Cube Cafe & Marketplace

Cube is closed. It is now turning I to a pizza/​italian joint. I repeat, cube is closed

Came here for a private dinner & wasn’t impressed. 6 courses of:
*Cheesemonger’s choice (laquiole, moses sleeper, bleu de sassenage, mole, soppresata): Liked the unique selection but I wasn’t blown away
*Pea Tendril Salad (english peas, snap peas, charred radicchio, fresh goat geese, chianti vinaigrette): This dish was really light BUT I can see why people don’t really see this dish as «tasty»
*Piedmontese Braised Short Rib Raviolini — I didn’t try this dish but it looked great!
*Seared Main Boutique Scallop (red quinoa, sugar snap peas, lemon): I’ve had better…
*Niman Ranch Pork Tenderloin (spring vegetables, shelling beans, herb, lemon): The pork was really rubbery and tough
*Dessert (Cube Pop Tart, Black Magic Cake, Hazeulnut Semifreddo): The dessert was the best part of the meal.
I think I need to come back for just the wine & cheese…

Had lunch next door a few days ago and saw this — «a new local?», I thought. Now, having gone for the usual, late night drink, I can safely say that this is brilliant, made more so by my server. Allie, the GM, David, and the chef, Alejandro. Like Priscilla Z, I found the bread to die for. I also had the Buratta, and a couple of glasses of wine. As I was sitting, I was brought something else by Allie, «on the house» she said. Now, who can refuse that? Well, I said I would, unless she partook in it as well. We, as a society, are only as good as our least fortunate, after all, to paraphrase Churchill.
So, what was wrong with Cube? For a Friday night, where is Los Angeles? I mean really, 8 people at most and I was the only one holding court at the bar? Next time I roll in here, the place had better be more packed.
David should host a Unilocal reviewers’ night.

Cube is fantastic. Not only is the pun spot on (what’s up doc?), the atmosphere is great and the food/​wine list was phenomenal.
David was a great wine expert, and geeked out with my husband over Italian wine well into the end of the night. We ordered the cheese plate and love the pairing.
Definitely want to come back for a full dinner soon, really glad to have this place near home!

I love truffle pizza, BUT truffle pizza here was nothing special to me.
Highly recommend CAVATELLI with meat sauce. Soooooo good. Texture was awesome. Can’t wait to try other dishes.

Super cute place. Went here with a girlfriend and we loved. The place is not really big but they do have a private dining room off to the side, which is really pretty and perfect for larger parties. Being the southern girl that I am, I couldn’t resist trying the fried chicken. Well done Cube! It was flavorful, juicy and paired with some great sides. We started with one of their cheese boards and everything was delicious!
Definitely want to go back and take advantage of that adorable private dining table.
Cool thing is you go through the kitchen to reach the restrooms, which is pretty fun!

This place is awesome!
I’ve meant to come to try it for a long time, finally got a chance. It was a heavy rainy weekend, there were only a few people dining here for lunch. The place is cute with some self product to sell.
I meant to try their cheese board for a long time, their portion is moderate. The bread came with it was very delicious. I like one of the semi-​soft one from sheep milk, it’s like manchego. But the guys there were not as interested in cheese, so shame on them!
We tried some other dishes which were all very delicious. The burrata salad was well balanced with the tomatoes and bread (again the bread won!). The black truffle pizza was really really good. That was a star, especially for me as a vegetarian. Very flavorful and the dough was well done too! The guys ordered pastas, one tomato based with some meat sauce, since I don’t eat meat, I can’t give an opinion. The other one is a white sauce with sausage. I tried the flat noodle in it, it was pretty good! I actually like this one a lot, if there were no meat inside I might order that one myself. I guess the pasta are all fresh made, so very delicious.
This is a really lovely place, and very Italian. So if you are on a low-​carb diet, this might not be the place. lol

A review that is long overdue for a cute place for some wine, cheese, and great food. A couple friends and I went here back in September after a friend of mine raved about the fried chicken. As a girl who loves fried chicken, I couldn’t resist trying it. I’m so glad I did!
But first, we started out with some cheese and the peach, heirloom tomato and burrata salad. The cheeses we tried were good, and were served with almonds, honey, and homemade strawberry preserves. Next was the peach and burrata salad. Peach and heirloom tomato slices, fresh basil, burrata, and balsamic vinaigrette. It was light and refreshing, perfect for summer. I really hope that when summer rolls around again, they have a salad similar to it on the menu.
On to the fried chicken. It was flavorful, a little spicy, with a very crispy coating and it wasn’t overcooked or overly greasy. It was also mostly deboned, which made it less messy to eat. It was served with some sauteed greens and mashed potatoes, which were perfect accompaniments to the chicken. The portion was so large that I had enough for 2 additional meals. Remarkably, even leftover a day or two later, the fried coating was still crispy through the last bite.
My friends tried some of the pastas, which they both liked a lot. Unfortunately, I don’t remember exactly what they ordered, but they were very happy with their meals.
I really liked this place, and they served some of the best fried chicken that I’ve had in a long time. I’d love to come back for more of the cheese and charcuterie, and to try some of the other things on their menu.

It was date night and I took advantage of a Blackboard Eats special for a cheese flight and glass of wine. The triple cream cheese (cow, goat, sheep) was the stand out but the blue cheese with honey a close second. Our main was seared pork belly and polenta, sweet and savory.
Our waiter Mike was kind and attentive, this place has a lot to offer its definitely worth another trip to experience more of the menu.
Also, the bathrooms are a in the back of the kitchen so you get to go on a self guided tour.

I have to admit, I was not expecting much from this place. We came with a large group of friends and had dinner in the private dining room in the back. And although the room itself was cozy and tastefully decorated, the pre-​fixed menu that we were required to order, made me a little skeptical. I mean, I know that this is pretty much a requirement for large parties in most restaurants in LA, but I couldn’t remember a time when a group menu like this impressed me or was even memorable.
So with that in mind, we went about drinking a copious amount of wine, which we were able to bring in with a very reasonable flat corkage. I liked how the boards of charcuterie and cheeses were ready for us as soon as we arrived, which made for a great start to the evening. When the rest of the 6 courses started to come, I could see that each dish was not only created thoughtfully, but executed very well. The ravioli stuffed with confit duck came with a citrus sauce that was unique, and created a nice balance of sour and savory. The fish with quinoa was nothing special, but the fish was buttery and cooked perfectly. The filet mignon dish was a bit small, but the mashed potatoes and chimichurri sauce it came with was off the chain. Maybe it was all the wine that I drank, but the portions were perfect for me and I left quite full and satisfied.
Another thing that impressed me about this place was the service. Although it’s not always easy dealing with a group of raucous semi-​young people, our server was on top of everything and the manager was gracious with all of our requests. The personalized menu for the birthday boy was also a nice touch.
So although I didn’t get a chance to try any of their popular menu items, I did get a small taste of their innovative flavors and their attention to detail. This alone is intriguing enough for me to want to come back. While I can’t give them 5 stars yet, I imagine that there will be no reason not to, after my next visit here. Good times.

Absolutely love Cube. Always a delicious meal every time I go. You can’t go wrong with cheese and wine! Waiters are very knowledgable and friendly. Menu changes often with the seasons.
Pizza is great, gnocchi and scallops are some of my favorite.
Great selection of wine and cheese. Great for double date night or girls night out.

.Fantastic selection of cheeses and meats. Great contemporary décor that makes good use of the lighting.
It’s more of a café with a smaller, side «market». A great place to sit down and expand your cheese knowledge. They offer great information on the background of their product and have an immense selection.
Their charcuterie as well is impressive. They carried some product from Salumi in Seattle which I never get to try because they’re always closed on Mondays! All in all a great place to stop by and/​or pick up goodies for a wine and cheese night.
That’s how i do.

Bottom line at the top: Overrated. Disappointed with everything besides the cheese. Go here for cheese only, then leave and eat somewhere else.
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I’ve been meaning to try cube for a while now and was pretty disappointed.
They start you off with a piece of cheese from the house. Mine was a sharp cow cheese with cherry jam and was really yummy.
I had the burrata (really good, except the greens That they grilled were not fresh (how shady is that?!) so I didn’t touch it). It comes with bread that is absolutely delicious though. I also had the short rib ravioli (barely any meat inside and too much mushroom cream sauce), and a side of Mac and cheese (boring, and I’m the queen of Mac and cheese).
The burrata was good and so was the gifted cheese from the kitchen. And that was about it.

Came here with my gf’s just for a cheese and wine kind of night. The location itself is a little hard to find and parking is mostly street. Inside is real casual, a bit dark, and somewhat spacious.
Great selection of cheeses, from hard to soft, I love that they had great selections of goat cheese.
_​North Hollander (hard cheese) was good. I liked the little bit size crunch for texture and the taste was not too bold.
_​Truffle Goat Cheese, when you read truffle you just know you have to try it out. Especially goat cheese and truffle great combo! The cheese was real smooth and almost like a cream cheese flavor and taste.
_​Roves des Garrgiues (goat cheese), was good. Tasted like most goat cheese. Smooth and tasty. Pairs real well the cherry jam and almonds!
_​Brie de Meaux, it was good but I’ve had better. A little dry not as smooth.
_Hook’s 12 year Cheddar, my least favorite. I don’t like cheddar so I was not a big fan to begin with. The first bite is like woah, its real strong and sharp. Extremely cheddar like that’s for sure. So if you love cheddar this is your winner.
_​Prosciutto, was good and tad salty. I’m not a big fan of prosciutto on it’s own. I like it when its paired with some other component just because I’m not a big fan of the saltiness.
Presentation for the cheese are great. On a chalk board like plate and they write on chalk the name of the cheese and meat. They give some type of dried fruit jam and nuts. Olives we ordered separate and they were good to munch on with the cheese and meat.
Wine list was surprisingly limited. Not much choice for dessert wine or just wine in general. We came here more for the cheese. This is not a review on their dinner menu but for cheese and wine I’d say come here just to check it out for yourself.

This place hit the spot right at the center!
I will include Cube in my list of places that just hits all the things you would expect at a semi fine dining restaurant. Perusing LA for a place we can have a good evening meal when all other places we contacted were fully booked, we decided to give Cube a shot.
Upon entering, you are greeted with a relaxing ambiance that is warm and dim with a nice noise level with patrons chatting and enjoying their time. Our table was prepares sooner than promised which was a plus. I just hope this wan’t a one hit wonder.
Their menu cover was fancy which I liked, showing patrons their attention to detail. As much as a understand the reasoning behind paper menu, I still like holding a nice menu folder /​cover. They had a good amount of items on their menu ranging from appetizers to main entrée dishes.
I noticed they had a cheese sampler platter. Mike, our server, explained what was included and also paired an amazing red italian wine for me. Our table of four totally enjoyed the blue cheese, raw goat cheese and a very soft sheep cheese. It was nice way to explore the different combination you can do with the cheese and the accompanying Salami, strawberry, and jams. Mike was spot on with the red wine that he provided. I can’t even remember the name of it, it was that GOOD! Haha
I also went with Mike’s suggestion of trying their Spicy Fried Chicken. Coming in for the first time, he suggested that I go for that since thats what they were known for. One word, delicious! Fried perfectly to that right crisp yet moist and flavorful on the inside. I’ve had fried chicken at some other places that I would hold up there, but one factor that makes their fried chicken stand out would be that hint of spiciness. That really gives their dish the right amount of character and attitude that makes all other fried chicken boring.
One thing I did noticed that I would like to make note of is their serving amount. I LOVE how they are not small portions. I ordered fried chicken, I got half a chicken. You order pizza and you get approx. 12×8 in. block of pizza. They do not cheap out on the serving.
I will be back Cube… I will be back. I saw a few more dishes that I would like to enjoy!
Thanks!

Alright so I was looking for another spot in LA during one of my visits to have a casual upscale dinner which I know sounds like it makes no sense but they definitely do exist. Cube Café & Marketplace was my answer for the night. I made a reservation and drove on over to the spot. Parking was relatively easy but maybe it was because we got lucky that day?
We step into the joint and it is a comfortable and has a nice intimate feeling to it just as I had hoped for. I was seated at the bar and all the servers were very friendly… as a matter a fact everyone in the joint seemed very friendly that evening. Everyone seemed to be just enjoying good conversation creating quite a nice feel to the evening. The wine selection is very well crafted and there are a ton of great options for cheese and crackers for those looking to sit and chat about life or a legitimate menu for those here on dates and whatnot. This establishment feels like it could cater to any group that walks through the door which I definitely appreciated.
We order a bottle of vino obviously, and then decide to go with the Black Truffle pizze, the spaghetti carbonara, and the cheesemonger’s choice. The cheesemonger’s choice came out with a variety of cheeses and jams and it was a great way to start the meal as I was catching up with a friend I had not seen for a while. We were then provided the Black Truffle Pizze and the Carbonara. Both were great. The truffle on the pizza was definitely noticeable and I even liked the egg which I thought I would not given it is a strange combination. The Carbonara was great and not overly saucy. I was a fan of the lightness of it.
Great food, good service, great ambiance. What more could you ask for? This is a hidden gem in my opinion and I hope I can check it out again in the near future.

I know Cube as the place where people go to get beautiful cheese plates. They have lovely gray slabs with artistic arrangements of cheese, accompaniments, all cleanly identified by the cleanest chalk handwriting.
My visit was a little bit short in the cheese plate department but Cube still started us off right with an amuse of fontina, walnut, on a tiny crisp cracker. We shared two appetizers. My selection was the buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, and arugula. The salad was really lovely, my favorite part actually being the arugula. It was perfectly dressed with balsamic and oil and the greens themselves were lightly peppery but not at all bitter. The cheese was fresh and supple and the prosciutto a salty compliment.
The other appetizer was heavenly. The Maple Braised Bacon was the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Though not all of the bacon was as tender, notably the meatier parts, the top and fatty layers were fork tender. It rested on a bowl of creamy polenta and roasted cipollini onions. It was very comforting and warm.
We shared the fried chicken entrée, which now ranks as one of my favorite fried chickens. An entire half chicken had been mostly deboned, butterflied, battered, and deep fried. It was an excellent version. The meat was very juicy, the batter well seasoned and adhered well. It was perfect with the buttery and lemon escarole. The white beans were a bit dry and less interesting.
Dessert was the Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake, made with tcho chocolate, candied hazelnut crumbles, chocolate sauce, and topped with fresh whipped cream. This was my least favorite dish of the day. While it was still tasty, it didn’t really taste like hazelnuts except in the toppings and the texture was more like a mousse or a loose budino rather than a cheesecake. The unexpected texture may have distracted me from enjoying the dessert.
Throughout our meal, I sipped on a delicious glass of aranciata. I think they make theirs with fresh orange juice and fizzy water and it was one of the most refreshing drinks I’d had in a long while. I also really appreciated that Cube provides complimentary still/​sparkling water to all guests.
We liked the casual ambiance and most of all the food so I do think its a place we’d like to try again, especially so I can get myself one of those cheese plates!

Cube is like the adult party you always envisioned yourself being invited to when you were younger. Sophisticated people talking about sophisticated things, nibbling on sophisticated menu items. But the beauty of Cube is that you don’t have to wait to score an invite, you can drop on in any time!
While it’s definitely an evening out for a sophisticated wallet (you’ll easily drop $ 60 per person if you’re doing cheese, wine, and a meal), it’s money very well spent. From the gorgeous setting with romantic lighting perfect for a date with a love interest or a dear friend to the complimentary cheese sample beautifully plated on a black chalkboard so you can identify the type of fromage you’re about to feast upon to the knowledgeable staff who will make sure your every palate craving is met, there’s no shortage of fantastic side notes.
The wine selection is well crafted and the cheese options are fierce, yes, America’s Next Top Model fierce. You won’t find better dairy delights unless you happen to be a real cow, goat, or sheep. I definitely prefer the milder, softer cheeses, but when you do a flight of three, you might as well get a little experimental so you can push your palate to new wonders of the world. The flight comes with a petite grouping of nuts and a heaping plate of pita bread. It adds a little flare to the monotony of a cheese board.
Now, I had no idea, but Cube’s got it going on in the entrée front as well. The corners of my mouth started to reach up to my eyes when I saw a lobster, artichoke risotto, and then my mouth grew into a full on elated smile when I saw that the scallop dish came with said concoction. It was a truly handsome dish. The scallops were a little tough, but I happen to like them that way and it the creamy risotto provided a soft touch. There was also butternut squash ravioli that made its way to my plate (when my friend scooted off the ladies room) that was rich and buttery as one can imagine.
The service was top notch throughout the evening, giving us little sips of wine before committing to an entire glass and making sure all was aok on the food front each time we were graced with something from the kitchen.
Sadly, you can’t drink on their patio, but the enchantment is definitely happening inside anyway, so skip the meal under the moonlight for a little cozy inside action.
The menu changes each Thursday, so you can expect something new if you start to go frequently!

We found this gem of a restaurant through a friend and really enjoyed our dining experience here.
We got there a little before our reservation and the host was super sweet. He did his best to get us a table asap even though we didn’t mind sitting outside and waiting for our table to open up. Service was a little slow the night that I went.
We saw a little cheese bar inside and knew we had to order some cheeses. We opted for the honeybee gouda (excellent!) and taleggio (pretty good). The cheeses came out on a cute cutting board with some cranberries, olives, and some sort of relish to accompany our choices. Everything on this cutting board was delicious and the flavors really complimented each other.
Margherita Pizza — Jaimin S. and I are kind of pizza snobs so this didn’t really impress us. It’s a decent pizza portion, but it felt a little soggy to me. The slice didn’t hold itself up! The sauce was also missing a little somethin’ somethin’.
Sweet Corn Stuffed Pasta — minus the bacon — was really delicious and different. The stuffing flavors were delicate and and the brown butter sauce that came with it was perfect.
Overall, I think Cube is a real gem. It’s away from the hustle and bustle of Sunset Ave, etc. but definitely worth a try!

Our friend treated us to dinner here and the food and wine cost more than it was worth. I was looking forward to eating here but was utterly disappointed by the lack of flavor and uniqueness. We family-​styled 4 dishes and tried 2 different bottles of wine and it came out to $ 200+ for 6. I felt so bad for making this recommendation!
Pros: Cool ambience. Friendly service. Spicy fried chicken was really well herbed inside and out. It was tasty but not awesome enough to bring me back to Cube (oh and it’s $ 28).
Cons: We had an uneventful cheese & salami plate, braised octopus that needed more salt, and the «I can’t taste any truffle» black truffle pizza. And what the hell, where was the beer?
I can’t stannnnd overrated places like this. I don’t mind shelling out money to eat but I hate spending money of pretentious meals that leaves me so dissatisfied that I need to eat a second dinner.

Dude, I’ve been Cubed and I really like it.
I had an appointment nearby and stopped here for lunch. Very cool little place at the intersection near Melrose and N. La Brea. It’s got a nice comfy vibe, with a modern dark interior, and diners and staff were smiling. No crying kids at lunch — this is NOT Olive Garden. Awesome! I got there at 12:45 on a Wed. and all the tables inside were taken. Not a problem, as they had tables outside. They also had the cheese bar open, but I wanted to go outside. There was no one there and I had 4 calls to return, which I did while waiting for my food despite loud buses and cars. It’s not the prettiest street, but it was OK. I got to watch and hear everyone leave, and most of them said things like, «That was a tasty lunch».
My wait person was fairly cheerful, and brought out complimentary sparkling water (or regular bottled) with the menu. And what a menu — braised Octopus to a vegetarian lasagne, unique salads and familiar items Check out this menu
Be careful what you order, like any place… it’ll have some stuff you probably won’t like. The waiterHe described the specials and cheese, but I had my eye on the braised beef raviolini ($ 18). And as I peered inside, I noticed that just about every table had this dish. Then, when I went to the bathroom, so I got to pass through the kitchen. There is a buzz of activity, and I noticed the cooks concentrating on presentation as well as the making of the dishes. Impressive clean kitchen — make sure you go to the bathroom when you’re here.
I found out that the chef and others go to the Santa Monica farmers market every Wed. to buy their ingredients. I also found out they feature wines and cheeses from different parts of Italy. The «cheesemonger» is a favorite item esp. for cheesy cheese heads. With 400 wines, this is a place for people who are true foodies with a fat wallet — or those that wish they did.
It took about 15 minutes before the waiter brought out the food. Ha ha — his last words to me were, «Gee, that looks really good». I thought, «Eat your heart out, but I’ll eat my food.» It’s got a light beef filling inside the firm but thin ravioli, boiled perfectly. It is swimming in a light but sweet orange lemon brown sugar clear sauce. The beef/​citrus/​sugar combination was really «sweet», and I mean that figuratively as well. They sprinkled aromatic toasted sage leaves on top. Sadly there were only six of the 2 inch by 2 inch delights… because I could eat two orders of these.
Parking can be a hassle if you don’t get one of the nearby front spaces. But I paid for an hour, and was done in plenty of time. Hope you like it if you get Cubed, too.