Venue Review: Cafe Entourage

(source: pubcrawls)

Name	Cafe Entourage
Date	Friday 2/10/12
Address	1600 Vine St., Los Angeles, CA
Area	Hollywood
Size	2 stories, medium
Cost	Free
Parking	street or  paid lot ($7-10)
Music	R&B, HIP HOP, Rap, Top 40
Ambiance	Old Hollywood glamour with contemporary spin
Decor	Medium sized dining area, upstairs lounge area, VIP sections with lounge seating
Clientele	Mixed crowd of gathered ladies, gathered men, and some getting gathered individuals, Standard age mid 20's - early 30's
Seating	Tables for dining, reservations recommended. 10 bar stools, chaise lounge seating with reserved parties
Food	No major complaints
Drinks	Full bar
Best Nights	Saturday
Dress Code	Trendy casual
Wait time	10 - 45 mins
Restroom	2 stalls

Pros: Cafe Entourage is a unique mix of restaurant and lounge atmosphere. The food is typically priced for Hollywood and satisfying, but not spectacular. I’ve had the shrimp pasta and the ribeye, both of which were a 6.5 on a scale of ten. The crowd is the main attraction for this spot. There are definitely some dime pieces and handsome black men who frequent this place. However, there is a bit of Ratchetness mixed in (roughly 20%). One other major bonus for Cafe Entourage is the DJ and music. A good mix of R&B, Top 40, Hip Hop, and Old School. Entourage is conveniently located in a hot zone of other gathered venues, so getting there is convenient as an after hours spot.

Cons: This place promotes that it’s poppin Thursday through Sunday. That remains to be seen. I’ve stopped by various days and have only seen huge lines and long waits on Saturday. If you are on CPT and get there after 11pm, expect a wait, possibly rude security guards, and the typical Hollywood club act. Apparently once the spot is in demand, you need to have VIP pull or a entourage to get in. The restaurant experience is inconsistent, definitely a hit or miss. They are often out of the types of wines many of the honeys favor: white, Moscato, Riesling, Zinfandel, etc.. That’s a boo.  As for the food quality, it’s certainly not bad, but it’s nothing to rave about. My guess is food is not there 1st priority and selling point, so they get by on making food people won’t complain about. That’s not a very high bar in LA.

The Gathered’s Grade: B- for effort  Cafe Entourage is definitely trying to offer something I can appreciate: a mixed crowd of gathered, getting gathered, industry people and young black professionals from early 20’s to late 30’s, a entertaining dining experience, good music, and a less flashy and high maintenance social experience in Hollywood. I say yes. My personal preference on a Saturday night is a full lounge/club experience, but there is a definite need for more lounge/restaurant combo venues that gathered people can frequent. Cafe Entourage is a place to check out. Dress well, appearance matters. You’ll probably pay $7-10 for the car lot parking. No cost to get in, but if you order food  and at least 2 alcoholic drinks (reservations suggested on Friday/Saturday night) you’re looking at  bill of at least $40 per person. Beware of the bathroom, there are only 2 stalls in the downstairs unit and the attendant may ASK you for a tip. Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently tips are expected even if you don’t use the amenities. Yes, that’s a bit bold for me too. Despite the minor offenses, I believe if you are a part of thegatheredLA you’ll enjoy yourself. Like the name suggests, get your entourage ready and go get it.

Comments

[Ed]

Good review! I agree on a lot of what was said. Although I think that this place gets a lot of hype from its name. I can't lie, I only visited for the first time because I'm a fan of the show "Entourage". ha