Nancy Silverton is a highly influential chef, baker, restaurateur, and author with over four decades of experience. She is a James Beard Award-winning chef and co-owner of the Michelin-starred Mozza Restaurant Group,...
Insights
AmericanBurgersSteakhouseMediterraneanVegan-friendlyUpscaleDinnerFine DiningWine Bar
Last updated: 7/1/2026, 5:24:42 AM
Key Information
Chi Spacca, meaning "she or he who cleaves" in Italian, offers a quintessential Italian dining experience inspired by how an Italian butcher might cook, with a strong emphasis on wood-fire cooking. The restaurant features a lively open kitchen and shelves of wine, creating a rustic, old-world ambiance. It is known for its large cuts of meat and is part of Nancy Silverton's culinary vision.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise Chi Spacca for its exceptional food, particularly the meat dishes like Bistecca Fiorentina and Beef and Bone Marrow Pie. Service is frequently described as excellent, attentive, and knowledgeable. While some dishes can be on the saltier side, the overall dining experience is considered solid and highly enjoyable, making it a recommended spot for special occasions despite being pricey. Many enjoy the counter seating for a view of the chefs at work.
Additional Details
The restaurant is located on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. It is advisable to make reservations well in advance due to its popularity. Dishes like the Bistecca Fiorentina are large and can take a significant amount of time to prepare, which is part of the unique dining experience.
Chi Spacca is open for dinner Monday through Sunday, typically from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Reservations are highly recommended, especially for earlier times, as the restaurant fills up quickly. Spacca Burgers are exclusively available on Monday and Tuesday nights.
After trying Pizzeria Mozzarella and loved it, we decided to try chi Spacca. It didn’t disappoint! Everything we ordered from the menu was exceptional! Servers were all very friendly and attentive. We had one of the earliest reservations, and the restaurant was full midway through our meal. I definitely recommend making a reservation otherwise it might be impossible to get a table. Next time I’d like to sit at the counter to see the chefs preparing our meal!
Food was a bit on the salty side (so I dinged -1 ⭐), particularly the chicken pot pie and the hangar short rib, but overall still enjoyable and well prepared. Porchetta was very yummy! The flavors were rich and hearty, fitting for an Italian steakhouse. A lighter hand on seasoning would have made the dishes even better.
Service was excellent! Sitting at the counter ended up being a highlight of the experience. It was fun and engaging to watch the chefs pull out the giant bistecca steaks. They gave us a little birthday treat at the end which was very cute. Overall, it was a solid dining experience with great service and a lively atmosphere.
5
There is a quiet confidence to Chi Spacca that shows up the minute you sit down. The room has that rustic, almost old world feel, but the service keeps it grounded and approachable. The wait staff stood out right away. Warm, attentive, and genuinely helpful without hovering. They know the menu, they guide you without pushing, and they make the whole experience feel easy.
The Caesar salad is worth mentioning because it is not what most people expect. It leans into a more assertive, anchovy forward profile with a heavier hand on texture and seasoning. Some people love that boldness. For me, it was interesting but not something I would order again. That said, it fits the restaurant’s identity. Nothing here is trying to be safe.
Where Chi Spacca really delivers is the meat. That is clearly the center of gravity, and it shows. The beef was excellent. Rich, properly cooked, and full of flavor without unnecessary embellishment. It is the kind of dish that reminds you why simplicity works when the product is right.
The chicken pot pie was a pleasant surprise. Comforting, well balanced, and executed with more finesse than you usually see for a dish like that. It could easily be overlooked on a menu like this, but it holds its own.
Overall, very good across the board. Not perfect, not trying to be everything, but clear in what it does well and confident in delivering it. That clarity is part of the appeal.
5
What can I say that hasn't already been said? I hope whoever reads this accepts that the only take I can offer is that the beef and bone marrow pie might have been the most succulent savory dish I've had the privilege of eating. Accompanied by a rich bright broccoli dish, surprisingly interesting carrots, and weirdly the best onion rings I've had...this is very well the greatest meal I've ever had. Appetizers galore and a butterscotch pudding to end the night, I found myself depressed knowing my next meal would be a continental breakfast. I look back and cherish the bites, excited to come back and challenge my pallet once again.
5
We came here for our triple anniversary. My parents, my sister and her husband, and myself and my wife. We ordered the broccolini, the carrots, the peas, the beef and bone marrow pie, the lamb, grilled octopus, the bistecca fiorentina, the Focaccia de Recco, Caesar salad, and citrus salad. For dessert, we got the cheesecake, the apple pie, and we were treated to a passion fruit sorbet.
I would say our favourites were:
- the Caesar salad
- the carrots
- the broccolini
- the bistecca fiorentina (New York on one side, fillet on the other)
- focaccia de recco
- grilled octopus
I think for seven people, this was more than enough food for everybody to try a little of everything. Nobody was left hungry or wanting for more at the end. This was plenty.
The bistecca fiorentina took an hour and a half. It's a huge cut of meat, so that's fully understandable and well worth the wait.
Service was very, very good, some of the best that I've ever had and quite enjoyable. Everybody was very polite, very nice, had lots of information for us, and was very attentive.
I'm definitely looking forward to coming back and trying even more from their menu. It is very pricey, but I think it's worth it. It's quite the experience.
We all enjoyed the food and enjoyed the experience quite a lot. I highly recommend.
- the beef and bone marrow pie
