We would like to treat our 2 relatives for welcoming us to stay with them for the last 5 days of our CA vacation. I know Spago is pricey [50+ each] for dinner. Lunch would be an option. Has anyone ever been there for lunch and about how much should we expect to pay?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

Money is not what one should focus on when dining in a fine restaurant. Stay focused on the food and wine. You can't take it with you now, can you?

Splurge.

Vert in Hollywood is Wolfgang Puck's hottest new restaurant in town.

Le Colonial is great for lunch. Pane e Vino is a nice little Italian for dinner (sit on the patio). You can read about it and other restaurants at www.zagat.com

Wolfgang is a little over exposed IMHO.

Josie's is getting rave reviews.

Jacque Dans Le Box on Ventura Blvd would be perfect for you. Lunch gets crowded but they don't accept reservations.

Spago is over rated. The food isn't that good. Try Henneseys in Hermosa Beach. The best food anywhere and the prices and atmosphere are just what you want. My favorate place to eat.

Jim Chicago

Unless your hosts are beach bums, Henneseys isn't the type of place for a nice thank you dinner. Go with Vert or Josie's.

Hey, I love Hennesy's! I sat 2 tables away from Shaq...what could be so bad about that! He ate sooooo much food but was very friendly and unpretentious, he seemed to just try to be a normal guy and blend in. Maggie

Margie,
It's still pricy at lunch. The food is good, but I agree with another poster that (in my opinion) it's overrated. Dinner at Pane e Vino, as suggested by another poster is an absolute delight (ask to dine in the patio).
Another option, my personal favorite, is Crustacian on little Santa Monica in Beverly Hills. The prices are high, but you have never had crab like the way it's prepared here.

Maggie,

No offense but just because Shaq dines at a place doesn't mean the food is good. Generally, people don't go by a place and say, "hey, (insert famous sports figure here) is eating here, the food must be exquisite!"

Is Spago in BH significantly more expensive than Spago in Las Vegas? We always have lunch at Spago when we're in Vegas because the food is really good and it's not really any more expensive than any other decent sit-down restaurant at lunch.

Oops, never mind...I was forgetting that in Vegas Spago's got the cafe section and the dining room section, which have different menus and different prices.

To answer your question Margie, yes I have been to Spagos BH at lunch and it was a lovely experience. The food is good and the service is great too. It is less expensive at lunch, but remember that alot of business lunches are going on at that time of day during the week. You may see someone from the business/entertainment world. It is a nice place for lunch, then stroll around and shop for a really nice day. Your relative will enjoy it I am sure.

I'm so tired of Wolfgang and his Spagos---they're everywhere. Even some in airports now a days. We love Valentino's in Santa Monica and Campanille on La Brea and for lunch you can't beat Ivy at the Shore---good food, good people watching. Don't know where you'll be starting from but Shiro in South Pasadena is unique place but only for dinner--it's known for Asian influenced fish and fowl--no red meat. Pinot in the Valley is also good---think it's in Studio City, but all those towns blur into one big Ventura Blvd. in my mind. Spago in BH (is it really in BH???) isn't even pretty. Been there several times and was always disappointed, don't know what the hype was about.Sure, we saw some stars, but the food was pretty bland.

I don't think the poster was implying that just because a sports celebrity eats somewhere that the food is fabulous. I think this was just a sideline, but really stating that Hennesey's does have good food. I personally think it's very good and a better value than many restaurants....less "plastic", more fun atmosphere and cute bartenders too. Angela

I still say Hennesys on the Ocaen at sundown on the second deck listening to the breakers and watching the sun go down and eating real deliously prepared food, has got Spagos beat hands down. All this at half the price.