Nic’s Beverly Hills

My wife two friends and I recently went to Nic’s for
happy hour. We enjoyed the food but did not enjoy the piped in music that was being played a few decibels below the threshold of pain. Normal conversation was impossible. I brought the music issue to the attention of one of the young women at the check-​in stand. She gave me more attitude than assistance. Although it is against the law in Beverly Hills, Nic’s allows cigar smoking in the patio eating space on the side walk in front of the restaurant. This not only stinks up the outside dining area, but the cigar smoke gets into the bar which then smells like a burning dung heap. We will not be returning to Nic’s any time in the near future.

Hands down the food is amazing! Wanted to compliment the chef but he wasn’t there, the sous chef cooked this amazing cuisine! Alejandro our server was on it! Loved his great personality and suggestions. I think the VOD Box is overrated but cool for newbees. A must try is their jalapeño and raspberry martini! Way yum! The salsa live music was amazing too! Must try

I have to confess: Beverly Hills is so boring for the night scene and it’s probably because there aren’t a lot of options, and so if you are a local, you come here (unfortunately) to try to snag a relatively convenient and quiet place to eat and hangout with friends. That said, if your friends are coming into town from NY, London, or the OC, don’t ever take them here! (Yawn!) You gotta represent. I used to dread the sound of Nic’s when my friends would want to come here but lately, I’ve made peace with it because of its convenience and relative casualness. (Aren’t I so grown up and tolerant now?) The food is mediocre, but hey, it’s a local place to drink and visit in the middle of the week without driving far. If you are out of town, you aren’t missing much. If you are a local, you already know what I mean, amiright?

It’s not all about the cocktails after all. Often Nic’s bar is noisy and wall to wall people. Unless that’s your thing, head to the dining room. The drink menu is the same, but you get food! And it’s great. Overpriced, but great. The pear salad is as delicious as it is beautiful, and the $ 33 hamburger is… well, a hamburger. Quite good, but not worth $ 33. SO, cocktails: 5, food 3 due to overpricing, overall rating: 4.

Drinks: yes!
Food: hit and miss
Service: not good
Our table tried a few of the cocktails, and they were delicious. We ordered a number of plates to share amongst three of us, so that we could try a lot of things. It’s frustrating that they give you a menu that shows which items are included in happy hour pricing. It makes you feel like you are overpaying for everything you order that you could get for much less if it’s during happy hour. I would recommend that they change this, as we did not feel like we were getting good value for our money.
We really liked the Nic’s oysters, the gnocchi and the grilled octopus. Sexy bites were fine and deviled eggs had zero flavor.
Our huge struggle was trying to get our server to pay attention to us, despite there only being two other occupied tables. It was a challenge to get more drinks, food, and he even forgot to put in one of our dishes and it finally arrived about 30 minutes after the previous dishes (after we asked). So frustrating. We actually asked a bus person if there was a manager on duty, but no one available, as we like to try to remedy the situation while we are there.
It’s a gorgeous restaurant, kind of divided between a lounge area with loud music and a more formal dining room. If you go, I would suggest happy hour and sitting at the bar to get better service and value for your money.

One of my fav place to go for happy hour! Happy hour from 4−7pm — $ 7 martini of the week, wine, and appetizers — my favorite is nic’s oysters (bakes with garlic, spinach, and walnuts). Also hoisin marinated skirt steak (on skewers and with kimchi is also delish (meat is so tender) and love the chimichurri sauce.
I’ve also came here for DineLA in the past. Had Nic’s Burger — very good.
Also Vodka Box is fun experience too.
Overall, great food and fun place to go.

Came last night for my Bff’s 50^th birthday celebration. I drove right by this place which is easy to do! Its hard to see from the street, unless you are really looking for it. Its a nice little spot, but pricey drinks. 15.00 for a pear martini. I am glad I have one drink before i came, LOL. They were pretty strong rinks though. They had a band playing salsa music, which i did not care for.
The vodka room looked fun, but was very busy to get in. We had a nice time. Potato skins, and chicken skewers were decent. Its a great place for a date, and nice little seating outside. I met some new friends too! If in the area I might come again.

Went to go see a band a Nic’s, their ad clearly stated no cover. We figured we would tolerate the tired décor and overpriced drinks to meet some friends. Got to the smoke filled entrance and the doorman barked $ 10 cover. I reminded him of the ad, barked again, Friday and Saturday nights are a $ 10 cover. Decided to pass.

Came here with a ladies night out with our mothers and this was the perfect spot! The ambience was lovely as well as the staff. Service was quit fast and the food was delicious. The décor was my absolute favorite! We were a party of 6 so we were seated in a booth and it felt like our own little cabana.
Three ladies ordered the Salmon plate which they loved.
I ordered the Brussels sprout salad and chicken skewers (deliciousss!)
We had one order of chicken which was very tender
And one order of the Nic’s burger which was very tasty.
Overall I had a great experience and I highly recommend.

Great place for a Happy Hour, I went there on a Friday night.
Place was busy (only because of the HH). DJ was spinning some great tunes.
Overall, great vibe.
I’m not cutting two stars, but I should…
Our server wasn’t the greatest, zero attention to details, our tables were filled with empty and dirty plates, glasses and so forth. I had to ask her to get someone to please clean it up.
Despite her service, we still like the place.

Nic’s is really just an awesome little martini bar. I was invited to a birthday party here and had a good time. The menu is not extensive but the items that they do serve are pretty tasty. Their french fries and shrimp cocktail were some of the faves amongst our group. Nic’s is pretty small and a lot of the tables are situated closely together. It was a Saturday night and they had a live band, which added a nice touch to the vibe of the restaurant. Being a martini bar, Nic’s has about ten different signature martinis… I probably tried four different flavors that night and they were all tasty!
The customer service was impeccable! We were a party of 15 and had a small issue with the table we were seated at. Mackenzie, the manager, was so accommodating. She brought out a round of free shots for EVERYONE before moving us to the outdoor patio, which is normally reserved for a small fee. The patio was also small, but perfect.
The vodka freezer is a cool thing to do, if you are into vodka. I am not into vodka so for me, it was only cool for pictures… There is a two shot minimum per person ($ 24)…They give you a cute little fur coat before going in… fun!
I had a really great time here and would recommend this place to couples, first daters, or girls looking for a great time!

Haven’t been here in a while but I wasn’t expecting to get disappointed.
We were out on Saturday night and we just wanted to be at a bar to drink and enjoy the good music, crowd, and the cheer.
We got at Nic’s and wanted to take a look inside to checkout the music and the crowd, but the doorman didn’t let us to take a look inside without paying the cover charge.
Anyway, we didn’t want to argue for a cover charge; so we paid and walked in.
Once we walked in, we all looked at each other’s surprisingly; Nic’s was dead for a Saturday night and the Jazz music was too shallow; nothing was appealing. We stayed 5 min and walked out.
The doorman could have let us in for a moment to see what’s going on inside then he would have asked us to pay for the cover charge but he didn’t. To me that was very unprofessional approach from a staff of a well known place in Beverly Hills.

Went in on a Wednesday night with my office team to celebrate a great first quarter and was given nothing but grief by this restaurant.
Completely empty, tons of tables and was asked for a reservation… then was told to wait while «they worked something out…» Which they never did.
All we got was grief and huffing from the hostess, I think her name was Cynthia? And a menacing look from waiter or whatever he was, Jorge.
Jorge needs to soften up that mug of his and watch how he talks to people.
Def won’t be giving this business any of our business. First time in a long time I have felt smugness in a BH restaurant.

Amazing service. great martinis. Their complementary olive bread was something I’d pay good money for. I had the duck, it was yum. All around a great experience

Everything about this restaurant is top notch. The drinks are my favorite. Jordis is the BEST. This is a perfect date spot or girls/​boys night out. It’s classy, chiq and trendy. Preserve the Leopard is the best drink I’ve had in a while!

Came here for the happy hour right before my flight back home. Man was I pleasantly surprised.
The food was so delicious and the drinks were excellently mixed. Me and my group of four wasn’t really hungry, and really just wanted to try their specialty cocktails. Of course after getting the menu, we decided to try something. So we ordered two appetizers; the lamb meatballs and the steak skewers. Delicious. Nothing but glowing reviews from my group and I, just wish we had the time to eat more.
Of course we couldn’t come with out at least checking out the vodka freezer. We didn’t want the tour, which included different prices ($ 11 – 33) based on what vodka you were to try. Luckily, it was crowded and our waitress, Morgan, an inspiring musician let us in to take pictures which was just fine for our group.
If you ever in the area, make sure you go. Bring your check book, but it’s well worth it.

The day before Valentine’s Day my wife brought me here for the vodbox but we ended up coming early to have dinner without reservations and they took us in right away and all of the staff was so sweet great customer service! The vodbox was pretty cool as well taking shots in it is definitely an experience

This review is specifically meant for the VodBox only!
We had a reservations at 9:15pm and we were not able to get into the Vodbox until almost 9:50 ! That is well over a few minutes of waiting time that the hostess and the Vodbox girls kept telling us. It got to a point where i was literally staring at the box wondering what is going on?
I saw the Russian Vodbox girl and some random fella just chat chitting for an extra 10 minutes — not sure what they were flirting about but I felt it was incredibly rude to keep another party waiting especially when you already know the party before was running longer than maybe usual?
Overall, the Vodbox is def. a novelty and is seriously not worth the time to go personally go. The shots poured were half a shot and the extra baby shot they serve us for keeping us waiting might as well been left over shots from the party before! $ 21 dollars for the package deal and a must 2 drink min is literally a scam to make more money! I def. will not be coming back nor do i suggest anyone to ever come!
Waste of time, and energy and Money!

Nic’s Martini Lounge on Canon Drive in Beverly Hills is a must if you want to have a memorable, fun time. Their martinis are always great. When we have a few too many, somehow we end up in the walk-​in Vodka Ice Box where they serve you even more vodka. It’s fun to put on the coats and hats (that they provide) and go inside and take some photos and have some fun. But remember, careful, it’s a slippery slope when you start drinking and get carried away with fun…
Oh yes, the food is also very good at Nic’s!

Totally did not realize I’ve been here before! Came once awhile ago to try their ice/​vodka box, and I had such a great experience! The employee was very knowledgable and friendly, and we learned so much during that trip.
This time around, we came back to have some drinks and listen to the live music. There is a $ 10 cover fee, and they had mostly vodka cocktails available. Music was great and we had a fun time, but the drinks were a little on the sweet side. 4 stars based on my first experience– so glad I came back its been so long!

I haven’t seen Nic around for a while, and I’ve been there like 20 times, as my check ins will confirm. Last time I was there was when my husband and I were Christmas shopping a little over a week ago, and I had the special spiced pear martini. He had the Nic’s martini with Belluga vodka, and we shared the lamb meatballs. It isn’t Nic’s without Nic, so one less star.

I came here for Happy Hour to get the «Happy Hour Martini.» Not bad! It was pretty cheap too! The place is snazzy with friendly staff. There’s plenty of options for HH food items. Happy Hour ends at 7pm! I read that it’s also all night on Mondays. Since I was limited on time, I only had one drink; I can’t wait to come back here again to try the food.

I am a martini fan. I’ve hadn’t been to Nic’s before last night and was happy to be happy at happy hour !! Popped in for an hour before an event nearby…
$ 7 for a delish orange infused vodka drink on HH. It was better than a creamsicle. And so I had two. My date enjoyed his pinot noir, also 7. Didn’t end up with a martini this time around.
I did not order any food so this review is only about the vibe, service, drinks…
Bartender– very friendly and professional
I noticed that a server tried every single drink that went out. Nothing wrong with double checking. I like that.
Barstools– no backs! Boo. But pretty comfortable. I could hang for a bit without bitching. The bar filled up super fast so if you’re going for happy hour, don’t delay. By 6:20, bar was FULL. There are cocktail tables near the bar which looked comfortable.
I peaked around the corner to check out the rest of the restaurant. Very nice. Loved the tasteful, chic Christmas decorations. I was very comfortable here. Classy without being stuffy. I’d love to order food here next time. I’ll update review when that fine day comes.

AMBIANCE: I came on a weekend after dinner at the Bazaar by José Andres and I had a reservation for the vodka box. Although we were 15 minutes early for our reservation time, we still had to wait 30 minutes before we could go in. We waited at the overcrowded bar (you couldn’t even find a place to stand comfortably without someone breathing on you). The live music was very loud, and was hip, everyone seemed to enjoy it. Finally 30 minutes passed and we entered the vodka box. We were given a choice of fur coats and hats before beginning our experience in the freezer. Once in the obviously cold room, we selected a multitude of vodkas to taste. Each one was briefly explained by the waitress before we drank it. This was the most enjoyable experience of my visit so I’m bumping my review up to 3 stars.
FOOD: Once we finished our tasting, we paid for it and asked to be seated in the restaurant so we can enjoy some appetizers. We ordered more drinks from the cocktail menu (nothing extremely memorable) and a few appetizers such as the smoked salmon (not good). We didn’t order much since we had just eaten dinner but the bill was quite pricey, considering we had already paid for the vodka tasting earlier. The food and drinks were Meh…
I would only return for the vodka box experience.

So, i came here on a Thursday night based on the reviews on Unilocal.I liked the setting and lighting was OK.
It was pretty empty, probably 15 – 20 people. I have been in similar places on Thursday night and it is usually busier than this place.
I didn’t like the hostess since they had no idea where to sit us (2 people).
They had a DJ which was not bad.
It might have been a better experience if i would have come on a weekend night, perhaps.
I ordered their «Nic’s martini» which there was nothing special about it! In fact, they left and ice piece in it!!!
I didnt order food, no reviews there.

This is my Monday night hang!
Best all night happy hour ever!
Most of the bar menu is $ 7.00 and each monday… ONE special martini is $ 7.00
Food, atmosphere and the staff FOUR ACES!

Really amazing happy hour deals (all night on Monday) and the martinis are varied and well-​crafted. It wasn’t crowded at all on a Monday night, and the service was super pleasant (even though I was not at all dressed up, having just come from work). The interior is artsy and swanky. All in all a creative and fun spot — just make sure you take advantage of happy hour!

Came here for Dine LA with my husband and we really enjoyed it. Even though it was a Thursday it was actually very packed. It seems that a lot of people come here for the bar more than anything. The bar area is a bit small but people hang out around that area. The restaurant is not modern and seems like an older, older crowd come here to eat.
I ordered the lamb shank and it was delicious. Very soft and tender. Customer service was average (not the best and certainly not bad).

One of the best places I’ve ever found on Unilocal!Was in town for the week and wanted to try something that had great happy hour specials. Nic’s Beverly Hills certainly delivered on this.
We went on Monday, early evening. Just so happens, that Monday’s is half off on a lot of their menu items. My wife and I ordered: Lobster Beignets, Oysters on a half shell, Steak skewers, Grilled Cumin chicken skewers, Prommes Frites, Grilled Lamb Pizza.
Lobster Beignets was Amazing!!! Oysters on a half shell were very good if you like oysters, I’m not a fan of any oysters. However my wife is a huge fan and thought these was great! Steak skewers were ok. Grilled Cumin chicken skewers with apricots, again the skewers was just ok at best. Nothing particularly special about them. Prommes Frites were ok, the dipping sauce that came with them was pretty good. Grilled Lamb Pizza, AMAZING!!! If I were to recommend anything, I would say this is the item you should get!
We also tried a couple of their drink specials, pretty good. Sorry, I can’t remember the names of them. My wife did like that they made non-​alcoholic versions, which was nice.
The service was great. Our server was very informative and knew all the drink specials and menu items. He was able to answer all our questions and provided great recommendations for us!
The price was great since all of our items was half off. Monday’s is half off day! Or at least it was that Monday when we wen there.
The atmosphere was amazing! The setting is vey nice, very business casual. No live band, which I didn’t mind at all. I wanted to talk to my wife and sometimes having live music or too loud music overpowers the whole vibe.
The location was great, the parking was decent. We used the restaurants valet services which is what you expect in that area. Was reasonably priced.
Overall, we loved the place. Will definitely be going back again next time we are in that neck of the woods!

Nic’s is cool. Perhaps that’s because the narcissistic DJ was taking selfies with different tables. Or, perhaps that’s the vibe I got from the restaurant’s overall ambiance — chic lounge /​bar. But, really, it’s probably because the chilling vapors emanating from the so-​called Vodbox, a walk-​in refrigerated vodka tasting room, made me slip on my jacket.
I would definitely recommend coming during Happy Hour, as the prices of the regular entrée are outrageously high (though, admittedly, I haven’t seen the portion sizes.) $ 30+ for a burger seems insane. Happy Hour is 4−7PM every evening and Mondays all night long. While Monday might not seem like the most happening night to be out on the town, it nevertheless pays off to come then (and stay later). It’s $ 7 for the martini of the week, $ 7 for the wine du jour, and $ 7 for the «cocktaiing foods.» Most food items are about 50% off during happy hour. Given the size of each happy hour plate, you’d need to order at least 2 – 3 per person to be moderately satisfied. And, if you throw in 1 – 2 drinks, you’re probably looking at a bill totaling $ 30 – 40 before tax and tip. If I had a choice, I would probably spend that money elsewhere, particularly somewhere that has a better price to portion ratio.
Though I would never pay full price for items happy hour menu, I nonetheless enjoyed the good but small-​sized food. Disappointingly, there were only several items that catered to vegetarians. Nothing would have been appropriate for vegans. And, if you have food allergies like me, you’d have to modify some of the items to nix the cheese or nuts. Here is a rundown of what I managed to taste:
GRILLED SHRIMP COCKTAIL
Everyone liked the meaty pieces of shrimp (5 pieces) that had still had the taste of the grill, even the non-​shrimp lovers!
GRILLED OCTOPUS PANZANELLA
The group consensus was that the octopus, while delicious, would have tasted better without the cheese. When we ordered an additional serving of octopus, which allowed me to taste it, and I thought it was delicious — soft, tender, and perfectly seasoned. Nobody was really a fan of the croutons.
SEXY BITES
This was probably my favorite dish of the night, as I thought the flavors went well together. The ahi tuna, pickled ginger, and radish slaw are placed atop butter lettuce, making it like a mini-​taco. Sadly, this only came with 3 pieces.
POOLSIDE POMME FRITES
Generally, pretty good, but the size and quality of the fries varied from order to order. Our first order wasn’t overly hot when it arrived at our table. And, the fries themselves were thinner and saltier than I expected. Our second order of fries was much thicker and warmer, making them much more delicious.
HOISIN MARINATED GRILLED SKIRT STEAK
I didn’t have a chance to try the two minuscule pieces of kimchi that came with the steak, but the meat itself was tender delicious. The meat was served on skewers and was bathed in chimmichuri sauce that made everything a little too oily. The meat was slightly salty, presumably from the hoisin marinade.
Although the waiters were very friendly and helpful, service was nonetheless SLOW. Given the size of the happy hour plates, one wouldn’t expect food to take twenty minutes to be prepared. Nor would you think that one would have to ask three times for a shot of vodka. That aside, our waiter nicely comped us five shots of vodka so that we could all share in the birthday girl’s merriment.
Nic’s has valet parking, but you could probably find parking in a nearby garage, a meter, or on residential streets. Since this is Beverly Hills, you’re probably going to end up paying for parking.
Overall, I was glad that I had the opportunity to dine at NIc’s, but I’m not sure whether I would come here with an empty stomach. In that case, I’d probably head somewhere else, a place where my money will get me more food!

What a fun bar! Came here for happy hour with some coworkers a couple nights ago and we had a great time. Most of the appetizers were delicious — we had the poolside pomme frites (nice and spiced!), the zuchinni grilled pizzette (great if you love cheese), the bacon-​wrapped dates (AMAZING), and the chimichuri skirt steak (yum!). The only food I wouldn’t recommend is this little «jam in a shot glass» concoction that they brought us — tasted like a melted PB&J sandwich or pie filling without the crust… can’t really complain though since it was on the house!
If you like vodka, this is your place. The martini menu is extensive — I highly recommend the Eiffel Flower for those who like ginger/​Moscow Mules and Paul Up Against the Wall if you like grapefruit and want something a little sweeter.
Also, if you’re doing Nic’s with a big group you should definitely do the Vodbox. It’s just a really fun experience to get dressed up in leopard-​print coats and hats and do shots in a room that’s 28 degrees. Our hostess was funny and energetic and made sure we got the hookup — whatever kind of vodka you’re looking for, they have it! EVERYBODYYYY… SHOTS!
Overall a great happy hour location in Beverly Hills — I’m going to try to come back on a Friday night because I heard they have a live funk band and people get up and dance!

What’s not to love about this place. If you are a person who loves vodka you must try the frozen room. This place has one of the best happy hours in town. If you are coming here with friends or clients you will enjoy here. This place has the New York vibe that a lot of places miss in Los Angeles.
They have excellent appetizers and great food. I highly recommend the whole steamed artichoke or the oysters on the half Shel. Leave room for deserts. As they have the best three blueberry pecan and the Nic’s hot fudge sundae.
Hands down one of the coolest martini lounges on the west coast. You have street parking and private lot parking.

Great energy as soon as you walk through the door!
The bar area had live salsa music when I went on a Saturday night. Lots of beautiful people and lots of drinks flowing…
I had several glasses of scotch and they do NOT skimp on drinks… definitely a 2 thumbs up!
I was there for a coworker’s bday party so we had a little section right next to the VODBOX, which was great because it gets packed in there. Service was great all night and the waitstaff was very friendly.
If you reserve a spot for the VODBOX, they give you fur coats to wear and fur hats upon request. This room is filled with vodka from all over the world, and you get to try some of the best tasting vodka ever and learn some interesting facts about it as well.
My only issue and the reason why I give it 4 stars, is because of this mysterious $ 10 cover charge… for a bar… ummm…huh? Yea… and i swear he just put it in his back pocket. Hopefully it was a legit cover… or else I’m abouts ta gets crazyyyyy.
Most definitely coming back for some more booze and music… so CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!!!
TIP: Parking is conveniently located a little bit south from the venue at the public parking structure for $ 5…or you can look for street parking.