Cicada

My wife and I enjoyed Ian Whitcomb at the Cicada Club recently and loved the atmosphere of this historic art deco venue. Before we decided to go, we read many of the reviews here. A few seemed to be written by the same person or by an envious competitor, which is often the case with some websites. However, we went to the Cicada Club website and watched actual videos of past shows. It looked like so much fun we just had to go, and we were not dissapointed. What a wonderful experience! From the uniformed doorman to the vintage elevator operator, it was so much fun. The food and service was excellent. A bit pricey, but having no cover charge more than made up for it. We will be back next year! Pros: historic venue, excellent cuisine, no cover charge Cons: pricey menu more

I had a blast at the Cicada Club for Ian Whitcomb and the Bungalow Boys. The club was packed with folks dressed in fine vintage attire. I could not believe how many gentlemen were dressed in white tie and tails! The dance floor was filled all evening with people having a fantastic time. Mr. Whitcomb sure knows how to put on a good show. I really enjoyed the fine food and servce at the Cicada Club. Looking forward to next year! Pros: no cover charge, great art deco atmosphere Cons: none! more

This is what really frustrates me, when singers think they can input politics into their acts, come on this is not MTV or the oscars, Ian Witcomb needs to leave his political views on the doorstep, as do all singers/bands coming to Cicada. My family and I felt offended by Mr. Whitcomb and we won't be back to Cicada. I don't care what party you are, political views have no place at Cicada. more

The music tonight was just plain bad. Ian Whitcomb is really not up to par with some of the others that have come to Cicada in the past, the turn out was horrible. These past few months this place has really going down hill. I don't know why I bother coming to this place anymore. Really hope Maxwell can bring some winning acts next year and turn this place around! Once upon a time, Cicada was a great place to come, now its not even worth the five minute drive that I make there. Please, Please Maxwell, bring back the fun to Cicada! more

I went to this event ( which I think is the last one), and left after an hour and a half, was totally not worth staying for the rest of the show. Expensive cocktails, slow dinner service, and poor music with just some guy playing the ukelele ""completed"" my evening. more

I went to a function here last week, and I can't really say I am impressed. I was not really fond of the menu or the service, it was not as slow as some describe for me but it could have been quicker. No one ever came by to refresh my water glass, and after dinner, the plum forgot to bring my coffee. I am a huge fan of the vintage scene, but can't say I am a fan of Richard Halpern or any one Maxwell has got on his lineup. A star for this place is for the good cocktails, though expensive, they do know how to mix a good drink. Pros: Nice cocktail selection Cons: Slower then desired service. more

On Sunday, my wife and I dined at Cicada for the first time since the institution of the brand new menu. I suppose they had to change the selections to coincide with the change of the season, but their new menu really does not compare with the old ones. Service was pretty slow the last time we dined here, our waiter practically forgot about us and then when it came time to pay, they over charged us. I just chock it up to the waiter not paying attention and taking on too many tables at once. Their choice of music at the 1920's style event really wasn't to our taste nor were the dancers, this was our first time coming to the Cicada club, although we have been long time goers at Cicada. Next year, we will not be returning to the Sunday night event. Pros: Good deserts, good cocktails Cons: the Cicada club is a big con, come on a night when it is not happening, slow service, inattentive staff. more

My first time visit impression to this restaurant/club left me with little desire to return. This place was full of older ladies in flapper costumes and men dressed like mobsters, there are some kids that come, but mostly the crowd is 50 and up, much more conservative vibe then places like Edison, which are hip at the same time as being retro. There was a singer who I could not listen to for more then five minutes ( he preformed ALL night), and some cutesy but annoying pinup dancing girls. The food is pretty good, had the steak, a little on the pricey side, cocktails are pricey as well, so don't order to many. I would recommend coming to Cicada when they have a quiet night with out all of the hulabaloo that comes with Cicada club. Its not worth it. more

I am a long time Cicada goer that would really like to see some changes made. First off, I really wish newer better singers/bands would be hired, the line up currently just does not cut it. Second, I really wish Cicada would speed up their service/ change their menu back. Third, no one really seems to like Maxwell, everyone i talk to feel like he is not right for Cicada club, so maybe if they had some younger/better looking, as Maxwell is a little long in the tooth and pretty snobby. He has never struck me as being nice or fun at all. Fourth,I agree with the other posters, I wish they would have someone to teach atleast the basic steps the some of the dances, even if they were up stairs in the bar lounge, it would be really neat. Pros: Nice building, good drink selection Cons: Needs reorganizing, needs some new acts. more

Service at this place is very slow, make sure to bring a little something to snack on while you wait for your food to arrive, don't expect to get bread either, unless you ask them several times. We requested a table near the stage well in advance and were stuck somewhere in the back. Do not care for the new menu at all. Sunday night is a poorly planned out, bland vintage night club called the cicada club. We hated the people singing the music this last Sunday. The dancers were better then the singers, but not by much, they did not seem to fit into the 1920's theme. Whoever is planning the whole thing seems like the just slapped the whole ' nightclub' together on a limited budget. more

This only part of this place that really impressed me was the art deco inside, it is really beautiful, so is the lalique glass, but as for Cicada Club, I think the Cicada restaurant could do so much better then they are doing right now. the second rate musical acts they hire, and the crowd that is recently shown up to the once popular Cicada club really puts the place in a bad light. I am reading back on these reviews, the only recent reviews are either from the manager of the nightclub, Maxwell or his friends trying to convince people to come to the club, or from unsatisfied customers who are not satisfied with the experience. Maybe if Maxwell Demille and his friends spent less time trying to write the fake reviews and more time extending the effort to make this place popular once again they wouldn't get so many unsatisfactory reviews. The previous poster was right in saying that a core crowd has been alienated, and many people have stopped going simply because there was never anything new. Pros: Beautiful downtown landmark building Cons: shady staff, no new music. more

I have been totally bummed out on how dead Cicada club has been recently. We got dinner there, like the other reviews were saying, it was kinda slow, they probably were having problems in the kitchen. The last time we came we saw Janet Klein, last night the entertainment was not as good as she was. They had a female singers none which I or my friends cared for, there was one who couldn't even carry a tune, poor girl, we felt bad for her. I really hope that Cicada club gets better because it used to be so much fun. They really to bring it back to what it once was. more

The service and the food here are both mediocre at best. It took a very long time for the waiter to bring our menu and a long time to bring the food, they were not that busy, so I really don't understand why it took so long. The food is so so I had the filet mignon, asked for it medium rare, but it came back well done. My boyfriend had the fish, it was very dry and not very appetizing. Not once did they will our water glasses. I actually had to go up and walk across the room to where a pitcher sat to refill my own water. They give you cold bread with no olive oil or toppings. The singers at the restaurant were not really to our liking, none of them could carry a tune and really butchered some of my favorite classic songs. The host of the evening was Maxwell Demille, he was really not what we were expecting either. He seemed very cold and distant. I overheard from some other partrons that Cicada club is only happening twice more and the restaurant might be pulling the plug on their Sunday night vintage night club, I am not surprised, the event doesn't seem like it is doing anything to boost the restaurant's reputation, it certainly didn't make me look at Cicada a positive light. more

We were really not happy with our Sunday night visit to Cicada. The service is really terrible here. They sat us down and failed to bring us our bread and butter, it took them 20 minutes just to come by and fill our glass with water, and then we had to remind our server to bring by the bread. It took another half an hour just to get someone to take our order, and another half an our to get our first coarse. We were not all that impressed by the food. There was a new menu and we really were not happy with it. We were not to fond of the music, very bad static from the microphones/sound system, the singers were really not very talented, so unprofessional. The solo band without the singers were pretty nice, but we didn't get a lot of time to hear them. Not impressed by Cicada Club, we came expecting a vintage night club, but it really was more like a typical restaurant with dining and dancing. more

I went to the Halloween party at the Cicada Club with my boyfriend It is a party you have to pay to attend. Its not what I expected at all.First the positive. Dean Mora's orchestra was excellent and played wonderful music. The place has a beautiful interior. The rest really was very disappointing. First of all, the decorations were really corny and cheap, I don't know who choose them The floor show was the Satin Dolls. They were so cheesy, I was really not impressed, neither was my boyfriend. We have seen much better around LA. The Satin Dolls did not just preform once, they had to preform four or fix times, each time it just got worse. I would expect something more high quality from Maxwell Demille. I think this is the very problem that is bringing Cicada down. No enough acts like Dean Mora, many many semi professional acts that Maxwell Demille can hire for cheap. I don't agree with the other reviews before that he is a mean person to customers. I just don't think he is very social. He spends most of the time MIA or off in some corner doing something with a computer. For some reason the people that attended were either really snotty or really creepy, I had so many old men staying the rudest comments to me. I really hope they clean this place up. more

My friends and I had a great time last night at the Cicada Club. The place was packed! Jennifer Keith is a fine singer and band featured members of the Royal Crown Revue big band. Looking forward to making this a regular Sunday night event. more

The interior of this Art Deco restaurant is incredibly beautiful. Makes a fantastic spot for a romantic date. The food is delicious with the added bonus of an extensive wine list. Our server was friendly and helpful when asked for wine suggestions Love the vintage music and performers. Pros: Unique in Los Angeles Cons: Smoking allowed in the outside lobby more

For me, the entertainment, food and service is always excellent. Plus the upstairs bar has one of the best bartenders in the city. I have been to the Cicada Club many times and each evening is a delight. I also enjoy the costumed doorman, elevator operator and coat check girl. I have yet to find any other evening like this in the entire city. Stop by the Cicada Club and see for yourself. On a curious note, it's very strange that the previous less than favorable reviews posted before this one were all made on the same day by reviewers that had never posted any reviews here before. Could they have been written by the same person? Very odd. In any event, I'm looking forward to my next visit to the Cicada Club where I can once again travel back in time to the days of the glamorous nightclubs of Los Angeles. more

I have gone to Cicada several times and now feel like I can give it a fair review. A couple of this to say. First off the positive. Its in a beautiful building, and some of staff very nice. Reading through the reviews and what I generally noticed at the club is that there are a lot of die hard fans who come every week, and it seems to me these people are probably giving it good reviews. I am not going to say this place is horrible, since its not but I have to agree that who ever is hiring the acts REALLY needs to get some bands to play. While I had no personal run ins with Mr. Demille I don't feel warmth radiating from him either, he just seemed like he was lost in his own little world and didn't really have the time for other people. more

Ok so, I have only been to this place once, so I am not a die hard fan, I just know my friends and I had a bad experience. The sound was really auwful and we could hardly hear the singer, which was too bad because I really like Janet Klein. My friends attend more regularly and what they have to say is pretty in line with what the other posters are saying. The acts never change, he just keeps getting the same people back week after week. If you don't believe me, go and look at his webpage. Maxwell Demille is not gracious or warm, I tried to get a picture with him and my other friends, and he completely blew us off. I have to agree with a previous poster in that, I didn't see him yell at an employee, but I did see him bark at a girl who was sitting and eating and tried to talk to him. What a meanie. I work as a manager of a restaurant, if I yelled at a patron, I would be out of a job so fast it would make my head spin. Seems like he has a short temper and not very many people skills. I really don't know why a nice place like Cicada puts up with that. more