Holy crap this place is incredible, and when I say incredible I mean LIFE CHANGING. I still think about this place after it's been weeks. You want a really nice date spot with some Michelin level foods? This is the place. THE TARTARE: Do NOT skip this appetizer. This item will set the tone for your experience. I dont know how they seasoned this but it is probably the best tartar I have ever eaten. Every bite was perfectly savory, tender, and juicy. Oh my god if I could go back just for this I would. Absolutely incredible. Every dish here has to be a food buster, I was seriously mind blown at the quality of the food and the affordability of it. I love this place and if I ever see it again in my travels im going right away. PLAN YOUR DATE NIGHT. This place has achieved baller status. read more

After encountering far too many whole roasted cauliflowers that require awkward cutting at the table, I appreciated that Gjelina's wood-roasted cauliflower ($19) arrived already broken into bite-sized pieces. The flames caramelize the edges beautifully, giving the florets a smoky char while layers of garlic, chili, and vinegar keep the dish vibrant and addictive. If vegetables always tasted this good, convincing people to eat them would be far easier. The grilled squid ($22) also gets that char. The seafood is cooked perfectly so it stays tender while still getting a slight smokiness from the grill. Topped with a vibrant tapenade, beans, celery, red onion, and other vegetables, every bite feels fresh and lively. Still, the pizzas are hard to resist. The squash blossom pizza ($28) immediately caught my attention thanks to two personal favourites: delicate zucchini blossoms and burrata. The thin, blistered Neapolitan crust comes generously topped with baby zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and confit garlic, creating something creamy, fresh, and deeply satisfying all at once. Thankfully, the pizza was large enough to share because otherwise I may not have left any for my friend. Extra salt, dried oregano, and chili flakes arrive on the side for anyone wanting even more flavour. Honestly, I wish my trip had been longer just so I could return to try more of the menu. The gruyère and caramelized onion pizza and an anchovy-topped version all sounded interesting. Even on a Monday, Gjelina was packed through lunch service, with the back patio fully reserved. If you don't have a booking, it's worth arriving early or simply embracing the Venice lifestyle by heading to the beach first before returning for a later lunch. Some restaurants become famous because they're trendy. Gjelina feels different. It's the kind of place people keep returning to because the food genuinely delivers, even years after the hype began. read more

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Had an amazing meal here ate Gjelina! Enjoyed their upstairs dining room with the windows open to enjoy the beautiful cooler night. We were here for work and just ordered a lot of little sharing dishes. Some of the standouts were the heirloom tomato salad which was so fresh and delicious! The butternut squash pizza which was so flavorful and the mushroom toast which was do good with a variety of mushrooms in a white wine sauce served on a blackened toast! We also tried several of their vegetable dishes including peppers, cauliflower which were all great! We ended with dessert- tried the butterscotch pudding which I normally love but this had a salted caramel topping which was just a bit too salted. That said everything else was just phenomenal! Great food, service, and atmosphere! Loved it !! read more

Gjelina - Heirlloom Tomato, Portuguese Olive Oil, Radish & Sea Salt - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Not my spot for brunch, but an absolute go-to for dinner. I don't think there was a single dish we didn't love from our massive dinner order, but my top 3: Agnolotti sweet corn pasta, the Orecchiette pasta, and the homemade Chorizo Pizza. What I wouldn't order again but had to try because of the hype: Butterscotch Pot (dessert) and the Lemon Buckwheat Ricotta Pancakes (during brunch). The pancakes look amazing, but tasted bland to me - I'd prefer fluffy diner pancakes over these any day. The Butterscotch pot dessert was good, but if you're here, I'd skip it and get dessert from Levain or Salt & Straw or Bacio di Latte. Just go somewhere else for dessert. The place itself is very cool and an upbeat vibe, so highly recommend going here for a fun dinner night out. read more

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Venice, Los Angeles 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd New American · California · Wood-Fired Forks Given: (4.55 / 5.0) "@gjelinarestaurant presented a near-perfect meal and one of the best overall dining experiences we've had in Los Angeles." Highlights from the table: Bone-In Dry Aged Ribeye -- one of the best steaks we've ever had Mushroom Toast -- converted a mushroom skeptic Cured Chorizo Pizza -- outshines the LA spots that get all the pizza hype Orecchiette, Beef Cheek Bolognese -- rich, vibrant, beautifully executed They don't have cocktails, but don't fret... @thebrigvenice is just down the street. Shoutout to the bartender that took the time to make me an awesome Vesper martini (not pictured). Full review at www.forksgiven.com If you're venturing to Vegas this weekend, give their Vegas spot a try. Much of the same great food, but a burger that is KILLER! Speaking of... bring that guy to LA already! read more

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Had a lovely summer dinner on their rooftop - highly recommend sitting up there if you want open-air seating that's less noisy and crowded than their main dining room. I was impressed by the freshness and quality of the food. Food also came out promptly. We started with the eggplant which was creamy and covered with fresh vegetables and herbs. The bay scallops came out in a sizzling pan, covered in delicious butter that was not too heavy - our server gave us extra bread for us to soak up the sauce, delicious! And our server helped make sure our pork chop arrived with the tomato salad we ordered to accompany it - the pork was extremely tender and tasted beautifully with the salad. The pot de creme dessert was average, would probably skip that next time. Overall, an absolutely lovely and relaxing place for dinner. read more

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Enjoyed getting lunch at Ghelina! Really good pizzas, the way I like thin and full of flavor. Lamb tastes just like kebab yum! Also tried the crispy potatoes, which turns out to be pretty good too. Definitely must try pizzas! Extremely friendly staff read more

Gjelina - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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This was my second visit to Gjelina, and I can confidently say it has become my favorite restaurant in West Los Angeles. Every time I'm in LA, it's at the top of my list. You can truly tell that Gjelina is built around thoughtfully sourced, seasonal ingredients and the relationships they have with local farmers, ranchers, and fishermen. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, and every dish let the quality of the ingredients shine. We started with a half dozen each of the Riptide oysters from Massachusetts and the Love Point oysters from Maine. Since we couldn't decide, we split them and I'm so glad we did! They were unbelievably fresh, clean, briny, and absolutely delicious. Next was the Smoked Trout Salad with arugula, citrus, avocado, red onion, lemon, and olive oil. I'm honestly not much of a salad person, but this completely changed my mind. They were generous with the smoked trout, the citrus added the perfect brightness, the avocado was perfectly ripe, and the simple lemon and olive oil dressing tied everything together beautifully. It was one of those dishes where every ingredient complemented the next. We also shared the Beef Tartare with sourdough, Dijon mustard, capers, and shallots. If you've never tried beef tartare before, this is a wonderful place to experience it. The beef was incredibly fresh, finely chopped, and perfectly seasoned. Served with toasted sourdough, it was rich, flavorful, and surprisingly approachable. Although our meal consisted mostly of small plates, my partner and I left completely satisfied. To finish, we had the fig gelato and the mango sorbet. Both desserts were exceptional fresh, light, and full of natural flavor. The mango sorbet especially tasted like perfectly ripe mangoes, and the fig gelato was rich without being overly sweet. Our server, Mattias, was outstanding. Toward the end of our meal, I happened to overhear that it was actually his first day. I was genuinely shocked because you never would have guessed it. He answered every question with confidence and kindness, especially when another guest was unfamiliar with some of the menu terminology. He made everyone feel comfortable and welcomed. Our water glasses were always full, our plates and silverware were refreshed between courses, and we never once felt overlooked. His attentiveness and professionalism made an already wonderful meal even better. The patio atmosphere was beautiful intimate, relaxed, and perfect for a Southern California evening. Between the incredible food, warm hospitality, and inviting ambiance, Gjelina continues to impress me every single time. This restaurant has officially become one of my favorite places anywhere, not just in Los Angeles. I can't recommend it enough, and I'll absolutely be back every chance I get. read more

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Loved the blueberry pancakes (what I originally came for); but I think that $25 for two eggs and prosciutto is a little bit overpriced. I understand it's in a nice area, but they are very high traffic, I think the simpler items can be repriced. I really enjoyed my experience. I just wish when they are seating the guest they also pay attention to their height and where they are seating them. We were seated in the back part of the bar, on bar stools, next to the stairs and me and my friend are short so we couldn't really reach the chairs that well, additionally, the servers couldn't see us either. read more

Gjelina - Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes, Blueberry Compote & Creme Fraiche - New American Near Me - Venice, California

This is one of those places that won't seat you until the entire party arrives. So I'm standing here surrounded by empty tables on a Sunday while the hostesses chatter away and I'm not offered a chair, a glass of water, a smile. So the initial service is unyielding to say the least. The food is and always has been outstanding. Famously, no substitutions or subtractions when you order, which is again, unyielding to the customer but it's harder to argue because the quality and composition is so outstanding. And my $25 sandwich which came with a tiny side of pickled veggies was indeed very good. I come back to the general indifference of the staff because it feels somewhat dated and unnecessary in this day and age. Perhaps it's easier on the team not to respond to my thank yous or words of appreciation. Then again, perhaps they're simply not necessary. Why bother to say thanks when thank yous are not acknowledged? Like, at all. It harkens back to a day when being treated shabbily by a restaurant was a sign of a restaurant's elite-ness. But as of now I feel I've outgrown that grudging respect for perceived snottiness in my dining out choices. Even if Gjelina hasn't. Next time I'll choose an LA restaurant that serves its outstanding cuisine with at least a hint of kindness. It may or may not taste better, but it will likely sit better in my stomach with the perception that the restaurant I've chosen gives a darn about me as a customer, i.e, a person. read more

After hanging out on Venice beach in the afternoon, my cousin and I were looking for a spot to grab early dinner before I was off on my redeye flight back to the East Coast. Surprisingly there weren't a ton near the main shopping street, but we immediately saw this place and there was availability on the rooftop. We grabbed it and off we went! We were surrounded by heated lamps which we actually needed since it got a tad bit breezy with intermittent mist. But fortunately, we got a great hostess who recommended some great options for us. The Japanese sweet potato was fire. The broccolini was the better complement to the Gruyère pizza. That pie had so much flavor and pizzazz to it. What a great way to end my LA trip! For anyone in the area, they should definitely come here for dinner. read more

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Staff completely ignored us. Never got checked in on and had to go up to a server to put our order in. Had to flag down server to get anything. Not sure if it was because we were a group of Asian woman because they were paying a lot of attention to the white woman right next to us. Super unfortunate since the food was good but never coming back here. read more

Gjelina really nails everything from casual lunch to date night dinner to fun brunch. Great place to come as a group or not, but the food is always fresh and inventive. Every pizza they have is delicious, our favorites are the Pomodoro with burrata and the Guanciale, but it is a tough call. You also can't go wrong with the Japanese sweet potato, much better quality and value than RVR in my opinion. Ashley in the events department is super kind and helpful, although we haven't gone through with booking a private event, I would highly recommend it if you are looking for somewhere in Venice! They have several great private areas. read more

ALRIGHT GJELINA You've won me back with some outstanding customer service- In this day and age, cancel culture is all too real yet accountability is hard to come by. I reached out to the Gjelina team about my plastic experience and they were quick to not only take accountability but do a full-blown investigation, update their protocols, and invite me back to regain my trust. INVESTIGATION I was honestly take aback at the lengths they went to to ensure the utmost quality control. They shared that each pizza dough is individually wrapped for transport from their bakery, then assembled onsite. To make sure the plastic mishap doesn't happen again, they updated their protocol to ensure more supervisor and individual checkpoints from drop off to assembly to baking. ACCOUNTABILITY I was really appreciative of the general manager being so quick to respond and share what they were doing to understand the root of the issue AND how they could make it right. It was one thing to apologize, it's another to take action to ensure it doesn't happen again. It was evident to me then that they not only care about their business, but the customer experience as it relates to quality & safety. REBUILDING TRUST The general manager was kind enough to invite us back to have dinner on the house! Impressed by their measures to right their wrongs, I accepted and went to try some new things.... - Zucchini with zatar seasoning: fresh, great texture, good veggie starter - Hamachi Crudo: bright citrus light and delicious. Would've loved a little touch of blood orange to bring some more zing - Chorizo & Fennel Pizza: we braved the pizza again and it really was delicious. Super soft bubbles in the crust leading to a crispy yet soft bite. Amazing texture and flavor combinations - Duck Confit: WOW! I went with my French boyfriend and even he approved. Perfectly crispy skin, juicy cooked to perfection inside, and the grapes were a nice unexpected touch with the flavor profile. DO NOT SKIP! SO GOOD! - Wagyu beef cheek & burrata pasta: WOWOWW! This and the duck stole the show. The flavor was out of this world. Al dente pasta shells with the decadent sauce and creamy burrata. Magnificent! - Butterscotch Pot: delicious delightful, perfect for a touch of sweetness to finish the meal OVERALL There's a lot of great restaurants in LA but not all of them have service to match. Gjelina you really impressed me with your customer care and action oriented accountability! I forgive you and I will return again. (Note: This review was not promoted or requested from the team. This truly came from my heart ) read more

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The food here was really good. I tried the veggie sandwich, fries, and an eggplant dish, and all three were packed with flavor. The cocktails were solid too. Prices are mid-range so not cheap, but reasonable for the quality. Heads up if you're visiting on a weekend: this place is popular, and we had about a 20-minute wait to get seated when we arrived and this was in addition to having a reservation. The restaurant was spacious and had a rustic look to it. I'm planning to visit the NYC location soon. read more

Great restaurant in Venice that has a little something for everyone, California cuisine. Great service and ambiance, but definitely on the pricey side. We came here for brunch and made a reservation in advance - party of 8. They can't seat you until everyone is there and we still had to wait about 10 mins or so. They seated us upstairs in what felt like a private room which was really nice. Gorgeous florals on the table too. They say they recommend sharing so you can go that route or just order a dish per person. The portions aren't really tapas style and the prices aren't either. Despite that, we went pretty hard and ordered a ton of dishes... -Yuk Choy: this veggie dish was really good, one of my faves. It's a leafier bok choy apparently. It comes with a creamy tahini sauce over it. -Smoked trout salad: fresh and tasty, very light. The pieces of trout were tasty -Hangar steak banh mi: Looks and tastes more like a steak sandwich than a banh mi but this was quite good. Good for sharing with another person. Crunchy crispy bread but not difficult to eat. The pieces of steak were tasty and flavorful. Probably my favorite dish of the meal. -Duck hash: Crispy egg sits atop chunks of duck along with cubed potatoes and other veggies. It was good, mustardy. -Steak tartare: Pretty good but also nothing standout -Japanese sweet potatoes: Also pretty good, jalapeño sauce. In my opinion, erewhon makes them better lol -Romanesco: veggie dish that was really unique and tasty. Capers and sardines give it a nice tang and saltiness. My other family members got a few pizzas and they weren't crazy about them. The kids (and adults!) were obsessed with the lemon ricotta pancakes, which were also beautiful with a blueberry compote. Service was great, we had a really friendly waiter, DJ, who was on top of it and thoughtfully coursed out the meal for us and provided us with recs. The one thing, and it's kind of a big thing, that we disliked about this restaurant is that you can't make any modifications, substitutions, or even omissions from any dishes. Even if someone has an allergy! My boyfriend & I are lactose intolerant so we were hoping to try certain dishes without the dairy but they were unable to accommodate that. And it's not like we were wanting a dish that relies on dairy, such as Mac n cheese without the cheese; I get how that request would be challenging. We wanted to try a couple dishes that don't even rely on dairy and would simply be topped with cheese or a simple yogurt sauce. We found this disappointing and it honestly made us feel like the chef thinks he's better than thou. They should allow simple omissions for allergies, come on. All in all, good meal but be prepared to spend $$. read more

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Ive being a fan of Gjelina's for a long time now. The restaurant has a rustic, lively atmosphere with brick floors, greenery and a buzzing crowd that reflects the trendy Venice Beach dinning scene. Reservations are a good idea although they also accept walk-ins, just keep in mind that there could be a wait. The reason I love this restaurant so much is how vegetable-forward they are using seasonal produce and simple wood-fired cooking techniques that gives the perfect smokiness and char taste to the food. They showcases locally sourced seasonal ingredients to create the most delicious dishes. They also have great variety of small dishes like fresh oysters, salads, meats, poultry and wood-fired pizzas. Some of my favorites are: - Mushroom Toast: Bread perfectly butter and toasted and the mushrooms are tender and tasty. - Wood Roasted Cauliflower: Great smokey and char flavor with a hint of garlic. - Crispy Fingerling Potatoes: We order twice! Perfectly crispy outside and tender inside with rosemary and Parmesan. - Japanese Eggplant: One of the most famous dishes for a reason. Perfectly caramelized sweet potato with jalapeño yogurt and scallion. So creamy and balanced - Charred Brussels Sprouts: tossed with citrus, herbs, chili and walnuts, so yummy! - Pomodoro Pizza: the one we ordered this time, I always ask well-done, love the char toasted corners. But also the mushroom with fontina & truffle goat cheese is really good. The only criticism is that change or modifications are politely decline. I still enjoy it a LOT so for me, if I'm in the area is always a GO TO! read more

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A friend of mine gave us a gift card for here. Haven't been in ~10 years. Overall, the experience was really lovely. Booked a 6pm dinner reservation and showed up 15min early. The hostess was amazing and read that we wanted a more secluded table not next to big groups so she sat us against the window in the corner to the left of where you walk in. It was a lovely spot - the people watching was fantastic! Revelation #1: if you want a specific accommodation for your table, make sure to note it in your reservation, be nice about it, but also be understanding of the time. We went early to get a good table. Revelation #2: if you want to avoid people and a loud atmosphere, come for an early dinner. They bump up the volume of the music and bass around 645-7pm which means everybody is talking very loud to be able to hear above the music. Our server came quickly, we never got his name or I would give him a shout out. Him and his shadow were great, but our server in particular had some great meal suggestions we never would have picked ourselves. Revelation #3: If you're a foodie, ask your server for recos. Ask what's new, what's freshest, what's special. Especially if it's summer because they will be getting the best of the best produce every week. The meal: - Thai crudo: 8/10 - liked it was slightly different than what you would expect at a sushi restaurant - *Cucumber salad: 10/10! Bright, fresh, summery, special. Lemon, Italian, Persian and mouse melon (mini) cucumbers with herbs and citrus. Beautiful plating, fantastic salad and reco. - Myrna potato pizza: 5/10. Wanted to love it but was really bland following the cucumber salad. - Sweet corn agnolotti: 9/10. Really tasty just wish there were more! Think there was heirloom corn as a garnish. - Spaghetti: 7/10. Spicy. Too spicy for me but we are generally no-spice people so if you like spicy this is for you. It's not overwhelmingly spicy. Flavor was good but not mind blowing. - Pana cotta with seasonal fruits: 8/10. Nice and light. Ours was mango/lime. Opted out of heavier deserts because we were so full by now. Meal size talk: totally wish we would have gotten less food. A perfect amount for 2 adults would be something like: 1 salad/veggie, 1 meat main and 1 pizza OR pasta + 1 desert. You also don't spend SO much $$$ on food that way, which if you get some things that are a little off you're not so upset about the bill. It's a foodie place with a creative chef... Anyways, great meal and great service. We'll be back to try out brunch on the patio with the remains of our gift card! read more

Okay, been coming here since 2016 (yes, ten years) a couple times a year... I'm ready to leave a review. The food is easily five star. The pizzas are fantastic and I also love the crudo and salads. What is unfortunate is the behavior of the waitresses, and sometimes the hosts. They are very rigid and trite. I understand it's a busy restaurant - but there are plenty of busy restaurants where the staff still remain warm, friendly, and approachable. When we ordered our food, people sitting next to us made joke comments about the waiting staff and how they were speaking to customers. It's still a great restaurant and I will go back. I just wish they'd rethink the staff culture in relation to how they engage with customers sitting and dining. The outdoor and rooftop are great but also love the indoor vibe. read more

Top picks: house made pickles, saffron pasta, and their roasted cauliflower with hanger steak. These ones had a beautiful contrast of umami flavor and the portion sizes complemented each other for sharing. The oyster mushrooms were juicy but overly salted. Staff was very sweet but nothing extraordinary. Attentive but not the best conversationalist, at least the ones we had. But it didn't bother us. The decor was very minimalist and personally love the outdoor patio to dine in. read more

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I came here at 9:30am and there was a small breakfast menu. We tried the duck hash. It was decent, a bit greasy and I wish they gave more duck pieces. Service was okay, wasn't friendly but was fast. We came here to spend our Chase Sapphire Reserve dining credit. I would say come at 10am because you can then order from the other parts of the menu with more selection of food and not just breakfast food. I think the food is kinda expensive for what you get but it's Venice. read more

Gjelina - Duck hash - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Every time I visit LA and come to the Santa Monica area I mean to try Gjelina but it's always so busy.... But finally, it happened.! We came in for an early evening meal and we sat in the courtyard, which was perfectly set up with umbrellas to keep you shaded and cool. There are probably 10 tables back there, they all have comfortable seating The staff are really good, super attentive and working as a team, always anticipating your needs. Of course we wanted to try everything but it can get pricey quickly. We skipped any cocktails this time and jumped straight to food. - we started with the burrata, with prosciutto and grilled peaches. It was delicious. It was just the right amount of a balsamic vinaigrette that is not too overpowering. I wish it had some toast or something with it for a crunch component, but it was so nice and refreshing. Next, we tried the grilled corn appetizer, which came in a skillet and was pretty creamy, different than I was expecting, but still really yummy. The bolognese with the ricotta on top was my favorite dish of the day. It was so flavorful and the perfect ratio of each ingredient to feel just right and filling. I wanted to try the pizzas so bad, definitely coming back next time for those! read more

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Good food! The pizzas are really tasty but the standout was the orichiettie beef cheek pasta. It had a thick sauce packed with meaty delicious flavor and topped with this rich ricotta cheese on top! The chorizo pizza was like a yummy pepperoni pizza. We all thought the squash dish they are known for was not as good as we had hoped. The squash was a bit hard and it needed more sauce. The inside felt really dark but the patio outside seemed more vibrant and cuter! I thought the menu was jam packed with too many items and as a designer the way it was laid out felt overwhelming and hard to read / choose things. For a pretty pricey place I wish the service matched that. Our server didn't really explain the menu to us and only gave me recs when I had asked and then she seemed a bit annoyed with us figuring out what to order. read more

Gjelina - chorizo pizza - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Good food, but a little strange that we couldn't make any modifications even when we had some people who had a dairy sensitivity. Not sure what that's about. We ordered a bunch of dishes and they were all really good. I wasn't a fan of the pizza. We ordered the caramelized onion one and the truffle one and the basic margherita with burrata, but I really wasn't too impressed with the flavors sadly. I did love the broccoli romanesco with the caper dressing, and the bok choy with tahini was incredible. Sweet potato dish was awesome. My kids shared the lemon ricotta, blueberry pancakes, and that was a hit! I had several bites and I was really impressed. The still water and sparkling water that we ordered didn't come in the San Pellegrino, so I kind of wish they would've told us that part. DJ was our waiter and he was really great with giving us enough space but also giving us some recommendations too. We sat all the way upstairs, with the other families and older folk lol. Love the ambience of the place and it feels like an older home. Definitely charming quality to it. I think they should add labels to each other their dishes to let people know if it's vegan or gluten-free, especially if they can't do any modifications. Otherwise would give them 4 or 5 stars read more

Gjelina - Prosciutto and cheese sandwich with pickled veggies. Decent and my kiddo liked it. - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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Tasty restaurant. It was absolutely packed and behind even with reservations today due to 80% of diners being there to use their chase sapphire reserve open table dining rebate credit. We ordered a ton of food and everything was good. My favorites were the anchovy burata toasts, roasted cauliflower, and the lamb merguez shakshuka type dish. Liver toasts were nice too. We ordered a crapton of food for 3 adults and one 4 year old to share and finished everything. The waiter Paul apologized for doubting our ability to finish everything that we ordered and we all joked about it throughout the meal which was in good fun. The service was pretty exceptional considering how insanely busy they were. The restrooms are gorgeous. There's indoor and outdoor seating. We were seated upstairs which has a lighter atmosphere than downstairs. I feel like the walls were painted darker downstairs? Or maybe just that the windows let in a lot more light upstairs. Desserts were all lovely. The standout was the butterscotch pot de creme. read more

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Been on my list since I first visited AK. Snagged a res for late lunch and sat upstairs' rooftop. Nice sunny day but a little cool with no heaters at the time, and sun's hit was perfect. Started with trout salad, brussels, michelada and ginger lemonade - all delicious. The walnuts on the brussels with the dressing amazing! Shared guanciale pizza, mussels and steak banh mi. The cilantro sauce on mussels was soooo good that we took the sauce home to make with pasta. Pizza was amazing! The closer is the butterscotch dessert - saved the best for last and everything was incredible deserving of a Michelin. Pretty popular and busy place. Could get noisy downstairs, and a definite must try while in AK read more

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The moment I walked inside, this place screamed "LA." The ambiance was trendy and full of chatter. It was pretty dark and crowded on the first floor but I had a reservation so I sat on the second which gave it a more pleasant vibe. Service was decent, nothing bad to say about it. Food came out one by one slowly though which can be attributed to the large amount of people. As for the taste of the food, I enjoyed it but found the portions to be small for the price. LOVED the Brussel sprouts and the tangy sauce it came with. read more

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Ambiance has always been lovely here. Food is good- I did prefer the pasta and veggies to the pizza. Come with a group and share different plates for variety. The seasonal honeynut squash pasta was my favorite dish. Note, they aren't a restaurant that accommodates a lot of preferences (e.g., crispiness of the pizza, extra sauce on the side) so keep that in mind when making a reservation! read more

Gjelina - Grilled Kabocha Squash, Mint Pesto & Pomegranate - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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I've been coming to Gjelina since they opened. Back then it felt like a hidden gem, and I truly believe it helped shape what Abbot Kinney has become today - a worldwide destination. I've brought countless friends and coworkers here over the years, and it has never disappointed. This last visit was on a Thursday night, and even with a reservation we waited about half an hour (they had to close part of the restaurant because of strong winds). Still, imagine being that busy on a Thursday. The place was absolutely bustling. Part of me wants to gatekeep this spot, but that ship sailed long ago. This is where famous directors, cast, and creatives celebrate new movies, birthdays, and other occasions - and for good reason. I truly can't remember ordering anything here that I didn't love. This time we shared the chanterelle appetizer, fennel sausage pizza, and half chicken - yum, yum, yum! Even our friend - who, let's say, has strong preferences but kindly lets us choose (everything except anchovy pizza!) - enjoyed everything. Service was excellent throughout. The team checked in exactly when needed, and the bus staff kept plates cleared and hot water refilled seamlessly. Thank you for taking such good care of us! Bonus: free street parking behind the restaurant. read more

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I've been coming to Gjelina for years now, and stopped by for dinner this past weekend. Whether it's brunch or dinner, the food is consistently good, and that's always why I keep coming back. Like others have mentioned, service seems to be the weak spot here, but to their credit, they are showing some signs of improvement on that front. While the wait staff can be a bit slow to attend to you, the bus staff and other members are friendly and quick to serve, which is a refreshing change. I also really appreciate that they take online reservations. For food, we ordered the grilled chicory salad, Japanese sweet potato, mussels, and salami pizza. Everything was delicious, with the Mussels being my favorite dish. The broth was super flavorful and everything was cooked perfectly. The pizza and sweet potatoes were great too, and the chicory salad was a refreshing change of pace. I definitely think people should give it a try at least once, especially for their brunch (I think about their ricotta pancakes and Moroccan baked eggs all the time). The place is a vibe and an Abbot Kinney staple. read more

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Some reviews were mixed I underestimated to set my expectations but this place rocks! The food was unique and interesting, and the service was good. Due to the location, the tables are so tiny and they may not fit a lot of dishes comfortably. However, I loved the Sunday morning ambiance and the variety of foods on the menu. Lamb burger - delicious! Medium rare pattie was something we can't forget. Trout salad - amazing. I need to come back for this. Perfectly cooked fish and the well seasoned arugulas were divine. Meatballs and fries - simple and good for kids. Sauces that come with fries are elevated so our kids just used the meatball sauce to dip their fries with. Chorizo pizza - spicy and good but I think we will go for other kind of pizza next time Duck hash - I love duck and the vegetable medley was perfect for this dish. My husband who doesn't normally like duck really enjoyed this dish so that tells something. Unique but I wish it had some sauce or more flavors. With that said the runny egg was perfect. It felt the fish wa a bit reserved but maybe it is one way to embrace the ingredients and I should like it as is. Parking is hard but if you get lucky there's a lot of parking lots a few streets behind the restaurant. read more

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My coworker recommended us to try this place and me and my husband were excited to see that Gjelina was part of the OpenTable restaurants that has a Chase Sapphire Reserve partnership with, so we could use our dining credits here. Atmosphere is very cozy and perfect for a date night. We ordered a bunch of different plates to share with each other, which is a great way to sample a little bit of everything that Gjelina has to offer. We ordered the following items: * Half Dozen Oysters (very fresh and easy to eat) * Charred Brussel Sprouts * Pomodoro Pizza w/ Burrata * Honeynut Squash Agnolotti (yummy but portions were small) * Crispy Duck Confit (my favorite dish) * Warm Date Cake All of our appetizers came out fairly quickly and all very tasty. The oysters were a nice opener to our meal, they were the perfect size, not too big and easy to swallow. At first, we tried to order the scallops as our entree, but they ran out earlier that night, so our waitress recommended the Crispy Duck Confit instead. So glad that we got that because it ended up being my favorite dish of the night! The skin was fried to perfection, very light and crispy. The duck itself was very tender and flavorful. We also really enjoyed the pasta too, but wish it was a little bigger. Me and my husband had to ration each little piece of pasta LOL. We finished dinner with some dessert, which we don't normally do, but we saw a lot of other tables order the Warm Date Cake, so we had to try it too. I've never had a date cake before, but the flavor profile was similar to caramel + toffee, so it has a nice sweetness to it, especially paired with the ginger sorbet. read more

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Really good food, great date night spot, Pinot was very good and light- matched well with the duck/ pizza. Came another time w the girls and shared things - everything was insanely good read more

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Another lovely meal! Seated right away at our res time and given a choice of any table on the patio. So much quieter out there. The service was kind and awesome. Lots of staff on top of the service, but not overbearing. I found everyone very helpful. Everything we ordered was fantastic. We shared the baby artichokes, butterball potatoes and mushrooms. Loved all the veg. They really do so well with every veg dish. Also had the chorizo pizza which was incredibly flavorful. The crust is perfect for me. Thin and not heavy, very tasty. One of my favorite dining experiences in the area. read more

Gjelina - The best grilled baby artichokes with mushroom in the back - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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The squash, crudo, and meatballs were excellent. (See pic for crudo) There were several closed mussels in the mussel dish that could not be eaten. Wasn't a huge fan of the mushroom appetizer, they were a little too earthy for my liking. The restaurant was also very accomodating to my one year old niece which was appreciated! read more

Gjelina - Snapper Crudo - New American Near Me - Venice, California

Came to Gjelina's for brunch and I really love the vibe here. They have a really cute outdoor space as well. The food is pretty standard, and nothing super outstanding but it's solid food. The crispy fingerling potatoes are amazing though, you have to get them! I tried the crispy egg prosciutto, and it was pretty good, but again very, very basic. Service was good, our waiter was attentive, but not very friendly (which is fine). Our food took a good 20-30 minutes to come out, which felt a little bit long, given the simplicity of the dishes. The fresh ginger lemonade drink is really good too. Our reservations were on Sunday at 11 AM, which I think is a really good time to go, if you want to beat the rush and find parking a little easier. read more

Gjelina - Ginger lemonade - New American Near Me - Venice, California

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This restaurant is similar to Kobi on Main Street. The food is good. The decor is fine. The place is too loud. Way too loud. The acoustics are horrible. If that doesn't bother you, great. Bob's your uncle. But if it does, I would not dine here. I found it painful. read more

Had lunch at Gjelina on Abbot Kinney and overall, it was a really solid meal. We started with the tai snapper crudo, and honestly it stole the show. Super fresh, a little spicy, and that dressing was so good I wanted to ask for extra just to drink it. Then we tried the charcuterie board, which was also really good -- plenty of variety and nothing felt like filler. The salami fennel pizza was... good. Not amazing, not bad, just somewhere in the middle. I've had better pizzas there, but it still did the job. We finished with the mussels and clams, and they recently changed the sauce. I'm not in love with the new one -- not terrible by any means, just not my favorite compared to what they used to serve. All in all, still a solid lunch and a great spot if you're already wandering around Abbot Kinney. The hits definitely outweighed the misses. read more

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Gjelina is located in the middle of Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice. Came for a weekend brunch and I got a nice mix of breakfast items. They're in the Michelin guide, which praised them for their locally sourced ingredients which are prepped thoughtfully and simply. Got a blueberry scone, which was served warm with cultured butter and an orange jam. The scone had a nice texture with its crispy edges and nice crumb. Also started with their Tai Snapper Crudo, which was bright and refreshing as the light snapper was paired with acidic flavors from lemon, melon, pomegranate seeds, and Fresno chiles. I wanted something sweet, so I went with a nine grain pancake with their cultured butter and maple syrup. The pancake was well-made; however, the textures from the nine grains provided an unusual bite and chew that I didn't enjoy. My wife went with their duck hash, which was served with mustard and a crispy, runny egg. This was delicious and the duck was nicely balanced by the creamy egg yolk and mustard. We wanted to get something grilled in their wood-fired oven, so we ordered their grilled oyster mushroom with tarragon butter and salt. The dish was amazing. Mushrooms really hold on to the smoke and char from live fire. They were thick and meaty and were nicely balanced by the tarragon butter and salt. It also paired really well with the duck hash that my wife bought. Service could have been better as we didn't really get much follow up for refills of water or coffee. I think you could also make a strong argument that price is high for portion size; however, I felt that we had a nice sampling of the menu in our visit and we'd love to come back for dinner. Next time we come, we definitely want to try to get pizza and/or anything charred in their wood ovens. read more

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The wait was about 30 minutes before we were seated, even though we had reservations. People who arrived after us were seated first, which was frustrating. Thankfully, once we ordered, the food came out fairly quickly. We got two pastas and two pizzas. The pizzas were delicious lots of mushrooms, and the mushroom truffle was my personal favorite. Service was okay, but it was difficult to get anyone's attention since the patio area was pretty dark. As for the pastas, the nettle chitarra cacio e pepe noodles were extremely tough and tasted undercooked. The honeynut squash agnolotti was delicious, but the portion was quite small. read more

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