This is my favorite restaurant in Santa Monica. Every time I have a friend visit, I take them to…read moreFig at Five, where the entire menu (food and drinks) are half off from 5-6pm. Sitting on the outdoor patio gives you an interrupted view of the pool; sitting in the covered patio makes you feel like you're in a plant-filled bistro, and sitting by the bar allows for more sociability. They have the best Spritz in town, though I swap aperol with elderflower. A good caesar salad is a marker of a quality restaurant and theirs is my absolute favorite. The lettuce is fresh, portion is big, and they shave the breadcrumbs so you're not gnawing on a giant crouton. The scallops are one of the best things on the menu, as they come in a flavorful sauce and beautiful presentation. The agnolotti is the best pasta -- it's handmade, smells divine, and achieves the perfect caviar-cream-Parmesan bite. The service is attentive and helpful, offering the best menu recs and ensuring we order everything we want within the discounted hour. You can't beat the poolside California indoor-outdoor living, and the ambience is off the charts.

Wow! Amazing! I had low expectations for this place but this restaurant was awesome! We stayed at…read moreFairmont for the weekend and decided to eat here for their happy hour and breakfast. We got the filet mignon which was 8oz cooked to perfection! Butter on top was delicious! Rosemary fries were good but I prefer if they had truffle Parmesan fries instead! Peach cobbler was delish with the ice cream. I cannot wait to come back for thier happy hour again!! Service was a bit slow due to staff being short but their manager and Jose kept checking up on us! Why is Jose not a waiter! Give this guy a promotion! He should be helping to wait tables. He was so attentive with us and refilling our drinks. He deserves a raise. We never saw our waiter the whole time until the end! Jose saved his life. Breakfast was amazing a big portions! I got the chilaquiles! It was heavily packed with protein of eggs and chicken. Flavors were spot on! My husband loved his smoked salmon egg Benedict's. Ambiance is classy. I love the aesthetics and vibes here. Great indoor and outdoor areas! Dress appropriately for dinner but people still come in with shorts.

I had a yummy meal here with my mom. The service was warm and attentive…read more We started with the herb salad. This was delicious and full of fresh dill and the lemon vinaigrette paired seamlessly. 7/10 The pizza was actually pretty good considering there wasn't any cheese! The chewy sourdough crust and well seasoned tomato sauce did the heavy lifting. 7/10 I loved the chicken dish. Resting on a bed of greens, the chicken thigh was tender, juicy and flavorful. 9/10 We ended the night with the sticky date and ginger cake topped with vanilla ice cream. Spectacular. So decadent but with a robust ginger flavor that helps cut some of the richness. Could eat again and again. 10/10

Gjelina captures Venice chicness almost perfectly: hazy, sun-faded, relaxed, and quietly plugged…read moreinto an extraordinary amount of money, taste, and influence. I love the aged wood, stacked plants, brick, earth tones, and the back patio on a bright but chilly day, when the fire is going and everything smells faintly of smoke. The pizzas are excellent, but the deeper appeal is the sensibility: Patagonia, Arc'teryx, Vans, and Tony Hawk chic, all without a trace of glossy Hollywood excess. There's something almost deceptive about how mellow it feels. You can sit there in the slow Venice light and forget that some of the richest, fastest-moving, and most influential people in the world may be a few tables away. If I were trying to understand or underwrite this community, Gjelina would be one of the first places I'd go.

My husband and I really enjoyed this place!…read more Came here for bottomless brunch (bottomless is only allowed if you get an entree which is fine but a different condition than I've experienced of other brunch spots.) I got the steak and eggs (was able to mod for medium rare and over easy eggs instead of scrambled). Incredibly tasty, I loved the bernaise sauce that came with it. My husband got the breakfast burrito which he appreciated came with avocado. Decent, 7/10, but we are hard critics on a breakfast burrito lol. No parking but plenty in the parking structures along the promenade. Mimosas were premixed and given in a carafe so a bit sweeter than our preferred ratio but they were great about keeping them coming during our 90 min! Will definitely come again.

Giving this place a 1 star since can't give negative stars. My wife and her girlfriends were out…read morecelebrating a 40th b'day at this place on Saturday(6/5/21). The night started off good, but ended terribly. There was a Dj was playing okay music..nothing like "OMG, that's my jam" type music....let's call him Dj Douchebag

Salud! completely lived up to the hype! A friend recommended it and I'm so glad I listened! This…read moreVenice gem did not disappoint. The service was fantastic from the moment we sat down,attentive without hovering and everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there. The food was seriously delicious, the kind you're already thinking about ordering again before you've finished your plate. But what really stuck with me was the ambiance. It has this warm, lived in energy that felt completely unpretentious. Nothing staged or "Instagram-first" about it, just a real neighborhood spot that happens to have great coffee and food. In a city full of places chasing a look, this one felt refreshingly authentic. Already planning my next visit. Highly recommend if you're in Venice Beach!

Came here on a sunday for brunch. My friend had met the owners and really wanted to come by and say…read morehi and enjoy a coffee. Unfortunately the owner was not working that day, but we still sat at the bar and had some brunch. From the outside, it looks like a normal spot. But honestly, the inside is just so cute. The outside does not do it justice. They are very dog friendly and they have a screen where they play games. I hear they also have djs play on certain days as well. The staff was so friendly when we walked in. I ended up ordering the breakfast sandwich and Spanish Latte. I'm obbsessed with the Spanish Latte. It was sooo delicious! The breakfast sandwich was just as good too! It was the perfect amount and really didn't feel too heavy at all. THe bread was really good too! I absolutely want to come back and try more on their menu, especially that espresso de olla martini! This is a hidden gem that deserves more recognition!

Loved the private Malibu Cabana seating Food excellent…read more Service excellent Beautiful restaurant that I would visit multiple times a month if I lived closer.

I came for my birthday. The view is spectacular. The decor is beautiful. Each booth is set up like…read morea private cabana with a chandelier. We tried the aperol smash for a drink, the soup of the day was lobster bisque, steak fries and Thai chicken salad. The aperol smash was very refreshing. The food was all delicious. The staff was so friendly. They surprised me with a lovely birthday card and a dessert accompanied by fireworks. Such a great experience. Will be returning :)

Decided to go here for the USA opening game for World Cup 2026…read more.. Shout out to Caley for perfect service and Low key letting us know enjoy the whole day from early arrival to a night of Nu Margaritas. Go here for good food and the best service. The ambiance of upscale sports bar and good food makes it all work.

My family goes out to eat A LOT and we've had plenty of meh experiences, but this was unequivocally…read morethe WORST SERVICE we've ever had. The hostess, bus boy, and food runner all did a fine job...but our server did absolutely nothing. After the hostess quickly seated us, we sat there for 20 minutes when my husband finally got up to ask the hostess if our server could come by. Another 10 minutes went by and just as we were about to leave the hostess came to the table to take our order. After our order was taken, a server dropped off drinks to our table after mistakenly delivering them to the table next to us. No hello, no "can I get you anything else"...nothing. I should also say that the busboy did bring us water about 10 minutes after we were seated. During this whole time we watched two servers walk past our table multiple times without one glance over to our table. We were literally sitting in front of the main entrance, so it's not like they didn't know we were there. One woman, who I think was our actual server, was too busy socializing with friends and taking sips out of their drinks to bother with us. It was actually ridiculous how terrible the service was. And unfortunately, the sticky table, dirty chairs, and mediocre food did not make up for the terrible service. This was an extremely disappointing experience after deciding to spend the last Friday of summer break having dinner at the beach. Management, this was on Friday, August 7th at 6:45pm. I highly recommend having a talk with your staff and retraining them on how to provide adequate customer service to your guests.

Recently tried this place for the first time for a laid back no fuss dinner and drinks gathering…read morefor college friends. The staff was very attentive, the drinks were delish and the food comforting. Ordered guac, chicken sandwiches, burgers, a hot dog, and steak sandwich. All very good! Loved that it was pet friendly and it was hard to resist smooching every cute pup around! Chef memo came out to chat with us a few times and he's such a nice guy. We are thinking of making this our regular spot whenever we need to plan our gatherings! Parking was so easy. They have a small lot that you can text to pay.

We visited The backyard at Chez Jays in Santa Monica on a Sunday afternoon, looking for a…read moredog-friendly spot, and it turned out to be a delightful choice. The atmosphere is super cute and cozy, reminiscent of relaxing in your own backyard, which is fitting given the name. The staff and other patrons were friendly, making it a welcoming environment for both us and our dogs. We ordered nachos with chicken, but I found them lacking in cheese, and the addition of lettuce felt a bit off for nachos. The guacamole also could've used a bit more flavor. On the brighter side, the drinks were enjoyable; I had a michelada, while my friend opted for a Mai Tai. She also tried the chicken sandwich with fries and really liked it, especially the slaw that accompanied it. Service was decent, sweet and attentive, though it could've been a bit quicker. A nice perk is the parking lot, though keep in mind that you need to pay during certain times. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but there's room for improvement in the food.

Love that this place is affordable and had a cute vibe for brunch. It was close enough to the beach…read moreso convenient for a refuel. The food was delicious. I picked the shakshuka and a mimosa for brunch. The bread was so addictive.. wish I had more. The servers were friendly and the food came out pretty quickly as well.

This place is great for brunch! I got a chicken and waffle and my bf got their breakfast burrito,…read moreand they were both fantastic. The chicken and waffle was beautifully presented and very flavorful. Honestly the first 2-3 bites were heavenly! My only issue was that it had a lot of sauce already on the waffle and while delicious, it got very soggy very quickly. If you're a slow eater like me, it might be a good idea to ask for the hollandaise on the side! I also got an iced matcha latte and my bf got an iced vanilla latte. Honestly I'd say pass, neither of them were very good, unfortunately. The matcha was super clumpy. Service was fairly attentive, ambiance is cute and casual.