Off Vine, Hollywood, CA

Off Vine is a refurbished bungalow hidden on Leland Way, located just off Vine and Sunset Boulevard. It is across the street from the Arclight theater, and an easy 1 1/2 blocks from the Pantages Theater. It is a great place for friends to enjoy a great meal, yet romantic enough for couples to enjoy a special occasion.

Stephen and I have been here twice for brunch, each time for a matinee performance at the Pantages Theater. On our most recent visit, the weather was exceptionally nice, and we chose to sit outside on the porch. It was completely shaded, and the southern California breeze made the brunch enjoyable, and relaxing.

Portions for the brunch are very generous, and considering it is near a tourist area, prices are quite reasonable. On this visit, Stephen chose the Breakfast Quesadilla, while I had the Brioche French Toast with the ham, which was more like Canadian bacon.

On a previous visit, Stephen had the breakfast burrito, which took up the entire plate. It was, in fact, too large that he was unable to finish it, while I had the Omelet, which was just as hearty. We were so full, we barely had room for our Souffle, which is a specialty of the restaurant.

We have never left Off Vine hungry, and always satisfied. The only downside of coming here is the service can be hit or miss. The service seem to start off wonderfully, but thoughout the meal, getting small things such as a refill on coffee or even the check can be an obstacle.

If you are coming here for the Theater, I would suggest avoiding the valet and self park at the independent lot next to Chipotle or the lot adjacent to the restaurant, which should be $5 for all day parking.

If you do park with the valet, the down part is by the time you get back from the Theater, it can be difficult to find the attendant, and, most likely the restaurant is closed. Even for a matinee performance, the restaurant closes between the brunch and dinner shift, and the area is pretty much abandoned. So to avoid the anxiety of finding the attendant, it would be better to self park at the lot literally next door.

Reservations are highly recommended, and you can do this at Opentable.com.