iPic Theaters Westwood Review - A Royal Screening

iPic Theaters Los Angeles Review

Imagine going to the movies, and feeling like you’re a celebrity yourself. That’s the experience you get from iPic Theaters in Westwood.

I started my evening at the attached iPic Theaters restaurant Tanzy. It was a gorgeous space, big fluffy off-white couches marked the indoor/outdoor bar area – and the bar itself looked like it was carved out of a tree trunk. In fact, being in Tanzy felt like being inside a tree – intricate walls of branches surrounded the warm restaurant. My friendly bartender, Samson, gave me the absolutely perfect news – that Tanzy offers Happy Hour – “ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.” Perfect!! Thank you, Tanzy Social Hour ($4 beers, $5 wines and $7 cocktails, along with several delicious sounding food items – including meat/cheese plates, my fave wine accompaniment).

I will be Uber-ing over for some day drinking sooner rather than later! But, I digress. I could not make up my mind between the Norma Jean (Marilyn Monroe strawberry vodka with homemade strawberry lemonade) and the Look Better Naked Margarita (100% de agave, Camarena tequila, organic agave, stevia and fresh lime). Samson was kind enough to offer me a taste of each to help me decide – and I hunkered down with my Look Better Naked (hey, whatever it takes, right?) Margarita (rocks, no salt) before the movie next door.

Well, let me just say, as an iPic Theater Virgin…I am converted. What an experience!! Your Premium Plus seat is a big, cushy rust leather recliner. A push of a button and you’re leaning back. Blanket on, a push of another button, and there’s your waiter…ready to bring you your free popcorn (perfectly salty and buttery) and take your food and drink (wine!!) order. I started with some potato skins loaded (they do not skimp at iPic Theaters) with smoked salmon, crème fraiche, and to really feel fancy, a dollop of caviar on the top. Very filling and so delicious.

Then, their buffalo chicken egg rolls…crispy on the outside, but not oily. It’s as if your favorite buffalo wing, with just the right amount of kick, had a baby with a Chinatown pal. Dip it in the cool bleu cheese sauce, and it’s that great mix of hot and cool. Spicy tuna on crispy rice was also a surprise – just as good as if you were in a top sushi restaurant. I wish I would have had room for more, as their menu looked terrific – a variety of flatbreads and sandwiches, and the specialty “naan-chos” – which is a spin on the traditional Mexican treat using chips made of Indian naan bread.

I chased my Starburst (yes, all your favorite movie candies are also available!) with a delicious big pour of Malbec. It truly made my “Jurassic World” moviegoing experience one I’ll never forget (SPOILER ALERT: the dinosaurs do not win). I would highly recommend the splurge and visiting iPic Theaters Westwood and Tanzy. Both make for a special day or night out.