Simonette

If you were to ever need a perfect pairing, order a "ketel one up with a twist," accompanied with the house Tapenade and crostini. Throw in some oysters too for good measure.Any version of a martini is perfect with oysters, but the tapenade was *sublime." Of all the things I'd be compelled to write a review about, olive paste wouldn't have been my guess. The portion is generous (two full slices of bread, not small crostini bites), and the tapenade is SLATHERED end to end. It is delightfully salty and briny; the fresh thyme on top heightened it just enough. I will remember this bite for quite some time.

Beautiful location for French inspired food at Simonette in the Palihotel - gorgeous interior, good drinks, good burger and more.Arriving / parking:There's a valet out front for $17 for dinnertime but you can try your luck for street parking or the parking structure near the Culver Steps if you don't mind the walk.You can probably walk in during lunch or happy hour times but reservations are always good for a larger group or if timing is important. We can get checked in no problem, just be sure to hang left on entry for the restaurant instead of the hotel desk at the right. Vibe:Gorgeous bar with art deco like detail, and also open patio area towards the back, with smaller indoor seating near the entrance. It gets loud in the evening so you may need to raise your voice a bit to hear your party but it's lively! Service:Friendly, sometimes not too timely if the place has a lot of tables filled but we could flag people down to get our water refilled, silverware, etc.Food/drinks:The cocktails are lovely and imaginative and the recommendations are on point based on your preferences, not too sweet and well balanced in flavor and strength. Food comes in good portions! The French onion soup comes out piping hot with a pastry crust, very domed and beautiful, big enough to share with two. The burger is always good and the fries that come with it are delicious and truffly. The vegetarian squash risotto is cheesy and you can taste every flavorful grain of al dente rice along with the crisp sage leaves. We love coming here for brunch and enjoyed the lively vibe for dinner. I think Simonette shines the most for brunch time on a weekend on the wets side. Will always be coming back with friends and family or just by ourselves!

What a charming restaurant! Staff was very friendly and welcoming. Very cool vibe inside. Love the lit up tree and French decor. We tried the croquette and olive tapenade for appetizer... Both excellent. The French onion soup was very good! Also had the roast chicken for dinner with the ratatouille. I had a French 75 which was very well done. Valet is $17 which isn't great but parking can be difficult on a weekend.

This is one of my favorite happy hours! You simply can't beat the price on their burgers, and their cocktails are also not to be missed. The restaurant is gorgeous, ideal for a date night or girls get together. I love the Parisian burger the most, though you really can't go wrong with any of them. The fries are also well worth it, you simply can't go wrong with anything on their menu.

Cozy with a beautiful patio and dramatic blue wall. Male employees wear striped long sleeve shirts, cute nod to Paris. Service was initially slow but overall good. Came for DineLA, for which they honored a typo on the Dine LA website, as the 3-course lunch is only offered on weekdays. Steak Tartare - Tasty on fantastic grilled rustic bread. Good sized portion too. The balsamic vinegar made it a great appetizer. Tunisian Tuna Tartine - Chef's kiss and healthy. Love tapenade and comes with a simple side salad. The white beans were a little too firm for me. Creme brûlée - served in a jar. Was so creamy and rich, some of the best I've had but too bad the sugar layer was over torched and bitter. The inside area was bustling and loud. The bar is nice and I would come back. It's not for very large groups but offers seafood options and a Croque Madame that I'll probably try next. A word about parking: if you don't valet, be warned that Culver Steps parking posts rates that only apply to P1. Any other level ISN'T FREE for the first hour; it's SEVEN dollars. Better off walking a little further from the Cardiff structure.

We stopped in for lunch because my partner wanted to give this place a try! I ordered the burger which was phenomenal and I love the fries. My partner ordered the mussels which the sauce was so unexpecting curry based. We ordered the tuna tartar toast and it was delicious! The ambience is very cute and the service is good! The happy hour is what would bring me back!

I had high expectations for Simonette, given its association with Palihouse properties and their reputation for warm and inviting spaces. Unfortunately, Simonette missed the mark, both in ambiance and overall dining experience.Ambiance:The restaurant was uncomfortably cold, with a noticeable draft throughout the space. Many diners, including myself, kept our coats on during the meal, which dampened the atmosphere. It felt more like braving the outdoors than enjoying a cozy dining experience. Compared to other Palihouse and hotel restaurants, Simonette lacked the warmth and charm I've come to expect.Service:The service was unremarkable. Our waiter was polite but slow to take our order, which set the tone for a somewhat disjointed experience. The manager's attitude didn't help either; upon arrival, I stood waiting for a few minutes before being acknowledged, despite the manager not appearing particularly busy.Food: * Croquettes: These had good flavor, but they arrived cold, which detracted significantly from the enjoyment. * Fries: Same issue--cold and unappetizing. * Parisian Burger: Easily the standout of the meal. I ordered it with Swiss cheese instead of American, and the combination of juicy meat, caramelized onions, and bordelaise sauce was delicious. A solid dish. * Mussels: Well-seasoned with saffron and fennel, but nothing extraordinary. I've had better elsewhere. * Chocolate Tarte: This dessert was intriguing. It wasn't sweet, which I appreciated, but it didn't leave a memorable impression.Final Thoughts:While a few dishes, like the burger, stood out, the overall experience was underwhelming. Between the cold environment, inattentive management, and lack of consistency in the food, Simonette failed to deliver. Would I return? No. There are plenty of other spots in Culver City with more inviting atmospheres and better execution.

This is a cute option with ambient lighting and both indoor and outdoor seating. But during the colder months, it might be better to sit outdoors since they have heat lamps and the inside gets cold because of how open it is to the outside.Met a friend here for dinner and tried quite a few of their bites. Highly recommend coming on a Monday because it's all night happy hour where you can get $10 burgers and $10 croquettes. I personally really liked the croquettes and pomme frites drizzled in truffle oil. Street parking nearby is abundant but confusing because of all the signs about permits. To avoid the headache (and a possible $70 parking ticket), I just parked at Culver Steps and we grabbed Salt and Straw for dessert where I got validation.One odd thing I noticed was throughout the night the staff kept dropping or breaking things. First there was a pitcher that fell, then we heard some glass break, and by the end of the night, some cutlery on the other side had fallen on the ground. It was funny but also rather odd. I hope everyone was okay.

My husband and I were staying at the Palihotel Culver City and Simonette is the restaurant that they have featured in the hotel. We had our dog with us, and the hotel as well as the restaurant is very dog friendly which is a huge plus! The hotel is beautifully designed and it is reflected in Simonette's dining space. The inside of the restaurant isn't large, but it features a very cute atrium & bar as well as a front space that is opened up to the sidewalk which reminds me of a few places I dined in France.I would recommend a reservation for this place because it was very busy. We got in just before happy hour ended and were able to order some various appetizers to share as well as some burgers. The food was quite delicious and the happy hour prices were just right. We had a great time!

It gets busy in here so be sure to get reservations! Had one for Wednesday night and I overheard the hostess said the wait was about 1-1.5hrs!I had the clams, raw oysters, and squash risotto and do not recommend the clams. The clams were no longer on the happy hour menu (like it says online), and were super dry! They were kind of stinky and was too overcooked! The oysters were fresh. The risotto was cooked well and had a lot of creamy butter flavor, but I couldn't taste any of the squash, which was disappointing. I'm on the fence about the food here but service was friendly and prompt, even though it was busy. I have to say it can get pretty loud in here so be prepared to scream if you're trying to have a conversation.