DAMA Fashion District Restaurant & Bar Reviews
Submitted by Darlene D on 06/24/2022
Darlene D 4 stars rating.
My favorite show of all time, Insecure, brought me here. The characters Issa and Lawrence were dining at Dama on the show, and I was intrigued. Since I was only seven minutes away at an art show, hubby and I decided to try out Dama.
Dama is a Latin-inspired restaurant located in the Los Angeles Fashion District. I'm not going to lie; the area is a bit sketch, so be careful and be mindful of your surroundings. They do have valet parking which is a plus. I recommend making a reservation if you want to dine in the dining area. We did not make a reservation but were able to eat at the bar.
The overall ambiance and Aesthetic were very chic with deco tropical vibes. Very romantic and has a great bar area. Friendly staff and quick service.
For drinks we got a sangria and a sandia y mezcal. The sangria was terrible! It tasted like pure syrup. It definitely tasted like they forgot some ingredients. But the sandia y mezcal was delicious! For food, we got several different appetizers:
- prawns ( very tasty! )
- empanadas (these are minis, and they were ok)
- Fried calamari ( omg yes!!! This dish was excellent!! )
- oysters ( yes!)
- aguachile ( not my favorite, it has a different texture)
- squash flowers (this was a big no for me, too much filling)
The dessert menu was a bit sad. I thought they would surely have flan or maybe even a tres leches cake. Instead, they had ice cream or churros. I went ahead and got the DAMA flight which included every flavor of ice cream they had and mini churros. The ice cream flavors included banana, rice pudding, and smores. The only one worth eating was the banana ice cream. The rest wasn't it. I also ordered a very yummy cappuccino!
Overall, the place was super cute. Unfortunately, most of the dishes just didn't do it for me. The menu was pretty limited, so I probably won’t come back.
Nicolas Arauz 4 stars rating.
Great place. Nice vibe, cool interior. If you are not from LA then the location may seem a bit unusual and off the map right until you arrive, but it is worth the trip.
I had the oxtail tostada (incredible), a delicious and perfectly seasoned oxtail onion and spice blend with a few pickled vegetables on a crispy tostada. Great contrasting textures, each mouthful was better than the last. The celery salad was also fantastic, a bit of a spin on a Caesar salad but actually much fresher and more interesting, with fresh lemon and scallions and a perfect dressing. The grilled octopus was the only minor let down, the octopus was cooked perfectly and the flavors were good but the texture needed more contrast.
Ended the meal with the “cookie” which is easily a nice shareable dessert for two.
Only penalty is for the mosquitoes here! Weirdly persistent, the staff seems aware and works hard to help. Most other guests did not seem to notice much.
Cocktail were also on-point and the bartenders and staff are all fantastic.
Would absolutely come back with friends to explore more of the menu!
Submitted by Nicolas Arauz on 07/18/2022
Drew 4 stars rating.
Pros: Gorgeous restaurant, delicious food, great ambiance
Cons: the fashion district gets scarier and more desolate by the day, hilariously expensive cocktails
Had a great time here at Dama. It was easy to get a reservation on a Saturday. Ambiance and decor were spot on. Cocktails were excellent and the food was very well proportioned and high quality. Service was also good. Be prepared for $17+ cocktails of course as well as semi-mandatory $12 valet parking. The fashion district becomes uglier and more skid row-ish everyday but Dama is still able to maintain an oasis of calm and beauty. Recommended!
Submitted by Drew on 06/19/2022
Sylvia Bosco 4 stars rating.
Super chic restaurant! Latin influence is clear with the patterns and art on the walls. Lively and vibrant dinner spot.
My boyfriend and I ordered the crispy squash flower appetizer and the whole snapper to share and it was absolutely delicious! We shared and it was plenty of food for us.
I didn’t like my waitress. I felt like she was too young or didn’t have enough etiquette for such a classy establishment. Her personality did not match the vibe of the restaurant. At one point she said “are you happy?” As if to imply I wasn’t before or I wasn’t enjoying my meal. But Everything was delicious!
Submitted by Sylvia Bosco on 05/30/2022
Yamilka Coca 5 stars rating.
DAMA was amazing!!! Food & ambiance were great! Had a full meal eating tapas and great drinks. Definitely recommend to make the trip to the fashion district to check this restaurant out.
Pictures: Croquettes, Squash Blossom, Derby Cocktail Tropical, Sandia Mezcal
Submitted by Yamilka Coca on 04/10/2022
Jason Jimenez 4 stars rating.
The location is really nice especially the interior decor of the surrounding bar area. The drinks are really good so it's not just for show. It's very roomy and not too loud do you can go chill out or have a nice date. The highlights on the menu are definitely the lamb chops and the crispy potatoes. Definitely try everything else but those are my top recomm's
Submitted by Jason Jimenez on 04/01/2022
Daniel K 5 stars rating.
My friends and I loved this restaurant! We came to celebrate a birthday and we all left extremely satisfied. There are so many items on the menu so we'd love to come back and try some more food and drinks. Here are the highlights:
Seafood Tostada (8/10):
Great shareable item. Comes with extra saltine crackers and worked surprisingly well with the ceviche. It was good, but I'm not sure I would get it again.
Lamb Chops (9/10):
The lamb was super tender and only had a slight gamey taste. The salsa verde and arugula paired perfectly with the lamb.
Rib Eye (10/10):
The rib eye by itself was amazing, but what made it even better was that they let you turn it into a taco. The dish also comes with corn tortillas, avocado slices, roasted chilies & green onions, greens, limes, and an olive oil based sauce. This was perfect for sharing, even with 4 people.
Churros (10/10):
Holy guacamole... these churros. Perfectly crunchy on the outside and fluffy in the middle, it might just be the best churro I've ever had. The chocolate-caramel sauce for the first few bites, but it quickly became overly sweet.
Sangria (10/10):
The sangria is a great drink for anyone looking for something sweet and not high in alcohol.
Submitted by Daniel K on 02/03/2022
Rovik Robert 5 stars rating.
Beautiful location in the fashion district with a multitude of small plate options and a couple of large plates. It’s easy to over-order and the staff don’t really advise against it so I would aim for around 6 small plates + 1 large plate for a group of 4. Definitely get the Bread, Corn, Whipped Bean, Linguisa and the Pork Shank.
Submitted by Rovik Robert on 01/10/2022
Leobardo De Haro Jr 5 stars rating.
Great place for a nice elegant dinner.. food was delicious and very well prepared. Had the Corn with cilantro lime, empanadas, lamb chops, aguachiles, whipped white beans, bone marrow and by the time I realized most of the food was gone and I didn't take any pictures except for this one of the corn which was one of my favorites! I definitely recommend this place I came with a few friends and it did get a bit pricey but once in a while isn't too bad. I will be coming back with the wife for a nice date night I think she would love this place!
Submitted by Leobardo De Haro Jr on 12/22/2021
k n 4 stars rating.
Loved the vibes of this place. Food was good. Corn could be split between four people. Crispy Squash Flowers were a great starter Oxtail Tostadas was light enough for a appetizer but hearty enough to fill you up. Will have to come back for full entree course.
Submitted by K N on 12/21/2021
