03/06/09

you are paying for the view not the dinner

by mzannie714

came here for restaurant week and ordered the steak medallions and sea bass. we were seated on the patio with a great view of hte ocean. the steak i ordered was bland, no taste at all except for a bit of pepper. and the sauce was pointless, that too was bland. our side entree was corn that tasted like it was marinated in tea. it was inedible. i can uderstand that they would be tired or serving plates from the pre fixed menu but thats no excuse to skimp on quality and taste. our server was a woman with short red hair and she served us and didnt come back until we asked another server for her. the seabass tasted decent. the creme brulee was delish (when is it not). needless to say, id spend my $$ elsewhere.

• Pros: view.
• Cons: food. atmosphere. not very quiet or romantic

10/07/08

Worse Prime Rib we have ever had.

by Luvs2EatOut2

Three of us had ordered the prime rib. It came fried and old (yes, it was fried!) It was the worse prime rib we have ever had. Now we know why the waiter laughed when we asked if they had prime rib. It was a joke. The key lime pie cheesecake was delicious. I also requested four days in advance a bottle of Moet champagne to be at the table chilled. When I arrived, they informed me they didn't have it. We could have drank the other bottle I had at home or brought it in. This was a terrible birthday dinner. We will not be back to this Huntington Beach restaurant.

• Pros: key lime cheesecake
• Cons: prime rib

04/15/08

My go-to restaurant!

by valleyval

My husband and I have been going to Spark for years, it was probably one of the first restaurants we went to when we started dating. Now, it's our favorite go-to restaurant whenever we have friends or family in town. It never fails!

The drinks are incredible - try their Pomtini, it's delicious. For appetizers, I generally go for the crab cake (that's if I don't get caught up with the tapenade!). Their pistaschio crusted halibut has ruined me for fish at other restaurants. I order it every time we go, and it is always unbelievably good. The food at Spark is simple and delicious. Unlike other mediocre restaurants in Studio City, Spark has mastered the art of comfort food with a twist.

Service here is great, we've only had great experiences. No rudeness, just helpful and knowledgeable staff. Be sure to make reservations - this place fills up FAST on weekends. Even if you don't, the valet will inform you as you pull up whether or not the restaurant can accommodate walk-ins.

• Pros: Excellent food and service, they also have take-out
• Cons: I'd go broke if I ate there everyday!

10/31/06

Great View and delicious comfort food!

by mism

Spark is definitely a great place to go to watch the sunset and enjoy a great dinner. I love the grilled artichoke for an appetizer, the roasted chicken with goat cheese over polenta, or the lamb with mint if they have it. They have a great little bar where you can sit and wait for your table, or you can eat right there. They have an amazing martini list! I recommend the Chocolate martini for an after dinner drink! Enjoy!

09/06/06

Delicious Ribs!

by zayra

I enjoy their smoked chicken lasagna (huge portion - prepare to share or take home 1/2) and their baby back ribs are very delicious. Fall off the bone type of slow cooked, if you're into that sort of rib then you'll enjoy it. They have a nice wine list with many affordable choices too.

• Pros: Food
• Cons: Parking

07/26/06

Good drinks but that's it

by cmendoza2620

We went there for a birthday dinner for my husband because he was looking for a good steak and unfortunately we were disappointed. The decor is nice but it was crowded so it was pretty loud, we were seated in one of the tables right when you walk in the door which is a high traffic area so I got bumped at least three times throughout the night, I think they tried to fit to many tables in the their dining area. Then on to the food it was OKAY which is disappointing when you are expecting good. The food was bland there was no real flavor in anything and we ordered chicken and steak and neither one would make us come back again. I must say though the drinks were very good and the staff is very friendly so it would be a good place to stop and have drinks out on their patio.

A popular rotisserie with roots in Italy arrives in California.

by Contributor

In Short
This is Danilo Terribli (Alto Palato) and Bill Chait's (Louise's Trattoria) modern version of an Italian rosticceria. Architect Osvaldo Maiozzi (Vincenti) put the rotisserie, grill and pizza oven behind glass and installed flame-colored awnings above the petite patio. Offerings include platters of Caesar salad, Italian meat loaf and fritto misto. Those for whom nothing can be too rich or too thin will dote on the late Mauro Vincenti's lasagna and the wood-fired, thin-crust, Roman-style pizzas.

04/12/06

Yum!

by jills0182

So good. We found this place on accident. We went to Duke's across the way, but it was late and they were only serving a bar menu. So, we went across the street to Spark, and it has been our favorite spot ever since. Whatever you order make sure to have it with the garlic mashed potatoes or the hazelnut green beans. The green beans are the best! The tri-tips, halibut, and lamb chops are all good.

Don't reccommend going here on a weekend night because it gets way too busy, and portions seem smaller. Go on a weekday for sure if you can; the place it nearly empty. If you do go on a weekend, make sure to make a reservation. And be there on time, because they will give away your table.

Overall, it is a little expensive, but I think it is so worth it.

• Pros: Hazelnut Green Beans, Weekday Dining, Good View of Beach
• Cons: Weekend Dining/Crowds

12/01/05

good steaks, not blown away though

by live_2_eat

I wanted a romantic date with my lady so she found this restaurant on the internet and I decided to give it a try. I ordered the 10oz filet and my girlfriend ordered the babyback ribs. The restaurant advertises "prime" steaks, but after asking our waiter i discovered my filet was "choice" so don't be fooled into thinking you're getting prime. The ribs were very tasty and tender, with a nice bbq sauce to compliment the pork. My filet didn't come with any sauce, which I thought was odd, seeing that it's a fairly bland cut by steak standards. They did give me a reduction sauce after I asked, but it was very salty and seemed to overpower the steak flavor. Despite my complains (i'm particular, you could say), i enjoyed my dining experience at woodfire. THe waiter was friendly and helpful, and the ambiance was perfect for couples.

• Pros: tender ribs, tasty sides, romantic setting
• Cons: fair value, limited menu

04/15/05

Ribs and steaks are great

by btyler

I visited the Hyatt for a conference and we went to Spark on two consecutive nights.

I found the meats and the ribs to be fantastic. The tri tip is not an item I would order but the food is quite good. The bar was also hopping. It really is the best restaurant in the area. Dukes and Chimayo are just OK in my opinion.

• Pros: Ribs, Steaks-Rib chop, martinis
• Cons: Bar was a bit packed