Whisper Lounge

This is not the place for vegetarians or people that enjoy good service! Their vegetable dishes; roasted cauliflower, brussel sprouts and squash curry, all had animal broth in them. And they can’t remove it from the dish. Not what I expected from an upscale dining restaurant in LA.
I ordered the squash curry and cauliflower anyway since I’d just driven from south Orange County and was starving. The squash was flavorful and delicate but the cauliflower reeked from the fish broth, even my sister, who eats meat, thought it smelled bad.
I ordered a Dirty Martini which was tasty and strong but took a very long time to arrive. Our server only came to our table three times, the first time took about 10 minutes for her to come over, the second to drop off drinks and the third to drop off the check. She seemed annoyed when I asked if any of the dishes were vegetarian and did not offer any substitutions. I don’t remember her name because I just wanted to forget her and her service the minute I encountered it. I get it, I was a server too, but I was always told to check your personal problems at the door. Fake it till you make it, after all!
She never checked on us to see how the food was or if we needed anything else, I probably would have ordered another drink had she asked. Oh well.
The décor is beautiful, soft, warm lighting and complementary beige and white interior. And a very cool, large chandelier installation. But décor is probably the best aspect of the restaurant.
I’m always looking for nice restaurants in LA and Orange County to dine at, and will go back if the service and food is good so Whisper will not be earning my service again.
Service — 2
Food — 3

It was my 2^nd time here but came in early last night for a birthday dinner with a party of about 15. I believe I had the lamb burger which was good the last time I dined here but last night I had the skirt steak. Delish! Our waitress was on it. Food came out pretty quickly. The only hiccup was the manager ruined the surprise birthday cake we had by asking us right in front of the birthday girl if they should bring the cake out. That was a party foul but she gave us validation and waived the $ 2 cake cutting fee per person. Other than that… everything was great.

Whisper is my absolute favorite place to eat at The Grove! It’s tucked in down a little alleyway — if you feel like you’re going the wrong way, you’re almost there. :)
The place is relatively small, but seldom that busy. They have great outdoor seating and close it off when it gets too cold. You generally can be seated right away, but when I’m in a big group, we always make a reservation.
The food is pricey, but pretty yummy. We always get the brussel sprouts and fries (with awesome dipping sauces) to start out. They also bring you a lovely variety of bread and seasoned crackers. Really hard actually not to fill up on apps here! Whisper has a full bar, but I generally stick with wine. Theirs is great quality and moderately priced (especially in perspective of The Grove prices!).
Cheers!

This place is a really nice spot for a date, or dinner with a friend or family. Very professional service, dimly lit with beautiful ambience in the heart of the Grove. The waitresses were friendly and efficient, the food was tasty and very fresh. Great drinks, the eye opener cocktail was very nice, and the Australian Lamb Burger was pretty good too (not as good as in Aus, but very good for here). Definitely look forward to coming here again.

I’m giving this a three star for two reasons.
1) The food was solid. Tasty and quickly made.
2) The waiter was really sweet and attentive.
Went here with my team for a holiday party/​dinner. I had called in advance to make sure my reservation was all set and even dropped it down a person as we had a cancellation in the group.
I got there last, the four other gals were seated at a four person table half booth. I asked who seemed like the manager on duty why we only had a 4 person table when I had a reservation. You could tell she was flustered/​pissed and she told me because of the weather, and not being able to use the patio, that that’s all they had to offer and that she was «doing the best she could».
I told her that me and my guests would chat and see if we wanted to stay because we were going to have to squeeze. She never came back to the table until the end casually asking how the food was. I was put off by her. She sent the poor waiter over to clean up her mess. Definitely not the over the top experience that so many other restaurants in LA provide.

This place is killer and the service is always solid. Downside would have to be their happy hour which isn’t much of a happy hour as it ends at six and as they do not run it on the weekends. For a place at the Grove though I can only imagine how expensive rent is.
I have tried just about everything on the menu and everything has been spot on. It’s funny too BC there are a lot of fusion items (i.e. Korean inspired fare) and they still kill it
It’s a solid place to take a date too before or a movie or as an alternative to the ever so loud and kid packed farmer’s market.
I am a big fan and will continue to come back.

I kid you not, if you want a super awesome time, and you love awesome custom drinks this is the only place to go. Alex the bartender will treat you to the most mind blowing and delicious drinks you have ever imagined. My girlfriend and I attended this as a closing night place and we should of went here as a opening. Alex has always done such an amazing bartender, that we cannot and will not go anywhere else for drinks. And his personality matches his drinks. You have to visit here when Alex is working. Be at the bar, ask for custom drinks and be prepared to have to one of the most amazing nights ever.
Also, if you want a romantic dinner, they do candle light, they have dim lights and it is perfect for a date, regardless of the occasion. Just remember, Alex will make your drinks perfect.

Squash and sausage pasta was phenomenal! Some of the best parmesan I’ve ever tasted. It’s a small quiet place that’s very cool and more patio seating than you’d think. Fancy but not a bank breaker, strong drinks, friendly staff.

This is where you want to dine. The perfect date night spot. Ambiance is great and the décor is fabulous. I had one of the best dirty martinis I’ve had in ages and my partner had amazing wine. The food was out of this world. We had a kale caesar salad that was perfect as was the chicken and the steak. But the best part of the entire experience, Angie our waitress. The entire staff was
on point, even the manager checking in on us. But Angie was everything. Being a former service industry trainer, rarely am I so blown away by great service. The struggle for good service in LA is real, and this place is the bees knees. A++

My 3^rd time here and the food is AMAZING!
Delicious fresh bread, tuna tartar literally melts in your mouth, brussel sprouts have never tasted better, the skirt steak was perfect and the rice… wow!
In my three visits, everything I tried has been outstanding! I highly recommend!

Best place in LA!!! Lunch Dinner Brunch whatever it’s all good!!! Bartenders Management Wait staff everyone is very nice and polite. A must try is Sunday Jazz!

Had dinner and drinks. The food was very good! I had the heirloom tomato salad as starter. It was so refreshing and nicely seasoned. As an entrée I had the steak with rice. It was one of the best steaks I have had. It was perfectly cooked and the rice was so flavorful! My IPA beer was also great!
Our waiter was Derrik (if I remember correctly), who did a phenomenal job. He was great and very helpful, you could tell he really enjoyed his job. Would definitely eat here again!

My buddy and I came here for a late lunch on a Friday at about 2 pm. We sat at a table near the corner. It was a good spot to sit at since it was a nice and sunny day. Our waitress notified us that the bartender wasn’t working until about 2:15 pm which was only about 30 minutes, so we started with a round of water. The waitress brought out a plate of bread while we waited for our food.
*The Burger*
I love burgers. I ordered it cooked medium and substituted the chips for fries for an extra dollar. It would’ve been $ 2 extra for a side salad. The burger came with American cheese, caramelized onions, grilled mushrooms, pickles, and parmesan aioli. It was decent, but nothing to write home about especially at $ 14.95. I don’t mind paying more for something spectacular, but I’ve definitely had better for a fraction of the cost.
*Gin Martini*
I had one made with St George gin with a twist. Not bad. Some people make a deal about the original martini being made with gin, but I still prefer to drink a vodka martini.
I think this place would be much better at night. Don’t come here for bargain food and drinks. They’re going for quality over quantity here. They have really nice ambiance here. I could hang out here for hours over some drinks, but skip the burger for something else.

Shhhhh. Let’s keep this place a secret. Joking. It’s at the grove, but it’s kinda hidden over by Barney’s away from the hustle and bustle. The food is excellent and unique, but not over-​thought. Heirloom tomato salad with burrata, zucchini with an olive spread at the base. Terrific! Also had the charred shrimp, the brussel sprouts, and the cauliflower appetizer which was gorgeously simple. This place is laid back and has the perfect balance between tablecloth joint without being fine dining. Its been busy the few times we’ve been here, but a reservation was never needed. Btw the elevators to parking are close by, so you can avoid the gauntlet of the main passageway.

Growing ever more tired fighting for a seat at the Cheesecake factory during happy hour, needing a place one can talk (not fight over the music like at Mixology), we found our trio here. Located off the main drag, the quiet place affords the visitor with a quiet space to talk, excellent happy hour faire and incredibly stiff drinks. Try the Caruso Flatbread (named after the owner of the bar and the Grove), the sliders, and crab cakes. one extra plus. if Tabby (also at the IIalian place La Piazza) waits on you. you with have one of the more personable, knowldgable servers n the Grove. she is a real delight

Walked in on a rainy Saturday, mostly to sneak into the restroom… but we decided to take a seat at the bar and have a few drinks before meeting up with family later (great idea here!). The bartender lady was super friendly and poured us some tasty drinks. My martini came with super potent blue cheese stuffed olives, they were delicious. My bf was very pleased with his Manhattan that arrived with his favorite Luxardo cherries.
Great service, cool atmosphere, can’t wait to go back for dinner… and drinks of course.

Drinks and some appetizers on a beautiful evening at The Grove.
THE AMBIANCE:
Whisper Lounge («WL») is semi-​separated from the mall towards its outer area. It is on a corner across from Barneys New York. WL is upscale (like the whole mall in general) and has a pretty chandelier hanging from its main dining room. WL is small in size. You have the main dining area, a small bar that is U-​shaped in the middle of the place, and then some seating on the other side. It definitely has a romantic feel so it is perfect for a quiet and intimate date night.
THE FOOD:
We stopped by for a drink and some appetizers. Since we sat at the bar, we got the bar food menu. We had the Crisp Calamari (sweet chile-​garlic sauce, grilled lime, $ 15), and the Tuna Tartare (pacific albacore, sesame, citrus-​ginger vinaigrette, wonton crisp, $ 16). The food was good but the portions were small and pricey. The drinks were ok.
THE TIPS:
Although the food was tasty, WL was a bit too pricey for the amount of food you got. I would only come back if I wanted to have an expensive dinner entrée or for their Happy Hour, which is Monday-​Friday 3−6pm: Beer $ 5, Well Drinks and Select Wines: $ 7, Martinis: $ 9, and a good selection of items off their regular menu such as the Crisp Calamari for $ 9 ($ 6 off — not bad), and Whisper Fries for $ 5 ($ 4 off), among others.

Alex — great mixologist
Anthony is a rockn chef! So I had the shrimp with the light pasta and green peas, the dish was small and light, so of course I had to have two. I think they should expand on this dish and make it a main course, rather than a small plate, just my thought.
My guy had the lamb burger which he finished before I was done with my pasta. I guess we were both very hungry after an afternoon of shopping at the Container Store. We needed some protein and some great cocktails in order to de-​stress, since shopping can be exhausting, however we bought so much great stuff that we truly needed.
I had dinner here years ago and was delighted to return and experience delicious food and great atmosphere once again.
We would have tried the croissant chocolate pudding, however we had no room left, I did have this heavenly dessert before and loved it.
I noticed they have regulars, of course the food is amazing and the cocktails by Alex are wow!

Nothing better than to impress your date with a delicious 2015 Date Night menu at the Whisper Lounge!
Every so often, the Grove offers a Date Night package for 2, valued at $ 35 per person, including free valet, a reserved Pacific Theater movie ticket (~$ 14 by itself), and a special dinner menu from one of the selected restaurants in the Grove. This time it was 1÷15÷15−2÷19÷15 (Mon through Fri only) and reserved through the concierge (check the Grove’s website for more details).
For appetizer: Out of a choice of calamari, kale caesar salad, and brussels sprouts, we picked brussels sprouts (fresh lime, shallots, chile garlic sauce) — the brussels sprouts were extremely tangy with the lime and garlic sauce and a little crunchy on the outside (oven burnt I suppose). I really enjoyed it!
For main course, I had
The Burger (house american, pickles, grilled onion, mushrooms, parmesan aioli, french fries) — this burger is amazing! The meat was medium rare with just enough pink (super juicy!) The aioli sauce went really well together with the pickle to create this mouthwatering flavor that had me licking my finger to the end.
My date had
fried zucchini spaghetti (garlic, olive oil, parmesan, mint, calabrian chile) — The spaghetti noodle was served perfectly al dente. It was so flavorful that I took a couple bites myself.
We shared one dessert:
Milk chocolate bread pudding (toasted marshmallow ice cream, Jameson whiskey caramel sauce) — really couldn’t taste the Jameson in the dish but we were so full by this point… the toasted marshmallow ice cream tasted a bit sweeter than vanilla but nothing fancy. The texture of the bread pudding was a blend of cake on the outside and fudge on the inside (sort of reminds me of Fleming’s famous chocolate lava cake… but less fancy).
Lemon Drop ($ 10) — My date ordered a drink on the side but I can’t say I was impressed at all. The drink was not sour enough and not sweet enough… too water down for my taste.
The other restaurant choices for the Date Night at the Grove were:
Morels French Steakhouse
La Piazza Ristorante Italiano
Maggiano’s Little Italy
The Whisper Restaurant and Lounge
Bar Verde at Nordstrom
Umami Burger (new addition for 2015)
TIP: Next time if they offer Date Night again, try checking Groupon or Travel Zoo for a discount first.
I will totally come back to the Whisper to try their regular entrees but skip the dessert and the drink.

I was planning my first «official» meet with my bridesmaids (to be) to go over some wedding details. Well, really, we were meeting up just to grub and have some drinks and maybe do some wedding talk on the side.
One of the girls suggested the whisper lounge at the grove and it sounded like a perfect place to get some eating, and some shopping done. Whisper lounge is tucked away by the Barney’s and you can see it across from Umami burger. The restaurant itself looks posh. The wait staff is alright for lack of a better term. Our server was nice enough but seemed to be super shy.
We ordered drinks to start, one of us had wine and the remainder ordered cocktails. Don’t get the cocktails. Stick with the wine. We then had sliders as an appetizer and that was pretty good. I thought it would be indicative of the remainder of our meal; I was wrong. Not horribly wrong, just wrong. We all had the lunch special, steaks and salmon and tried most of their sides. None of us were greatly impressed with any of our meals but they were at least plated beautifully. The salmon was extremely salty and the quinoa salad was bland. From the looks of it, the other girls didn’t quite finish their plates either. Ha. Oh the fries were decent though and so were the root chips that accompanied the sliders
Well, at least the food was pretty.