Home > Los Angeles Restaurants > Restaurant Review > First impressions: Lift

Amidst the stripper-clothing stores—nope, not an oxymoron—and anonymous cell phone purveyors of Hollywood Blvd., Lift has arrived like a shining beacon. The name itself seems to put on some, well, airs. What kind of “lift” does the new restaurant intend to make in the culinary world, or even in the neighborhood?

We admit, we had our doubts. After all, the whole venture seemed highly experimental. Lift was touted, during construction, as a 24-hour establishment, with a “gourmet grocery” to boot. Indeed, lofty goals—and incomplete ones at that. The restaurant will eventually open just two hours shy of 24—from 6 a.m.-4 a.m. everyday. The grocery isn't in place either, but we were told it’s on the way.

Lift, ironically enough, is located on the ground floor of a restored apartment building. Though there are both indoor and outdoor seating, it’s a tiny place. The entire wait staff is friendly and attentive, though a touch too eager to clear away plates—dude, let us remove fork from mouth before asking if we’re done! Lift is obviously aiming for a hipper-than-thou vibe: David Bowie blasts proud and loud, especially during lunch.

But the tariffs at Lift may just price out the unemployed-musician crowd. The dinner entrées are quite pricey—anywhere from $30 for New Zealand lamb chops to an $18 vegetable pot pie. Luckily for the cool kids, the most interesting dishes are in the appetizer, soup and salad portions of the menu. The lobster mac n’ cheese doesn’t really deliver on the cheese, but there's darn near an entire lobster stuffed into the bowl. The simple (and relatively cheap) acorn squash soup is amazing—sorry, vegetarians, the awesome richness comes from chicken stock. The desserts come in little three-bite servings of perfection.

Serving sizes are undeniably tiny, but skimpiness is a welcome quality in this part of town. The short stack of blueberry pancakes won’t weigh you down for the rest of the day, and the egg breakfast practically comes à la carte with just a side of fingerling potatoes. Ingredients are quite health-conscious, with some even listed by farm of origin. We assume the smaller portions are meant to go along with the healthful emphasis and hope that patrons catch on without feeling ripped off.

Everything is in place for Lift's success—except the less-than-desirable location and, of course, the horrific parking. But, hey, Angelenos will go just about anywhere for a good brunch.

Food: High quality, delicious…and overpriced—eh, nothing’s perfect.

Scene: In-the-know foodies and healthy hipsters.

Insider tip: Allow plenty of time because, as we all know, that stretch of Hollywood Blvd. is not known for ease of parking.

Katherine Spiers is contributing editor for Metromix Los Angeles.


Editor's note: Lift's management has responded to the posting of the review by lowering prices across the menu. The aforementioned lamb chops is now $28 and the vegetable pot pie $16. Further details can be found here.

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