Kismet
Mediterranean restaurant · East Hollywood ·
Mediterranean restaurant with inventive vegetable-forward dishes
Mediterranean restaurant with inventive vegetable-forward dishes
"A paradise for vegetarians and an enduringly hip Los Feliz favorite, this Middle Eastern hotspot prioritizes seasonal vegetables and bright, never-heavy flavors while still delivering big impact in every dish. Standouts include cucumbers with rosewater labneh, oyster mushroom skewers (especially when paired with a creamy onion and cashew sauce), and a stunning Persian crispy rice (tahdig) often crowned with egg yolks that feels almost too good to share. The menu also features irresistible chicken and pine nut pies wrapped in flaky phyllo that can inspire a bit of selfishness when they hit the table. Even familiar ingredients manage to surprise, and the charming staff is as cool and refreshing as those cucumbers with rosewater labneh, helping this spot hit the mark as a quintessential neighborhood restaurant." - Nancy DePalma
"Bright, airy, colorful, and vegetable‑heavy most of the year, this restaurant morphs into Kismet Steakhouse for the second winter in a row, donning white tablecloths and red roses through February and swapping out dishes like stone fruit with lemon balm and turmeric‑whey vinaigrette for New York strip steak, creamed spinach, and French onion dip; even in its alter ego it remains a “vegetable loving” restaurant, with much of the steakhouse menu vegetarian—including a center‑cut cabbage “steak”—so regulars and classic steakhouse seekers both feel at home." - Bettina Makalintal
"While running the locally loved Kismet Steakhouse residency this December, this Los Feliz restaurant will also have Hanukkah specials available during the holiday week: expect crispy, golden latkes (with the luxe option to add caviar to the plate), a holiday brisket special, and a matzo ball soup starter from December 14 through December 21 or while the supply lasts." - Eater Staff
"If your crew feels like having an Eastside night, Kismet is a good place to be right now. Will you probably see someone wearing a flower crown? Yes. Will you be so focused on their delicious Israeli/Mediterranean food to actually care? Also, yes. Everything here is pretty vegetable-oriented, which is ideal because Kelsey just had her third glass of wine and wants to go dancing. Luckily, Kismet’s Los Feliz location puts it in close proximity to plenty of good bars." - jess basser sanders, amy clark, brant cox
"This enduringly hip Los Feliz favorite is best experienced with friends, but we can’t help feeling a tiny bit selfish when the chicken and pine nut pies wrapped in flaky phyllo arrive or when oyster mushroom skewers with a creamy onion and cashew sauce land on the table. And the Persian crispy rice with egg yolks? Do we have to share this one too? Such is the enduring charm of this Middle Eastern hotspot that prioritizes seasonal vegetables and bright flavors. Nothing feels heavy, ever, and even the most familiar of ingredients can surprise. The staff is equally charming, as cool as the cucumbers with rosewater labneh. Truly, in that eternal quest to find the quintessential neighborhood restaurant, Kismet meets the mark with flying colors." - Michelin Inspector