The Hideaway, Beverly Hills. Images by Karin E. Baker for The LA Beat.
The Hideaway doesn’t feel like any other Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles. Tucked away below street level on Rodeo Drive, this Mexican steakhouse has a Cabo-inspired vibe.
Centered by a patio that lends an open, airy feeling, The Hideaway’s four-sided fireplace adds vibrance, as do numerous wall recesses aglow with flickering flames of candlelight. The gorgeous palette of greens and pinks and plenty of hanging plants lend the restaurant a vacation-like atmosphere.
After being seated on the patio on elegant wrought iron chairs softened with colorful pillows, we were presented with chips and salsa. The initial salsa was a bit bland for my taste, but when I asked if they had a salsa with more heat, our server kindly presented us with two flavorful salsas and a tasty bean dip.
Though The Hideaway bills itself as a steakhouse, you’ll find plenty of fish and seafood options, along with vegan choices like Vegan Mushroom Enchiladas with wild mushrooms and poblano sauce, Crispy Cauliflower with ranch, and Hernando’s Chopped Salad.
The extensive appetizer menu features three types of ceviche. We loved the Ceviche de Camaron, loaded with shrimp, serrano chile, cucumber, tomato, lime, jalapeno crema, and plenty of avocado, served atop heirloom corn tostadas. The Queso Fundido al Fuego is another winner. Made up of wild mushrooms, Oaxacan and Chihuahua cheeses, then set aflame with tequila and rum, it’s rich and indulgent, and even better with chorizo added. Gambas al Ajillo – shrimp with cherry tomatoes, white wine, garlic, and lemon – are intensely flavorful, and served with grilled bread.
It would be easy to fill up on the remarkable appetizers, but our server insisted we try the whole Barramundi. Served whole and seasoned with green salsa on one side and red sauce on the other, it’s remarkably fresh and flavorful.
Other entree options include an assortment of high-quality steaks, including A5 Kagoshima Filet, Australian Wagyu Ribeye, and Filet Mignon with chipotle bearnaise. Other choices include duck carnitas, Maine lobster, Sous Vide Brisket with chile de arbol and chile guajillo, and more.
Cocktail lovers shouldn’t miss the agave-intensive cocktail menu. I loved One Night in Tulum, a concoction merging tequila or mezcal with passionfruit, orgeat, and fresh citrus. Pablano Escobarb, which blends mezcal with Combier orange liqueur, pineapple, poblano, lemon, and agave is also a palate pleaser, as is the Mexican Tickler (tequila, Cocchi Americano, mango, lemon, and cardamom bitters). The Pink Margarita, as beautiful as it is fragrant, combines rosa tequila with rose petal, elderflower, agave, and lime.
Non-alcoholic drink offerings include an NA version of One Night in Tulum and several different Mexican sodas.
One of The Hideaway’s best values is the Uno, Dos, Tres lunch. This prix-fixe lunch option, available until 4 p.m., is $32 for three courses and offers numerous choices, including Short Rib Enchiladas; Tuna Tartare Pequenitos; birria; grilled shrimp, chicken or filet mignon fajitas; and tequila flan. La Cantina Hour, daily from 3 to 6 p.m., is available at the bar and includes 4 special cocktails for $12.
If you’d prefer not to valet, affordable parking can be found at the nearby city parking lot at 9510 Brighton Way, where parking is free for the first 2 hours or a flat fee of $5 after 5 p.m.
I look forward to returning to The Hideaway — I’m eager to try the tequila flan, the wasabi guacamole, and the lobster tortilla soup.
An unexpected delight, you’ll find The Hideaway tucked away below street level at the Rodeo Collection at 421 N. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Hours are 11:30 to midnight.
