Gorgeous restaurant and the food was incredible. As a Jamaican and Nigerian American, I absolutely loved the Afro -Caribbean food offered at this establishment. The head chef and his team are doing amazing work.
We started with the wagyu patties and the plantain expressions. For the mains, we had the curry duck breast, pastélon, coconut rice & peas and the calloloo & provisions. The duck was seriously the best I’ve ever had! The curry sauce was soo darn good! The pastélon was creamy but a little salty. For dessert, we got the dukunoo ice cream sandwich and tres leches. Because the ice cream sandwich was packed with flavor with the ginger and spices, I couldn’t taste the tres leches cake which had an extremely subtle taste.
Dined on 1/3/26
Original rating 3.3/5 before food poisoning
Lucia nails the design, vibe, drinks, and service — all were truly excellent. Unfortunately, the food didn’t match the rest of the experience. Several dishes were bland, others overly salty, and many of the positive reviews seem tied to a previous menu that I would have preferred to try.
What ultimately lowered the rating is that everyone in our party (from two different households) experienced food poisoning about 36 hours after the meal. I even remarked at the time that our starters came out unusually fast (3–6 minutes), which in hindsight raised concerns.
4
Lucia genuinely surprised me. We started with the crudo with mango and coconut cream and it immediately set the tone fresh bright perfectly balanced. The Caesar salad was anything but basic with that sweet and salty profile and a subtle Southeast Asian twist that made it addictive.
The duck was fine but honestly the chicken stole the entire show. That tamarind sauce was unreal rich deep almost mole like and absolutely blew me away. And listen… the okra martini?! Skip the espresso martini entirely and have a couple of okra martinis babes. Trust me.
I am not really a dessert person so the dasheen fritter basically churros was just alright but I appreciated that it was not overly sweet which felt intentional and thoughtful.
That said the service was very mid and honestly distracting. Bussers kept taking plates that were not even finished and it happened multiple times to the point where it felt rushed like they were trying to flip tables on a Thursday night. It did not match the romantic slow paced ambiance at all and once you notice it you cannot really forget it.
Overall the food and drinks absolutely carried the experience. Lucia looks like another cute WeHo spot that prioritizes aesthetics over flavor but this one is different. If they tighten up the service to match the vibe it would be a near perfect night.
5
Absolutely lovely experience dining at Lucia for the first time for my belated birthday. Every cocktail and every dish that we collectively drank and ate was more astonishingly delicious than the other. We are already impatiently waiting to visit again and make the long drive to WeHo for this place because it’s worth the drive. Special thank you to Dive for her wonderful service and attentiveness, as well as the entire staff for their lovely hospitality.
4
If you want to feel a vibe that makes you embrace your inner cool, this trendy, beautiful restaurant is a fabulous choice. The food draws from the cultural flavors of the Black American Diaspora, as well as African and Caribbean dishes. They combine to create an Afro-Caribbean mash-up called Lucia. The Pickled Okra Martini was delightful, the Meat and Veggie Pattys were light and delicious. For mains, the Haitian Waygu Tasso was perfectly seasoned, and their Catfish and Grits perfectly fried with a lick your plate gravy to finish the presentation. Overall, a good meal. But it was the people watching and rock in your seat music that made the evening. Lucia is the perfect place for a fun packed date night or selfie filled celebration. An enjoyable time and must visit if you’re in LA.
