Sleek and Sexy new bar in downtown Menlo Park! Great to go by for a cocktail, cheese plate and fries before the show at the Guild!

Loretta is the fun, sexy nightspot that Menlo has been missing. Delicious cocktails in a fun environment, make this your post-dinner pre-Guild destination

Loretta’s is exactly what Menlo Park needed! It’s bringing the life back to our town! It feels like being in NYC when you are inside. Great atmosphere, drinks and the staff make it feel so warm. So happy we have Loretta’s.!

Swanky new bar downtown MP great drinks and sexy ambiance, go to before the Guild Theater or after for fun drinks . Great date ior friends gathering place. Perfect for Menlo or PA folks!

Cocktails at the new bar in Menlo Park this evening were excellent. The owner; Ali and his staff were wonderful. The cheese plate and cocktails were delish. We’ll be back! You have to ask the owner to tell you the story of the name 😊

Last night my wife and I were in downtown Menlo Park and we went to Loretta's Bar. Thank you, Loretta's team, for making our time so enjoyable. Your service, attention, and products were very pleasant. We'll be back soon. Thank you.

Bar Loretta is one of those places that checks all the boxes — great food, great drinks, great service, and proximity to The Guild. Great spot for after work drinks or drinks before/after a show at The Guild. It's a fun environment. Ali Elsafy is the mastermind behind Bar Lorreta and the neighboring restaurant, Bistro Vida. Two Menlo Park gems. Thanks Ali!

Fantastic bar in Menlo Park! Great atmosphere and service! Delicious cocktails and food next door too!

Fantastic place to hang with friends or grab a drink before or after dinner. Loretta feels like a nightclub in LA or New York. The bar is gorgeous and the lounge seating is elegant and chic. Their mixology capabilities are outstanding. I’ve now been there on several occasions to meet friends and we always have a lovely time. Ali, the owner, is gracious and attentive to all the guests. I feel like a VIP every time.

Loretta’s is a great spot in Menlo Park to catch up over drinks—cocktails are creative, and the non-alcoholic options go beyond basic juice: my favorite is the "Estimated Profit." Friendly and accommodating staff. Good vibes all around. Worth checking out!

I was visiting the Bay Area from Delaware for work. I decided to take a day off from my conference and explore Grateful Dead historical sites in the Bay Area. Bar Loretta is the site of Magoo's Pizza Parlor, which was where the Warlocks (soon to be the Grateful Dead) played their first show in 1965. I was wearing a Dead & Company t-shirt and looking in the window. Bar Loretta was closed. But a man came out of the restaurant next door (Bistro Vida) and said, "Come here, friend. I want to show you something." It turns out that it was Ali, who owns both Bistro Vida and Bar Loretta. He showed me where the stage was located when it was Magoo's, and he said he won't tear the wall down because of the historical significance. I had goose bumps just being in the room. It's a powerful place. The lives of so many people around the world, mine included, were changed forever by a single band playing a show in that room. He said he named the bar "Loretta" because he liked the name and had other significant historical meaning to him. Another Deadhead had visited him with a copy of Jerry Garcia's book, Harrington Street. Unbeknownst to Ali, Loretta was also the name of Jerry's grandmother. It's a powerful place. Stop by and visit it. The bar was not open when I was there, so I cannot comment on the food or the service. But I can tell you that Ali's a good guy running a special place full of that Grateful Dead magic. He's made up Magoo's Pizza Parlor shirts--be sure to get one!

We love coming here because of the lounge-style atmosphere, drinks, music, and friendly owner and staff. You often find a nice mix of people here. Now that they are open, we finally have a local late-night option.

Went to a guild show with a large group of friends; we were happy to find Loretta after the show as it was practically across the street. This place is just what Menlo Park needed as it usually gets pretty quiet at night. The staff were very friendly and we were all able to get in even though it was very packed. The atmosphere was great and the place was just beautiful! Definitely will be coming back for some more delicious drinks

I am so glad this place has opened up in Menlo Park. The drinks are delicious, the atmosphere really elegant and the owner Ali is really warm, welcoming and accommodating. He even helped us celebrate our friend’s birthday by serving the cake we had brought. Oh and the DJ was also spinning some really nice tunes.

I went here with a friend for a birthday happy hour during their soft opening. I love this spot! So beautifully decorated. We got there right at 5 and it filled up right away, which is a great sign that this is something the south bay really needs. I love how open the space is, yet with intimate pockets so it never feels crowded or overwhelming. Our two big points of feedback were the lighting -- it was way too bright for a bar, distractingly bright. The light fixtures are gorgeous, but they need lower and warmer light. I felt like it was the middle of the afternoon even though it was evening. Also, the cheeses on the cheese plate were delicious, but there were two soft cheeses and not enough bread or crackers to enjoy them. I think they should either two hard one soft cheese, or keep those cheeses but provide more surfaces on which to spread it. The waitresses were a little distracted, but I think it's because the bar is still so new. They were kind and attentive for the most part. I definitely recommend and I hope this business continues to thrive! But please do consider lowering the lighting!!

Jennifer Balogh-Ghosh

We love coming here because of the lounge-style atmosphere, drinks, music, and friendly owner and staff. You often find a nice mix of people here. Now that they are open, we finally have a local late-night option.

Ekaterina Moshkevich

Bar Loretta fills a hole in the Palo Alto / Menlo Park scene in the most perfect way. It has a swanky bar ambience, easy to navigate bar menu and of course great service from Ali and his team. We missed the live music as we came after Tiesto show tonight, but looking forward to coming back during one of the live music sets.

Rich Nieva

Bar Loretta is one of those places that checks all the boxes — great food, great drinks, great service, and proximity to The Guild. Great spot for after work drinks or drinks before/after a show at The Guild. It's a fun environment. Ali Elsafy is the mastermind behind Bar Lorreta and the neighboring restaurant, Bistro Vida. Two Menlo Park gems. Thanks Ali!

Patrick Gallagher

I was visiting the Bay Area from Delaware for work. I decided to take a day off from my conference and explore Grateful Dead historical sites in the Bay Area. Bar Loretta is the site of Magoo's Pizza Parlor, which was where the Warlocks (soon to be the Grateful Dead) played their first show in 1965. I was wearing a Dead & Company t-shirt and looking in the window. Bar Loretta was closed. But a man came out of the restaurant next door (Bistro Vida) and said, "Come here, friend. I want to show you something." It turns out that it was Ali, who owns both Bistro Vida and Bar Loretta. He showed me where the stage was located when it was Magoo's, and he said he won't tear the wall down because of the historical significance. I had goose bumps just being in the room. It's a powerful place. The lives of so many people around the world, mine included, were changed forever by a single band playing a show in that room. He said he named the bar "Loretta" because he liked the name and had other significant historical meaning to him. Another Deadhead had visited him with a copy of Jerry Garcia's book, Harrington Street. Unbeknownst to Ali, Loretta was also the name of Jerry's grandmother. It's a powerful place. Stop by and visit it. The bar was not open when I was there, so I cannot comment on the food or the service. But I can tell you that Ali's a good guy running a special place full of that Grateful Dead magic. He's made up Magoo's Pizza Parlor shirts--be sure to get one!

Jessica Hickingbotham

Fantastic place to hang with friends or grab a drink before or after dinner. Loretta feels like a nightclub in LA or New York. The bar is gorgeous and the lounge seating is elegant and chic. Their mixology capabilities are outstanding. I’ve now been there on several occasions to meet friends and we always have a lovely time. Ali, the owner, is gracious and attentive to all the guests. I feel like a VIP every time.

Maryam Keyvani

I am so glad this place has opened up in Menlo Park. The drinks are delicious, the atmosphere really elegant and the owner Ali is really warm, welcoming and accommodating. He even helped us celebrate our friend’s birthday by serving the cake we had brought. Oh and the DJ was also spinning some really nice tunes.

Fallon Falore

Loretta’s is a great spot in Menlo Park to catch up over drinks—cocktails are creative, and the non-alcoholic options go beyond basic juice: my favorite is the "Estimated Profit." Friendly and accommodating staff. Good vibes all around. Worth checking out!

Lucius Adler

Went to a guild show with a large group of friends; we were happy to find Loretta after the show as it was practically across the street. This place is just what Menlo Park needed as it usually gets pretty quiet at night. The staff were very friendly and we were all able to get in even though it was very packed. The atmosphere was great and the place was just beautiful! Definitely will be coming back for some more delicious drinks

Sanjay Subhedar

My first visit to Bar Loretta which is next door to and Started by Bistro Vida owner Ali El Safy. The food comes form Bistro Vida They have a full bar and several beers on tap. Seating is inside or outside. I had a Sierra Nevada beer on tap and and the Bistro Vida Burger

My first visit to Bar Loretta which is next door to and Started by Bistro Vida owner Ali El Safy. The food comes form Bistro Vida They have a full bar and several beers on tap. Seating is inside or outside. I had a Sierra Nevada beer on tap and and the Bistro Vida Burger

+1

Derrith Schmidt

Cool vibe and atmosphere at this new bar in Menlo Park. We went there for a glass of wine before dinner. The cheese plate was underwhelming and when we told our waiter we couldn’t cut one of the cheese blocks he took it away with his fingers and brought back another equally as hard block. When we got our bill we told the other waiter that the cheese block was inedible he said “That’s what people say about escargot but they ordered it.” And when we checked our bill we realized they charged us $20 for each glass of wine when menu said $18. The waiter said the owner wasn’t around and the easiest way for them to resolve that was giving us $4 back, which he did. The place was full when we left for dinner with laughing people and birthday party gatherings of friends.

Caroline Schlocker

Super shady billing: We were a party of eight and had a nice time. Drinks came (one Manhattan sent back b/c it was basically tan-colored simple syrup but the remake was fine), fries and charcuterie board tasty, nice seating. The bill came and one person picked up the check. Keep in mind, it's low lighting and we've not only been drinking, but we're also getting old and our eyesight is fading. So, admittedly, we didn't look at the bill too hard. Plus, we were told no split checks so we weren't trying to work anything out at that time. It wasn't until we were settling up the next day that we saw a 20% gratuity had been added. The server said NOTHING about this and if you'll notice, the tip chart at the bottom makes it seem as if a tip hasn't been included AND percentages are based on the subtotal, "party gratuity," and tax. So, yeah, we fell for it and double tipped. I am ok with the charge receipt having space for a tip since I routinely leave 5-10% extra, but the way this bill is printed is deceiving. As a place, Loretta's fills a gap in the Menlo Dark nightlife scene, but I really hope they take this feedback and change their approach to communicating larger party charges.

Super shady billing: We were a party of eight and had a nice time. Drinks came (one Manhattan sent back b/c it was basically tan-colored simple syrup but the remake was fine), fries and charcuterie board tasty, nice seating. The bill came and one person picked up the check. Keep in mind, it's low lighting and we've not only been drinking, but we're also getting old and our eyesight is fading. So, admittedly, we didn't look at the bill too hard. Plus, we were told no split checks so we weren't trying to work anything out at that time. It wasn't until we were settling up the next day that we saw a 20% gratuity had been added. The server said NOTHING about this and if you'll notice, the tip chart at the bottom makes it seem as if a tip hasn't been included AND percentages are based on the subtotal, "party gratuity," and tax. So, yeah, we fell for it and double tipped. I am ok with the charge receipt having space for a tip since I routinely leave 5-10% extra, but the way this bill is printed is deceiving. As a place, Loretta's fills a gap in the Menlo Dark nightlife scene, but I really hope they take this feedback and change their approach to communicating larger party charges.

Cool vibe and atmosphere at this new bar in Menlo Park. We went there for a glass of wine before dinner. The cheese plate was underwhelming and when we told our waiter we couldn’t cut one of the cheese blocks he took it away with his fingers and brought back another equally as hard block. When we got our bill we told the other waiter that the cheese block was inedible he said “That’s what people say about escargot but they ordered it.” And when we checked our bill we realized they charged us $20 for each glass of wine when menu said $18. The waiter said the owner wasn’t around and the easiest way for them to resolve that was giving us $4 back, which he did. The place was full when we left for dinner with laughing people and birthday party gatherings of friends.

Araaf Niva

I admit my taste in cocktail bars is absurdly nuanced, so take this as philosophy, not law. You should go and judge for yourself. Bar Loretta is new, and what follows is not cruelty but a plea for authenticity in a world already drowning in bad faith. One steps inside and encounters a space unsure of itself, a room striving to become what it cannot name. The ceiling reaches upward as if yearning for meaning, yet only deepens the silence of its own void. Below, the furniture gathers in hesitant formations, fragments without necessity, waiting for a purpose that never comes. Even the music felt like an afterthought, a sound that hovered in the air with no conviction. Before I tell you about drinks, perhaps this is the moment to ask why we drink cocktails at all. Not for thirst, and rarely for need, but for the illusion that the world can be arranged into order, that contradictions, sweet and bitter, harsh and delicate, can coexist in one small glass and briefly make sense. A great cocktail whispers the oldest truth: that we are contradictions seeking harmony, and for one brief sip, the illusion feels like the very essence of beauty itself. Loretta’s drinks gave no such whisper. They were not terrible, merely forgettable. The martini denied the very idea of martini-ness. Midnight in Paris tasted like noon in Phoenix. The Naked and Famous was anonymous, and afraid of freedom. For a bar, two things matter: pleasure of drinks and a vibe that creates the illusion that life has meaning. Loretta has found neither, though my hope remains that it will one day awaken to both.