Mother Tongue

Hotel restaurants, rooftop restaurants, and clubstaurants run rampant in Hollywood. But Mother Tongue might be the very first gymstaurant in the area. Located on the top floor of a members-only athletic club, the restaurant is open to anyone who wants to grab a meal five stories above street level.

If you're asking yourself, "why would I want to have dinner at a gym?" you should know that Mother Tongue is more than just some random cafe at a high-end health spa. It's the kind of upscale spot that's trying to take the healthy dining experience and turn it on its head. Sure, it attracts fitness influencers and vaguely employed locals who bond over their cardio routines, but the menu involves dishes like caviar and potato chips instead of boring chicken breast with a side of steamed asparagus. It's run by the team behind spots like Bourbon Steak and The Bungalow Kitchen, and the menu reads like a Top Chef challenge held at Erewhon. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of this gymstaurant is slightly bizarre and the food sounds a whole lot more interesting than it actually tastes.

photo credit: Lisa Corson

If there’s one thing you’ll remember fondly after eating at Mother Tongue, it’s the mysterious elevator ride up to the grand dining room. After making your way through a back alley off Romaine Street along the northern stretch of La Brea, you’ll end up at a giant doorway that feels like the portal into some kind of enchanted desert oasis. Potted cacti tower over your head and spotlights beam down from the all-wood ceiling above. But by the time you take the ride up and walk toward the host stand, the mystique has worn off.

You’ll wait for your table in a cramped hallway next to the kitchen door. Fast-moving servers whisk past carrying sea bass and spirulina cavatelli. Once seated, sweaty gym goers in coordinated athleisure pass through, visibly damp, while you’re trying to eat. Otherwise, the view from the rooftop patio is a pool that you can’t access to your left and a literal concrete factory to your right.

photo credit: Lisa Corson

Mother Tongue is fine for a kind of healthy meal that isn't a chickpea bowl or protein smoothie, but much of the food here lacks that hell yes factor you want when you dine out. There’s nothing noticeably exciting about share plates like crudite, greek salad, or whipped avocado spread. And besides some very good lumpiang sariwa, a refreshing take on a spring roll with sweet coconut sauce, most things here are pretty forgettable.

Entrees, like striped bass in a spicy coconut broth, comes out overcooked and underseasoned. And on multiple occasions, our main dishes took forever to arrive. We’d recommend sticking to the small plates and sides, which usually come out of the kitchen in less than ten minutes. If you follow that route, nothing will be offensive—Mother Tongue is a solid option for drinks and a light (vegetable-forward) bite. The rest will depend on how you feel about being on a sceney rooftop surrounded by people who have built their personalities around working out in Hollywood. 

Food Rundown

photo credit: Lisa Corson

Lumpiang Sariwa

Stuffed with shredded carrots, fresh cilantro, purple cabbage, and crunchy jicama, these texturally complex spring rolls are a nice way to start a meal here. The shaved vegetables are served on thin crepe wrappers that get drizzled with a fantastic coconut sauce that packs a sweet and savory punch. Each order comes with three rolls and you probably won’t want to share.

photo credit: Lisa Corson

Lion’s Mane & Corn Orzo Risoni

This creamy mushroom and corn risotto-esque dish is so silky, cheesy, and buttery, it almost seems out of place on Mother Tongue’s menu. The mix of soft stracciatella and onions balances out the sweet corn kernels, which make an occasional appearance on the plate. Somewhere between soup and pasta, this is one of our favorite dishes on the menu.

photo credit: Lisa Corson

Heirloom Tomato & Strawberry Gazpacho

Part chunky soup, part summer salad, this chilled dish tastes like a bountiful summer harvest in a bowl. Bits of tart strawberry and sweet tomatoes add a bright touch. We like to order a side of flatbread to sop up as much of the thick and flavorful broth as possible.

photo credit: Lisa Corson

Spirulina Cavatelli

Other than the alleged health benefits of eating sprulina, there's nothing impactful about this cavatelli dish. The kitchen here manages to mask that bitter taste of sprulina with some moringa pesto, but unfortunately, that just leaves mildy-satisfying pasta noodles covered in bland powder. You could probably make a better "healthy" pasta dish at home.

photo credit: Lisa Corson

Aguachile De Camarón

Although aguachile is traditionally served raw, the shrimp in Mother Tongue's version tastes a bit tough and rubbery, as if it sat too long in its acidic marinade. This off-putting texture makes the pleasantly-limey broth harder to enjoy.