by George Tadlock on When my friend decided to stay here for the weekend, a visit to the Library Bar and a few sips too many for this non drinker meant a surprise overnight stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Being in a room right above the Tropicana Bar last night meant great pool views (my friend says no view = a cavelike, claustrophobic room) but it also meant MUSIC AS LOUD AS THIS REVERBERATING THRU THE ROOM TIL 2AM!! Sheesh. Even alcohol didn't deaden THAT. Sunday however was a different story. Pool goers and loungers were interesting to watch and WAY quieter than the heavy-partying-til-4am screamers Saturday night! The Library Bar, Tropicana Bar and 25 Degrees are all cool to go to for drinks and food, and the pool area is cool to hang out around day or night. My verdict: 5 stars for: legendary location, cool pool area, ease of access to restaurants, bars, nightlife, etc. 3 stars for: room comfort and hotel amenities (averaged out to 4 stars) Pros: cool modern room decor, comfy bed, nice bathroom, patio, Bigelow Apothecary toiletries, dimmer-controlled lighting Cons: smallish room, expensive due to the location, parking is valet only and expensive ($30/24 hours), and there is only a super hard bench to sit on inside the room (aside from the bed). My verdict: stay here for the ambience, nightlife, and experience of it but look for room discounts. And definitely park at the lot across the street or on Hollywood & Highland instead!
by Anita Novitsky on I cannot BELIEVE I've lived in NY for close to two years now and JUST found out about this place. It's heaven on water- no kidding! Be prepared to shell out some money though as the drinks go down quick and the food, well, let''s just say, once you see it, you're definitely going to eat it. Perfect for groups, people watching, hanging out with a friend, whatever. My only suggestion would be that if you are one of those people that prefer to sit down, you might want to arrive before the crowds or you'll have a pretty hard time landing a place to sit.
by Peter Y. on I've had SCK bookmarked for a while now and I finally went tonight. We got crab cakes and the fried green tomato apps. The crab cakes were really good, I just wished we had more....very meaty. Now I'm no expert on soulfood, but I thought the tomatoes were a little bland. It had an excellent crispness to it and the cheese filling was tasty but overall the dish was a little meh. My gf and I both got the famous fried chicken. I drooled with anticipation as it arrived. I didn't think they would be able to make it so juicy inside while so crispy outside....but they pulled it off. Our server was very helpful and attentive. Very pleasurable dining experience overall.
