West Hollywood’s First Of All, which made a name for itself with breakfast, brunch and lunch, has expanded into dinner with a new menu and a full bar.
Located at 8200 Santa Monica Boulevard, First Of All comes from restaurateur Mike Fahim, whose other Los Angeles restaurants include Beachwood Cafe, Sotta and Sidewalk Grill. The restaurant has the same easygoing neighborhood quality that works so well during the day, but dinner gives the space another dimension.
The pink exterior makes First Of All hard to miss from the street. Inside, the restaurant is warm and colorful. Cactus imagery and Mexican-inspired artwork cover the walls, while natural textures and greenery soften the room. The rectangular shaped dining room with a small bar in back makes a great space for intimate dates or gatherings with friends.
The new dinner menu comes from Executive Chef Arturo Quesada, whose Mexican and Bolivian heritage influences his cooking. Quesada, who is also a culinary instructor at Los Angeles Harbor College, trained under acclaimed Spanish chef Martín Berasategui.
Appetizers include a ahi tuna tostada, red snapper ceviche, bean dip, mushroom mole, guacamole, grilled street corn, taquitos, Mexican Caesar salad, a Tex-Mex crunchwrap and chicken tortilla soup.
The entrées are where Quesada stretches the menu further. Guests can enjoy enchiladas, fajitas, marinated chicken, grilled shrimp, blackened salmon, swordfish in tomato sauce, braised short ribs and stuffed poblano chiles. There is also a wide variety of tacos, burritos and quesadillas.
Prices are affordable for West Hollywood, with most entrées currently falling between $20 and $34.
Dinner also marks the arrival of a full cocktail program created by bar director Ryan Holden. The $15 cocktails lean heavily into tequila and mezcal while still offering plenty of variety. La Clásica keeps things traditional with tequila, lime, Cointreau and agave, while Maracuyá combines reposado tequila, passionfruit, lime and agave with a Champagne shot. Picante mixes mezcal with strawberry, lime and spicy agave.
The Negroni Oaxaqueño offers a smoky Mexican interpretation of the classic, bringing together mezcal, sweet vermouth, bitter liqueur, pineapple and salt. For an after-dinner drink, Café Negro combines vodka or tequila with espresso, coffee liqueur, horchata liqueur and cinnamon.
Desserts include tres leches cake, Mexican flan, dulce de leche bread pudding, and a churros ice cream sundae.
In a neighborhood where dinner can easily become an expensive production, First Of All offers good food, a welcoming room, interesting cocktails and prices that don’t require dinner to be reserved for a special occasion.
First Of All is located at 8200 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, one block west of Crescent Heights Boulevard. Dinner and bar service are offered Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
