Church & StateA Top Choice!Has anyone else noted that restaurants in and around the Downtown area have become rather formulaic? They have generally the same dishes with roughly the same bar scene, same happy hour offers, with a real distinction offered only in their theme and perhaps a different means of presenting that basket of bread, no? Try Church & State! It is different, and in all of the ways "different" is wonderful. The build-out in the old Nabisco Building is awesome and the scene is lively without excessive noise (but it is a later night crowd). Every dish is distinct and done to perfection with a twist that is French in nature, but stands apart from titles in many, many ways. And the bread? (Insert sound of pleasure). Do it.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMBest French Bistro in L.A.Jonathan Gold was not totally correct. In our minds Church and State surpassed his review. Our table was available upon our arrival. The wait staff was attentive and met all our needs and answered our questions. The food was fantastic and you could tell the utmost efforts were made to make each dish superb. We sat near the kitchen and enjoyed the energy of the Chefs and the wait staff. Thank You Church and State.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMBest 5-star restaurant in DowntownIts always a treat going to Church & State. The food is fantastic and the service is friendly. Great ambience, especially after dark. You have to go!6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding Food in an edgy spaceChurch and State has a deservedly good reputation as a foody go to spot which did not disappoint on our recent visit. Even on a Sunday night, the restaurant was packed and clamorously loud. The prix fixe menu had good choices and the array of dishes which we were given in addition to the appetizers and entree were impressive, all delicious. I had a pan-seared rockfish over a little stew of grilled veggies in an appetizing sauce. The rockfish portion was quite substantial, more than I could eat in fact, and was perfectly done, tender and yet still slightly resilient and moist. The five of us were given a selection of all the desserts being served that night, all of which were quite good, but a strawberry mousse especially stood out.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMFantasticFantastic food! Great atmosphere. Always booked, but for a reason!
Must try.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant's close attentionThis restaurant's close attention to quality in all aspects cannot go unnoticed. The wines illustrate the point. After more than a half dozen dinners, in which we invariably drink a glass of white wine before a bottle of red, each wine has been exquisite. Perhaps the restaurant could get by with slightly lesser wines, but it seems clear enough that a decision has been made to meet a high standard of quality.
Church & State is among a handful of our favorite restaurants.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMVery upscale. Authentic FrenchVery upscale. Authentic French Bistro/Food. Great Fun. Attention to table from server(s) was superior. A furprise for the neighborhood.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant is such aThis restaurant is such a gem! I love the hanging white lights, open kitchen and rustic tables. Very cool and romantic scene. Recommend the pork belly with polenta and broccolini. The red snapper was a little bland for my taste. Can't wait to go back though! Looks like it would be a great brunch spot too.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMThanks for the speedy service!Traffic delayed our arrival and our waitress deftly guided us in ordering drinks and entrees immediately, resulting in a very relaxed pre-theater dinner in 50 minutes. Remarkable.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMGood Food with Good FriendsCan't wait to go back to try other items on the menu. The onion Tart was delicious. The olive crusted salmon - a ten for sure.
Amazing dishes, great wait staff. Love the restaurant - just a tad loud. Will go back for sure This is a must try restaurant.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMLoud. So loud.I couldn't appreciate the food because I was working too hard to hear my date. Even the server had to repeatedly ask us to repeat ourselves. The noise is brutal.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMlively, picturesqueAlmost too noisy to converse. Nice food, attentive and friendly staff.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ambience, great food, BUSY.We had a really nice meal here last week with another couple. The food was excellent, everything was very fresh and delicious and the roast chicken was delectable. The service seemed a little harried and we definitely waited a while for our drinks to come, and then a nervous busboy actually spilled my husband's drink on the table (and sort of on my husband, who was not flapped by it). This place was so busy on a Saturday night that it occurred to me that they might need a few more servers. Our waiter did recommend an excellent bottle of wine in a comfortable price range which was nice.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMFive Stars Across the BoardThe roasted beet, goat cheese and hazelnut salad was excellent.
Without question, the lamb with couscous was cooked to perfection and is the BEST lamb I have eaten in Los Angeles.
And finally, I recommend the coffee mousse with cream dessert. I look forward to going back and trying other dishes on the menu.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMBeen here twice now, and itBeen here twice now, and it delivered both times. Attentive, friendly service and an overall great representation of French Bistro style. Well done!!5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMVisited on Sunday for theVisited on Sunday for the prix fixe menu. Could have been a better value.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food, beautifulDelicious food, beautiful presentation and nice beers. The chairs are not very comfortable and the service was quite slow. But I would go again for the wonderful food.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was a great place toThis was a great place to celebrate my in-laws anniversary. For food and drinks like this, I have no problem spending a pretty penny. Well worth the cost, excellent food, great service and attention to detail.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMParis in downtown LAChurch and State is now on my favorite restaurant list. Everything that we experienced was first rate! Particularly notable is their wine and spirit selection- all French! My husband remarked that his martini was the best he has ever had, made with Nolet Silver gin- expensive but worth it. The desserts were absolutely amazing- a chocolate torte that I will remember for a long time. The main dishes were tasty and professionally presented. It was like being in Paris for an evening!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMGood, down to earth FrenchGood, down to earth French food without the formality and restriction, especially for the younger crowd, who's tastes are growing father away from a white table cloth setting and more towards a casual hip environment.
Great ambience, with a mixed crowd of friends, families, and lovers, coupled with a solid menu consisting of some new items and classic standards you'd expect.
Definitely a restaurant to add to your list.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMI love this restaurant. TheI love this restaurant. The ambiance and service are always great. I generally love the food, but my only complaint is that it's inconsistent. I've had many of the same dishes over and over and they tend to taste different at times.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe did not know what to expectWe did not know what to expect and we were very impressed with the food service and overall experienceWe will be back!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had been to C&S beforeWe had been to C&S before and it's always been fun and a great meal. We(4)went for a B-day last Sunday and had the $39 prix-fixe. The food was delicious, the service was fine, however, the experience this time wasn't special as before. Love C & S and will return to give them another chance to make it fun again. (Previously, portions were generous. This time they were okay. The hot bread had kept coming previously. This time a second loaf had to be asked for. Instead of a wooden plank covered with 4 different desserts to share as before, we had two slivers of a chocolate caramel tart and 2 small glasses of strawberry rice pudding. They were yummy, however, only a few bites when divided by four.)4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went on a Sunday nightWe went on a Sunday night when they had the Prix Fixe menu. There were 3 entree choices and all were good. They also offered some other items from their regular menu on an a la carte basis so we were able to get the roasted marrow and escargots even though they weren't on the Prix Fixe menu. The service was just right. Overall, a good evening . . . until we went to leave. Be advised it is extremely difficult to get a taxi at this location. The restaurant called for us several times, but we waited over 45 minutes for a taxi to show up.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMSo loud that it is hard toSo loud that it is hard to hear the conversation at a table for 4. I cannot imagine trying to do 6 or larger.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food here is so greatThe food here is so great ! The entire experience was fantastic from the food to the wine to the darling waiter Edwin to the amazing executive Chef Tony!4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMHands down one on the bestHands down one on the best French food in LA. Foie de Volaille is to die food.
Great staff and the new manager is awesome & friendly compared to the last.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMChurch & EstadoGreat, non commercial restaurant in downtown. The service was very attentive and the food was above normal.
Suggest trying the fried pig ears ;)4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe Loved it!Everything is a wonderful except the noise level. Yes it is very loud and hard to talk especially in a large group. We were
Just a party of 4, we were the first in the restaurant before going to the theater. As the meal progressed it got louder
And louder and more and more crowded. I had to squeeze to move between the tables. If you don't mind the packed
House and a loud enviorment, go to this restaurant, it is really good and a fun atmosphere in an interesting part of town.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMA fantastic experience fromA fantastic experience from beginning to end. The flat bread was phenomenal, as was the pork belly dish. We had two desserts...the lemon tart and the chocolate tart...both were delicious. Since it was our wedding anniversary, the waiter gave us after dinner drinks to celebrate. We had a wonderful time...would definitely go back.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMClassic bistro fare in theClassic bistro fare in the historic Nabisco building. Someone has put alot of thought into the wine list, with a wine from nearly every producing area in France.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant has becomeThis restaurant has become one of our favorites. The food, wine, and service match those found in the best restaurants that offer "fine dining," but here are presented in an energetic bistro ambiance. The combination works quite well.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMChurch & State still has itFirst time I've been able to get a reservation at Church & State since they opened. I love the urban/Paris bistro look, open kitchen, and the Edison light bulbs strung across the ceiling. Our waitress was fabulous-- warm and full of helpful recommendations. And all the food we ordered was delicious. I was impressed at the quality of the Idaho trout, it tasted as buttery as a halibut or sea bass. Profiteroles were the perfect dessert. I'd love to come back for a glass of wine, some oysters, and maybe cheese or charcuterie. It's that kind of place. Even several chefs in, Church & State still has it.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMChurch & StateI have been wanted to dine here for a few years but just hadn't made it yet. It was worth the wait. The food was excellent. I had the steak tartare which was delicious. Second course I ordered the lamb chops which were cooked perfectly. The artichokes and couscous with the lams were a delicious combination. For dessert (I can't believe I had three courses!) I had the chocolate, salted caramel tart. YUM!!! Everything we ordered looked delicious and tasted even better. Wait staff was superb. My only criticism was the noise level. It gets very noisy very quick.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMI liked it. If i lived closeI liked it. If i lived close by i could see myself as a regular.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic food and great service.Fantastic food and great service. The cold cuts board is to die for, a MUST have.3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food and service.Excellent food and service. Up and coming neighborhood, tricky to find but packed!3/28/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was creative andThe food was creative and well prepared. The restaurant is stylish, fun and filled with interesting people...dare I say hipsters? It is noisy so allow for that if you go.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMHidden Dinning GemChurch & State is definitely a hidden gem. The ambiance fit perfect for the location. The staff was very friendly and had great recommendations. We ordered the bone marrow, chicken blood, and goat cheese for appetizers. All three were delicious. The bone marrow was a little mild but neither the less delicious. The chicken blood was excellent. Had a creamy smooth texture, very rich but yet mild on the pallet. The goat cheese was creamy with a hint of sweet, perfect combination of cheese and honey. For our main course I had the petite scallops,cooked perfect and my friend ordered the Idaho Trout. Cooked just flaky perfectly separated to the fork. Great flavor but yet not over powered by dressing or seasoning. I highly recommend Church & State3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of my favorites in LA.One of my favorites in LA. The escargot in the pastry is a must. Steak Frite is incredible.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMAlthough the opening saladAlthough the opening salad was a bit sparse, the entrees more than made up for it. The bouillabaisse matched the ones I had in Paris...excellent!! The steak and frittes my wife had was pretty darn succulent. Bar drinks were very well prepared. My friend said his tuna sandwich was really good.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMOur entrees were both superb!Our entrees were both superb! I had the scallops and each bite was exquisite. We wrapped up dinner with some dessert and coffee. The strawberry mousse and tarragon was the heaven in my mouth and light enough so you don't feel stuffed. A lovely find right on the outskirts of downtown.3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat more could you ask for!Church and State is an iconic urban find that will never disappoint!
The Bar Tenders her are true mixologists and the cocktails are out of this world
The Bread is worth the trip alone and while it can be a bit noisy it is truly a great dining experience.
The Food at Church and State was wonderful; the Planchette de Charcuterie - Amazing, The Magret de Canard Rôti fantastic, and the Steak Frites out of this world.
The wait staff is attentive but not obtrusive.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMSometimes "too hip for it'sSometimes "too hip for it's own good" but always a great place to go.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMTook my husband to ChurchTook my husband to Church and State for his birthday and within the first few minutes we were happy and content with our choice. The interior has the industrial look but very well put together and in some ways even a bit romantic. The service was excellent from all the staff. The menu was slightly different from online menu but it worked in our favor since one of the main dishes was rack of lamb. My husband, the Irish, was very pleased to see it on the menu. The food was delicious (duck and lamb) but I do wish the lamb was served with a potato side and not quinoa. All in all, a wonderful food experience.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service wereThe food and service were excellent. It was a bit noisy and the restaurant was playing loud party music - kind of ruined the whole concept that this was French fare.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI had a delicious steak fritesI had a delicious steak frites paired with a bold cab sauv---a perfect combo. I finished the meal with a crème brûlée that was not too sweet or too creamy.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMSecond time at Church andSecond time at Church and State. Wonderful bistro atmosphere, with close tables and a fun vibe. Food is very good.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMLook Out NYChurch & State was a great find. I love good food and I'm equally excited that the Arts District is coming into it's own. I would recommend planning ahead if you want a reservation at a specific time.The decor is well suited to the area, the vibe is energetic and reminiscent of New York. The seating is a bit too close for comfort but it didn't detract from the overall experience, as that was what I was hoping for.The crowd was sophisticated/hip 30-65 y/o. We were warmly greeted and had time for a cocktail at the bar.Once seated the wait staff was attentive and the timing of our courses was perfect.The mussels were exceptional. I can't wait to go back!3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMwonderful restaurant in anwonderful restaurant in an unusual industrial location. go to this brave new world and try it out.2/27/2013 12:00:00 AM