If you’ve lived here long enough, you end up with a standing order at A.O.C. Mine is the Spanish fried chicken with romesco aïoli and a glass of something crisp, ideally outside by the courtyard fireplace. It’s the kind of West Third Street ritual that makes a Monday feel like a weekend, especially if you slide in during the 5:30–7:00 p.m. happy hour.
The room walks a line Los Angeles loves: a serious wine bar that never feels stiff, a kitchen that cooks like a farmer’s market stall with linen napkins. It’s comfortably city, not destination dining. If you want the short version, A.O.C. is where locals go when they want a little wine country ease without leaving West Hollywood.
A.O.C. sits at 8700 West 3rd Street, two blocks east of Robertson. The best way to arrive is with a few minutes to spare so you can ask for the patio; if that’s full, the bar is the move for a glass and a couple of small plates. The hosts answer at (310) 859-9859, and the restaurant accepts reservations. Walk-ins gravitate to the bar, particularly during the weekday happy hour that runs Monday to Friday, 5:30–7:00 p.m.
Hours stay consistent week to week: dinner Monday–Thursday 5:30–9:00 p.m., Friday–Saturday 5:30–10:00 p.m., and Sunday 5:00–9:00 p.m. Brunch lands every Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Pickup and delivery mirror regular business hours if you’re building a night in rather than out.
Street meters on Third are common and there is valet service if you prefer to hand off the keys. If you’re the “I like to be early” type, the sweet spot is twenty minutes before your seating. You can order a first pour, settle into the courtyard, and watch the room fill while your first plate lands.
There are nights when you only want nibbles and a bottle. A.O.C. is built for that. Start with the farmer’s plate $24 or a charcuterie board $25, then pass a plate of bacon‑wrapped dates $12 as people arrive. If you’re keeping it simple and salty, marcona almonds $9 and marinated olives $9 are the right kind of casual order that buys you time to read the wine list.
When I’m making dinner of it, I veer toward the grill. The grilled hanger steak $38 wears an old‑school au poivre butter with a side of Peter’s onion panade that makes a glass of red feel mandatory. If you want something shareable, the roasted chicken “ode to zuni” comes in half $42 or whole $84 with a panzanella that eats like a second course. Sides behave like extra small plates: french fries $15 with aleppo aïoli, young broccoli $18 with chile, or crushed Weiser potatoes $16 with crème fraîche and chives.
Brunch has its own rhythm. The dish that keeps this place on my Sunday list is the Spanish fried chicken & cornmeal waffle $29 with jamón serrano and chile‑cumin butter, a plate that lives somewhere between Valencia and Vermont. If you’re not in a fried mood, the soft herb omelette $27 with mushrooms and gruyère is rich without being heavy. There’s also a proper burger, Le A.O.C. Burger $32, and, for the sweet‑leaning table, vanilla bean french toast $26 with strawberries and mascarpone whip.
Save room for dessert if you can. The kitchen leans into classics that happen to work with coffee or one last pour: butterscotch pot de crème $16 with salted cashew cookies, a bittersweet chocolate torta $16, or an olive oil cake $16 that’s a quiet flex of how much California fruit shows up on this menu in every season.
A.O.C. built its reputation on a by‑the‑glass program that actually changes, and a bottle list that favors producers farming organically, biodynamically, or at least thoughtfully. If you’re counting dollars before you count crus, the bar’s happy hour is the budget‑smart way to show up: cocktails $15, wine $12, and beer $8 from 5:30–7:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. The happy‑hour bites are basically a small‑plates mixtape, including Spanish fried chicken $24, green quinoa dumplings $22, and the farmer’s plate $20, enough food to turn a drink into dinner if you want it to.
If you’ve been saving a bottle and A.O.C. feels like the night to open it, the corkage rules are clear and generous for Los Angeles: $35 per 750 ml with a limit of two, or $70 per magnum with a limit of one. The fee is waived with the purchase of a same‑size bottle from the list, and they will decline to open anything that’s already on their list. That setup makes it easy to bring something sentimental and still discover a new producer you’ll want to remember later.
One more small but real reason locals like spending money here: the menu notes that $1 from the Green Goddess cocktail supports the Kid’s Campaign for LA Love’s Alex’s Lemonade. It’s a little civic pride poured into a glass that also happens to work with a plate of fries.
The address and hours are the two facts that change most often at any restaurant, and A.O.C. keeps them posted plainly. You’re going to 8700 West 3rd Street, with dinner Mon–Thu 5:30–9:00 p.m., Fri–Sat 5:30–10:00 p.m., Sun 5:00–9:00 p.m. and brunch Sat–Sun 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Happy hour lives at the bar Monday–Friday 5:30–7:00 p.m. If you’re planning something bigger than a birthday toast, the restaurant publishes large‑party menus for groups of 12–15: dinner at $85 or $95 per person, and a brunch option at $65 per person, all served family‑style.
There is a line on the menu about a small surcharge that’s easy to miss and useful to know: a 7% health‑care charge appears on all checks and can be removed upon request. If you’re splitting the bill with friends, call that out before the first round so nobody does the math twice.
Parking is the usual West Third Street blend of metered spaces and a valet stand. If you need to give rideshare a landmark, tell them “two blocks east of Robertson,” which drops you at the right curb. If you’re the sort who builds a dinner around a precise table, ask for a patio seat by the fireplace. Inside, the bar remains a reliable move for one or two, especially on a weeknight.
For anyone who remembers dinners on San Vicente: the Brentwood location closed on August 1, 2025. West Third is the current and active A.O.C. The team’s sensibility carried over here years ago anyway, so if you loved the larger Westside room, you’ll recognize the cooking and the wines in Beverly Grove/West Hollywood now.
| Experience | When | What to order | Price signal | Good to know |
| Cocktail Hour at the Bar | Mon–Fri 5:30–7:00 p.m. | Happy‑hour Spanish fried chicken $24, farmer’s plate $20, happy‑hour wines $12, cocktails $15 | Easy to turn a drink into dinner for <$40 per person if you share two bites and each have a pour | Bar seating; the quickest way to get in without a reservation on weekdays |
| Dinner on the Patio or in the Dining Room | Mon–Thu 5:30–9:00 p.m., Fri–Sat 5:30–10:00 p.m., Sun 5:00–9:00 p.m. | Hanger steak $38, roasted chicken half $42 or whole $84, french fries $15, olive oil cake $16 | Plates stack well for sharing; two people can eat across 3–4 dishes for roughly $80–$110 before drinks | Reservations accepted; patio by request. Large‑party family‑style menus at $85–$95 per person |
| Weekend Brunch | Sat–Sun 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. | Spanish fried chicken & waffle $29, omelette $27, Le A.O.C. Burger $32, french toast $26 | Plenty under $30 per plate; one savory, one sweet, and a coffee feels like a proper LA Sunday | Groups of 12–15 can book a family‑style brunch at $65 per person |
A.O.C. accepts reservations and lists its current hours as dinner Mon–Thu 5:30–9:00 p.m., Fri–Sat 5:30–10:00 p.m., Sun 5:00–9:00 p.m., with brunch Sat–Sun 11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. If you are trying for a same‑day seat without a booking, the bar during happy hour 5:30–7:00 p.m. Monday–Friday is usually your fastest option.
No. The Brentwood location closed on August 1, 2025. The active restaurant is the West Third Street address, where the team continues the same produce‑driven cooking and wine program.
Hit the bar for happy hour where wine is $12, cocktails are $15, and bites like the farmer’s plate $20 and Spanish fried chicken $24 can add up to dinner. At brunch, the Spanish fried chicken & waffle $29 is shareable, and desserts land at a steady $16.
Yes. Corkage is $35 per 750 ml with a limit of two, or $70 per magnum with a limit of one. The fee is waived with the purchase of a same‑size bottle from the list, and staff won’t open a bottle that already appears on their list.
If you want a quick rule of thumb, choose the daypart that matches your night: happy hour for a casual glass and two plates, brunch for a long catch‑up, dinner when you want the full patio‑and‑bottle experience. All three feel like Los Angeles in the best way.
Published: September 7, 2026