Blue Dahlia Cafe
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri 11:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.
Sat 6:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: Yes
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
- Best Nights: Tue, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
11 reviews
Neighborhood: Downtown
"I just had lunch here today with a co worker and her friends. It was a great little place. The pasta was delicious. The prices are very…" read more »
55 Reviews for Blue Dahlia Cafe
That hamburger is definitely the BESTEST I've ever had....I really must return to this place. Cute patio, cool but relaxed atmosphere, tasty wine, and the bestest burger ever make for a really pleasant evening...
This place looks very unassuming from the outside. All I saw was a brightly-lit loungey-looking place, and thought to myself, we are eating dinner here?? Then the girl led us back to the patio and it was love at first site. There was a canopy and romantic lights and everything (like the picture).
Menu selection was decidedly limited (burger vs panini), but I think people come mainly for the wine and appetizers anyways. Brushetta was pricey but good/flavorful. I forget which wine we got but it was good too. If you are into olives, their assorted olives are wonderful.
I'd recommend this place for its great atmosphere. It's good for medium/large parties as well as dates. Like someone else said, it's like a coffee cafe + lounge + wine bar all rolled into one, and all aspects done just right. Just as an fyi, they also have vegetarian menu items (albeit even smaller than regular menu, but still).
after my first tentative bite, i devoured that shortrib stuffed hamburger like i was a horny teenager making out with it for the first time - possessed and sloppy.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/25/2007
First to Review
update 10/30/07
i wish braised oxtail was an american food staple. but it isn't.
turns out they've… Read more »
WHAT A PLACE. It's like a cool coffee lounge + upscale food + alcohol (in reverse order of importance, of course).
Younger people, if you are dating on a budget, this is the place. You can buy dinner for two, have a few drinks and even buy a slice of cake for about $50. Eat in the patio area; the indoor area is nice but can't compare to the "movie set" out back. The only suggestion I have for management is to segregate a smoking area (designated tables) so the smoke can be contained within a smaller section.
Other than my single criticism, this place is divine. I live in the bay area but try to come here everytime I'm in LA. It's that good.
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The owner bribed us with free coffee to yelp this place! =P
But in all seriousness, it was good experience.
We went here for my friend's birthday and had to inside- unfortunately we weren't able to get seating on the beautiful patio due to an event reservation- nevertheless the service was quite accommodating for the special occasion. The Burger, as everyone has mentioned was awesome and full of flavor. Definitely a great place to go for a good time.
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Step into the cement walled and cube chaired, padded tabled store-front room. The tables are low due to the cubey chairs and not all that comfortable me thinks, but we ate on the patio, the chairs being of more standard shape and size were more comfortable and the trees overhead made for a comfortable green spot.
The menu for lunch is salads and sandwiches, and some tasty bruschetti.
The asparagus type was good.
The burger which people rave about is good, small, tall and definitely meaty. Though frankly the bun was lack-luster and the cheese was not melty.
I will say this, I've had burgers as meaty elsewhere that did not involve barolo roasted short rib meat.
Anyway, it was good, the Arnold Palmer was freshly made and of real tea and real lemons, which was delicious.
The cucumber water was refreshing.
The 2006 Montepulciano was fruity, and acidic and delish.
I will return.
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The food here is good..for the most part. I hear the burgers are delicious, but that doesn't really help me out, being a vegetarian and all. Yes, the paninis look good, and maybe had I ordered one of those, I would've given the place more stars. But unfortunately, I ordered the portobello+tofu burger (without the chipotle sauce..since it was mayo based and I'm not a huge fan), which was extremely bland. If they're calling it a 'portobello+tofu' burger, I would expect some sort of blended, spiced patty, not just a piece of mushroom and a piece of plain tofu thrown inside two pieces of bread. Also, $9 for a goblet of Delirium Tremens? Here I am, happily waiting for my own cool ceramic bottle, and all they give me is one glass for a bottle's price.
All in all, the place has potential to be very good, and I would definitely go back, try something different, and gladly edit my rating. For now, however, I just wasn't impressed.
Delicious! You must try that specialty burger!
The front doesn't have much..but the back area is very nicely lit and intimate.
Had a bottle of wine and dessert afterwards. She even stayed open a little later for us!
The only thing was it was a bit more expensive than I thought it would be, especially the wine. And then there was so much construction happening nearby we got lost and passed it 3 times before we finally arrived starving and slightly frustrated. But that's not the restaurant's fault...
Overall, a great little restaurant!
Shortrib inside the hamburger.
Shortrib inside the hamburger!!!!
THEY STUFF SHORT RIB INSIDE THE HAMBURGER!
There has to be a level of good that transcends COMPLETELY AWESOME in Los Angeles.
I got the Cherry Martini (delightful) and the pulled short rib hamburger (dear God, orgasmic burger) with the side salad. Not only was the burger and special sauce exactly what I needed, but the salad (ask for extra balsamic vinegar dressing) was just damn good. The outside patio was beautiful - as well as the whole decor.
I ate everything and was left feeling full and happy. Perfect sizes to eat and NOT need to stuff yourself with. Highly recommended!
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Amazing =)
I celebrated my birthday there back in May of this year. Very hospitable! thanks SUE =)
I loveeeee their Paninis and I still have to try their infamous burger.
But definitely, I think Blue Dahlia is really for its calming atmosphere. Their back patio is a must-see.
Blue Dahlia was unexpectedly a five-star dining experience.
Hands down one of the best ahi tuna salads I have ever had. There was a large helping of perfectly seared and delectably seasoned fish on a bed of fresh greens and a light balsamic dressing. The salad was served with seasoned bread that (even though it sounds waaay dramatic) was quite possibly the tastiest toast I have consumed in this lifetime. Another huge plus for me was that they serve Duvel- a Belgian beer that is soo good and is too hard to find in the states.
My dining companions said the short rib burger was quite possibly their favorite burger of all-time. Everyone who had alcohol was very satisfied with their drink (even though the glasses of wine were a little pricey- they cost as much as the entrees).
All in all- a great meal at a fairly affordable price. The outdoor patio was lovely, but there was a private party that prevented us from dining outside. I'd recommend calling ahead to make sure the patio is open. The inside space is nice and all- but nothing like the outdoor space.
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Burger Claus
The story begins in a gloomy small town called Sombertown, which is ruled by the mean and grouchy Burgermeister Meisterburger. A baby arrives on his doorstep, with nothing more than a name tag that reads: "Claus". The Burgermeister orders his right-hand man, Grimsley to take the baby to the "Orphan Asylum" as he does not want it. On the way to the building, however, a gust of wind blows both sled and baby far away, to the mountains of "Downtown Los Angeles". There, the baby lived in the "Blue Dahlia Cafe" and grew up to make a kick ass short rib burger. The Burgermeister found out, became severely depressed, and killed himself with sleeping pills.
Burger Claus now rules the land serving short rib burgers to everyone.
The end.
If it wasn't located in such a shady neighborhood, I would come here all the time! Went for dinner on a Friday night, and from the outside the place looked completely deserted. But after going through the restaurant and out to the back patio, it was a totally different scene. A great place to relax and sip wine, munch on delicious bruschetta and of course, try the short rib burger. I wasn't as impressed w/ the panini (I think it was called the chicken Americano) or the side salad that came with either dish, but overall it was delicious food, a charming outdoor setting and GREAT service. We had to move tables because we seated ourselves next to a large table of men drinking, smoking and being really loud, so the waitress took $8 off of our bill!!!
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I've been here a couple times and this place has really good stuffed short ribbed burgers, panini's, drinks.... the cheese platter was standard.
The patio was impressive, I love the ambience (a huge tree hovering over the patio, lanterns, candles, dimmed lighting) its a great spot for dates and small to medium sized parties.
The service is usually fast but it gets a little backed up when there are huge parties.
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the short rib burger is awesome. the beer and wine list is awesome. the service was friendly. everyone needs to experience this place.
I was given two choices of restaurants to choose from for the night out. I carefully looked through the menu of both places, and spotted that they both had a cheese plate! Oooo, great! I love me some cheese! Foolish of me, thinking that he picked these two places knowing my love for the cheese plate. Mmmm what a wonderful boy I have! WRONG!!! I soon discovered that he was after a burger that they served. But hey, at least we both got what we want! Brilliant! Ok, I still got a wonderful boy.
So I quickly put on my face, fixed my hair, and changed from my work clothes (t-shirt, jeans, flip flop) to a cute dress. He saw me putting on my pumps and said, "Oh, you are wearing a dress..." Not "oh how cute" way, but "damn it woman, this means I gotta change!" way. Yup. You better look cute for me for our date!
So off we went to the restaurant, hidden in the madness of a one-way-street maze. When we stepped inside, it looked rather empty and almost dumpy. The decor, setting, nor lighting was quite working well together. But when we were shown to the backyard patio, things were completely different. Dim lighting with cute lanterns, lots of greens, nice music... It was perfectly casual yet romantic.
So I ordered cheese plate, prosciutto wrapped asparagus, and a couple of bruschettas with my glass of white. The cheese plate... oh the cheese plate was heavenly!! It came with 3 different cheese and cured meat, tapenade, pesto, and lightly toasted bread. Oh my yummy god, it was good!!! It definitely made my super poopie work day into a wonderful night.
Asparagus was great with balsamic reduction. The goat cheese bruschetta was delicious as well (I need to try to make that at home!). I didn't care for the short rib stuffed burger, but that's probably because I'm not a big meat eater. The wine that the server guy recommended was affordable and tasty as well. Mmmmm impressive!
One downside is, just like any other outside patio, smoking is permitted. A huge group of birthday party group ended up next to us, and their cigarette smoke ruined half of the dinner time. But still, all in all, I was very pleased with this place and I would definitely come back when I'm in the area.
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This place is a bit pricey, but their food is great! They have great paninis and salads.
I had to deduct a star for the slightly high prices and slow service. Food preparation takes forever, but hopefully that's cuz everything is fresh.
Rarely am I surprised by food anymore, even more rarely am I suprised by a burger. The short rib burger here is AWESOME. I now have two places for burgers that I would actually seek out (the other being father's office). The change of ownership has obviously done this place good, a once mediocre menu now has a serious upgrade.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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07/12/2007
Identity crisis is right. I could've swore last year this place was named Insol Cafe. Its an alright… Read more »
Burger #67: Meat Stuffed With Meat (+ almost being killed by a female Asian driver)
Q. What's better than a juicy delicious burger?
A. A juicy delicious burger stuffed with juicy delicious short ribs
And that's exactly why we came to Blue Dahlia Café. Well that and the fact that they had a cheese plate for the girl. One of my friends reviewed Blue Dahlia a few weeks ago and since then, I've had visions of rib stuffed burgers floating in my head. Plus Carl's Jr just came out with their prime rib burger so I felt I needed to get some grounds for comparison.
First off, if you're not 100% familiar with downtown, write down the directions. Next to Little Tokyo, 3rd Street turns into 4th Place and 4th Street and 3rd Street sneaks away into the darkness. So we drove around in a few circles trying to find the place before we realized we were on the wrong street. During one of these loops, my female Asian girlfriend, who was driving, decided to make a sharp left turn off a one way street into the far left lane of a two way street. So there we are, sitting at the light with a row of cars staring us down, flashing their lights at us. Us, the insane car set to mow them down. Lucky for us, no one was interested in a game of chicken and we made it out with our lives.
But I digress, this is a tale of a boy and a burger. We sat in the lovely outdoor patio and ordered the cheese and meat plate, an asparagus, truffle oil, Parmigiano Reggiano bruschetta and a caponata with goat cheese bruschetta. All that and I also ordered the stuffed Barolo braised short rib burger with arugula, caramelized onion and smoked Gouda. Since we got a cheese plate and burger, it only made sense to get a couple glasses of red with our meal.
First the meat and cheese and meat wrapped asparagus came out:
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
The meat plate was great! The crostinis were the best I have ever had. Perfectly toasted and went perfectly with the three meats and three cheeses. A little dollop of the pesto or tapenade on top made for perfect little bites. The prosciutto wrapped asparagus were just that, no frills needed, but there were frills. The salad that accompanied the dish was served with the sweetest, thickest balsamic reduction I've ever had the joy of eating. Oh so damn good!
Now let's get down to the meat of the review, the meat. When the burger came out, I was hit with a wall of perfect burger smell. My olfactory system was immediately set into high gear, I could smell the flavor hidden inside. I then attempt to dissect my burger to view its secrets prior to eating and ended up ruining some of its beauty but not its flavor.
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Inside the flawlessly seared burger exterior was a mound of sweet, tender, shredded short ribs. I could hardly contain myself to take the pictures. Finally I bite in. Oh thank god! It's a good burger! It was juicy, tender, flavorful, moist, delicious, intoxicating elixir of the gods. Sweet nectar of Venus's nipple! Yeah, it was pretty much that good. And only $11! Take that all of LA! Gourmet burger for only $11, unheard of right?
This was a great, affordable and delicious meal. Everything about Blue Dahlia Café made me happy and that's all that matters for my burger eating life.
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TASTY shortrib burger. Odd because it's taller than it is wide- which really wasn't big. That is really my only complaint- I know it's LA and all, but some of us really do like to eat more than a bite or two now and then! The shittake mushroom-tofu burger is very tasty too, but alas, is the size of a White Castle slider! Now, if you have 4 or 5 of them....THAT would be awesome. Otherwise think of it as an appetizer. When I came at 5pm on a weekday it was deserted, but I could see how it could be a jammin' little place in the evening. WIll go back, but not when I'm starving.
Today, we gather here at Blue Dahlia Cafe for the marriage of Mr. Burger and Ms. Shortrib. Separately, these two are already a fine specimen. But together as one, these two make the perfect couple! The décor of Blue Dahlia is simple, yet attractive with indoor and outdoor seating. Come and celebrate this occasion with the Bruschetta (Wild Mushroom is my favorite) and Pannini family. Lift up your glasses of lovely wine, rich strawberry lemonade, or fragrant cucumber ice water. Here's to a successful marriage! I now pronounce you... Stuffed Barolo Braised Short Rib Burger with Arugula, Carmelized Onion & Smoked Gouda!!! Woot WooT! Enjoy your honeymoon in my belly! Muahaha.
I was here for my girlfriend's birthday for a party of 15. They saved a nice, cozy corner in the outdoor patio for us and it was a really lovely, private area decorated with lanterns, candles, and lights. The short rib burger was so delicious!! This is a great place for birthdays and small gatherings where you can eat great food, drink wine, and actually hear what your friends are saying without it being totally dark or having deafening music blaring in your ears.
The only downside to this place is that it's right next door to the bar/lounge e3rd so later at night they start blaring dance music. Luckily we came for an 8 o'clock dinner and left just as the neighbors started to get rowdy.
I loved this place! To be totally honest it was a little hard to find, but my friend called the restaurant and they were able to give us clear directions. Parking isn't too bad, I wish they had valet though since it's kind of a sketch area.....
Overall the service was pretty good (a tad slow, but I did notice there was a big party going on in the back). The decor was pretty amazing, we sat around a low wood table with huge comfy chairs so it was nice and relaxing. The prices were pretty decent. And the food = amazing. From presentation to the last bite I was satisfied. And my friends would not shut up about how amazing the burgers were. I wanted to have desert, but between my dinner and drink there was no room.
After we paid they gave us a coupon to come back and get one meal plus another one 50% off. Totally worth the drive :)
I defiantly suggest going here for a nice dinner.
I have been here twice and would go again. Excellent food. The water is delicious, as it is marinated with cucumbers and lemons. Everything I had was excellent. Great patio for small parties!
What a nice little surprise! Thanks to other yelpers, hubby and I chose here for a early chow on a Tuesday evening. First of all, Its location was sorta off the beaten path, I would never have found this place if it weren't for yelp. Because of it's less trafficky location, there was plenty of street parking available.
I wasn't impressed with the look of the Blue Dahlia from the outside, but I was quite surprised to see the decor inside. Huge mirrors hung on the walls with hip and modern furniture, not mentioning the cozy patio in the back. Everything reminded me of a hip joint that I would find on a main street of the beach cities, definitely not on 3rd street in LA. We chose to sit outside since the weather was warm.
We each had a glass of wine and shared the bruschetta platter to start. The bread was nicely toasted but not too crunchy. Each little bite was pleasantly good. The chilled white wine we chose went quite nicely with the appetizer. For the entree, we had to try the rib burger, and shared the quattro panini. The burger was as good as other yelpers had described, very unique and quite tasty. The 4 mini paninis were all different but all very good. My hubby especially liked the 3-cheese one. Both entrees came with a side of salad, which made the meal refreshing and not heavy. We ended our night with bread-pudding and tiramisu for desserts. They were both very delicious.
Overall, the meal itself was enjoyable, the ambiance was chill and relaxing (with Amy Winehouse playing in the background). The owner Soo Young (she was also our server), was very friendly and personable. I thought the service was a bit slow since she was the only server for the whole patio, but we weren't in a hurry so it didn't bother us much. The bill came out to be around $30 per person before tip (wine, shared appetizer, entree and dessert). My only regret was that we came by too early, the patio wasn't lit with lights and candles like the pictures posted. Next time, there's always next time!
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im lucky 'cause i live around the corner and they actually deliver! i love burgers...seriously, i really truly love burgers. and when i tried blue dahlia's short rib burger with carmerlized onions, my mouth had an orgasm. mouthgasm. one of theeee best burgers in town, period. And their bruschetta? To DIE FOR! the lday owner is super nice too. i arrived around 7pm on wed and we were one of the first customers, so our food came out relatively quickl. but i did notice for ppl arriving later, you do have to wait a good amount of time to get your food. but it doesn't matter, the food is so tasty you forget about everything else. check out my uploaded pics....i got so excited i forgot to take pics of the burger lol.
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I came here on Saturday for my girlfriends birthday party. We sat outside in the back patio which was really nice. It was pretty packed, I guess there were several birthday parties going on.
We ordered the Stuffed Barolo Braised Short Rib Burger w/ arugula, caramelized onions, and smoked Gouda.
The burger was really good, my husband liked it better than Father's Office Burgers. They have a wide selection of Italian wines at a reasonable price.
I really liked sitting outside in the patio, I would give it 5 stars but the service was sssslllloooowww. I think there were about 1 or 2? servers and the place was pretty packed. It took about a good 40 min. for our burgers to come out, or maybe even an hour, and it was very difficult to get the servers attention to order more drinks or what not.
I guess it was particularly busy that night.
I need to come back again when it's quieter..
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I would definitely characterize Blue Dahlia Cafe as a rare gem. It doesn't have any of the usual baggage that goes along with a hip place: annoying crowd, snooty service, or bad food. BDC is sandwiched between Zip Fusion (a sushi place I went to when I had no idea about anything) and a steakhouse owned by the same dude--both are trendy and modern as well. Blue Dahlia Cafe is distinctive partially because, like others have said, it is relatively undiscovered. The interior seating and patio are very attractive and intimate. Maybe Zip's patio has birds, but you sure can't hear them like you can here. It is a very relaxing environment.
The service and small quirks of this place are awesome. Water is infused with cucumber, which makes for extra-refreshing times. The wine list is pretty extensive with at least 20 choices. I had a Birra Moretti beer (four choices of beer are all Italian) and my friend had a tasty glass o red wine (I don't remember the name).
We all ordered the braised short rib burger. It was so damned delicious. I've seen bigger burgers, but probably not a thicker, juicier burger. It was dressed perfectly, with yummy toppins. There are two choices: the first is arugula, smoked gouda and caramelized onion and the second is tomato, lettuce, cheddar?. Both are quite tasty.
The service time was just perfect. We didn't wait long and we weren't rushed. I had a very pleasant dining experience. Of course, the owner was very sweet and came to talk to us.
They have some sweet specials too which I wish I would have known about. "Buy one entree with a glass of wine or a beer, get one entree half off" and stuff. Check their website for that stuff.
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Awesome place to eat in downtown. Went here on one of our regular trips with grandpa, and absolutely loved everything we had. We ordered a bunch of stuff and sort of passed it around - we had a bruschetta sampler, salad, panini sampler, and of course the rib-stuffed burger. Again, everything was great - they had some amazing cheese on one of the samplers, and I loved the roasted bell pepper one as well. I don't think I've ever had more nicely toasted bread.
The short rib burger is hands down the best burger I've had - the short rib meat stuffed inside a ground beef patty has exceptional flavor, and the toppings (cheese, grilled onions, etc) enhance but don't overpower the main star of the dish. I will probably soon drive all the way back to LA just for this.
We each had different wines, all excellent, and the desserts were excellent as well. Bread pudding was yummy, and the tiramisu was quite good - I make a killer tiramisu, and am usually dissapointed, but this was tasty. We went fairly early on a weekday, so it was not crowded and service was good. The neighborhood, and the storefront, don't look so great, but inside its nicely decorated, and the patio is an unexpected treat.
Highly recommended.
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i finally had the stuffed meat in meat burger (braised short ribs stuffed in ground meat). WOW. it was high (i couldn't stuff it in my mouth the way i wanted to) so i had to resort to using a fork and knife. the carmelized onions with arugula and gruyere cheese was AWESOME.
i wished only that the cheese was slightly more melted than it was.
aside from that, 5 stars!
i love blue dahlia, my go-to downtown restaurant!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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04/14/2008
i had the portobello tofu burger and i'm not even vegetarian. in fact, i'm so into beef, the atkins… Read more »
like the space but i can see it getting messy and lack attn to detail if its not kept up. think industrial & modern chic.
i had the burger - short rib with gouda and onions. that was delish but it was WAY too oily. and the salad was not special. at all. it was shitty. had some limonata. always nice. and there is a nice patio out back. the restroom was decent but could be cleaner. the price? i think 11 bucks for a burger. for the location, a little expensive. but overall - thats cheap for LA standards. didnt try the wine. they look like they are wellstocked. the service was solid.
probably would've given it 4-stars, but the slow service knocked off a star. i'm thinking if there wasn't a time constraint, MAYBE just mayyybe the service wouldn't have seemed so slow (i was having lunch with the bf during his lunch break).
anyhow, i had the "STUFFED BAROLO BRAISED SHORT RIB BURGER." amazing. the meat, the arugula, the cheese. mMmmmmmmmmmm. the only thing was the bread, it was such a hefty piece of meat & cheese and all.. the (small pieces) bread that held the burger together just got soggy and tore apart really quickly. it was a deliiiiiiicious burger nonetheless.
my boyfriend had the "PORTOBELLO + TOFU BURGER." it could've been a bit bigger. but.. it was tasty, i'll give it that. it looked pretty weaksauce though. it looked teeny-tiny next to my burger.
altogether, an a-OK restaurant.
one word: ORGASMIC.
the short rib burger was like a thick mini steak lying between the hamburger patty. VERY tasty and the salad was topped with a really tasty balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
if only it lasted longer, sad face.
the portion is actually quite small, maybe enough to fill an average female stomach, but probably not enough for "a man" (as my guy friend put it, rolls eyes). the wraps and paninis are really good as well. it's also a bit pricey for the portion, 10 bucks for everything except 8 bucks for tramezzinis, at least it's easy to calculate when you split the bill.
the front of the cafe has bar ambiance plus a wine bar counter, and the back has outdoor seating. and gotta love the water cups, eccentric and bright plastic cups with grip filled with cucumber & lemon water... different.
if you want to give your tongue an orgasm, this would be the best place for that; unfortunately maybe not so much for your tummy.
p.s. parking can be a bitch.
Their short rib burger is a major FOOD ORGASM, okay?! Their little sandwiches are okay, but could be better (not as great as the burgers).
Yes, the back patio is lovely at night!
GREAT choice of wines by the glass... BUT I felt that they are being kept at the wrong temperature -- too warm. Offering some chilled proseccos by the glass would be awesome too...
This place should be busy every night. If they make some minor adjustments, they probably will be packed!
The friendly manager said they are trying to get some live music going. That should work well. Like a jazz trio would be cool in those digs...
SUPPORT THESE GUYS!
I chose this place for a date night once I read the positive reviews. The fact that this place is a wine bar was a major bonus for me as well. So I gave it a try.
Finding it was no easy task since it was cut off from the main drag that is 3rd Street. It's appears to be on a triangle strip which contains a couple of other restaurants and what I presume to be a club. We valet parked it since there was no available parking nearby and the neighborhood was a tad on the sketchy side.
When we entered, we were unsure of where to sit since the place seemed virtually empty with the exception of a small group of people sitting at a booth. We saw one waiter who moved from the bar to the back where we heard a lot of people. When the waiter finally did make acknowledgement contact with us, which I was at first skeptical about, we asked about seating on the patio. He replied that it was full due to a party taking place, but if anything opened up he'd let us know. We took a seat inside at a booth/table which was a little chore to get in and out of with its cushiony block like furniture a la Ikea style. The atmosphere is dimly lit. Each table is decorated with tea candles, lit to add to the intimate chilled out ambiance. It's a perfect environment for a group of friends just kicking it or a romantic date.
We finally got the waiter to bring us a couple of drinks after about 5 minutes of sitting there. I realized that he appeared to be the only one on duty with the exception of another woman who I assumed was the manager. We ordered the cheese and meat platter as an appetizer and we ended up waiting a little while longer than expected for that. My husband was concerned that it was going to come before our entrees, which is rightfully so, an annoyance. Before we knew it, our busy bee waiter brought out another round of drinks on him for the delay of our platter which he also apologized for. He got big bonus points for that.
The cheese and meat platter arrived and overall it was about average. I think I expected a better selection of cheeses and a few more pieces of baquette wouldn't hurt. But I enjoyed the mixed olives, olive pesto and sun dried tomato pesto which were all placed in the middle of the platter, beautifully separating the meats and cheeses. Our entrees arrived not too long after and I was impressed. My husband ordered the short rib burger and I had the prosciutto panini and both were very tasty.
The price was right for everything we got, which included the $19 cheese and meat platter. The fact our waiter, who was very busy that night, redeemed himself by buying us our second round of drinks made a fan out of me. I will definitely be back here and I highly recommend it for both romantic dinners and group outings. I think the next time I go, I'm going to check out the patio.
The burger with rib meat, gouda, and carmelized onions is awesome. I highly recommend that you order it. Anything else would be criminal. The bread pudding is pretty good too.
It's a good place for happy hour or drinks on a weekend.
Waiters can be a little slow, and one time I sat in spilled water that the waitstaff never bothered to clean up, but other than that the place is good.
I know that I have a LOT of reviews that I want to write, but I NEED to write about Blue Dahlia before getting to the others, whenever that may be.
I just went to BDC a few hours ago. Time of arrival, I'd say around 8PM or so on a Saturday night. I've heard about the back patio, so I went straight there, and found only 3 tables that had people in them. No problem finding a seat.
Both me and my girl got our glasses of Moretti, as we started off with the Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus. It was yum. Our main dishes were the 2 types of Short Rib Burgers BDC had to offer.
I haven't had a burger that tasted this good in a long time.
This burger is definitely in my top 3, if not is the best burger I know in LA. It was that good.
A bit on the smaller side, about the size of a burger you'd get at In-n-Out. But the thick, juicy meat is something you'd have a hard time finding anywhere else. I'm totally hooked. If you don't mind spending $11 on a burger, then you MUST try this burger at BDC. I'm totally fine with it, as I'm the type of person who pays $6 for a coffee at a cafe in K-town (along with my $5 slice of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake that you can get at Ralph's).
Some people below have said this, but it seems like a few people know about this place. Again, I was there around 8pm on a Saturday night. I ended up leaving a bit past 9pm, but it was still quite empty. In fact, I guess I shouldn't have written this review. I may not find a seat this easily if more and more start coming here! =P
Great service, great food, great atmosphere (back patio is cute). Specials listed on the website. Street parking can be found relatively easy. I'm definitely going back in the near future!
Blue Dahlia's Stuffed Barolo Braised Short Rib Burger with Arugula, Carmelized Onion and Smoked Gouda has -- forgive the pun -- officially smoked the bur-competition here in LA as far as I'm concerned. Braised for 4-hours before it gets to your plate, thick and juicy in a way that simply demands your respect; ladies and gentlemen, I give you Burgerus Maximus Rex, Over-Lord of All the Burgers!! You listening, Father's Office? The King has Entered the Building, and he's Comin' for YOU.
Great service, relatively undiscovered establishment [read: quiet ultra-hip hideaway] and apparently a back-patio that rivals neighboring Zip Fusion (which is great, since I refuse to walk in their door after the last time). Of course, if you're like Jordan, you'll probably care way more about this than the burger: Dahlia is a legit Wine Bar. I wonder what pairs well with the BEST BURGER known to man? Hmmmm...
Bring your friends for Bonus Points with the owner. ;D
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I was "back-roomed" at the Blue Dahlia! Or rather, I