Epique Restaurant - (Near Glendale, CA)

1 /5 Isabel Yanes: Unfortunately my experience at Epique left much to be desired and I wouldn’t recommend coming here. I read reviews beforehand and thought maybe other people just had bad experiences, but having gone myself I now understand that the issue is a lack of attention to detail in multiple areas of the business. While the interior is absolutely stunning, it is very cramped with seating and the live music is pushed up right against dinner tables, so its claustrophobic, even when youre at the front. The waitstaff is overworked, with too many tables assigned to each waiter, and not many speak English well. The menu doesnt have thorough descriptions of what each dish actually includes, leading me to believe this restaurant caters to Armenians more than Americans. I also got this impression from looking around the room and hearing people speak almost exclusively Armenian. Items such as bread/lavash and water arent included, but they dont communicate this and assume you want it for an extra charge. Even when we asked for regular tap water, they would only bring us a bottle of branded still water. Having been to another Armenian restaurant in the area that did the same thing, I assume its a cultural expectation to serve bottled water despite LA having perfectly safe, drinkable tap water. While I could look past the cultural differences and even appreciate the “close-as-family” environment, the real kicker for me was the poorly executed dishes and the long wait time to receive everything, from drinks to food to the check. We were there for over 2 hours because our waiter was too busy helping other tables and another waiter took over at one point to try to help, but also was too busy. We first ordered the Halloumi with Honey, which was extremely over baked, with the honey having completely hardened into candy and the cheese tough and dry. For the main meal, we had the Udoli Tolma, which was under seasoned and small portioned, though the texture of the lamb was nice. We also got the Ghavurma Areni, which was deliciously seasoned, but the lamb was super tough and the vegetables were mush with no texture at all, despite the menu labeling them grilled vegetables. These dishes should never have left the kitchen in these conditions. While this place might be a hit with local Armenians, I dont think this is a restaurant for everyone to enjoy if they dont make changes in the space to accommodate every type of customer. An easy place to start is to include more information on the menu and offer tap water as an option. I believe its a state requirement anyways, so might as well do it anyways before it becomes a bigger problem.

3 /5 James Asprer: Very posh and elegant interior with dim chandelier lighting and velvet finishes. They had a singer and pianist on a Saturday night. The food was good but nothing unique or spectacular; not worth the price or the wait. Main course took too long. It was 40 minutes between when we finished the appetizers & salads and when they served the entrées despite the fact we had ordered when they had less than half their tables occupied. This was over an hour after we had ordered and we were not informed it would take that long. They also do not have free drinking water, yet they kept pouring us new, paid bottles of water even if we hadnt ordered them.

1 /5 Eileen Yosefyan: Starting off, I want to say that this restaurant has absolutely no customer service. I strongly suggest that if you are not Armenian, you reconsider dining here, as the servers clearly prioritize guests of their own ethnicity. Throughout our visit, it was extremely difficult to get any assistance from the waitstaff. We ordered an entrée that explicitly listed beef as a main component. From the moment the dish arrived, it was obvious that the beef was missing. We attempted multiple times to get a server’s attention, but no one seemed concerned. When we finally spoke to a waiter and politely asked if there may have been a mistake, he claimed that the beef had “melted into the dish” and was no longer visible. He then proceeded to count out what he claimed were five tiny beef pieces, each approximately 1 cm in size, using a serving spoon to “prove” that the dish did, in fact, contain beef. This behavior was incredibly unprofessional and insulting. Even if those pieces were beef, five 1-cm fragments is not remotely sufficient for the dish to be labeled as a beef entrée. I am fully aware of what beef looks like, and eggplant does not qualify. Had the staff been attentive from the beginning, this could have been easily resolved by bringing beef on the side or replacing the dish, as it was not prepared as described. Instead, the situation was handled poorly, and by the end of our meal, the staff attempted to make it seem as though I was incapable of identifying the ingredients on my own plate. Overall, the lack of professionalism, attentiveness, and respect left a very negative impression, and I would not recommend this restaurant based on my experience.

5 /5 Rose Anne: With an epic name and storefront I was really curious about interior design, which sent me back 100+ years ago, felt like something from a time piece movie. The food was absolutely delicious. Its a gourmet twist on all armenian favorite foods, and they pulled it off. Stunning presentation of the plate, attention to detail, prepared to perfection. If anyone is interested to have a lovely romantic night out for armenian food, you will certainly impress your date. They can accommodate a large group. Live music with piano, band, and singer, tonight was soft jazz. Im very impressed by staff. Cutlery and plates were renewed with every course.

2 /5 Artin Matt: I recently dined at what used to be an amazing French restaurant, now rebranded as just another overpriced Armenian spot in a city already overflowing with them. The service was commendable, but sadly, the food fell flat. We arrived with high expectations, having made dinner reservations in advance, completely unaware of the new management and menu. Our first course, a beet salad, was a letdown—only seven small pieces of beets surrounded by a mound of bitter arugula. Next, we tried the prime rib steak, which the waitress failed to mention was simply steak on a skewer. It was dry and tasted overwhelmingly bloody, with zero seasoning. For our final dish, the lamb chops, I requested medium rare, but what arrived was overcooked to the point of being inedible. If I had wanted Armenian food, I would have gone to Raffis Kabob. I genuinely wish the new owners would change the name so unsuspecting customers wouldnt confuse it with the delightful experience it once offered. Overall, a disappointing evening that left me longing for the past.