The Belmont

747 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.659.8871
www.thebelmontcafe.com
Parking: Street Parking (metered til 6pm, free after) or $7 Valet

Daily, 4-7pm, ½ off drinks & appetizers, average price $5/6 & $6/7 appetizers at this patio paradise

It’s a wonder that The Belmont has not been featured in Us Weekly’s “Stars - They’re Just Like Us!". We’ve seen AnnaLynne McCord strut the patio, had Hank Azaria wish us a happy birthday, talked old school 90210 with Ian Ziering, & saw Nia Vardalos actually wait for a table. We don’t love The Belmont for its celebrity sightings. We love that in spite of that, all people are treated equal here. No velvet rope. No VIP.

To enjoy the full extent of their happy hour, the patio is the place to be. Patio seats go fast so get there early or make reservations. Even if a table is reserved, the hostesses will often let you sit there and let you know when they will need it. It’s quite refreshing because nothing is more frustrating than staring down an empty table that a bar or restaurant lets go to waste to create a buzz, bottle service, or whatever.

Sitting indoors is not a total bust. The key is to get a table that is lining the room. The acoustics aren’t the best so it can get noisy if you’re smack in the middle of everything, especially if there’s a game on TV. (Photo of the only time JG waited for patio table)

The drinks and food are of great price for a place on La Cienega’s Restaurant Row. During happy hour, drinks are priced between $5 and $7, appetizers $6 -$7. We often go for glasses of red wine, about $6. During the latest heat wave, we opted for a much cooler cocktail, The Mo-Veev-Yo, a mojito that includes acai and a splash of Chambord. To our surprise, The Belmont also has 7 other specialty cocktails at $6 or $7.

We’ve eaten every appetizer from the calamari to the grilled artichoke to the mac & cheese to the tuna tartar (a fave!). We’ve even gone off our regular order of tuna tartar and tried the grilled filet skewers at the recommendation of a nearby table. Crab legs are the only appetizer that is not half-off, but at $15 serving for two there’s hardly anything to complain about there.

At The Belmont, you’ll find a late 20s/early 30s crowd drinking away while classic rock tunes from the 70s & 80s plays in the background. This may be a good spot to meet someone, lover or friend. We’ve had plenty of good conversation with nearby tables. No one is too stuffy to make friends here.

Rating: 5 Martinis