Have a Great Date Night at Wolfgang Puck’s Spago in Beverly Hills

Wolfgang Puck is arguably one of the most famous chefs in the world. His flagship restaurant, Spago, in Beverly Hills, has been on my bucket list for a while, and I finally got to try it!

Getting There and Parking

Spago is located in the heart of Beverly Hills on North Canon Drive, just north of Wilshire Blvd. Of course, there is valet parking right in front, but if you’re cheap (like me, haha), there is a parking garage around the block next to Whole Foods Market. On Sunday night it was only $2 after 6 PM.

The Ambiance

It’s practically impossible for any restaurant to live up to the hype that Spago has. The interior is definitely nice, but there are plenty of high-end restaurants in L.A. that are just as nice.

The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor courtyard seating. In my opinion, the outdoor courtyard is the best place to dine, weather permitting. It’s charming and has a nicer ambiance. I found the interior to be a bit too brightly-lit later in the evening, by comparison.

Many popular restaurants in L.A. suffer from being too noisy (this is a pet peeve of mine). Not the case at Spago. There was a lot of conversation going on, but the tables were adequately spaced to make quiet conversation easy, thankfully.

The Food

OK, the main reason to go to Spago is the food. The menu offers “California Cuisine”, featuring Wolfgang Puck’s take on pasta, seafood, chicken, rabbit, lamb, and steak, among other items.

One cool thing is that the waiter had looked up our records and knew what we had last time! Good if you need help ordering and can’t remember what you had before.

We started the evening with a half dozen Chilled Oishi & Henderson Bay Oysters.

For our pasta dish, we had the Hand Rolled Garganelli Pasta:

The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was incredible. We could have eaten a whole tub of this for dinner!

For our mains, we had the Halibut and the Pan Roasted Scallops:

Both were cooked perfectly. The Halibut was light and flaky but not dry. The sauces were amazing!

We had two sides, broccolini and mushrooms. Both were excellent.

Dessert

We had two desserts: the cookie cream soufflé and the apple strudel. Both came with a scoop of ice cream.

The strudel was great, but the soufflé was off the charts, served warm with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. If you even remotely like chocolate, get the soufflé! It’s enough for two people, but you may want to get your own!

Cost

The total for our dinner was $329 before tip, but we didn’t have any alcoholic beverages (we did have a non-alcoholic drink called the Cracklin Rosie which was great).

After dinner, we wondered aloud if Spago might be our favorite restaurant in Los Angeles. It’s a tough call with so many great restaurants, but Spago is definitely a contender.

Celebrity Sightings

Another bonus of dining at Spago is the possibility of a celebrity sighting. On the night we went, a very pregnant Kate Hudson and her party sat down at the table next to us.

Was It Worth It?

Spago is an excellent place to go if you want to impress a date, or if it’s a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. If you are a foodie, Spago will not disappoint. Wolfgang Puck’s reputation is legit – it is not hype! Each course was flavorful and masterfully executed. The service was top-notch as well.

What to do After Dinner

Being in the heart of Beverly Hills, there are tons of high-end shops within walking distance, but almost all are closed at dinner time. Still, it can be fun to window-shop.

My suggestion, however, is to walk up North Canon (away from Wilshire) half a block and make a left on Dayton Way. Walk a few blocks, then enter the famous Via Rodeo cobblestone walkway.

You’ll emerge on the other side at the famous Rodeo Drive Steps.

Or, stroll through the lovely Beverly Canon Gardens. In recent years it’s become quite an Instagrammable attraction with colorful signs, light shows, and other attractions, depending on the season.

Summary

Dinner at Spago, plus a pleasant walk around Beverly Hills, can make a great date night if you’re into fine cuisine and can afford the cost.

Have you been to Spago? What did you think of it? Please leave your comments and questions below! – Brian