The Cicada Restaurant and Club Reviews

It is a beautiful Art Deco venue. It looks like a 1920s speak easy. While typically a supper club. You can arrange to rent out the whole space for an event. When it comes to food I am very demanding and particular. I didn't know what to expect at our food tasting for the wedding. I was so impressed by the variety and quality of the options. The place is stunning and the food is excellent. Go for a night out and experience their supper club or host an event there.

Walking into the historic 1928 art deco Oviatt Building you truly step back in time. The friendly greeting from the costumed door staff, the fantastic decor, and the quality of food and service are first rate. I was fortunate enough to be there for the fifth anniversary of Richard Halpern's Hollywood Cavalcade, which is a wonderful show, performed so professionally by a terrific team, led by the legend that is Richard Halpern. Cleverly blending references to modern-day technology ("which hasn't been invented yet"), the evening is a festival of music (from a live band) and great music, celebrating a wonderful era in entertainment. He even managed to incorporate a latter-day "star" by introducing Holly Woodlawn, one of Andy Wharhol's stars, who has a back story which would make a great movie! (Just Google "her" name for the relevant information!). A great three-course meal, plus drinks, were all served in a very efficient manner, and I really didn't want the evening to end. With many people in period costume, we also managed to find something suitable to wear, and felt part of the evening, rather than just bystanders. It was also interesting to see the wide age range of patrons; from late teens to late 80's, all were having a wonderful time. I spoke to some of the younger element, who said they really wished they could have lived in this era, but the Cicada enabled them to go back in time. The restaurant is great, but for the whole experience, go to one of the shows, you won't be disappointed!

My husband and I attended the holiday event the Cicada was hosting. We had dinner here which was a pre-set menu. The food was delicious, but the drinks were pricey. The entertainment played holiday music in the tempo you could easily dance to. We really enjoyed dancing! Would have like to seen less talking in between songs from the emcee.

The Art Deco atmosphere was definitely a change of pace from the norm and the history of the building was interesting. Cicada is a very large multi-story restaurant with lots of cool Los Angeles history and a sheik, hip, downtown restaurant. The food is pretty good. Better than average Italian, but not the best I've had and not the best in LA. Some of the pastas are homemade. The menu is big, LOTS of choices. I actually would recommend they cut down a bit. Their imported olive oil is OUTSTANDING. The prices are a bit high, but the portions are big. Very good wine list, one of the best in down town. The service is attentive, but tends to intrude in your conversation. I will return.

The Cicada Restaurant is the most amazing location you can find in Los Angeles! The food and service is AMAZING!!!! My wife and I were married on 11/14/2010 is an amazing ceremony. The evening went off without a hitch! The team is incredible at The Cicada! A Million Thanks to the whole team. 5 sTAR ALL THE WAY!!!!

Great atmosphere. Building was built in 1928! Food was pretty good, not great, but then again it is more than a restaurant. You go for live band, dancing, and the fun atmosphere of most people coming dressed in vintage clothes from the 40's and 50's. We were there February 15, and the band was the Phat Cat Swinger nine piece band. They were great and the dance floor was packed. It is a little pricey but if you want a unique night out you have to pay for it.

We had a wonderful evening celebrating my wife's birthday. The Cicada Club is in the beautiful, historic, Oviatt building. A 1928 Art-Deco skyscraper..on the National Historic Registry. We had a delicious three course dinner. Kale salad and lettuce wedge were perfect. Main course was a perfectly prepared fish sampler. They accommodated my wife's gluten sensitivity. The staff and our waitress were attentive and friendly. The live swing band was excellent...fun dancing to swing music and more. All in all a satisfying date night/birthday celebration...and unique evening out. Valet parking available but lots of lots within walking. This is a dressy night out kind of place...many patrons in vintage 30s 40s clothing. Enjoy

Amazing service, Amazing atmosphere, Amazing food. Unbelievable experience... A MUST do if visiting or in need of a fine dining experience

Well my experience at the restaurant was bad. It was my wedding day on May 4, 2019 and I am a African-American woman. I don’t know it was because we was BLACK!The only time our waiter check on our table was when my guess had to flag him down. The waiter name was SCOTT. I had ask the manager to announce our wedding and that didn’t happen. I ask to be sited in the middle of the restaurant that didn’t happen. We was placed in a corner. Terrible customer service on the waiter SCOTT and the restaurant manager RICHARD. When I told Richard Scott was rude he didn’t care at all and walked off from me and said it’s nothing he could do. It was a hassle to get separate checks. I felt racially profiled! If you are of color do not eat here or if you don’t look like you have money don’t eat here!

The lump crab kaifa wrapped in shredded pastry was a delight. The dover sole could not have been better. The service was very good although the kitchen seemed to be a little slow considering that there weren't that many people in the restaurant. But it was worth the wait. Although the art deco interior is supposed to be a big draw, we thought the lighting could be improved to eliminate glare and provide more ambient light.

The Cicada Club and Restaurant is located in downtown Los Angeles in the beautiful art deco Oviat Building. The atmosphere makes you feel like your taking a step back in time. On the nights they have live bands performing music from the 1920's through the 1940's that feeling is enhanced. This is a MUST place to visit when in Los Angeles.

Art Deco motif Consistently excellent California cuisine The iceberg lettuce salad ($7) with bacon and gorgonzola was sinfully delicious. The creative salmon with lentils main entrée was outstanding, as were the veal chop and risotto dishes. The desserts were delish. We had profiteroles, the chocolate molten cake, and the cobbler. The wine list is excellent and the wines by the glass are very good. The executive chef Suzay is one of the best in Los Angeles and is very personable.

This is a beautiful place to go if you like Art Deco. The food is delicious (although a bit pricey), and it is a great place to go for drinks in the upstairs bar, if nothing else, just to appreciate the decor.

Cicada is a very romantic restaurant with great food. It was recently named to Zagat’s list of the top thousand Italian restaurants in the U.S. (2008 edition). My wife and I went there for an anniversary and had the chef’s tasting menu (~$95/ea), comprised of that night’s specials. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable, offering to pair wines with each course. During our dinner, a live singer sang standards at just the right volume, soft enough to allow conversation, but load enough to enjoy. It was perfect for this special occasion. Special mention has to made of the staff’s handling of our reservation. Due to a travel problem we arrived too late for our reservation. The staff was very understanding and moved our reservation. We appreciated their kindness. Further adding to its allure, the building served as the set for the film “Pretty Woman” as detailed in this web site: http://www.movie-locations.com/movies/p/prettywoman.html. I understand that the restaurant caters to a number of private functions and has special events. Therefore, it is advisable to check their website to make sure they can accommodate you. Here is the link: http://www.cicadarestaurant.com/ Cicada is located on the left hand side of a one-way street. Valet parking is available at the door for ~$6.

We had a wonderful experience dining here. Amazing location amazing entertainment but the food is just adequate and the servers were a little un attentive. I found the steak to be low quality and the cheesecake was also a little disappointing. My suggestion would be to avoid the dining experience and pay admission for the cocktail bar and live entertainment. It was wonderful to see everyone getting dressed in vintage attire and dancing the night away.

It was not my first visit but it was with a Travelzoo coupon, which I had purchased 2 and went with two couples. It is a class act and no disappointments what so ever. Everything was perfect from food to staff to management. We were not treated as coupon customers and I will be a lifetime patron of this classy establishment. If you wish to impress and be impressed, this is a class act. Cicada, you have lived up to your reputation and more.

Take this as an experience to beautiful, old-fashioned decor restaurant. Nice, friendly service. Food basically tasty but nothing particular, no fine dining. But, for decor, it is worth to visit.

A trip back into time with some awesome art deco designs that make this just a cool place to check out. We went on the anniversary night for a business dinner not knowing that we would be witnessing a great big band and some dancing from locals that put their feet to work in outfits from the early part of the century. Then you throw in some great service and good food and you have a place that might just fit the bill for you. I would recommend this place.

There aren't really enough words to describe how awesome of an experience this was. I WISH they had places like this in Miami. The atmosphere, the music, and the food as well was all amazing, and I'm dying to go back again. My only gripe was 2 things, one, where we were seated was a little off to the side and a column blocked our view, and what little view we did have a manager kept standing literally in front of us, to the point I had to get up, stand in front of him to give him the hint to move, but he would still keep coming back, very annoying. And the other was the photographer outside. They have a crescent moon set up outside to take a picture which is $14 dollar and its really a neat souvenir, but we had to ask them to take the picture a 2nd time since the first one was so bad. The photographer didn't pose, tell us to use props that were there, nothing, just stand and click. But otherwise I loved this experience and if I'm ever in LA again anytime soon, I'm going again.

Dining at Cicada is like stepping back into the 60s. As impressive as it is, it could use a face-lift to make it appear that it wasn't left in the past. However, the wait staff was professional and friendly. The food was creative and very tasty. The bolognaise was excellent, as was the mango sorbet. Our guests thought their choices, including lamb, also were delicious. Although there were plenty of open tables in the middle of the week, the patrons that were there were dressed for upscale dining, including a celebrity that, probably, wanted to avoid the crowds but have an enjoyable experience.

Alex Mendham was there from London performing. Beautiful evening start to finish. Great dance floor in an Art Deco dream. Will make the cross country tip again for future events

Even only for once! When you go to the Cicada, is like being teleported to another dimension. the 20s, the 40s, 60s, especially if it's concert night: al the evening will be kind of "themed" on the style of the very band playing. The staff is super friendly, they will show you around and everything. All of them are also in theme with the evening, as well all the regular "attendees". The whole atmosphere and mood is just great. I whish there was no such thing as mobile phones around. As a matter of fact I didn't even use it, it really felt like something unrelated or even useless to me. That's the Cicada effect hahahahah Practical infos: not for everybody. When concerts are on you have to pay from $20 each for the ticket, and then there is a set menu which doesn't include beverages and it costs around $60. But I mean, going there and not fully enjoy everything (including the cocktails at the bar and so on) would be pointless. As result, you can easily end up paying $120 each for the whole night (including taxex and tip). Mind you, you don't have to eat if you don't book a table. You can only come to the gig and stay at the bar. The food is great but not excellent, also, considering that is prepared in "bulk" (because it's a set menu for everybody, with few alternatives of course), that kinda lowers the quality/price ratio. Cocktails are ok. Will I come back here? If I was a local, probably yes, but no more than once a year.

Nice blast from the past, the Cicada Club is an art deco supper club with regular big-band nights and dress code. Our group of friends had come to see Swedish Musician and singer Gunhild Carrling and her band. This incredible artist not only played just about every instrument in the band, but managed to tap danced will playing the trumpet. She had a great voice and the dance floor was packed with swing dancers, it would seem that many swing dance clubs come here regularly. From our balcony seating we had a great view of the diners and dancers below. There were many Birthday parties going on in the dining area accompanied to all the loud popping of champagne corks. Drinks prices are a little on the high side, most of them started at $14:00. Tip: We found it was more practicable to buy one bottle of cold Prosecco for $55:00: than four individual cocktail drinks

First time to Cicada Club and Restaurant. I had a wonderful time from the moment I stepped in the door. The ambiance of the place alone will keep you entertained. That night a full orchestra playing swing music was the entertainment, and they delivered. The food was delicious, and the drinks were stiff, just how I like them! The wait staff was very attentive, I look forward to attending another event there again.

Fabulous service, excellant food. Enjoyed a romantic evening with my husband over drinks and tapas.

On Sunday nights, the Cicada Restaurant becomes the Cicada Club: Swingin' jazz music and a hoppin' dance floor within the opulent walls of this art deco haberdashery. The ambiance will not disappoint. Dress the part, and start your evening sipping sparkling wine in one of the velvet settees in the beautiful bar area while noticing the lovely touches of Lalique in the decor. The bartenders are amazingly knowledgeable and will gladly educate you and entertain you with tales of the history of the stunning setting. After dancing, be sure to finish the night with a classic cocktail, maybe with a splash of absinthe as a tip of the hat to the era preserved here. [note: we did not dine during our visit, rather enjoyed the live music, festive beverages, and beautiful dance floor]

We went there for my Wifes Birthday. She has always wanted to go there for dinner and even more so that she knew it was used in a season of " American Horror Story". Well I made reservations for 6:30. They have convenient front door Valet parking so that was easy. We were greeted and taken to our table. The Waiter approached us and introduced himself and took our drink orders. I had the Cosmopolitan ( it was quite good ). I informed the waiter that it was my Wife's birthday and gave him a small cake I had brought for us to celebrate with and he promptly took it back to the kitchen. He returned with our order and began to explain the items on the menu and what the specials of the day were. The menu is somewhat limited but the items on it all sound delicious. My Wife choose to start with the Beet salad it was very nice with fresh beets. I started with the Scallops ( they were nicely seared and very tasty ) . My Wife had the Alaskan Halibut it was perfection. I had the Seafood selection ( Alaskan Salmon, Fresh Seabass, and Scallops ) I really enjoyed the fish very much it was not over cooked to death like most places. For dessert my wife had the Raspberry creme Brulle ... she loved it .. I had the melting chocolate cake and really enjoyed it. So the food is very good. As for the location itself there is not much more to say than you have to see it to believe it. it is a beautiful , restored, art deco space. Get dressed up and you cannot look out of place here. They have a bar upstairs if you choose not to eat there and I would recommend it so that you can at least have a look around. On certain nights they have themed live music and events. It is a really nice place to celebrate a special occasion. if you want to impress someone or give them a really nice surprise bring them here. The price is around $100 a person for drinks and dinner ... My Wife loved it and it was well worth the price.

You've seen it on all those black and white movies, the L.A. night club, Velma in her slinky blue dress (my wife picked hers up for $7 at Goodwill while I tried to slide by with a tux). As other reviewers have written, the decor, the food, and the service are worth a special trip--our shared entree (served, beautifully presented on two plates) Halibut, basil, tarragon, risotto, and baby brussel sprouts in a tempura batter was to die for. And, on Sunday nights there is dancing, first to muzak-like recorded music of the 20's through 40's (up we went between courses), and then comes the floor show with dancing to a hot seven-piece orchestra and two singers. The prices have gone up this year, but are reflected in improvement in both the service and the kitchen. Several years ago, we dined here on our way to the theater (a free shuttle took us from and to the restaurant) and received two complimentary cups of espresso at the conclusion of our meal. Or so we thought. The supervising waiter soon snatched them off our table and placed them, half-consumed, on the adjoining table where they belonged. (A chat with the manager brought fresh cups to their table and complimentary espresso to ours.)

What could have been a five-star evening was completely derailed by the sheer rudeness some of the staff—most notably the host/front door woman. Her behavior was appalling: arrogant, dismissive, and utterly devoid of hospitality. She was nothing short of horrid—arrogant, abrasive, and dripping with contempt. Zero hospitality. Zero professionalism. Not sure who she thinks she is, but whether owner or employee, she is the absolute last person who should be the “face” of a so-called high-end restaurant .Her behavior didn’t just miss the mark; it obliterated it. A venue that trades on glamour and spectacle should understand that service is the experience—and this hostess single-handedly trashed it. If this were my establishment, I would have fired her in a heartbeat. For a restaurant that positions itself as “high end,” the unprofessionalism was shocking. We’ve dined at unique, kitschy venues across the globe—including the world-renowned Magic Castle just minutes away—and never have we been treated with such disdain. Cicada has all the makings of an incredible night out, but as long as staff like this represent the face of the restaurant, the experience will remain subpar at best. If you like further details of the situation, feel free to contact me. Otherwise, its hard to recommend a place with this kind of front of house service. The ONLY thing that saved the night was the entertainment.

Be advised: I visited Cicada Restaurant in 5/05 and was overcharged on my credit card by almost $100.00! Management has not returned my correspondence. If you go, save your receipts.

This used to be The Rex Club years ago and was originally built in the early 20's as a mens haberdashery and is very Art Deco. I was invited to Cicada by some friends for a celebration of our Armed Forces with a 1940's theme and big band music. It was like a time machine with everyone dressed in full-on 40's look, cars from that period parked outside... what fun! I actually didn't eat because I was on a cleanse but everyone else in my party of 9 did and it all looked delicious and everyone said it was exceptional. Our only complaints were with service, it felt as if they were under-staffed. The other thing was how close the tables and chairs were... not much room to get by. I understand they have all sorts of live entertainment and it is worth doing.

Went here on a double date on a night when there was a fixed price menu and a live jazz/swing band. Excellent experience. Most of the people present (especially those who danced) dressed in period costumes. Once the band started up, the dance floor was never empty, and even though there were tons of very talented dancers, we felt very comfortable dancing without even knowing how to swing (i.e. it was a nurturing environment). The food was wonderful, though expensive for the fixed price cost. Also the site of some Hollywood movies like The Artist and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Definitely an experience worth having in LA

Went to a super party here and wow! The place is amazing! Loved the experience of walking back into another age of time.

We had dinner here, a very nice meal, but the best part of the experience was the atmosphere created by the unique architecture by this lovely old-school downtown building. Can be leased for a special occasion. Just lovely.

The restaurant is set in an old 1920s Art Deco haberdashery. While the Italian styled food and service are excellent, it really is the room that becomes more memorable. The food prices seem somewhat overvalued, eg $40+ entrees, and while there are a few wine list choices one might consider affordable, meaning less than $100, most of the wine list seems incredibly overpriced, in the multi hundred range. Nonetheless, the combination of the otherwise excellently prepared Italian inspired food, find service, and amazing setting, make for a very memorable dining experience to share with a loved one or with a group of friends. Heads up, this restaurant seems to be one that is frequently closed for private events, so please call the restaurant and listen to their voicemail for availability, or check through opentable.

As a desperate bride searching for the perfect venue, I was getting nervous. I've viewed one too many that were ALMOST perfect, but not quite what I wanted. I had zero expectations walking into Cicada. When I entered through those beautiful doors, I was floored. I came here after seeing it in The Knot magazine. My husband and I decided to kill two birds with one stone by celebrating my birthday/anniversary there. Now I truly know what people meant when they said they just KNEW it was the one. For those of you that don't know, this is the place they filmed the famous Pretty Woman scene where Julia Roberts says, "slippery little suckers." They also filmed a scene from Mr. & Mrs. Smith here. The interior decor is old Hollywood glam. Dark woods, Lalique, high ceilings, grand staircase, old elevator. It was just breathtaking. As for the actual food, all I wanted was mediocre b/c I loved the venue. What I got when I tried it was much more. This is the only restaurant in DTLA where I will fight rush hour traffic to eat dinner at on a week night. Other than at my wedding (to this day my guests still rave about the food at the wedding), every dish here has exceeded my expectations. I've tried almost everything on the menu. I think what made my experience with Cicada more special was the service I received from staff. Even though they do tons of events every year (weddings to high end parties), they never made me feel unimportant. Everyone there is very giving and extremely accommodating. I still keep in touch with Jennifer Balzar and Suzay Cha. Jennifer was the fabulously organized and awesome event coordinator. Suzay is the genius behind the cuisine! I also suggest leaving room for dessert. Sometimes they have special items, but my favorite in recent memory was their Earl Grey creme brulee. And another last tip is that on some Sundays when they are not booked for an event, they have a Club Cicada. You can go dressed up in Roaring 20s gear. So much fun!

Atmosphere absolutely fabulous, food great, service a real show (but not particularly friendly...). This is in a penultimate Art Deco experieince - in a former 1920s haberdashery shop. Check out the La Lique doors, the gold ceiling, the wooden panels with the drawers still there for the shirts etc etc! It's just the most wonderful place to be and the food is very elegant. Just soak up the atmosphere, imagine the high society 1920s women shopping there, and enjoy!

Was here with a big group. Service was good. We had choice of chicken with potato spinach or pasta with sundries tomatoes. Salad and cheesecake for dessert. I've had worse with a big group--and the setting is lovely and quiet.

An incredible venue. Terrific food, great entertainment, and a fascinating building. I recommend it!

$89.00 for five course meal 1st course about 2 ozs of tomato soup $12.00 value each 2 course glasses of of wine included 30% filled $12.00 value each, 2 glasses did not equal one. 3rd course salad again very small Again $12.00 each 4th course risotto this was actually pretty good and the size was ok 5th course filet about 4 ozs they seen to cut them in half again $40.00 really with mashed potatoes about 1 tablespoon. 1 table spoon sweet potato and 1 table spoon of something green really. Ordered med rare husband got med well sent it back. Desert also very small but ok You get the idea. But here is where I feel the restaurant rips you off. They put the tip based on a full price meal . So for these high prices sides you are paying 18% off a $232.00 dinner that is not closed to worth it. So My wine that did not even equal 1 champagne glass full I paid 18% of $24.00 really.$12.00 for Bacardi and coke $12.00 plus 18% percent on that 2 Bacardi and coke $30.00 really... Basically they split 1 meal into 2 meals and charges crazy high prices for it. So the bill comes and we pay 40.00 tip and 28.00 Sales tax on a $232.00 bill. So our check was even more than the travelzoo with fees. We would of been cheaper ordering off menu and getting the real size of the courses. Cicada shame of you for Cheating the public with this bait and switch..... :(

This is one of the hardest places to review as there is a stark difference between ambience, location, beauty of Cicada and the very poor service provided. The good: location, awesome architecture, great live music, feels like you travel back in time to the golden era of music, the other guests are just as excited and very well dressed. The bad: the service here is truly horrible. I was in the service industry managing large venues so I know the difficulties behind getting it right and I am also very patient but this was too much. We had a reservation for 7:00pm and were seated at 7:15 not bad so far, all downhill from here...waiter came by maybe 15 minutes later took our drink order and came back 20 minutes later (to his credit he apologized for the wait he did have a large party, but he recognized things were slow so I assumed it wouldn't happen again). He took our food order and here is where it gets HORRIBLE 30 minute wait for our appetizer and nearly 1 hour AFTER that our meal so we sat down at 7:15 and were not eating till about 9:30 PM completely Unacceptable! Our waiter again apologized and brought us some complimentary drinks but still this unpleasantness remained. I think the venue is not set up to accommodate that large of a dinner crowd. They should take this into consideration and maybe have guests preorder at the time of the reservation or something else because looking around the room we were not the only ones waiting for our meals. Again though please do not avoid going because of the service, bring snacks, come already full or something else because this gem deserves to stick around for a long time.

Cicada restaurant sits on Olive St. inside a beautifully old school art deco style banquet room in downtown Los Angeles. It's does not offer the intimate or cozy warm feeling or the sleek modern design of many of the city's newer establishments, but it does provide for a solid throwback to the nostalgia of yesteryear. The restaurant itself only opens Wednesday through Friday although they do offer entertainment and special engagements on other nights, which is probably a better reason to visit than for the dining experience alone. My partner and I arrived for the 5 course prix-fixe tasting menu and greetings by friendly hosts. Our waiter - while at times offering a little too much information such as how the kitchen guys had marked our soup as delivered even though it wasn't after three checks of our table, or how we ought to order different items so as to try them all and then hurriedly adding that we should of course be selfish and order what we want - was still very pleasant and welcoming, all smiles. I enjoyed his candor and quirks, although it would have been nice to have been asked about how we were enjoying the food while we were eating it, instead of after we had finished all five courses. The food itself was a let down on both taste experience and price. Even with a TravelZoo voucher that boasted more than 50% off, we still spent $178 out of pocket after the tax, gratuity and three additional drinks we ordered. What was wrong with the food? Well, it wasn't bad food, it simply wasn't prepared all that well. Our soup was decent, but lacking a spark. A simple garnish of a few Parmesan shavings, chives and a drizzle of truffle oil would have gone a long way here... my partner noted that she could not remember the last time a soup came to the table at a fine dining establishment completely unadorned. Next up came salads, which were fine, but slightly overdressed and certainly nothing special. As we moved on to the third course, my partner experienced a basil gnocchi with wild mushrooms that had some serious execution issues. The gnocchi itself seemed overworked and thus glutinous and mushy, the basil pesto was severely lacking in seasoning and the mushrooms were not potent enough to lend the earthy flavors that they can be so good for. For myself I had a risotto with smoked chicken that was tasty, but even so, not a dish I am craving to come back for. For the main mains, my partner asked for the New York steak cooked rare with finglerling potatoes and veggies. The steak came out a perfect medium, nice and pink, but certainly not rare or even mid-rare. Seasoning again was severely lacking and the steak appeared awkwardly butchered. The potatoes were the best aspect of this plate, as the veggies looked and tasted like the type that would adorn a Panda Express Chinese stir fry plate. Myself, I opted for the New Zealand Bass in a buerre blanc sauce with some florets of broccoli and cauliflower. The veggies were woefully unseasoned, but the fish was cooked perfectly, with a crispy crust served skin side up and a flakey moist interior. Well done on the protein here. However the sauce, while well seasoned, did not appear to be so much of a buerre blanc as it did a bearnaise. Ah well, at this point my expectations had been set appropriately and I did enjoy the fish for its right doneness and the fact that the sauce was seasoned well. The Molten Chocolate dessert arrived warm and gooey, with fresh blueberries and some less appealing mushy raspberries, with a dollop of ice cream atop a heavily syruped plate. I'm generally not a big dessert fan, but I did finish this plate. All in all, we had a fun time enjoying each other's company and parsing through the leisurely pace of the meal, but as two serious eaters (one of us who works in a professional kitchen), the restaurant itself did not inspire us to revisit given the price point and overall lack of intriguing food. In a word, bland.

My husband saw this restaurant in the movie Pretty Woman and wanted to come here to celebrate our friend's daughter's birthday. The interior is charming but different from the movie considering the movie is 27 years old. You're still able to recognize it even though management has changed. The service is impeccable. For appetizers we ordered the scallop with avocado sauce caprese salad and eggplant parmesan. Each was well prepared and delicious. Fettuccine with lobster sauce, basil gnocchi with Alfredo sauce, fettuccine with ragout of filet mignon and grilled caramelized octopus were our entrees. Dessert consisted of Grand Marnier Bavarian cream, mango mousse and chocolate cake. The best dessert was the chocolate cake, rich and moist. One is definitely in chocolate heaven! Overall food was very good.

I would recommend the Cicada Club (Sunday nights at Cicada Restaurant) for a fun step-back-in-time supper club. The historic 1928 art deco Oviatt Bldg is gorgeous, and the past is brought to life by a variety of 1930s (&1940s-ish) entertainers and a very well-dressed crowd wearing period attire. (If you go, dress up!) The bar is fantastic and the vintage cocktails are a must. Max the bartender knows his drink & liquor history and can make a very fine Whiskey Sour (as well as a host of other fantastic drinks). They serve a prix fixe menu, so it's not the same food as regular nights at the Cicada. The food is satisfactory, I felt stuffed with my last bite of dessert, no complaints about any of it, but it's not the primary reason to come here on 'Club' nights. I definitely recommend visiting Cicada Club if you want to experience a a real piece of Los Angeles history brought to life with 1930s music, dancing, and vintage-attired peeps.Visit their website to confirm that they're open on the night you want to go: www.clubcicada.com A fun night out!

We visited Cicada whilst on holiday in Los Angeles. As a huge Art Deco lover and a massive fan of 'Pretty Woman' as I really looking forward to dining here and it didn't disappoint. The building and restaurant are stunning. The food was delicious and the service was impeccable. If you are lucky enough to have Jeffrey looking after you when you visit then you are in for a treat. He was so lovely, attentive and passionate about the food and the restaurant that without a shadow of a doubt it really made the experience extra special. The only downside was that when we went on a Friday night it was a little quiet. There were only 5 other dinners when we ate but was a shame but I sense given the location the restaurant is busiest Monday to Thursday. That said we had an amazing dinner and it was very romantic. Thank you so much Cicada. You made our holiday!

Wow, what a fabulous place to go if you like to eat, dance and have a good time. First of all Cicada Club is in a Historic building that is fabulous once you walk through the original Lalique doors, your tables are elegant and not a bad seat inn the house. The first course is an appetizer, followed by your main entree and dessert all while watching or participating dancing to the great music of the forties and fifties.

I was staying at the Omni Hotel in LA. The hotel staff recommended the Cicada. It was a Sunday evening and their theme for the 20's & 30's provided the right touch for a wonderful evening with a friend from the east coast. The staff were excellent and the chef visited our table twice. The building is rich in history and is the place to be seen by Hollywood's elite.

If you're into vintage fashions and music (1920s-1950s) then "Club Cicada" is for you. The restaurant, which serves brilliant Italian haute cuisine seven days a week, goes back in time on Sunday nights for all of us who wish we could've heard the Benny Goodman Orchestra live as teenagers. A fabulous place to take your elderly parents! I've been twice in the past five years and had an outstanding time on both occasions; took my 80-something parents there and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Dress code is formal, with vintage attire HIGHLY encouraged to wear. Valet parking is available. Gorgeous, historic building in downtown Los Angeles.

When I first walked into over a year ago, I fell in love. The decor, the staff, and the food exceeded my expectations. I loved it so much, I got married there! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone living or visiting the Los Angeles area. My favorite dishes are the lamb, NY strip, their salads, soups...well just about everything. Also, don't forget to leave room for their desserts. I love the sorbets! They have an amazing chef and an extremely knowledgeable and courteous staff. Just remember that they are only open during the weekdays!

The Cicada is more than dinner--its a throwback to the nightclubs of a bygone era. The band, the singers, some people in period attire, and the decor take you back in time. The food was very good (appetizer, main course, and dessert), and theother eveningto went by too fast. Definitely a night to remember with family.

We both have experienced restaurants across the US, at all price levels, from IHOP to ultra-elegant, so we have a pretty good reference range. We had purchased an $89 voucher through Travelzoo for a "$239 5-course meal". Our experience at Cicada felt like "voucher night" where they were just going through the motions. In fairness, the décor is superb and a piece of history. Had always wanted to go there, and expected it to be swanky with elegant service. Service OK to start, then server lost interest. First three courses rushed and out of order (they forgot the tiny salad). Then over 20-minute wait for the entree. I think the mandatory $42 gratuity left the servers with no incentive (as in "why bother?"). Our waiter seemed lost in thought and often just gazed into the distance. No apology or apparent concern for the inordinate wait for the entree. He did not seem to want to be there. Lentil soup was tasty and a good bowl size (not garnished). Risotto and gnocci appetizers tasty but tiny (as in three tablespoonfuls each). Salad was ultra tiny and not the best - the palm hearts and artichoke hearts were in there if you looked carefully amongst the six arugula leaves. And we had to ask for a replacement fork for the salad, the other small fork having been taken away with the wrong-sequence appetizer. The filet mignon medium-rare was beautifully done and a nice modest size, but the NZ bass was soggy and flavorless. The veges were a joke (tiny pieces). The desserts (chocolate molten cake with berries, and cheesecake with berries) were delicious, albeit petite but quite enough. My guess is that they "claim" the price for each course based on the regular menu, but there is no way I would pay $12 for the tiny "sampler" salad, marginally larger than a Trader Joes demo sample. But since the gratuity is based on the full regular menu price, if this is the case they are, in effect, doing a bait-and-switch for the "voucher people". There is a smoking area out the front in the covered foyer and at one stage I was nearly ill with the foul smell of smoke drifting through the restaurant. The whole place seemed to have an army of busboys constantly going from one end of the restaurant to the other, doing very little except topping up glasses of water. Waiters did not bring the food, the busboys did, without a comment. The maitre d seemed flustered and worried. For the $89, the meal was just about right for what we got. NOT $239 as advertised. And the $42 mandatory service charge on the full value? THAT was a rip-off. For the vaguely interested service we got, with busboys bringing the food, a gratuity of $15 would have been appropriate, not $42 (yes $42 on a $90 meal). Frankly, we find more caring and interested service at IHOP (seriously!). So overall, been there done that. Would not go back again, even with a voucher. Nothing to write home about apart from the décor and the history. Maybe the full price customers get treated better.

We Celebrated our friends birthday here at Cicada. A party of 17 requires reservations a month in advance, but for smaller groups 2 weeks should be good enough. You MUST MUST MUST dress the part. The whole getting dressed in period costume is the fun part of the whole experience. Here is the break down: Food- The food was good. Not much in choice, there are only 3-4 appetizer/salads , 3-4 main course and same for desert. The taste was also good, not great and the food portions were modest. I think you pretty much pay for the experience and not for the food. Our Bill was $1200.00..but for a party of 17 that's not too bad...but that's still alot. Drinks- The Drinks were OK, nothing to memorable and the price per bottle was not 1940's price by far. I would recommend going to a bar after Cicada. Entertainment- The Band was Fantastic. The Music made you feel like you stepped back in time, which is the goal. The MC was funny and played the part like very well. Big band music lives on in Cicada. Dance floor- OK...first off let me tell you that there are people out there who probably practice a few weeks before stepping foot on that dance floor. Just sitting back and watching those few " Professionals" made alot of people intimidated to even step foot on the dance floor let alone dance. I got a kick just watching people out do one another. it's quite a show. Atmosphere- It's just unbelievable. You really feel like you've gone back in time. I love the attention to detail. It's something i just cant describe you will have to experience it yourself. After you've had your fill of the 40's & 50's you can step out side and take a picture with the moon. They have a photo station where you can snap a photo. They also have props. i think it's $10 for a Polaroid and a digital copy they email to you. They don't mind group photos, they also don't mind if you use your own camera. All in all it was a fun night.

We enjoyed our celebrations here and were very happy to enjoy the amazing historic preservation that we just chanced upon while walking by. This place is a feast for the eyes and senses, a unique historic gem. Service was wonderful and charming. Food and wine were good. A wonderful place for a party or celebration. A special evening for us.

Attended the pre fixe dinner show. Big band orchestra playing. Had a great table and the decor in the historic Oviatt Building was a site to see. Everyone was dressed to the nines and the employees were all wonderful and professional. I especially want to point out Richard and Marina who helped make the entire night run smooth and seamless. Lastly our bus boy Edelson was such a standout. He was so attentive to the needs of our table. Looking forward to attending another event in the future

Circada is the perfect blend of memorable food in a momorasble setting with gracious and attentive service. We had a 5-course tasting menu, and each course was better than the one that preceded it. The quality of the food places it at the very top of LA restaurants. The setting is a beautifully restored art deco restaurant that is both romantic and quiet. It's nice to find a restaurant in LA where you actually be able to talk to your table-mate without yelling! While the prices are nor cheap, it is worth every penny. This is one of the best special event restaurants in the city.

Although a bit pricy, I love the Art Deco vibe of the place as one dines in a former haberdashery. The food is excellent, ambiance divine and the bar is a place to loll for an evening. It's an easy walk from the subway from 7th and Metro station on the red line, so one does not have to pay for parking or fight traffic. It's a place for a special occasion and very romantic,

According to reviews this was a revered restaurant in a beautiful art deco building, but I found the place extremely disappointing. The waiter was charming but misdescribed the food, which was so-so. Perhaps I am not used to paying $17 for an appetizer comprised of a single scallop on a small pancake, or being having "baked goat cheese" served as a cold dollop on a cold, sliced apple, but I couldn't help but feel the place has seen better days, and may even be in its last days. Having the room's tables all cleared around us for the end of the day while we and three other tables were still eating added to the sense of a shop closing up. If so, too bad; it's a great building and deserves better.

My hubby and I go dinner/dancing here on Friday or Saturday nights...live music from great bands doing music from 40s 50s ...just saw Jive Aces from London for about the 5th time! you can dress up in clothes of 40s or 50s or just dress uo...dance and eat good food or just eat good food and watch dancers...there are some wonderful entertaining dancers that are so much fun to watch...fabulous routines...lots and lots of fun I promise you! set menu - you pick an appetizer, dinner and dessert for one price...

Service was amazing and the food was excellent. They just got a new chef from Italy and the eggplant and bolognese dishes were great. They have music and dancing of the weekends. It was orginally a haberdashery from the 1920s and had 30,000 pounds of lalique crystal.

Cool, art deco setting! Marginal and slow service. Good, not great, food. Wine list is very expensive. Took an hour between wine and arrival of food, but the food came all at the same time. Veal chop was delicious, well presented. Filet was well presented, tender but over cooked. Pasta dish was good. Bread is ordinary and uninteresting. Cheesecake was small and nothing to rave about. We were there on a weeknight and maybe live music and dancing would have improved our experience. Overall, OK, but I was hoping for something more.

We went there believing it was a nice italian rest and found it was a club... people were dressed like we were entering some odd place... the menu was SO limited and the prices outrageous... big disapointment!!

Celebrated a birthday by going to The Cicada Club with my wife and three other couples. We all dressed the part for the evening and thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance, the music, the dance floor. Our table was right on the dance floor edge and probably because I made reservations six weeks in advance. Having no idea what to expect, we were thoroughly and pleasantly surprised at the trip back in time. I actually expected to see the Godfather sitting at "his" table. Food was OK but nothing to write home about. The drinks were worth the value. We were lucky to have a very professional waiter, Anthony, and the buss staff were there but not a disturbance. One recommendation I would make is if you're traveling from outside LA, consider taking the Metrolink and get off at Pershing Square, just a half block from The Cicada Club on Olive. Traffic on a Friday night for example is a killer getting into downtown. When finished dining, walk a block north on Olive and visit the world-famous Biltmore Hotel @ 506 So. Grand Avenue. Just tour the lobby and it will take you back to yesteryear. Enjoy!

Feel free to wear period dress and try out your swing dance moves. The Cicada Club is a delightful look at Hollywood from the 1920's - 1940's. Food is average, but the entertainment is a blast. Try to catch the Satin Dolls.

By far this is still the most beautiful restaurant in Los Angeles. A real retro experience. For a special evening, this can not miss.

We took advantage of a package deal (as others) and were looking forward to this experience in a historical building in downtown LA. We booked a night where they featured live music. Easy access valet parking, at a fair price, walked right in, handed off our discount vouchers and prepared for a treat! What a treat it was! The service was wonderful, charming and attentive, the ambiance was unforgettable and we were able to fully immerse ourselves in this landmark through music as our meal came to an end. Be prepared for a high dollar experience, and just keep in mind it is the experience that you are paying for. The food you could certainly get elsewhere, but the vibe, the feel, the people (all guests were dressed in period garb and/or in suits, dresses) and the music that closed out our evening was big band and worthy of many dancers on the floor. We took our kids (13, 10) and they enjoyed it fully and the staff treated them so well, we would definately recommend for a classic LA experience that is incomparable to many other of the "tourist" experiences. Locals should not miss! Check their website for times and entertainment bookings (not every night and not open to public all the time). It's an event - I would think of it this way and you will not be disappointed.

My family had a surprise birthday party for me at this beautiful and elegant venue. The food was wonderful and the band, performers and staff fantastic. A nostalgic trip back to the 40s. Doormen, elevator operator and waiters all in period dress. A fun night for all and an evening I will long remember. Highly recommend this venue.

We attended a private party in mid January. The setting was gorgeous, the atmosphere was superb but what topped it all was the food. The food was delicious from the unique and unusual salad, to the super pasta and to the entrees that included fish and short ribs. Such a delicious dealmaking the event one to remember for a long time

The restaurant has a nice double door entrance with classic decor. The restaurant is very large and roomy with a large open area and two stories. The view from the second floor is great. The food is very good but not overwhelmingly so. It's a great place for a romantic night out.

We loved the music and watching all the dancers, good and bad. A set menu of three courses was very good and we loved that we had the table for the night. Extreamly affordable night out in Downtown LA.

For 200.00 they should have sat us where we could see the band. Terrible seats. Food was good,but the reason you go here is so you can have a table and watch the entertainment. Not the case for us. Ruined our entire evening and our anniversary. The a surrounding area is unsafe. Homeless everywhere and feces on the streets. Wont return or suggest this venue to anyone.

The venue is beautiful, that is not in question. The food is decent, but nothing spectacular (other than the lava cake which was delicious and the best part of the meal), it was some of the service that was a let down. We requested a downstairs table and arriving slightly early for our reservation with a quite empty restaurant still they obliged our request, but took us to a table behind one of the big wooden pillars which meant that, that along with the large filled party table right in front of us meant me having to move the whole time to try and see the show (I obviously couldn't see it all when the dancers were on the floor), this was after them saying they couldn't give us one of the center tables unless it was the one at the very back and closest to the hostess desk. With the door being opened to the outside when everyone entered or existed throughout the night I knew I would be freezing and had to accept the table behind the pillar, although I wasn't particularly happy about this. I was even more irked when we saw that one of the center tables for two stayed free for the whole night and there was no reason for them to have not sat us there. The other little point was that we were there celebrating my birthday and everyone with birthdays seemed to receive a candle in their dessert, however I did not. This is a minor point, but obviously when a restaurant knows it's your birthday (they have the show MC announce all birthdays at the start of the show) then they should be able to provide everyone with the same acknowledgement of their special day. Food-wise I had the scallop to start (ok, but nothing special) and the lobster ravioli (very little actual lobster seemed to be in the dish & it wasn't very hot), my partner had the caprese salad (decent, but again nothing that stood out about the dish) and the short ribs (tender, but the actual meat had very little flavor and again wasn't warm enough) and then the dessert mentioned above which was the highlight. The waitress was friendly, but I'm not sure if she had too many tables to deal with, but she was gone quite a lot and we had to look for her and try to get her attention several times throughout the night. The show was fun and Johnny Holiday has a lovely old-school, crooner voice. I would maybe come back here again, but I'm not itching to which for such a beautiful venue is a real shame.

Went to Cicada with my boyfriend and we has an amazing night. the atmosphere/decor of the place was amazing. we had wine and dessert (tiramisu).

Had dinnner at Cicada with four friends....What an incredible place....The food and presentation were unbelieveable....The art deco interior has been in so many movies, I felt I was in the 50's......The waiters were very attentive and professional.....I would recommend this to anyone......

gorgeous space, elegance to spare, food just okay drinks are a good choice now that there are so many other choices for dinner downtown

Celebration for my birthday selected this marvelous place after reviewing their web site. Set in the 1928 Art Deco Oviatt Building, greeted with Valet parking and the sight of most folks dressed exceptionally well, some even in period dress. Fantastic band lead by Richard Halpern, sang and played music from the era, exceptional service, cocktails from the era and delicious menu selection. For far too short a time we enjoyed a bygone time of style and class. Thanks to everyone from Chris & Wendy.

Came here with a group of 20 or so Colleagues. Despite having a lofty request to have separate checks for this many people they warmly obliged. The food was excellent and there were a lot of interesting choices. Definitely a classy place, I could see why people would want to get married here. Unfortunately the area isn't the nicest, but I suppose that is typical for large down-towns. The only complaint was that our server took a long time to get our bills (and yes I realize separate bills for 20 people is difficult but it took over an hr and she made several errors). I felt bad for her but she should have been more organized... after several delays and errors (we were there nearly 3 hrs total) she still put in an automatic gratuity of 20%. While I realize this is the custom for large groups I don't think it was deserved (and it ticked off a lot of my people). I would have tipped still but maybe not as much. The worst part was she didn't really apologize, she just made me feel guilty about having that large a group. Maybe Cicada shouldn't agree to do large groups if their staff can't handle it.

Came here for our anniversary dinner. The dining room is impressive, with two floors and a very open, grand feel. It felt like we were transported back to a simpler time, when fine dining was attended to in suits and there was always live entertainment. Surprisingly to us, the dining room was almost empty, with only a handful of tables being served at 8pm on a saturday evening. Was it just a slow night? Maybe, but by the end of our meal a few more tables had filled, but it was nowhere near what I'd call busy. The scenery was romantic, but with the lack of enough ambient noise in the room, it almost felt a bit awkward. The food was good - no complaints there. Pretty standard fare, and nothing extraordinary, but executed well with good flavor and presentation. I had the rack of lamb, which was a little bit heavy on the mustard sauce, but prepared perfectly aside from that. My wife had the Bolognese which was very good. As an "old-school" type place, they had the typical expected desserts, a chocolate lava cake, which was good and still warm and gooey inside. The surprising downside of the evening was the service. The waiter had to go back and ask the kitchen what Bresaola was (I wasn't sure, and just wanted to confirm, but a waiter should know his menu, right?), and when we ordered champagne, he was not aware of the names of the bottles they had on the menu. We ordered a bottle of the Veuve Clicquot, which I feel is pretty common, but he gave me a puzzled look until I physically pointed to the number of the item on the menu. Was it my pronunciation? Perhaps - but I did take 5 years of french, so I can't imagine it was THAT off. In any case, overall the experience was ok - the food was good, but the restaurant felt dated. Nothing stuck out in our minds and we probably won't return, but nice to have tried it and seen the space. Definitely a special occasion and typical "fine-dining" type restaurant.

My husband and I have been to Cicada many times over the last few years. Its a fabulous experience every time! The food is delicious! The service is always friendly and good. Its a beautiful space that is gorgeous and feels glamorous. Our favorite part is the outstanding bands that have made the evenings magical. We aren't good dancers so we fake it and always have a great time! Dancing arm in arm to classic Frank Sinatra or swing hits, what's better than that?

If you are enthralled with a genuine Art Deco vintage setting, this is the place. The food is above average - not stellar - but, oh the experience of being there will thrill. This is a special occasion place and very romantic. Many celebrities rent out CICADA for events.

I was sooo excited to go to the Cicada Club! I love the concept of a 1940's supper club with live music...plus getting dressed up! Made reservations for dinner and got a fantastic seat on the 2nd floor with a perfect view of the band. Although I would have preferred a regular menu where you can order whatever you want, the dinner was pretty tasty. But more importantly the venue itself is spectacular!!!...the art deco design is gorgeous and was so cool that they had a doorman and an elevator operator...plus excellent service! You really felt like you were back in time! The music was fantastic and was so fun to see people dance! Great experience and can't wait to go again! Highly Recommend!!!!