I'll tell you what this place was much better than I expected. I was a bit nervous. But I was ready to explore and experiment with my pallet. I love the idea of it being fun to table. So let's start the very beginning. It's Santa Monica and parking does suck. I'm just gonna say that flat out. It's hard to find parking. There's no parking structure or valet that's near. It is pretty loud at this restaurant. However, the food is divine. My favorite thing was the royal oysters, I could eat a dozen! My second favorite would have to be the Japanese sweet potato flautas. We were a group before, and we sampled each other's dishes. So we had the flautas the roasted chicken and the pork shoulder. we also had the bluefin tuna ceviche with blood orange not my favorite, but not terrible either a little bit too sweet for my liking. We also had the honey ice cream. And I had the espresso martini which was delicious. Now I know the menu changes regarding the season, but overall, I would definitely return. I love experimenting with my palette and I'm such a foodie so I'm glad it was worth it lol. Mara and Randal were great! read more

The good: food is 5 stars, creative, delicious. Our busy server was a delight as well. I would absolutely return except... The horrid: the noise level is unconscionable. I would've left--earplugs are necessary if you don't want to lose your hearing, it's truly that loud--if it weren't for our delightful server. She apologized, said our table is particularly bad given placement of the speakers. She said that she and her colleagues know how bad it is, they get lots of complaints and agree themselves. "But as the night wears on and managers drink more, they like a party atmosphere and so turn it up. My fellow servers and I will try to turn it down when they aren't looking." And to her credit, she did just that. A few minutes later, my table was able to talk and think and not lose our hearing again. I was poised to give Rustic Canyon a 5-start review until some presumably drunk manager turned it up again. Fortunately by that time, we were soon to leave anyway. We are ages 16, 29, 40, 53, 62, and 64. All of us agreed in the car that our ears can't go back until the sound level changes. Truly too bad. Because I really liked it otherwise. read more

Late Friendsmas dinner! Since I was the only one coming straight from work, we chose a restaurant close by. Reservations: checked! The place has a great vibe -- music at just the right volume, impressive service, and impeccably delicious food. Every dish we ordered kept surprising us, from the beautiful presentation to how flavorful everything was. Plates are reasonably priced, while the cocktails are pretty standard LA prices. Overall, we truly enjoyed our meal and had a wonderful time. read more

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Came here on a Wednesday night to celebrate my birthday. It is a cute restaurant that fits its name. We had checked the menu before arriving and it was slightly different than what was online. So be prepared since they seem to change it a lot. If just on service and ambiance alone I would give it five stars. Our server was exceptional and super attentive and quick. The main reason for the three stars was the actual meal. There did not seem to be a cohesive theme to the menu. We got the tuna crudo, the taquitos, and the chile verde. Our choices were all fine but nothing stood out or had amazing flavor. Maybe we went during an interesting time since I see the menu has changed. They did give me a birthday dessert which was the best thing we ate all night, the cheesecake. read more

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This food was super tasty. It wasn't just the chicken or fish, but the artichoke and peas, the desserts were very tasty as well. Service was attentive and good. The restaurant was cool, nice chill feel as well. read more

Rustic Canyon - Don Draper - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Very solid farm to table choice in Santa Monica. Easy online reservations and street parking. We liked the bread and butter as well as the artichoke appetizer. The beef flank steak was good although a little tougher than i'd prefer. Very friendly and attentive service. Would return. read more

Stopped in for a quick drink with friends and unfortunately had a pretty disappointing experience. The bar staff felt unwelcoming from the start, and the wine we ordered wasn't great. On top of that, the barback was noticeably rude, and the bartender accidentally spilled water on my phone without much acknowledgment. Definitely not a place I'd rush back to. read more

The atmosphere and servers were nice. We started with a round of cocktails, all of them slightly a little off balanced. I like that the menu is seasonal. The bread + honeycomb butter and arugula salad were my favorites out of all the things we tried. We also tried the bay scallops, Manila clams, spaghetti, sirloin and halibut. It wouldn't be one of my first picks to dine again around SM. read more

Rustic Canyon - Menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

We had a lovely dining experience at Rustic Canyon. The four of us shared eight dishes (plus three desserts), as recommended by our server, and it was the perfect amount of food--satisfying without being overwhelming. Bread and Butter - Buttery brioche with honey and butter--simple and perfect. I could eat it every day. Beets and Berries - An unexpectedly great combination. Sweet and tangy flavors on a bed of quinoa made it refreshing and unique. Just be careful with the quinoa--it has a sneaky way of sticking in your teeth! Zuckerman's Asparagus - The asparagus was big, juicy, and delicious, dressed in a lovely tangy sauce. However, they forgot the fish roe and only brought it halfway through the dish, which was a bit disappointing. Broiled Fat Bastard Oysters - The oysters varied in size, and while they were soaked in butter, it was a bit too much for our taste--almost like drinking butter. Fried Tamai Farms Broccoli - This dish came highly recommended, but the white cheese sauce was too thick and starchy for me. It lacked the flavor and texture I was hoping for. Manila Clams & Pork Belly - As someone familiar with rice dishes, I found the pressed rice ball too dense. It needed to be fluffed up to better absorb the rich, salty sauce. Still, the flavors worked well when paired properly. Vermilion Rock Cod - This was a standout. The fish was perfectly pan-fried with crispy skin and tender meat, and the tomato-based sauce was full of flavor. The greens served with it were the surprise highlight--crunchy and great at soaking up the sauce. Prime Flat Iron Steak - We asked for medium rare, but it came out more cooked than we would have liked. Desserts: Choco-Flan - A creative dish with passion fruit that balanced the sweetness beautifully. Malibu Honeycomb Ice Cream - Smooth, milky, and just what you'd hope for in a great ice cream. Ricotta Cake - My personal favorite of the three--moist, flavorful, and the perfect way to end the meal. read more

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The food was both lovely and delicious. Ambiance was pleasant but a little on the loud side. They could use some curtains or sound mitigation to help. Service was just average - nothing necessarily wrong but no warmth or anything above and beyond. The food was wonderful however so that balanced out the minor negatives. Price point is high so you'll spend a pretty penny (man I sound old) but the food was delicious with lots of genuine flavor. Our favorites were the oysters, beet salad, pear salad, and scallops. They were out of the skirt steak (which was why we went there) but the lamb was good and cooked perfectly to remain juicy and tender. read more

Rustic Canyon - Artsy light pic - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Rustic Canyon is the sister restaurant to Milo & Olive-- as my partner and I love M&O, we decided to try out Rustic Canyon for my birthday. We had a reservation at 5:30PM, but it wasn't necessary, as the restaurant wasn't busy at all-- by the time we finished and left, a notable crowd was coming in. What Rustic Canyon specializes is in farm-to-table small plates, to be shared family-style. My partner and I got about five to six plates, which is more than a reasonable amount-- we were stuffed in the end! In terms of the food, I could taste every ingredient was extremely bright and fresh, but to be honest, the execution of each dish widely varied. The highlights: -- Lavender almonds (crispy, sweet, and subtly floral. I could eat bags of this!) -- Beet berries quinoa salad (I'm usually not one for quinoa, but I really liked how it was toasted and paired beautifully with the sweet beets and raspberries) -- Choco-flan passionfruit cake (I don't like flan, but this one was smooth, silky, and the passionfruit syrup perked everything up!) The decent: -- Fried broccoli with cheese sauce (the broccoli was lightly fried and beautifully crispy. However, it was over-salted and, paired with the cheese sauce, made for a very-salty dish) -- Spaghetti alla chitarra (I enjoyed the al-dente pasta and the zing from the lemon sauce, but I've had similar lemon cream pastas before, so this didn't stand out to me) The not-so-highlights: -- Bay scallops toast with saffron sauce (I like scallops and saffron, but I don't think it should've been on toast, as it was drenched in sauce and made for a soggy toast) -- Ricotta cake (honestly, it was dry; the cream helped, but still my least-favorite dish of the meal) Service was nice and our server took the time to explain the recommendations. I also didn't expect chocolate truffles and candles for my birthday, which was a lovely touch! Overall, I enjoyed the experience, but the dishes were inconsistent, not to forget pricey for the amount you get-- I consider this a one-off, and I think I'll stick to Milo & Olive for now. read more

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Holy heck. Menu is always stellar and has long been our neighborhood go-to... But let's talk about right now: the chef Elija Deleon has some INSANEly good offerings. The happy hour vermillion baja-style fish tacos absolutely crush it. Tostadas: YES. Oysters w that chile de árbol mignonette: YES. And as per ALWAYS, the cocktails absolutely deliver. Easily the best bar on the west side of town. Highly recommend hitting up RC for these new happy hour offerings. read more

Just moved & I live fairly close to this place & always passed by it. If this is you must ENTER! I wish I entered the first week I moved to Santa Monica! I love food & trying new tasting experiences. This delectable farm to table experience is amazing! From what I gathered from my conversation with our server Mara is how unique & personal the restaurant's relationship is with their farmers in ensuring top quality food. And I must say, it is top quality. The owner had developed an 18year long standing relationship with the quality of their food & it shows! Their menu changes frequently with new dishes to try & fall in love with Great experience, great services, & even better food! Now for the food: Cheese gnocchi 10/10: if you love cheese, you will fall in love with this dish! This creamy, delicious, soft, dish is for you! Pear dish 8.5/10: (blue cheese on the side) the pear & the radish (I think) was an amazing play on your tastes buds with delightful pieces of dates. Light dish Persimmon dish 9.5/10: thinly sliced persimmons sprinkled with black pepper salt & other spices made this dish taste almost like a Mexican candy! Light dish Beef tartar 8.5/10: the infused oil with sun dried tomatoes with the beef tartar, fried rosemary & chilies was amazing! Again the play on flavors is such an experience in itself. The tartar was light & flavorful with the oil. The slightly spicy chilies were the cherry on top! Birria dish 10/10: OMG. At a loss of words. This is hands down the best birria dish I have ever had. The chefs love for creating a flavorful dish & creativity is shown through THIS DISH. give me 10 more! Now for the drinks: Jay dogs nog 8.5/10: their egg nog is top tier! they ferment their whisky in the egg nog that gives it the rich & creamy flavor! (Strong tasting)! (Nonalcoholic drink) Goth sunshine 10/10: not sweet! Finally a bartender that understands how to make a mocktail that has deep notes of herbs & flavor! beautiful drink Around the bend 9/10: for someone who likes paper planes & penicillin type of cocktails, this is your drink! Scoop of honey comb ice cream 10/10: this uniquely, creamy, & soft ice cream is only made here! must try! This ice cream has been a part of their menu for 14 years!! it's that good I'm so excited to come here again. Mara was the kindest server!! Very knowledgeable about each dish. She was extremely attentive to our table & the bussers here are very kind in cleaning our dishes when we finished! Shoutout to Manny!! read more

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While there wasn't anything particularly wrong with our dining experience, there wasn't anything particularly right either. The kitchen clear knows how to make flavors pop and each dish we enjoyed had a wonderful taste. For appetizers, we shared the parker house rolls and the duck croquettes (I don't see these on the menu anymore). The honey butter with bee pollen was unique and amazing and the rolls themselves were about what you'd expect. The duck croquettes were also tasty but I would not necessarily reorder. What disappointed us the most was the vast disparity in portion size. I ordered the scallops on toast and it was such a tiny plate. On the other hand, my brother and husband both ordered the roasted petaluma chicken and each had massive servings. Moreover, when we were first greeted by our server, she told us that people generally order 2-3 plates per person. If this was a tapas place or had tapas pricing for each plate, this would be understandable. But with the prices being what they are, this is not a reasonable ask. It also would have been nice if the server had warned me "hey the scallops on toast is a super small portion." Overall, the food is good but we probably won't be back. With the numerous dining options in LA (and even Santa Monica alone), this one didn't impress us. read more

The food was good, high quality ingredients and tasty combinations of protein and fresh veggies. You get what you pay for. Wine by the glass choices very limited and somehow disappointing. There are no choices given, if you don't like something in the dish, the chef will not offer anything else, so be warned!!!! Ambiance a bit pretentious, noisy , dark and not very friendly , this is probably the main reason we will not be back. read more

Delicious and unique food items. Great attention to detail. Loved the environment, would definitely recommend! read more

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Food was good, not great, but there are two reasons I wont return. First, there is no valet parking and despite what their website says, street parking is not readily available. But the main reason is that I am tired of wait staff advising (unsolicited) that the menu is meant to be shared and they suggest 2-3 dishes per person. This has become a tired cliche of a joke at Los Angeles restaurants. If customers want to share, they will share and don't need to be told thats how it's supposed to be. I have been eating at restaurants my entire life and don't need to be told how to order. Just STFU and take my order. read more

I am so so so sad to see how far downhill Rustic Canyon has gone. I used to give this place 5 stars, but now I literally would give it 0 stars if I could. The service was hella pushy. The server wanted us to order 6 dishes for 2 people, and said that we couldn't order anything additional if we didn't order at the beginning. We thought 6 dishes would be too much, and tbh with a shellfish allergy I don't know if there were even 6 options for us to choose. I'm glad we didn't choose six options because the food was really bad. The liver pate was inedible and super gross with a truly excessive amount of seasoning. It was served on what appeared to be leftover thanksgiving buns lol. I almost threw up and did not eat any more after the first bite. The pear and avocado salad was bad, too. It had pears that weren't ripe and again way, way, way too much herbal seasoning. The pork chop wasn't cooked properly and was tough. Literally every single dish we ordered was gross. Gross food and pushy service? I'm not going back. read more

Overall: a fine dining experience to behold! Food: 5/5 Would definitely recommend: Translucent prawn and polenta. The best prawns I've had in a long time. Prawns were perfectly grilled with strong charred flavor and tasted extremely fresh. Polenta had bite and creamy texture. Duck and cherries. A classic combination. Duck fat was well rendered. Meat was moist and juicy. Cherry sauce paired well with dish. Triple chocolate cookie. Extremely well balanced in terms of chewy cookie texture and soft cream. Nailed the sweet to bitter combination as well. Service: 5/5 Our server came back frequently to check on us. Staff were courteous and helpful. Water refills were fast. Food arrived and was collected at the expected intervals. Ambiance: 4/5 Clean and upscale as expected for an establishment of this caliber. I didn't notice anything particularly unique or outstanding in the decor. Lighting and noise levels were appropriate and well controlled. read more

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What a beautiful experience we had here! This is probably the freshest restaurants we've been to and we are some big foodies! The restaurants decor is warm and inviting. The staff are all amazing! They work really well together which made the flow of everything go smoothly. We were a party of four and I think that is the perfect size to come in to try multiple dishes and have all dishes equally shared from snack, salad's, main dish to dessert! We started with the lavender almonds. They were perfectly coated and the balance of sweetness to lavender couldn't have been more perfect. Then had the rolls with honey butter. The loaf was so good! Perfect outer crust and warm soft center the butter melted perfectly into the bread. Next was the salads. We had the fuyu persimmons and the beets and berries. Loved the vibrant flavor of beets and berries. Next was the broccoli. That was cooked perfectly and the cheese was a perfect combination. For our main dishes we had the pork chop, trout and birria. The pork chop with the cabbage was a beautiful combination I would have never thought to put together. It works so well with each other. It also came with a mustard sauce and I was a bit nervous because I'm not a fan of mustard! Let me tell you, that was such a light spice and flavor to the dish. I went in and scooped a spoonful of that mustard sauce to put over my bites! Then was the Petaluma roast chicken, perfectly crispy outer crust, juicy and flavorful on the inside. The salad was a hit too! Next the trout was perfectly crispy on top, perfectly flaky and tender inside. The sauce and sunchokes were a beautiful balance to the fish. Now for the birria, WOW!!! The flavors of the sauce, the perfectly slow cooked beef and the polenta; OMG sooo good! The flavors of that dish had to be my favorite! I feel as if I should have been writing my review while eating to get the exact feeling of flavors, spice and texture just right. Take a bite, close your eyes and let the flavors melt in your mouth together. It was an experience to have. Highly recommend this dish! We had to finish the night with dessert! We shared the coconut rice pudding, terry ranch pear cake, chocolate creameaux and Malibu honey ice cream. My personal favorite was the chocolate creameaux. The roasted marshmallow and hazelnut with chocolate sauce was, must I say it again; perfection! I've gotta say that the cake and ice cream came in very close! The sauce on the cake was very special tasting to me. The whey caramel tasted like butterscotch to me and I loved scooping that with creameaux. The ice cream texture and the straight forward taste of honey was such a treat! That was very special to taste. I think creating an ice cream to taste exactly what it's called can be difficult, but not for them! They made it happen and feel like it's a secret to not be shared. (Wink) Thank you for giving us such a beautiful dinner and experience that will forever have an imprint on my foodie soul. read more

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OMG THOSE COCKTAILS! Whoever is in charge of the drink menu deserves a raise! Came here with a friend and we did not hold back. Since they had a seasonal drink menu, we thought we'd try those since they will probably be replaced. They do such an amazing job with balancing their drinks. None of them were too sweet or overly strong I ordered the Stella Maris (guava rum drink) and the Bloodsport (japanese whisky drink) - and I don't know which one I love more. They were both amazing! The food was amazing too! They are known for the beets and berries salad so we ordered that. I was skeptical because i'm not a huge fan of berries in salads but it was delicious! WE also ordered the artichoke app and that with the dipping sauce was yummy! For our entree, we shared the duck and the trout. The duck was a solid dish, but the trout was the real star! It looked like a salmon and the sauce tasted like crack! As soon as you take a bite, it melts in your mouth! For dessert we had the mtamai strawberries and rhubarb which was a great way to end the meal. It wasn't overly heavy or sweet. Overall this was such a great meal. Even though it was such a busy night, our service was perfect! It can get a little loud in there but that's because they are doing so well! I will 100% be back! read more

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The food was pretty good, but this is honestly the loudest restaurant I have been to in many years. It was impossible to have a conversation with the people sitting right across the table. On top of all the tables packed in to the restaurant, making it incredibly loud they also blast music. Get it to go if you want it, but don't bother eating in. Really a disappointing environment. read more

This place is amazing! They change their menu frequently but have some items that stay on the menu. The food is so fresh and beautifully plated. I appreciated that our waitress could speak to the menu well and was able to help us find a few different items based on our tastes. The cocktails and wine are to die for! I'm glad we got a booth though because it got a little loud (it was a Saturday night). This is the kind of place where you order a bunch of stuff to share. We had to order all our food (minus dessert) all at once. We over ordered, they are more generous with their portions than other nicer restaurants. But that was fine because we could take some of it to go. The flavors were unique and rich. You can tell the chef puts a lot of thought into the menu. I love that it's all farm fresh and locally sourced and in season. It's a meal that you can feel good about. We had a gift card which was nice because it was pricey but well worth it! Hopefully we can afford to come back again soon! read more

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Food: amazing vibrant flavors, well executed dishes, and diverse and dynamic overall menu. Service: the service here is attentive and certainly above for Los Angeles Ambiance: only been here twice but the vibes are legit and decor is sexy. My first visit was during the ridiculous LA Covid restrictions and rules but they still managed to make it a pleasant experience. read more

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This is a classic Californian farm to table restaurant. We dined here with friends some time ago and had a great meal. The price point is on the higher end and some dishes do feel a bit over priced compared to others. Over all, while I would recommend it to someone who is specifically looking for this type of restaurant in Santa Monica, I wouldn't say it's destination-worthy. read more

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Super friendly staff and a great cocktail menu. Lots of space for seating and it doesn't feel like you're listening to the conversation next to you. Their food was delicious and it's all farm to table so it was filling but light at the same time. Very close to the ocean so it's a great way to end a beach day on the west side. read more

Rustic Canyon - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The place is beautiful , looks brand new but in business almost 20 years . very modern Justin is the best bartender and know how to make the cocktail especially the espresso martini!! read more

Rustic Canyon - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

3.5 rounded it to 4** If you want a cozy quaint restaurant outing at a casual restaurant this is a great place to come to! The chicken was delicious and zesty. Nothing was super wowzaaaaa omg crazy good knocking you off your feet but the food was still pleasant as was the vibe and service. Everyone was super friendly and chill. We parked on the street at a meter. Free after 6 pm read more

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I have eaten at this place probably about four maybe five times now, and every time it does not disappoint. The food is absolutely excellent. The vegetable dishes are some of the best I've had anywhere. If you drink, the cocktails are phenomenal. I try and branch out and try new restaurants, but that is difficult when this one is so incredibly good. I look forward to the next time I dine here. read more

If you are tired of "routine" and predictable restaurant foods, then this place, just might please you. With some of the most creative and innovative items on their menu, this place has a feast waiting for you! All dishes are small, yes, even the over $50 steak. I would describe them as tapa style, so in order to taste most of the things on their menu, it's best if you come with a large group and order things to share. We came with a group of six and ordered about 15 items, which is probably 90% of their not-so-large menu. Everything was good, but I'd highly recommend the squid, the spinach dip, the couscous, and the prime ribeye steak. We had three or four kinds of salads, and they were amazing! If you are the kind who look for new ways to make salads at home, come learn a few tricks here! Their menu changes often so don't be surprised if some of the highly praised and popular items are no longer available. Wonderful wine list and some really interesting items on their Mocktail menu. Decent dessert menu, the one with ricotta cheese was excellent, however, the chocolate, halva and the honeycomb ice cream were just average. Great atmosphere and beautiful place. Service staff was very attentive and friendly. This is a great place to enjoy a wonderful dinner, however, you need to also forget about money. A tiny palm size dip would cost $12. Two pieces of bread (each piece maybe three bites? ) - nine dollars. With drinks, we spent over $100 per person. Parking! Be very, very careful! All the small side streets are severely restricted, just look at how many signs there are! Your best bet is to find meter parking - not easy, but possible with some patience. read more

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One of my favorite meals to date in LA. Love the wine director here she was so sweet. The food is creative and the flavors are amazing. I am already looking forward to going back. Love the romantic but elevated vibe of the place. Really have nothing bad to say and the photos speak for themselves. read more

Rustic Canyon - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Impeccable food, perfect service and ambience. Everything is phenomenal. Very good gluten free options when you ask! Good wine list also

Food was delicious. Service was extra friendly and personal. Romantic ambiance. Perfect date night. *pricy! read more

Cute place, nice ambiance, and great service. I enjoyed the food, but it was overpriced for what you get. I would have enjoyed it a lot more had it been priced reasonably. The menu changes frequently, and unfortunately I was not able to order what I had in mind, so I went with the sourdough spaetzle, which was also recommended by my server. It was good; definitely unique. It was almost like Bosnian tarhana, but bigger chunks of dough, mixed with some veggies. I liked the hint of lemon throughout the dish. The Strawberry Delicious mocktail was delicious, indeed. It was kind of like a sweet strawberry lemonade. I loved that the server who delivered my food explained what was in the dish as he set the plate down. The gal that waited on me was great too; very personable. Service was excellent all around. read more

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A super romantic spot. Beautifully curated, with cozy lighting, elegant service and delicious, healthy food. We ordered the lentils, sweet potatoes and couscous. Everything was delicious and beautifully presented. And they cleared our personal plates btn entrees since we shared dishes. And I loved that part as well, bc you have so much you can eat simultaneously. Also, the China was like cool spotted vanilla bean colors. A more earthy vibe, than the sterile all-encompassing white that is ubiquitous at most spots. And the silverware is heavy, always a sign you're in an upscale establishment. I'm a girl we notice these meticulous details. Mainly, bc we wonder abt our own China and silverware collections, lol. Well, at least I do. The service was amicable and polite. It was a wonderful date night, and such an elegant atmosphere. Makes summer nights delightful. Thank you. read more

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This was an unforgettable meal! Came here with a couple of colleagues and we were the first ones in the restaurant for our 6 pm reservation. Our waitress was amazing and gave us fabulous recommendations plus help us dissect the menu. We opted for share a number of dishes, but a couple of our favorites were the: - sourdough spaetzle - beets and berries - smoked half chicken - trout wrapped in grape leaves The food was so fresh and the flavors were immaculate. Truly worthy of their Michelin star! We were there for nearly three hours as we slowly indulged in our meal. The restaurant filled up by 7:30 and was lively with other patrons. I highly recommend visiting when you're in the Santa Monica area. read more

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We went to the Rustic Canyon for a date night dinner. The restaurant itself is lovely, though it was definitely noisy, making it difficult to hear each other. We started with the Garden of Chicories salad which was in a delicious dressing, despite lacking in toppings. We each had half of a dinner plate -- vermilion a la diabla and porkbelly with collard greens over polenta. The polenta was what I would expect from a cozy, winter seasonal meal with a good serving size. The vermillion, for $39, was not worth it. The sauce was great, but the portion was so small and the fish overall plain. The waiter had told us people normally order 2-3 plates a person, but the portion sizes seemed very different depending on what you ordered. read more

OUTSTANDING service, drinks, and food. Original flavor profiles tantalize the palette. Candle lit well for date night or solo dining. It's a Santa Monica must. read more

Rustic Canyon - Cod - menu changes every few weeks - Wine Bars Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I used to consider this one of the best restaurants in Santa Monica, but my visit last night was a letdown. With a group of four, we ordered seven or eight dishes -- a good portion of the menu -- and every dish was pretty mediocre and many of the dishes had way too much salt. Really disappointing for a place I once loved. read more

Food was excellent. Pâté was a game changer. Peas salad and broccoli with spicy cheese both wonderful. And the pork chop was heavenly. Service was also terrific. Unfortunately, the wines by the glass were disappointing. Gamay needs to be chilled, folks. That's the rule. Pinot Noir was likely 1-2 days old and re-corked. We didn't say anything about the wine, but for the price, this should be close to perfect. Overall, we really enjoyed dinner. read more