City Club Of Los Angeles

Love the City Club and honored to be a member. Staff and fellow members are friendly, welcoming, great views of DTLA and lots of events and specials for members.

I am a Wedding and Event Planner in Los Angeles. City Club of Los Angeles is one of my favorite venue to plan events with. Josh Baca, their Event Manager is so helpful and goes out of his way to make sure his clients are taken care of. Executive Chef Sebastian Heil creates imaginative and flavorful dishes that wow. Each course better than the last. The space itself is breath taking. With views of Downtown Los Angeles all around, you feel like you are on top of the world at City Club. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to plan a refined and elevated event.

The view is great.
I’m not a Downtown person but this is a great place where you can meet for lunch or meeting.
Have conference rooms with wifi, a movie viewing room.
The membership fee is reasonable.
Good food and excellent service!

View: awesome
Service: great
Food: totally not worth it. Don’t get the salmon again. Spare ribs were too sweet.
I would consider coming here mainly for the experience and view, but definitely not for the food.

Very nice rooms inside for corporate events, the food is also very good. Clean and nice bathrooms. Parking very expensive like $ 30

I’ve been here once for a wedding and thought it was an interesting venue since it’s located in a business corporate building (sharing the same space as Drago & Chaya). I don’t remember if it was the highest floor of this building, but it was pretty high up. The view is amazing from this floor. When you first walk out of the elevator, you see a bunch of tiny meeting rooms as you walk to the main area. The building is floor to ceiling windows (and I wouldn’t expect anything less for a place that prides in the view), and it is well maintained and clean. The only downfall that I saw was that many of the guests of the wedding were smokers, and you had to ride the elevator down to the main ground level floor to smoke. The wedding upstairs were missing half their guests as they all seemed to be downstairs hanging out. Other than that, I thought this venue was nice. I personally wouldn’t have my wedding here, but would consider other types of events.

I’ve been here a few times for different occasions. I’ve been here for casual drinks, had a team retreat here, I’ve thrown an event in the ballroom and most recently attended a wedding. For casual drinks it was fine, because of the semi-​exclusivity it’s not that crowded which is nice.
For the event I threw, everything ended up going well but my contact here wasn’t the most responsive during the planning phases though the event turned out well eventually.
Most recently I came here for a wedding and it was fantastic! For a wedding I would HIGHLY recommend it, I think the reception was the best I’ve ever been to. The ballroom was curtained off and set up for the ceremony. Afterwards, we walked back to the restaurant/​bar area and had drinks and hung out. The appetizers were great, especially the crab cakes. I also really liked the little meat in some pastry with horseradish app, but couldn’t get too on board with the cantaloupe tequila shrimp shooters. Overall the flow was good, drinks and appetizers were served well and at appropriate times. For dinner I had the salmon and hubs had the steak, they were both very good and I was happy. The butters were all heart shaped and that was a cutesy touch for a wedding.
What really elevated the wedding and differentiates the city club from any other establishment is because of the staff. All bartenders and waitstaff were phenomenal. Attentive but not overbearing, and super fun. There’s one waiter that I specifically remember from the event I threw in Feb 2014 and he was serving again for the wedding, young, Hispanic and he is just the best! I desperately wish I remember his name because he absolutely made our night but I was having wayyy too much fun. Though it was open bar I stuck to mostly white wine and really appreciated how it was always served at the perfect temperature. That’s hard to keep consistent when you’re serving for 8 hours but CC staff accomplished it!
Anyways, if I weren’t already booked for my wedding elsewhere I’d def take a look at CC, overall parking was easy and convenient, food and drinks were memorably good, and the staff were amazing.

This is just for their use as a meeting space. It was my first time in the new space. Still has awesome views and great service. The meeting room comfortably held everyone and pretty effectively kept out the other noise from other rooms and guests. Fully stocked bathrooms. A good place for a meeting.

New address but same spectacular views of the city. Always great to attend an event or special occasion at the City Club. The food is also amazing and the staff is top notch. If you have an opportunity to attend a gathering at this location do not let it slip you by you.

I attended a wedding here and loved the many rooms that it consisted of. It accommodated guests for the ceremony and reception. And they even can validate your parking which is a plus because parking around the area is anywhere from $ 10 – 20.

Gorgeous views, reception area, dining room and conference rooms. It’s located on the 51^st floor of the City National Bank building. The staff is very attentive and helpful. Would love to come back!

The best way for me to describe my experience at the city club is by dividing it into two sections: the view and the food. The main selling point of the restaurant is definitely the view (some windows have binoculars provided) but in the Arbor room, you can get unlucky and get a view of the Paul Hastings building up close. The service was fantastic and attentive, although maybe a bit too much so since the server would come to the table and just remove one spoon. But great attention to detail. The music was very soft and subtle and set a comfortable atmosphere to talk or just look outside.
I had high expectations for the restaurant based off the previous reviews but I was quite let down. Overall the food was good but seemed more appropriate for a $ 20 street side restaurant. I had the eggplant and shared some of the other dishes (pasta, sea bass, steak) with family and felt the dishes were very safe and lacked impact. The crab cake small dishes we had were also very salty and the eggplant dish seemed like it was about 20% cheese and the whole dish had the consistency of melted cheese aside from the top cheese that had been baked crisp.
Overall I was not impressed with the food. I had probably hyped myself to believe that the restaurant was perhaps a different kind than I had envisioned or maybe the view of the «Paul Hastings» letters up close spoiled my appetite. I supposed I had hyped up the restaurant a bit too much in my mind before going and expected something a bit different from the norm. Instead I got the norm on the 51^st floor.

I came as a guest to a cocktail party to City Club, a private membership club at the 51^st floor penthouse of the City National Tower. There are several large reception areas for conferences, seminars, as well as rental space for big weddings, private gatherings by members & non-​members who, of course, pay rental fees above & beyond those of members.
We also took a tour of the City Club, and the major emphasis is on an exclusive club whose membership includes all races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, sexes, which may not be the case with other exclusive clubs in Los Angeles with a more exclusionary, «conservative’ bent. There are two restaurants, Aperture being more of a bar/​lounge style while Arbor dining room is formal with a coat & tie dress code. There is even a space that was holding a painting class on the evening we attended.
To me, the greatest advantage in being a member is for people who are in small & medium sized businesses since the City Club can be a place to entertain company guests; hold conferences in a more conducive setting with media equipment & facilities already set up ready to go; set up workshops & brain storming sessions away from what may be just a functional, unappealing site on the company premises.
Also there may be networking opportunities among members to widen opportunities in sales, possible new partnerships, business deals; dissemination of business, technological, fiscal, financial ideas, etc. There would also be an opportunity to make friends in related businesses who would be able to understand & relate to the problems, gripes, operations, and possibly give each other advice or give anecdotes on how each person over came problems & obstacles.
City Club at optimum performance can be a great place for the exchange of ideas, interpersonal relations, arena for influence, providing a pleasant venue for companies that have little or none. City Club also gives another reason for membership: to be able to «immerse oneself in the DTLA life style» with City Club providing a convenient home base from which to fan out into the various revitalized neighborhoods of DTLA. City Club is a member of the ClubCorp family so it is possible to have privileges in all the other facilities in various parts of the country if not other parts of the world.
I may consider myself to be a gourmand, but I sense the feeling at City Club is not so much oriented to developing a notable cuisine, but is more of a venue for business people and their needs. So my rating is only for the facilities that create an amenable venue for efficient, profitable, friendly space to enhance, conduct, formulate good business. The U.S. is the most intensive capitalistic country in the world so City Club is merely carrying on this trend. 4 Unilocal stars for the promotion of the capitalistic state.

This was my first time visiting the City Club, although I have frequented the California Club. Both are very nice, the City Club definitely has the appeal of a new modern business feel and it’s a lot more open and bright.
Our service was impeccable. Although our meeting was quite big with people who I’d assume you would not want to disappoint, the staff did a phenomenal job setting our room up and making sure everyone was doted on.
We had a beautiful view of downtown LA, I can’t quite remember what room we were in, but it was breathtaking. Maybe the Harbor Room? It was one of the bigger rooms available.
Our food options were the filet mignon, risotto, sea bass and rack of lamb. I personally had the filet, but many of our attendees had the sea bass, although the rack of lamb looked phenomenal as well.
Our dessert was a little mini plate with what seemed to be a fruit tart, chocolate cake and perhaps a tiramisu? All very delicate and tasty.
It was all very wonderful and elegant. A fantastic experience overall with impeccable service!

This was one of the best experiences I had at lunch in Dtla. The manager Larry greeted us and all servers were so attentive. The chefs special today the sea bass was delicious and I do not leave too many reviews and felt I needed to do this location because the fish was amazing. The view was amazing and I am considering getting a membership here so I can take advantage of the benefits.

This place is incredible! With amazing views of the entire city.
Located on the 51^st floor with amazing views in the bathroom even!
The food was delicious but the service was not great. I was halfway through my meal before they brought me water… Isn’t that strange not to have water on the tables???
The cheesecake was amazing!

I was here for an event called the CTO Digital Connection conference held on the 51^st floor of the national city plaza building which is the top floor. it is pretty incredible to take the view into you and gaze upon the city. the food served is by the chef for the floor and it is amazing and tasty. would love to be invited back by the members of the community for their events since it’s built for business meetings.

I’d categorize this venue for special events as «okay» and the biggest selling point could probably be the view.
The interior has many small conference rooms as well as a grand ballroom /​banquet hall that seems like it can easily fit 200 people, seated at tables.
Although touted as a Member’s Only club, I believe public pedestrians can buy their way into the venue, possibly during off hours.
I attended a wedding here, oddly enough held over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, so maybe the rates are cheaper for this venue during less desirable off peak schedules.
The main downsides to the venue are:
1) It’s located in Downtown Los Angeles, so if you have to get here, factor in traffic from the ¹⁰⁄₁₁₀ freeways if there’s something over in Dodger’s Stadium, Staples Center (Kings, Lakers, Clippers or concerts), or the LA Convention Center /​LA Live area as well as the normal commute hours of life in LA.
2) It’s on the top floor (the 51^st), so if you have vertigo, beware… but in the same breath, it’s an awesome view of the city skyline (‘tho LA doesn’t really have a trademark skyline, it is a nice view and the weather’s good 85% of the year). But being at the top floor, «heat rises» so it gets hot inside and it’s all windows, so no tinted shading other than blinds that comes down and becomes a hot house sauna. The day of the wedding, the event started around 4:30pm, and the building was to have started to turn the AC on by 2pm to give time to cool the rooms down, and that still wasn’t enough and it only started to get comfortable after 6pm when the sun was setting (post daylight savings in Nov), when the AC kicked in, but up ’til that point it was an uphill battle for the AC to get the rooms cooled down which was a notable complaint everyone was discussing.
3) The food, which I’m not sure if it’s furnished by City Club or maybe was outsourced by a catering company was okay, nothing to write home about per se, but also nothing you’d kick out of bed either, so to speak. I’d say not high end «michelin» restaurant quality, but that shouldn’t be expected. It was a choice between Salmon or Steak or Vegetarian (Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce) at the event I went to. It was good solid food and maybe even better than most of these conference /​hotel type of situations where a kitchen needs to prepare 50+ of the same dish to serve people at the same time and things usually tend to get overcooked or have culinary mishaps due to the nature of the volume being processed
The upsides to the venue were:
1) The view is nice.
2) The bathrooms were clean
3) The elevators were fast
4) The parking, although initially difficult to find the entry (on Flower Street right after 5^th, you need to be in your right lane on that one way street and take a sharp turn down their narrow ramp down), was relatively easy with a valet option.
5) If your event is during the day and on a weekend, downtown LA is a virtual ghost town, with little personality that a metropolitan city usually has. It’s like most urban Downtown areas, a bit socioeconomically beaten down with homeless and panhandlers. Downtown LA is a business district Mon-​Fri from 6am to 6pm, then has event driven social commingling mainly at night, and the sweet spot to have an event here is probably between 7am and 4pm on Sat and Sun. It’s easily accessible via freeway during off peak hours.
6) The décor is nice, not necessarily a unique theme or overly elegant, but is nice.
Overall, it’s an okay place and if you’re considering it, just factor in the sum of the parts equaling the whole when evaluating it, as there’s so many pros and cons that can either work really well for you, or may go against you compared to other options in some cases.

Unilocal told me I have a new fan. As a 4-​star fan of City Club, I dedicate this review to my newest Unilocal fan (whomever you may be).
After my 3^rd time trying out City Club for lunch and dinner, I am definitely a fan. This is a members-​only club, and my boss is a member. The view of Los Angeles from the 51^st floor of this City National Bank building is gorgeous, day or night.
My first visit was for a work luncheon a few months ago. We sat in the lounge area at a high table. At that time, I had the tomato soup (fresh, delightful, needed a bit more salt and pepper for my taste, but that was easily corrected) and the sea bass (light, fresh, with a delicious sauce). Everyone enjoyed their meal. The manager came by to greet us and say hello. The décor was fantastic with lots of little side work rooms that one can hunker down in and hammer out some strategic plans in.
My second visit was for a happy hour work debrief. They have a wonderful cocktail (a paloma, I think it is called) with pineapple and jalapeño, the perfect balance between sweet and spicy without overdoing either. I also enjoyed the chicken wing appetizer (Nothing to write home about, but I was grateful for the protein *paleo* friendly option).
My third visit was last night. I tried the deviled eggs for an appetizer (good. not too sweet. Not too salty. Definitely a nice flavor). But, wow oh wow was I happy with my entrée: FANTASTIC! The New York Bone-​in Steak, cooked to medium rare perfection, which comes with spinach, mushrooms, yams and green peppercorn sauce (I asked for it on the side. No need to add sauce to a great steak, but it’s nice for a tiny kick here and there). I also substituted out the yams for a side of cauliflower to make it even lower carb. I was VERY PALEO happy camper!
The service was a tiny bit slow (though wonderfully accommodating and helpful!). Slowness was probably because we were way in the corner in a private booth, but the food was delicious.
The corner booth was perfect for catching up with my friend. If we had been a couple, it would have been a great booth to privately cuddle and look at the city lights. There was no rush to leave and we could have sat there all night. The view was for miles and miles on this clear night and City Club offers binoculars. Perhaps some day, I can come back, sit in this very same booth and enjoy some snuggling and warm kisses? Might be a long ways away from now, but *One can dream* :)
So, as I said, to my newest Unilocal fan, this is in your honor. I hope you enjoyed it.

Recently attended a wedding reception here. The space was gorgeous with magical views of DTLA, I was downright impressed! The couple decided to go for a gatsby-​esque affair and the space accommodated that glamorous style effortlessly.
When it came for time for viewing the wedding highlight clip, three separate screens came sliding down from the ceiling and it was just l u x e!
Food was alright. The pear and bitter greens salad was sub-​par. The crab cakes with roasted corn were great, it had lots of crab meat and the the driblets of chive oil gave it lots of flavor. For the main course we had filet mignon, which I didn’t care much for– a little too under seasoned. But I gotta say that the dessert bar made up for the disappointing meal. The cute little sweets embellished with edible feathers and buttons were both delicious and remarkable. Passion fruit macaron for the win!
The bartender seemed a little confused and kept pouring us the wrong drink, but we drank it anyways and it made for happy times! Overall, this is definitely a remarkable space that can work for various events and I’d gladly return anytime!

Food in the arbor room is decent. Cool that they source from local and organic/​sustainable farms.
Salmon was good but too buttery for my pref but def give the winter veggies a try. Nothing else particularly memorable except the view… Though, I do remember the cold soup. To be fair, I think it was intentionally cold. I just happen to despise cold soups.
Prob not worth it to make it out to eat but maybe for a few drinks to wind down a week.

I loved the old City Club location on Bunker Hill, but I am blown away by the incredible newly designed club which is modeled after the various districts in LA (Jewelry, Financial, etc.).
The décor is just simply breathtaking and is the perfect location for any event you are planning, from an extravagant wedding in their ballroom to the coolest birthday party in the private screening room. You really can’t beat the amazing view you get up here.
The new chef is a character and really knows his stuff, and I love that he visits farmers markets for his produce. The bartenders are also super knowledgeable and the staff here is unbeatable.
There are tons of awesome events and the members are probably the coolest people I know.

The City Club moved from the top of the Wells Fargo building to the top of the City National building. They still have one of the BEST VIEWS of DTLA to go with their gorgeous modern décor and classy vibe!
There are two dining options. The Aperture Lounge, which is more casual (dressy jeans are ok), and the Arbor Room, which is more upscale (jacket and tie are strongly recommended). Even though it’s a private club, you can still make a reservation as a non-​member.
My wife and I made a reservation at the Arbor Room to celebrate our two year anniversary and it was FANTASTIC.
Service was TOP NOTCH, as usual. Über friendly, helpful, and perfect timing with the food.
I highly recommend the OYSTERS (see pic) or the BRAISED DUCK to start and the BEEF TENDERLOIN or the WAGYU BEEF for the main course. Your taste buds will be pleased!
For parking, they have a garage at the bottom of the building. The same garage as Chaya, Drago, or the 24hr Fitness. It’s $ 8 after 4pm on the weekdays and 5pm on the weekends.
City Club is a unique place for celebrating something special! It might be pricey at $ 75+ per person but it’s worth it!!!

When I come to a swanky, members-​only type place like this, I expect excellent service. I did not receive excellent service. It took them forever to take our orders, and my food came out WRONG.
I ordered the lobster cobb and halfway through I was thinking, «This could really use a salty element» when I realized there was no bacon in it. I flagged down a server and said, «Isn’t there supposed to be bacon in this?»
«No, ma’am. There’s no bacon in it.»
«Please bring me a menu.»
MENU: LOBSTER COBB WITH BACON
«Bring me my bacon.»
«…Yes, ma’am.»
So then I finally get a little cup of bacon crumbles but by that time I was already halfway done. And that guy needs to learn the menu!
Another thing that irked me. We told the host that it was my co-worker’s birthday. When Larry (the GM) came over to introduce himself to us, we also mentioned we were celebrating my co-worker’s birthday, and he was all, «They didn’t do anything? We’ll go see about that.» Ultimately, they brought us NO birthday treat or anything special for her. Even chain joints will bring you a little something with a candle for your birthday, but apparently not the City Club, even if you drop $ 180 for lunch.
We ordered our own dessert to split but it was not comped and did not come with birthday writing or anything. The citrus panna cotta was pretty good but some of the grapefruit segments were so tart to the point of being inedible, and I like grapefruit.
The food was good but I would not come back of my own accord for lunch and I definitely would not pay for membership if this is the kind of service I’d be exposed to.