Dan Tana's

03/29/2008 Posted by klf02

I can't get enough of this place. I don't even know if I can articulate my experience properly but here it goes. My last 2 trips to L.A. (I live in Vancouver) have included dinner out at Dan Tana's. The 1st time was with my boyfriend. I had read many reviews about the place before arriving- positive and negative- so I was quite eager to form my own opinion. We both agreed afterward that it was truly a unique experience from top to bottom. The food, the service, the slightly dated decor, the clientele, the attitude, were all fab. Did I have the best steak I've ever eaten? Quite possibly. What some people may consider rude and pretentious service, I found to be tongue-in-cheek and feisty. Did we wait for our table even though we had a reservation? Yes. The place is quite small and it appeared people enjoyed hanging out there, so it's no wonder the wait is what it is. My second visit was last week - March 20th- with a girlfriend from Vancouver. When we originally made a list of restaurants we wanted to go to, I insisted Dan Tana's be on it. The moment we walked in the door, it was deja vu. We were lucky enough to be seated in the front room thanks to Craig, the most awesome Maitre d' / manager. The place felt homey- full of character and characters. Good food, good drink and charming service made this one of my favourite memories of the trip. Special thanks to Craig for making me laugh repeatedly. Great cappucino from the man behind the bar, too. A real gem.

03/23/2008 Posted by kingfood

I went there recently for dinner on a Saturday night. They certainly overbooked and there was prety much no place to move when we got in. Luckily, we hounded the host and got a table rather quickly. The hot was exactly like I hear he would be- rude in a funny way. I dug it, but I could tell others were put off. Once at the table, our waiter, I thought, had an old school, fast talking way about him , that I liked as well, but my girlfriend wasn't a huge fan. The thing is about this place is thats kind of their "schtick", so once we got over it and focused on the food and drink, it became a great night. The scallop saute was delicious, the chicken parm was everything I heard it was, the shrimp scampi was garlic heaven, and the drinks were stiff. If you don't love waiters making fun of you for picking up leftover sauce with bread, or saying that they are used to being annoyed because they too have a girlfriend, then this place might not be for you. If you can get into it, the food is well worth it.

Pros: food (especially chicken parm) and stiff drinks

Cons: waitstaff can be a bit over the top

03/03/2008 Posted by lovelaeats

It's amusing to see a few regulars leap to the defense of this place. They should, because it certainly needs defending. Unless a customer is a celebrity or a regular, he or she is very likely to be treated shabbily. We arrived on time for our reservation, only to be told there was a 10-15 minute wait and we should have a "drink or two" at the bar. If only. The bar was absolutely packed and the overworked bartender refused to even look in our direction. So we were forced to stand in the cramped area next to the host stand for half an hour with no drinks, no service and no apologies, as the aging, toupeed, plastic-surgery nightmares who frequent this place jostled us left and right without as much as an "excuse me." When we were finally seated, the food was like something from a drive-in movie, smothered in Ragu and ridiculously overpriced. The waitstaff and the elderly busboys were brusque and snappish. All in all, a miserable dining experience. Dan Tana's is an "institution" only among a dwindling cadre of ancient Beverly Hills types who chintz is class and overpriced is good. LA has many, many more authentic institutions that treat all their customers well and deliver a solid dining experience. Dan Tana's doesn't want you. Leave it to its crypt-keeping regulars.

Pros: None

Cons: Overbooking, overpriced, rude staff, rude "regulars"

01/02/2008 Posted by beardlady

I have been going to Tana's for over 15 years, and just peeked at the reviews posted. People who don't "get" it and think you should stay home and order a pizza don't even belong there. Going to Tana's is an experience - there's a reason the place has been opened for over 40 years. The food is great - a real East Coast experience - and it's like being with family. Most of the staff has been there for a long time, and there's a great sense of excitement and humor there. Those who complain of rudeness and also threaten to stay home - stay home, as you should. They obviously don't get the fast-paced, fast-talking waiters, bartender and host. Go to Tana's for the food AND the experience. Food is always consistent - try the chicken parm, the whitefish, the steak. And don't miss out on the delish cappuccino ice cream. Tana's isn't for the weak of heart, or of personality. If you can handle waiting for your table, enjoy the ride. It's wild!

Pros: Great food; Festive atmosphere

Cons: None

10/14/2007 Posted by slpeck

The tab for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees & 4 glasses of wine will set you back over $230. The $33 saute Scallop entree is just a big plate of over-cooked rubbery scallops. It will leave a fishy taste in your mouth later on. Dont order a glass of the house Chianti either. Tastes like rot-gut vinegar. This was especially disappointing since there are chianti bottles decorating the ceiling, as if they are known for a good chianti. Martinis are good & expensive, but watch out... it's likely the waiter will spill 1/2 of it before he serves it to you.

Pros: old school Italian decor

Cons: bad food, bad wine, half-filled martinis

07/23/2007 Posted by cinnabarterv

I love historic restaurants, Hollywood history, and Italian food. I was greatly looking forward to dining at Dan Tana's and went there on a special birthday. It was a great disappointment. The maitre'd was very rude. We arrived early and the main room was only 1/3 full and he would not let us move from a teeny table to a booth. His excuse was that he needed room for a crowd that would arrive 90 minutes later. We should have walked out of the restaurant at that point. But being imbued with the restaurant's legend, and not wanting to make a fuss on a special day, we stayed. But I felt worse and worse. The food was just so so. It was not worth the price. I would never give anyone a recommendation to eat here. BTW, you can't see the celebrities in the bar from the main dining room. Why bother going to Dan Tana's? It has nothing to offer but B.S.

Cons: Incredibly rude, ambiance and food overrated and overpriced

07/16/2007 Posted by natkat22

The employees are very rude, especially on the phone. I made a reservations but soon cancelled because of the meany on the phone. If they are like that right off the bat, I'd rather not pay money to eat there. The person who answered the phone gave me a "great" impression of what the staff is like--horrible!

Pros: I dunno...I never went

Cons: the staff

06/19/2007 Posted by pwilliams59

Rudest people I have ever seen in my life. Just don't go! Rather order a pizza than going to that restaurant again.

Pros: None

Cons: Where do I start?

06/19/2007 Posted by ebarns

Probably the worst experience I have ever had in a restaurant. The Personnel is condescending and over all food mediocre. It is a waste of money and time. I highly recommend to avoid that establishment. Also very disappointed in their French wine selection. They have the worst attitude from the hostess, sommelier and/or manager to the waiters. HORRIBLE

Pros: Thumbs down

Cons: Thumbs down

06/18/2007 Posted by lamom

Would never recommend this place to anyone unless it was to say "Stay away" Food is average. Service stinks, Seating even with reservations is awful. Place is extremely noisy with people who are overrated and too impressed to be polite. Waste of time, money and effort. Head waiter does nothing but pocket $100 bills while little (cockroaches)run up and down the walls.

Cons: If you like paying bribes to sit and too much money for bad service, this place is yours