Marcus Jernmark opens Maree, a French-California bistro above Lielle

Chef Marcus Jernmark, the Michelin-starred mind behind Lielle, will debut Maree on September 9 at 9575 West Pico Boulevard, offering a 70-seat French-inflected bistro and wine bar.

Marcus Jernmark, the chef who earned a Michelin star for Lielle, is set to add a more casual yet ambitious concept to his Mid-City portfolio. The new restaurant, Maree, will open on September 9 above his tasting-menu venue and will seat 70 guests in a spacious dining room.

Maree is billed as a French-California bistro that leans away from heavy sauces toward lighter, aromatic flavors while still honoring Escoffier tradition. Jernmark cites San Francisco’s Zuni Café as a model for timeliness and consistency, and he describes the menu as “stuff that we like to eat” rather than concept-driven dishes.

Reservations are now live on OpenTable, while the kitchen counter and bar will remain open for walk-ins at launch.

The culinary program at Maree balances classic French technique with California seasonality. Starters include briny grilled Cerignola olives, truffled onion soup, and sourdough bread with cultured butter, radish, and anchovy add-ons. The signature escargot beignets fuse grilled maitake mushrooms, spinach, and snail butter into a fried ball served on a traditional escargot plate.

Seafood receives a California twist: a prawn cocktail replaces the classic shrimp version, paired with a house-made sauce of hot sauce, ketchup, fresh tomatoes, and horseradish, alongside bread pudding for dipping. Other dishes feature halibut crudo with late-summer citrus, heirloom tomato salad, and beef tartare with nasturtium.

Pasta is made in-house daily, ranging from spaghetti vongole to ricotta ravioli with fig XO sauce and tagliatelle topped with aged veal ragout. Larger plates include bouillabaisse, veal sausage, and a hamburger au poivre limited to 30 orders a day, built on a thick patty finished over Japanese charcoal and topped with barbecued oyster mushrooms, Espanola sauce, onion rings, and kale chips.

Desserts close the experience with delicate canelés and a salty dark chocolate mousse studded with hazelnuts. The wine list expands beyond Lielle’s California focus to include bottles from France, Italy, Spain and other regions, curated by the restaurant’s wine director.

Maree’s interior was designed by Jernmark’s wife, Andrea Jernmark, in partnership with design firm Lovers Unite. Clam-shaped pendant lights from Fritz Hansen illuminate cream-colored wood walls, tall ceilings, and pillar candles that sit on wood tables. A semi-open kitchen and a green onyx marble bar complete the relaxed yet refined atmosphere.

The 70-seat dining room offers a mix of reservation-only tables and a bar area for spontaneous visits. Jernmark notes that at 44 he feels “luxury” in finally creating a space that is both his most casual and his most expansive, allowing his team to grow while still delivering the hospitality he values.

Maree’s wine program is described as “more well-rounded, traditional, but yet very thoughtful,” reflecting the chef’s desire to pair French roots with California vibrancy. The restaurant will open its doors on September 9, with reservations already available through the OpenTable link above.

Maree adds a rare French-California hybrid to Mid-City, giving LA diners a venue that blends classic technique with local produce without the price tag of a tasting menu. Its spacious layout and walk-in bar fill a gap for casual yet refined gatherings, reinforcing the neighborhood’s growing reputation as a culinary hub.