The Grove / Farmers Market

I just have good memories from L.A. Such a stylish city: it's people, it's places and landscapes, such an unique vibe. But The Grove is such an amazing place, so neat, tidy and perfect that you will never forget. Full of shops and restaurants, you can enjoy the best experience either if you are looking to buy some new and trendy clothes from the best brands, have a delicious dinner or try one of the best cakes you'll ever eat, at the Cheesecake Factory. A Cinema, an incredible fountain and many great cafes make this place complete, and a must-visit. Sunny, happy and unforgetful days full of options for everybody await for those who want to visit The Grove, one of L.A.'s loveliest spots.

Holidays at The Grove are amazing, especially during Christmas time when they have the giant tree, trolley, and fake snow. During the day, you may catch a taping of Extra and see AC SLATER! in all his glory. Throughout the rest of the year, it is a beautiful location to hang out, shop, and eat. However, because of it's location and fame, it is always busy, and on the weekends, it is crazy busy. You'll find a ton of tourists as well as locals. Recently, I did valet, and I left my cell phone in clear view in the cup holder. When I got my car, I was happy to see that it was still there. The Grove is a classy place, and the employees there are equally top notch. If I had left my cell phone in my car at another location, it may have gotten stolen, but I rested easy that night. For tourists or people unfamiliar with The Grove, be prepared that parking can get expensive if you are there for a long time and that the parking lots can get really full quickly.

The Grove, has become a popular location for people of all ages to explore, but especially to women. There are a variety of different stores for shopping, but there is also a movie theatre if one wants to catch a movie. The shops included are a Forever 21, a Banana Republic, and a Nordstrom among many others. The Grove is a great place to just hang out with friends, to go on a date, or just spend time window shopping, but it can get a little crowded especially around the holiday season. However, it is a nice location to take a walk at during the night if you’re looking to waste time. With a small lake/pond at its center, the Grove gives off a picturesque atmosphere, which adds to its appeal. Even so, there other locations that give off a better atmosphere like the Americana at Brand, which offers different stores that can be a little more affordable. The stores at the Grove can be a little expensive. Nonetheless it is still a nice location to check out.

When The Grove first made its debut a few years back it was definitely a hot spot and cool place to check out but over the years the hype has taken over and it has lost its "soul". Ever since people got wind that it was the place to go for celebrity sightings and Extra or some other celebrity tv show started filming there it has become played out. The layout of the Grove is already small and it does not help when there are tons of celebrity wannabes or salivating pseudo-paparazzi obstructing your path. The only redeemable quality of the Grove is the iconic Farmer's Market. It is here where you will find all kinds of great food from all over the globe as well as some local favorites. It has an organic feel that ironically contrasts the shallowness of what the Grove has come to represent. If you are looking for an outdoor mall with the exact same roster of shops that was even built by the same real estate developer go check out The Americana in Glendale. Not only is it near identical to the Grove but it has more open space and is more suited for a relaxing day at the mall. If you get tired of it you can even check out the Glendale Galleria and the neighboring shops. Yes The Grove should be checked out at least once or twice but other than that dont' bother unless of course its for the Farmer's Market.

The Grove is a great tourist attraction but I wouldn't recommend it for locals trying to avoid tourists. Hundreds of people flock here everyday to see the stars that come out to shop and eat at the array of four star restaurants that line the promenade. Home and set of the show "Extra" hosted by Mario Lopez, this venue is all about having star quality. If you're a book lover, there is a wonderful Barnes and Noble that frequently offer book signings, former authors include Chelsea Lately, J.K. Rowling and Oprah. There is also a beautifully designed movie theatre and a small park that becomes a venue for concerts during the summer season. The Grove is also neighbors to the CBS Studios, the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust (not to be confused with the Museum of Tolerance) and within walking distance of the LaBrea Tar Pits, The Peterson Automotive Museum, LACMA and the Beverly Center. The Farmers Market offers an array of restaurants to choose from that aren't as pricy as the ones located in the Grove but the food is just as delicious. For amazing pancakes try DuPar's, for down south creole try the Gumbo Pot or for some all-american good eats, Short Order. There are fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and prime cutlets offered daily, and there is no shortage of souvenirs to take back home or send to your loved ones,

Definitely an iconic part of Los Angeles, The Grove is a "must-go" if you are visiting L.A. or just haven't been there in a long time. The shopping area nearby is incredibly huge and there's a lot of shops nearby to explore. Sadly, they're a little bit pricey, but it's definitely a good place to hang out with friends. Furthermore, the Farmer's Market is right next door which a whole of different types of foods you can get at a really cheap price. On the downside, the parking is a bit expensive, but there are usually some free parking if you look hard enough. Definitely a good place to check out if you're touring the place or are nearby.

My favorite thing about this place is the fact that they have a Cheesecake Factory. Actually I love a lot of things about this place. There is a farmers market super close so if you get tired of all the shopping for clothes, you can check that out. The farmers market has a lot of authentic food options that are worth a try. I love the Grove because it has a very nice fountain that does water shows on the top of the hour. Make sure to bring your date and check it out!! There is also a movie theater and a Nordstrom. This place attracts people of all ages, so it has a lot to offer to everyone. Whether you're here with a date or with your kids, you will definitely find something to do.

One of the great things about The Grove is that it is a mall that doesn't feel like a mall. Though you are surrounded by high-end department stores and boutiques, being in the outdoors, walking on paved and cobblestone paths among manicured lawns and trees makes it seem more like an upscale suburban neighborhood of yesteryear, complete with trolley car and old-fashioned street lamps. Though foot traffic is sometimes heavy, it is offset by the great chance to people-watch, since the location and its adjacent Farmer's Market attract both tourists and locals from all walks of life. If the Grove's shops are typical to Any-Mall, USA, it's the Farmer's Market that helps to set it apart, with a wide variety of booth-sized specialty stores selling everything from hand-made leather crafts to hot sauce, as well as unique food court options to satisfy even the most imaginative of tastes. On a recent visit, I had a cappuccino at Coffee Bean, shopped for a hat and toys, had a celebrity sighting (Sons of Anarchy's Katey Sagal at Barnes & Noble), and went to a movie. All that worked up an appetite, so we got kosher hot dogs and ate them picnic-style on a patch of grass in front of a small stage/gazebo where they sometimes have live music (but not the day I was there). If you are on a budget, beware. Many of the restaurants are a bit pricey and some of the stores are charging "tourist prices," plus you'll have to pay for parking (though several venders validate to cut down the cost). Though the architecture and landscaping certainly add a lot to its charm, The Grove owes most of its picturesque atmosphere to the usually sunny and pleasant weather Los Angeles is known for. It's the kind of place where you can spend hours and hours, and go back again and again. If that doesn't feel like a neighborhood, what does?

I love coming here! The great food options, variety of stores, the movie theater, celebrity sightings, it's the place to be in LA! It's nice to go on a Sunday afternoon when you just want to watch a movie in their huge, comfy theaters. There's always something to see. There are many food options as well. They have the restaurants within the actual "mall", like Cheesecake Factory, Umami Burger, Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill, Maggiano's Little Italy, Morels French Steakhouse, and many others. But besides those places, you have the wonderful places in the Farmer's Market. There's a great Brazilian place that always has a long line. Plenty of options of every kind of food. But besides the food, you have all the stores. They just opened a Top Shop recently (I have yet to visit but I'm sure it's amazing). There's a huge Abercrombie and Fitch and Nordstroms. They also have a Barnes and Noble, which is good because there are so few left, and it's huge as well. Multiple other shopping locations such as Banana Republic, Tommy Bahama, Forever 21, and many others. I love the variety they have. You can find everything there! I love the ambience as well. They play live music on the weekends. During the week there are Extra! filming shoots there so you have a chance to see celebs, Mario Lopez and Maria Menounos. I've also seen David Spade multiple times walking around for some reason, no other celebrity (still cool though). There's also this huge fountain as a centerpiece that performs water shows as if it were a mini version of the Bellagio's water show. The Grove is super fun for dates or just hanging out with friends or family!

This is a very charming outdoor mall! It is great for shopping, as it has many popular stores, as well as lunch or dinner. There are often movie premiers or events and the farmer’s market days are great! A lot of celebrities visit The Grove, so you may see someone famous if you go during the week. The Barnes and Noble at the Grove is very large and has some popular author signings (upcoming: Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls promoting her new book). While it is popular among tourists, many locals love this place as well. Definitely a unique experience and a very fun day out!

The Grove is a place I simply adore and will never tire of. Granted, the price of movies is a bit steep ($13 for a MATINEE), I love this little shopping area. It has just the right amount of restaurants and stores. This is by no means a traditional shopping mall, it's a place where you want to eat and do a little shopping. They've opened Top Shop there too! I love it during Christmas, because it's adorned like a movie. The Christmas tree, the Santa Sleigh, all of the metal snowflakes and there's a Santa for children! Plus, the little street car, although I've personally never rode it, it adds a nice touch to the venue. There's food for everyone -- whether you're on a budget or not. If so, I suggest Johnny Rockets which is a classic SoCal 50's style restaurant -- with roller-blades and all. There's Pinkberry, The Cheesecake Factory or one of the many little restaurants in the Farmer's Market. Or you can simply hit up Chipotle. Either way, it's a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon or to go with a date on a random Friday night.

You can't really get anymore LA than the Grove. It has everything a tourist could want: outdoor shopping, trollys, fountains, restaurants with two stories and outdoor patios, etc. As far as the shopping itself, in my opinion it doesn't have the best selection. If you are really looking to shop and looking for variety, definitely go to either the Beverly Center or Westfield Century City. These other venues have all the top brand names, and all your standard mall necessities. The Grove is trying to be trendy and "touristy" more than anything, but that doesn't mean you won't have a fun time, particularly if the weather is nice, which is often in LA.

I visited the grove for the very first time during my winter break and I was so so so impressed. The holiday decorations were beautiful and the 100feet tall Christmas tree was gorgeous. I loved the Christmas feel. They also have these free trolleys which I highly recommend! I sat on the upper deck and it was so nice. Also, during the winter season, they have snowfall at 7 which is magical! They also have a Santa house people can take pics with Santa. The shopping is great but can be pricey. I went to the forever 21 there and loved it. There's great eating options there. They have fancy places which are PERFECT for dates and they also have eating stalls which are very inexpensive and authentic. Great variety of shops, and eating places. I can't wait to revisit!

The Grove is pretty hyped up in my opinion. It is like any other malls besides its out door. You will have a great time if all you want to do is shop and eat. Besides that there aren’t many options. The couple times I went there I got bored pretty easily. They have a nice waterfall everyone like taking a picture with but besides that it’s your typical mall just out doors. If you’re looking for a peaceful alone time to shop the grove is not the place. The couple of times I had gone it was pretty crowded

The grove is definitely nice and different from other malls, but it is often crowded. It's cool that they have celebrities often going on a talk show in front of the fountain, but that draws even bigger crowds! The feel is nice especially at night and the decorations they put up during Christmas is absolutely fantastic. I've only been there twice, but I just think the shops there are too expensive for my taste. As a location to just walk around and socialize, there is no better mall for it. People often talk about the Grove, but I just feel it is overhyped. It won't fit everyones dream of the perfect mall, but it does rank up there.

The Grove/The Farmer's Market have everything anyone could ask for! Whether you are in the mood to shop, dine, drink, walk or enjoy the sites, you could spend an entire day here and come back the next to do it all again. Summers are an amazing time to spend the day walking around in the open air mall, soaking up the rays and buying new outfits at Nordstrom, Zara, Banana Republic and J. Crew. After working up a thirst and appetite, you have your choice of authentic international cuisine at The Farmer's Market. The Farmer's Market is a true historical landmark. If you enjoy drinking cheap, cold pitchers of beer with friends, people watching and meeting interesting characters, then spend the day drinking at EB's Bar in the center of the market! A modern-day Cheers, the regulars here are like a family, and if you are new to LA (and have a thick skin), then this is a great place to make new friends. If it is your first time at The Grove, get there early for a chance to catch Mario Lopez filming Extra! live every weekday, then jump on the trolly for a quick ride to the always popular Bellagio-like fountain show starting at the top of every hour.

The Grove is a fun mall to hang out at. It is definitely a little more upscale. There are many star spottings here, make sure to check facebook pages of celebrities because they will let you know if they are making an appearance, this happened once for me with Shay Mitchell from Pretty Little Liars. The farmer's market is definitely what makes the Grove special. I went here with my mom one day and I wish I had more time to explore all the cool stores and food. The Grove itself doesn't have much to it in terms of stores but the farmer's market is pretty great. I think the whole area is pretty historical.

If you are obsessed with shopping and eating way too much this here is the place for you. The Grove has stores from the Apple Store, Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch as well as good ole Nordstroms and everything in between. The Abercrombie & Fitch here is huge. It is about 3 or 4 stories full of men’s, women and even kids clothes all in one shot. If you like A & F, you will probably die going in the flagship store here. The Grove also just added TopShop and TopMan this past Valentine’s day 2013 for all of you obsessed with the brand whose closest store was only in Las Vegas for a short amount of time. Now, all you L.A. groupies can have the time of your life in the two story store here. If you are big on food and a little shopping, then the Farmers Market here also is a huge hit. A lot of tourist as well as locals usually visit this place. The Grove also has an extremely nice movie theater located in the middle of everything. Usually, during winter they use to have snow fall while people were shopping (not sure about anymore, but, you can always check it out if you are in town around that time). I love The Grove personally because I can be outside while shopping and also just taking the day all in. Perfect outdoor mall + food junkie’s place to go. Also, if you want to walk your dog around outside and shop you can do that too. Don’t forget you have to pay for parking on the way out though. Total bummer, make sure you save some bucks for after you finish shopping and eating.

The Grove is a quaint little place that combines modern shopping with old-school farmer's market. I personally enjoy going to the farmer's market area, which is outdoor and has a lot of little food stands where you can get various types of cuisine. Whether you like Brazilian, Indonesian, Mexican, Mediterranean, Japanese, Korean, Italian, American.. they are sure to have something that fits your taste! Plus, you can buy fresh produce, vegetables, seafood and meat. It's a fun place to come (when it's not too cold out, since you're seated outdoors) and just walk around and enjoy the ambience. I recommend it!

I went to the Grove for the first time during the holiday season, which was definitely an amazing way to experience it for the first time! The Grove is a really nice outdoor mall with clothing shops and great food. These include an American Girl store, Anthropologie, Cheesecake Factory, La Piazza (which is where I ate the first time I went there; delicious!), and a movie theater. As the name would suggest, there are a lot of trees in the outdoor area and for the holidays they were all strung up with lights. There was also a santa's sleigh being pulled by reindeer suspended in the air and (get this), artificial snow would rain down periodically on everyone walking around outside! It was absolutely wonderful. The Grove has dedicated parking and a lot of it, and there are elevators and escalators to take you down all the levels back to the ground where the shops are. I'm a college student without my own car here so I haven't been able to make it out to the Grove for a second time, but I can't wait until I'm able to! A really nice spot all-around.

The Grove is a very nice outdoor mall location, similar to the Irvine Spectrum or Fashion Island for any OCers out there. It features a solid selection of restaurants and stores, so one could easily spend an entire afternoon just looking around at places. The Grove also has one of the nicest (if not THE nicest) movie theaters I have ever seen. Simply watching films there makes me feel fancy. The farmers market is an awesome element of The Grove and I think it really adds a sense of community, since the vendors are from the LA area and are trying to maintain a small business in a big business economy.

I absolutely love the Grove! I can spend a whole day there and still not get enough of it. It's a cozy outdoor mall, where you can eat to your heart's content, shop till you drop and catch a movie in the grand theatre. You have the option to feast at a high end restaurant, like The Cheesecake Factory, or grab a quick bite from the wide selection of food in the Farmer's Market. Before or after you eat, you can walk around and window shop or actually shop. The stores are relatively the same as those in any local mall but Topshop was recently opened there, so there's one more reason for you to visit. If you get tired from walking, you can simply hop on the double decker tram that will you take back and forth in the shopping center so you can soak in the charming views. The view is especially breathtaking at Christmas, because there are such cute decorations everywhere. The reindeers hanging from above were my favorite last year.

As everyone has said and as you would guess, the Grove has plenty of places to shop, eat, sit, and even run into a celebrity--I once saw Paris Hilton in a bookstore (of all places) at the Grove. However, the stores aren't any different from what you'd find in your local mall and the restaurants are mostly pricey. In other words, with more research, you could find more exciting shops and eats elsewhere in LA. But, when you and your friends are being indecisive about where to meet or go to next, the Grove is a solid and convenient choice. The best part of the Grove is probably the Farmers Market. Especially after traveling to Europe, I'm a sucker for open markets of any kind. There is a large variety of places to browse; check out Light My Fire for hot sauces from around the world, grab a donut from Bob's, and try some Brazilian BBQ paid by-the-pound at Pampas Grill. I'm sure you'll find something to entertain one of your senses while exploring the Farmers Market. From my experience, the retail stores don't really validate parking tickets. BUT (and I only did this once), I think that the shoe department in Nordstrom does validate. So if you're not going to the Grove to eat at one of their restaurants and don't have luck finding validation, try Nordstrom. Overall, the Grove is pretty good. But I do prefer the architectural style of the Americana at Brand in Glendale.

The Grove, while somewhat expensive, is a great place to hang out, grab a bite, or take a date. Designed and built by Rick Caruso, it features several different restaurants (Woodranch BBQ, Umami Burger, etc.) in a great environment to walk around. Built around a big plaza, in some ways it feels like Disneyland - like a world of its own. All of the restaurants are delicious and the stores there (Barnes and Noble, Apple, J Crew) are fun to explore and relax in. I wouldn't go every week, as it gets somewhat old, but maybe every few months it is a wonderful diversion and great way to spend a day. Take a few hours and go with no plan just to walk around. Generally its not too busy and parking is highly accessible.

If Disneyland were a shopping mall, it would be the Grove. The open-air mini-city of high-end stores features a trolley car, a dancing-waters fountain, a main street with old-fashioned architecture, and a grassy park where musicians play. It’s a clean, charming, handsome place that can suck your wallet dry. The stores are famous high-end retail brands -- for instance, Apple, Nordstrom, and Abercrombie & Fitch. You can eat at branches of other familiar names, including The Cheesecake Factory and Starbucks (inside a Barnes & Noble). Pushcarts offer tchotchkes ranging from L.A. souvenirs to Hello Kitty iPhone cases. I like the Grove. It’s pleasantly busy but never too crowded, its wide streets inspire easy strolling, and you might spot a celebrity or two. (The Barnes & Noble often hosts stars signing new books or CDs). And if you get tired of stores for people with heavy wallets, the much more economical Farmers Market sits just steps away. The Farmers Market has been an L.A. institution since the ’30s. This bazaar’s aisles of little shops and dining spots (a few remarkably upscale, like Mr. Marcel Pain Vin et Fromage) make it a stroller’s paradise. You can have a haircut, get an eye exam for new glasses, take cooking lessons, enjoy live bands and buy nearly anything you can carry: fine jewelry, purses recycled from old seat belts, a copy of The Times of London, a specially engraved picture frame or a 1930s George Raft movie poster. There are even specialty stores dedicated to decorative stickers, coffee-table books and baked dog treats. But the Farmers Market started out as a place to sell food, and that’s where it’s still strongest. There are the places that you’d expect (produce bins, ice-cream stalls) and the ones that you don’t (Light My Fire, a store selling nothing but hot sauces). For sit-down eating, local favorites include The Gumbo Pot’s Cajun specialties and the Mexican ¡Loteria! If L.A. has a place better than The Grove and the Farmers Market for a few hours of shopping and eating, I haven’t found it -- and I’ve lived in this town all my life.