ADDISON

"Have been to Addison’s on 3 seperate occasions in the course of 2 years. Added the wine pairing on each occasion. I must say that the first time we were blown away! The food, the wine, the presentation, and the atmosphere were all amazing! We enjoyed it so much, that we decided to take our 17 yr old at the time with us. For a menu that allegedly changes every 6 months, we were surprised to see that each dish that came out was exactly the same as our first visit. Thinking that maybe we didn’t space the two visits far apart enough, we visited a third time. The same exact meal except for maybe a dish. Disappointing is an understatement. Addison is a lovely ONE TIME experience in my opinion. It would be nice to see the chef switch out the menu and give us something new. Will not be returning until I see new dishes being posted."

"If I had to summarize Addison in a single word, it would be “disappointing.” If adding another, it would be “confusing.” We have been to several Michelin restaurants (both 1 star and gourmand in the United States and France), but never a 3-star, so we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately, Addison was a complete disappointment. It started with the confusing parking, which was dark and unlit, without valet service of any kind. Upon walking in, there was a lady seated behind a counter, but the welcome wasn’t really that warm, and despite not seeming that busy, our table was delayed for around 25 minutes. We shook it off in hopes that this would be an amazing experience once we got settled. True to Michelin fashion, the service was impeccable. The sommelier and staff were delightful and engaging. This is where the positive notes end unfortunately. Similar to some of the other reviews that I have since read, we found the flavors didn’t blend well together. It seems the tartness in many of the dishes was overbearing, the temperatures between ingredients was not aligned, the meat textures were not as expected, and the dishes were not well balanced on the palate. As a positive, the presentation did at least look nice. This was the first Michelin experience for our dinner companions, so I found myself continually reassuring them things would get better, but unfortunately they never did. I found 3 of the 10 courses to be pretty good, but found nothing excellent, and most dishes to be marginal. In fairness, I understand each chef to have his or her own style and artistic flair, so it’s entirely possible that perhaps my palate just doesn’t agree with this particular culinary style. I would feel better, had the 3 others with me have seen things differently, but unfortunately all of us shared the same feeling and most of the dishes were returned without having been fully consumed. We expected the price to be what it was, just shy of $3000 for 4, but found the menu disappointing if even it had been for a much lower price offering. We also felt the menu to be confusing in presentation. In my experience with Michelin restaurants, they all seem to lead you on a journey and tell a story, but in this instance the journey wasn’t linear and the story had no plot or route to follow. Honestly, we all discussed on the ride home how disappointing the experience was and our friends commented that it would be unlikely they would return, even if the meal had been without cost. I think this speaks for itself. Objectively, I am unsure how this one snuck in “under the Michelin radar” and would never expect a Michelin 3-star rating for Addison. There are many 1-star Michelin and gourmand restaurants, whom are far outperforming Addison, and for whom this rating would be more deserved. At best, maybe they just had a bad day in the kitchen. At worst, maybe Michelin needs to take another look at this one. We found the experience worthwhile, only in the respect that we tried it. It certainly adds to our comparison of the others we have enjoyed, but we would not recommend Addison and would not return. Again, we understand how hard the chef and staff work to attain such a rating, so the purpose of this review is more in hopes that it will be taken to heart, with some corrections made, in order to make it a worthwhile experience (as 1 of only 143 Michelin 3-star restaurants in the world) in the future."

"Well, the place is really wow, indeed Michelin 3 stars! A crazy experience of premium service, the dishes were excellent in appearance and taste and the cocktails were excellent! The place is charming, luxurious and inviting"

"Shaun stands out as the most extraordinary restaurant manager I've ever had the pleasure of encountering. His service wasn't just outstanding—it was genuinely awe-inspiring. As a solo diner, Shaun made an extra effort to ensure I felt incredibly welcomed. His dedication to going above and beyond was evident in his eagerness to share fascinating insights about the kitchen, catering perfectly to my enthusiasm as a food aficionado. While the cuisine at Addison was nothing short of superb, it was Shaun's unparalleled service that elevated the entire experience to divine heights. His warm, understanding, and inviting personality made every interaction memorable. The thoughtful gesture of a sweet little treat upon departure was the cherry on top of a flawlessly coordinated dining experience. Having visited other Michelin-starred establishments, I can confidently place Addison in my top three worldwide dining experiences, largely thanks to Shaun's exceptional touch. Truly, a delightful experience in every sense."

"What an unbelievable experience at Southern California's most acclaimed fine dining restaurant. Only 3 MICHELIN-Starred restaurant in Southern Cali. California Gastronomy at its best. Our server Olivier was absolutely amazing. Every dish that came out was absolutely unbelievable. Table side Louie XIII just puts the icing on the cake. It’s been a couple months and I still can’t stop thinking about it and talking about it. If you are looking to have a dining experience that will change your life, then you have to go to Addison! Best birthday dinner ever."