The Dresden Restaurant & Lounge

“My friend invited me to go see the MJ play at the Pantages. Neither of us had eaten so he stopped at a beautiful restaurant. It was nice and comfortable. They had outside seating but we ate inside. It was very elegant and cozy. He ordered the steak and I ordered a Chicken Piccata. I had never tried it. It had white wine, mushrooms, chicken and capers. I will definitely return.”

“The music was great and the vibes were immaculate. When we went it was the house band playing and they are just great. This place gets instantly added to my LA musts. That old timey Hollywood atmosphere is something that makes you feel like you are really in Los Angeles. Drinks were great, sharable food is good (nothing to write home about but still solid). 7 of us were able to get table much sooner than we expected on Saturday night. Couple of drinks each with some food, we spent about 30-40 each. Great price for great atmosphere.”

“Went there on a Thursday night after seeing a movie up the street. Like so many, we use to go here when we were younger, mostly for drinks. I had a cheeseburger which looked as boring as it tasted. Literally could not have been worse. I don't remember our waitress's name but she was very helpful and as they didn't have thousand Island, she brought over some sort of dressing which made it palatable. My wife had the French dip sandwich and she enjoyed it. Both of our meals came with fries which were good.”

“The Dresden has the vibe and history, but the food has really slipped into mediocrity the last couple of times I’ve been. I usually order the salmon, but it’s been consistently bland and forgettable. My husband’s second attempt at the filet mignon came with a béarnaise sauce that was way too thick, lumpy, and gritty, with a strange chemical taste. It completely lacked the smooth, creamy consistency you’d expect from a proper béarnaise. The steak itself, however, was cooked perfectly medium rare and was excellent. His sides of potatoes and broccoli were just basic. The Caesar salad was another letdown — very mild in flavor and in desperate need of more lemon and some anchovies to give it that tangy, umami kick that makes a Caesar shine. The escargot was just okay; two shells were completely empty, and the ones that did have something inside were tough to remove. Honestly, I’ve had better escargot on a cruise ship. Service is usually a highlight here, and our waiter was as nice and friendly as ever, but this time it was slow and dragged the evening out. My husband’s martini was even forgotten and didn’t arrive until after our food. That said, once the drinks came, they reminded me why people still love this place — strong, classic cocktails that fit the iconic atmosphere perfectly. Bottom line: come for the cocktails and the old-school vibe, especially with the live jazz, and you’ll have a good time. But if you’re looking for a memorable meal, you’ll probably leave disappointed.”

“I’ve been wanting to try The Dresden for a while, and finally booked a table on a Saturday night. Surprisingly, the dining area wasn’t very busy, and I quickly saw why. The dining room itself feels a bit outdated, and while service was attentive and friendly, the food was disappointing. We started with fried calamari, which unfortunately was rubbery and not fresh, so I had to send it back. For mains, I ordered steak and shrimp scampi — both were just average, with the shrimp lacking freshness and flavor. Overall, the food didn’t justify coming here for dinner. Afterwards, I moved to the lounge, and that’s when the night turned around. The live jazz band created a fantastic atmosphere, and the lounge was lively, fun, and exactly what I had hoped for. Bottom line: Skip the dining room, but definitely come for drinks, the vibe, and the live music. Perfect spot for cocktails and jazz, not for a memorable dinner”