Formosa Cafe

4.6 (1092)

$31 to $50

Asian

7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046-5802

About this restaurant

Neighbourhood gem
Good for special occasions
Romantic

The Formosa Cafe is a restaurant and bar founded in 1939 and located at 7156 Santa Monica Boulevard at the intersection with North Formosa Avenue, in West Hollywood, California.

The restaurant has a long history of movie star and film industry patronage due to its close proximity to studio lot across the street, which began as the United Artists lot and was later owned by Warner Bros. Generations of movie stars such as Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable have eaten meals at The Formosa. Frank Sinatra is reputed to have spent many nights at the Formosa in the 1950s, pining over Ava Gardner.

After a brief 2 year hiatus, a complete refurbishment, and a tremendous menu update The Formosa Cafe has returned to serve the Los Angeles community once again.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Asian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Wed, Sun 12:00–23:00 Thu–Sat 12:00–00:00
Phone number
(323) 850-1014
Website
https://theformosacafe.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Dan Huerta
Private party facilities
Please direct event inquiries to formosa@1933group.com

Location
7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046-5802
Area
West Hollywood
Cross street
Formosa Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd.
Parking Details
Free street parking after 6pm
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Outdoor Firepit, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,092 people are saying

Formosa Cafe reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.6

4.6 based on all time ratings

4.5Food
4.4Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

1,092 Reviews

M
Michelle Gold
Dallas26 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 March 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the best time ! Friendly hostess, amazing service. Food was awesome. Drinks were delicious!
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C
Christine Gold
Orange County7 reviews
5.0
Dined on 24 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
So much to eat in this classic destination.. the food was delicious, too!
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J
Jeff
Los Angeles5 reviews
5.0
Dined on 23 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Formosa Cafe has really come back in a strong way. Food was excellent and we all especially enjoyed the whole Bronzino. Walnut shrimp is always great we loved the fried rice. We tend to over order because we enjoy the leftovers so much. Service was very nice but it always feels like they’re a LITTLE understaffed when the place gets really busy.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego1 review
5.0
Dined on 20 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a girl date night and the service and food were absolutely amazing. I have been a regular since moving to Los Angeles but my friends experienced it for their first time and they loved it. The restaurant serves old Hollywood charm and the drinks and food can’t be beat. Highly recommend.
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L
Larry
New York City1 review
2.0
Dined on 16 February 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 5
Food was not great. Oily and heavy. It was better last year. Such a shame for a classic institution. Service was also not the best. Wasn’t busy and yet drinks took forever and then the food came out so fast we didn’t have room on our table for all of it.
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M
Marcos
Los Angeles4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 16 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My partner and I had a great experience! We got some drinks at the bar first, then we got seated in the iconic train car for dinner. Our server Simone was amazing! She was super friendly, recommended good items on the menu, and she was all around so wonderful! The drinks were strong and had nice flavors, the food was absolutely delicious! The restaurant is also stunningly beautiful! Completely recommend!!
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C
Carrie
Los Angeles4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 16 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had a great time on our second trip here in since December. I grew up literally a few blocks away and had never been here. Its fabulous. The new owners have made it so authentic looking and cozy. Love all the original actor photos and the red wallpaper is amazing. Our server was a complete doll! I can't remember her name but she was awesome! Great drink recommendations.
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C
CL
San Francisco2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 15 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing portion size for food, you’d think it’s small like most restaurants but we had plenty leftovers
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B
Brittney Gold
Los Angeles12 reviews
5.0
Dined on 7 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had the best birthday dinner. My 3rd time at the formosa and it never fails, always an amazing experience.
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D
Daniel
Los Angeles4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 1 February 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
The vibe is amazing - it has all the kitschy charm we had hoped for. It’s a noisy and energetic environment with a good soundtrack and entertaining people watching. For 2, we shared the Dan Dan Mian noodles and Chinese BBQ Pork plate and both were delicious. The pork was our favorite. It was decadent with lots of crispy skin served on the bone and the sauces were excellent. It’s probably not an ideal dish for a romantic night because we were sticky and in a slight comatose after eating it, but it was a perfect celebratory dish for my wife and I. Portions are generous and built for sharing, but we wanted to try a few items and love leftovers. Cocktails were good but on the pricey side. I very much appreciated the details with all the cups and garnishes though. The whole restaurant really nails the design details from the wallpaper to the stir sticks to the to-go bags, it enhanced the experience for us. We will definitely be back and are glad we finally visited this old charming spot. The 1933 Group continues to impress. The staff was friendly and laid bac
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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Asian
Hours of Operation
Mon–Wed, Sun 12:00–23:00 Thu–Sat 12:00–00:00
Phone number
(323) 850-1014
Website
https://theformosacafe.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Dan Huerta
Private party facilities
Please direct event inquiries to formosa@1933group.com

Location
7156 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046-5802
Area
West Hollywood
Cross street
Formosa Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd.
Parking Details
Free street parking after 6pm
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Delivery, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Outdoor Firepit, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Home
United States
Los Angeles
West Hollywood / Beverly Hills / Mid-Wilshire
West Hollywood

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing