The Hideout at
the Hollywood Heights Hotel

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Address: 2005 N. Highland Ave.
Cross Street: Camrose Ave.
Neighborhood: Hollywood
Phone: (323) 876-8600
Hours: Daily, 8AM-10PM
Type: Continental, Italian

As part of a complete renovation, the Hollywood Heights Hotel has opened its new restaurant, The Hideout, with a entirely fresh look and menu.

The enclosed front patio beckons drinkers to its casual deck furniture, while the minimalist design of the interior dining room reflects the menu's simplicity. Start out with "Teasers" like the seared ahi tuna with avocado and bitter micro-arugula on house-made tortillas. If you're not ready to "Commit" to an entrée, try a "Flirtation" like the Cuban pork panini or the classic chicken Cobb salad.

For a main course, the four-cheese mac 'n' cheese with herbed bread crumbs is rich; the seared Maryland crab cakes with coleslaw and fire-roasted pepper sauce are enormous; and the restaurant's signature dish, the sizzling rib-eye with mushrooms and fries, is delicious.

Desserts are meant to be "Happy Endings," like the house-made bread pudding of the day, or the flourless chocolate ganache cake. Though the menu does not display the most interesting combination of flavors, the ingredients at least are very fresh and the prices are practically a bargain in this part of town.

The bar pays homage to the restaurant's proximity to Hollywood and Highland with cocktails like the "Walk of Fame Martini" and the "California Cosmo," and it is a more convenient option for a drink before or after a show at the nearby Hollywood Bowl. The only drawback is that you absolutely have to valet park, so just suck it up and be sure you get validation on your way out.