Second City Bistro

We held our division holiday luncheon there. They provided us with a modified menu that had excellent selections. Everyone was excited about the food. I originally ordered the burger but later that evening order the salmon dinner for take out and it was super delicious!

This place is easy to find and there is a free public parking lot across the street if you cannot find a parking on the street in front of the restaurant. I wasn’t sure what to expect before I went in, but when I walked in, the décor looked nice.
They have a big menu even for lunch so a lot of choices for you to choose from. I ordered a seafood gumbo and a lot of people in my group ordered from lunch combo menu either grilled cheese with tomato soup or soup and salad. Foods were served fairly fast. I liked my seafood gumbo which I didn’t have too much expectation but it was a lot better than what I imagined. However, it didn’t stand out to me as something I would go back just to have the gumbo again. Rest of my group seemed to be happy with that they ordered also.
It was little slow the time I went but even though we were a pretty big group to be there (around 12 of us), they offered to do individual checks for us to make it easier for us to pay. Since there were a lot of us, they added tip automatically, but I appreciate it when restaurants do individual checks.
The only complaint I have would be that the waiter was not attentive and didn’t really come around enough. I got a glass of water when I was seated but I couldn’t get to ask for more water since he didn’t come back until time to pay. However, they seem to have good selections and I would probably go back if I am around to try different things on their menu.

Amazing place. We came for the Monday night wine special and it was worth every penny (and some). Phenomenal wine selection, the mussels were huge, my husband dined on baby back ribs and I had the short rib. Everything with heavenly topped with superb service. We will 100% be back!

Nice little resturuant in the heart of EL Segundo. I had the opportunity to try their chicken salad with strawberry dressing. Wow such a great treat. I love thus place from the food to the décor. I will come next time for cocktails since I was with Co workers

We held our company holiday party here and it was fantastic! Marcela, the manager, helped us out tremendously with planning and getting everything just right for our party.
This venue is exceptional. They put up Christmas décor and lighting which makes the restaurant beautiful and warm.
The live band (forgot their name) that Marcela suggested was perfect! They played great tunes and the singer was awesome.
Our dinner was delicious and very satisfying. Our menu had several entrée options and everyone loved what they ordered. The servers were attentive and friendly.
Everyone was complimenting on how nice the party was and what a great time they had. I’ll be back for sure. Thanks!

Came here with a friend on a whim and with no expectations after being driving around Downtown El Segundo with no plans. I can see some people’s points about Second City Bistro, but overall I was pleasantly surprised and liked it.
Price — Yes, it can be a bit over-​priced. Overall I paid about $ 50 for 2 drinks and food.
Strawberry Caiprioska — This drink was so delicious, sweet and fruity from the strawberry. I could barely taste the alcohol (which I wanted). The waitress was super nice, and thought I didn’t like it at first because I was drinking it a bit slow, but I assured her I definitely liked it and ordered a 2^nd one.
Shrimp Fettuccine — The noodles were a bit too al dente for my tastes, but I still liked it overall. The ingredients were fresh, and the sauce wasn’t too heavy or creamy, just perfect.
Service — It can get a bit packed and busy but overall the staff were nice.
Décor — I really liked the atmosphere and décor of the place. They have a cute bar with lights strung, and a live band on friday nights. Also some of the waiters were very good looking: P The crowd is definitely a bit older (my friend and I were probably the only 20-​somethings there). But I can see why this place would be a good place to get a couple bites and drink some really good wine. I would come back again.

This place is awesome! Staff is super friendly (especially Dustin) and the food is amazing!!! Highly recommend this place for some great food, not too noisy, and catch some football!

Living in el Segundo for over a decade, this is our go to spot for last minute dinner plans. The food is perfection and we love the servers and atmosphere. Sitting on the patio with a glass of wine in the afternoon gives you the feeling of being in Europe. Delightful and casual. Laid back and classy. Tomato bisque soup, tenderloin pastries and the Brie are great starters. Full bar and good wine list. Open kitchen is part of the charm. Enjoy!

This is a cute place with lots of potential. We experienced good service and enjoyed the quiet, relaxed atmosphere. However, the food was not worth the money. We will not be going back.
I’m surprised by some of the reviews that talked about under-​seasoned food. We experienced the opposite, all over-​salted.
We started with the cheeseboard which was nothing exciting. I could go to Trader Joe’s and pick up the same meats, cheeses and olives, and probably better crackers. At least serve with something you make in house, paired with something original?
I then had the Kale salad. It was fine. Nothing spectacular, but fine. Pretty under-​impressed for $ 11. For main courses we had the curry mussels and the braised short rib. Both the mussels and the short rib were way too salty – almost to the point I didn’t want to eat.
We did enjoy the wine list and both found wines by the glass that were quite good.

It was decent. I can’t really provide an insightful review because there isn’t much I can talk about.
I went there for lunch with co-​workers during the dine-​LA promotion and was disappointed with the Philly cheese steak. The meal looked great, but it tasted bland. It was average at best. What really ruined the experience and taste was how badly the cheese steak was organized. I’m not saying that it wasn’t made well because it was. I could clearly tell that the chef put effort into making it, but I think they were too concerned with making it seem fancy or appetizing that they actually forgot to make it appetizing. First of all, no one wants to eat a Philly cheese steak with a knife and fork, but I had to because it was too messy to eat otherwise – impossible to hold without the sandwich spilling its guts out. Second, the chef added way too many vegetables (mushrooms and onions) and they completely overpowered the taste of the filet mignon. I thought I was eating a vegetable and cheese sandwich. I was sad.
Aside from the food, the restaurant itself is nice. The interior design is what’s giving the Second City Bistro a three-​star review. It’s pretty beautiful during the day, but I bet it’s even more beautiful at night. The service was mediocre; I could tell and feel that the waitresses didn’t care about us. They made no effort to make conversation – it was a simple «thank you for you money» transaction. I don’t really care much for conversing with servers, but a little more effort on their end would have been nice. At least try to smile and make eye contact.
Overall, it was a nice restaurant to go and have fun with co-​workers. The food was nothing special. Honestly, given the correlation between price and taste, I would have gladly settled for fast food instead.
Verdict: Try it. It might not be your cup of tea if you’re looking for something exciting.

Came here to celebrate one of my biffle’s birthday!
There’s lots of parking nearby as far as structures, lots, and street metered parking. and luckily my bf and I found parking right in front! Meters aren’t counted after 6pm: D.
It’s a cute little place.dim.but cute. They had them classic rock jams playing throughout the night which I appreciated.
Maybe it was just me, but this restaurant seemed to be strictly for older couples. We were the youngest people there, and everyone else was in their 50’s+. Not to mention hat the couple sitting across from me. the guy could NOT keep his mouth of his date. which was really disturbing to see.
Anyway! We got bread upon request. and it wasn’t the tastiest bread and butter in the world. Tasted stale and a little off. But.hey.it’s free lol.
I ordered the: GRILLED CAESAR SALAD
HEART OF ROMAINE|PARMESAN
CROUTONS|CREAMY CAESAR DRESSING 10.45
–Added chicken for extra and it was okay. The romaine lettuce were in really big sizes, so it was kind of hard to eat without the dressing getting all over your cheek lol. They were super cheap on the croutons. I only had like 5. and the dressing was overly rich. I was expecting a bigger dish, so kind of a let down.
Bf ordered the:
FETTUCINI ALFREDO
ROASTED TOMATOES|BUTTON MUSHROOMS
SPINACH|CREAMY ALFREDO SAUCE 12.95
–Also added some chicken, and if you like watery fettucini, then you’ll love this! The flavors weren’t BAD, but it wasn’t the prettiest to look at. Also, he had a very small amount of chicken added.
Everyone else seemed to like their dish nonetheless.

Great family friendly joint to enjoy a wide selection of food and drink. Service is friendly but our order wasn’t served in the right sequence (eg bread with entrée not before; forgot our appetizer).

Been here twice for dinner with friends. The ambiance is great. I like the feel and look of this place. Definitely one of the cuter and also pricier places in el Segundo. It never feels super crowded for dinner and you can have a nice conversation with your friends without having to shout.
The food is ok. We tried the calamari starter. And I chose the halibut special as my entrée. It came with a nice risotto. I enjoyed it.
My friends ordered the full rack of ribs, the salmon and the kale salad. No complaints. The portion of the ribs was huge, so both gentlemen boxed it up.
Sadly our starter and bread with butter didn’t arrive until just before our entrees arrived. We had asked about it twice in advance because we were getting quite hungry. The waiter apologized and took it off the bill which I really appreciated.
Overall this place has great potential. There is a slight mismatch in pricing, food presentation and service level.

Immediately upon arriving we were greeted by a friendly hostess with a smile, who sat us with menus. Within seconds the server took our order and shortly after delivered our drinks. I got the Strawberry Fizz which is delicious!!! We ordered Brie and I’m confident it’s going to be delicious as well!
Great atmosphere and classic oldies playing («sugar pie honey bunch» playing now).
I’m giving this place a 5 star rating because so far so great– we ended up in here after leaving the purple dump next door.
A great decision.
The baked Brie is soooo good!!!
My new favorite place. Will come here for lunch soon!

My coworker and I decided to eat here as a challenge to «try a new downtown El Segundo restaurant» since our colleagues like to eat at the same 4 places all the time. We came well after the lunch rush so we were the only ones dining.
I loved that we could dine al fresco and do some people watching. Our server was quick, attentive, and made some good recommendations. Despite being hangry, we decided to eat light — I got the crab cake appetizer and she got the caprese salad and we both added on a cup of french onion soup and split an order of fries.
The french onion soup was spot on. It was exactly what I needed for a late lunch. The crab cakes were crisp on the outside and soft inside. I thought the crab cakes were just okay, but I also have high expectations as I hail from the land of Maryland blue crabs.
I’d come here again because all of their dishes sound really good. Looking forward to trying more! Also pretty cool that they have live music every other Friday night!

Haiku Review:
Great service, good food
Curry mussels to die for
But overpriced

What I loved about this place is the live music.
I’ve eaten here several times and the food is ok.
— Tomato Bisque was no bueno
— Blackened Tilapia was sub par.
I’d recommend: Grab a drink while there’s live music

The atmosphere here was upscale modern but not overly formal. Like most the patrons, my party was in work clothes (skirts, slacks, dress shirts)… But it did not appear to be required. We were able to sit and finish work without feeling rushed.
Onto the food. We had a variety of food from fish yo risotto to steak salads. Presentation of everything was beautiful. Portion were average. I did not walk away hungry nor stuffed. The flavors were good, clean, and balanced. The mild potatoes and spinach beneath my fish (beramundi)(sp??) Were balanced by the vibrant Thai curry sauce. The flakiness of the fish contrasted well with the crispness of the broiled top of the fish. Dessert was tiramisi (which I hate coffee so I cannot attest to flavor but texture was light and fluffy) and a dark chocolate crème brûlée (very rich. I suggest sharing).

I really enjoyed this meal and the location! Beautiful outdoor patio with heat lamps and high tables.
They do have TV on either side of the patio and inside as well for all those wanting to catch a game or two or three. :) You also get a great view of all the drunk people coming out from the bar next door. (At least they all got cabs!)
Now the food:
— The shrimp appetizer was ok. Nothing exciting or memorable. decent enough dish.
— The Calamari salad was refreshing, light, savory, and downright delicious! I would get this again.
— The steak was great! The flavor was nice and clean and meaty! Nothing crazy with the potatoes and Brussels sprouts which worked well with the beef and distract.
— They have a lovely selection of wines and beers. So great! I really enjoyed my glass of Flora Springs Merlot. Great recommendation from our server!
Service was wonderful! Collin was amazing. He has fabulous recommendations and was great at helping us pair our foods and wines.
Parking is great there is a small lot you can park at across the street, and street parking is available too.
I’d be back for sure!

Came here for lunch with a girlfriend during last month’s DineLA week. This little restaurant is Gorgeous! Had a great elegant ambiance; good for couples or for a small intimate party. We were able to find street parking on Grand Ave but had to circle around a bit.
We had reservations and was seated right away. We overheard the waitress telling the group beside us that the restaurant decided to offer their most popular dishes during DineLA week.
My friend and I both started with the Caprese appetizer (mozzarella, tomato, basil, and aged balsamic vinegar). Delicious –can’t go wrong with this one.
For our main dish, my friend ordered the Bistro Burger, which came with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, caramelized onion, garlic aioli and a side of fries. My friend thought it was a little bland. I enjoyed it more. She ordered it medium, but it came out a little more bloodier than she wanted. The fries could’ve used more seasoning.
I had the Linguine with shrimps, artichokes, roasted red peppers, spinach, feta, roasted tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, olive oil, and white wine. It was just okay, a bit tart from the artichokes. I thought the shrimps were undercooked as it was still a bit translucent but I didn’t want to seem like a food snob and paid for it later that day and evening. =(
I’m a dessert freak so I had to order the chocolate crème brûlée for an additional $ 5. It was sooo worth it! The highlight of my visit here!!! Perfectly fired up sugar topping which I delightfully broke into to reveal a nice creamy, chocolaty pudding! Yum!!!
Service could’ve been better. It took awhile for our food to come out and our drinks to get refilled… only once. They did seem quite busy. I’d like to come back to check out their Monday night wine tasting they offer for $ 10/​person. They seem to have an extensive collection of wines and I really did love the ambiance this restaurant offered!