Kimera Lounge - Irvine

First off, Kimera is tucked away in a small business park, and parking requires validation (which is very important!). When I arrived, the parking fee for the structure was $14. My girlfriend and I confidently validated our ticket, and I must say, I felt quite suave doing it. I will definitely return. I had made a reservation for eight, but we were left waiting until 8:10 before they finally seated us. That was my first red flag regarding the service (regular readers of my reviews will know I take service seriously). As Mr. Pink famously said in “Reservoir Dogs,” why tip if the waitstaff aren't doing their job? I rarely tip over 12% if my water isn’t refilled, if service is slow, or if I have to wait ages to place my order. Finally, we were seated, and it took us about five minutes to decide on our meals: swordfish, chicken sausage pasta, and a bacon cheeseburger. Yet, we waited at least 10 minutes before the waiter even came to take our order. I mean, it wasn’t even that crowded! After we placed our order, we waited another 15-20 minutes for our food while admiring the MJ, Frank Sinatra, and Marilyn Monroe paintings on the wall. I have to admit, the ambiance and layout were quite nice, which helped me avoid giving this place a bad rating. Now onto the food: - **Swordfish with Risotto**: Not bad. The fish was good, and the risotto was decent, priced around $24.95. The fish was grilled to a tender perfection and came with an intriguing sauce (I’ll have to ask what it is next time). - **Chicken Sausage Pasta**: The portion was average with a decent amount of red peppers, but I can't say much more since I barely touched it after I got full from the bacon cheeseburger. This was priced roughly at $12.95. - **Bacon Cheeseburger**: I ordered this after seeing the elderly man next to me enjoy it. It was HUGE and came with a side of fries. I could barely finish it, and getting the chicken pasta was clearly a misstep since my girlfriend and I struggled to finish all three dishes. When we finally got the bill, the server had the audacity to suggest an 18% tip for himself! He hadn’t refilled my water once and still charged us that amount. By the way, there’s also a bar adjacent to the dining area. I’m not sure about their drink prices since I didn’t order anything. However, if you plan to visit Kimera, make sure to check out MONDAY NIGHTS for 50% off the menu. Just remember to mention it when you make your reservation. Edit: I returned with a group of 21 friends on a Friday night and got an unexpected outdoor seating area. Happy Hour had $5 drinks and appetizers at the bar. I’m not sure if this is a regular deal, but the drinks seemed to be on the strong side that night. They even had a DJ spinning some great remixed contemporary music. The service was prompt and attentive, so I’m adding an extra star to my review now.