kwockerspanieldad

A group of 14 of us are headed to Los Angeles for a graduation and would appreciate some recommendations for a Mother's Day brunch/lunch. We have several senior senior citizens with us so accessiblity and parking is a must. We'll be staying in the LAX/Westchester area. Any ideas? Mahalo!

rjw_lgb_ca

Considering the hundreds and hundreds of restaurants in the LA metro area that might be good, we need a bit more info: How much would you like to spend? Any cuisine preference? Sit-down or buffet? How far are you willing to go?

You may want to go the easy route and dine at one of the higher-end LAX hotels, but I wouldn't. Maybe Tony P's or the Warehouse in Marina del Rey? Ocean Ave. Seafood in Santa Monica would be very expensive, but a superb meal, and only another 10 minutes north of MdR....

But I repeat: There are way too many possibilities. You need to give us some parameters.

kwockerspanieldad

Thanks. We're looking to spend somewhere south of $30 per head. No need for elaborate. Somewhere that's family oriented that won't mind a mid-sized party. Marina del Rey would also work out fine. What type of food does Tony P's serve? So, how's about within a 3 mile radius of LAX, family oriented, around $30 per head, just plain good food? We travel to Los Angegles three to four times a year and try to eat only Mexican since it's hard to get good Mexican in Hawaii. Unfortunately, the senior citizens are conservative Asians who prefer to stay away from cheese and spicy. Mahalo again.

Kristina

Hi

I live in LA and work in the restaurant industry. Something to keep in mind; Mother's Day is one of the absolute busiest days of the year for any restaurant. Going out with a party of 14 on that day is going to be a real challenge. Please make reservations as soon as possible. I think looking at a hotel as an option is a good idea.

rjw_lgb_ca

Tony P's is a watering-hold-with-restaurant type of place, but the food is pretty good there-- kinda California eclectic, nothing fussy.

Café del Rey is a better choice if you're concerned about food-- awesome place. You'll definitely need to call to ensure they can take a party of that size.

Heavens

I had some friends that went to a graduation dinner with a large group and they went to a Bucca de Beppo's. They had a great time and good food. It can be noisy there and not sure where they are in the LA area. I think they went to one in Santa Monica...

rjw_lgb_ca

Heavens, I'm going to have to respectfully rebut your recommendation for Buca di Beppo. The BdB in Santa Monica was the site for the absolutely worst Italian meal I've ever had in a restaurant. They burned the marinara sauce, which goes on everything they serve except dessert. Everything was rendered inedible.

I'd recommend the Cheesecake Factory in Marina del Rey over BdB, if we're bringing chains into the equation. At least you have the marina views....

Heavens

Well, just reporting on what the group said. This was about four years ago. They had about 15 in their party and said it was a great meal and the family all loved it. We have also had good meals there. Bad experiences can happen in any restaurant. IMO.

kwockerspanieldad

aloha all,

Thanks for the suggestions. We have a Bucca di Beppo here in Honolulu and though the servings were huge, the food was just okay. Cheesecake Factory has also invaded Waikiki. We did have some okay food at the Santa Monica Cheesecake Factory and patio dining late at nite was a treat for us who only get warm weather even at nite.
I'll try to call Cafe del Rey this afternoon to see if they have any openings. Mahalo to all...