rivera restaurant details revealed
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Dining in South Park will become infinitely more appetizing with the “modern Latin” Rivera Restaurant set to open this July in the ground floor of the Met Lofts at 11th and Flower.
Named for Chef John Rivera Sedlar, the original “26” in the name refers to the 26 nations in South and Central America, the Hispanic Caribbean and the American Southwest — those nations upon which Rivera’s cuisine will draw.
From the sashimi bar where regional Latin flavors mix with Japanese-inspired presentation to the grilled fresh fish, gourmet tamales and steaks, the neighborhood now known for its second-rate culinary offerings will soon have an eclectic small-plates venue to tickle residents’ tastebuds.
Flights of wines, mescals and tequilas will be paired with your dinner while pan-Latin mojitos, sangrias, and margaritas — all made with traditional and exotic fruits — can be found at the separate bar, lounge and wine-tasting room.
A sneak-peak rendering video gives a better idea of the restaurant’s layout while construction moves forward.
South Park residents resigned to dining at Liberty Grill and The Pantry can rest assured that help is on the way.
Rivera Restaurant
1050 S Flower St
Los Angeles, CA 90017
riverarestaurant.com
Thanks to reader Nathan Leible for the contribution!
-Rivera Restaurant Floorplan
-south park to get cozy with hygge restaurant
17 comments
I hope this place is a big hit. I will definitely give it a try — as I do everything that opens up in DT. If it’s good, I will support the heck out of it.
But I have to say I am disappointed with the state of residential dining in DT. I’m not talking about Water Grill and Patina. I’m referring to the establishments that have opened of late to serve the local community on a more regular basis.
Given the progressive, interesting people that live in DT, I would think the restaurants would be more in the now and with the times. Instead, we are getting concepts and food that can’t hold a candle to the places in Hollywood, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, etc. Heck, Eagle Rock and Highland Park are getting better restaurants than we are. Where are the foodie restaurants? We’re inundated with cheesy “lounges” that serve bad hotel food.
I have enormous respect for the individuals who are endeavoring to open establishments in DT. We need you. But focus more on the food and less on the design. Don’t try to do too many things because invariably the quality will suffer. Emphasize one, understandable concept on your menu and do that thing really, really well. No more small plates please. That concept is played out and does not work well at all with the business lunch crowd — which is going to be a staple of your business. Keep your prices down and your service up. Be aggressive in reaching out to the local loft buildings. Use the blogosphere to your advantage.
Take a look at Colori, Tiara Cafe, Wood Spoon as an examples of a successful concepts.
In contrast to those, I had lunch for one at Tranquility Base the other day. Tempura plate (3 shrimp and about 6 or 7 various veggies), draft beer (not a full pint), coffee. With tax and tip, my lunch was $30. That is crazy. Further, they talk about how their concept is seasonal. Great idea. However, there is almost nothing seasonal about their menu, which is full of hotel room service staples like french fries, california rolls, quesadillas, fried calamari. For Tranquility Base to be a success, they’re going to need to sort out their pricing and food.
I’m pulling for every new restaurant to be a success, but, come on, people, we can do better.
PeterJ:
I really have to disagree with you on one of your comments. I have eaten at Tranquility Base a couple of times in the evening and I found their food to be of the highest quality. I have to say that I understand your frustrations at lunch, but for dinner it is a great value and we finally have a place in South Park that is open every day, that has quality food and has a great atomosphere…as well as a liquor license with quality wines by the glass. I found the dishes such as their cheese plate right out of the left bank. The chicken satay portion was huge and very tender.
Their plates are meant to be shared and I would recommend you go their with one or two other people next time. I hate that you blast a new restaurant after just one visit….and after they have only been open for two weeks. These people have had to really struggle to get this place opened and you make it sound like TGIFridays..and it is not!
I love Colori as well and I commend Tranquilty Base for coming to South Park and giving us a beautiful place to dine and enjoy the tranquil space.
They are putting in a fire pit on the patio and I understand they will have a bloody mary bar when they open for Sunday brunch. Next time talk to the owners…they are really wonderful people who would embrace some constructive input.
RC:
That wasn’t meant to be a blast, more a dose constructive criticism.
I mentioned some of my concerns to my waitress, who was very good. I’m sure the folks who run TB are very nice and I really hope they succeed. But, IMHO, they need to rethink their menu — and sooner the better. First impressions are huge in the restaurant biz.
Anyone who takes food seriously and sees that mish-mosh of suburban bar food (chicken satay, tempura, california roll, fried calamari, tuna tartar, quesadillas, lobster bisque, french fries, among others) is going to have reservations — and not the good kind.
I agree one needs to give new restaurants time to get their sea legs. However, things like the menu and prices should be sorted ASAP. It’s one thing if the kitchen is having trouble handling the load or staff is not up to date on the menu; however, it’s entirely another when the menu doesn’t do the concept justice or the prices don’t match the location.
I commend these new businesses. I want them to succeed. But we’ve reached a point in the evolution of DT, when we, the customers, should be excited about more than the fact that a place is actually open and has a liquor license.
See, I look at this place differently. Where can you get good quality food at reasonable prices in a beautiful atmosphere in the area? If you have not been there at night, the lighting changes that occur are spectacular, the music is superb. The owners stop by your table and have conversations with you (like Colori). I love having a place in the area that is open till 2:00 AM and open on the weekends. If it is good comfort food, so be it. Scallops, Lobster Bisque, impressive cheeses. Read the review on this website. Perhaps they don’t have a separate lunch menu yet…but give them time.
Tiara Cafe is only open a few nights…and even then rabbit bites and lamb are not my thing. Wood Spoon is never open past 10:00 PM and try to order a glass of wine with your dinner. You can’t. Colori Kitchen (love this place) is only open 3 nights a week and also does not have a wine/beer license yet. I like Gills but the hotel is a bit sketchy and it sounds like the new owners have made a few enemies. Casey’s is good pub food…for a pub.
Last time two of us ate dinner at Tranquility we had three plates and a total of 1.5 glasses of wine each for $60 including tip. No bad for a very nice dinner.
This is a place that is definitely needed in the neighborhood and I hope everyone supports them. They even have a frequent buyer program. Give them a chance…they have an excellent chef and will listen to what the locals want! It is a also a great place to go after the theatre or a concert.
I can’t wait for this place to open! I know the owners and it’ll be a great, stylish addition to the DTLA dining mix!
Rivera sounds great! Big kudos to Tranquility Base for staying open late!!
So, Rivera will be a nice addition to the ever-changing Southpark area. Nice to see options coming our way. The concept offered here will continue to add to the variety of options we now have downtown. 5 years ago, we were very limited…
11th street is now filling in and it is great to see. From Starbucks to Salon Eleven, to Hygge and Bottle Rock (still coming)….then you hit The Palm and Rivera (on its way)before you set foot on LA Live and Staples! I’m so happy to see this neighborhood evolve. Southpark - welcome to the evolving west side of downtown!!
Rest a sure this will be a great addition to our city, I too know the owners and am pleased to see more choices coming our way.
i really know this restaurant is going to be something big… i have worked at providence in melrose and at la cachette in beverly hills… i have a good friend that knows chef rivera very well..im meeting up with him tommrow to go over the restaurants plans and hopefully ill be there as one of the chefs to launch this resaurant… im stoked cause i no this is going to be the spot to be especially with all of the new stuff going down in dt
The problem with restaurants in LA is the quality of food the kitchens serve.
I don’t think that the people here really know what great food taste like. I think the restaurant owners focus more on design and less on food. Subsequently, that’s why most of these places are short lived. Also, not to totally blame the establishment, but the patrons are as fickle as the wind. If someone can create an atmosphere that’s inviting with amazing food, maybe they stand a chance. I truly hope that Rivera will serve better than average food, and not be a flash in the pan.
I dined Saturday 1/18 (2nd night opening) and found the food outstanding. My chicken with Cara orange sauce was roasted to perfection and so jucy, scallop coins were delicately slivered and delicously marinaded for a perferct appetizer, desserts make you smile and delight in their originality. No pastry chef here, John Rivera Sedlar does it all. The Chef’s artistry lives on in his aesthetic plating and his wonderful tastes -and I think it is, to date, the most beautiful restaurant in downtown LA. I am happy to see him back.
Ever since Chef Sedler closed Bikini in Santa Monica, we have been hoping that he would open another restaurant in Los Angeles. When we heard that he would be manning the kitchen in his namesake restaurant Rivera, we couldn’t wait to try it. So, we went to Rivera for dinner on Valentine’s Day and were extremely pleased with the restaurant, the service, and especially the food. There was a special pre-fixe menu in addition to the normal menu. The homemade tortillas were delicious and herbs and edible flowers were used artistically to make them beautiful as well. The short rib tamale with mushrooms was a great appetizer as was the salad. The citrus roasted chicken was both tasty and juicy. The braised pork shoulder was delicious and the most tender pork I have ever tasted. The creme brulee dessert was as good or better than any I have ever had in a restaurant. Admittedly, our expectations for Rivera were very high because of our experiences and memories of delicious meals prepared by Chef Sedler at Saint Estephe in Manhattan Beach and Bikini. Suffice it to say that our expectations were exceeded by our dinner at Rivera. We cannot wait to return and introduce friends to the kitchen magic of Chef Sedler!
I agree that Rivera is definitely a must visit.
Rich was right on one year ago when he predicted Rivera would be a major contributor to the South Park area. I have linked back to this Angelinic posting with regard to showing some pictures of my dining experience and talking about Rivera on the ExperienceLA blog.
I was reading the restaurant floorplan, Is there a reason the outdoor patio seating was scrapped? Will it be reemplemented in the future sometime?
i cant believe how much time you people spend writing reviews of dining in downtown. Who the hell wants to eat in downtown LA?
It takes too long to get t and not worth the trip. With this economy, the last thing we need is another expensive place to eat. How about some cheap tapas and cheap drinks. The days of “show off” expensive things are over so sell your mercedes and eat at in and out burger
My husband is an ass and a big drunk.
forget his review and commetns. He is an idiot and will pay for it when I go to Rivera and he has to eat spam.
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