Dine LA Restaurant Week is one of the most exciting opportunities of the year for foodies in Los Angeles. For those who are unfamiliar, Dine LA is an event in which hundreds of restaurants in the Los Angeles area participate, offering a smaller tasting menu for a cheaper price. Patrons sample from all areas of the menu, but it only runs from Jan. 23 to Feb. 6 , 2026, until Dine LA rolls back around in the summer.
Bacari is an establishment with eight locations scattered throughout LA. They are known for a plentiful, dense menu inspired by flavors all across the Mediterranean. For example, they have influences from Morocco and Lebanon, but they also incorporate classical LA dishes with touches such as tacos and French toast.
Their Beverly Hills location is “classically LA.” It sits on a corner near Rodeo Drive, outfitted with bright, striped blue-and-white patio covers and an intricate fence topped with flower boxes. The inside is dimly lit with a rustic interior: low roofs, small chandeliers and glass candles on every table, even in the afternoon. When combined with the warm lighting, the tiled arches and ornately flowery curtains make the place seem like an elevated version of an older estate, lending the dining experience a sense of prestige. The sense of antiquity is what gives its charm – the many tables in the main dining room accompanied with the warm service are welcoming to its customers. Even in the winter, which is not so cold as much as dreary, Bacari makes it exciting by joining hands with Dine LA to offer a condensed version of their typical offerings.
The menu is no short of a small offering, making the Dine LA menu feel more digestible and less overwhelming. They had a lunch/brunch option (what we went for) and a dinner option, with the most notable difference being an extra dish for dinner. Their set menu included starters, main dishes and dessert, the best part being you can choose two main dish options instead of a main and a starter. That being said, everything offered on the menu looked great and clearly had Mediterranean influences, whether from ingredients such as tahini and harissa, the type of dish such as mujjadara or a twist such as the shawarma taco.
After some long deliberation, we ended up going for the crudo, brussel sprouts, charred broccoli and chef’s salmon. For dessert, we had their vegan double chocolate cake and the best cake, which was not actually on the Dine LA menu, but more on that later.
Emily Hsi: As one of the first dishes to come out, the brussel sprouts arrived with much anticipation as a heap of perfectly charred green buds in a large, round bowl. They were topped with a pomegranate molasses crème fraîche and thinly slivered beets, both of which delivered a complementary acidity and a little sweetness. The crème fraîche was creamy and added a nice element of richness to the vegetable while the beets provided a delicate tang and slight crunch. The sprouts themselves were well-cooked, with the outsides caramelized and carrying the smoky flavor from being pan-fried and the insides still remaining tender. For nearly $16, however, the bowl could have been more generously loaded.
Reem Almarei: The charred broccoli arrived with a vibrancy that lit up the table. Plated on top of a harissa tahini sauce and sprinkled with chili flakes and candied almonds, this may have been the star of the show. Perfectly cooked to a light crisp on the outside with a soft chewy inside, every bite hinted at a soft lemon flavor, complemented by the tanginess of pepper. The candied almonds added both sweetness and texture, bringing the entire dish together with a blend of intricate and bold flavors. Although this dish came with a generous amount of broccoli, asking for extra harissa tahini sauce would’ve allowed more of the flavor to penetrate into the broccoli. With its regular price being $13, it is worth adding to your order; it serves as the perfect side dish, which may even grab the attention of everyone on the table.
Emily Hsi: Crudo, which consists of raw, thinly sliced fish, came Bacari-style with cucumber relish with hints of sumac and za’atar, as well as pieces of lemon all doused in olive oil, served as a refreshing dish. Since the barramundi was so finely cut, it carried all of the flavors of the toppings well. The sourness of the lemon and relish nicely offset the natural sweetness of the raw barramundi, though at times it was heaped so heartily on top of it that it overpowered the meat. The fish itself was expertly cut but perhaps was not taken from the best part of the animal – a significant amount of the fish was overly chewy to the point where the jaw was doing a workout. Still, other bites were fairly tender, but the overall dish was impacted by the inconsistency in texture. It was also difficult to believe that this small dish alone would ring in $15 ordinarily, since it was smaller than an unfolded napkin.
Reem Almarei: For the last main dish, the chef’s salmon sounded exciting, with a walnut-crusted coating that sounded too good to be true. Although the salmon was perfectly cooked, the walnut crust felt more like blended up walnuts thrown on top of the salmon. Instead of adding crunch to every bite, it added sogginess, creating a weird texture. The nuttiness of the walnut was also too overwhelming, lacking salt and tasting bitter. The size was okay, but no effort went into the presentation. As good as the dish sounded, it was very underwhelming and lacked flavor and texture, making it not worth it for $17.
Emily Hsi: One of their desserts proclaimed itself to be “the best cake,” so obviously the title had to be taken to court. The cake was a date sponge doused in brown sugar caramel and topped with bacon bits, and though not the most photographic, it offered a memorable bite. The sticky date pudding was rich and gooey, so best for those with a sweet tooth, and the outside of the cake was perfectly syrupy from sitting in the caramel. However, it was not as consistent on the inside, as it did not have enough syrup and became dry. The bacon bits were also an unnecessary, albeit interesting, addition, since they were too hard to offer a substantial textual counterpart. Overall, the bacon was bland without much salt, so the pudding was better off without it. Was this the best cake? Maybe not for $9.50, but it is certainly a sumptuous bite, especially for those who are fond of rich and sugary desserts.
As mentioned earlier, the malabi, which is a rosewater custard, had run out at the point of ordering. Instead, the server compensated by offering the choice of any other dessert on the regular menu. Note that the service was exceptional at this establishment, befitting its sleek Beverly Hills location. The server was attentive and patient, proposing to go over the admittedly dense menu and give his suggestions.
Reem Almarei: The second dessert we ordered, which was featured on the Dine LA menu, was vegan double chocolate cake. The presentation for this was well done, and at first bite the rich velvety flavor of the chocolate felt like a warm hug. I would note that the name is misleading and in fact it is a firm chocolate pudding, soft and moist on the inside. Topped with a hazelnut brittle, its sweetness perfectly matched the dark chocolate flavor explosion coming from the ‘cake’. Being almost $11 on their menu though, it may not be worth it for you unless you’re a true dark chocolate love.
Is this worth going for Dine LA specifically? Maybe not. However, if with a bigger group, it would be. In terms of the price point the only thing that felt like a deal from the Dine LA price was the dessert – but it wasn’t really a standout. Going with a bigger group will allow you to try more options, which will probably come out to be at a similar, maybe slightly higher price, but with more of a variety. While it’s worth a visit to get a diverse taste of Mediterranean cuisine, it is not worth going out of your way just to drop in during Dine LA week.
