VERSE

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where Cuisine, Sound, and Libation Converge

VERSE is a modern supper club on Lankershim Boulevard in Toluca Lake, built around a deceptively simple premise: that great food, great sound, and great drink belong together. The result is one of Los Angeles's more distinctive fine dining experiences — one that earned a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2025, a recognition that speaks directly to the depth and curation of its wine program.

The Minds Behind It

The concept was born from the imagination of Manny Marroquin, an 18-time Grammy-winning mixer whose professional obsession with acoustics shaped every corner of the room. His vision, as he describes it, was to build a recording studio large enough to fit a restaurant inside. Fifty-two speakers are distributed throughout the space, engineered to create a fully immersive sonic environment — one where live performances fill the room without drowning out the table next to you, and where private conversation remains possible even during a set.

At the culinary helm is Chef Oscar Torres, whose approach to what VERSE calls "Angeleno Cuisine" draws from ancient Mesoamerican roots and influences from across the world. In his own words: "The food we've grown to love has its roots in ancient Mesoamerica and the four corners of the world. This is how we honor the originals." Fresh, hand-picked ingredients and dry-aged preparations are central to his kitchen's identity — each dish conceived as a stand-alone expression of that philosophy.

The Experience

VERSE operates as a genuine supper club, meaning the evening unfolds across cuisine, sound, and libation in equal measure. The cocktail program takes a "romantic and whimsical" approach, with an emphasis on freshly sourced ingredients and the kind of considered craft that mirrors what's happening in the kitchen. The wine list, recognized by Wine Spectator, rounds out a beverage program built for guests who take their glass as seriously as their plate.

Between live performances, Manny Marroquin's own handpicked selections play through the speaker system — so the music is never incidental. A private dining room is available for events, and the venue stays open until 1am on weekends, giving the later hours a character of their own.

The American and Latin cuisines at VERSE aren't a fusion exercise so much as a reflection of Los Angeles itself — layered, eclectic, and rooted in something older than the city.