Cicada

My wife and I were delighted to attend last Sunday's Roaring Twenties Review with Richard Halpern at The Cicada Restaurant. It was our third visit. To say the least this was one of the best nights we have had in Los Angeles. We are in our mid 30's, eat out often, and love to dance to vintage music. The crowd is mixed in terms of age and most of the guests dress in clothing from the 20's through the 40's...and it really adds to ambiance. The wait staff is great. We have had several meals there and they have always been great. Figuring no cover charge to hear a band of 5 to sometimes 17 musicans plus vocalists is pretty rare in this town. Unlike other downtown clubs, the room is clean and beautifully appointed. The building itself is the finest example of art deco design in Los Angeles. Mr. Maxwell DeMille is not only a good and gracious host but keeps the show moving along so there is never a dull moment. The attention to detail in the performance, the hiring of a cigarette girl, hat check girl, etc shows that he knows how a supper club should be presented to those of us too young to remember what it was like. The menu offers a lot of choices and we also recommend you visit the internet and go to clubcicada so you can watch last the webcast which clearly shows that the music and the people equal a great time. The age range of the crowd makes it even more fun. We have made some new friends at Cicada and we really appreciate the value of what we get once we are seated. The music is great and we highly recommend Cicada for Sunday nights. By the way, the bartender is great and always makes sure you are satisfied with your drink. We have never attended any night where there were less than at least 100 people in the room, usually more so obviously this is a popular place with people who come from all over the southland to have a fun evening. Check out the webcast at clubcicada and you will see for yourself that a good time is had by all! Pros: Pleasant staff, tasty menu and the best entertainment in town! Cons: We wish they were open on Satuday nights too more

I have watched the postings about The Cicada Restaurant off and on since my girl friend and I attend regularly. Most of these negative postings are questionable at first glance. They seem to have a chip on their shoulder or want to redirect guests to another club. First, the food is excellent and priced reasonably since there is no cover. Second, we have spoken to Maxwell DeMille several times who is not only the MC but seems keep a close eye on the room, the lighting, and the live internet broadcast which you can see if you visit clubcicada on the web. If you watch the internet broadcast from the previous week, which we attended, you will see that well over 130 people attended and everyone had a good time. We sat near two college fraternity groups as well as a large table of 15 that was celebrating a birthday. All of the acts we have heard, Richard Halpern, Janet Klien, Jennifer Keith, Ginger Pauley, Miss. Mather, Dean Mora's orchestra, and so many others are great. I think readers of this should come and see for themselves what its like. A good MC is not obtrusive and does need to keep things flowing which DeMille does. His role is really behind the scenes and maybe thats why every show we have seen has been great. He is a low key guy until he gets on stage to introduce the acts. As to the self promoting for other clubs by some of these posters it seems obvious that they merely want to Cicada followers to try other clubs instead...maybe business is bad. But from the service, food, and entertainment value-- you cannot beat the Cicada. The valets always are quick to park the car, the room is beautiful, and the regulars can attest to the value and entertainment of this great night spot. the upstairs bar is always crowded by if you watch the broadcasts you will see the age range from 21 to 70 which speaks volume of this venues mass appeal. Its the only place to go on Sundays and its professionally run and we love to see everyone in vintage attire! Pros: Exceptional service, reasonable priced menu and entertainement with no cover Cons: We wish The Cicada Club stayed open till midnight but it is a Sunday more

I have been a couple times and I saw the same singer all three times, maybe just bad luck. A previous reviewer stated how the Oviatt building is on the Register of Historic Places, there is no doubt that the building is beautiful, but the caliber of the entertainment they put on and this guy Maxwell who is running everything is not up to par with the establishment. I have to agree with the other posters in saying that he really does not have the personality or the warmth of a professional MC and from what I have heard from other people at Cicada, including regulars is that he really not very personable or friendly. I guess this is restaurants problem, not ours. If you need to spend your sunday night out, check out Edison, its great. Pros: Beautiful building, nice bar. Cons: Could use some better acts. more

The majority of the people that come to Cicada I have noticed are diners in modern clothing that would come to the restaurant anyway and most of them leave after they are done with dinner. The people that come in vintage clothing are mostly the 21-40 crowd who spend most of the time outside the restaurant smoking. I have to agree that the acts are all the same, and that Maxwell Demille keeps hiring the same people over and over. The only good act he's got there is Richard Halpern, hence everyone comes on the roaring 1920's night and goes elsewhere other nights. Maxwell Demille is not really the friendly MC that you would expect, he really comes off as snotty and unfriendly. He never smiles and hardly ever talks to anyone. The people he hires are very friendly, including the coat check girl, the doorman and the elevator boy. I think Maxwell needs to smile once in a while and learn how to interact and be friendly with customers if he is going to attach his name to Cicada Club. more

The Oviatt building, now the current home of the Cicada Club is truly the shining jewel of downtown. Los Angeles' first Art Deco office building built in 1928, no other public venue can compare. Trendy spots such as the Edison may be well decorated, but are not the on the National Registry of Historic Places, so not much history to compare. I have enjoyed the opportunity to spend time in this beautifully preserved window to the past and having a vintage style nightclub there on Sundays only enhances the experience. Next time you visit, take a moment to admire the Lalique glass, art deco staircase railings, original 1928 manually operated elevator, front door (insured for $200,000) and the many other wonderful details that fill the venue. more

Never had a bad experience at the Cicada Club. MC Maxwell DeMille has always been friendly and entertaining with old fashioned charm and style, but can be a bit mysterious at times. Love the room, love to dress up, and best of all, no cover charge (except on the big band nights, such as the vintage Halloween Party coming up). Looking forward to my next visit for the scrumptiously delicious lamb chops! more

I've been to all the downtown hot spots, and for vintage themed night clubs the Edison is best followed closely by Bordello. The Cicada Club does not even rank close to these two. I gave Cicada a couple chances and it never seemed to get better. Its the same type of act every week here, In fact, I think I have seen the same singer two or three times already singing the same songs! At the Bordello they get new acts in all the time, there are so many vintage acts in LA, the restaurant could take a chance and hire someone new. The saving grace for this place is the great bartender Max upstairs, he is such a gentleman and always greets you with a smile! Stop by for a drink, and then get on to Bordello! more

Cicada on the whole is a great place, their food, although a little pricey is really worth it for an occasional evening out. The staff are generally helpful. Their bartender is very nice and cordial. My wife and I went to dance but we could not even hear the singer the last sunday when we went. Cicada club is something fun to go to once, but after that its not worth unless there is a new band playing there. The restaurant only has a short list of talent that they hire and we have already seen the same (not very interesting) singer twice there. We had a lot of fun when the swing band The Jive Aces came to Cicada and wish they would return. We just wish there would be more hip bands so we would have something new and cool to swing dance to. more

I am glad to see I am not the only one. I used to go to Cicada all the time, and have just recently returned and have noticed like the other posters, the amount of people that frequent has dropped off significantly. I do believe the reason is, like the other posters is that the place no longer has the ""kick"" it once had. I am not sure why, but Maxwell Demille only books a few acts when there is tons of vintage acts in LA and California, I think he would do well to look beyond who is booked now because. Went to see Janet Klein last night, she is great, but the sound system, like the last person said was not working very well. Maxwell himself, I would have to agree is a little too ""into character"", and comes off as kind arrogant and cold, someone at Cicada Sunday said, he dosn't speak to you unless you are an attractive young girl or a patron spending a lot of money at Cicada. C'est la vie, I guess. more

Cicada club used to be a fun place to go, eat dinner and socialize over cocktails, but recently the place has really gone downhill. My girlfriend and I went to see Janet Klein preform on Sunday, but the sound system was so horrible, we could hardly hear her sing.We have gone a couple of other times and, it seems like the same acts are booked each weekend, and it gets pretty old after a while.Maxwell Demille needs to find some acts, because like the last reviewer said, the lack of diversity is really driving people away. We went to try to say hi to Maxwell Demille, but he never seems to want to talk or say hi, I think, like the last poster, if he is calling himself a ""MC"" and an impresario, he needs to act the part. We found him to be very impersonal and not wanting to talk to anyone. Pros: Great food, beautiful building. Cons: Needs new music, more variety. more

My main disappoint with Cicada with is with the lack of hospitality and kindness of their employees. First off, the valet guys were no help at all, I literally had stop and wait in my brand new car, finally I just got out and hand them the keys because the guy was too busy chatting on his phone, then he proceeded,while still seated, to tell me I owed him 7 dollars. I paid him, and he took the keys to my car. Five minutes later I came out and my car was still sitting there, no valet in sight, and my keys were just left on their little stand ready for any one to steal it! Pros: Great food, nice decor, helpful waitstaff, hostess, coatcheck girl and doorman. Cons: Poor valet service, mediocre entertainment, inpersonable master of ceremonies. more

I have been the Cicada Club on Sundays at the Cicada Restaurant several times, heard about CitySearch and thought I would offer up some advice to those of you who enjoy good food at reasonable prices, music from the 30's and 40's, dancing, and simply having a good time! If these things appeal to you, then you should come to downtown on Sundays and visit this historic night spot. I have been to this place 5 times, once with my girlfriend and the other times with friends who like to dance. I have eaten in the restuarant two times and both times we all thought the food and service were fine, reasonable, and worth the money. The music is always a live band with various singers, many of whom are very good and well worth hearing. Maxwell DeMille, the promoter and host, has always been personable with us since our first visit and seems to make sure that things run smoothly. He introduces the performers and makes you feel that its 1935 all over again. The dance floor is good sized and the bar on the second floor has plenty of seats for visiting with friends. Some Sundays are more crowded then others and you should know that there is rarely a cover charge. We have had a lot of fun at The Cicada Restaurant and I personally like to dance to good music of another era. Not sure what else to say except that regardless of you age you will find this place to be a one of a kind experience. Most people are in their mid 20's and 30's but some are much older. Everyone has a good time and the vintage atmosphere is worth a visit. Its a great building with a lot of history and parking is not a problem. Drinks are reasonably priced since there is no cover. Check it out! more

We visited a website called ""clubcicada"" early in the week as friends of ours recommended this place for dancing to music from the 30's and 40's. We were skeptical since the website seemed too perfect, but once we arrived for our 7:30 dinner reservation we were amazed at what a great find The Cicada Restaurant and Night Club is. The music was perfect, the musicans exceptional, and they had two different female vocalists who were very good, particularly Marie MacGillis. The MC, Maxwell DeMille, greeted us along with a coat check girl and hostess and we were given a nice table along a wall near the dance floor. We ordered several items from the menu. Recommed Spicey Beef to start, she had Veal, and I had the fliet...very good. The waiter was personable and attentive. The entertainment was authentic and you really feel like you go back in time. Our friends, who go regularly on Sunday, joined us later at our table and we ordered a reasonably priced bottle of wine from their extensive wine list. Maxwell DeMille said hello again to us and it was a fine evening and we will be back next Sunday. You will get more than your money's worth at The Cicada. Pros: This place is amazing! Cons: Not Applicable more

First class show this past Sunday at the Cicada Club featuring Benny Brydern's Hot Club Quintette. Food and service were outstanding with very attentive wait staff. The veal chop is one of the best in town, and Max the bartender knows his business! MC Maxwell DeMille was on hand to preside over the festivities and I found him quite amusing and entertaining. Looking forward to our next evening there, as I heard from the management that a new Fall menu will be offered in the next few weeks, and I am looking forward to the new taste treats to be served at the great nightspot. As the club will be closing December for the holidays, I plan to visit as much as I can during the next few weeks. Pros: Best Sunday night venue in town Cons: Ends too early more

My wife and I attended the Cicada club, and we are beyond disappointed. The man who bills himself as a great ""impresario"" but when we arrived at Cicada, we found the band and the singer second rate. Maxwell Demille who also calls himself an ""MC"" is not really one at all, he has none of the pep or moxie that a great MC from the golden era of Hollywood would have had. He hardly came on stage, most of the time he spent sitting down at a table drinking cocktails with his friends. Our friends who we came with tried to approach him, but they found him to be very cold and simply ignored them. I suppose he couldn't be bothered to leave his dinner table to host his own nightclub. more

Sunday nights at Maxwell DeMille's Cicada Club, located inside the historic Oviatt Building, is also home to the Cicada Restaurant. The food is great and so is the service, but on Sunday's be prepared for a great time with live music and talented musicans, singers, and dancers. This is such a fun place if you like music from the first half of the 20th century. The food is always served promptly and the waiters are great! Pros: Everything is great! Cons: N/A more

This restaurant is really more of a 1940's style nightclub on Sunday nights. We have been to The Cicada on other nights to see what its like, but if you want to have a special night on the town, go on Sundays when Maxwell DeMille hosts a vintage atmosphere that includes live dance music, singers, dance teams, and so much more. The food has been consistently good as has been the case with the service. The age range of the crowd is 21 to to people in their 60's so I its a diverse audience. The restaurant is well done and is located in a historic building downtown that is worth the trip just to see it. Pros: Service and food are excellent, nightclub atmosphere from the 40's. Cons: can't think of any... more

My wife and I and another couple have been to this wonderful showplace several times since we first learned of it in April of this year. Maxwell DeMille, the Host and Master of Ceremonies, has always been cordial with us and the staff working the restuarant are comparable to any of the better restaurants in town. The guests are all wonderful and always seem to have a good time when the band is playing or when the band takes a break and recorded music from the past fills the room. You are greeted by a well groomed doorman in a uniform, then taken up an elevator to the second floor by another well dressed man who wears the unifrom that you would have expected to see in the 30's and 40's. The second floor has a great bar, plenty of open seating for drinks and conversation plus a small dance floor. You then go downstairs to be seated and the menu offers some dishes that are priced fairly and served promptly. Everything we have orderd, or that our guests have ordered was fine. The musical entertainment varies and there is no cover charge most Sunday nights. We have never been to this restaurant without noting anywhere from 130 to 150 people dancing, having dinner, or enjoying drinks upstairs. I think most restaurants would be envious of such turnouts on a Sunday night. The room is elegant in every respect and having been to just about every place in town, nothing can come close to offering the quality food, service, and entertainment that you will find on Sundays at the Cicada. As to menu items, we recommend the lamb, veal chop, and swordfish. They also have a mixed seafood grill which my wife has enjoyed twice....always good! Its a wonderful place for romantic dinners or for a party of 4 or more. No matter what, if you want to enjoy great music from a bygone era and enjoy the experience that you used to find at Ciro's or one of the old night clubs on the strip when people still dressed for dinner...this is the only place in town! Pros: Great food and exceptional entertainment Cons: We wish they offered the same program on Fridays and Saturdays too! more

My girlfriend and I have been Cicada four times now. Each time we have enjoyed the music, the food, and the drinks...which are strong. We love to dance together and there are few places that have the vintage flavor of The Cicada Club and Restaurant. The MC, Maxwell DeMille, always greets us when we arrive and we always manage to get a good table near the bandstand. The waiters are really great and always treat us well. Since we are in our mid twenties sometimes it hard to find a place that treats us with respect and courtesy. While my girlfriend does get carded its never a big deal. The food at Cicada is really good too. We have had a lot of different dishes and the service is quick and polite. The music is really the big thing for us. We have never heard a bad band or singer and the large turnouts on Sunday nights obviously mean this place is popular, plus we see a lot of the same people each time we have gone and made a couple of friends as well. We have to other places in town like the Edison or Bordello but they are nothing compared to the Cicada which is first class in every way. We will continue to go on Sunday nights and hope those of you that like swing, jitterbug, charleston, foxtrots, and even waltzes will come and check this place out. It really is like going through a time warp....its a great building too with a lot of history and the room itself looks like a movie set from the 40's. Pros: Its great Cons: nothing more

My wife and I were in Los Angles until Tuesday and while we were in town our hosts invited us to come to the Cicada Restuarant and Nightclub. As the Son of a well know bandleader and a musican myself who has worked steadily for 12 years I have to say the music at this place was well worth the trip. While we did visit several tourist spots during week long visit I have to say the Cicada was the highlight of our trip. We live here in New York where there is always an abundance of places to hear good music and hear singers, but very few supper club spots liek The Cicada Club. The band was well tuned and played soem tight sets. Both of the female singers, pardon me for not remembering names, were very good. As to the menu, we enjoyed our meal and believe we experienced fine service, certainly as good as any we had during our stay. The waiter was cordial, prompt, and made some excellent suggestions as to starters, wine, and entrees. Overall, this was a special experience. My wife and I are in our mid to late 40's and most of the crowd was a bit younger but some were older so the mix was comfortable for us. The audience seemed to enjoy the entire evening and I have to say I know of few restuarants that are as busy as this place was on a Sunday night. The music kept the dance floor full and we observed many people having a great time. I hope that other visitors will come to the Cicada and when we return in the fall we will be back. By the way, a friend of ours who we hadn't seen in several years recommended we post these comments on this website and had we known that customer review pages like this were available I would have posted it Monday rather than wait until we came back to New York. It was time and money well spent! Pros: Everything was perfect, service, food, and entertainment. Cons: The music ended at 11:30 and we could have danced all night! more