Cezanne

Very nice restaurant, nice and bright with very friendly staff. Pretty nice view of you have a seat on the patio.
I ordered the pancakes with maple syrup and bacon as my meat. Bacon was crispy and decent tasting but the pancakes were probably the worst I’ve ever had. They tasted watered down and slightly undercooked. I applied butter and maple syrup to all three pancakes and they still tasted bland.

I stayed at the JW Marriott where this restaurant is located and dined five mornings alfresco for breakfast.
They offer choices of breakfast buffet, continental and la carte option for breakfast. I actually tried each option, the buffet was around $ 27.00, continental $ 16.50 and A la carte options were similar in price to the continental — but didn’t include coffee and juice.
Kudos to my waiter Alex who was incredible and even though the kitchen made my eggs incorrectly on Saturday morning due to the restaurant was at capacity. Alex made things right and was sincerely apologetic. Overall, the entire staff was solid from the matradee to the assistant staff members.
BTW the patio is dog friendly and the staff accommodated my pug Iz with a large doggie bowl of water.;)

Best meal and service I’ve had in a long time! I highly recommend it!!! The filet mignon was melting in my mouth! The whipped potatoes were perfect! The spicy tuna rolls were heavenly! Everything we ordered exceeded our expectations! You won’t regret choosing this restaurant!

For part of our retreat, we had to have lunch and since it was a working lunch we just had food delivered from here. I ordered the turkey sandwich which was pretty good. Turkey on ciabatta with kettle chips.
The kettle chips were the best part, I could not stop stuffing my face with them. Service was excellent, and I like that they were flexible enough to take our orders from our meeting room and bring everything down there.

my bf took me here for a five course meal for Valentines day, our food came really fast but it was pretty bland, started off with cold bread (big minus in my book, especially for fine dining), followed by foie gras, which was the high light, but the portions were so tiny that it was really sad when we finished our own plate. I ordered the lamb chops which was fail (and they didn’t even bring mint jelly, what kind of upscale place doesn’t know to serve lamb chops with mint jelly)?! My bf had filet mignon but it was not memorable at all, they gave 2 glasses of complimentary champagne, but I cannot recall the brand nor the dessert that we had. The ambiance was nice but there was nothing special about the food.
will we come back again? Most likely not.

I went to Cezanne Restaurant with my fiancé for Valentine’s dinner and we had an absolutely amazing time. I completely disagree with reviewer, Scott B. I too had the same seafood dish and truly enjoyed it and DID NOT get sick! The Maitre d’ personally came to our table to ensure we were enjoying our dinner. We travel frequently and enjoy fine dining and will definitely return to Cezanne on our next trip to Santa Monica!
Thank you for making this Valentines Day so special!

Last went there for Valentine’s Day prix fixe dinner. Fabulous food, attentive service, and the kitchen was working up to speed even though the place was packed. For the other reviewer (Scott B.) — my husband had the same seafood meal, and he did NOT get sick.
We’ll be back!

Went there for Valentine’s Day. Food was delicious… The first time I tasted it, not the second.
That late night/​early morning found me terribly sick, vomiting, other end as well, fire hoses on both sides… Hours… Real bad… My wife and I both missed work the next day… No sleep at all… I had had the fish. With clams. Everything else I had eaten that day … Oatmeal …
Called the restaurant the next day. F&B mgr had one position… Deny deny deny. Told me ohho he knew… It was his job to know… Food poisoning takes 8 hours… Could not possibly have been his restaurant. Plus. They only used the freshest seafood… So I spoke with doctor. Salmonella from shellfish can manifest in 3 hours. A couple of my clams hadnt opened… I didnt eat them of course because doesnt that mean they’re good and dead before hitting the pot? But alas. Too late.
Anyway, if F&B mgr hadnt been so adament… And wrong… I wouldnt write review… Happy Valentine’s Day to me.

Service and ambiance go a long way at a restaurant; especially ones you attend a only few times a year for special events like a birthday or say on Valentine’s Day?
They had a Prix Fixe menu on the 14^th and ran out of the Lamb entrée at 6:00PM. The food was not even equal to what you would cook at home (if you knew how to cook).
Perhaps the worst dinner ever at a JW Marriott.

Had a fantastic Christmas dinner! Service was superb and food was great! I would definitely recommend this place. Pricey, yes, but worth it!

Generally, I’m not a fan of hotel restaurants. I find that they tend to have delusional fine dining ambitions and often fall short of achieving them.
But twice a year, when DineLA restaurant week rolls around, I throw all my culinary prejudices to the wayside, in hopes of having a mind-​changing experience (and one that won’t make my wallet cry if the experience is mediocre or worse).
I knew nothing about Cezanne (located in the JW Marriott Le Merigot Hotel & Spa on Ocean Ave in Santa Monica) when the participating restaurants for winter DineLA were announced back in January. While I was going through my biannual routine of trolling the DineLA list for the best deals and the most intriguing menus, I happened upon Cezanne. The 3-​course prix-​fixe looked appetizing so my DineLA partner-​in-​crime and I figured we would try it out.
Turns out, we were pleasantly surprised by our meal. The lobster bisque was creamy and smooth, and though it wasn’t loaded with lobster chunks, they didn’t exactly skimp on them either. (It’s the worst when you order a lobster bisque or clam chowder only to find that it’s completely lacking in actual chunks of the delicious bottom dwellers).
For the second course, we shared the scallop and roasted half chicken dishes. The scallops were amazing… crusted with Dungeness crab and served with a little mound of foie gras (referred to on the menu as «foie gras hollandaise» which led me to believe it would be some kind of decorative sauce garnish… I’m still not sure where the hollandaise was). The chicken was decent… I don’t require much from chicken, just that it’s not dried out. It was enjoyable, but nothing special or out of the ordinary. The little cube of pork belly that was served alongside the chicken was the star of that dish… crispy, salty and then soft on the inside.
The banana cream pie was fun with its Oreo cookie crust, but I preferred the rich chocolate hazelnut torte with just the slightest citrus hint from the Grand Marnier garnish.
Service was fast and our waitress was incredible.
The down side was the décor. Their website boasts décor that is «bold, dramatic and comfortable,» but I just thought it was all weird and a bit stuffy. The tables are covered with droopy white tablecloths. The booths have these really high, humped backs that are reminiscent of the 2D shrubbery found in MarioWorld. The chandeliers have a giant red/​orange flame-​like pattern in the center, making it look like you’re staring up (instead of down) into the pits of hell. And the carpet was straight up ugly hotel carpet.
The restaurant was also completely dead the night we visited. There were maybe 2 other tables besides ours. I prefer restaurants to be full of life… it should be an exciting experience. This just felt like we were having a fancy early-​bird-​special, and we weren’t even there early! It makes me wonder if this place ever gets a lot of foot traffic.
Since my visit here was, for the most part, a positive one, I feel that I should end on a positive note. So… here goes. Parking on this section of Ocean Ave is abundant and generally easy to find so you won’t have to bother with the valet!

Previous reviews seem as though they’re written by people who are looking for a good deal first rather than a fine dining experience. I’ve heard postives about the food at Cezanne for several years and finally decided to try it out.
The restaurant is tucked into the Le Merigot Hotel, which I happen to enjoy as it gives one the feel of really getting away for awhile. The décor is sedate, but warm. The service was excellent; very attentive and pleasant waiters. The filet mignon was superb! Absolute perfection.
The only issue I had was how some patrons came so casually dressed into such a lovely place. This has become the California way, however. Is there no fun to be found in getting out of our jeans once in a while? Come on, people!
I know: If not for Cezanne, how about getting out of your backyard clothes to go to the Dorothy Chandler or Disney Hall? But, that’s another topic… But, ladies, get your guys our of their old tee shirts and grubby jeans for a night out on the town.

The food was decent in the hotel. I guess I expected more with this hotel being listed as a category 8. We were not disappointed with our meals but I guess we expected more upscale touches to make the restaurant stand out more than any other restaurant on the strip. We only ate breakfast at this place as we received a $ 15 credit/​person for our breakfast. As I mentioned, it was decent food. However, for the price paid, I would definitely go to other breakfast places in the area that would be far more memorable.

Atmosphere: Nice outdoor dining in Santa Monica
Service: Very good. knowledgeable wait staff.
Food: Had the steak and it was cooked perfectly with a really good sauce to accompany it. I need to try more menu items to see if this should remain at 3 stars or go up to 4.
Price: Doesn’t matter
Would I go back? Yes. It’s a pretty special place for me.

I have been going to Cezanne for over 7 years. And every time I enjoy the experience.
The food is French standard and always done to perfection. I think one of my favorite items I ever had there was a crab salad deconstructed which was fresh crab with butter leaf lettuce and a light vinaigrette. It was beautiful, fresh and delicious.
The service at Cezanne is always impeccable. They always make us feel special even if we show up without a reservation. I highly recommend this place if you want a nice night out absent the typical LA «scene»

**Review is for breakfast only**
Overpriced (surprise, surprise!) and uninspired. I am a pretty big Marriott fan, but this restaurant on their property does nothing for me. I know it’s Santa Monica, but $ 7 for a glass of juice is unreasonable. I didn’t see anything on the breakfast menu that caught my eye, so I just had 2 fried eggs ($ 8.50). What a waste. I heard (from someone else in our party) that the granola was very good, though.

i came here with a couple friends during restaurant week, yes i know this is super late. we ordered the cheapest wine, which was surprisingly tasty for the cost. for appetizer i had the ravioli in crab bisque. i thought it was very flavorful, i would have liked a little more bisque with my ravioli, but what can you do? i had the filet for my entrée which was great! super tender and the filet and sauce and mashed potatoes were great together. some of the other people i was dining with had the salmon wrapped in puff pastry. it was also very tasty but the portion was much smaller than the filet. lastly for dessert the chocolate mousse was sooo rich i couldn’t eat the whole thing, but i really wanted to. hahaha.
the service was kind of slow. reminded me of a restaurant where they just want you to sit and eat and chat and enjoy the evening instead of being rushed to finish your food and get the next course. there was a piano player who surprisingly played current pop music. that was unexpected.
so, in the end i was torn between 3 and 4 stars. i enjoyed the food and the evening with friends, but i don’t think i would ever come and pay full price for the food… so 3 or 3.5 stars it is. =D

What better time to eat at an overpriced Hotel restaurant in a touristy area than Dine LA week?
I work within walking distance of here, but would never consider it a viable lunch spot since paying $ 17 for a cobb salad at a hotel doesn’t make sense to me when I can get the same salad on Main Street for less than $ 10.
I didn’t mind shelling out $ 22 during dine LA week though! Here is the pre-​fixe menu they were offering.
Appetizers
Choice 1 — Wild Mushroom Bisque with Saucisson and Roquefort Croustades (I had this and it was delicious, the soup was fresh and the Roquefort nice and stinky!)
Choice 2 — House Smoked Whitefish with Horseradish Cream, Pickled Heirloom Beets, Dill Pancakes
Choice 3 — Mesclun Salad with Cucumbers, Tomatoes and Warm Goat Cheese (my lunchmate had this and it was HUGE!)
Entrees
Choice 1 — Avocado Stuffed with Shrimp and Crab with Radicchio, Arugula and Tomato Vinaigrette (I had this salad and it was very light and refreshing)
Choice 2 — Braised Veal Shank «Osso Bucco» Style with Fettuccine and Winter Vegetables (my lunchmate had this and it looked divine!)
Choice 3 — Grilled Halibut Sandwich on Ciabatta, Pickled Ginger Mayo, Tomato, Tapenade, Asian Slaw and Housemade Potato Chips
Desserts
Choice 1 — Crème Brulee with Pistachio Biscotti (who am I to say no to Crème Brulee? I ate the whole damn thing!)
Choice 2 — Warm Chocolate Mousse Cake with Valrhona Fudge Sauce (My lunchmate had this and said it was a bit too rich but he did devour it)
Choice 3 — Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream
The service we received was quick and attentive and polite. We sat outside and enjoyed the weather and the sounds of the fountain and the children playing in the pool. Our parking was validated so all in all it was a great experience, but I checked out their regular menu and nothing on it jumped out at me or made me want to come back on a non-​dine LA day.

Since we skipped dinner last night after the Santa Barbara eating fest, breakfast was especially important this morning. I wanted it to be good, outdoors (preferably with an ocean view) and uncharacteristically uncrowded at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday morning in Santa Monica.
Was this too much to ask? Apparently so. Since this restaurant was at Le Merigot Hotel and Spa (doesn’t that sound shmancy) I thought it would have all of the above. It did have the uncrowded part, but that’s about where it ended.
There was no ocean view, just staring at brown concrete walls. The sunshine was lovely, and they were playing Christmas music so that part was kind of good. At $ 7 a glass, the OJ was … how shall we say … yukky. The breakfast quesidilla (sp) was decent, but honestly, this meal was like Denny’s. Except it was over $ 60 for 2 of us.
TIP: Simple, skip it. Might be decent if you are in Santa Monica on a business trip and you can put this on your expense report — otherwise, there are better options by the beach.

Give us back our money!
Horrible horrible place!
They appear to be upscale, but hear this. I went here with 9 other people for dinner thinking we’re in for some french treat. Boy were we wrong.
The steak was just so so, I could’ve made better steak at home, the chicken was dry, the salmon was overcooked — whatever salad that came with it wasn’t bad, though; and the dessert was too sweet.
Service was slow and they don’t seem to want to serve us.
And OMFG, would you believe a restaurant at a hotel would ran out of steak knives???
I felt SO bad and embarrassed for suggesting this place to my friends. :-(