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    Crimson Photos

    CRIMSON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Crimson

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    Reviews With Photos - Crimson

    Menu back
    Jessica H.

    The food, flavor and portions are good. There is a lot of the menu to chose from for food and drinks. I would say the prices are a little higher than I would like. But overall it's a good place.

    White chicken kabob and kale salad and dolmens.
    Vanessa P.

    Ridiculously delicious tender mouth watering white chicken kabob and kale salad!!! Highly recommend this restaurant! It's clean, staff are friendly and the cook must be an Arabic Chef. This is beyond delicious.

    Massive chicken kebab (dark meat) plate with shirazi salad and garlic sauce! So juicy and tender
    Jonathan H.

    The food at Crimson is so good, fresh, and healthy. I would eat here everyday if I could. Very solid Mediterranean option if you're in the Santa Monica area. Plenty of indoor seating and the restaurant is clean and full of sunshine. The staff are really friendly and helpful with menu recommendations. I have had the grilled plates here, which are excellent and very filling. If you are looking to get a good amount of protein for the day or hit your macros, this will do it. The meat is grilled to order so it takes a bit more time to cook, but it is so worth the wait. The chicken thigh kebab is so juicy and the garlic sauce (toum) is to die for. My recommendations for the side are the broccoli salad (I know, very random for a Mediterranean restaurant but trust it is so good) and the babaghanoush. You can't go wrong with any of their side salads though and they don't skimp on the leafy greens! They also have free cucumber water if you dine in.

    Chicken Kabob.
    GlobeTrotter L.

    In A Nutshell: -Crimson is a super good Mediterranean restaurant that offers huge portions for a fair price. -I love ordering the Chicken Shish Kabob w/ 2 sides for $22. -The service is always proactive w/ plenty of smiles. Overall, the food tastes very good here & it's quick perfect for lunch!

    $21 filet
    Bradley K.

    First time trying this spot. Full of regrets :( 2 stars because the staff was really nice and apologetic or it would be 1 star. Ordered the filet kabob and just fyi, it's the smallest portion of meat you've ever seen. Order 2 meals @ $21.00 each if you're hungry!! The meal comes with just a couple small cuts of meat, two small corners of pita and a 5 gallon bucket of rice. I would recommend checking out some of the other similar spots to eat Mediterranean in the area that offer normal sized portions. $42 later, I now have 6 small pieces of meat, 4 pita corners And 10 gallons of rice!

    Ground Siloin Kabab - Fake Meat
    Makoto C.

    Crimson is in my opinion the equivalent of airport-food court Mediterranean food. Nothing feels like it was made with care or passion. It for the most part resembles the actual Mediterranean food without going above in any area (except their fries are good). Their pita bread taste like it was taken out of a Ralphs pita-value pak. And their ground sirloin ka-bab is just awful (although it looks super good in photos). It isn't real meat. When it only costs $2.50 to add a whole 2 extra kababs to your plate you know it isn't real meat. I wish they would up the prices and make the food real.

    Persian coffee (iced)
    Ruby P.

    I really liked this Mediterranean place! It's a medium-sized clean restaurant that is within walking distance from SGI-USA World Peace Ikeda Auditorium in Santa Monica. I was there on a Saturday for lunch and there were only a few people. I ordered Persian coffee (iced) and lamb loin chops (from the grill) with 2 sides (babaganoush (grilled mashed eggplant) and sweet potato fries) and pita bread. I substituted rice for mixed green salad. The food were presented nicely and they also tasted very good. I especially loved the lamb chops! Juicy and nicely grilled. It was my first time to try the Persian coffee and I didn't really like it. It had a weird flavor that tasted like chemicals or medications. And the coffee was kinda thin/watery too. I went to a concert after having lunch here and I was glad I remained full throughout the concert. If I had the chance to come here again, I would want to try more plates from the grill!

    Holly B.

    Food was disgusting. I ordered the sirloin kabob and it smells and tastes like dog food. The tabbouleh salad was old and wilted and looked like it's been out for a while. The kabob was so bad I had to spit in into my napkin. For $50+ for two plates that's insane.

    Outside
    Roselia G.

    Seriously good Mediterranean restaurant! It's all street meter parking, but we were lucky enough to get a spot right outside the door. I love the interior, and that wall sign right by the register too. It's kinda funny and sad at the same time, but it's the perfect table to sit at right under that neon sign if you're breaking up with someone. You'll get it when you walk in:P Amazing meats, really good sides, and great service. I am one of those that really only eats dark meat, so I was pleasantly surprised that they offer both options! I had to try the filet mignon wrap first, and it was so good! I'm gonna have to come back for the dark meat chicken kabobs, cuz I have never seen that offered anywhere else! I'll also have to get more of the sweet potato fries. They were probably the best I've had! Oh and the Persian Latte was so good! I had never had it before, but it's part coffee and part tea. You gotta try it if you never have.

    Mark L.

    Definitely worth the walk from 3rd Street Promenade--this place has some of the best Mediterranean food in the area. Every dish my family ordered was delicious and satisfying. The prices were fair, and the ambiance was lovely and inviting. Overall, it's incredible Mediterranean cuisine that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

    Chopped Salad with Salmon
    Jaenell C.

    The food here is good. The salmon is perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The salad is tasty and the dressing is a nice compliment. The portions are decent as well. The service is very hit or miss. If you're dining in it becomes pretty apparent the restaurant favors to go orders. Almost every time we've eaten here it's practically empty. Still if you don't mind a quieter spot with consistent food I'd check it out.

    Chicken Gyro (White Meat)
    Jia Y.

    Pretty good pretty good! The chicken kabob plate was definitely pretty good and very filling!

    Salmon kabob, Filet Kabob, Chicken kabob
    Maylee W.

    Ordered thru Grubhub/ chicken kabob, filet kabob and salmon kabob - delicious! The filet was very tender and juicy. My order was delivered very quickly. I would definitely order from Crimson again.

    Salted caramel (right) and tan and black or something like that.... both good!

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    7 months ago

    This is my favorite Mediterranean food spot! Love the salmon plate and all the sides they offer are fire!

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    Crimson Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Crimson

    Does this place serve halal meat?

    Yes, the do serve halal meat and use organic ingredients as much as possible.

    Do you order at the counter or is there a waiter?

    Hi Sam, we are a counter service restaurant, however for parties of six or more we are happy to provide table service.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Tartine

    Tartine

    4.1
    (882 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Wonderful ambience! This is not a full service restaurant. You wait in line ( many times the line…read moreis out the front door onto the side walk. This part is a bit stressful. Order and pay at the counter and find a table indoors or outside. Both areas are nice, however inside, the noise level is a wee bit louder, however I haven't had any issues having a conversation with a friend. For those with sensitive ears, just sit outside. One can come here for coffee. Free refills! You can ask for a cup ( their cups are glass), but the coffee doesn't stay warm long. If you plan on sitting there and don't mind a paper cup To Go, order your coffee in a To Go cup. Food: each time I have ordered food to eat there, it arrives promptly and presented beautifully. Their sandwiches are made with their house made bread! Delicious! Try to save room for one of their pastries or desserts. Tartine is an oasis to relax, unwind, catch up with friends, people watch. Parking: paid lot, adjacent, not cheap.

    One of the best croissants I've ever had was given to me from Tartine. Ever since, I've always…read morewanted to visit myself. Parking here on a Sunday morning is fairly difficult on the street. The valet isn't quite worth it if you're only getting a coffee and pastry - almost feels like an upcharge on a lightly pricy snack / drink. That being said, the almond croissant? Worth every penny! The almond croissant has a generous helping of almonds and features a nice, crispy exterior and light, fluffy interior. My excited nibbles sent them bread shards soaring through the air! I also had an iced latte, and i often don't finish my drink the same hour. Well, I did here! The espresso they added was nutty and dark; the ice made it a little watery but it was tasty nonetheless. To enjoy all the goodness, seating is available indoors (for a more rustic feel) and outdoors (for a more garden feel). Come early, though, not only for parking and fresh bread, but also because there may be a short line!

    Photos
    Inside, to-go boxes, cups and water station
    Inside, to-go boxes, cups and water station
    Coconut cream pie with a ganache
    Coconut cream pie with a ganache
    Peach hand pie and morning bun

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    Peach hand pie and morning bun
    Variable Cafe

    Variable Cafe

    4.9
    (441 reviews)
    3.2 mi
    $$
    Vegan friendly
    Healthy dining

    |[ u n v a r i a b l e l o v e ]| This review was a long…read moretime coming- this is my fav vegan resto! The quality and service is consistently great and I LOVE how delicious everything is. My go to is the Seoul bowl it's so good and perfectly marinated while still being health conscious 5/5. The newer tikka masala has been a fav lately- it's veggie based but the spices and flavor are on point, just as delicious as a non-vegan dish! I think with soy meat it could be even better, I'll see if that's an option next time, but this was 4.5/5. West coast shrimp side is really satisfying and savory. I rly should try more items here but it's hard to deviate from my favs haha. |[ s i p ]| Drinks are also decent but the star for me here is the food. I really look forward to more new food items to come. |[ n o t e s ]| Parking lot is small and kinda hit or miss but it's worth it. :) Ambiance- cute brunch spot while still health conscious.

    Delightful and tasty hidden gem on Washington Blvd in Marina del Rey. There are several places in…read morethe area, but Variable stands apart with their flavorful and satisfying vegan menu. While I am not at all vegan, it can be a fantastic change of pace when trying a cuisine that is not at all my regular routine. Happily, Variable has tons of choices, and we loved what we got. I was drawn towards the 'N Seoul Bowl' (Korean spicy plant based pork, house marinated Kimchi, organic edamame, steamed organic spinach, carrot, steamed broccoli, onion , organic shiitake, topped with green onion and sesame seeds and side organic quinoa). So good, a bit spicy, and so many flavors on the plate it was impossible to not only love it, but I could not finish it, either. That goes from all their dishes. They are big, and in our experience, it came out piping hot soon after ordering it. My companion tried the 'Indian Tikka Masala' (homemade Indian curry, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, yellow squash, potatoes, cabbage, chickpea, micro green, Served with blend wild Jasmin rice and Indian Flat Bread). Tastes so fresh, hearty, with just enough of a kick to it. I look forward to trying some of their other dishes, too. The burger that the table near us ordered looked fantastic. I gotta think that everything here is pretty dang great.

    Photos
    Outside
    Outside
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    Variable Cafe

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    Crimson - mediterranean - Updated August 2026

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