I happened upon Lustig while looking for a place for a business dinner in Culver City. Not knowing what to expect from an Austrian restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by quality and taste profiles on the menu. The Jalapeno Hamachi with light avocado cream was my favorite but I really loved the innovative ways they combined food. Dishes like the "Bluefin Tuna Cannoli" and "Curry Fries" boasted with unique flavors. My colleagues raved about the beef cheek and I had the Barramundi. Unfortunately, the fish was a bit rubbery but I really liked the taste. I look forward to coming back and trying everything "from the pizza family tree".
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–100
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Hamachi Jalapeño
My excitement to explore a new culinary spot with my wife and fellow food enthusiast friends was utterly dashed by the dismal experience at Lustig. Our visit coincided with worsening weather, yet despite my reasonable request, we were seated at the far edge of the patio, fully exposed to the elements. Despite voicing concerns for my pregnant wife's comfort and well-being, our pleas for a more suitable seating arrangement were met with dismissive responses from both the server and hostess.
Repeated attempts to secure a more suitable table were met with apathy and indifference, culminating in a frustrating ordeal that highlighted the abysmal communication and lack of empathy from the staff. It's appalling that instead of acknowledging their oversight, the blame was shifted onto us, the patrons, for not communicating effectively with them.
Setting aside the appalling service, the food at Lustig failed to salvage the experience. While not outright terrible, none of the dishes truly impressed. Moreover, the portion sizes were inadequate, necessitating multiple orders of appetizers just to suffice for a small group. As someone who appreciates and is willing to invest in quality dining experiences, Lustig fell disappointingly short of expectations.
In conclusion, while Lustig may tout itself as a culinary destination, the dismal service and underwhelming food leave much to be desired. I seldom resort to writing reviews, but the egregious treatment we endured compels me to caution others against patronizing this establishment. Consider this a warning before considering Lustig for your next meal.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1
We experienced Lustig last night as a party of 8.
Since the pandemic, there has been a sharp downward spiral in the quality, creativity and service in the restaurant industry that has left us dreaming of a recovery. Last night at Lustig, we found out excellence is still possible!
We ate up more than the food, we ate the care, the attention to every detail.
Cauliflower panacota topped with caviar, ratatouille pizza, raclette cheese pizza, variety of warm homemade breads with dips, wagyu New York steak, the crown item was the wienershitzel, delicately salads and to die for desserts like apple streusel , but the queen of desserts was Kaiser pancake dessert!
I could get into the drinks but that had a whole backstory of what a novel selection of drinks they had. I’m glad we went as a big party so we could experience so many dishes.
If traveling is not readily accessible to you then let your tongue and senses do the traveling for you while you sample a meal here. My hat is off to the Chef and his team.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
New Restaurant Alert! Lustig Restsurant, an Austrian concep by Chef Bernhard Maringer next door to Father’s Office in Culver City. They have been in soft opening since 12/30. Just going to say it, the WeinerSchnitzel is much better than Spago’s. It is more tender, a little thicker, and the breading is crunchy and juicy. The lingonberries on the side were also a nice complement. Another hit was the chicken liver profiteroles with their rich and velvety filling that worked w the dark chocolate and the verjus gelee. The surprise of the night was the beef cheek souerbraten that was tender as thick lengua. The spatzle was perfectly executed and not overcooked like so many. I also recommend the roasted beet salad w vanilla goat cheese and crispy Brussels sprouts. The breads and spreads were served warm and we ate every last crumb. The wine list has plenty of gruner veltliner and Blaufrankish. Unfortunately, they are not going to budge on the two bottle max for corkage. #thefoodietraveler
2nd visit: Overtly dumbed down. Upon checking in the hostess aggressively argued w me over the seating arrangements we made on open table and I had to pull out my chats to “prove it.” Later, we were disappointed by food not executed nearly as well as we prior visit, such as soggy profiteroles, missing beets in beet salad, not crispy wienerschnitzel, spatzle replaced with potatoes on the sourbraten. And the most infuriating and insulting was we had requested ketchup not curry sauce w the fries which they did not bring until no more fries. So then we ordered another order of fries . They should have comped us for the second order but instead they charged us $2 for ketchup. We know where we are not welcome and we will not be returning.
Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 2
Post Covid a lot has changed in the food industry, that's why I am writing this review. It was so refreshing to be welcomed, and greeted upon arrival. It was more refreshing to see the amount of love and pride the Restaurant team has, the knowledge of food and bar Service. But above all, it was refreshing to finally have a meal to talk about and even to dream about the following day. From the quality of meats, LOVE the Schnitzel and the Wagyu beef so tender and flavorful, to the twist on the pizzas, every morsel was delightful. I was amazed at the selection of highly specialized and quality of the cocktails and alcohol as well. Not to mention the decor, fun, lively and just right... Thank you for an amazing experience.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Lustig in Culver City offers a delightful culinary experience, with Chef Bernhardt at the helm. The gourmet menu showcases homemade desserts and breads with delicious spreads. You will have the best schnitzel in town. The attention to detail extends to their cocktails, where the perfect ice complements a memorable dining experience.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Fantastic food. Chef came out to see us. Experienced almost every dish. The steak is amazing. The schnitzel is not to be missed
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Grilled Broccolini
