A2 Rating Scale (out of 5):
The Nice Guy is one of those places that you knew was going to be good before the doors even opened for business last year. As an H.Wood. group endeavor, with the successful Bootsy Bellows, Hooray Henry’s and SHOREbar under its belt, the likelihood to disappoint was low. And fortunately for all of us, they delivered. Part restaurant, part bar, part lounge, part club; The Nice Guy truly feels like it has the best parts of each experience. One of our friends from out of town said “I have never seen this many good looking people in one room.” Between the many celebs frequenting this exclusive reservation-only spot, and all the extremely attractive people who you might confuse with someone famous, THE NICE GUY is just one of THOSE places. It’s typical in LA for places where the music, drinks, and ambiance are so top-notch, that the food usually takes a back seat. But with Chef John-Carlos Kuramoto behind the scenes and a menu curated by one of the owners who also happens to be a Le Cordon Bleu grad, that’s definitely not an issue here.
INSIDER’S TIP: There’s a photo booth hidden behind the curtains on the way to the bathroom. Trust us you DON’T want to miss it. You know the ones that have some sort of magical camera that makes your skin look flawless and you look 10 pounds skinnier? Well this is that and while we don’t quite understand it, we doubt they’re getting any complaints. We’re happily willing to give this magic machine our $5…over and over again. It’s also big enough to pile in a lot of people so you don’t have 5 cut-off heads in each frame, but private enough so you can sneak away with your crush of the night and get that shot that should definitely only have two people in it.
The good thing about The Nice Guy is it’s a one-stop shop for your night. Get there around 8/8:30PM for dinner (make sure to call well in advance for a res), enjoy the live-music, and then seamlessly transition your night into drinks and dancing around 10/10:30PM at which point the place will no doubt be packed. If you’re looking to plan a large group gathering, mentally prepare yourself to spend a pretty penny. While well worth it for us (I mean, you can’t cut corners when you’re launching this kind of party), if you’re on a budget, you might want to consider other options. Once you’re in, you can’t help but order just one more $15 cocktail and make one last trip to the photo booth.
To sum up the night: EPIC. We truly felt the love and the best part of all was that everyone had a great time. Between our group of beautiful and amazing friends and family, the cool 70’s/80’s mafia vibe of the space, the good food and strong drinks, this was truly a night for the books and one we’ll be talking about forever. Enjoy the pics (and apologies if you’re already sick of them from social).
What We Ordered For Our Guests:
(Please note: when ordering the food, we kept it basic and easily shareable. There are so many other items that we can’t wait to try on the menu that are better suited for sit-down dinners.)
Pizza ($17-21) – we ordered a few margherita and pepperoni (gotta get some basics for the non-adventurous eaters out there) as well as some mushroom (with fontina and thyme) and fig (with caramelized onions, gorgonzola, balsamic glaze, and thyme). The basics were just as standard as you’d want them to be, and the mushroom and fig were the perfect combination of uniqueness while still keeping true to their pizza roots. Note: these are about a personal size.
Truffle Fries ($10) – we can easily name 10 people who commented on how delicious these bad boys were. And they come in cool moscow mule cups. One friend even compared them to ‘angel wings’ (shoutout to Lauren A.), and although no one knows exactly what that means, we’d agree that they’re pretty heavenly and divine.
Fresh Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies ($6 for 3) – let us just start by saying that you know when the cookies are coming out because the smell hits you first. That sweet, fresh out of the oven smell that brings you back to your mom’s kitchen. And then you break off a piece of a warm, melted chocolate, gooey cookie, and it just melts in your mouth. And you need a moment.
Made to Order Donuts (w/ a Chocolate & Hazelnut Glaze – $12) – While the price for only 3 donut holes (yes the little ones) is pretty steep, you won’t want to skip these. That light, fluffy, sweet but not too sweet, donut hole. And 3 just isn’t enough. Oh and did we mention the glaze is served in a ramekin; so dip, dip away. No judgement here for using your finger or spoon to finish it all up.
Bonus: As of yesterday, The Nice Guy will be having “A Night of Music” on Sunday nights starting at 6PM. It seems only appropriate and a must to check out.
The Nice Guy ↔ Menu ↔ 401 N. La Cienega Blvd, LA, CA 90048 ↔ 310-360-9500
eat.drink.dish.repeat. 
Everything looks wonderful!! Sorry I had to miss it..:(
LikeLike