Fairy lights hang from the ceiling above the outdoor seating at West Hollywood’s WeHo Bistro. The restaurant converted a parking lot to an outdoor seating space during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WeHo Bistro
Location: 1040 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Ten thousand delicate lights hang from wire and lush green plants decorate fences and benches as soft music floats. West Hollywood’s WeHo Bistro, a French-inspired restaurant that opened in 2011, features both indoor and outdoor seating in the heart of the city, right off of Sunset Boulevard.
WeHo Bistro’s owner Jeff Douek bought the restaurant 10 years ago and decided to sell French cuisine after living in France for 15 years. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the city, he converted an old parking lot into an outdoor dining area, hanging up the twinkling fairy lights and building the greenery walls and even painting the cement floor a solid color.
WeHo Bistro’s menu stretches across two pages, with specialties like their famous cream of mushroom soup, shareables like charcuterie boards and various bistro specialties.
Their cocktail menu also includes “mocktails” like a sweet pink Rose Bud combination of pomegranate and lemon, or a bright green Piña Nojito with hints of lime and pineapple.
Because of the restaurant’s location in the city, the area is more likely to be less safe, especially during the night, such as potentially dangerous people walking the streets.
The portions for dishes were large and well-seasoned, and the servers and Douek create a welcoming atmosphere for both newcomers and local returners.
“I want to create a place where people want to come in nearly every day, because they feel comfortable,” Douek said. “And they know they’re going to eat good food, and they’re going to talk to nice people like waiters and make them feel better.”
