The Gilded Bellini at Bagatelle Los Angeles
Bagatelle… the one restaurant that hosts the brunch of ALL brunches. Back in NYC, I was a regular and was borderline obsessed with their weekend brunch. At 3 pm, the lights would turn off, the curtains would be drawn to a close, and insanely loud, but very fitting music would bounce from wall to wall. Bottles of Dom Perignon were superman-ed and guests danced on chairs while simultaneously eating their meals. So, now that I moved to California, I knew their LA location had to be one of my first destinations.
But would the holy ritual that was Bagatelle NY be practiced in the same way in LA?
Let’s start here: I brought along my friend Kellie for the brunchventure, and from the moment we left our keys with valet, we knew we were in for some serious fun. There was a step and repeat outside with a red carpet (aka immediate photo opportunity for any female visiting, or for any promoters who also love any split second available for bragging rights). Bagatelle NY unfortunately doesn’t have a step and repeat, but I think it’s only because everyone in LA thinks they’re famous. ;)
After snapping some photos, we walked in to the hostess who was very accommodating, and even changed our table for us to the front of the restaurant because she loved our ensembles – See outfit details in Brunch Attire section!
Once we sat, we started out with a little Moet! Disclaimer: If you come here and want to order a glass of Moet, they only sell by the bottle. BUT – they will provide you with Moet on ice. $22 per chalice which they give you, and it’s just filled half way. I’d say it’s worth the splurge. After cherishing each precious sip of our Moet on ice, we ordered mimosas, which were just as refreshing.
Side note: In the past, I have gotten the giant fish bowl in with a big group. It’s SO delish but the downfall is that the bowl costs nearly $400. So I recommend coming with a group, or just coming with a ton of cash if you’re planning on ordering it.
As for food, we ordered the Bagatelle salad (a dish I get every time) for our app – it’s simple but it’s sufficient enough to hold you over while you’re drinking and waiting for your food. Pace yourself! Seriously, you'll thank yourself by the end of the day. I know sometimes it can be quite difficult especially at Bagatelle. For my entrée, I ended up getting the eggs benedict. I liked it, but I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to get my usual Lobster Benedict that I always got at the NYC location.
I’d say it wasn’t until around 4:30 PM that things started getting really crazy. The later it gets, the more people get drunk and are continuously ordering bottles that were coming out with sparklers. That’s when everyone ditched their seats and got up to dance on the booths. Annnnd took his or her phones out and snapchatted and selfied every solitary second. (Okay I may have participated in that just a little bit – you’ll see in my video.)
But, unfortunately there wasn’t any superman-ing the bottles going on to my disappointment. However – a little mood booster: We were lucky enough to meet a very generous promoter who invited us to his table where he proceeded to order 6 bottles of Veuve Clicquot. Just a modest request, eh? If you’re lucky, when you go you might just be able to snag a similar experience!
Needless to say the endless supply of champs was enough to keep us there for the next few hours and we were more than content. The DJ kept the music bumping and soon enough the entire restaurant was drinking more than they were eating.
Overall, I would come here again in a heartbeat. Bagatelle never fails to give you your DARTYING fix… just in a way more upscale, classier and probably more fun way than what you’re used to. For the past few years, Bagatelle has been my ultimate brunch go-to and I’m thrilled that I can still go on the west coast.
So… which location wins my heart? Bagatelle New York... maybe I am just biased. But Bagatelle LA comes in as an extremely close second.
Just writing this recap about it is making me want to book my next brunch res… so who’s coming with me?
Bagatelle Los Angeles
755 N. La Cienega Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 659-3900
Big thank you to Bagatelle for these photos!