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esme

★★★★★4.7(158 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

Ivan's Shakshuka is the real draw here—reviewers rave about the Persian-influenced eggs that hit nostalgic notes and justify the premium pricing, though the rest of the menu is inconsistent enough that you should come specifically for that dish and the carefully curated oolong teas. The space has genuinely lovely design with balanced lighting and a warm color palette that makes it feel more like a thoughtful restaurant than a typical cafe, but be prepared for a quieter crowd on weeknights and a strict no-laptop policy that keeps the vibe intentional rather than productive.

What to expect

Classic coffee drinks done right. A slow-sit spot, good for meetings. Full breakfast and light food on the menu.

Slow sitTraditional drinksLight foodFull breakfastMeetings

Google Reviews

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Tina C
★★★★★6 months ago

It’s a cute spot, but somewhat empty on a weeknight. I didn’t like the bomba rice at all. It just didn’t taste good. And the mussel toast was just okay. Relatively on the more expensive side considering the food quality in my opinion.

Soroush Sabzi
★★★★★6 months ago

Ivan’s Shakshuka reminds me of my childhood and the Persian omelette my mom would make back in Tehran … just awesome … Thank you Ivan Very well balanced lighting and friendly and soft colors and atmosphere, friendly staff, love the wooden tables and the arts on the walls are…

Parthiv Apsani
★★★★★7 months ago

I only tend to post reviews when a place is either really good or really bad, and unfortunately this one was the latter. None of the dishes were hits for us- the bread for the whipped ricotta had a nice texture, but the honey tasted strongly of fennel. The tarragon in the…

Nate Who
★★★★7 months ago

Not allowed to work on your laptop . . . at a cafe. The mussels and toast was delicious but presentation had left the chat. The oolong tea was great, I think. Hard to taste the subtle notes over the dish soap taste in the “mug.” I came in with a laptop case, planning to grab a…

Andy Cheng
★★★★★9 months ago

If you’re reading this, here’s the short version: this is easily one of the best restaurants in Culver City, and you need to try it now! It’s a small spot in downtown Culver City that you could walk past without noticing. I’m glad I didn’t. There are a couple of tables outside,…

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