Amidst the hipster wine bars, and hollow dive bars, comes a restaurant married to the idea of elegance and originality. It has been long overdue, the coming of Desert Rose and with the cold opening over the last month, locals have poked their head in looking for just one reason to try the place out, and they found one, well make that three reasons: The food, the cocktails, and the friendly servers. A mediterreanean menu with items that are full of flavor such as the delicious hummus and the tantalizing calamari. Not hungry today? Well, that’s just fine, grab a spot at the quaint little bar and let the cute, funny bartender Jesse give you a good laugh. Whether she’s planning a career in the spotlight, or dedicating her life behind the bar, I am thankful for her existence on a friday night in Los Feliz.

I went there with a group of friends and everything was amazing. We started with the house made hummus and pita bread which was probably the best combination of hummus’s that I’ve had in awhile. Then we all shared the crispy goat cheese salad and if you love cheese, then you’ll love the crispy goat cheese (so amazing)! Then I got the roasted eggplant soup which had a falafel in the middle (which was spicy…YUM). I had never had eggplant soup and I think that this was one of my most favorite dishes of the night. Then we all shared the fire-roasted vegetables which were very flavorful. For my entree, I ordered the chicken & beef kebab plate. I’m not a huge “meat” person and both were cooked perfectly and the side pita was a great combination. And for desert, we all shared the warm chocolate lava cake which was so creamy and full of amazing-ness! Overall, this place was great and I would highly recommend it for a group dinner or for a romantic date. The ambiance was perfect…great decor, live jazz music playing in the background and a fun crowd. Thanks for a great night Desert Rose :)

i stopped in to the desert rose cuz i live close and i had to see what what going on at the place with the gorgeous stained glass rose on display for all to see just two blocks north of sunset on hillhurst. i popped in on a tuesday, and incidentally, DURING ONE OF THE BEST HAPPY HOURS I"VE COME ACROSS!!!! I planned to have an appetizer and go to a nearby restaurant after. Didn’t happen. The bartender, Nate, was very witty, personable, and happy to provide service. The falafel concoction (wrap-like) is very big and for $1.25 during happy hour, who cares, just get it. I would have been happy to pay $4 for it. The beef carpaccio was deliscious; one of the best i’ve had! All ingredients were fresh. The crostini was perfect in crunchyness and softness. The beef was spot-on.BEEF CARPACCIO FOR $3!!!! Are you serious?? I think my nectar Margarita was $5. The bartender crushed various fresh limes into the beverage and seemed to know what the hell he was doing. And he was enjoying it, the son of a gun. Beers $3 during Happy hour and i think it was 16 oz. (Peroni, Hefeweitzen, Fat Tire, Stella) Needless to say, after sampling the amazing carpaccio, I decided, what the hell, I’m comfortable as hell, why leave? Plus I was curious as hell to try the happy hour entrees. The $5 burger was excellent. Great bun. Attention to detail on garnishes. Bacon to boot. The fish and chips ($5) were good, not great. The fries were very good. The tartar sauce was very good, but the fish seeemed just a bit off for my palette. (I was actually a bit surprised) I’d try it again, might as well. Fries are $3. Why not get the fish for an extra two? MAybe it will be perfected next time I visit.
I was on a roll, so I also got the Creme Brulee ($7) and some gelato ($2 a scoop) The creme brulee was very generous in size and was topped with a plethora of fresh, fresh fruit. It was a tad underdone, but very nice. And also got a cappacino ($5) which was excellent. The whole staff was very warm and good vibes were in the air. The glassware, plates and utensils were all gorgeous, as was the bartop. CHIMAY ON TAP!!! (WTF?-NICE) The selection of high end booze is also ridiculous. A vast selection of hard to find upscale booze at the bar.

IN summary- I was repeatedly pleasantly surprised. Can’t wait to go for a full dinner. This place looks like it has a bright future! And I was told they would have live music on weekends and possibly more very soon.

The bill for two people, three courses and drinks was $40 during happy hour. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Happy this place is a walk away. HAppy hours 4-6 pm get there NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!