The Hollywood Reporter<\/a> the steep prices are a byproduct of the stiff economic headwinds currently facing restaurateurs in Los Angeles. Soaring rents, staff salaries, rising food costs and tariffs are all to blame, he said. <\/p>\nEven if you\u2019re a tech titan with a billion-dollar IPO or an A-lister with an Oscar on the mantle, you can\u2019t just stroll into Somni, according to Zabala. <\/p>\n
The restaurant\u2019s size makes scoring a reservation there something like a competitive sport, even though Somni in its current iteration has been around since late 2024. (Zabala initially opened up in LA in 2018, but ceased operations at the start of the pandemic.) <\/p>\n
Unlike traditional restaurants with rolling seating, Somni operates on a singular schedule. The doors open at 7:30 p.m., and the show begins for all guests simultaneously \u2014\u00a0a notable departure in the have-it-your-way, individualistic world of Los Angeles dining.<\/p>\n
While the price tag is staggering, the restaurant\u2019s 20-person staff provides a level of detail that borders on the surreal. Instagram\/s@omnirestaurant<\/p>\n
The evening kicks off on a private patio where guests are greeted individually by the culinary team through a window. <\/p>\n
\u201cAll the chefs and the sous chefs are in a window there, and they\u2019re individually saying hi to every reservation,\u201d said diner Yarely Corona, who spent four months trying to get a booking.<\/p>\n
For Corona, the self-described \u201clucky wife\u201d of a \u201cfood nerd,\u201d the Somni experience began with the stress of hitting a refresh button on a keyboard over and over again \u2014\u00a0culminating in a \u201cbig girl purchase\u201d she\u2019s still recovering from. <\/p>\n
Once inside the minimalist space, guests don\u2019t just eat at Somni, the Santa Maria resident explained \u2014\u00a0they witness a performance. All 25 courses are prepared directly in front of the guests. <\/p>\n
Chef Zabala\u2019s menu is an homage to his Spanish roots. Instagram\/@omnirestaurant<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like you\u2019re watching a play happening right in front of you,\u201d said Corona, who celebrated a babymoon at the spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey all grabbed your plate at the same time,\u201d she remembered. \u201cThey all knew where to go and who exactly they were going to serve it to,\u201d Corona noted, saying the chefs worked with such surgical precision that they often kept one hand behind their back \u2014 using only tweezers to place ingredients.<\/p>\n
Unlike the stiff service at some high-end establishments, the chef here is personally involved, serving dishes and engaging in post-meal conversations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mayra Elisa Magana, a lawyer and fine-dining fan who likes to eat at Michelin-starred restaurants regularly, told The Post she had to resort to a \u201cpro tip\u201d after failing to secure a spot for a birthday recently \u2014\u00a0she emailed the restaurant directly, name-dropping other three-star spots she\u2019s eagerly patronized. \u201cThey actually got back to me with an availability,\u201d she said, surprised.<\/p>\n
For her, one of the most notable elements of the experience was the drama of the high-stakes environment isn\u2019t without its drama. <\/p>\n
Chef Aitor Zabala Instagram\/@omnirestaurant<\/p>\n
She noted the \u201cintensity\u201d of the kitchen \u2014\u00a0observing the Zabala become visibly agitated if a dish didn\u2019t meet his exacting standards. \u201cYou have to know chemistry and crazy wizard stuff,\u201d she said of the chef\u2019s process, particularly regarding his signature \u201ctruffle pizza Margarita,\u201d known for melting like a cloud.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The \u201ccrust\u201d was actually a foam, topped with burrata, basil, tomato paste, and Jamon. Not a margarita pizza \u2014\u00a0but tastes like one.<\/p>\n
And while while Magana admitted to being somewhat \u201ctruffled out\u201d by other famous high-end spots, she found Zabala\u2019s \u201ctruffle-infused caviar bump\u201d \u2014\u00a0served on a wooden hand \u2014\u00a0exciting.<\/p>\n
\u201cOpening a restaurant today is a massive act of faith, because profits are not high,\u201d Zabala admitted to The Hollywood Reporter. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s fine\u00a0dining\u00a0or a taco stand or a casual restaurant \u2014 opening a restaurant in this environment is really, really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the total cost can climb into the stratosphere, both diners told The Post that the experience was worth it. <\/p>\n
Having also experienced other pricey and world-renowned California eateries like The French Laundry in Yountville and SingleThread in Healdsburg, Corona said she ranks Somni in her top three, even after paying about $2,000 for two people to dine. <\/p>\n
While the price may seem ridiculous to some (if not all), the avid foodie likened it to the cost of a major sporting event. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so worth it to try at least once in your life, and having that type of service and that type of intention in your food,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
Magana, who also spent about $2,000 for two, went even further with her praise. Yes, it was a \u201cspecial occasion\u201d treat, she admitted. But it\u2019s one she might be tempted to repeat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would totally do it again,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getting a seat at LA\u2019s most expensive restaurant isn\u2019t just another dinner reservation. It\u2019s a victory in the…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":725485,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[5123],"tags":[1582,276,8364,14107,2961,1165,224,5337,5248,52625,988],"class_list":["post-725484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles","tag-ca","tag-california","tag-food-drink","tag-hollywood","tag-la","tag-lifestyle","tag-los-angeles","tag-losangeles","tag-metro","tag-michelin","tag-restaurants"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116398727449270461","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725484","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=725484"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/725484\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/725485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=725484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=725484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=725484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}