I have been coming to Oriel for years. Until tonight I could have easily given this place five stars. It’s a regular early dinner spot for me and my close friends. Tonight, I had a very unpleasant very obviously racist encounter with a waiter or manager. As I was walking to the restroom this employee I would describe as an old French man aggressively approaches me and yells “Hey! Hey! Um can I help you? Are you dining here?!” So loudly that other restaurant guests turn around to see what’s going on. I turned around and told him I have a table here with my friends and he backed off, rudely and obviously aware of the ridiculous mistake he’d just made. It saddens me to write this post, but you people should know better. Ridiculous.

YEEEEESSSSSSS!!! Romantic ambience, food surprisingly very filling. Take your boo here for a special occasion (or not if you’re just trying to have a magical night and rip a hole in your boyfriend/husband’s wallet!!!). ;) The French onion soup, steak tartare and escargot were to die for.

Tried out this spot with my friend on a weekend and we got there a bit after restaurant opening (opens at 4:30p) for an early dinner. It was quite empty at that hour and we got to choose from sitting OUTSIDE (patio), inside by the bar, or right at the entrance inside what felt like a greenhouse section. We chose patio outdoors. It was quite nice sitting outside with fresh air and catching some sun while intermittently hearing the overhead metro pass by quite loudly. This restaurant is wedged between the main Alameda street and the south edge of Chinatown and almost beneath the overpass of the metro line. It's also right across the street from Homegirl Cafe and Homeboy Industries. Ambience was very chill. We heard much Spanish music in the background while dining. Food came out fairly quickly and the server was friendly and even helped us take photos. We ordered: - escargot - very earthy - mashed potatoes - fluffy and delicious - my favorite of all items ordered - steak tartare - it was ok - not sure I enjoyed the flavors of this preparation as much as others I've had at other restaurants - French onion soup - not bad! Would order again as well Restrooms : 2 separate restrooms for either gender but so dark you can't see much in there and there's a tiny candle lit only. Parking : there's a $3 paid parking in the lot right in front of the restaurant, otherwise there's lots of meter parking along the streets that you can access since literally by the time the restaurant opens most of the things in Chinatown already has closed.

My new favorite spot! So cool, laid back, and cozy. Great music, fantastic food & wine, and friendly staff. I feel like I found Brooklyn in LA and I’m so happy. Every dish we had - duck in a jar, bibb salad, bread with butter, French onion soup, sea bass - was heaven. A great spot for dinner, or to just have a glass of wine and a small bite at the bar. Can’t wait to go back again and again.

Very interesting French bistro dinner in Chinatown. Bone marrow, Duck pate, Beef tartare, and Escargots. Should have order the dish one by one instead of all at once, because they all arrive at the same time. It will be nice to have more time to enjoy each one of them. The neon light, noise from the gold line above make it feel and look like the Bladerunner movie set.

Absolutely love this French restaurant, escargot, steak tartare and French onion soup are to die for

Outstanding wine & staff. Not a negative thing to say… order everything!

Awesome food and beautiful space, a very nice place for dinner or just wine; very thoughtful wine list

Cosy. Nice people. Great food. Music on point. Curated drink menu. Love it.

Lot's of great wines to try and great menu selections. We enjoyed a full dinner but it would be a great place to also stop in for a quick bite.

A hidden gem. Beautiful food and great vibes.

Excellent wine selection, great happy hour specials (try the tuna + rosé they’re perfect for one another!) ☼ super cute outdoor patio or indoor seated area thanks to their orange-cellophane-coated windows of the Florida room/entry way of their space ♡ perfect for an after-work friend date!

Bouillabaisse Marseillaise - This was ok. One of the mussels had what I think was sand inside. This dish comes with bread a well but some seemed stale but maybe it was toasted to be more like a crouton? I'm not sure.

Love the pink vibes and mood here- amazing french food and great wine list

What a lovely little place. Very chill, with outdoor seating. Parking around here is super easy too. The staff are wonderful, great with suggestions and lovely. Dimly lit, moody, relaxed vibe—quintessential Eastside vibes here. Good for a date, groups, and more.

Sadly a wine bar with not alot of options for wines that aren't dry. If you add more variety I would come back! They have a happy hour which is nice to have for patrons.

A treasure on the outskirts of downtown. I almost don’t want to leave a review for fear the secret will get out!! This place has a lovely atmosphere, and is always playing the right music. The food is some of the best French plates in LA. Truly delicious variety of wine, and we easily finish a bottle every time. Can’t recommend enough! Oh and come early they close before most.

Oriel is a modern wine bar/bistry that serves french food. The food is simple but tasty and the service is great. They have a pretty good sized wine list and a lot of food options as well. The atmosphere is great, with a cozy patio and interior. This is a lovely gem tucked in the quieter part of Chinatown and is a great spot to catch up with friends or for a date night. Tons of easy parking right in front of the restaurant and it’s located under the train line by the Chinatown metro station.

Great people, great food. A destination restaurant; worth the trip.