Animal Restaurant

Great lil’ hipster restaurant. Honest take: they could simplify the ingredients count in some dishes. The bone marrow dish had too much going on. No need for balsamic glaze, especially co side ring the dish was served with a chimichirri. Bone marrow is decadent by itself. You could not taste the marrow because it was overwhelmed by everything else. The bone burger is A+. It’s brilliantly served with rye bread and cooked to perfection. On the menu, everything sounds amazing however you expect the dish to be very rich, however it was very balanced and perfectly executed. Carrot dish was fantastic- lots of wonderful spices. Great wine selection too. Overall, a great dining experience, super friendly staff.

I really want to like this restaurant. I am a huge fan of a small focused menu consisting of seasonal small plates, and this restaurant stood out for me in view of the rave reviews. Don’t get me wrong, some of the popular items are good. Chicken liver pate was very flavorful, the bone burger was very satisfying and unique, and the sticky date pudding was airy and absolutely delish. But some of the items were a miss - the bone marrow was well roasted but the onions on top were too sweet. The rabbit papperdelle was a little bland - tasted like if I made the dish at home for the first time - lacks umami, and a little juvenile. Service was prompt but a little standoffish.

A delicious, meat-centric, casual dinner in the middle of the Fairfax District by the owners of Jon and Vinny’s and Petit Trois. Animal has been on my list for quite some time and due to it being closed from Covid for quite a while I had not had the chance to try it until it’s reopening this May. Last night I finally got to give it a try and I was very happy that I did so. As I mentioned before it’s in the Fairfax District so it’s a very busy part of LA filled with tourists and out of towners, and parking can be a hassle because it’s not possible to park in the neighborhood without a pass, so street parking or valet will be your only options. Our server James did a terrific job and made the meal a better experience. It’s tapas style dining so they suggest each person order 3 to 4 items. We were a table of two and chose six total, plus a dessert, and it was the perfect amount for us. We started with the Hamachi Tostada which was light, filled with flavor, and the only seafood option on the menu. Next came the Chicken Liver Toast which was very good and definitely the smallest dish that we ordered. I prefer pâté myself and this was a more tame version of that. Next came the Lettuce, Beets, Avocado Salad and it was probably my second favorite dish of the night. The creamy sumac dressing with it was heavenly. Next was the Roasted Bone Marrow with chimichurri and it too was very tasty. I prefer my bone marrow crispier as this one was a little more jiggly and fatty but the flavor was still wonderful. Bone marrow is something I order as often as possible so it’s a dish I eat quite often. Following that came my favorite dish of the night: the Crispy Pig Ear. My palate did not even know what I was eating and I was pleasantly surprised with every bite. It was the highlight of the night. Finally we chose the Bone Burger which was a gooey, more of a patty melt type of burger with a copious amount of cheese and sauce. For dessert we chose the Tres Leches Cake with strawberry and I think it’s honestly the best Tres Leches I’ve ever had in my life and growing up in San Diego I’ve had quite a few so that’s saying something. Overall a terrific meal with a very creative and delicious menu. This would not be for the vegan or vegetarian diner, or a business meal, but honestly it’s perfect for anything else and if it weren’t for the location I would go all the time. I definitely plan to be back in the future.

14 years and a pandemic later, this iconic restaurant is still serving flavorful dishes, such as the chicken liver toast (now spread-it-yourself), the tomato-tonnato, the 3S anchovies (Salty & So Satisfying), the fried sweetbreads, and the light and instagrammable strawberry tres leches. Small but relevant selection of wines and sake, along with some interesting cocktails. Setting is elegantly simple. Super friendly staff. Well, an institution which deserves to remain one.

The food here is beyond amazing, one of the best if not the best meal I have ever had (the pig ears changed my life). Same for the service…the exact right balance of attentive but not hovering, and they brought free wine and a free dessert for my friend’s birthday. HOWEVER. I have to take 2 stars off because the bill sprung a 20% “service charge” that was explicitly not a gratuity on us without warning. With how much we had spent and how deserving the server was of a real tip, that turned the night into an expensive one indeed. Just be transparent with your pricing, don’t ambush your diners. We will very sadly not be back until and unless they get rid of this BS fee.

It is hard to leave a 2 star review because I will say some of our dishes were very delicious! But… some were so not delicious, the duck (our most expensive dish) tasted like salty mush. We told our waiter and he told us that’s how it was supposed to be. Th waiter was not good, he forgot many items and was very pompous. They also added on a 18% fee for service charge, that is too much! I will not be returning! It is also hard to park and very loud inside.

I really want to like this restaurant. I am a huge fan of a small focused menu consisting of seasonal small plates, and this restaurant stood out for me in view of the rave reviews. Don’t get me wrong, some of the popular items are good. Chicken liver pate was very flavorful, the bone burger was very satisfying and unique, and the sticky date pudding was airy and absolutely delish. But some of the items were a miss - the bone marrow was well roasted but the onions on top were too sweet. The rabbit papperdelle was a little bland - tasted like if I made the dish at home for the first time - lacks umami, and a little juvenile. Service was prompt but a little standoffish.