Tucked into Santa Monica Boulevard, Delilah is a modern supper club wrapped in the glamour of another era. The moment you walk through the doors, the mood shifts from a plain white building to a beautiful 1920’s inspired supper club space where oversized chandeliers glow against dark, plush interiors, the lighting is deliberately moody, and a crackling fireplace adds a touch of old-Hollywood drama.
And that is really the point of Delilah. The room is designed for lingering, cocktails are part of the experience and, as the evening progresses, live jazz and female performers turn the dining room into something closer to a nightclub. Dinner gradually gives way to entertainment, drinks and dancing, creating the feeling that you have stepped into a glamorous private party where someone forgot to tell you when it ends.
The menu takes an approachable route. Appetizers include tuna tartare, shrimp cocktail, Hamachi crudo, oysters, crab cakes, steak tartare with caviar, pigs in a blanket and grilled cheese. There are also great salads, including a burrata with pistachio pesto, a Caesar and an iceberg wedge with bacon. Mains include a truffle risotto, shrimp all vodka, trout, Chilean sea bass, sea scallops, baby back ribs, and a good burger. There are also steaks, including a Wagyu tomahawk, hanger, filet, New York strip and a big bone-in pork chop. Sides include a wonderful and unique carrot souffle, fries with truffle, mashed potatoes with lobster, mushrooms, brussels sprouts, roasted corn and a macaroni gratin.
Their cocktail list is extensive and interesting with a Spicy Siena with tequila, Cointreau, lime, fresno and agave; the JoJo with vodka, St. Germain, strawberry, and prosecco; Just One Drink with vodka or tequila, coffee liqueur, vanilla and cold brew, The Strip Tease with tequila, pink guava and pear; Nothing to See Here with tequila, watermelon, strawberry and italicus and the Oaxaca Passion with tequila, mexcal, passion fuit and Aperol.
Desserts are decadent with a brownie with oreo, a cookie, brownie, ice cream and chocolate fudge; carrot cake, a popcorn semifreddo, lemon tart brulee and a hot fudge sundae.
What makes Delilah memorable, though, isn’t any single dish. It’s the combination. The velvet-and-chandelier glamour, the jazz, the cocktails, the beautiful crowd, the food and the gradual transition from supper club to nightlife all happen in the same room. You can arrive thinking you’re going to dinner and find yourself still there hours later watching the entertainment.
Delilah is the perfect spot if you want a dressed-up, old-Hollywood-inspired night out where the food is only one part of the evening. If you’re looking for a restaurant that turns dinner into an occasion, this is one West Hollywood reservation worth dressing up for.
Located at 7969 Santa Monica Blvd in West Hollywood, open Tuesday to Sunday, 6:30pm to close. Reservations at 323.745.0600.
