The Formosa Cafe

Awesome! Abso-​fuching-​lutely awesome. A classic Hollywood «dive bar». The food is excellent and the drinks are even better. The customer service is out of this world.
If you haven’t been here, you’re totally missing out. This place is a time warp from old Hollywood history of yesteryear. The atmosphere rocks, the décor is right out of a movie.
Natalie, the hot, sexy, stunningly beautiful bartender, makes absolutely perfect drinks; and Sergio, the hipster waiter, was rocking fantastic customer service as well. I think I’ve found my new favorite bar. This place is perfect. I’m definitely coming back.

I’ll start off by saying that the ambience is nice! Great place for a date as it wasn’t very loud on a Saturday night. Service was not very good for not being busy, but very friendly staff. As for the food, pricey for what you get. 14.00 for pork fried rice and 12.00 for beijing chicken. Looked more like bar food rather than an entrée. I should have expected this as most restaurants in WeHo are overpriced and not a good value. I did get a free glass of wine by checking into Unilocal though.

I used to really like coming here for food and drinks. But after not having gone in a number of years it seems a lot has changed. I was excited to check out the rooftop bar which hadn’t existed when I used to come here. but although there was a hostess, a waitress and a bartender and only three other customers, it took forever for someone to take our drink order and then even longer for them to be delivered. The waitress also jumped to the conclusion that my girlfriend wanted two sides instead of a side and an entrée, and didn’t think to ask for clarification. She also got the order wrong as well. The food itself was good, but the service was unimpressive.
A few weeks later we decided to give the main restaurant a try to see if the place could redeem itself. Again, the food was great, but the service was awful. It was a while before the waitress took our drink order than a while longer before the drinks arrived. Even the food took longer than you’d expect. The place was only semi-​busy, but after we had finished our food and drinks and requested our check, the waitress took ten minutes to return with it. Maybe if it was a saturday night I wouldn’t have minded the extended wait times, but at 10pm on a wednesday I just wanted to have dinner and get home.

Happy hour goes till 8pm on Saturdays! Drinks are a little watered down, but it was only $ 7 for cocktails so I probably shouldn’t complain. Food was okay. Not bad for a bar. I recommend the tacos (from the regular menu) and the edamame hummus dip (from the happy hour menu). Loved the Unilocal Check In deal — one free wine for an entrée order. Wine wasn’t of any quality and hey, it was free. Overall, the Formosa Café would be somewhere I would go if I just wanted to have a very laid back night with friends.

Went here tonight for a couple of drinks after work and stuck to their happy hour menu (goes on until 8) — which was great! Their chicken satay and fries are delicious and love that you can get $ 4 beers. Great service too; our waitress was very attentive and sweet.

The food was great. Service was great! Atmosphere great. Will more than likely come back

Great vibe good people. Came here with a friend and had a great time. Would definitely come back again. I didn’t order food but some other people did and it looked great. Was digging the music playlist

Sarah’s still asleep, I accidentally locked myself out of her apartment (my keys & work clothes are in there) & I’m on my 5^th cup of coffee from 7 – 11 (please see my review) so I figured I’d take a moment to write about our final stop last night; the world famous Formosa Café on Santa Monica Blvd! If these walls could talk! Our bartender (June, like the month) was awesome. Real cool looking, like he could be a back up dancer for The Black Eyed Peas or something & the waitress was very pretty. Her name was Reilly & she looked like an old time movie star. Reilly & June! I like the sound of that! It sounds like it could be a television comedy about a couple of New Yorkers trying to break into «the Biz» OR a new Paul Simon song! While I don’t drink anymore (I’m better w/​out it), Sarah likes to have the occasional 3 – 5 glasses of wine & I certainly know my way around bars & can tell the difference between an amateur & a pro. June’s a pro. He was kicking out gourmet drinks pretty swiftly. Reilly & June took the time to tell us about some of the INCREDIBLE history of this establishment. John Wayne used to drink here so much that he’d fall asleep in the booth & the management would let him crash until the next morning. Could you even imagine coming in for their world class Sunday brunch only to find The Duke asleep in your favorite booth?! Rad! It’s also a testament to how much Hollywood has changed over the years. To go from a bar where John Wayne could take a nap to a bar where Andy Dick must be forcibly removed (that’s an assumption, I’ve seen him around town & I think he needs help) is quite a transition. Sinatra, Bogart, Gable, Gardner. .. . the list went on & on. And now me, too! It was a really nice touch that on one of the TV’s they were playing Gone with the Wind & on the other was the Warriors vs Lakers. Something old, something new. Like a wedding! If I were still drinking I could get married to the idea of sitting around here morning, noon & night (well more like afternoon & night) w a Screenplay & a Screwdriver just waiting to get discovered. Like the olden days! I couldn’t tell what Sarah thought of the place — after a few drinks she just kind of stares off into space.
Cool pictures.
Super tidy.
Rich history.
FIVE STARS!

The very BEST!
We had an Amazing dinner and drinks at the Formosa Café in Hollywood!
We didn’t even know if they were still around, but boy are they ever! From the amazingly comfortable booths, that have been updated, to the menu…, YUM!
We tasted just about everything on their menu and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD DELISh! My goodness, if a chef can make simple French fries taste incredible, Then you know he’s VERY GOOD, and he is that good!
We had a wonderful dinner thanks in part to our waitress who helped us decide what to order, she beautiful and fantastic !
Thanks Kayla!
We highly recommend this Historic café, which is under new management.

I went into The Formosa Café for the first time with high expectations, which were greatly exceeded. The layout is just so cool with old-​fashioned mid-​twentieth century restaurant booths and a dimly lit bar decorated with headshots of famous actors and actresses. Everything about the place screams «Old Hollywood!» in a way that has sadly been disappearing for a long time in LA.
The happy hour menu has a lot of great deals. I bought two rounds of beer and two burgers for my friend and I, and the check came out to 33 bones and change– a deal for the experience. The happy hour burger is delicious too: the patty was juicy and seemed freshly cut and the bun seemed to be brioche.
I don’t want to forget to mention that the customer service was excellent. My friend and I had no idea when we came in how the seating worked, and a lovely bartender quickly greeted us and got us the regular and happy hour menus. She checked on our table a lot, and also indulged some of my questions about LA CONFIDENTIAL being filmed at the Formosa.
This is my favorite LA restaurant now.
Stray pluses: Finding metered parking across the street was really easy, and… LA CONFIDENTIAL!

One of the original, cool bars. I love coming here, great sexy vibe, awesome people.
Their menu recently changed and I absolutely loved Tuna Tacos. I also had Mongolian beef, which was phenomenal.
They have super inexpensive happy hour (after 10pm as well).
Classic cocktails and super friendly, fun bartenders.
I didn’t know they had two more bars, one on the roof top and one in the back. Plus DJ was great.
Will be coming back for sure.

Just had dinner and drinks here and here’s the thing, the food once you get it is good. However, when we arrived no one was there to seat us. We looked to one of the bartenders and he just waved us to sit at the booth we were standing by that was empty. We then waited over 30 mins for my partner to get her drink and the waitress apologized. Then we finally ordered after about 40 mins our food came but instead of bringing my soup first, everything came at the same time, and the waitress apologized. We also saw I guess someone who was the hostess, circle around the room but wasn’t doing anything. And the girl who brought us water, I guess that was her only job because she couldn’t take our drink or food order. What’s the point of that?
There was only one waitress for nearly half the restaurant. The group behind us also had issues and I saw both the hostess and waitress apologize to them. There was just not enough staff on hand to deal with everyone that was there. For dinner and 2 drinks we were there from 8pm to 10:30. That is far too long in my opinion. It seemed like the staff were experts in apologizing as opposed to comping us a drink or app after such along wait.
Another annoying issue was the inner door that was constantly left open by patrons who were leaving. Freezing air kept coming through and we watched as various customers had to constantly get up and close the door. Here’s a thought, install a retraction arm on the door so it closes automatically when it’s opened.
We live in the area and have not been to the Formosa in years. After the experience we had not with the food but with the poor service, I doubt we’ll be back anytime soon.

Went for their $ 15 Bottomless Brunch and it was great. Ran into an old friend from back east. Ordered their incredibly delicious Lobster Mac & Cheese ($ 19) and VERY filling. Well worth the brunch.
The rooftop is sun-​filled and has great vibes as the afternoon is spent listening to some great live music and some DJ’s in between.
One of the coolest parts is all the history the Formosa Café has endured. A true Hollywood gem ran by an excellent staff.

Went on a date night with my boyfriend. Was surprised when we opened the door to the restaurant and it looks like a seedy dark vampire bar. We were set often to the corner and when asked if we were going to be just ordering drinks or food we replied with both. And the waitress looked at us like we had two heads.
The food was underwhelming so we ate as fast as we could and left. It looks like a bar that is trying to introduce a food menu a variety of options that don’t go together.

This spot is right across the street from my work so we hit this place up about once a week for drinks. We enter through the back and go up the stairs to the roof top.
Their happy hour is pretty good $ 4 beers, $ 6 wells and $ 7 mai tais, margaritas and mules. They also have some food specials. The fries are really good! Not your usual fries. They are really thick cut and come with this sauce that is so good!
This is great place for happy hour after work to schmooze with the co workers.

I have been such a fan of this place for so ling. Kinda disappointed that I never wrote a review before. And now I’m really disappointed I didn’t. They totally redid the inside and while I appreciate that they tried to keep it in the style and layout of the original, ALL the old Hollywood glamour feels totally gone.
The Formosa for those who don’t know is right across from The Lot, which is where the original United Artists lot, used to be. So back in the day, old Hollywood stars would come ambling across the street for a drink or five after a long days work. And the bar had all these of signed black and white pics on walks of all the old regulars. The place still looked so vintage that it was used as a filming location for LA Confidential. But you couldn’t do that now. Everything is brand new, the old pics are gone and the vibe is just very… new. I don’t know but for me, coming into this place and feeling all that history was the entire charm of the place. Everyone is very nice and the drinks and food were fine but I don’t know… a bit of me is a bit heartbroken.
It def looks perfectly respectable inside (great for a date or drinks with friends) but for me, it just isn’t the same.

They remodeled this place and ruined it. Instead of the old school Hollywood look that made this place an attraction they gutted it and replaced the old school charm with crap from a discount warehouse. To make matters worse they put up a very tacky mural. I will never walk through these doors again. You may want to if you like very loud Red Hot Chili Peppers and not even the old stuff. The new crappy what are they singing about, shit.
At least one can go to jones which fakes being old well. Yet another nail in the coffin of LA bar culture.

I always enjoy the ambiance of The Formosa
It’s alot of history with this Resturant one of the few old Hollywood Restaurants.
I always enjoy drinks and dinner here everyone that works here is friendly and always makes you feel welcomed. Jace a manager here was very friendly and very Welcoming. I love places that make you feel comfortable.
The food is very good. I have to order more variety next time. Tonight I had the chicken fried rice which I love and the mac&cheese with crab mixed in is so delicious. The food has flavor and I love tasty good food. They also give a good portion. Good to share with.
After dinner is a rooftop bar to continue your night by walking upstairs it’s a more modern look. Nice to change it up by just walking up stairs. But I love both inside and rooftop. I love this place. You can’t go wrong. Good food Good drinks and Good folks here.

I was going to give it 2 stars and give them a 2^nd chance next time I go there.
But the guy (I believe he was the manager there) was upset what I wrote on the receipt of my unhappy experience there. He even told me, «I don’t care what you say. If you don’t like it, go someplace else. I don’t want to see you here again!»
Wow! That’s the type of response I get?
Here’s the story…
I came there to watch my friend’s stand up comedy. I look at the menu. Some of the the plates are expensive.
What I found unusual is not too many people order food there. I didn’t think much about it.
I order Tuna Tarter. All it is, is a small can of tuna made a special way, avocado spread, and small nacho chips. I include a picture of it on Unilocal.There also another picture of it here.
After I was finish, I told him it was too tiny. I ask if I can get a discount. I told him if he can give me a discount, I order another plate of something else. I try to talk about him how I am unhappy with the meal. He refuse to do it.
I will not recommend the place. If they going to charge lots of money for tiny meals, than at least fix up the restaurant. The restaurant is just a run down place. It’s been like that since before the shopping center was built next to it.
That’s how long ago since the last time I was there. The meals was better back than. I think there was a chang

I can only speak to the back bar and the comedy club.
I had a great time at this club. There was a long list of comedians and the venue had an intimate feel. The comics seem to have a wide range — some were pee-​your-​pants funny, some were less so. All had great spirit.
Oh — BEST MAI TAI I’ve ever had! Kuddos to the bartender.

I didn’t know much about Formosa Café until I came here on a Saturday night for a comedy show in their back patio area.
Once upon a time it was a hot spot for the Hollywood elite — like back in the golden age of Hollywood and then some thru the 70’s and 80’s. Now it has a run-​down yet classic old school feel.
We arrived early and spent a little time in the far end of the restaurant, a converted train car. Service was informal, friendly and informative when asked about the history.
We later moved around to the rear patio location for the comedy show which had a $ 10 cover — as it turns out it was a bargain to spend the evening watching a showcase of comedians — probably 10 – 12 or so.
The waitress was super nice (that is like nice +, I’m sure there is a better word but my language skills are lazy this morning) and the bartenders were spot-​on.
All-​in-​all a nice evening peppered with hilarity.