L.A.’s 5 Most Polarizing Restaurants

This story first appeared in the June 7 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Restaurant: Gjelina

Loved for: Super-hip Venice milieu, acclaimed farm-to-table fare
Loathed for: Militantly enforced no-substitutions menu policy

Restaurant: Red Medicine

Loved for: Highly skilled, Vietnamese-minded molecular gastronomy
Loathed for: Publicly shaming reservation no-shows via its Twitter feed

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Restaurant: Father’s Office

Loved for: To-die-for gourmet burger and serious list of craft brews
Loathed for: Impossible seating situation, breeding customer resentment

Restaurant: Cafe Gratitude

Loved for: Extensive vegan raw menu, yoga-pants networking
Loathed for: Saturday Night Live-parody-worthy names of dishes like “I Am Magical”

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Restaurant: Dan Tana’s

Loved for: Latter-day Rat Pack vibe, reliable red-sauce Italian food
Loathed for: Regular folks feel short shrifted as staff dotes on cliquey regulars