Formosa Cafe in LA is a cocktail haven with a rich history and top-notch service! The mixologists craft exquisite cocktails that are both inventive and delicious, offering a sip of Hollywood's glamorous past. The ambiance, steeped in cinematic history, adds a nostalgic touch to your cocktail experience. The attentive and knowledgeable staff elevate the service to perfection, ensuring a memorable visit. For a delightful journey through cocktails, history, and impeccable service, Formosa Cafe is a standout destination.
Great atmosphere and decent food. Would highly recommend the pork belly as well as the soup dumplings. Loved the lighting and how it wasn’t too loud at any point in time. Truly a special gem
Back here for dinner, must be the third or fourth time in past 4 months, orange chicken was good. I know it can be better as last time it was crispier (inconsistency can be disappointing..) Chow fun dish was a first for me this time and good: A nice twist on the typical chow fun dish. The chili wonton was excellent as before. Recommended.
Entrance has a gatekeeper, nice touch with all the weirdos roaming the streets in Hollywood area. Late hours are a great bonus with kitchen closing in the AMs. Kung Pao chicken was a nice fusion dish, maybe not quite a shareable size but spicing and flavor grew on me. Spicy Dan Dan noodles was a below average noodle dish, the steamed white rice was best I had in years.
Service was nice and friendly but not very attentive.
Defiantly on my list for additional visits to explore more items on the menu.
Iconic venue with great food. Portions are generous. We (party of 4) got the Chinese barbecue pork (serves 2-4), spicy fried rice with chicken, scallion pancakes, and had more than what we could eat (so took it home). The barbecue was authentic, beautiful, and tasty. The presentation was amazing. The buns were very fresh. The fried rice was excellent too. I think I’d go with shrimp next time. We got drinks as well. The Matador was fruity and refreshing with a wedge of fresh pineapple - a perfect summer drink. The staff was both professional and friendly. Parking is on the street. We parked (free) a few blocks away. The history of Formosa is rich with Hollywood lore. The ceiling is border with signed photos of many legends.
The Formosa Cafe is a fantastic place to have a cocktail, eat some food, and walk back into 1940's era Hollywood. They make tasty tiki style drinks. (The Singapore Sling and Mai Thai were very good.) If you're into mid-century history of Hollywood, then you're in luck. Legend has it that Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel used the Formosa as an HQ for his operations, and it's commemorated with a photo of him above "his" booth complete with an encased floor safe that was used by Bugsy. There are booths in the main room lounge that are named for celebrities that frequented them. (The Marilyn Booth, The Elvis Booth, etc) The cafe has also been used in films such as LA Confidential. It's a fun place; check their social media/website for weekly special events.
![4]( "Recensione")
My four stars mostly have to do with the history and ambiance of the place. It's gorgeous! It was recently refurbished and everything sparkles. If you look on their website, I can attest to the pix looking exactly like the reality. It's super authentic with many kitsch "Oriental" decor items that are campy good fun. That even includes the tableware. You can eat in a REAL train car! This is a terrific place to take out-of-town guests.
The food's kinda awful, but that's part of the fun, too ( if you're into that sorta thing ). Everything about this place transports you back to the 1940's. The food's completely unhealthy, but you definitely get the vintage vibe. Warning: I went there for lunch when the prices are reasonable, but I understand at dinnertime it can be quite expensive. You may want to check that out beforehand. It seems like it would be a nifty place just to go for drinks. Both bars are really fun.
I can't speak about the drinks because I was there for lunch with a friend and I was driving. The service was friendly, professional, and very accommodating. I'd definitely recommend this place, just for the campy fun of it, and the louche fun beauty of the decor.
All the food was amazing. Service was a little spotty but I think that's just because they were so packed with people. It's cool to sit in one of the old original train cars from the area. I heard the nightlife gets crazy in there. They said they had a live DJ coming. Definitely will go back next time we are in LA
Fantastic dinner spot. If you’re into Chinese-American food, this is a must-try.
Everything across the board was delicious and flavorful, but one thing stood out from the pack and that was the BBQ Pork. The perfectly glazed crispy skin surrounded by the most tender, juicy pork meat was nothing short of phenomenal. Pairing that with the slaw on a Bao bun was absolutely heavenly to eat.
Staff was friendly, food came out a little slow but it was a packed Friday night so I don’t blame them. Will absolutely be back here
The food here is satisfying and hearty. I tried a lot of the appetizers, and of those the scallion pancake and the cucumbers deserve a strong mention. Their noodle dishes are richly flavored. All dishes are served in handsome black plates. Cocktails are fun, my Sapporo was super cold and my water glass was constantly refilled without my having to ask for it. Chris, our server, was a sweetheart young man with plenty of wonderful recommendations.
christopher du plessis
+4
Food was amazing. Definitely worth ordering a few meals and sharing it. Service was a bit slow.
Make a reservation
Order online
Find the best restaurant in West Hollywood
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes