Darling (West Hollywood, CA)
Darling by Sean Brock
631 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
323-203-0236
www.darling.la
Wed 09/02/2026, 08:00p-10:50p
In terms of new Los Angeles-area openings from out-of-town chefs, Darling has certainly been one of the most anticipated, largely due to its association with Sean Brock, perhaps the most notable proponent of Southern cuisine in recent times. The restaurant debuted last August in the former home of Soulmate, and in fact, shares the same main financial backers. Interestingly, when the place first opened, the food was focused on live-fire cooking with a California point of view. However, apparently that style of cuisine didn't resonate with diners, and as a result, back in June, Brock and the team pivoted to the style of Lowcountry cuisine that the Chef is most known for.
About the Chef: Born in February 1978, Homer Sean Brock hails from Pound, Virginia, a small coal town. He first got interested in the kitchen thanks to his grandmother's efforts as well as various television cooking shows, and growing up, his family largely farmed their own vegetables. Brock started cooking for real in 1994 at the age of 16, and following completion of high school, moved to Charleston to attend Johnson & Wales University. In 1999, he began working at Peninsula Grill under Robert Carter, and stayed on there after completing his culinary education in 2000.
The following year, he moved to Richmond, Virginia to serve as sous for Walter Bundy at Lemaire at the Jefferson Hotel, and in 2003, transitioned over to the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Brock was Executive Chef for the overall property, but focused his attention on its flagship Capitol Grille restaurant. Initially, his cooking there was in the vein of elevated Southern fare, but he soon began embracing the new wave of molecular gastronomy that was taking the culinary world by storm, culminating in the introduction of a 30-course modernist menu in 2005. However, he eventually grew tired of the limitations inherent in working at a hotel, and thus decamped at the end of March 2006.
Brock then moved back to Charleston with his fiancée Tonya Combs (they got married soon after, but divorced in 2014) and became Exec Chef at McCrady's, which had just been purchased by David Howard's Neighborhood Dining Group (NDG). He took over from previous top toque Michael Kramer, and his first day was April 3rd, 2006. As was the case with the Hermitage, his cooking here leaned avant-garde at first, but he later began to emphasize a hyper-farm-to-table ethos. Either way, the place was a critical success, landing Brock a "Best Chef: Southeast" win from James Beard in 2010, as well as a slew of other nominations from Beard.
The Chef followed up McCrady's with Husk, which was also created in partnership with NDG and dropped in November 2010. The restaurant was centered on Lowcountry cooking and local/seasonal ingredients, and even made use of its own farm on nearby Wadmalaw Island. Again, the accolades quickly arrived, including a "Best New Restaurants in America" nod from Bon Appétit in 2011 and two more nominations from James Beard.
Given the success of Husk, an outpost in Nashville debuted in May 2013, resulting in placements in GQ's "Best Restaurants in America" and Esquire's "Best New Restaurants" lists in 2014, as well as an "Outstanding Chef" nomination from Beard in 2016. Brock then switched to Mexican food with Minero, a taquería concept that opened in October 2014 (also in partnership with NDG), shortly before the release of the Chef's first cookbook, Heritage. In 2016, Minero relocated to a space upstairs, and its former digs were turned into a tasting counter room for a new iteration of McCrady's, while the old restaurant was transformed into the more casual McCrady's Tavern.
November 2017 saw the opening of Husk in Greenville, South Carolina, while a fourth location in Savannah, Georgia debuted in January 2018. Despite all this expansion, Brock ended up stepping away from NDG at the start of August 2018, cutting ties with McCrady's/McCrady's Tavern/Minero and only serving in an advisory role for the four Husks. But even this arrangement proved to be fleeting, as the Chef would walk away from Husk in May 2019, three months after getting married to hospitality publicist Adi Noe. He finished the year by releasing South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations in October.
By this point, Brock had moved back to Nashville, and in March 2020, would team up with Pihakis Restaurant Group as well as Paul Mishkin (of Southall Farm & Inn) to launch a fast-casual joint called Joyland. More ambitious were two other collocated Music City projects: Audrey, opened in October 2021 and highlighting Appalachian cookery, and June, opened in July 2022 as a high-end American Southern tasting menu spot.
Those were followed by a hi-fi bar by the name of Bar Continental (October 2023), another Joyland in Birmingham (August 2024), another Joyland in the Sylvan Heights section of Nashville (November 2024), the Neo-Neapolitan Sho Pizza Bar in Nashville (April 2025), another Joyland in Charleston (February 2025), and of course Darling, opened on August 31st last year.
Unfortunately, Brock and company may have expanded too quickly, as the Chef's budding restaurant empire has been collapsing as of late. Bar Continental shuttered first, in May 2024. Then came the closure of June in September 2024, while in early 2025, control of Audrey was handed over to Mishkin and his team. The Charleston location of Joyland was down for the count in February this year, followed by both Nashville locations in July and Birmingham in August; Audrey has since closed as well.
Getting back to Darling, running the day-to-day is Chef de Cuisine Ben Norton, a native of Atlanta. He also got interesting in cooking at an early age, and began his restaurant career as a dishwasher when he was 15. He then enrolled at Chattahoochee Technical College and earned his associate degree in culinary arts. From there, Norton worked for Linton Hopkins for seven years, first at Holeman & Finch (basically starting right when it opened in 2008), and then at Restaurant Eugene. After serving as Eugene's sous for three years, he moved to Charleston and landed a job at McCrady's in 2015; he was initially sous, but was promoted to EC in 2019. In June 2021, Norton became EC at Husk in Nashville, but would leave in 2026 for his current post here at Darling.
Inside, the same basic layout from the Soulmate days remains, though the space has certainly been tweaked a fair amount by original designer Sean Leffers. Most notably, the front patio area has been turned into a hi-fi listening lounge (shown cleared out at the end of the night).
Soulmate's rear bar/lounge area is now a private dining room, while the actual dining room remains, as pictured above.
Here we see Darling's menu, as well as its wine list, beer list, and cocktail list, which is now the charge of Jairo Moreno (Marea, LA Cha Cha Chá), who's replaced opening bar director Jason Lee (Baroo, Pijja Palace, n/soto, Kali). If you're so inclined, the corkage fee is $45, limit two. Click for larger versions.
Wood Fired Grassy Bar Oysters with She Crab Butter & Meyer Lemon [$45.00]
Pacific oysters possessed a clean, forceful brine that was only further amped up by the inclusion of crab butter. The herbs up top worked to tone thing down, and the bivalves were indeed improved with a squirt of lemon. A promising start.
Deviled Eggs with Bluefin Tuna Belly & Sansho [$14.00]
Being the deviled egg fiend that I am, this was a must-try for me. The dish proved to be a pretty interesting take on the classic hors d'oeuvre, with the salty-savor of the fatty tuna kept in check by the comparatively mild creaminess of the egg.
Tonight's twentieth anniversary selection was the 2006 Domaine Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses. The bottle comes to us from one of Burgundy's biggest producers/négociants, and features fruit from one of the top 1er cru vineyards in the region.
Quail Grilled Over Almond Wood with Peaches, Cane Syrup & Basil [$28.00]
Quail came out as juicy and tender as I was hoping for, with the bird's heady, smoky flavors evened out by sweet peach and fragrant basil.
Texas Deer Skewers with Smoked Bacon & Chow Chow [$22.00]
Venison skewers were spot-on texturally, and conveyed an almost "hammy" smoke paired with an undercurrent of sweetness. Quenelles of chowchow offered up some piquancy, though the citrus wasn't really necessary.
Anson Mills Cornbread with Smoked Tomato Jam & Maison Bordier Butter [$18.00]
Here we had one of the better cornbreads I've tried. I found a delightfully crisp crust and a tender, gritty interior loaded with salty, buttery goodness. The bread was enjoyable just by itself, but was even better with a dab of jam or a smear of butter (or both at the same time).
Abalone and Rice Stew with Benne, Celtuce & Confit Egg Yolk [$43.00]
Abalone showcased a satisfying chew and plenty of umami, melding easily with the dish's smoky, homey flavors. I'm generally quite the fan of abalone, and usually enjoy it prepared in a Japanese manner, so it was great to see the ingredient incorporated into a more Southern setting.
Vermilion Rockfish & Grits with Tomatoes, Manila Clams, Fresno Chili Butter [$52.00]
Vermilion rockfish had the softness and succulence I was looking for. The fish displayed an aggressive brine, especially when taken in concert with the clams, so the grits were key for balance, while I didn't mind the acidity from the tomatoes or the touch of heat present, either.
Dressed Lettuces and Herbs with Calamansi & Blossoms [$12.00]
A light-n-bright side salad offered a much-appreciated respite from all the hefty flavors going on.
Reverie [$20.00] | Cognac, fino sherry, apricot eau de vie, citrus honey
With the wine drunk up, it was now time for a couple cocktails. This first one was all about citric astringency, tempered by a touch of honey, and married with a pervasive nuttiness from the sherry.
The Darling Dry-Aged Steak Burger [$27.00]
One of only 24 available each night, the hamburger showed off a thick-ish, rare-ish patty loaded with the dry-aged depth I was seeking. The beef meshed pretty seamlessly with that gooey cheese, while the spread and bun served their purposes admirably as well.
Fast Lady Pea Succotash with Tomatoes & Bloomsdale Spinach [$13.00]
Sweet, creamy cowpeas formed the basis for this hearty succotash, with tart tomato and bitter spinach adding further facets to the dish.
Paradis [$20.00] | Caribbean cask mezcal, rum, roasted pineapple, mango, satsuma
The night's second cocktail was definitely more easy-going, offering a healthy dose of tropical fruit in concert with a base of smoky mezcal and some well-placed citrusy accents.
BBQ Pork Chop with Crawfish & Eggplant [$42.00]
A pork rib chop was on point texturally, and its porcine flavors made sense with the familiar sweet-tangy notes of barbeque. Crayfish imparted further oomph to the dish, though I didn't get much from the eggplant.
Profiteroles with Brown Butter Ice Cream, Pecan Sauce & Date [$17.00]
Cream puffs took well to the familiar flavors of brown butter, and I had no complaints about the nutty sweetness provided by the date and pecan, either.
Blackberry Sorbet with Eton Mess [$17.00]
Next came an effective amalgamation of tart berries, sweet cream, and somewhat herby meringues, perked up by this almost ginger-y sting.
Virginia Peanut Tart with Sorghum Syrup [$19.00]
The peanut pie made for a fitting conclusion to dinner thanks to its cozy, nutty, sugary disposition. Some nice textures here, too.
Having never tried Brock's food before, I can't really compare what I sampled tonight to what he was putting out at Husk or elsewhere. That being said, I did enjoy my meal at Darling. The heart of the cuisine here may be Southern, but the cooking is certainly not strictly by the book, and I did appreciate the liberties that the kitchen is taking. Maybe the Chef didn't let go of all those Californian influences after all. I could see this place becoming a go-to of mine in the WeHo area, so I hope it can stick around (which may be a big ask given how short-lived Brock's other recent ventures have been).
631 N Robertson Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
323-203-0236
www.darling.la
Wed 09/02/2026, 08:00p-10:50p
In terms of new Los Angeles-area openings from out-of-town chefs, Darling has certainly been one of the most anticipated, largely due to its association with Sean Brock, perhaps the most notable proponent of Southern cuisine in recent times. The restaurant debuted last August in the former home of Soulmate, and in fact, shares the same main financial backers. Interestingly, when the place first opened, the food was focused on live-fire cooking with a California point of view. However, apparently that style of cuisine didn't resonate with diners, and as a result, back in June, Brock and the team pivoted to the style of Lowcountry cuisine that the Chef is most known for.
About the Chef: Born in February 1978, Homer Sean Brock hails from Pound, Virginia, a small coal town. He first got interested in the kitchen thanks to his grandmother's efforts as well as various television cooking shows, and growing up, his family largely farmed their own vegetables. Brock started cooking for real in 1994 at the age of 16, and following completion of high school, moved to Charleston to attend Johnson & Wales University. In 1999, he began working at Peninsula Grill under Robert Carter, and stayed on there after completing his culinary education in 2000.
The following year, he moved to Richmond, Virginia to serve as sous for Walter Bundy at Lemaire at the Jefferson Hotel, and in 2003, transitioned over to the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville. Brock was Executive Chef for the overall property, but focused his attention on its flagship Capitol Grille restaurant. Initially, his cooking there was in the vein of elevated Southern fare, but he soon began embracing the new wave of molecular gastronomy that was taking the culinary world by storm, culminating in the introduction of a 30-course modernist menu in 2005. However, he eventually grew tired of the limitations inherent in working at a hotel, and thus decamped at the end of March 2006.
Brock then moved back to Charleston with his fiancée Tonya Combs (they got married soon after, but divorced in 2014) and became Exec Chef at McCrady's, which had just been purchased by David Howard's Neighborhood Dining Group (NDG). He took over from previous top toque Michael Kramer, and his first day was April 3rd, 2006. As was the case with the Hermitage, his cooking here leaned avant-garde at first, but he later began to emphasize a hyper-farm-to-table ethos. Either way, the place was a critical success, landing Brock a "Best Chef: Southeast" win from James Beard in 2010, as well as a slew of other nominations from Beard.
The Chef followed up McCrady's with Husk, which was also created in partnership with NDG and dropped in November 2010. The restaurant was centered on Lowcountry cooking and local/seasonal ingredients, and even made use of its own farm on nearby Wadmalaw Island. Again, the accolades quickly arrived, including a "Best New Restaurants in America" nod from Bon Appétit in 2011 and two more nominations from James Beard.
Given the success of Husk, an outpost in Nashville debuted in May 2013, resulting in placements in GQ's "Best Restaurants in America" and Esquire's "Best New Restaurants" lists in 2014, as well as an "Outstanding Chef" nomination from Beard in 2016. Brock then switched to Mexican food with Minero, a taquería concept that opened in October 2014 (also in partnership with NDG), shortly before the release of the Chef's first cookbook, Heritage. In 2016, Minero relocated to a space upstairs, and its former digs were turned into a tasting counter room for a new iteration of McCrady's, while the old restaurant was transformed into the more casual McCrady's Tavern.
November 2017 saw the opening of Husk in Greenville, South Carolina, while a fourth location in Savannah, Georgia debuted in January 2018. Despite all this expansion, Brock ended up stepping away from NDG at the start of August 2018, cutting ties with McCrady's/McCrady's Tavern/Minero and only serving in an advisory role for the four Husks. But even this arrangement proved to be fleeting, as the Chef would walk away from Husk in May 2019, three months after getting married to hospitality publicist Adi Noe. He finished the year by releasing South: Essential Recipes and New Explorations in October.
By this point, Brock had moved back to Nashville, and in March 2020, would team up with Pihakis Restaurant Group as well as Paul Mishkin (of Southall Farm & Inn) to launch a fast-casual joint called Joyland. More ambitious were two other collocated Music City projects: Audrey, opened in October 2021 and highlighting Appalachian cookery, and June, opened in July 2022 as a high-end American Southern tasting menu spot.
Those were followed by a hi-fi bar by the name of Bar Continental (October 2023), another Joyland in Birmingham (August 2024), another Joyland in the Sylvan Heights section of Nashville (November 2024), the Neo-Neapolitan Sho Pizza Bar in Nashville (April 2025), another Joyland in Charleston (February 2025), and of course Darling, opened on August 31st last year.
Unfortunately, Brock and company may have expanded too quickly, as the Chef's budding restaurant empire has been collapsing as of late. Bar Continental shuttered first, in May 2024. Then came the closure of June in September 2024, while in early 2025, control of Audrey was handed over to Mishkin and his team. The Charleston location of Joyland was down for the count in February this year, followed by both Nashville locations in July and Birmingham in August; Audrey has since closed as well.
Getting back to Darling, running the day-to-day is Chef de Cuisine Ben Norton, a native of Atlanta. He also got interesting in cooking at an early age, and began his restaurant career as a dishwasher when he was 15. He then enrolled at Chattahoochee Technical College and earned his associate degree in culinary arts. From there, Norton worked for Linton Hopkins for seven years, first at Holeman & Finch (basically starting right when it opened in 2008), and then at Restaurant Eugene. After serving as Eugene's sous for three years, he moved to Charleston and landed a job at McCrady's in 2015; he was initially sous, but was promoted to EC in 2019. In June 2021, Norton became EC at Husk in Nashville, but would leave in 2026 for his current post here at Darling.
Inside, the same basic layout from the Soulmate days remains, though the space has certainly been tweaked a fair amount by original designer Sean Leffers. Most notably, the front patio area has been turned into a hi-fi listening lounge (shown cleared out at the end of the night).
Soulmate's rear bar/lounge area is now a private dining room, while the actual dining room remains, as pictured above.
Here we see Darling's menu, as well as its wine list, beer list, and cocktail list, which is now the charge of Jairo Moreno (Marea, LA Cha Cha Chá), who's replaced opening bar director Jason Lee (Baroo, Pijja Palace, n/soto, Kali). If you're so inclined, the corkage fee is $45, limit two. Click for larger versions.
Wood Fired Grassy Bar Oysters with She Crab Butter & Meyer Lemon [$45.00]
Pacific oysters possessed a clean, forceful brine that was only further amped up by the inclusion of crab butter. The herbs up top worked to tone thing down, and the bivalves were indeed improved with a squirt of lemon. A promising start.
Deviled Eggs with Bluefin Tuna Belly & Sansho [$14.00]
Being the deviled egg fiend that I am, this was a must-try for me. The dish proved to be a pretty interesting take on the classic hors d'oeuvre, with the salty-savor of the fatty tuna kept in check by the comparatively mild creaminess of the egg.
Tonight's twentieth anniversary selection was the 2006 Domaine Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses. The bottle comes to us from one of Burgundy's biggest producers/négociants, and features fruit from one of the top 1er cru vineyards in the region.
- Initial Impressions: Deep and musky on the nose, with notes of dark berry intertwined with a distinct vegetal bent. On the palate, this was still quite vivacious, quite structured, its flavors of purple fruit veering almost candied on the back end.
- After 40 Minutes: Aromas demonstrated a much mintier character, but in the mouth, the Pinot noir was lusher, more luxurious, with loads of richer, rounder fruit.
- After 85 Minutes: By this point, the wine was softer overall, its nuances of perfumey fruit complemented by a palpable black pepper quality.
Quail Grilled Over Almond Wood with Peaches, Cane Syrup & Basil [$28.00]
Quail came out as juicy and tender as I was hoping for, with the bird's heady, smoky flavors evened out by sweet peach and fragrant basil.
Texas Deer Skewers with Smoked Bacon & Chow Chow [$22.00]
Venison skewers were spot-on texturally, and conveyed an almost "hammy" smoke paired with an undercurrent of sweetness. Quenelles of chowchow offered up some piquancy, though the citrus wasn't really necessary.
Anson Mills Cornbread with Smoked Tomato Jam & Maison Bordier Butter [$18.00]
Here we had one of the better cornbreads I've tried. I found a delightfully crisp crust and a tender, gritty interior loaded with salty, buttery goodness. The bread was enjoyable just by itself, but was even better with a dab of jam or a smear of butter (or both at the same time).
Abalone and Rice Stew with Benne, Celtuce & Confit Egg Yolk [$43.00]
Abalone showcased a satisfying chew and plenty of umami, melding easily with the dish's smoky, homey flavors. I'm generally quite the fan of abalone, and usually enjoy it prepared in a Japanese manner, so it was great to see the ingredient incorporated into a more Southern setting.
Vermilion Rockfish & Grits with Tomatoes, Manila Clams, Fresno Chili Butter [$52.00]
Vermilion rockfish had the softness and succulence I was looking for. The fish displayed an aggressive brine, especially when taken in concert with the clams, so the grits were key for balance, while I didn't mind the acidity from the tomatoes or the touch of heat present, either.
Dressed Lettuces and Herbs with Calamansi & Blossoms [$12.00]
A light-n-bright side salad offered a much-appreciated respite from all the hefty flavors going on.
Reverie [$20.00] | Cognac, fino sherry, apricot eau de vie, citrus honey
With the wine drunk up, it was now time for a couple cocktails. This first one was all about citric astringency, tempered by a touch of honey, and married with a pervasive nuttiness from the sherry.
The Darling Dry-Aged Steak Burger [$27.00]
One of only 24 available each night, the hamburger showed off a thick-ish, rare-ish patty loaded with the dry-aged depth I was seeking. The beef meshed pretty seamlessly with that gooey cheese, while the spread and bun served their purposes admirably as well.
Fast Lady Pea Succotash with Tomatoes & Bloomsdale Spinach [$13.00]
Sweet, creamy cowpeas formed the basis for this hearty succotash, with tart tomato and bitter spinach adding further facets to the dish.
Paradis [$20.00] | Caribbean cask mezcal, rum, roasted pineapple, mango, satsuma
The night's second cocktail was definitely more easy-going, offering a healthy dose of tropical fruit in concert with a base of smoky mezcal and some well-placed citrusy accents.
BBQ Pork Chop with Crawfish & Eggplant [$42.00]
A pork rib chop was on point texturally, and its porcine flavors made sense with the familiar sweet-tangy notes of barbeque. Crayfish imparted further oomph to the dish, though I didn't get much from the eggplant.
Profiteroles with Brown Butter Ice Cream, Pecan Sauce & Date [$17.00]
Cream puffs took well to the familiar flavors of brown butter, and I had no complaints about the nutty sweetness provided by the date and pecan, either.
Blackberry Sorbet with Eton Mess [$17.00]
Next came an effective amalgamation of tart berries, sweet cream, and somewhat herby meringues, perked up by this almost ginger-y sting.
Virginia Peanut Tart with Sorghum Syrup [$19.00]
The peanut pie made for a fitting conclusion to dinner thanks to its cozy, nutty, sugary disposition. Some nice textures here, too.
Having never tried Brock's food before, I can't really compare what I sampled tonight to what he was putting out at Husk or elsewhere. That being said, I did enjoy my meal at Darling. The heart of the cuisine here may be Southern, but the cooking is certainly not strictly by the book, and I did appreciate the liberties that the kitchen is taking. Maybe the Chef didn't let go of all those Californian influences after all. I could see this place becoming a go-to of mine in the WeHo area, so I hope it can stick around (which may be a big ask given how short-lived Brock's other recent ventures have been).
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