esme

We adore esme! The food is absolutely incredible and the service is top tier. Every singe dish we have tried has been magnificent, seriously. A very sweet and cozy gem in the heart of Culver ❤️ perfect for date night

Such a cute spot in Culver with amazing food. You have to get the falafel plate and lamb sausage. Great selection of orange wine too. Love the outdoor seating, definitely will come back for coffee and to sit and do some work.

Soroush Sabzi

Ivan’s Shakshuka reminds me of my childhood and the Persian omelette my mom would make back in Tehran … just awesome … Thank you Ivan Very well balanced lighting and friendly and soft colors and atmosphere, friendly staff, love the wooden tables and the arts on the walls are also a unique touch. Dishes are very well made, and the home made sausage sandwich is something else … try it once and you know what I am saying … Great little gem in the heart of culver Culver City downtown … Thank you Esme

Andy Cheng

If you’re reading this, here’s the short version: this is easily one of the best restaurants in Culver City, and you need to try it now! It’s a small spot in downtown Culver City that you could walk past without noticing. I’m glad I didn’t. There are a couple of tables outside, but most of the seating is indoors. The space is modern, clean, and relaxing. We ordered three dishes, all recommended by our waiter. The mussel toast is a must. Every bite is savory and packed with seafood flavor. For mains, we had the short rib and rainbow trout. The short rib was perfection. Cooked over fire and served with crispy potato strings. It’s something you get at high-end steakhouse but at half the price. The rainbow trout looked beautiful and tasted fresh, though the citrus was a bit stronger than I prefer. For dessert, we couldn’t resist the churro and ice cream sandwich. The ice cream (another must try), sourced from a Persian maker, was rich with rose, honey, and pistachio. The presentation was just as impressive. The churros were decent, though I wished they were crispier and the dipping sauce was thicker. Overall, I’d give this place a solid five stars. The food is close to Michelin quality without the Michelin prices. Go and you won’t be disappointed.

Ayushee Bandi

It is a hidden gem! I absolutely love the vibe here. It’s pretty casual but the moment you sit down, look at the menu, and eat. You are in a different world altogether ! The falafel plate was actually to die for. I read a bunch of reviews and decided to try this exaggerated falafel plate and to my surprise it was damn good. The rainbow trout was amazing as well. You’ll feel a burst of flavors when you eat every bite of the food here. Now we are trying the grilled octopus. Fingers crossed.!!!

Erik Rodriguez

Delightful! I’ve been here twice now for brunch and have been impressed with the quality and creativity of each dish as well as the unmatched service. Today we tried the merguez sandwich and the blue corn huarache. Both were incredibly good. The lamb in the sandwich was so flavorful and perfectly complimented by the delicious bread it’s served on. The crispy, almost chicharrón-like, skin on the chicken topping the blue corn huarache was incredible. Last time we came, we tried the falafel plate and the chilaquiles and also had an apple danish. Everything was great and worthy of getting again though we wanted to explore the menu a bit more this time. They have a fantastic selection of wine as well as a small (3) but well-curated list of beer options. The extensive tea menu is also a pleasant surprise. Can’t wait to return!

Michael Liu

Cute little cafe a bit hidden across from the Culver steps that serves up some tasty Mediterranean dishes. Small menu but everything tastes homemade and made from scratch. Nice place for an intimate brunch, lunch or dinner. By the way, they are an excellent coffee shop also! They make a variety of craft coffee and espresso drinks that are delicious. Also recommend you come during low traffic hours, when the space becomes a nice, quiet coffee place - great for reading, light work or catching up with a friend. Highly recommended!

Erin Jackson

My husband and I live locally and we were highly recommended Esme by a coworker. We cannot wait to come back to one of our new favorite neighborhood spots! Esme feels like a cozy, authentic, and farm-to-table dining experience. I got the falafel plate which was complex and rich in flavor, and my husband got the lamb sirloin. We also shared a caesar salad and a couple of the tea blends to drink. Highly recommend all of these dishes. Next time we want to try some of the amazing in-shop wines on display! Our waitress was also attentive and service was quick.

Kristen Maynor

I've now been to esme for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and I can safely say this is an absolute gem of a restaurant in downtown Culver. Every dish has been a hit, combining both unique and comforting flavors into delightful meals. The atmosphere is warm & happy (the great wine list certainly helps!) and the staff are all so kind. I've had the egg sando & esme coffee (breakfast), the merguez sandwich (lunch), and the eggplant dip, chicken huarache, & the ice cream sandwich (dinner) - everything was so great I'll be torn whether to stick to these on my next visit or try the other menu items (either way, I know I'll leave full & happy!)

Angelia

I can’t rave about the food, drinks, service, overall vibes here enough! We got the shreuben sandwich and merguez sausage (and, of course, added Barbari bread). Everything was completely DROOL WORTHY. We accompanied our yummy food with the Esme drink and some beautiful orange wine. I feel like this restaurant has it all - from the sweet to the savory and the best drinks to soak it all up. Added bonus: we were met by the friendliest and incredibly knowledgeable owners and staff. Definitely a restaurant staple for our family.

Adela Zevada

I ordered the rainbow trout but they ran out and substituted sea bass. It was next level. The best fish dish I’ve ever had. Also, the white wine from Austria was very easy to drink and delicious. Lastly, the seasonal vegetable, broccolini, in adobo butter sauce was AMAZING. I was reluctant to order because I thought it would be spicy but it wasn’t even mild, which I enjoyed. Compliments to the chef.

Bianca Balderrama

The menu sounded great, then I ate my food and I was totally blown away. The flavors are amazing. The huarache was my favorite. I highly recommended the saffron, rose and pistachio ice cream sandwich!

Kayleigh Harvey

We adore esme! The food is absolutely incredible and the service is top tier. Every singe dish we have tried has been magnificent, seriously. A very sweet and cozy gem in the heart of Culver ❤️ perfect for date night

Christopher Roman

Relaxed place for coffee, lunch, and dinner all in one. The interior is pretty spartan but each dish we had was intricately constructed and delicious. Not crowded at all on the weeknight we visited!

Elizabeth Pettinicchi

Such a cute spot in Culver with amazing food. You have to get the falafel plate and lamb sausage. Great selection of orange wine too. Love the outdoor seating, definitely will come back for coffee and to sit and do some work.

Daniel Carter

Wow! I grew up with Reuben sandwiches and this Shreuben from Esme is king! It is so flavorful with great quality ingredients. I am eager to explore the rest of the menu, but I have to get it again next time. I also ordered the signature Esme drink. It is made with oat milk and a great pairing for my shreuben. I can’t believe I got to eat and drink so good and it was almost all plant based. The Esme drink was so good, I ordered a second latte to go. The restaurant is cute with a very chill vibe. The focus is on the food, as it should be. Very friendly staff, food came out in about 6-7 minutes. This is one of those hidden Los Angeles food gems that makes this city so magical. Cannot wait to be here again!

Tori S

The most delicious food! I came for dinner and it was so good. Super unique mix of flavors. Great vibes and super cute atmosphere. Will definitely be coming back for lunch and breakfast

Really good neighborhood spot for a cozy weeknight dinner. Our server was warm and welcoming, and really made our experience! Everything tasted super fresh and flavorful, and you can tell they really care about quality. Every dish was beautiful - highlights were the trout and falafel. They also were able to accommodate my gluten free restriction.

We randomly ended up to this restaurant: small, but pleasant, the type of place where you can talk with your friends. Party of three, we had the fish carpaccio, the octopus, and the burger (gourmet burger!). Everything was prepared to perfection. They will definitely see us again.

Perfect neighborhood bistro experience. Ordered the falafels, the rainbow trout and some salad. Each one were hits, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone who is looking for the perfect date place. Our server, the guy with the big glasses and big eyes made our experience even better.

Definitely a little gem in Culver City! Super chill ambience! Very kind service. Shareable plates. Def get the grilled harissa half chicken as one of your mains!

Really delicious food and great service but the ambiance needs to be improved if they’re going to charge current prices. Went Friday night for nice dinner date and it is full blast cafe lighting, fans running, etc. There were a few other couples there too, all dressed up for a night out and looking out of place. The current decor is more for bringing a few roommates to grab a casual dinner but the price is the same as any of the vibey places next door. Recommend: Lower the lights about 65%, buy some simple or electric candles for tabletop, put the paper menu in a sleeve or on a piece of pleather. I know it’s a mom and pop so all that can be done for free or with a quick $200 Amazon order. OR lower pricing and remain a cafe into the evening. I guess it’s confusing bc they have rich indulgent evening dishes with prices to match but no environment. That’s part of the deal for those prices. Short rib was incredible though. I wish this place luck if they can find their way!!

Aviva LeShaw

Really delicious food and great service but the ambiance needs to be improved if they’re going to charge current prices. Went Friday night for nice dinner date and it is full blast cafe lighting, fans running, etc. There were a few other couples there too, all dressed up for a night out and looking out of place. The current decor is more for bringing a few roommates to grab a casual dinner but the price is the same as any of the vibey places next door. Recommend: Lower the lights about 65%, buy some simple or electric candles for tabletop, put the paper menu in a sleeve or on a piece of pleather. I know it’s a mom and pop so all that can be done for free or with a quick $200 Amazon order. OR lower pricing and remain a cafe into the evening. I guess it’s confusing bc they have rich indulgent evening dishes with prices to match but no environment. That’s part of the deal for those prices. Short rib was incredible though. I wish this place luck if they can find their way!!

It’s a cute spot, but somewhat empty on a weeknight. I didn’t like the bomba rice at all. It just didn’t taste good. And the mussel toast was just okay. Relatively on the more expensive side considering the food quality in my opinion.

Tina C

It’s a cute spot, but somewhat empty on a weeknight. I didn’t like the bomba rice at all. It just didn’t taste good. And the mussel toast was just okay. Relatively on the more expensive side considering the food quality in my opinion.

I only tend to post reviews when a place is either really good or really bad, and unfortunately this one was the latter. None of the dishes were hits for us- the bread for the whipped ricotta had a nice texture, but the honey tasted strongly of fennel. The tarragon in the grilled leeks wasn’t our favorite, and while the mussels in the mussel toast were really tender, the toast was quite oily. The short rib also had a fairly uneven cook and the potatoes that came with it were quite oily too. Bumping to 2 stars for the great service, but I’d avoid this restaurant and look elsewhere.

Parthiv Apsani

I only tend to post reviews when a place is either really good or really bad, and unfortunately this one was the latter. None of the dishes were hits for us- the bread for the whipped ricotta had a nice texture, but the honey tasted strongly of fennel. The tarragon in the grilled leeks wasn’t our favorite, and while the mussels in the mussel toast were really tender, the toast was quite oily. The short rib also had a fairly uneven cook and the potatoes that came with it were quite oily too. Bumping to 2 stars for the great service, but I’d avoid this restaurant and look elsewhere.

naheaan islam

I hate giving low reviews but the matcha here was really disappointing💔 we couldn't finish it which sucks considering the price of matcha nowadays. Also, there was a fly in the pastry box and overall a lack of cleanliness in the cafe. The place was cute and in a good location though!

Not allowed to work on your laptop . . . at a cafe. The mussels and toast was delicious but presentation had left the chat. The oolong tea was great, I think. Hard to taste the subtle notes over the dish soap taste in the “mug.” I came in with a laptop case, planning to grab a coffee and write for a bit, but was immediately told “just so you know, you can’t work on your laptop here.” It threw me off because the place markets itself as a café, but it clearly doesn’t operate like one. I don’t mind a “no laptops” policy if that’s the vibe, but the way it was communicated felt more like exclusion than hospitality. There are plenty of ways to set boundaries while still making guests feel welcome. Instead, it felt like I was being told I didn’t belong before I even had a chance to order. From what I could tell, Esme seems to be trying to split identities—café by day, full restaurant by night—but the lines are blurry. If you’re looking for a true café where you can read, write, or work, this isn’t the place. Hospitality isn’t just about food; it’s about how guests are made to feel. In this case, the mismatch between the branding and the reality left me disappointed. Update: the snarky reply seems to confirm their sense of entitlement. Good luck with success with that attitude.

Nate Who

Not allowed to work on your laptop . . . at a cafe. The mussels and toast was delicious but presentation had left the chat. The oolong tea was great, I think. Hard to taste the subtle notes over the dish soap taste in the “mug.” I came in with a laptop case, planning to grab a coffee and write for a bit, but was immediately told “just so you know, you can’t work on your laptop here.” It threw me off because the place markets itself as a café, but it clearly doesn’t operate like one. I don’t mind a “no laptops” policy if that’s the vibe, but the way it was communicated felt more like exclusion than hospitality. There are plenty of ways to set boundaries while still making guests feel welcome. Instead, it felt like I was being told I didn’t belong before I even had a chance to order. From what I could tell, Esme seems to be trying to split identities—café by day, full restaurant by night—but the lines are blurry. If you’re looking for a true café where you can read, write, or work, this isn’t the place. Hospitality isn’t just about food; it’s about how guests are made to feel. In this case, the mismatch between the branding and the reality left me disappointed. Update: the snarky reply seems to confirm their sense of entitlement. Good luck with success with that attitude.