This is easily one of the best places on the beach to grab a beer…read more It's a super casual, dive-ish bar that is clean, never sticky and friendly. It has an upstairs seating area which has amazing views all the way down to the water. The windows upstairs open out so you have an amazing breeze too. Same downstairs, everything is open and it keeps things feeling very beach like. HH from 4-6 which includes $6 bottled red stripe and $9 tequila shots. (also, $9 chicken tenders) The staff here are all so down to earth and friendly, you can always see tons of locals here too which I think speaks volumes. This is just a cool place without pretension.

There is this whole thing about being a tourist in a city one knowns at their own. When this is…read morepracticed with intention, one can see, understand and enjoy a different layer of a city's personality. I feel like my visit to Venice Beach Bar & Kitchen made me a tourist in Venice Beach because I got to see (and more importantly feel) the world famous beach transition from day to evening splash. This allowed me to see the beach's sky shift in shade and hue, which was a treat for the other 4 senses, not just the view for the eyes. Thus, I experienced a Venice Beach beach night in a comfortable spot that allowed me to take in the moment, a tourist's dream, per chance. On a previous night walk, some fun-loving dudes were waving hello to passing walkers, from the second floor of this joint. They were sticking themselves out from windows. I engaged back with them, and it all felt breezy and cool. Thus, I made a point to return to this bar to experience the vibe that jolted these dudes to window fun. As my friend Conrad and I approached, we felt the setting sun, the chill of a breeze, and the cool pop of a night to be had. When we got the security guard he checked for Conrad's ID but not my own. He said, "I was more worried about him, than you," no offense. I said, "it does sound like a little like a slap in the face." I should have been beach cool and said, "no you are fine, who can possible take offense to that?" He further explained that the joint was still a bar and restaurant but good luck with finding a spot to sit. As soon as Conrad and I entered we found a table for two in their beach facing patio. Like a ninja with a mission I scurried to the open table. In crowded places like this one, politeness matters 1000% percent. I just rushed to the table, because it was open, I did not elbow or verbally pushed others aside for the table. I was politely determined not rudely in a rush. When we sat at the table, that is where we could best enjoy the Venice Beach environment. When we first sat the light of the day waning was present. We could still see the blue of the sky and the water. The sky's clouds were becoming filled with color, like a subtle pink. The palmtrees lost their color, now they were only black silhouettes, a sight I never get tired off because its California classic. It was peace in the beach, while I was sitting in a chair, not laying on a beach towel. The opportunity to be at the beach, while not being at the beach, is a great point for this place! During my visit I had four of their tacos. I had their pes-cod-do and their squash taco first. They were ok. I expected more but that could be my expectation, there was nothing wrong with them per say. Then I had a corn on a stick, and two more tacos. Their carne asada, and their Gringo, which was made of ground beef. I like these tacos way more! But they were easily to like. Like the ground beef taco had all the ingredients of an American taco- sour cream, shredded lettuce, and it was easy to enjoy because it was all familiar and flavorful. The carne asada taco was not made with think skirt steak. It was made with thick cut pieces of steak, and it was the best tack of the four, easily. The corn was also super good! The corn was steamed in water. I would have liked it to be roasted but that was. personal preference. I had two margaritas- pineapple and they were strong and tasty. Conrad got some chipotle wings, with sliced carrots on top, which was a new sight for me. The wings were also good, I tried one, but buffalo is not a sauce for me. The place itself is spacy and has two floors. It was not super packed for a Saturday night but I am not complaining. This place is a beach bar and beach bar, at least in my mind, is not really for the night but for the day.

Bar Chloe was a great cocktail bar with intimate speakeasy vibes. The drinks were delicious but as…read moreyou could expect a bit on the pricey side. Our bartender was very nice and friendly and gave us lots of good advice for places to visit around to city. I would definitely visit again for a night cap.

Intimate setting speakeasy, perfect sized room, great for date night and conversations. Nothing…read morememorable or impressive, not bad if you're around the area and want to stop by for quick drinks. Left after one drink, and went to another bar. Most of the bars are dive bars in downtown Santa Monica, and parking is quite accessible for this place. So I'd recommend for that reason. In terms of the drinks, I'm a huge fan of cocktail but I would say their menu selections are a bit limited. Nothing in the signature cocktail looks interesting to me, so I had the bartender make a classic cocktail instead. He's very attentive and friendly, didn't take forever to get a drink either, no attitude. Drinks aren't watered down either. Nice! You come here to grab quick drinks when you don't feel like being at a loud dive bar in the area, it's in a hotel but not too upscale, no strict dress code. Music is not loud and they have couches and booth if bar table if not your thing, you don't have to yell or pretend you hear everything to hold a conversation here (lol). ** Keep in mind 20% gratuity is automatically included in bill, it's my first time here. But I think I've other spots I'd prefer to be in, even at Santa Monica. Wouldn't be self-motivated to come back because there are better places that specialises mixology, and there are also better upscale hotel bars to be at. But if you're around the area it's a great intimate bar for date night that's not overly pricey. Wouldn't travel all the way to here just for this (if you know what I mean).

We were in the marina area, and decided to stop at Ritz Carlton lobby for a quick bite, we tried…read moretheir Amalfi Aperol which was amazing and their calamari which was cooked to perfection. The bartender was super friendly and the service was extremely quick. The lounge area itself was very pretty, they also had outdoor sitting with ocean view. Highly recommended!!

We chose to celebrate our anniversary with dinner at the Ritz, expecting a special evening…read more Unfortunately, it turned out to be a huge disappointment. The food was the biggest letdown. Their "famous" burger was just a plain bun, a basic beef patty, and a handful of arugula. No sauce, no sides, no effort. It arrived on a large white plate with nothing else on it. My wife's salmon wasn't any better. It was a small piece of fish sitting in a watery, flavorless sauce that tasted like it had no seasoning at all. The one thing they got right was the outdoor setting overlooking the pier. It was beautiful and made us think we were in for a great meal. Our waiter was friendly and smiled throughout the evening, but the service itself felt careless. Our drinks and plates were placed directly on a bare concrete table without even a placemat, which made the whole experience feel much less upscale than we expected. After spending $$$$, we left still hungry and wondering how a restaurant carrying the Ritz name could miss the mark so badly. It was a disappointing way to celebrate our anniversary, and definitely not an experience we'd recommend.

This is part of Katsuya. Great sushi super cool decor incredible full Bar super nice staff can't…read morewait to go back.

Don't get the black girl as your bartender…read more She was preparing my cocktail and I made the big mistake of accidentally grabbing it from the bar before she finished the garnish. When she came back and realized what I had done she stared at me and she had a look of disbelieve and disgust almost as if I had ruined a priceless work of art. I mean chill lady, it was just a cocktail and it was an accident. That was weird af and then the some dude stormed into the bar and I guess his wife was sitting next to another guy at the bar and he almost go into a physical confrontation with him and they had to kick him out. I'm born and raised in Brentwood and I don't have time for any of this

Our friend Sam lives across the street, here in Santa Monica and we are Venice Peeps. I've been to…read moreShutters on the beach for years prior and never ventured Into the Coast Beach Cafe! Was a delight and perfectly situated beachside, with an outdoor patio 2 steps from the sand and the ocean breeze. The service here was absolute Perfection! Luis was amicable, timely, and thoughtful. He prepared our dishes and split them before we even asked. And on a hot summers day, I take my iced teas everywhere. Gotta stay hydrated! And he prepared mine to-go when we wrapped up our Linner. And headed out to see some Topanga Cyn real estate, a few miles away. My hubby loved his Hibiscus mezcal and of course my iced tea, hehe. We ordered Cesar salad and burrata. Nothing heavy, we just finished swimming laps and hubby went for a run. This meal was exactly what we headed. And of course, the hubby adores a Dodger game. So the game on TV was the icing on top. If you're searching for a luxurious, coastal cafe, with wonderful service, a light meal, and a view after a summer workout. This is IT. Also, there is a dress code: wear a coverup over swimsuit and don't arrive barefoot from the beach. :) We shall be back, had a great time guys and the nautical ambiance is gorgeous!

Popped into Coast at Shutter's for a quick and last minute meal with a friend. This hotel is super…read morecute, and despite growing up in LA, this was my first time here. Coast is located on the lower floor and eye level with the beaches pedestrian walkway. We were able to catch the sunset, which was absolutely gorgeous and made me feel like I was on vacation myself. I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the wagyu burger before my friend got into it because she was extremely hungry, but the fries were well done. I got the Chilean sea bass, and that was okay. The fish itself had a good texture and good flavor but just pairing with a few broccolinis and jasmine rice made it a little bland for me. We got the chocolate daisy cake, which was $20 for a slice. It was decent but I wasn't blown away by it, but it was my friend's favorite and she loved it. Overall, this is a cute place to grab a drink and some bites when in SM. The service was great! Our server took care of us because my friend has some specific requests for napkins. Haha

The food was good but the service was what made the experience outstanding. Our server Ashley was…read moreattentive and had a warm personality.

The food was sooo good! I ordered the 2x2x2. Everything was great! Great mocktails! I had the…read morePassionfruit Mule. The staff was super friendly and it was a relaxing environment to just sit and eat. The best part was the service from Ashley! She was fantastic! Perfect service!

What a special place! This high-end bar was wonderful for a special night out for my boyfriend's…read morebirthday, and we enjoyed every minute of it. We checked in for our reservation at Scopa, and a manager came over to escort us to the bar through a locked door. He took our phones and gave us each a playing card to identify them for retrieval later. It was very dark inside, and at 6 pm, we were the first guests there. We were escorted to the bar where we sat down and were greeted by Oscar, our bartender. They have an extensive menu of interesting and rare spirits and champagne, which you can order with caviar. There's also about 20 cocktails for $25 each. Boyfriend wanted bourbon, and Oscar gave him a variety of 3 bourbons for a total of 2 ounces. These bourbons were very high proof, 90+ and cask strength. Definitely for sipping only. For a second round, Oscar suggested a bourbon we have never heard of: Elmer T. Lee! I ordered two cocktails: a Jungle drink with rum and pineapple, and a Singapore Sling, served in a gorgeous red paisley vintage glass, with an orchid flower and pink curlicue straw. Oscar introduced us to their collection of very cool tiki glasses. My favorite was the vintage elephant one, and it was my drinking buddy during our fun visit. Oscar is very knowledgeable and friendly and it was a delight chatting with him. His manager, Steve, has curated a great retro playlist of music, with tunes from the 60s and 70s (and probably earlier than that). I think I found one of his playlists on Spotify. As noted, the bar is small with 6 barstools at the bar, two couches and a table with chairs. Everything is mid-century modern, and you feel like you've been transported back in time. The staff kept track of time and coordinated with Scopa for our 7:30 pm dinner reservation, escorting us back to the restaurant and giving us back our phones. We had a wonderful time, and we will definitely be back. This is an expensive, high-end cocktail experience, perfect for special occasions or a luxe evening out.

Cool high end, speakeasy bar. Would be great for a date…read more But make sure to make a res.

My sister-in-law, Alexa M, took me here to VBW for a glass of wine before our dinner reservation on…read morea Sunday evening and it was great! We sat outside and enjoyed our wine and conversation while people watching, which was quite entertaining. Simone was our server and was helpful with some of our questions and supported our decision to go for a 1/2 bottle of Sancerre, which was delicious. We didn't order any food during this visit, but I would absolutely return to try some of the food (and more of the wine) menu in the future!

Okay this is our bad because we came here after Dudley's and already had wine, so we did not…read moreactually try what they are known for - that being said, do not come here for dessert. The chocolate soufflé was cold on the inside and served with a strawberry and a half, which was not the fresh mixed berry assortment I was expecting. I'm not sure what the watery chocolate drizzle around the plate was, but it was not a necessary addition. Pretty bummed by this dessert, but again, I got a cake at a wine bar so that's on me! My friends said their sparkling water slapped (once the lil bug was removed from their glass) and the vibes sitting outside were so good! We loved the heat lamps and the free Venice people watching included in some outdoor seating. I'll be back to try the wine next time for sure!!