Dinner near The Pantages

[Kwsty]

My friend and I are treating each other for our birthdays (dare I say the big FOUR O?) to a matinee at The Pantages to see Wicked on a Saturday in July and were looking to find a great restaurant nearby for an early dinner afterwards.

Criteria: great food, good service, killer wine list, nice atmosphere.
Is that asking too much? (We will sacrafice the killer wine list for amazing martinits!)

Any of you have a good recommendations? Please help!

[Kwsty]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Wicked was wonderful and we had dinner afterwards at Off Vine. Amazing and relaxing, it was perfect. I can totally recommend the half chocolate and half raspberry souffle for dessert! Thanks again!

[TomSwift]

We have found a good track record at Musso & Frank. The martinis can't be beat. However, it IS a grill and you must navigate the menu carefully. We've been disappointed with virtually everything but the filet, the French lamb chops, the Dungeness crab cocktail, the Dungeness crab Louis, and the chicken pot pie. The menu is a great read but the kitchen doesn't deliver all that is promised in most cases. Ask to be seated in the "new room" in Miguel's section.

[Emme]

I guess my question is *how near.* Personally, I'd drive over to Providence or Grace or A.O.C. A little further would be Bin 8945 (good for wine too).

[DonnaGrayson]

My first suggestion would be Off Vine Restaurant ... go south on Vine, one block south of Sunset.... left on the first little street. Its a house that has been converted into a restaurant. I've been there about four times and the food is really good, and the atmosphere very nice.
http://www.offvine.com
There is also that brand new row of restaurants on Sunset & Vine - the Bowery is new, right next to Fabiolus... but the Bowery might be to trendy for what you are looking for after a night of theatre
http://www.theboweryhollywood.com/
http://www.fabiolus.org/

[Melissavina]

The Velvet Margarita is really fun and tasty. You get a dipping tower when you first sit down and chances are good that you'll fill up on that, so be careful. They've got some great margaritas but don't be fooled by the ones served in pineapples, they're not anything to shout about.

Try Frieda's Brow... it's a drink. Probably the best name for a cocktail I've ever heard.

[mc michael]

"Try Frieda's Brow... it's a drink. Probably the best name for a cocktail I've ever heard."
A drink with hair in it????

[Melissavina]

No, silly. It's just a name.
Gaw.

[CarlieInLA]

You should do a search for Pantages or Wicked, you will get many options. Here is a link that has another posting linked to it as well. One suggestion I have is Hungry Cat, although I haven't been in a few months. Last time I went it was very good.

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/390017

[revets2]

second HUNGRY CAT. best mixologist in hollywood.

[DonnaGrayson]

I have tried to eat at Hungry Cat twice - and both times there was about an hour wait.
Try to make reservations first....

[SauceSupreme]

Definitely make reservations, but I love Hungry Cat. Drinks and foodwise, it's my favorite there near the Pantages. The wine/beer list is short but they're all good, even the well drinks use premium liquor. And definitely the place to go if you're looking for martinis. I like the cucumber martini, but my favorite cocktail from there lately has been the pimlico.