Red O

***ATTN: VISIBLE RAT IN RESTAURANT***
Let me explain…
A group of 4 of us went to the restaurant on Friday night and were seated inside the restaurant, but right next to the half glass that separates patio and restaurant. We ordered our food — food was really good. As we are eating, my husband says «Oh​.my…» and I ask what is going on? He says A RAT and points above the head of our friend sitting across the table. We immediately look up and on the wooden pole things, I see a rat tale going under the curtain. Of course, we kind of freak out and the waitress comes by and asks what is going on. We tell her we just saw a rat — mind you, there are tables directly next to us on the other side of the glass, so these people are kind of worried, too. After a few minutes, we kind of forget the fact that there is a rat and continue with our dinner.
A few minutes later, the rat runs across the glass divider RIGHT NEXT TO ME!!! I JUMPED out of my chair — accidentally flipping it over and go as far away from our table as possible. This is when half the restaurant is asking us what happened and all we can mutter is RAT RAT RAT!!! The people sitting on the other side of the glass divider were also very nervous. So while this is going on, there are a couple of waiters around us. No one seems the least bit concerned, and one waiter even had the gall to tell us «welcome to outdoor dining.» Um, sir, we are on Melrose… not the outback. And just to clear it up… we are NOT SITTING OUTSIDE. We are inside the restaurant and even if we were, I didn’t know a rat running across your restaurant was A-​OK! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
Once we calmed down, we sat back down and my husband and I switched seats. At this point, I was shaking. I don’t know about you, but little rodents are just not my cup of tea. The rest of the time all I could think was that this little rat was going to run under our table or something.
A waiter (same one who welcomed us to outdoor dining) came by our table again and asked if we would like to move tables — um, no. that’s not really going to help nor is it the point.
At the end of our very eventful meal, our waitress, who REALLY didn’t bother to check on us or see if we were OK after the whole rat incident, brought us our check and asked if we would like dessert or tequila shots. We thought, oh. maybe she is trying to help out the situation and comp us with something or WHATEVER, but we really didn’t feel like it and said no, thank you… she continued with… «OK, well if you decide you need some shots, we can add that to your bill.» HA HA hA!!! THAT was the funniest thing I have ever heard in my life. I mean. TRULY!!! You mean to tell me, a rat running across your restaurant is SUCH A NORMAL THING THAT HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS that you don’t even seem to care or think to DO SOMETHING!!! Absolutely hilarious. I wonder if they added a «rat show fee» too.
We actually left her a tip, because at the end of the day it wasn’t HER fault there was a rat, but looking back, we totally should NOT have because of her lack of care for her customers. The management should have come out to check on us. ANYTHING, ANYONE!!! I have never spent that much money on a meal and also gotten a RAT SHOW. I mean, seriously. this is OK for you, RED O?!
To everyone contemplating going here. DO NOT. The food is good, but it isn’t INCREDIBLE where you would have to put up with RATS just to taste it. Go somewhere else. ANYWHERE else. Just the fact that no one tried to fix the situation or even TRY to make us happy and enjoy our meal is not OK. oh. and the whole rat thing, yah, that’s not OK either.

I hate that I have to give this place two stars, but after reading this review, you might think it’s one star too many.
My wife and I went to Red O on Saturday night with our friends. It was double date night, we were excited, we were dressed to impress, and then we got a RAT show (with a dose of attitude)!
The night started off relatively smooth, with our waitress apologizing because they somehow ran out of menus. Okay, no big deal. We ordered some drinks, we ordered our appetizers, and we ordered our entrees. The food was very delicious (which is why I wanted to give 2 stars at least). As soon as our entrees arrived, maybe one or two bites in, my friend across the table looked above my head and said «Oh my God.» Umm… What do you see?! A RAT! There was a rat coming down the pillar next to our INDOOR table.
We tried to keep calm. The rat ended up crawling down onto the patio seating area. We thought it went away. Boy were we wrong… About 2 minutes later, my friend’s wife who was sitting across me saw the rat crawling right next to her! Thank God the rat was on the other side of the glass, or else this would be a much more critical review. She jumped up out of her chair and ran away from that disgusting rodent as fast as she could. Mind you, her chair fell down and the entire restaurant noticed. All of the GUESTS asked us what happened and if we were okay. Did our waitress ask us how we are? No. Not only did our waitress not even care or apologize for Red O’s rat problem — her colleague had the audacity to look at us and say, «Welcome to outdoor dining.» Are you kidding me, man? We were sitting INSIDE, not on the patio. And the fact that the rat decided to jump to the right (where the patio was) instead of the left (where we were) doesn’t make this any more justifiable. My wife said to this waiter that Red O should do something about the rat problem. Instead of apologizing or asking us if we are okay, he continues to ARGUE with my wife and says «C’mon, we’re right by the door.» This waiter clearly is not on the same wavelength as the rest of us if he thinks rats crawling around (while you’re enjoying a meal at a restaurant on MELROSE) is okay.
To make matters worse, not only did our waitress do absolutely NOTHING for us to make the night enjoyable again, she added insult to injury. She asked us if we wanted dessert, which we were not in the mood for after what we saw. Quite frankly, we had lost our appetites. Then she came back and asked us if we want some tequila shots. «Finally!» we thought to ourselves — she wants to get us some tequila shots to help make the memory of the rat fade away. Hah! Ya right. She handed us the check and said, «if you decide you want some tequila shots, just let me know and I’ll add it to the bill.» Thanks, waitress. That will be the last time we step foot at Red O. Save the tequila shots for you and your outdoor dining cohort. Most disrespectful and unaccommodating staff I have ever come across. Such a shame.

One of the best Happy Hours in Los Angeles. I had the Duck Taquitos, Corn and Goat Cheese Tamales, and guacamole. The food is amazing. The Margarita was delicious. My waiter was very friendly and helpful with the selections.
I had really wanted to sit in The Bar area. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful. However, all the tables and chairs in the bar area are high tops. Very uncomfortable if you are short like me. I wish they had some regular tables in the bar area.
So I ended up sitting out in the patio area. The patio on Melrose is very nice with a covered area looking onto the street. Very relaxing place to enjoy a margarita and Happy Hour on a summer evening.

Am I annoying you? It sure felt like I was… This is how I felt when asking the waitress for anything. She was not very attentive, friendly or knowledgable of the menu. Our busboys were more on top of bringing us chips, salsa and water. Salsa tasted like Pace Picante.
Now, when there’s a party of 15 hungry people it’s important to stay on top of these little starters.
Most all of our favorite menu items were no longer available. No cochinita pibil, no salsa verde, no salsa roja, just the salsa that tasted like it came from a jar.
Service was horrible, food was not right… Needless to say, we will not be back.

great atmosphere! beautiful setting, love how the seats are well spaced so you can enjoy the company youre with and not a noisy neigh that putt on too much perfume.
prices are very high, but reflect the coolness of the place.
ive been here 10 – 15 times, and every waiter has been very nice, yet ive always found a mistake on the bill (never in my favor). also despite how nice the waiters were asking for salt pepper and… hello… a hot sauce turned hard, it should be on the table before the food arrives and not make us wait while the food gets cold. and waitress are harder and harder to find when it comes down to getting the check.
For somewhere that specializing in tequila, specialize in it then!!! i mean do a flavor a the month, free shots, even cook with it! this is where Rick Steves turns into bland white guy and not a true innovative man. i do like him especially his Enchilada Suize is a delight. and the guac is to perfection. when it opened the place was packed now its sparsely ever full.
all easy things to fix as this place as a great atmosphere and location, and a good dishes need a lil more kick. it just needs cheaper options to attract more people and make this place less empty on friday and saturday night.

Had a great evening celebrating a birthday at this restaurant. The service was great and couldn’t complain at all. We did get the appetizers right away but did take a bit longer to receive dinner plates.
I do think the food could of had a bit more flavor. As for the drinks I had a house margarita and it was delicious.
The view and lighting of the restaurant gave it a really calm setting. I loved how it looked inside.
However I do think this place is a bit over priced.

This place is always amazing. In addition to being beautiful the food is superb. The happy hour is great. If you are there for dinner the grilled lobster tail is incredible. Grilled over wood not Charcoal! We were there again on Monday and Samuel took care of us. He was great… so willing to suggest or recommend different dishes. My husband had the new preparation of the Scallops at Samuels suggestion and he was thrilled.
Forgot to mention the delicious queso fundido. I suggest the chorizo on the side. Really good.

Great brunch on Mother’s Day! I enjoyed some flavorful paella, savory beef tacos, their carving station and aguas frescas. They also included other options like an omelet bar, thick bacon, and pancakes. The fresh salsas, ceviche, and guacamole were impeccable!
My family and I had a nice window table in the front. The server, waiter, and staff were very accommodating to my needs which I appreciated with a 7 month old.
The only think that lacked were the choices for desserts. Considering it was Mother’s Day I expected more. Also, they did not have a changing table which made it difficult with a little one. Something to keep in mind for families with small children.
But overall, great experience! I had a wonderful time and would patronize again!

Took my mom, grandmother and gf along with my sister we all had a blast food was on point …

Ok so I have been wanting to try this place ever since it opened and now I finally was able to make it and enjoy the culinary genius of Rick Bayless.
For started this is not your typical Mexican restaurant but more a Mexican inspired cuisine. So in essence flavored Mexican seasons style!!! TASTY!!!
Sooooo on the menu we ordered
Queso Fundido. Amazing blend of 3 white cheeses with roasted poblano peppers, caramelized onions and chorizo. Serviced with fresh corn tortillas def will not disappoint
Mary’s duck taquitos … So these crispy tasty taquitos are good by themselves it’s the chipotle crema that they are served with that takes the show. Very good flavor and creaminess that you Just want to lick the rest of the sauce off the plate…
Main course
Prime rib eye steak with a Mole sauce and side of black beans… Well I’m not a huge fan of black beans but hear are some the best I have tasted. Full of flavor and the texture is divine
The prime steak was cooked to perfection and the accented mole really brought out the flavor of the steak. This is by far one of the better tasting and flavorful miles I have had. Def a a must have
The prime NY strip was also cooked to perfection and the red sauce that was placed on top was amazing. Nicely reduced and not to watered down but full of flavor and delish
Now the cotija mashed potatoes are probably the best potatoes ever… Made with creamy Yukon gold with crema and Cotija cheese that makes with worth while ordering two sides!!!
Lobster Mac and cheese is not your regular Mac and cheese it has subtle Mexican flair and essence.
The margaritas were tasty but I could go on and on about there specialty drinks but this is not a novel…
Last word was that the service was on point both nights we went.
The chef came out the first time and introduced himself and even remembered us the following week when we stopped by again. The Manager was also extremely pleasant and gave us a quick bio on their 3 locations and even pushed a table together for us because of all the drinks we ordered we ran out of table space!
All the staff was great and they wee on top of everything, played wee taken off as soon as you where done and water refilled before you even knew you needed more. Like a well orchestrated machine from the moment you enter till the time you leave.
And last but not least the place is amazing in décor and beauty!!! Modernism at its best Nuff Said

The place is very trendy on trendy Melrose Ave. The décor of the restaurant is modern and classy. The appetizers were delicious. The steak and the lobster dishes were really good. Definitely go for valet parking because finding parking around the restaurant can be a challenge. My only complaint is the service could have been better. We waited too long for the appetizers to get to our table, and I started to get really hungry. How much chips and salsa can you eat? Overall, a good experience here, but quicker service would be appreciated.

I am a believer in second chances. After a meh experience I haven’t been here in 5 years and now I’m feeling regretful. Even though I live a stones throw away, I haven’t ventured back. A mad taco craving that involved not driving anywhere led to me to check out their happy hour. We ambitiously ordered the short rib sopes, carnitas tacos, duck taquitos, shrimp and scallop ceviche with plantains (incredible dish!) and of course, guacamole. We washed it all down with several margaritas. With a 22% tip and a check-​in offer of free guacamole, it was still less than $ 100. Where can you go to happy hour for less than $ 100? Red O!
The time here was a pleasure. Excellent, attentive service by all, the food was fantastic, fresh and flavorful, the drinks were perfect and the ambiance lovely. Everything was marvelously on point. Perhaps the best thing was the phone call I received the next day from the manager making sure our experience was a great one. What a class act touch. Why don’t more businesses do this? That goes a very long way with me and something I really value and appreciate. I will include Red O in my frequent rotation from now on.

Love this place! I highly recommend it. I would’ve like for the waitress to be more attentive to our table since we were 10 people and it was my mom’s bday. But other than that I really like this place.

What a joke. Maybe this place was good at some point but its definitely gone downhill. I had the chef special tostada at 19 dollars. Ok so a home made tortilla with 4 ounces of over cookes dry chicken. Whats the big deal?
Maybe if i was a heavy drinker or liked tequila. But better maxican food can probably. E fou d in Antarctica.

The restaurant itself is beautiful with a gorgeous ambiance. We came here for some sweets and margaritas, an odd combination, I know. Upon walking in, we immediately got seated by a very welcoming gentleman. There were plenty of seating available since it was an hour before closing on a weeknight. We promptly ordered the following items (no menu necessary for that day):
1. Churros with two different dipping sauces — good but can be crunchy a bit more. The flavor is decent enough that you don’t really need the dips provided
2. Butter cake– amazing! Warm and moist and complemented perfectly with the ice cream and caramel sauce! It is worth coming here for the butter cake alone!
3. Spicy margarita — very spicy but has a good aftertaste. The more you drink it the more you want it
4. Blended strawberry margarita — didn’t have any but the coworkers said it is really yummy
The service is to be commended. There was this really nice lady that kept checking on us. Our server was always handy too. I normally don’t upload pics while I am in the restaurant but for some reason that night, I did. The manager came by to our table and asked us who’s the Unilocaler. Ooops! Me. He said thank you for patronizing their place and is looking forward to a review. I was pretty impressed since this shows that they actually care enough to check Unilocal on how to improve their restaurant. So here I am writing a review.
Parking is valet. If you can find street parking, good for you.

Happy hour here was Amazing!!! I had almost everything on HH and I gotta say it’s quality and full of flavor. Nothing was over seasoned or bland, all was perfect. Service was good. Only CON was that the water was more expensive than anything else on our bill! $ 9 a bottle

Totally fell in love with this classy restaurant
My girlfriends brought me here for my birthday. The ambiance so relaxing and amazing. The service impeccable. The décor is stunning. And everything we put in our mouths absolutely delicious and orgasmic
A precious memory forever !!! Thank you so much !!! We will be back soon.

We came here during DineLa and it was my first time but I definitely recommend this place! The service was really good and our waiter was very attentive. We started with the classic guacamole (if you check in on Unilocal it’s free) and it was really good! The chips and salsa come with a few different types of salsas. I really liked the green salsa the most. For drinks I had the skinny organic margarita which was perfect and healthy!
For the appetizers we had the duck taquitos and the corn and goat cheese tamales, which were really good! The taquitos were different than traditional Mexican restaurants but the duck was so tender! For our entrees, we had the enchiladas Suizas and the petite filet! The enchiladas were stuffed with chicken and had a nice green sauce. The filet was amazing I was skeptical at first but it was delicious. It was served with garlic cheesy mashed potatoes and a chipotle cream sauce! We wiped out plates clean! For dessert we both had the flan. I usually don’t like flan, but theirs was delicious it was served with fresh berries and whipped cream! This place is very trendy with great food and drinks! I’ll definitely be back.

Love this place! Ambiance!!! Happening!!! Great food! The bar is amazing. First time trying and sure we will be back. Its loud in a positive way of course. The food was great as I mentioned but that Mexican Chocolate ice cream desert… holly cow to die for!!! Overall A+

I love the new menu at Red O. I have not been for years since the menu was not very condusive to multiple visits. BUT NOW it is more based on a steak and seafood with a mexican flare. Manager Joe is the best host. And they are lucky to have him. We were given a beautiful table and the chef came out twice to make sure we were doing o.k. We had about 6 – 7 appetizers that were all excellent. Then our main entrees. Also were done beautifully. Wine list is good. And we were told that that will be improving also. So i would highly recommend Red-​O. I’m going again next week.

Service (2 stars):
Service wasn’t horrible, then again it wasn’t exactly on point. Our server was nice and friendly, but there were several occasions when water glasses were empty and dishes were served without silverware. There was also a point when a member of the service team tried to remove a desert plate as I was eating from it.
Food (2 stars):
The food was not impressive and very forgettable. Coming in a group of 6, I was able to try several menu items. Nothing was awful, but nothing was stellar.
The truth is that We live in Los Angeles, which is home to some of the best Mexican food around. You can find better Mexican food almost anywhere in LA at a fraction of the price. If you are going to charge fine dining prices for Mexican food, it should be nothing short of amazing. Red O unfortunately was not.

First stop of DineLA of 2016!
My boyfriend and I went on a double date here with my bestie and her boyfriend here on the first day of DineLA 2016. I made reservations online ahead of time and we were seated immediately when we arrived. You can park on the meters on the street, or use their valet parking, or find side street parking. My boyfriend and I found metered parking right out front for $ 1/​hr, which ends after 8pm, so we only had to pay for 2 hours of parking. My friend found some side street parking around the corner. Neither of us used the valet parking, so I do not know how much it costs.
I love the ambiance of the place! Very romantic and dim, and has a great upscale Latin vibe. The ceilings are very high, creating an open air feel. For larger parties, we saw some couch seating towards the back and larger tables. We were seated at a table near the tequila hallway. The place was somewhat empty when we arrived, but we had early dinner reservations. Service was a bit slow to start, but our waiter was actually very informative, friendly, attentive, and did a great job. He knew the menu extremely well!
Red O only does dinner for DineLA. I was hoping to order some items off the happy hour menu, but it was only offered at the bar area. Dinner was $ 39 for a 3 course meal. 3 of the 4 of us went with the DineLA menu. According to our waiter, the DineLA dish sizes were about ¾ of the normal portion.
— Appetizer: choice of duck taquitos, corn and goat cheese tamales, or mixed green salad. We all went with the duck taquitos. These were amazing! Duck was tasty and extremely tender and the shell had a great crisp to it! The sauce was flavorful and not spicy. I highly recommend ordering the duck taquitos!
— Entrée: choice of 6 oz filet mignon, carnitas, enchiladas, and pescado del dia. My boyfriend ordered the filet, my friend and I ordered the fish, and my friend’s boyfriend ordered the carnitas as just an entrée sans DineLA. The filet was tender and juicy. It tasted great and came with mashed potatoes. His filet was cooked perfectly. His only disappointment was there was not more! The fish was very light and came with a bed of rice. The fish just melted in your mouth. The carnitas were very tender, juicy, and tasty also and came with tortillas. Every dish was presented beautifully! According to our waiter, the most popular dishes were the fish and filet. Those dishes are also the best dishes to get if you want your moneys worth during DineLA. If you want a more dense entrée, go with the filet. If you want something lighter to save your waist after the holidays, go with the fish. Even though our portions were smaller, I felt like the portions were better than I had received at some previous places I have tried during DineLA.
— Dessert: Flan… but my friend asked and we were given the 4 leche cake as well. Both are good, but the 4 leche cake is much sweeter. I’m normally not really a fan of either, but I liked both of these. I would prefer the flan however. My boyfriend says the flan tastes just like how his mom used to make them! Flan came with a brownie and some cookie crumbs. I thought they complimented each other nicely. 4 leche came with berries.
I just had water to drink as I had to work in the morning, but my boyfriend ordered this spicy cocktail, which most definitely had a kick to it! Drinks are a bit pricey at $ 15 a cocktail. Happy hour at the bar is a great deal if you want drinks and appetizers.
If you do not already know, this place is owned by Rick Bayless. He is a famous chef that has cooking shows on PBS and has won the first season of Top Chef Masters. I was very excited to try it. For $ 39, the DineLA was a a great deal! It even came with guacamole! We were not aware of that as it was nowhere on the DineLA menu, so we used our Unilocal check-​in to score some free guacamole for our chips and salsa that you automatically get. In the end, we had more guacamole than we could eat! The portions were pretty good and the food not only looked beautiful, but also tasted great! I really liked this place and would not be opposed to coming back at all!

I love this place. I have been several times, and it gets better each time. Last night I sat at the bar and was guided through the tequila by our friendly and helpful bartender, Taylor. With four pages of tequila to choose from, his guidance was welcome. He gave me a few to taste based on what I like, and he was spot on. Now I have some new favorites (the recommended Avion 44 is outrageously good. I likely wouldn’t have tried it otherwise).
The food just stands out as well. Unique, flavorful and delicious. We had a few appetizers and I had the filet, cooked and seasoned to perfection. The tamale appetizer is sinfully delicious.
We also chatted a little with the manager and Jeff, who oversees several of their locations, and they, too, made our experience better. I am a fan, and look forward to stopping by the Santa Monica location soon.
Thanks for a pleasant evening to the team at Red O!

I’ve been looking for a new Happy Hour spot! Found it! The selection is fab, the margaritas and tacos are awesome and the price is great! Robert was my bartender and waiter, he’s attentive plus his Margaritas are BOMB!
I’ll be back!

2 stars for the chips and salsa. 1 star is for the wait staff.
I went to this restaurant with reservations for party of 20. The restaurant was modern and the ambiance was inviting. The staff was very accommodating and attentive. The chips were hot and salted perfectly. The variety of 3 salsas were delicious! The guacamole was good too, not the best I’ve had, but it was good. Definitely a place for apps and drinks only!

Lovely location, sexy ambience, pretty nice happy hour.
We really only order one or two drinks and some guac. They bring warm chips and all the goodie salsa dips.
So I’m on drink number two and move from the La Rosita to the classic margarita. Lo and behold the waitress brings me ANOTHER damn La Rosita. I laugh and say, «well…I just asked you for a margarita… BUT it’s okay because I DID like this drink» she says «oh, I thought YOU were calling it a Margarita so I brought you the same one» UM… I’m looking around for candid camera because what kind of game are you playing and what kind of drink dumbass do you think I am??? Not happy about that. IF she remotely was confused and flustered she should have just asked. My appetizer mate was not amused either. It was not a good experience.
Enjoy your time here… but hopefully you dont get a waitress who thinks you don’t know the difference between tequila and vodka.

This is my second visit to Red O, and it was painful. What once was a vibrant, almost vacation-​y atmosphere has become quickly dated. How did this happen in the span of half a decade? Is it because the rest of the burgeoning food scene in L.A. is elsewhere (Venice, Downtown, Studio City/​Sherman Oaks) and Melrose is the bastard child? Or is it because Red O, originally slated to be Rick Bayless’ ‘coming out party’ on the west coast, has now resorted to using what tastes like commissary (or Sysco?) food for their meals?
The chips were clearly out of a bag — flat, stale, tasteless. The salsa was watery and lacked salt. The carne asada IS ACTUALY A NEW YORK STRIP! Carne asada is a particular cut of meat, and one that Mr. Bayless himself knows well, which should be thin, charred and cooked through — not a thick ‘steak.’ Really weird/​disappointing.
What also is evident is the staff’s unhappiness. We weren’t presented drink menus initially, and when we received the menus for our table, they were one short and urged two people to ‘share’ one until they could pony up another. The drinks took about 11 minutes (literally, on the clock), and the servers were clearly dissatisfied with their jobs/​lives.
Unbelievable declination for a one-​proud restaurant. Oh well.

This review is an update of happy hour only.
Hours are every day of the week from 5−7PM in the bar area.
Select cocktails and well drinks are $ 7, beer $ 5, wine $ 7. They also have a few appetizer choices, including their delicious guacamole and chips. Appetizers range from $ 5 – 8.
There is only one choice for HH margaritas, their house margarita, which is their basic margarita. However, it is expertly crafted and very tasty. Red O serves some of the best margarita, in general, in Los Angeles. Also, the bartenders are very friendly.

So I receive a promo card for $ 25 off that expires on 12÷31÷16 which was not honored. WTF?