Mama Shelter makes for relaxed, delectable date night

Selma Avenue has become the happening place in Hollywood. Do people still say “happening?” Maybe my status as a midlevel millennial is showing. Regardless, if you want to be in with the trends, there’s no place to vibe harder than Mama Shelter.

Mama Shelter is a hotel, first and foremost, and it happens to have two restaurants nestled within its five-stories, as well, including one on the rooftop – that’s where my boyfriend (who from here forth will be referred to as “Boyfriend”) and I chose to take a Valentine’s Eve meal, and truly, we both came away wishing we could’ve stayed longer.

It’s Hollywood, so plan to either rideshare, make use of Mama Shelter’s valet or park in the lot across the street. Once you’re at the lobby door, you’re greeted with friendly faces, a foosball table and, off to the right, the slightly more upscale dining option, open Wednesday-Sunday. The rooftop is open every night, with drinks served until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. The kitchen, open at noon every day, closes at 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and midnight Friday and Saturday.

From the moment we stepped off the elevator, the relaxed atmosphere was apparent, putting guests at ease and forgetting their troubles. It resembles a deck more than a roof, with plank wood floors and multi-colored tables and chairs. This deck just happens to have a breathtaking 360-degree view of L.A. – from the hills to downtown.

The light menu is as relaxed as the environment. Appetizers are dubbed “snacks” and include such tempting options as deviled eggs, chicken drumette made with calamansi, Calabrian Chile and kaffir, sweet and spicy shrimp, and a charcuterie board. We choose the boujee fries, which were seasoned with nori goma, parmesan and truffle oil. This was an excellent decision on our part – the rounded fries were gone before we even thought about ordering a main course.

Of course, one appetizer is never enough, so we added popcorn cauliflower to the mix. As a southern-raised boy, the breaded, crunchy pieces reminded me of my own Mama’s fried okra – and, for me, this is exactly how vegetables should be done.

A few dipping options came with the snacks, including a spicy, Thousand Island-inspired Mama sauce and a coconut curry sauce, which Boyfriend ended up adding to everything he tasted.

Wedge, Caesar and grain bowl salads were offered for anyone seeking a healthy option.

There were a variety of cocktail options, and our friendly waiter Cam recommended the Endgame. We weren’t partaking spirits on this particular evening, so we chose the virgin alternative Mojo Jojo, a refreshing hibiscus mojito with a delightful fruit blend with just a hint of mint.

For the main course, the menu has two categories: “Tacos & More” and “Burgers & Sando.” While the Baja fish taco, short rib tacos, Nashville hot chicken bao and pork belly bao were all tempting, Boyfriend and I decided it was a sandwich night.

I ordered the delectable Le Royal burger … which I should note came with non-boujee fries that were just as good as their boujee alternative. The burger didn’t last long. Cooked to the diner’s specifications, it comes with lettuce, tomato, American cheese and Mama sauce on a Hawaiian bun. I’ve had a lot of burgers in Los Angeles, and as far as higher-end hamburgers go, this was the tops.

Boyfriend went with a spicy fried chicken sando – that’s sandwich for the non-Gen Z crowd. I speak the lingo now. It came on a telera roll with salsa Negra, cabbage and tomato. It was also very, very large – so much so that we ended up getting a to-go box for the sandwich’s other half. While the sando usually comes with fries, we requested the crispy brussels sprouts off the starter menu. Good choice. With just a touch of jalapeno and cherry, this veggie option was excellent and, I should note, also tasted incredible in the coconut curry sauce.

There’s just one dessert option. Boyfriend isn’t big on chocolate (I know, I don’t get it, either), but even he enjoyed the chocoflan – which was drizzled with rum caramel, almonds, strawberries and espresso whipped cream. My only critique on the food menu, honestly, would be to have one more sweet selection – just in case a chocolate-hater like Boyfriend takes the elevator to the Mama Shelter roof, even if he briefly converted for the delightful fluffiness of the flan.

After the meal, and one more Mojo Jojo, we went to the rooftop’s center, where there’s a spread of couches and heat lamps. At 10:30 p.m. with a belly full of carbs, it’s the perfect place to take a load off before heading back home. Cam brought us blankets, available for diners, and we lounged, taking in the view. The area is likely abuzz most weekends, but in the middle of the week, it’s the closest thing to peace you can find in Hollywood’s hullaballoo. Had the rooftop not needed to shut down, we would’ve just stayed there. But alas, all good things must come to an end.

Later, Boyfriend noted what a perfect evening it had been. The pared down, comfort food menu and easygoing ambiance gave us the perfect environment for conversation – whether it’s a first date, you’re well in the 100s like us, or if you just want to catch up with one of your best pals, Mama Shelter is the place for you. You’ll want to be up there all night.

Mama Shelter is located at 6500 Selma Ave. For information, visit mamashelter.com or call (323)785-6600.