The Geisha House in Hollywood, California
The Scenery
This was my first time venturing out to trendy restaurant, but the dark, moody setting of the place didn’t surprise me at all.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ There’s very little light in the restaurant, and most if it is lit by candles.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ It was a little too dark for my tastes, but it definitely conveyed the feel they were going for.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ All the furniture was very modern, with almost a shabby chic feel; I get the idea that if the lights had been on fully the place would have resembled a warehouse.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ The entrance to the restaurant is trippy, because it’s exactly like that scene in Memoirs of a Geisha where the main character runs through that tunnel of red poles.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ The waiting area was one of the nicest parts of the entire restaurant, which is a good thing since we had to wait around an hour.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ The seats are cushy and comfortable, and there are even small tables so that you and your friends can have appetizers and drinks while waiting to be seated.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Right in front of this is the bar, which was packed with people when I visited.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Behind the bar, and all the walls surrounding it were mini TV screens showing odd clips of movie’s such as Godzilla.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Seemed sort of out of place to me.
I didn’t really care for the set up of the restaurant.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Downstairs all the tables seemed to be packed together in one large opening.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I didn’t see any booths, and there seemed to be little privacy.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Upstairs was basically the same, but with more room.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ However, they do have a room in the back called the Moon Room which has booths, but it is often used as a VIP room or for private parties.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ What surprised me most of all was the tiny, shabby bathroom that had only two stalls; I expected something fancy for such a high profile restaurant.
The Staff
All the waitresses must have been coaxed into wearing skimpy outfits, which I found to be rather demeaning.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Some of them choose their own wardrobe I’m guessing, while the main waiters and waitresses wore outfits that looked more like pirate costumes than Geisha’s.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I can also tell they discriminate based on looks, there wasn’t a single woman working their over size 6.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ The bar waitress forgot our order and made us wait almost 45 minutes for simply a glass of water, while late comers were served promptly.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ But it seemed to be a simple mistake, and she, like the rest of the staff, was very friendly.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I was surprised at how good the service was. I’ve heard that Hollywood type restaurants such as The Ivy only give you the time of day if you have recognizable face, but that can’t be said about the Geisha House.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½
As I mentioned earlier, this place was packed, and this was only on a Wednesday night. I highly recommend making reservations no matter what time you decide to visit this restaurant.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ After waiting to be seated for about an hour (and it was a fluke that we got a table so quickly; the waitress coincidentally asked if I was Kim, when they actually had us down under my friends name)Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ we had to wait an additional hour for our food to be prepared.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ However, it wasn’t so bad since we had an appetizer.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ And simply people watching is fun at a place like this; the owner of the restaurant, and That 70’s Show star Wilmer Valderamma showed up while we were there.
The Food
Most importantly, was the food good? I can say above anything else the Geisha House has to offer, the food is the best part.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Their menu has a variety of Japanese dishes, and special sushi recipes.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Their grilled calamari, edamame and tuna sashimi on a wonton make great appetizers.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ The Yuzu Ceviche of Whitefish and Jalapeno is an interesting and flavorful dish, but it’s only for those who really enjoy spicy foods.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I can’t exactly name specific dishes when it comes to their sushi rolls, because I tried a plate with a variety of sushi and sashimi, but it was all delicious.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you have room, definitely stick around for dessert.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I’m not a chocolate fan, but I loved their molten chocolate cake with delectable vanilla ice cream on the side.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½
Their prices also surprised me.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I expected a place like this to be expensive, but most of the entrees fell between $8 and $15, and desserts $8; not cheap but definitely affordable.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you’re feeling really lucky, treat yourself to a $42 kobi steak; a friend of mine tried it and said it was fantastic!
If you’re around Hollywood Boulevard, I highly suggest visiting the Geisha House for the food alone.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ I wasn’t impressed by the vibe or the scenery, but those who like the trendy scene will enjoy it.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Most importantly the restaurant lives up to it’s own hype with great service and delicious food.
