Water Grill, with its attentive servers, white tablecloths and hushed formality, was long a stalwart of L.A.'s old-guard restaurant scene.
But to the young professionals who have streamed into its downtown neighborhood, all that pomp — and closing times as early as 9 p.m. — were just a bit too grandpa.
To attract those budding foodies, Water Grill recently completed a $1.5-million makeover. The decor is more casual, the menu less expensive and filled with craft brews favored by the hipster crowd. Doors often stay open past midnight. Pop music and flat-screen TVs have supplanted whispered conversations.
The result: Revenue is up 40% in recent months compared with the same period last year, even though the average check has fallen 20% to about $65, said Sam King, chief executive of King's Seafood Co., the parent of Water Grill.
Continue reading on LATimes.com