AOC Brentwood

The Matre D (or receptionist) at the front seemed kind of rude which was a surprise for what is is really a very fine restaurant with otherwise excellent service. I made a reservation here days in advance for Brunch to entertain a very senior government official from an important country in Asia. There are two indoor sections at AOC, a bar which is a fine place to hang out for casual drinks and meals, although louder, and a fancier section better suited to a more formal conversation. On the day I came the bar was crowded with people and the formal section practically empty, so I asked to get a table there and was told in a seemingly condescending way that it was completely reserved (never mind that I had also reserved). I then noticed my guest had already been seated in what must be the worst table in bar section, the small table next to the entrance that rocks back and forth. He also said he felt treated rudely, kind of like being evaluated by the doorman at a fancy club. Fortunately, when our wonderful waitress came and we complained about the rickety table she kindly moved us directly over to the more formal section of the restaurant, that supposedly was completely reserved. The meal and service was fine and our largely empty "fully reserved" more formal section continued to have many open tables for our entire meal. The Tavern was previously my favorite restaurant and to my taste AOC (and I have also been to the other AOC as well) isn't quite as good, but the owners are very talented and creative. There is one service that deserves 6 stars and that is that the parking lot in the back which was always full when I went to Tavern, now seems more or less dedicated to AOC, you can self park, and they don't even charge you! Now that is great. Brentwood is a nearly impossible place to park. Thank you.

They seem to be struggling. After the rebranding/identity crisis switchover from Tavern to AOC Brentwood, I was an optimistic diner, since while Tavern had gone from one of the best go-to restaurants on the West Side to a kind of sloppy, expensive, frustrating affair in just over a year, their sister spot AOC on 3rd St has faired much better. But now having come here several times for Brunch and Dinner since the conversion to AOC Brentwood, it's apparent that the rebranding fixed none of the underlying problems, which in my view are related mostly to service and menu design.

The service seems intended to feel light and informal but comes off as sloppy and flat-footed, bordering on Brentwood TGI Friday's in their lesser moments. An easy-going tone is welcome to me, the 80's are over and this is LA, but the vibe from the host stand to the servers to the bussers is solidly "hey man, it's just food", and this feels completely incongruous with the fact that it's an upscale luxury affair with high culinary ambitions, and that you're paying for it. Plates are plopped rather than set on the table, things get spilled, no one knows the specials, no one on staff remembers you even if you come here often, waiters disappear into a black hole, bussers remove the food while you're still trying to eat it, dishes are forgotten -- that sort of thing, all the classic blunders. Basically, it's not smooth, and it does not resemble fine dining. I found Tavern to have all of these same problems towards the end -- the site of the worst Valentine's Day dinner of our lives plus several other regrettable attempts at treating my wife and friends to a nice meal, for all of the same reasons. It's still possible to eat well here, but the service simply does not match, and no one's food is so good that I want to go and deal with that kind of a social experience. Anyone who frequented Tavern 6-7 years ago would be shocked by the way things are now. Whomever is doing the training here should rethink it.

The second problem is the menu design. The aim appears to be a stylish, minimalist, finely paired-down menu where the selection is tight because everything is perfect -- but it doesn't come across as minimalist, it comes across as empty, empty and little incoherent. The premise is lots of small plates plus a few larger entrees, meaning that you'll need to order 3-4 items per person to really get a meal going. That sounds like fun, except that the truncated menu selection feels uncomfortably tight, and the few dishes themselves are so all-over-the-place in terms of style that it's difficult if not impossible to make a coherent grouping of flavors come together for the table. It also ensures that if you are with a medium-to-large group, there are going to be a lot of repeat dishes on the table. As a result meals end up feeling like a schizophrenic ocean of fat and expense which end without much to remember. Many individual dishes are excellent, like their warm bacon-wrapped dates (classic), their Brunch carnitas hash, or their Spanish fried chicken, but when combined with the other dishes available the overall experience just feels like a very decadent potluck. Perhaps the chef is counting on an ocean of wine to smooth-out these rough edges, but personally I feel that's an unfortunate way to treat both wine and food. It also makes intelligent wine pairing next to impossible, you just have to lean into a big red that will endure everything -- but if that's already your thing, you'll be happy.

I write this as a person who still plans to come here on occasion, because in Brentwood there is surprisingly little competition and many of my friends and family rely on it as an easy local dining option. I also have great love for this space from the many stellar meals I've had here in the early Tavern days. I hope they can turn things around because there is still so much life and potential in the general concept! I would love to come here, experience smooth and gracious service, and treat my family to a meal to remember. Hopefully someday in the future I can do that again.

Awful awful awful. Avoid at all costs. The service was horrible. Everyone understands service will be a bit off due to staff shortages etc but this was beyond. Sat for 30 min before our order was taken. Another 35 before food came out. Food was ice cold when it did come and the food was gross. Order was also incorrect. Go to sizzler instead. Seriously.

First time at the Brentwood location. Sat on the sidewalk but the interior is beautiful as they inherited it from the previous establishment that was there and added their own touches. Food is delicious. Will be back!

We tried the brunch here and enjoyed it. We met friends here on our drive north on the 405.

There is a parking lot with free 90 minute validation which is a nice plus in Brentwood.

The interior is lovely--and the menu is varied with many interesting looking choices.

We ordered the eggs Benedict, avocado toast, turkey sandwich with cranberries and sweet potato fries and the Thai salad with roast beef.

The avocado toast was excellent and the Thai salad had a wonderful dressing with a strong lime note. Both would order these dishes again.

The eggs were very good and so was the sandwich.

We were too full for dessert.

I would definitely return when in the area.

Great food I went here for brunch with some friends visiting from out of town. We went here before the Getty and it was a nice time

Very stylish, very LA, and very popular with locals, celebrities, and tourists alike. Great, friendly, personable service. Simple and garden-y aesthetic, looks like there was an outdoor area converted to indoor.
Come here for brunch. Mimosas, avocado toast, eggs Benedict...you can't go wrong with any. I was a fan of my avocado toast, but my aunt liked her eggs Benedict.

Huge fan, and the people at the table next to us said that Reese Witherspoon had her rehearsal dinner or something here. Swarm (foursquare app) said to watch for celebrities.

I've had my heart set on trying the Tavern for years and finally had the chance to go recently. There's two sides to the restaurant, but the menu is exactly the same. In the front, it's more like a casual cafe where you pay and order upfront, then they bring the food to your table...whereas the back side is much more formal and includes full service.

Because it was our first time, we opted to dine on the latter side. To our surprise, the seating felt pretty cramped, as all of the couches are kind of jammed up against one another, so it actually doesn't feel very comfortable, nor private. I had the gourmet beef burger, which was extremely juicy, but rather small. Nonetheless, it was really tasty, well-seasoned and came served on a perfectly toasted brioche bun. It also came with all the right garnishes - fresh tomatoes, raw onions, crunchy pickled cucumbers, and lettuce. I really enjoyed the burger, as well as the herbed fries it came with, although I could have chosen onion rings instead of fries, but I'm glad I didn't because I don't like tempura battered onion rings (which theirs are).

Perhaps I built this place up too much in my mind, but I was overall a bit disappointed by the limited menu options. It seems like they mostly only offer salads, sandwiches and various burgers, plus a few other items. And of course, everything is pricey because it's Brentwood and this is a New American restaurant that celebrities go to (Reese Witherspoon was actually dining right next to us while we were here, plus I've heard Obama likes this place), but...I'm still not sure the food is up to par. I think a lot of it is just hype, but I'd still be interested in coming back to give it another try.

I've been here several times over the past few months for both lunch and dinner. Every time I'm here, all I can think of is how much I miss Tavern. I miss the Larder with its casual vibe and convenient grab-and-go options. I miss the greenhouse space with the airy ambiance and beautiful tree. I love A.O.C.'s WeHo location, but the Brentwood location just hasn't hit its stride. That said, the Ode to Zuni is a must, and the chocolate torta is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, the portion sizes are disappointingly small.

This restaurant is awesome. We ordered a number of things. Hangar steak, farmers veggies, and cauliflower. Service is on point, restaurant ambiance is perfect, and food is absolutely delicious. Love having AOC in Brentwood.