Polo Lounge

"The Polo Bar at the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel—it's a place within a place within a place. This is probably even closer to [where I live] than Wally's, so I'm here daily, because I do all my meetings there. It's like the epicenter of the LA power dining. I'm talking about people who run the industry. The bar is the best part. It's this beautiful classic bar—it's tiny. I think it only has five bar seats. There'll be these big executives having lunch. I walked in last time and Jessica Alba was there with her team and I said, 'I don't know what's happening here, but I'm directing it.' And sure enough, I'm directing that project, That's what happens at the Polo Lounge." - brennan carley

"The iconic Beverly Hills Hotel’s Polo Lounge is synonymous with people-watching and the legendary McCarthy Salad. Named after polo player Neil McCarthy, a frequent hotel guest in the 1960s, the remixed classic Cobb winds up on nearly every table, with nearly 600 salads sold in the hotel each week." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff

"This lush, mostly patio space inside the Beverly Hills Hotel is one of LA’s most iconic celebrity hotspots. The stories from this patio are legendary, but the food is going to be overpriced and safe to the point of boredom. But again, this restaurant and the hotel are not about good eating but about people watching and conspicuous spending." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff

"Warning: do not take anyone here who is actually interested in eating. Everything at this very pink, very sceney restaurant in the Beverly Hills Hotel is so bad it borders on offensive. But if your boss doesn’t believe in eating lunch or just wants to sit in a pretty space with people who look important, then the Polo Lounge might be the perfect spot. Prepare in advance and keep a sandwich in your car because their signature McCarthy salad is a bland pile of romaine that costs $40." - jess basser sanders, brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder

"One of LA’s storied lunchtime establishments, the beautiful secluded patio of Polo Lounge could tell Hollywood tales for days. Its lush garden ambience and splendid service do more than enough to compensate for the fairly basic, expensive food. You’ll want to order the classic McCarthy salad and maybe a few other midcentury plates that won’t challenge any palates, but really, you’re there for the experience of maybe hobnobbing with the stars." - Matthew Kang, Eater Staff