The Polo Lounge Experience in Beverly Hills - Great Lamb Chops and Strong Cocktails

Food & Drinks
1

I still love this place. Stopped by the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel for a very early dinner. How do you describe it to someone who's never been? The Polo Lounge has that classic old-school Beverly Hills atmosphere, especially with the garden setting and striped ceiling.

I went with the lamb chops, which were cooked perfectly, plus a couple of cocktails throughout the evening. Definitely not a cheap night out, but the service, setting, and overall experience made it feel like a proper Beverly Hills dinner.

Some memories are worth making.

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Polo Lounge
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2

Been going since the early 2000s. You need to experience the Polo Lounge to understand its vibe. I love how they park your car & how you walk over that red carpet. The food is always perfect. They have some very high standards.

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3

Took my parents last month for an early dinner too. Patio was half empty and it was actually peaceful. My parents loved it.

Would I go every week? No. Would I go with out-of-towners who want “the Beverly Hills thing”? Yes. Your photos nailed the vibe.

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4

I missed that one during my last L.A. visit. :smiling_face_with_tear:

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5

I tried explaining this spot to a friend from Chicago. It didn’t land until I said to imagine a country club, a movie set, and a restaurant stuck in 1962 sharing the same patio.

That's Los Angeles. We got places. :laughing:

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6

This is one of those posts that only makes sense if you live here. In most cities, a hotel restaurant is just a hotel restaurant. In LA the Polo Lounge is still a place. Garden, stripes, old-money waiters, people who’ve been coming since the 80s, sitting two tables over from Italian tourists in Armani sneakers. That split is the whole city. Nowhere else does “expensive and a little frozen in time” feel this specific.

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7

Exactly this. You can eat good lamb for less money ten minutes away. You cannot get this particular mix. That's the magic.

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8

That's why I almost cried when they closed Bar Nineteen12. The people you would meet there, I could tell you stories. :sweat_smile:

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9

Arghhh, I even started a thread about that place a while ago. I just loved the vibe, the cocktails, the piano music. That was a real loss. I still hope that it reopens one day.

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10

People always stack this against Chateau Marmont and I don’t get it. Chateau is darker, messier.. The Polo Lounge is brighter, stiffer, more pink palace. I’d take Polo for parents or a proper dinner. Chateau for a late drink when you don’t want the striped-ceiling formality.

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11

Yep, or the Four Seasons, but that's the modern version of this idea. The Polo Lounge is the opposite of modern. A little frozen in time.

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12

.. and Peninsula is the polite cousin. :face_with_peeking_eye:

Same price range, same “special night” energy, way less old-world charm. The Polo Lounge still feels like it belongs to a specific version of LA that most hotels sanded off. I personally feel like Peninsula could exist in any rich city.

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13

Glad you had a good time. I went there for my birthday a couple of years ago. Nothing to complain about (other than that it's rather expensive).

What impressed me the most was really the service.

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14

I want to go. Never been there. :smiling_face_with_tear:

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15

There is always a next time. :raising_hands:t2:

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16

That’s the mindset. :raising_hands:t2: But seriously the Polo Lounge is worth a visit. It’s unique, it’s fun, it’s different.

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17

:joy: .. kinda. I feel all 5 star hotels are somewhat related, yet so different.

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