August 8, 2026 was our third dinner at Muse in Santa Monica Canyon, and this time we brought our friends from the Valley. One of them is a big foodie who’d been wanting to try Muse for a while, so we were excited to finally take him. After three visits, I know exactly what I’d order again, what I’d skip, and why this tiny 35-seat modern French restaurant is still one of our favorite special-occasion spots in LA.
Here’s my honest review: the backstory, how to get a reservation, every dish we ordered (the good and the not-so-good), and what to know before you go.
The Story Behind Muse: From a USC Dorm Room to Santa Monica Canyon
Muse has a great backstory. Chef and owner Fardad Khayami grew up in London in a big Persian family and came to LA to study finance at USC. While he was in school, he started a supper club called Museum out of his dorm room, and it took off. By his senior year, Museum had served around 3,000 guests and reportedly had a waitlist of about 6,000 people. It was sold out for months at a time.
So instead of going into finance, he opened a real restaurant. Muse opened in August 2024 on West Channel Road in Santa Monica Canyon, in the old Mason Supper Club space. His younger brother, Nikdad Khayami, makes the desserts. He trained in Paris under pastry chef Maxime Frédéric, and trust me, you can tell.
Three Visits, Three Very Different Nights
Visit one: our anniversary. The first time, my husband and I came to celebrate our anniversary. It was the perfect spot for it, and it’s the reason we kept coming back.
Visit two: after the Palisades fire. After the Palisades fire in January 2025, the restaurant closed for a while. Instead of just waiting it out, they did a special pop-up dinner at the San Vicente Bungalows. It was super cool to experience, and I loved getting to see the Bungalows. I love that they found a way to keep cooking for people while their own restaurant was closed.
Visit three: dinner with friends. This time we were back in the original dining room on Channel Road, and it was just like it was before the fire. Same tiny room, same warm service, same brioche that I think about way too often.
How to Get a Reservation at Muse Santa Monica
Reservations are a must. There are only 35 seats, so don’t count on walking in. Muse books on Resy, and reservations open about two weeks ahead (double-check Resy, since the window can change).
To give you an idea of how fast it books up: my husband tried to reserve the morning our date opened up, and the only time left for four people was 5:15. That was fine with us. We like to eat early and go to bed early. But if you want a 7:30 table, be ready right when reservations open.
The Dining Room: Tiny, Pretty, and Very Close Quarters
Muse Santa Monica is tiny. It’s also really pretty inside, with velvet seats, warm wood, soft lighting, and art on the walls. It feels special the minute you walk in.
The downside is that the tables are really close together. Like, close enough that you could chime in on the conversation at the table next to you. That can get annoying. We hadn’t seen our friends in a while, though, so we were way too busy catching up to notice anyone else. Just know you’ll have neighbors.
The Cocktails
We all started with drinks, and all four were fantastic. I had a hibiscus cocktail that was so beautiful, pretty and pink with a flower on top. My husband had an Old Fashioned, our friend had a martini, and his wife had a spritz. Nobody was disappointed.
What We Ordered at Muse Santa Monica, Dish by Dish
The menu at Muse Santa Monica goes starters, middle courses, mains, and dessert, and it’s made for sharing. With four of us, we got to try a lot.
Starters
Brioche feuilletée with softened Bordier butter. This is a must. It’s a flaky, layered brioche that’s crisp and buttery on the outside and soft in the middle, served with softened Bordier butter from France. I could eat this all day, every day. It’s one of my most favorite things in the world. Yes, we shared it. I could totally eat a whole one by myself, though.
Veal bonbons with sauce verte. In my opinion, these are just okay. I’ve ordered them every time I’ve been here, and it’s a fun concept, but I’m over it. If it’s your first time, go ahead and try them. If you’ve been before, I’d save room for something else.
Grilled green bean salad with goat cheese en croûte. Very good. It was fresh and I enjoyed it a lot. The food here is on the heavy side, so this is a great dish to order to get some veggies on the table.
Hamachi with yuzu olive oil and Calabrian chili coulis. The hamachi was very fresh. It’s a simple, elegant dish, and if you like hamachi, you’ll like this one.
Middle Courses
We ordered all three middle courses, which is a fun way to try more of the menu at Muse Santa Monica if you’re with a group.
Creste di gallo with basil pesto. This was probably our favorite, and it was the simplest dish of the three. It’s a ruffled pasta in basil pesto, and it’s executed beautifully. So good. I recommend it.
Tomato risotto with a stuffed courgette flower. Very good, but heavy. Way back when Muse first opened, this was a lobster risotto. I actually like the stuffed courgette (zucchini) flower better. It’s creative, and it makes this risotto different from the ones you see at every other nice restaurant.
Scallop cappelletti with Nardello piperade. My least favorite. I like scallops, but this was way too fishy for me, and I wouldn’t order it. Our foodie friend liked it, but I could tell it wasn’t his favorite middle course either.
If you want something heavier, get the risotto. For something lighter, get the pesto pasta.
Main Courses
Rack of lamb à la Provençale with sauce Solferino and carrot purée. Three of us ordered the lamb. It was my husband’s third time getting it, and the recipe is inspired by a dish the chef’s grandfather used to make. The first two times we came, I tried a bite of my husband’s and thought it was the best lamb I’d ever had. So this time I ordered my own, and it was just okay. Don’t get me wrong, it was good. It just didn’t blow me away. I don’t know what it was, but I don’t feel the need to order it again.
Filet mignon with Penja pepper sabayon and glace. One of our friends ordered the filet, and it was fantastic. Just a perfectly cooked filet. Nothing to critique here. When I go back to Muse, I’m ordering this.
What about the fish? I ordered the fish on our first two visits. It was fine both times, but nothing amazing, and I don’t feel the need to order it again. Get the filet.
House potatoes. Just lovely, and you should order them. They go with everything.
Desserts by Nikdad Khayami
Vanilla St. Honoré. We’ve had this every single time we’ve eaten here, and it’s my favorite dessert ever. It’s a fun take on the classic French St. Honoré, with caramel-glazed cream puffs, vanilla cream, and a crisp, layered base. So interesting and unique and special. If you only save room for one thing at Muse Santa Monica, make it this.
Chocolate tart. Lovely, but very rich in chocolate, so you should be a chocolate lover if you go for this one.
Tiramisu. This was my first time trying it, and it was great. It wasn’t my favorite, though. That’s still the St. Honoré.
Muse Menu at a Glance: What to Order and What to Skip
| Course | Must Order | Good Choice | I Would Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starters | Brioche feuilletée | Green bean salad, Hamachi | Veal bonbons (for repeat visitors) |
| Middle | Creste di gallo with pesto | Tomato risotto | Scallop cappelletti |
| Mains | Filet mignon, House potatoes | Rack of lamb | The fish |
| Dessert | Vanilla St. Honoré | Tiramisu, Chocolate tart (chocolate lovers) | — |
Meeting the Chef
At Muse Santa Monica, you’ll see the chef at least once during your meal. He makes a point of coming out to serve at least one of his dishes himself, and he’ll tell you about it and share the story behind it. He is so sweet and nice. You will fall in love with him the moment he comes to your table and shines that big smile at you. He’s so talented. And his brother makes the desserts. That’s talent too!
All of the staff were very nice, and no one rushed our dinner.
But is it Worth It?
Muse is very pricey. It is certainly in the upper echelon of fine dining experiences in Los Angeles, and I’d recommend that any connoisseur of food in Los Angeles try it at least once. The value proposition breaks down a bit when considering return visits. The menu is small and doesn’t change much and, perhaps most importantly, it lacks just a bit of the unique creativity that is the hallmark of the very best restaurants.
Know Before You Go: Muse Santa Monica
- Location: 108 W Channel Rd in Santa Monica Canyon (Los Angeles, CA 90402), just off Pacific Coast Highway. Check the Muse website for hours and the current menu.
- Style: Modern French, served in courses meant for sharing.
- Size: About 35 seats. Intimate, with tables close together.
- Reservations: Required. Book on Resy the day they open (about two weeks out).
- Parking: Valet is available. You can try for street parking, but you’ll have a walk.
- Price: Expensive. I don’t even want to say what ours cost, but it was worth it.
- Kids: Leave them at home. It’s an expensive, nice meal, so don’t waste it on your kiddos.
- Best for: Anniversaries, birthdays, date nights, and dinners with friends who love food.
Frequently Asked Questions About Muse
Is Muse in Santa Monica kid-friendly?
Not really. The room is tiny and the meal is long and expensive. This is a restaurant for adults, so save it for a date night or a special occasion.
How far in advance should I book Muse?
Book the day reservations open, about two weeks ahead. Even booking that morning, we could only get a 5:15 table for four.
Is Muse Santa Monica Worth It?
Yes. After three visits, Muse is still one of our favorite restaurants in LA. Not every dish is a winner for me. I’m over the veal bonbons, the scallop pasta was too fishy, and the lamb didn’t wow me this time. But the brioche, the pesto pasta, the filet, and the Vanilla St. Honoré are so, so good. It’s expensive, and I don’t even want to say how much this dinner cost us, but it was worth it and we loved it.
Book early, leave the kids at home, order the brioche, and save room for dessert. You will like it, I promise you.
Read More on Culinary Passages
If you enjoyed this, a few more posts along the same lines:
- Restaurants Without Kids: Where We Actually Go for Date Night — where Muse first made our list
- A Great Classic Steakhouse Experience at The Golden Bull — steps from Muse on Channel Road
- Why Corridor 109 Is the Hardest LA Reservation to Get — another table worth planning ahead for
- Massilia Santa Monica: French Dining That Will Surprise You
- What Makes Bouchon at The Venetian Better Than Gjelina — classic French bistro in Las Vegas
- A New Lens on Persian Fine Dining: Our Evening at Perse
- 7 Reasons Carbon Beach Club Malibu Is Worth Every Penny — another special-occasion splurge
- 7 Best Kid-Free Experiences in Los Angeles to Book
- Fine Dining Decoder: Skip the $200 Egg — how to order smart at restaurants like this one
