Meet Me At The Formosa Cafe

Iconic venue with great food. Portions are generous. We party of 4 got the Chinese barbecue pork serves 2-4, spicy fried rice with chicken, scallion pancakes, and had more than what we could eat so took it home. The barbecue was authentic, beautiful, and tasty. The presentation was amazing. The buns were very fresh. The fried rice was excellent too. I think I’d go with shrimp next time. We got drinks as well. The Matador was fruity and refreshing with a wedge of fresh pineapple - a perfect summer drink. The staff was both professional and friendly. Parking is on the street. We parked free a few blocks away. The history of Formosa is rich with Hollywood lore. The ceiling is border with signed photos of many legends.

Entrance has a gatekeeper, nice touch with all the weirdos roaming the streets in Hollywood area. Late hours are a great bonus with kitchen closing in the AMs. Kung Pao chicken was a nice fusion dish, maybe not quite a shareable size but spicing and flavor grew on me. Spicy Dan Dan noodles was a below average noodle dish, the steamed white rice was best I had in years. Service was nice and friendly but not very attentive. Defiantly on my list for additional visits to explore more items on the menu.

Fantastic dinner spot. If you’re into Chinese-American food, this is a must-try. Everything across the board was delicious and flavorful, but one thing stood out from the pack and that was the BBQ Pork. The perfectly glazed crispy skin surrounded by the most tender, juicy pork meat was nothing short of phenomenal. Pairing that with the slaw on a Bao bun was absolutely heavenly to eat. Staff was friendly, food came out a little slow but it was a packed Friday night so I don’t blame them. Will absolutely be back here

The Formosa Cafe is a fantastic place to have a cocktail, eat some food, and walk back into 1940's era Hollywood. They make tasty tiki style drinks. The Singapore Sling and Mai Thai was very good. If you're into mid-century history of Hollywood, then you're in luck. Legend has it that Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel used the Formosa as an HQ for his operations, and it's commemorated with a photo of him above "his" booth complete with an encased floor safe that was used by Bugsy. There are booths in the main room lounge that are named for celebrities that frequented them. The Marilyn Booth, The Elvis Booth, etc The cafe has also been used in films such as LA Confidential. It's a fun place; check their social media/website for weekly special events.

We had a great time here last night. Our server manager? Was so fantastic and really set the tone so we'd have a great evening. We stopped by after a screening and wanted a late night snack before dancing in their lounge. We had the vegan Chow Fun very yummy spongy noodles and egg rolls. I ordered the Singapore Sling cocktail and it had hints of Raffles, the hotel the hotel it was created in. After our snack we made our way to the lounge and danced and enjoyed the 60s atmosphere of the Constellation Club, complete with a theramini bonus by the djs! Glad to see the place is holding on to its original flavor. Will be back! Vegetarian options: The Chow Fun was amazing!

All the food was amazing. Service was a little spotty but I think that's just because they were so packed with people. It's cool to sit in one of the old original train cars from the area. I heard the nightlife gets crazy in there. They said they had a live DJ coming. Definitely will go back next time we are in LAFood: 5/5

Loved going to this classic Chinese restaurant. When you first walk in you are in awww with the cozy and fun atmosphere. Really enjoyed the old Hollywood pics and the lighting. Had the beef and broccoli, and it was awesome. Also had to try the Mai Tai. Not big menu but dish was quality, so if you like Chinese food and in the area, definitely give it a try.

They provide excellent customer service. Cody went above and beyond to accommodate us. This historic restaurant provides delicious meals and a lovely atmosphere. Highly recommended!!Food: 5/5

Formosa cafe is such a fun and unique experience. It's been around since 1939 and has such a fun history that includes many celebrities. Every time I go to LA, I always make a reservation here and am never disappointed. For this latest trip, my party requested to be seated in the train car. The vibe here is so fun and romantic. For drinks we opted to get the Mai Tai and Singapore asking. Both classics, and both were delicious. For food, we did appetizers of the egg rolls and the orange chicken. Orange chicken was the clear star there. I'd probably skip the egg rolls for next time. They were okay but nothing standout really. For food, I always get the Dan Dan noodles. Sooooooooo good! I highly recommend it if you like a little spice in your life. All in all, I hope this restaurant survives another 80 years! I will keep coming back. If you're in the West Hollywood area and want some delicious Asian cuisine with an old school Hollywood vibe and a unique experience, I highly recommend the Formosa Cafe! And ask to sit in the historic train car!

Update : 5months later , we had Dan as our server , he’s cool! Holds convo very well! Love him : Olivia is an amazing server and will give you the full experience ! Highly recommend her. The dumplings has some spice to them and they’re AMAZING ! My husband loooved his rice but the short rib noodle dish was unfortunately not good way too sweet and my husband tried it and said it had an acquired taste to it and he usually loves all food , I took 3 bites got a box and left it on the table bc I knew I wouldn’t eat it at home. Very disappointing for it costing $25 . Wish I would’ve ordered just my appetizer first because I would just gotten another order of the dumplings for my entree they were SOOOO good . I still tipped over 20% bc Olivia was just really patient with us as tourist/first time guests and that was great to have . Parking: Parking is right behind the restaurant and the 1st hour was free !