Spoonful

Spoonful Restaurant is a terrific restaurant. The gumbo is delicious, and the braised pork belly has to be the best I’ve had. It has a sweet, caramelized top layer that goes well with the tender pork flavor. I also loved the flaky, fried, soft boiled egg that was served with the pork dish.
The ambiance of the place is perfect for the live jazz music that is playing. I’m a sucker for good jazz music, and the guys playing were very talented.
Great food that’s decently priced, great ambiance, and terrific live music– not much more you can ask for.

Food was gross, and female employees didn’t have soap to wash their hands!
My family is all from the south, Georgia and North Carolina mostly, so when they came to LA for a visit I was excited to bring them to a restaurant that offered southern home cooking. The atmosphere was very cute, you drink out of mason jars, very cool ambiance. But once the food started to come I just kept hearing one complaint after another.
The Fried Green Tomatoes were gross, the batter was like sand paper. The «Biscuits» were more like mini hamburger buns. The Shrimp was way too spicy! The Mac-​n-​Cheese was rubbery. And the pulled pork was only so-​so. There were six of us eating and we each tried all those items and had the same reaction.
They did like the sweet tea.
But the absolutely WORST part of the restaurant was this… They have single bathrooms (one at a time). And the women’s bathroom (which is the same one the employees use) had NO SOAP! When I mentioned to a male waiter that there was no soap his response was «oh yes, I know… I’m sorry about that.» It was shocking to me that a male waiter was aware that there was no soap in the women’s restroom, and that he didn’t offer me any explanation, or any assurance that the problem was being fixed immediately. That is DISGUSTING! So all the female employees that are serving the disgusting food are not washing their hands properly! GROSS!
I will never eat there again.

Pros:
Amazingly delicious french fries
Water is served in a mason jar with a cute bendy straw reminiscent of one’s childhood.
Water was served at room temperature, as requested.
Outside seating allowed us to enjoy the beautiful warm weather.
Cons:
Water was the most disgusting water I have ever tasted. I don’t think they filter it at all.
Plastic straws are toxic and contribute to a very real environmental problem.
Burger was way more bread than anything else. WAY more. Who eats that much bread?
Burger had mushrooms and arugula even though those items were requested to not be added, and therefore had to be picked off. Not cute when you’re on a date.
Burger tasted like someone had dunked it in a toilet that someone forgot to flush.
Waitress made us feel unwelcome by asking if I’d like a box while my mouth was still full of food.
Waitress further made us feel unwelcome by bringing the check super early in the meal, and coming back just minutes later to check if we had paid it yet.
Final verdict:
I might go back for the fries, but probably not.

Came for Sunday brunch with my girlfriends and was my first time.
Very nice interior with room for large parties! Even had 2 areas can curtain off for private party!
I had Spoonful breakfast grits and homemade chicken sausage patties were delicious!
My friends wanted mac n cheese not on the brunch menu but the kitchen happily made us 3 sides of it! I tried it and yummy! :)
Great cocktail list and I had the Midnight Moonlight cause always wanted to try moonshine and this had apple flavored! It was AMAZING!

I really don’t understand all of the 4 and 5 star reviews for Spoonful. I spent a significant part of my life in the South. In the South service is typically excellent, ambiance is typically bright and sunny, and the food is mouth-​watering. Spoonful is none of these.
There’s very little ambiance. They took what looks like a semi-​dive bar and put a few «Southern» quotes on the wall. We had Sunday brunch in a kind of dark, dingy old bar.
The service was okay. Just okay. Nothing exceptional at all.
The food really wasn’t good. Of the four of us, four were disappointed. Pulled pork was dry. Steaks were over-​done. Home-​made sausage was weird tasting (not in a good way). Etc, etc, etc.
It’s really just an old bar trying to be Southern. Not even close.

My husband loves this place and has since it was Henry’s Hat. We used to be regulars at their weekend brunch with unlimited mimosas.
Spoonful had done a good job with their southern flair. My husband ALWAYS gets the shrimp and grits, which is BOMB! The last time I tried the chicken and waffles but got French toast instead of waffles. Chicken was delish! French toast was ok. I’ve also had their Pulled Pork hash and it’s really tasty!
Super nice servers who always make sure you’re taken care of! Nice touch!

I’m so glad I noticed this place while driving up Cahuenga. I’m southern and always love a place that’s as proud of it as I am. Great menu, food was delicious, cocktails were beautifully crafted, my server and busser were delightful and I want to come back for brunch! Best shrimp and grits I’VE EVER HAD, my boyfriend and I had a great time sharing the Rye flight and I’m looking forward to going back and trying more! It gets my 5 stars because my experience tonight was flawless.
Do yourself a favor and check it out :)

Great happy hour. The Buffalo Shrimp was my favorite, great dish. The pulled pork with the sauces were a hit as well. I’m not a mac and cheese fan but theirs was really good. The fried green tomatoes had a crispy cornbread crust that was not at all greasy. The bourbon wings were also really good.
You really can’t beat the Happy Hour prices but we did a combo of Happy Hour dishes and regular menu. This is Soul Comfort food and it’s done well.
Friendly service, inventive cocktails, good southern food. They also have a special menu for Football Games — similar to Happy Hour.

We came here for the first time on a Saturday evening. No crowd, we sat at the bar. Spoonful interior was rustic with a relaxed environment. I liked it.
We had the OLD FASHIONED classic drink and tried their specialty cocktail called EAT A PEACH. Refreshing!
Now to the food. We started with their BUFFALO SHRIMPS. This was very yummy. We got Baby Back Ribs served with smoked baked beans and home made potato salad; Pan Seared Mahi Mahi with Kale; Fried Green Tomatoes and Mac and Cheese. They were all delicious and my favorite were the Fried Green Tomatoes. They were crusty and juicy.
Staff were very polite!

Loved the signature cocktails and the pork belly. Hated having to wave my hand to get my server’s attention like I was trying to hail a cab during a rush hour rainstorm.
Spoonful sports a cool interior and uses jars for glasses but all that charm gets canceled out by a dusty booth, stained menu and food from my appetizer that landed on the table which wasn’t cleaned up, but rather covered by a fresh plate that the server just plopped on top. This is a service faux pax, as I believe when you’re only given one cloth napkin, you shouldn’t be expected to use this precious resource to clean your face and THEIR table.
The pork sliders were ok and I really liked the IDEA of having 3 sauces accompany them, but all in all, they were only good in a place where I expected them to be great.
The fried chicken too, was good, but not as good as you would hope it would be coming from a Southern themed restaurant.
If Spoonful worked a bit harder on their service, the south may rise again, while my hand wouldn’t.

–LUNCH REVIEW–
Nice open space, warm and welcoming! Spoonful has a simple menu with delicious texture and taste for a casual quality meal in North Hollywood area. Lunch Menu link:
Parking: Meter, Valet
Service: A+ (friendly and quick)
Here’s are some of their specials:
A) Happy Hour 4−7pm daily (beer, wine, spirits, and food); Link:
B) Live Jazz every Thurs 7−10pm
C)Gospel brunch 12−4pm every last Sunday
My take lunch:
Great Smoky Salad — Baby red romaine tossed in our house made smoky Caesar dressing topped with Parmesan cheese, fried okra and fried capers. $ 7
Large portion. I loved everything about my salad except the fried okra. The okra’s dough was stale and tasted a day old. The capers gave the salad a nice kick from the smooth, smoky dressing.
Honey Glazed Salmon — on top of sautéed Brussels sprout, caramelized onion and bacon $ 17
Still a hit! I loved the buttery Brussels sprout, perfectly sautéed. My lunch was a good light meal with just the right amount of flavor.
Drinks at Spoonful can be a bit pricey, but it is well made! If you come in, do you ask for their daily special cocktail. The price point for the daily averages around $ 7 than the usual $ 12 specialty cocktails.
Overall, a great place to meet for lunch. I’m hoping I can come back for their Happy Hour and Live Jazz night one day! Till then, I’ll be finishing my leftover Brussels sprout, yum.

Spoonful is where the South meets L.A. The hospitality and service replicates that of the South. From the moment I walked in to the moment I received my check the staff was very attentive and friendly.
The ambiance is a charming gastro pub with dark woods, brick walls, large wooden community tables, and a cigar lounge in the back!
The food in general is fresh and they serve the southern classics with Californian flare. The dishes are modern, clean, and delivered with big flavors without the guilt!
See my website below for a full review:
In addition Spoonful have Gospel Sunday Brunch, Crawfish Boils, and live music! See there website for details!

This is my second time at this place, and the owner has welcomed me both times. My first visit was nice. I always give a second visit to places that are cool. The ambience was cool, people are friendly and food comes within 10 minutes of service which in my book is the key. Anything past 10 minutes is not a good look. Unless you’re with a big group of people but 1 – 4 people 10 minutes is my limit. This time I decided to try the house favorite fried chicken and greens. The greens were good, like someone from the south made them, and the chicken, well, lets just say its cool too not too over the top but just cool. I recommend the cook not burn 1 of my two pieces. If its burned on one, scrap it and make sure they look the same outside. I watched a movie a few weeks ago and the line was I need some «f’n» pecan pie which I might add is on the menu. if you never had pecan pie, I strongly suggest you try this Pecan Pie because its pretty close to out of this world.
The restaurant specializes in whiskey so I decided to try the Flight, which was a selection of three whiskey’s which 1 out of the 3 I liked the other two were just not my speed. Try on ice, much smoother.
I like the service which saved me from not even giving a review. The owner, he’s a hard worker and loves his product (food) so I give him an «a» for staying on top of the overall place. I will visit Spoonful again, and would recommend visiting the louisiana type restaurant, you’ll like it but don’t go in with super high expectations. No disappointments.

I received an email from this place (I have no idea how I got on the mailing list, but am sure happy I did!). This past Saturday they had a blues band perform. No cover, just go to the bar, have a drink and enjoy some music. I went with my bf because I made him go and we were seated next to Tom Green, of all people.
Just as a side note, this place used to be Henry’s Hat and I was so sad when it wasn’t Henry’s Hat anymore because they had awesome specials and really good drinks.
The blues band was really good. My bf and I decided to share a po boy and sweet potato fries. The po boy was lacking some saltiness, but it was ok. The size of the shrimp more than made up for it. The sweet potato fries were not the best I’ve ever had. I wish they were crispier.
Our server was also our bartender. He makes the meanest Old Fashioned. This place actually gets it right, no stinking maraschino cherries in the drink! It was stiff, but has a nice sweet taste at the end. Our bartender/​server was awesome. When he first approached the table, I wasn’t so sure about him, but after a while, he was cool.
At the end of our evening, our server suggested to get the pecan pie. That was delicious, but I especially loved the bourbon ice cream. I will definitely come back here to listen to some more blues. Our server says it goes on twice a month on Saturday, but they’re trying to do it every Saturday.
Btw, we told our server that the sweet potato fries weren’t good, not even thinking that it would get comped so to our surprise when we received the bill, he comped the fries. Thank you server whose name I wish I could remember but can’t!

Honestly, I felt like Guy Fieri on an episode of «Diners, Drive-​Ins, and Dives.» I’ve watched that stinkin’ show over and over with a watering mouth as Guy bites into something wonderful and makes one of those noises, «Mmmmm…ahhh…ooohhh man.»
EVERY single thing I tasted at Spoonful, I involuntarily found myself making those same noises «Mmmmm, yeah that’s good.» «Ooooohhhh man, I could eat this all day.» Very embarrassing.
Let’s begin with the service. Very pleasant. We were greeted with a smile and seated right away.
The vibe was comfortable– a good mixture of down-​home, and hip. I could see how this place would feel welcoming to the trendy crowd, while not excluding average Joe’s like myself.
We didn’t have to wait to order. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time.
I’ve wanted to try Fried Green Tomatoes ever since I saw the movie (back in 1991). These were tasty. Crunchy on the outside, perfect on the inside. I’m so glad I tried them here.
I had never even heard of Braised Pork Belly, much-​less tasted it before. I was in a daring mood, so we ordered it. Oh my goodness. I don’t care if my arteries turned to stone after that incredibly tasty treat! I don’t know specifically what it was other than some of the description from the menu: panko crusted soft-​boiled egg, vanilla gastrique drizzle… I want that again– no I MUST have that again.
I don’t remember what my wife ordered as her main dish, but I wanted to try so many different things that I only ordered off of the appetizer menu.
We also tried Buffalo Shrimp. I’m a huge fan of Buffalo Wings. The shrimp did NOT disappoint. I must have the shrimp again as well.
Pulled Pork Sliders– sooooooo tender and juicy!!! The only hint of a knit-​picky complaint that I’d have, is that the three varieties of BBQ sauces (Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina) were too subtle with their flavor. I enjoyed them, don’t get me wrong. I just wish the flavors of the different sauces could have been a little bolder/​stronger/​more distinct.
Dessert: Pecan Pie with a scoop of bourbon ice cream!!! The pie was (as expected) perfectly gooey and crunchy and not too sweet… and that bourbon ice cream– to die for!
Parking: the lot wasn’t too small and had plenty of spaces available.

Loved it so much, I went twice in one week!
While Spoonful might be in a funny location (it’s on Cahuenga, but that part of Cahuenga that stretches in front of Universal), so you have to treat it as a destination, it’s spooning out quite the delicious array of southern-​inspired fare.
My lunch meal lacked the hint of hickery the rest of the menu boasts, but it was exactly what I was looking for from a mid-​day bite. The Farmer’s Tomato Salad ($ 8) was a heaping display of a mound of burrata cheese surrounded by a bed of arugula, lightly decorated with baby heirloom tomatoes, olives, sundried tomatoes, and basil, while pesto and a balsamic reduction glazed the exterior. The burrata oozed out as you cut into it and it made for an entertaining and creamy addition to the salad.
Stayed for HH and my happy hourer in crime ordered the $ 3 sweet potato fries and we both indulged in the New Belgium Peach Porch Lounger (summer in a glass, I tell you) for $ 5 (HH runs 4−7pm daily and includes drink specials and $ 3 small bites). Perfect snack in lieu of sitting in traffic if you got off of work in the area at a very congested time or great small bite and bev before hitting the Hollywood Bowl or Ford Theatres.
I then went back for dinner after hitting up the Ford that same week (primarily for the New Belgium Peach Porch Lounger, if I’m being completely honest) and was blown away by the deliciousness of such standard south-​y items. I had the special of the Beef Brisket, which was not pulled as I had originally imagined, nor was it bare on the plate but instead consisted of thick cut sleeves of the brisket between two brioche-​like buns. It was bountiful and a real honk of meat that felt like a couple meals in one. It was accompanied by a side of Dixieland Salad (field greens, red onions, fresh strawberries, slivered almonds, bleu cheese crumbles & lemon shallot dressing) that added a lovely crispness to the dinner. I washed it all down with that summer in a glass and it became quite the ideal Tuesday night. (Side note: my friend got the fried chicken meal and raved about that, especially the potato salad, to which he kept insisting, «and I HATE potato salad,» so that’s gotta say something!
The South is where it’s at, except when talking about Cahuenga, because this here Spoonful lies on the north side of that!

«A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, the medicine go down-​wown, the medicine go down…»
Definitely helped the medicine go down. Thanks to Unilocal once again and Dave H’s review, I just had to try this spot. Glad I did. The décor was so romantic and mellow, and the servers were really friendly.
It was a very pleasant experience. We ordered the Baby Back ribs. The portion size is share-​able if you feel like sharing. If not, by all means go ahead and devour the whole meal. It comes with 2 sides. BBQ baked beans and a potato salad. Yummy! The sides were superb. It was for sure a damn good southern comfort meal. The ribs though can use a little more flavor. Don’t skimp on the extra sauce please!
The other items on the menu look appealing and we wanted to try it all especially the pulled pork sliders. Of course we refrained ourselves from ordering everything from the menu. I was bummed though that I was unable to try the pecan pie since all the Unilocalers raved about it. Just my luck. They ran out. Oh well guess I’m coming back for that.
I really love the vibe. This place is the spot if you just want to lounge with a couple of friends or bring a loved one for a fun date night. They have happy hour daily from 4 – 7. They have TVs perfect for catching a game here while ordering drinks during happy hour. It was not busy at all when we went. There were probably 3 couples at the bar area. Well considering we went on a Wednesday night, I did not expect it to be busy. I hear its busiest during the weekends.
Also, I definitely want to come back for brunch. I peeked at the brunch menu and everything looks eye appealing. We’ll be back Spoonful for sure. Make sure you have that pecan pie waiting for me.

spoonful just opened up! it took over henry’s hat (closed october 2012) spot on ventura. we were pretty excited to go here for brunch because we wanted to try the southern fried chicken with grits and collard greens! we’ve never had grits or collard greens.
it is right across the street from the la fitness. (yep, from where we were sitting, we could see the dedicated people going to the gym… yeah, we felt bad about ourselves but hey, we were hungry)
FOOD: so the southern fried chicken ($ 14)… crispy on the outside and super moist on the inside. gravy was pretty good too! so our thoughts on collard greens and grits. we werent huge fans of the collard greens and can definitely see how people either love it or hate it. collard greens are on the bitter side. the texture of grits is something you have to get used to but i enjoyed it with my chicken.
second thing we ordered: bourbon french toast ($ 12) very tasty. you would think that it would be too sweet, but it wasnt. loved the bananas! the french toast itself wasnt too soggy or to tough. you could cut through it with a fork. i liked this dish.
ATMOSPHERE: the décor is very, very cute. water in mason jars, edison lights over the bar, chandeliers, quotes on the walls…
SERVICE: when we visited spoonful, the place was on the empty side so our water /​sweet tea service was awesome!
PARKING: it was a sunday so we just parked at a meter in the front of the restaurant no problemo.
OVERALL: it’s definitely hard to eat this place while you are staring at people enter and exit the gym. the food is definitely not on the «light» side but then again, you know that when you decide to go here. overall, we liked our food but didnt love it… and for the price? not really. from the initial reviews we read, people loved the food. did we order the wrong thing? despite the brunch menu, the bar has a lot of potential. we will keep an eye on you, spoonful.

Damn good southern comfort!
From the moment you step in — the dark woods and dim lighting sets the scene. Cool wooden community type tables, brick and wood interiors with nice details of chandeliers, the custom light fixtures made of bottles, etc.
Super friendly service greets you and takes you on this culinary journey through the south from the fried green tomatoes, to the pulled pork sliders, Po’boy sandwich, Gumbo, Ribs, with grits and collared greens. The menu is great! Especially as it also have many alternate items on it such as their pan seared mahi mahi for those who might be in the party who want to try something different.
The ribs are damn finger licking good — and all the sides make if difficult to just eat the ribs as all is good. Go for the pecan pie for dessert. Sweet!!!
I want to go back for the chili! Their homemade chili looks, smells and sounds good — It is definitely on my list to make a trip back just for the chili.
The southern flair of their drinks menu is very cool as well with a great Mint Julep, Red Rooster and Side Car. The cool thing is this is one of the few restaurants in LA that I have found that chips their ice into one large ball for their bourbons! This is a really nice touch.
Great happy hour as well from 4−7pm and after 10pm. Live entertainment on various nights. And a Sunday gospel brunch menu which I also want to check out.
Food is different from a Harold & Bell’s and a little more expensive but is a great modern hip version of southern comfort… One great spoonful at a time!

My friend and I came here last night to celebrate Fat Tuesday (by stuffing ourselves… yes) and really wanted to like this place. That said, we DID like the place, and thought the food had the right flavors, but were SO disappointed because there was wayyyyy too much salt in almost every dish.
We tried…
Drinks
— Hot’lanta — this was a drink with really strong flavors… I would not order it if you don’t love the taste of black pepper and smokey flavored drinks
— Mannish boy — this was a much lighter drink with cucumber and lime flavors
Food
— Crabcakes — these were great, and really loved the sauce that came with them
— Jalapeño corn bread — not the softest bread we’ve ever had but really great flavors… we just wish it came with honey butter (we asked for it and got honey and butter separately) and that they actually gave you warm, spreadable butter not a cold lump…
— Shirmp n grits — shrimp was wayyy salty and we ended up leaving like 3 pieces behind (gasp, a big deal for me) but the grits were really good. The consistency of the grits was nice and thick… not like the watery-​smooth grits you get in some other restaurants in LA
— Fried chicken plate — the fried chicken was just too salty. I love the skin normally but we had to peel it off to eat the chicken at all. The Mac n cheese was good too but again a little too salty.
I hate repeating myself… but I would give this place a ⁵⁄₅ if the chef didn’t have such a heavy hand with the salt. Like really, I did like the vibe, the waiters/​bartender, and the overall flavors of the food… it was all so close, and yet…