On One of the Most Coveted Locations on the Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, Bacari Is Leaning into the Charm of the Rive Gauche Space, Serving Winning Small Plates in a Cool Atmosphere
Dining with vibe.
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CategoryEat & Drink
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Written byLinda Grasso
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Photographed byJakob Layman
When the popular Rive Gauche closed down in 2018 after nearly 30 years in business, one of the most charming restaurant locations in the Valley became vacant. The 1930s space on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks—with two separate brick structures and an enchanting patio in between—often had a line out front. For brunch, it was known as a place to be seen. On any given day, ladies dressed to the nines would sit at the cloth-draped patio tables noshing on escargot. Longtime patrons were crushed when Rive Gauche’s owners retired to the south of France.
A Royal Blood cocktail made with La Bay Za’atar gin, grapefruit cordial, blood orange and lime juices
Every time I’d drive by, I’d wonder who was going to take over the space. But for years nothing happened; the property apparently was in estate limbo after the death of the owner. In 2023 the property was finally sold to a new owner, who made the lease available.
Danny Kronfils and his brother Robert, owners of the Bacari eatery chain, were among the first in line. “We grew up in La Cañada, and that was one of my mom’s favorite restaurants. We used to go there all the time as kids. So after Rive Gauche closed, we were tracking the property. As soon as it was put it up for lease, we jumped on it.”
The Sherman Oaks location became the brothers’ sixth Bacari location. They opened a seventh in Beverly Hills in December. Danny says the concept—which kicked off 20 years ago when the brothers took over an Italian restaurant in West Adams—was inspired by the festive, rustic wine bars in Venice (the Italian word “bacari” translates to “taverns” in English). But the original concept has been tweaked over the decades. Today Bacari serves as much Mediterranean fare as it does Italian.
A banquette in the parlor room
“Our chef and business partner Leore Hillel is Israeli, and my brother and I are Lebanese. So that has influenced the cuisine. We serve small plates meant to be shared,” says Danny.
Yet plenty of the small plates are neither Italian nor Mediterranean. Classic restaurant fare like like chipotle chicken wings, mac and cheese, glazed pork belly, scallop medallions, a burger, and grilled chicken also adorn the menu.
The selection of Rive Gauche for Bacari’s Valley location isn’t surprising. The brothers have an appreciation for history. Two of their other eateries—one in Silver Lake and one on West Third—are also housed in historic buildings. “I think being in historic locations helps us become part of the community,” Danny shares.
The charm of the original Rive Gauche location—old-world traditional meets California casual—remains intact. Before moving in, the brothers spiffed up the property with some new equipment and surfaces including walls, floors and countertops. The two indoor dining rooms are now called the “sun soom” and the “parlor room.” The sun room has lots of windows and its own bar; the parlor room is darker and moodier, also with a bar. The tree-filled brick patio with wrought iron furniture (sans tablecloths) remains unchanged.
Above: This shrimp and rice dish is one of Bacari’s rotating seasonal tapas.
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We dropped in without a reservation at 7:30 on a Friday night, and the adjacent valet parking lot was packed. We weren’t expecting to get in, but the hostess surprised us by saying she’d have a table within 10 minutes, which turned out to be spot-on. On our way to the table we changed our minds, taking seats at the bar instead. I can’t stand brightly lit, ambience-killing dining rooms, and as we sipped our drinks, I enjoyed the perfectly dimmed lighting (present in both dining rooms).
We started with the little gem lettuce salad. As a veggie gardener who grows her own lettuce, I appreciated the farm-fresh taste of the lettuce, which was complemented by a zesty house-made dressing and warm, perfectly crunchy bacon bits. We were tempted by the lentil stew but opted for the lamb hummus instead. Served in a bowl, it featured braised ground lamb with pungent spices atop a creamy warm hummus. With a serving ample for two people, and on a chilly night, it was a taste sensation. To cap off our meal, we enjoyed one of their pizzas, which was tasty but nothing special. Next time I’ll stick to the Mediterranean dishes.
Alongside the tapas, Bacari serves a rotating curation of small-production wines sourced from Europe and California, eclectic beers, craft cocktails and mocktails. My husband enjoyed his old-fashioned exactly as served—noteworthy, because about a third of the time when this connoisseur—who barrel-ages his own bourbon—orders this drink, he requests amendments.
Ricotta and beet gnocchi with chevre fondue and chimichurri
The owners aim to make Bacari a community gathering spot, and the eatery’s hours certainly cater to that goal. It is open seven days a week for dinner, lunch on Friday, and brunch on the weekends.
“With our restaurants, we usually hit the ground running, especially with our last two openings before Sherman Oaks (Silver Lake and Third Street). But Sherman Oaks has been our fastest opening. It’s incredible the amount of community support we’ve had here. With Bacari, it is always our intention to immerse ourselves into the community. So we were very happy that everybody has welcomed us with such open arms.”
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