthday dinner and was blown away! I made reservations for 9:30, but there was still another party that hadn’t left so we had to wait a while. There’s a bar to the left when you walk in, so my party grabbed drinks there while we waited.
Our table was in the outside covered patio and it was gorgeous. It looked like we were in Italy, with the trees, fountain and lights. Our table was a round table which I loved, because we could all talk to each other and it made it easier to share food.
Since it’s tapas style, we ordered a few items to try. We started off with the brussel sprouts with a side of burrata cheese. They were good, but order two if you have a larger group because it’s really small. Then we had the seared scallops, which were served on top of sweet onions. I wish they were seared a little bit longer. The pappardelle came next, with thick al dente pasta and creamy white sauce. My favorite of the night was the arroz negro with squid and saffron aioli. It had hints of lime and reminded me of a paella but better! Another favorite was the hangar steak! It was juicy, tender and cooked perfectly! We finished off with the duck thighs, which weren’t too gamey and sat on a bed of cous cous (I think). They were amazing as well.
Everything I tried was great and kept me wanting more! I’d recommend coming with a group so you can try a bunch of stuff! Also, order 2 – 3 plates of each dish depending on how many people are in your group so everyone can have a taste.

I was already in love with Suzanne Goin. Lucques is my place. But to meet her other child, a.o.c… This must be true love.
What an excellent dinner. We order a ton of food, obviously more than we could eat but again, everything sounded so tempting, just go for it and regret lat… no, no regrets.
Imbibe: in Silver Fox cocktail $ 14 and a glass of vermentino $ 12 (my first). We loved our drinks.
Start with the must: 3 CHEESES ($ 15) A creamy Spanish blue cheese, Hollander cow cheese and a French sheep. They come with a side of walnuts/​almonds and fig and rustic bread (not as hot/​fresh as I prefer it, Lucques had better bread) They change the cheeses often it seems. Dairy at its best.
I would skip the Jamon Serrano. (if you loved freshly sliced Jamon Iberico in Spain, you may not appreciate this one but if you haven’t had that experience yet, try it) Did not blow my mind.
The Hanger Steak is a must, and it was as tender as any happy cow getting massaged for 12 hours would be. Juicy, medium rare $ 19 definitely would recommend this.
Spanish Fried Chicken $ 14 (which has made its way up a top-​list of fried chicken spots in LA) was very good, but I don’t like it when I can taste the grease. The aioli was a total miss for me, so i just ate the juicy strips of chicken alone. They were nicely spiced and smoky.
Too many proteins calls for vegetable rescue. The Vegetable Nicoise was hot, crunchy, deliciously dressed with an anchovy and basil sauce (very good) $ 12
Overall, excellent dinner, attentive waitstaff, excellent menu. I loved 85% of it and would love to come back.
Valet $ 8, save yourself the pain of meters. You’re already paying $ 50+ per person for dinner.

:Updated Review:
I really enjoyed my first visit here. The food and customer service was good especially the creative cocktails. I came back here one weekend and we sat at the bar. We ordered a few drinks and dishes. I didn’t take any pictures but now I wish I did since I’m updating my review.
:Drinks:
I wanted to get the Moonraker but they didn’t have it anymore. We tried The Smock Mill, Fire & Smoke, and Sancho Panza. I liked both of the drinks. I really wish they still had the Moonraker, it was so good!
:Food:
We ordered a salad, it has endives, dungeness crab, avocado, and green harissa. I would try another salad next time. Since I enjoyed the pork rillettes before, I got it again. The pickled onions and cornichions goes real well with the pork rillettes; I like the flavors.
:Customer Service:
I was disappointed. The customer service was not as great as my first visit. We didn’t get water, I guess we should have asked. We were asked once and at the end of the meal if we needed anything. They were not attentive. When we wanted to order a drink it was a challenge to get their attention and when I finally got their attention, I was abruptly cut off when I wasn’t even finished speaking. The food took a long time to come as well.
:Rating:
I changed my rating to 3 Stars because of the customer service but I would still come back to give this place another try.

One of the best French Toasts hands down. Two thick slices of vanilla bean french toast topped with fresh strawberries and pistachios with a side of housemade mascarpone whipped cream. The french toast was perfectly moist and buttery, it melted in my mouth immediately, and the vanilla bean, mascarpone and maple syrup make a perfect bite, and the strawberry and pistachios are just the cherries on top. It was pricey at $ 15 for French Toast but average in LA and well worth every bite.
AOC’s take on chicken and waffles made my mouth water just reading the description: spanish fried chicken & cornmeal waffle with jamon butter & maple syrup. The chicken was crispy and juicy. I wish there was more meat on each piece, but the glaze on the chicken was a delightful surprise and balanced the savory flavor of the chicken very well. The cornmeal waffle was a turn off, because I much more prefer fluffy, thick and soft waffles. The cornmeal waffle was thin, crispy, and grainy. Everything about the texture was just opposite of what I like in a waffle, but flavor-​wise, I did enjoy the pairing. Overall, the food is made very well, and I love the atmosphere of this restaurant. Their outdoor patio is perfect for a bridal shower brunch or a romantic dinner date.