Wolfgang Puck is one of the most famous chefs in the world. With restaurants all over the globe, you expect a certain level of quality with the restaurants in his empire. This is the exact reasoning that recently led me to eating at the Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill.

The majority of my day had been spent at the Los Angeles Convention Center, starting at 8:30am for KCON (which was focused on Korean popular culture).  After eating (or not eating) a truly repulsive lunch there (note to self, bring food to KCON next year or starve), I wanted to sit down and have a civilized meal before the concert. Wandering out to LA Live, I saw the Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill and figured it was a safe bet.

We were early, so the restaurant was fairly empty. Completely famished, my daughter, the finicky eater, ordered a basic rigatoni with bolognese sauce, holding the parsley and basil. She did, however, get an order of garlic bread, which was covered with parsley that she had to scrape off.

Though the menu made no mention of it, the pasta had chili flakes – not so much that it was burn-your-mouth-off hot, but enough that my daughter couldn’t eat it. Upon hearing that it was too spicy, our waiter graciously offered to have the dish remade without the chili flakes. It was the first time in my life that I have ever had a dish remade – though at $22 for the rigatoni, I didn’t feel too guilty (I would have gladly traded my meal for hers if I thought she would have eaten mine).

I wavered between the classic Chinese Chicken Salad (which I haven’t had since the turn of the century) or the Pan Roasted Salmon Burger. Since the burger came with fries and I was starving, I opted for the salmon burger. At $19, it was cheaper than the hamburger and turkey burger, which I found a little surprising.

When the burger arrived, I realized why it was cheaper. Instead of being a piece of pan-roasted salmon, it was a salmon patty, mostly composed of bread crumbs, and topped with an herb aioli, pickled red onions, tomatoes and arugula. The salmon flavor was ever so slight. Lesson learned.

Prices were on the high side – the pastas and pizzas are in the $20 range. The probability of returning to Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grill is highly unlikely for me, given the costs. That said, next KCON you will probably find me here taking refuge, handing over my credit card in defeat.

Location –  L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles 90015
Website – https://wolfgangpuck.com/dining/wolfgang-puck-bar-and-grill-los-angeles/
Kid’s Menu – No
Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – Yes