Nic's Martini Lounge is a one of a kind night spot in BH! Â They have an awesome menu, which can be best described as American with a Mediterranean twist. Â It didn't fail to disappoint! Â I started off with the lobster beignet's which were heavenly and moved onto the duck, which was probably some of the best duck I've ever had. Â
In addition, I love the laid back attitude of the staff and how Larry Niccola, the owner, will come up to any table and just chat you up like your family! Â It really was a special experience. Â To top it all off they have a 28 degree exhibition walk in freezer, displaying over 85 vodkas from around the world! Â They give you the cutest leopard jackets and hats, which definitely come in handy. Â I strongly encourage everyone to take one. Â And the vodka experts are always very knowledgeable, friendly and super accommodating to everyone's personal tastes. Â ! can't wait to come back!!
Also, on a Friday/Saturday night...not gonna lie..there are some total babes in the vicinity. Ow OWW!!
We (meaning me & my girlfriend) had a great time at Nic's last Friday night. Â We came for happy hour and had a cocktail & a couple of appetizers. Â The oysters we fantastic, and considering I only like them cooked, they have the best. Â The place wasn't fully packed, but it was just right for unwinding after a long work week.
After about 30 minutes, we were introduced to Luke, one of the owners. Â He was so gracious and kind and offered us the Vodbox experience! Â It was amazing to say the least, he first fit us with fur coats and hats. Â Then, he took us inside and proceeded to give us a brief education on vodka and how its made. I never knew the different grains, flavors and the artistic process that goes into making the wonderful drinks you get at Nic's bar. Â This is a family business and vodka is their passion. Truly a fantastic experience that I won't soon forget. Â Neither will you, if decide to partake in the Vodbox.
Thank you Luke!
I am literally writing this tipsy hours later since there cocktails are strroong... and i'm never tipsy after a cocktail with a meal.
Came here with a friend for DineLA dinner, and everything was great!
We shared the Faroush Salad which was good, and the Oysters were amAaZing!, they deep fry the oysters and lay them over a bed of sauteed spinach... it was perfection. I wanted to keep a oyster shells as a souvenir to the awesome experience.
We both got the swordfish as our main course. It was thicker than I imagined (I posted a pic), very tender and delicious, and laid atop a bed of small brussel sprout leaves. The marcona almonds were a nice touch. It was a honkin' piece.. . I'll eat the other half for lunch tomorrow,-- hope my co-workers don't mind the fish smell.
We had the butterscotch pudding for dessert which when dunked in the side of vodka provided had a unique flavor. But we didn't care for it too much- it was a little too creamy/butterscotchy- and didn't finish it.
They ran out one of the desserts on the DineLA menu that we wanted but happily subbed it for their caramel tart which was deeeelicious and came with a side of ice cream. I don't even like caramel but it had a nice soft texture with a perfectly crisp graham crust, and didn't have the gooiness that i normally dislike in caramel.
It is very loud in the front area where people normally come for drinks (cocktail menu is extension) but with dinner reservations they take you to the back room where we had a white booth that had an average noise level and was romantic/cute.
Valet is $7. The parking garage right next door on Canon is $5 flat rate after 6pm .
This place is a definite gem of Los Angeles! Its very unique with their special "vod-box" freezer room for drinking vodka at the ideal temperature. Everyone working here is so lively and very knowledgable about vodka and their amazing menu.
Dont miss: The Nas-tini and the famous Nic's Oysters
Good location, color of walls are too flat need brighter color. Interior design is not that bad need more paintings for decor.
Great potential place to be discover. Menu has great selections. Great list of cocktail. Try the cooked oyster on spin ash bedded with garlic.
Ask for Alejandro he s very friendly and courteous.
You MUST get the pan Seared Filet in the blueberry sauce and the steak tartare is soo delicious.
Dessert is succulent.
This would've been a four star, if I only rated them on my dining experience, but I'm still a little miffed by the Vodbox experience.
I took my friend here on a recommendation of the great Vodbox. Â For five shots, I believe, it ended up costing $70+, and the waitress actually didn't come back with change, so she got a fat tip and I wasn't trivial enough to ask her it (not that she ever came by again).
The food was really good. I can't even remember what I ordered (it was six months ago), but I had fish with some really great sautéed kale.  I don't even think I've had kale before and actually tried it again after since it was soo delicious in the dish that I ordered but sadly, kale wasn't quite the same.  If a place can make lip-smacking vegetables, it could make anything good, right?  The rest of my party enjoyed their plates as well.
I do believe they may be used to a fancier, classier crowd than our table but our waiter was nice. Â I guess I just don't do classy much any more...
Funny how things work in LA.... you go to BH and for sure expect that everything will be perfect.... think again.... you get early in the place, wait forever while the hostess talk on the phone.... the place is empty (early happy hour), you finally get a table and there they are... the 2 happiest (and bigger) flies I have ever seen in a restaurant, right in front of the front window and nobody seems to notice! If they were mere fruit flies ok, but they were just regular fat happy flies flying around in circles.
Ok, let's pretend we have not seeing them, and get down to business.... martinis are really great, food is really good.... my napkin has seen better days as it was torn in one of its corners... (really Nic's????)
For the price you pay, you would expect all BH glamour with your good food and good drinks... I wonder how is their kitchen!!!
we came pretty late on a monday night and lucky for us we landed the most hospitable waiter! pablo! so sweet and attentive he made our time so memorable and fun for our girls night. Â
-the oysters were to DIE for. yes they are worth it
- order a bunch of diff types of drinks and do a taste test.
-the vodka bar was pretty cool with the coats they provide for u to wear (photo op)
- even the bathroom was cute.
Thanks pablo u are the best!
I was in the mood for oysters and saw the rave reviews for Nic's Oysters so I thought I would check this place out. I must say I'm not sure what all the hype was about. I ordered the oysters and there were four of them lightly battered and sauteed with spinach and garlic. They were cooked to perfect doneness but the taste wasn't particularly innovative or umami satisfying. While I prefer my oysters raw, I am not opposed to cooked oysters if they are done in such a way to elevate their oysteryness, ya know?
The other appetizer that received rave reviews from yelpers was the lobster beignets. This had a more interesting flavor profile as it accompanied the habanero sauce, but the beignets themselves were rather dense. The texture and flavor of lobster within them was completely lost on me, so this just ended up being a savory/sweet donut hole.
Loved the cocktail I ordered (Beez Kneez) and Ian, the friendly bartender. I would give the place high praise for Vodbox. Did a tasting quite a few years ago and it introduced me to 100% rye vodka which is now my favorite.
The bar lounge area is nice, and in the back they do have an ice cold sub zero Vodka room too.
On Monday their $7 Happy Hour menu (and during the summer, extended hours) is nice, with savings in the 50% range off of list price on select food items and specialty drinks.
I didn't try the food, but in theory it all sounded appetizing to try.
The drink menu is robust with a lot of signature specialty type drinks with fancy cute names and nice blended mixes, it's a descriptive menu.
The atmosphere is nice, as is the service. Â There's no attitude and it's a very pleasant environment.
Parking is somewhat easy, you can park in the neighboring lot for a $5 flat fee rate and it's a covered underground lot. Â There's some street parking around too I'm sure as well.
I was very excited to go to Nic's and try all a Beverly hills restaurant on Canon had to offer for Happy Hour.
We showed up at 5, and the place was completely empty. I'm ok with that, not a problem. The happy hour menu was large and they had drink specials and a tasty specialty cocktail.
We ordered the Calamari, Oysters on the half shell, baked oysters and baked potatoes.
I was not impressed with the food, at all. the Calamari was the best thing we had.
The Oysters were very fishy and I did not finish them They were extremely slimy as well.
The baked oysters did not look appetizing, they were covered in sauce and topped with walnuts. I didn't try but my fiance said they weren't very good.
The "baked potatoes" were tiny, tiny, tiny had a small amount of sour cream and a little caviar. I wasn't impressed and I only got four of them.
The one saving grace was the awesome bartender, can't remember his name. He was awesome! And the gentleman who took us into the Vodka room and gave us a wonderful tasting. That's why the place got three stars.
I'll be back because part of the experience is the staff and they were A++++
Ok, I am impressed! Â What can I say, but this place was not predictable! When the owner and his daughter treat you as part of the family...we loved the food...it could so easily translate into one of the best restaurants in our world. Â Plus, the refrigerated Vodka tasting room...WOW, thanks Val for the true Russian experience. Â All in all, I want this where I live!
Review Source:Okay, maybe I'm bias because I enjoyed their Moscow Mule that much. Haha just kidding. Their oyster appetizer was awesome. My fiance and I loved it. The raw oysters were fine too. Their Happy Hour is priced okay. I think the regular prices are a little ... excessive. Maybe it's because that vodka freezer of their's is costing them an arm and leg? Not sure. I just know the service was wonderful and we'll be back.
Review Source:Used to really love this place. Â Most recent visit was not as enjoyable. Â Happy Hour prices seem to have changed. Â As I recall, all the specialty martinis were HH priced before. Â Now it's only one "special-tini of the week" and that was a watered down overly sweet thing not served in the typical martini glass, but on the rocks. Â A couple wine choices also on HH. Â Food is still $7 for most things. Â
Service at the bar wasn't particularly friendly. Â When I asked for a drink recommendation I was informed that "I'm not you... Â I cannot know what you would like..." Â Um, really? Â But you're like, a bartender, right? Â
This used to be my "go to" Happy Hour spot. Â I think I'll look elsewhere.
I came here a while back with some friends for happy hour and to experience the Vodbox, but Nic's failed to impress!
HH is 4-7 everyday (closed Sundays) with special drink and food prices for about $7. However, not everything is part of the HH special and the servers may not mention it, just so you know.
I ordered their mac n cheese with pine nuts because it sounded good, but it was so bland and flavorless! Also tried some artichoke and chicken skewers, both of which were just okay.
The Vodbox is a walk-in freezer with shelves and shelves of vodka. You pay a certain price depending on what you want, and they'll give you a faux fur hat/coat. You then go in with a group and a vodka expert, who explains the various products. You can also order more shots inside. The room was pretty neat and the experience is fun, but I don't see a need to go again.
However, what really upset me about Nic's was that they were dishonest. When we asked to split our bill, they didn't split it the way we asked - so my tip ended up being a part of my bill and it all evened out with the whole check. However, when I checked my credit card a week or two later, I discovered that they had upcharged me. Totally unacceptable! It was only a few dollars, but it's about the principle!
It's overpriced enough as it is, and with the food being mediocre and service being dishonest, I would definitely not go back.
Where do I start? Nic's is like a little place of heaven. Absolutely amazing bar, GREAT restaurant with super delicious food, super cool live band and of course VODKA BAR freezer!
One of the most coolest dishes they have is Oysters Sautéed on Spinach + Walnuts and Garlic! Its something out of this world. I never tried such a great oysters in la. Then Beef skewers. I dont eat red meat, but tried those and almost ate my fingers lol
I go there for Vodlka bar. I am a vodka drinker and be in the minus 30 freezer drinking shots is the best you can do with vodka. simply perfect. I believe they have more then 150 types of vodka there, so take your time lol The host is usually not really friendly and if you go there with group of friends, you'll have a great time!
Happy Hour on Saturday? Great. $7 plates? Awesome. Beverly Hills Parking? Horrible. However, we got lucky and found metered street parking.
Calamari - average but salsa was delicious.
Mexican Goddess salad - meh. Merely lettuce and guacamole topped with fried jalapeños. Nothing special.
Ahi tuna - Love! Perfectly seared cubed ahi tossed with pickled radishes and ginger on a bed of butter lettuce. Â So light and flavorful. Its also a little spicy. Â
Lobster beignet - Unexpectedly delicious. I first thought "hmmm...interesting." But the sweet beignet and the savory lobster in cream sauce is a great melding of flavors. Plus the jabanero sauce on top adds a kick. Â I wish I could spoon this sauce into my mouth - its that good.
Unfortunately I didn't check out the vodka but maybe next time...
Nic's is my favorite bar in LA.
Vodbox = awesome.
Staff = awesome.
Convenience = ideal.
Food = Exceptional
Can't recommend a place more highly. I simply love Nic's. The people who work there are very cool, and the ladies who take you into the Vodbox are always fun to hang out with + extremely knowledgeable about vodka. Food is amazing. Music is always pretty good. Love this place.
I had the best time here with my significant other. Â The food was delicious, and we just had to try out the vod box. Â It was such a fun experience! Â Such a great place to bring a date. Â They had the best tasting vodka I have ever tried. Â Super fun ambience, and it was fun to dress up like an eskimo in the box :)) Â I enjoyed the service too!
Review Source:I went there last night on a date's suggestion. Â I hardly ever give a restaurant 5 stars but NIc's is excellent in every respect. Â We had an artichoke as an appetizer and sword fish as the main dish. Â We ate both really slow to taste every bit of it.
The combination of spices and light sauces are outstanding. Â The martinis are really good. Â The service is fantastic and the staff's attitude is professional and friendly. Â The atmosphere is superb as is the music.
It really is one of the best restaurants I have been to in Los Angeles. I highly recommend it. Â The value is outstanding.
You know what? I really like this place.
I live less than 5 minutes away from Nic's and it's one of my spots. They have impressive martinis and a trendy/gourmet menu. I haven't been in the ice bar yet but I'm planning on going next week.
Overall Nic's has a chill vibe with good drinks and a good menu. You should go here for a 2nd or 3rd date.
The service is excellent and parking is easy. Â For some reason I thought this place would have more of a Palms Spring vibe but it seems like they are trying something new with the decor. Â A quiet place to go for drinks. Â The waitress didn't mention the ice box and didn't try to talk it up so we didn't ask. Â It just looks like a meat locker in the back of the room. Â The happy hour is where it's at!
Review Source:We frequent this restaurant as locals because the food is consistent. Nic, the owner, is always very kind to us. My wife and I eat out sometimes seven days a week, so coming here is always a joyful experience. I highly recommend taking a cab if you live close by and have never experienced the Vodbox...We actually prefer their martinis.
The service can be a bit slow at times, but we definitely keep coming back.
We were sat down by hostess Nick. He joked about that he's not the "Nic" who owns the restaurant.
Had a voucher good for $100 and was purchased for $50, so I decided to try out the most expensive hamburger in my life - at $29. Nothing special, I wouldn't write home about it but I would do so on yelp. It's just lots of meat. But not worth $29.
We sat at the dining area, next to it is the bar that seems to attract very nice crowd. Music is loud but not bad taste.
A DJ on a Monday night. Whaat?!! Cool way to celebrate Mondays. Place kinda has a Palm Springs mid century modern/ Miami Vice feel. We ordered Nic's oysters on Happy Hour which were ok. One of the boys ordered a Vespa cocktail seemed like the type of place to do such a thing. We all watched in fascination as the waitress refolded the napkin of the patron next to us while he was away in the restroom. Nice to see that level of service.
Review Source:Best piece of advise I can give...take a cab.
If you're coming to Nic's, then you're coming to taste Vodka. Their martini menu is quite extensive and not just full of fluff either. All 5 of the martini's that I tasted were quite delicious -- ranging from sweet to savory to spicy. We tried the: My Honey Does; Maytag Repairman; Latin Lover; From Russia With Love and the Nasatini. All very different and tasty.
Although they bill themselves as a martini bar, don't let that fool you into thinking that their food is anything shy of awesome. On this night, we tried the: Frenchy Duck and Duck Liver Pâté with apricot preserves; Steamed Artichoke with miso and vodka; Nic's Oysters with sautéed spinach, walnuts and garlic; Grilled Octopus Panzenella with feta, tomato, basil and fried bread; Gnocchi with mushroom and champagne cream.
All of the food was great, but the Oysters really stood out. They're ridiculously addicting! A must order!
The Vodbox is also something special that one must try when going to Nic's. They have a Vodka tasting room that's kept at 28-degrees (or something ridiculous like that) and you're given a heavy coat to and fur cap to help keep warm. The vodbox servers are extremely knowledgable when it comes to their vodka and more than willing to pour you something based on one's individual taste or feeling.
If you're looking for somewhere new in the Beverly Hills area, then I strongly suggest giving Nic's a try. Just keep in mind, you're not leaving sober...so dial a ride!
I really enjoy this place. I come here about once a month with 3 other friends for happy hour after work. It's a bit upscale and occasionally I have seen some celebrities. I love their martinis and their food. Some of the waitresses are a bit snooty, not going to lie. Our favorite waitress there is Jennifer. She is always so helpful and humble and we try to sit in her area if she is working the same night. She is lovely!
Anyway, as I mentioned I've really only been here for several happy hours and this is what I've enjoyed the most:
Ahi Tuna Tartare on Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
Steamed Artichoke with Miso + Vodka
Grilled Hoisin marinated Skirt Steak with Wasabi Demi
Smoked Chicken Quesadilla with Tomatillo Crudo
Crispy Potato Skins with White Cheddar + Applewood Bacon
Their drinks are fantastic too...delicious and potent! Two is my limit or I take the bus home!
Dinner is a bit pricey, but considering how yummy their happy hour menu is, hopefully it's worth the pretty pennies.
A few times we've been, they've had DJ Butters and I must say, it makes the night even better. He plays a lot of soul and R&B. I wish he'd play all the time!
The only reason it gets 4 stars is because of the other more pretencious staff, but other than that, this place is pretty hip.
Came here for DineLA last week. The ambience was pretty nice! Live music and singers, lots of people enjoying their various vodka drinks, and tables to enjoy delicious eats.
It was a nice date nite spot for the boyfriend and I. I ordered the beet salad, chicken, and butterscotch budino. All great. I think my favorite was actually the beet salad. Nicely balanced with arugula and lightly shaken/mixed with a vinaigrette dressing. The chicken was a little bit too salty for my taste. It was jam PACKED with garlic. Though I love garlic, it was just a bit too overpowering. The butterscotch budino was topped off with a shot of vodka. Interesting way to serve a budino. It was good but strong! I had a cocktail before that and felt that I "should not" handle both (we had to still meet friends afterwards).
The not so fun part of the night... we sat next to a party of 4 that turned into 6. Where we were sitting was not very cozy after that happened. We were essentially sitting in a corner and then got squished into it because of the other party adding two more chairs/seats to their table. They were quite rude talking about their "other" girlfriends that they see (it was an older gentleman in his mid 50s with his gf that was half his age... and his friend that was the same age and with a gf also half HIS age...) and one other couple. It was very uncomfortable. They were taking pictures... knocking our table a few times from moving back and forth to take photos... one of the older gentelmen was grabbing his friend's young gf's @$$ in front of us during the photos... it was just distracting. It took away from our evening.
I think if that were to happen again, I think that the restaurant should move them to a different table or ask that they not have their friends come meet them there during dining because it ruins the experience for other diners... us namely. I know they're trying to compensate for that table's experience but it was just obnoxious of them the entire evening... not to mention the old men staring at our food and table and well... us. One star less for this experience. Sorry Nic's. Everything was great until that table expanded.
I would come back again to hang out for the vodka bar drinks.
Definitely as good as it gets!
My boyfriend and I came here last night for their Dine LA restaurant week menu. We had both had this place recommended to us on separate occasions, and what a perfect referral it was! Our server, McKayla, was phenomenal, friendly, and really knows what to recommend here.
We started out with AMAZING oysters. By far, this was the best food we had on that menu. If you like oysters, GET THESE. If you've never tried oysters, START with these. We had a great salmon appetizer, which I would recommend as well. Our main courses were a chicken paprika dish, which was fair, but not as strong or unique as I enjoy my dishes to taste. Our other entree was the monkfish with gnocchi, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great seafood dish. We tried two deserts, can't remember the name of either, but one was a magnificent chocolate pie/cake with ice cream. Yummm! The other was a so-so butterscotch pudding, but it was paired with a dessert vodka that was pretty delicious.
As for our martini's my boyfriend had the "Latin Lover" (I believe), which was a jalapeno-olive mix. I don't like strong drinks, but the spicy flavor helped mask the vodka, so I enjoyed a sip of this. I went for a sweeter drink with pears and berries (raspberries, maybe?) called the "Beez Kneez." If you like to taste the alcohol, I wouldn't recommend it, but I loved it!
As for the VODBOX, it's a MUST DO! What a great touch to the evening. The bartender chose an amazing spicy bison grass vodka for me. I wish I took note of the name because I'd love to buy some of this. I tried a few desert vodkas, and then was the first person to ever ask for the sake (that someone gave them). I needed something a little more toned down though because those are very stiff, high-end vodkas.
One last piece of advice. Go for the Kauffman vodka when you are in the VODBOX. It's pricey, but WORTH IT. Apparently, the bottle itself runs for $500, but is the absolute smoothest vodka to ever enter my mouth. After one second, I wondered if I drank vodka or water.
Do: come on Monday's, maybe after nice dinner down the street?
Do: check out the awesome all night happy hour with $7 appetizers (including oysters!)
Do: order plenty of cocktails, overall fairly tasty and quite stiff
Do: check out the VODBOX and more than 50 different types of vodka
Don't: dress too skimpy for the VODBOX, even with the fake fur coat, it's freezing in there!
Don't: spend all your alcohol tolerance in the VODBOX. the tastings are still pricey.
Don't: get shitty and break glasses in the VODBOX, not a classy act.
What can I say??
Stiff drinks, trendy casual vibe, valet parking, a mixed crowd, and good live bands. A gf and I came here as a change of pace and we each ordered one of their martini's. As she was the designated driver, I had not one, but two martinis...(what the hell was I thinking??!!) I shoulda stopped at one, and while she warned me, she didn't REALLY warn me....
Nic's bartenders make a great martini and one martini is going to likely be enough for the average person as they know how to make it stiff using soem top shelf vodka! of course the price shows it but it is well worth it.
I was intrigued by the Ice Room for vodka tasting but since I was nearing "tilt" rather quickly, I thought, "eh, save that one for another night out...with a limo!" I most def will be back.
This was my first Vodka Bar experience with a faux fur coat and hat. It was such a blast. The Vodbox is basically a big refrigerator with different high end vodkas and there is a person who presents and talks about the vodka flights. I believe you can get bottle service as well.
I ordered the dandelion greens with asian pear salad. I don't typically like pears, but thought what the heck it sounded interesting, right? The pomegranate gave it the sweet touch with dullness from the walnuts mixed with a type of vinagrette that really made this POP. I really liked it. I also tried their oysters. I'm not a fan of oysters anyways and I was really glad that there was like a billion gallons of vodka available to wash down those slimy little boogers. Â We had basically came here for the experience of the Vodbox since I love vodka and we didn't have anything quite like this in St. Louis at the time. Â I did like this place. Our actually server was particularly slow, but there was plenty of parking and the experience was worth it.
Kinda pricey because you're also paying for the hoopla! Â
Is it pretentious? Â Yes, but not more than the usual hot spots in Beverly Hills.
This place is perfect for vodka lovers because they have one of those freezer rooms where you can go and taste (or guzzle) vodka served in freezing temperature. Â The right way to drink vodka....so they say! Â I drink it with Sugarfree Redbull but I'm no "vodkannoisseur". Â
As for food, the short ribs, grilled octopus, and Nic's oysters were fantastic. Â Short ribs were tender and juicy, the octopus was very fresh and not chewy like the low quality octopus at some other joints, and the NIC'S OYSTERS are a MUST TRY! Â They bread the oyster, fry it, and serve it back on the shell with spices.
Cocktails will run you in the low teens and beers are $7. Â The service was also very friendly and fast enough. Â
I'd consider going back for drinks and light snacks if I'm in the area.
I had a pretty special night here a few weeks ago. We had a complimentary dinner provided by the owner of a vodka company and had rather unusual treatment from Nik and his staff. Many shots were had in their remarkable vodka freezer - a MUST TRY. The food was surprisingly good.
I grew up in BH and had low expectations for this place, I think mainly because of its very cheesy appearance BUT I was wrong. It is a lot of fun if you are willing to spend the dinero.
Throw me inside the Vodbox with my grilled half chicken. I'll be a happy camper.
I'll admit, I didn't care how the food may taste. The freezer room filled with assorted vodkas and fur coats lured me to Nic's,
Fun atmosphere and great service? Yes.
Delicious martinis? Yes.
My chicken? Oh yes. So flavorful and moist. I forced everyone to try a piece because this was some damn good chicken. Nothing fancy but prepared well.
After three drinks at the table, I reached up to my hot date's arm and asked him if he wanted to touch my fur coat. He swatted my hand...PUNK!!