Vibrato Grill and Jazz

[B-Dub]

Have any of you forum contributors or readers been to Mr. Alpert's restaurant, Vibrato Grill and Jazz...etc. in Bel Air? I'd be interested in having a dinner there with my wife the next time we're in L.A., but I'm not sure how much the menu items run, and if there's a cover charge for the pleasure of hearing and seeing live music played; (the Vibrato website doesn't give a clue as to its price range, so perhaps I've branded myself as utterly gauche if I even have to ask!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I had planned on going last year when I hooked up with Randy Alpert, but other things came up. It's a very nice place, but am told the food is quite expensive. It sits in a little strip center on top of a hill in Beverly Hills, and the dress code is described as "LA chic". I really don't know about a cover charge, but you can always call and ask.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Here's a review from the restaurant guide at www.la.com

http://www.la.com/dining/americansteakhousesseafood/vibratogrilljazz/12742

Set in a tony shopping center at the top of Beverly Glen Boulevard, Vibrato is a most unexpected spot for a jazz-infused restaurant, especially one owned by a jazz great like Herb Alpert.

Alpert teamed with the Smith brothers (owners of Pasadena's Crocodile Cafes, Arroyo Chop House and Parkway Grill), so Vibrato couldn't be anything but a cool, elegant dining room filled with hot jazz. The space is arched like a theater, with white-linened tables surrounding a stage. Much of the decor—wood-paneled walls, amber-colored domes on the ceiling—actually serves as sound absorbers, so you know a musician must be involved. Oh, and those abstract paintings on the wall? Those are Alpert's, too. Quite the renaissance man, isn't he?

If the nightly live music doesn't get you up the hill, the food will. The menu features elegant modern American fare like diver scallops with a creamy corn cake; braised seafood stew; and steaks and chops cut thick. The bar, which is perfect for a light nosh and cocktail, attracts a varied set of chatty young women, jazz aficionados and celebs who feel like it's still a secret hideaway.

Tip: Most nights the jazz is free, but call ahead to make sure; big-name acts cost anywhere from $10-$20.

Cost: $$$$

Atmosphere: Classic

Celebrity Factor: Burt Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, Burt Bacharach and Sean Penn have all been spotted here.

Parking: Free valet; parking lot; street parking.

(this is Mike again)

The "$$$$" signifies that a 3-course meal excluding alcohol, tax and tip, can be had for "under $75." So yeah, it's fairly expensive, but not the most expensive in L.A.

 

[Numero Cinco]

Thanks, Mike. If I ever make it to L.A., I know where I'm booking my reservation!