That place is a nightmare to get into. I went to visit a friend and and they wouldn't let me IN to the lobby until she came out and got me. I good look @ all of the H'wood Dbags coming out of there & I have no desire to go back.

It really does matter. There is a restaurant in Silverlake in LA called Aroma. The most delicious food, you can practically cut your steak with your fork. The pasta is per-freaking-fection! It is not astronomically pricey but you will drop a Benji between 2 people easily. The problem? It is in a strip mall and could have easily been a 7-11 prior to it's new incarnation. We haven't gone back because of the price/taste/decor ratio not working out. In fact, is it even open still? Who knows...

My grandma says "Presentation is everything" and she's not far wrong. If the food is great but ugly, it's not as good as it could be. If the restaurant is ugly, well, then it depends on the price. Like Marcellah, I think if you're dropping $100 on dinner for two, you should get some ambiance to go with dinner. Dining out for that kind of price should be an Experience. Even a little hole in the mall can try for a nicer feel.

I read a professional food critic's blog and he once listed five of the best places to eat out in San Francisco. One of the places he listed because the food was good and the decor was great (it's really fun and classy without being snooty).

Decor in a restaurant is important even if it isn't everything. After all, you eat with your eyes first.

Well, I guess. But some of the best Chinese food in the world is in some strip mall joints in the SGV.

Yes, at a certain price level there should be a connection between food and decor - I'm not inclined to going to drop $100/pp in a dive, even if the food and service are outstanding...

...but on the other hand, how many folks have been sucked into a pricey place because of it's decor or a view and had a perfectly lousy meal?
(I can think of a few places like this on Fishermans' Wharf)

I love to cook and usually can't justify going out to eat for the food itself. Unless it requires special equipment, I can make the same meal for a lot less, especially here in Washington DC where nearly everything is mediocre. So the decor, noise level, price and service are greater priorities when I'm deciding where to go out to eat or have drinks. Usually if I can find a place that's not too brightly lit, not too pricey, and quiet enough to hold a conversation without shouting I'm sold.

I've eaten in so-called designer restaurants from LA to NYC and to this day one of the best meals I've ever had was at a dive bar in New Orleans.

As long as the eatery has personality—and I include bullet holes in that description—I'm in!

you have to separate the two elements, well I believe in 3 elements...

1- the food
2- the service
3- the atmosphere

I ate there last night and I'd have to say the design is way better than the food, which was nothing special. The service was great, which is always a nice surprise.

The design element of a restaurant on this caliber should be fantastic, but not overwhelming, such as this particular one. My belief is that it should be about presentation in a quiet dignified manner - not screaming with too much personality - because after all one comes there to eat..and then take it all in.