Church & State

Elaine Vukadinovich

So much fun! Japanese French twist on the menu. Uni tuna tartare toast, black sesame rolls with salted French butter and ikura, uni pasta, salad with toasted walnuts and apples, cassoulet, a croque Madame with a confit egg yolk on top that was amazing and most spectacular of all, an abalone, scallop, snail butter pot pie. So so delicious!! Inventive menu. Really good service also! Great wine and sake list! And across the street, the flamingo bar, pink tropical disco - great for a before or after dinner drink! Go there. You won’t regret it!

Joyce Y

My first time here and it was amazing! All the food wasn’t heavy and it was filling but light. The black sesame dinner rolls was very good, the pot pie was shockingly good .. I was thinking it would be heavy and since I don’t like pie I was skeptical why it was popular but it was delicious. The pastry ontop was fluffy. The uni and bluefin tuna toast was good but definitely was expecting to be more 😅 The grilled loup de mer was good too just nothing too wow except the yuzu sauce — loved the yuzu sauce. It was recommended by the server. The grilled duck breast was good! I’ve never had duck like this and I liked it!

Rachelle

We really enjoyed our dinner date here! We came on the earlier side before it started to get busy. The atmosphere was very welcoming, and the service was great. Peter, our server, gave us some amazing recommendations — and he did not disappoint! I wish we had more people with us to share dishes because everything we ordered was delicious. Each dish was so delicate, and every detail and ingredient felt so thoughtful. I got the Cobbler for my cocktail and it was pretty refreshing but might be on the sweeter side for someone else’s liking. We got the Parker House roll, Japanese itoyori sashimi, celebrity tomatoes with burrata, Hokkaido uni pasta, hanger steak, and mochi. I really wanted to try the cotton cheesecake, but we’ll save that for next time. Can’t wait to come back with friends and explore more of the menu!

Effie

Sooo food was amazing! Best I’ve had in may ways, service was pretty bad. I used to work in the F&B industry so I know…the staff don’t seem ok. First of all, I checked in at the host stand and asked for an indoor table and she basically shames me for not putting that in the notes. And says there’s only patio seating. That’s fine, I get it. She then confirms that it’s my birthday. Once at the table, the server doesn’t mention the birthday at all. She also offers zero suggestions on food and barely checks on us. Just overall cold. No rudeness or anything but a pricey dinner you do expect at least some warmth? The food was so good! The croque madame was a highlight. Definitely indulgent but not super heavy. We loved the freshness of the market salad and the squash salad was different. I appreciate the creativity—burrata at the bottom was a fun surprise. We also got the spaghetti which was yummy and the flavors were really unique. The chicken entree is pricey at $61, but was very tasty and the meat was tender and juicy. So overall im giving the place a 5 star for the food. But dont expect warm service.

Jen Y.

A wonderful date night at Camelia. Great vibes, buzzing but with nice staff and hostesses and not the snobby LA situation. The cocktail bar REALLY knows what they're doing. It took a long time from our reservation to actually get a table and put in our order but luckily the bar staff was fantastic. Our first dish (tuna uni toast) was way too small for the price which I think explains the lower reviews. Everything else was amazing, peak for us was the pot pie, which was in a escargot butter and SO good. I can't wait to come back.

eriklenh

I thought long how to rate the restaurant as we had a really bad start. Although we had a reservation no table was free and we had to wait long, not being served. Only after I complained twice, and quite directly, we got a round of complimentary drinks and after 25 minutes a table. It seems like they give out reservations but do not limit the table times, so basically with a reservation you get a next free table but not at a guaranteed time. They need to change this to meet expectations. However, as soon as we were seated and tempers had cooled it was a great experience. We ordered almost everything on the menu and it sum it was a great food experience. I love the sharing/ tapas style. Sometimes very innovative (try the burrito for sure) sometimes just plain good. Only the chicken I’d not recommend, it was just OK. I’d recommend to come here with more people to be able to select a lot. Service was good from then on, timing of the dishes perfect and the wine menu is fair and balanced. Not sure if I’d come again but I’d definitely recommend to go there at least once.

Eric Jin Cheng

Camelia is a fantastic restaurant with a vibrant yet relaxed atmosphere. The food is flavorful, satisfying, and perfectly portioned—leaving you full without feeling overindulgent. The photos really speak for themselves, but my personal favorites were the Croque Madame and the beef dish. Both were incredibly tender with excellent texture and depth of flavor. Safe to say, Camelia has earned a spot in my top five restaurants in LA.

Matt Palmer

Although the architectural changes are subtle, the old Church & State space has been thoughtfully transformed into an incredible new experience. Food is inspired with standouts being the warm bread with French butter and ikura, a soft-shell crab presented artistically, and the croque madame that has an egg yolk that soaks right into the dish when cut. Cocktails are pricey but delicious and well presented. Given the deep sake bench at their other restaurants, we are excited to explore that next time. Modern French food that felt much “lighter” than traditional paired with the dynamic Japanese fare of the OTOTO / Tsubaki group is a winning amalgamation. Service is fast, professional, and knowledgeable. Pricey, but worth it.

Knowl Edge

Camelia was one of the restaurants I wanted to pay a visit during my stay in LA. Not many free parking spaces available there, ended up valet parking. Food was decent but nothing really stood out. Portions are on the smaller side and price somewhat on the higher end. We ordered a cocktail that was suggested by the waitress but had to return because it was the worst cocktail I've ever tasted. I did like the ambience though and how the chefs came out and served some of the food. Overall a decent meal but a bit overpriced in my opinion.

wook kim

Perfect evening out for a date night. The restaurant ambiance was refined yet lively. There were people out for dates, girls night out and some business dinners. The service was prompt and professional. The food portions are smaller and good for sharing. Would definitely come back to try the other food items.