RVR is a modern Japanese izakaya with California style. RVR is having a moment on Abbot-Kinney, where the vibe never ends. At an izakaya, you expect small dishes so you can linger while you enjoy your drinks. Here, these include charcoal-grilled meat skewers, dumplings, ramen, and sandos. I visited during brunch and had a large bowl of ramen with a Banner Dark cold brew. I was seated at the bar where the stools have low backs, so you get a little core workout. Before the meal, they bring a warm towel. Manila Clam Ramen: The broth is subtly briny and sweet from the clams and dashi, so don't expect a typical rich pork soup. The Manila clams are sweet and tasty. While I'm not normally a high fan of the texture of clams, these are plump, springy, and juicy. In fact, with their huge size and orange color, they resemble mussels in flavor and shape. Slivers of the preserved lemon give a zesty, aromatic, and fermented flavor. This complements the scallions and sweet citrus zing of the red Fresno chilies. The mitsuba leaves are like a mild parsley. Today I had some interesting interactions with water. In the morning, while I was surfing, I was spitting out the aggressively salty water. My first sip of RVR's tap was noticeably sweet, cold, clean, and refreshing. When the clam broth arrived, the level of savoriness was just right! Parking: You can usually find street parking a few blocks away. read more

RVR Venice - Clam Ramen - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

RVR is very Venice coded - it's scene-y, vibey, and food hype-y. We started with some yakitori: -chicken thigh ume myoga ($9) -duck meatball tsukune & hot mustard ($10 for 3pcs) -wagyu beef tongue, torpedo onion salsa & toasted sesame oil ($16) The skewers were fine, but nothing was really memorable. And so began our truly unmemorable meal. We had gyozas, a mixed rice, and though it was recommended that each person order individual ramen bowls, we opted not to because conceptually that's a little weird at an izakaya? Our splurgiest item was probably the crispy aji sando ($25). It's a very small portion, though I'm not looking for value at this point. It was a very expensive fish sandwich on regular ole bread - not a ton of flavor even with the morita aioli. The extensive vegetable offerings is probably the most exciting menu plug. The best thing I ate were the roasted sweet potatoes ($16). The potatoes were sweet, roasted, drizzled with a lime aioli and then topped with parsley shichimi. Sweet potatoes are the perfect vessel for any accoutrement and these were no different. Service was spotty - fast dishes, long breaks, repeat. Idk. I feel like there is a whole lot of hoopla for very mid tasting Japanese food. There wasn't anything innovative or new about the flavors I sampled. I feel like any strip mall in Torrance could take RVR down in a fight. Not for me. read more

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Visiting from NYC and popped by RVR after reading many recommendations. To be fair: I did not have a reservation and this was a Saturday. However it was just me and I came in 20 min after they opened. I was fully expecting to have to wait or be told there wasn't any availability and tbh I kinda wish they had. They said they had one seat available and I had to "give it back by 6:30" I was like lol ok no problem. I would've honestly appreciated a heads up about what type of seat it was but instead they just put me there: Corner of bar, shoved right in between a single male diner to my right and a group of 3 men and a woman to my left- two on my side and two across from me and it was like I was interrupting their meal, how close they made me sit to them. Couldn't even hear myself think over their chatting. There was nowhere to put my purse- the one bar hook available was being used by the diner to my right who I was also basically on top of. Meanwhile there were a bunch of bar seats open in other spots. Sure- maybe held for reservations but they were fully empty the whole time I was there. And after getting my water, I was never addressed again. Despite signaling, closing my menu- etc, the waiter looked at me multiple times but didn't address me. I waited another 20 minutes- uncomfortably between these two other parties, holding my bag since there was nowhere to put it, and no service in sight. So I left! I'm sure the food is fantastic but I thought to myself - I already feel uncomfortable why do I want to waste more time and $$$ to continue that experience? I went to an amazing Iranian spot in Westwood instead and it was like night and day. Disappointing. read more

Past by these multiple times and it's always packed with people. Finally got a chance to try it and now I know why! The space inside is gorgeous. Love the decor on the wall and ambiance is lovely. Music is on the louder side so I wouldn't take someone on a first date here but maybe a celebration for something. The bone marrow and uni handroll were my favorite. Both were very rich and the uni is from Hokkaido so the size is bigger. The duck meatball was also amazing but only use a tiny bit of the mustard because it is STRONG. Sweet potato was solid. The mushroom was good but a little bit too salty by itself. I wish it was served with the rice at the same time but not a big issue. Drinks were good but not memorable nor that strong for the price. Overall would come again and try the other items on the menu! read more

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First time visitor, and can't say enough about it. I've been wanting to come to RVR for a long time, and I finally got the chance to. Reservations are tricky! They open about 10 days in advance, and get snagged up very quickly. We were seated on the upstairs patio, which felt very romantic (hell it was a date). It's a lot less intimate than the downstairs though which is dimly lit and a bit louder. The food was delightful. We ordered the handrolls (Tuna and Kanpachi), which were so good. They're a great starter for any meal. Next up was the leafy greens salad which was really good. The chicken katsu was probably my favorite of the night. I'd order this again and again. The pork rib gyoza were also a hit. Very light and airy. Lastly, the sweet potatoes were incredible. I'd order these again as well. read more

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I regret to inform you that this place is overhyped TLDR: Some standout dishes, lots of just okay ones. Scene-y vibe. Service is nothing to write home about. The value for your money is Just not there. There were some genuinely great dishes (aji sando!!! And sweet potatoes, but you've probably heard that) most things were clearly made with fresh, high quality ingredients...but weirdly lacked flavor (fava beans in particular, but also the sashimi and shrimp dumplings). We also had two handrolls and a wagyu tongue skewer. No complaints, but I've had much better handrolls and skewers for much less at other places. Our server was knowledgeable and made some good recs, but not particularly warm. They also let us know that they had just given our table away when we arrived since we'd juuust passed the 15 minute mark. Sure, we shouldn't have been late, but we found that kind of annoying since we had gotten in line before the 15 minute grace period passed, the line to check in just moved quite slowly. It was fine in the end, but don't be like me and just give them a call if you know you're gonna be late. This is such a hot spot that I expected to pay a pretty penny, and I'm okay with that, as long as the food is good. But I can't in good conscience suggest that you spend this much of your money here when quite a few dishes fell flat. read more

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Absolutely loved this casual/trendy Izakaya with a great vibe. The hostess was nice enough to offer us the Chef's table since I was celebrating my son's birthday. We got to see all the kitchen and bar action. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious! Service was wonderful. We were lucky to get a parking spot behind the building. Very happy with everything! read more

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Chef Travis the grand architect of Gjelina has unleashed another flavor explosion on Abbot Kinnney with RVR. Some of my fondest childhood memories were eating with my grandmother at Gjelina's patio when it was empty. I enjoyed a wide variety of different dishes that are well worth the hype and the articles. While aimlessly wandering Central Park in New York I saw all these ducks roaming around which made me crave some duck causing me to order the duck confit fried rice. The sauces were all so spectacular I was scraping it off with a spoon to get it all. Everything had a surprise flavor that made each dish special. The chicken Karage was extremely juicy fried chicken without too much breading. The very simple shrimp dumplings were elevated to spectacular levels with high quality ingredients. The sauce was a very unique dumpling sauce. Anyone who has read or skimmed Travis's cookbook Gjelina would be aware that the man is obsessed with pickling. I considered it a crime to not order the pickles. You've got a wide variety of different delicious pickled vegetables The snow peas are delectable and perfect on their own. The Fresno chile did something truly remarkable with the spiciness level. It managed to almost be spicy a very fascinating balance. The Handrolls with toasted seaweed from Japan were great the only thing bad about it is how fast it disappears. The ponzu sauce created a flavor explosion with the Sashimi. This isn't going to be like any other Sashimi you'll have. The crab fried rice a very juicy rice dish it has a texture similar to well made Jambalaya with how wet the rice is supposed to be. Chunks of delicious confirmed duck are also in there. The true star of the show was the Wagyu skewer my god truly tender and flavorful beef. You can occasionally see thr flames rise in the kitchen and it shows in this dish. The desert a vanilla pana cotta the olive oil enhances the sweet and saltiness of the dish a wonderful dessert. A final shout out to the house ginger ale a very good beverage. I do plan to come back to the bar to sample their other cocktails. read more

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We had a 6:45pm reservation but weren't seated until around 7:15pm. The restaurant was clearly very busy, with a line out the door, so we tried to be understanding. Once seated, the upstairs space was beautiful, but it got incredibly loud, which made it hard to fully enjoy the experience. The biggest issue was the pacing of the food. Dishes started coming out extremely quickly..almost all at once making the table feel crowded and rushed (especially since it was a small table). It felt like they were trying to turn the table over quickly. We mentioned it to our server, who kindly said they'd ask the kitchen to slow things down, but then the timing swung the opposite way, our next dish didn't arrive for about 30 minutes, and the final plate was just rice. The food and drinks were good, the overall flow of the meal felt off and took away from the experience. I understand they were busy, but better pacing and coordination would make a big difference. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't strong enough to bring me back. read more

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RVR has been on my list of places to try since I moved back to LA. I was even more excited when I found out it was a James Beard finalist for 2026 best resturant. I went during brunch so some items might not be available for dinner. Parking: there's a paid lot behind the resturant. There's a $15 valet 2 block up and street parking in the neighborhood. Decor: This place is absolutely adorable! There's also a bar and an upstairs patio which was perfect for a Sunday Brunch. There was enough shaded area when we went around 12pm Drinks: if you like aperol spritz, try the orange-hi. The servers recommended it and it is similar as it is refreshing and perfect brunch drink. I also ended up getting a regular aperol after. Also decent. Brunch items: Crispy Grain Pancake - I personally never had a grain Pancake before, it's not as fluffy as a regular Pancake, but had a good flavor. It paired well with the syrup, which even came in cute little container. Wagyu Keema - this was served with rice and pickled vegetables. Ok. TBH. I wasn't sure how this was going to go. I am part Indian and so obviously going to be super judgey about this but I really couldn't resist not trying it. And it was surprisingly good. It had bold but not over powering flavor and paired well with the pickled vegetables. Regular Menu Duck meatballs - ok I now understand why there's so many photos of the duck meatballs! I personally think it's the best dish out of everything we ordered. Although every thing was good, these meatballs stuck with me for a few days. Hiramasa Sudachi Ponzu - super colorful, super fresh, I love hamachi so this was right up my alley. From the sauce to the texture. Everything about this I enjoyed. Crispy Chicken Thigh Karaage with chili honey on the side. We had a toddler with us, so we ordered this dish for him but we also had some. It was perfectly battered and the chicken was juicy. Just be careful not to bite into it, because I learned my lesson...it was steaming hot. Boiled Shrimp Dumpling - good flavor and good texture. This was also a decent dish to share as well. Boiled Sweet Potato w/ miso butter - this is a great dish! I like Sweet Potato so I guess I'm bias but it was perfectly cooked and the miso butter is a nice touch to bring the flavors together. I heard the hand rolls are also good, so I am absolutely coming back to try all the other dishes and also get those duck meatballs again! This place is good for brunch, date night or a girl's night. You have to check this place out. The food, atmosphere and service is top notch. Also our sever was absolutely amazing. She went above and beyond for my nephew and even let him "pay" by letting him tap the card and push the no receipt button. read more

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I get the hype! We came for dinner around 5:45 on a Saturday night and were seated upstairs. We ordered one tuna hand roll, chicken karaage, miso cod, a snap pea dish, fava bean tempura, Manila clam ramen, and boiled shrimp dumplings. We also got the carrot cake for dessert, and a cocktail each. The food came out hot and fresh! The tuna hand roll was buttery, the chicken karaage was perfectly flavored and crispy, and the boiled shrimp dumplings were nicely balanced and the dumpling skin had a perfect texture. The snap pea dish and miso cod were relatively light and flavorful, but not especially memorable. The fava bean tempura was delicious and the perfect combo of light and crispy. The ramen was beautifully flavored and the noodles were yummy! The carrot cake to finish was a great choice. It came with a tasty ice cream and the texture of the cake was soft and fluffy. Overall a lovely meal with tons of options. We would return and order completely new items to have a fresh experience! read more

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We had the best brunch at RVR. It was such a beautiful day in Venice, and we sat upstairs at the bar honestly the perfect spot with great energy, sunlight, and amazing service. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was flavorful, fresh, and so well put together: Citrus Yogurt with Candied Nuts - Creamy, bright, and refreshing. The caramelized nuts add the perfect crunch. Tuna Crudo - Melt-in-your-mouth, super fresh, and topped with the perfect amount of ginger and chives. Crispy Cod Sandwich - Toasted perfectly with a crunchy exterior and all the savory flavors inside. So good. Shrimp Dumplings in Chili Oil - Soft, silky, and full of flavor with the right kick of heat. Beignet Bites - Warm, fluffy, slightly sweet and citrus with pistachios , and the perfect finish to brunch. Everything came out beautifully plated (as you can see in the photos) and tasted just as good as it looked. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was chill, and the whole experience felt like a little escape. If you're on Abbot Kinney and want an elevated but relaxed brunch -- RVR is definitely worth a stop. I'll absolutely be back read more

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Went for Mother's Day Lunch and the ambiance and food were excellent. Every dish we had was delicious, our drinks were great and the space was just beautiful. Service was a bit overwhelmed because it was Mother's Day and quite busy but overall, I'd still say it was good. One of the best new restaurants I've dined at in recent years. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

Venice is a really cool hip place and we saw this restaurant being super packed so we decided to try them out! Ambience inside is nice and had nice interior. A bit loud so it was kind of hard to talk to people but it was okay. The foods at RVR are like tapas style. We were a party of 4 and our server recommended we order 3 dishes per person. Visually the foods looked good. I'm sure it's hard to perfect every dish so there were good dishes and some bad. The foods though overall were on the saltier side... if you like a lot of sauce and salty foods, this place is for you! Place of the foods coming out were slow. So it felt like we had a bite of something then stopped. Then a bite then stopped etc. Service was a bit disappointing... we didn't get a refill on our waters during the whole dinner. The best thing on the menu was their matcha, black sesame gelato. read more

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Was able to get reservations on short notice for a Saturday night. There was a healthy line out the door at 5:30 for those hoping to score tables. The place is packed. It has a cool vibe ... mellow, hip, friendly. The menu is overwhelming and they recommend ordering at least 1 dish from each of the categories. First category is handrolls we got the yellowtail tuna and the ratio of tuna to rice is generous amounts of tuna. It's a little on the small side, but each bite is wonderful and tasty. Ordered the duck fried rice and bluefin tuna sashimi from the second category (can't remember the name of this category) and both were out of this world. Only bummer is that the duck fried rice came out last but it would have been nice to have this as the middle part of the meal to balance out the flavor bites we had. We also had a duck bone in the fried rice too, so be careful! The bluefin comes with fresh wasabi which gives it a nice dimension. The gyoza / potsticker category we got the pork dumpling and it comes with this amazing salt yuzu topping (so, so, so salty but addicting). These were amazing and I could have ordered 2 plates just for myself! The vegetable category we ordered the pickled veggies ... lots of different bites- cucumber, cabbage, carrot (my fave), celery (second fave), burdock root with shiso leaves (3rd fave), daikon (white radish) and beets (wish it was eggplant over beets). The next category (can't remember the name) we ordered the duck meatball. Good, but not great (at least relative to the above bites). The place is packed so it does feel crowded, loud and warm. The mochi donut is only available during lunch on the weekends (not for dinner, which was a bummer as we really wanted to try that). read more

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This is a dining experience you don't want to miss. I've had this restaurant on my list for a quite a while and it did not disappoint. Tom and the rest of the staff were superstars. Vibe inside was beautiful. I loved the lantern chandeliers on the booth sides. Stand out dishes were the Spanish bluefin tuna sashimi, the chicken karaage and the duck meatballs. Everything else was superb, but these seemed to be our group's favorites. Can't wait for the next time we dine in here. read more

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The wait was not bad at only about 15 minutes even with a reservation. For a spot like this, I think this is too be expected. The service and meal selection was well worth the wait. The place sits on popular Abbott Kinney and is 2 stories. We were seated on the top level at a table but there is a small bar also. One of our waiters seemed to be an expert on the many dishes and how they are prepared. We decided on the Mixed Rice with Duck Confit, the Crisp Chicken Karaage, the Duck Meatballs, the Lamb Shoulder, the Chicken Liver and the Wagyu Beef Tongue. I was a little hesitant on the beef tongue but I'm so glad that I gave it a try based on the waiter's description on how it's prepared. It was delicious. The crispy chicken looks as good as it tastes. Great spot! read more

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An extremely popular and trendy izakaya spot in the heart of Venice. Jeremy Allen White of The Bear fame said in an interview that this place is where he had the best meal of 2025, and I have heard other good things from others as well. I can confirm that it is a great experience, although not in my personal top three, but I still really enjoyed dinner, the experience of the whole meal, and just the restaurant in general. Inside is medium sized, but it is absolutely packed with people so at times it can be really hard to hear someone sitting next to you. I would say this is a great date spot, but maybe not so for a work dinner. They don't have a dedicated parking lot so it will be street parking which can be difficult to find, or you can do a pay lot. If possible come early because after 6:30 parking is hard to find. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered came out pretty fast, basically things don't come out in a structured order, they come out when they are ready. We chose: 1. Wild Suruki Sashimi - this was one of my favorite dishes of the night. It is packed with flavor, very light, and is a great starter. 2. Duck Meatballs - I enjoyed these more than I thought I would, but my favorite part of this dish was the hot mustard. 3. Boiled Shrimp Dumpling - we loved these. They were rich in flavor and just tasted really fresh and were more filling than expected. 4. Charred Broccolini - this was my favorite dish of the night. The creamy sesame was heavenly, and it was packed with garlic flavor and I just loved every bite. 5. Manila Clam Ramen - I would classify this as my main dish and thought it was pretty good. I liked some of the others more but this was really nice and I admit that I drank the liquid at the end. I think the small is perfect sized unless you get less dishes and specifically want to save room for this one. Overall, a really hip and lively izakaya option in a lively part of town. I would recommend as a great date spot, but just know you should get reservations far ahead and it's going to be loud. read more

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The food here is great! New LA fave! Everything was full of flavor and felt very fresh. My favorites were definitely the broccolini and the duck confit rice. The tonkatsu was nice & juicy. The gyoza and hand rolls were pretty standard. The skewers were my least favorite, but overall I had a great meal. Service was standard as well. We were seated upstairs, which was nice and less crowded, but we did need to share a table with another party. The downstairs is a little more crowded and loud. There's street parking all around. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

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We stopped here for brunch and luckily the wait was not too bad for the communal table. Pricey but delicious food. If you're a Travis Lett/MTN fan, this place will hit the spot. Don't come here expecting authentic Japanese food, and it's not trying to be. A lot of bold flavors, and fresh ingredients. The wagyu beef curry was similar to keema curry, not photogenic but very tasty. The sunny egg was overcooked so we didnt get a runny egg though. The wagyu beef tongue skewer was my favorite dish, it was thick cut but very tender. The karaage was excellent - dark meat and tossed with a yummy chili honey sauce. We also got the broccolini since we needed a veggie and it was great, like Gjelina's but with a yummy sesame sauce and chili kick. The only miss for me was the mochi donuts which were oozing so much oil. I would definitely come back for the dinner menu. read more

Really incredible vegetable plates. They were the star of the show for sure. The cabbage was easily my favorite but, honestly, everything was great. My other favorites were the pickles, the beef tongue, and the tempura. Truly an amazing meal. It's a big menu but I feel like you can't really go wrong with anything. The waiters had great suggestions as well. The inside is very packed and a bit loud but we were sat on the roof which was really nice and a lot quieter. It's also pretty warm up there. Overall, great food, great service, great setting. Loved it. read more

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First of all, food is supreme! From start to finish, each dish was fresh, flavorful and well executed! Ambience is darker but comfortable and music is on point! AK needed this refreshing concept to arrive. read more

Wow blown away by the food at this place! Located on Abbot Kinney, RVR always looks busy, we were able to walk in on a weekend lunchtime and put our name and phone number down; less than 30 min later (which we'd spent checking out the unique shops around the area), we were seated at a communal table on the 2nd floor outdoors. Menu is quite large, covering handrolls and sashimi which was on the pricier side (ike you could go to a decent sushi place for that price), so we opted for the cooked foods. Between the three of us, we ordered chicken karage (a level above the norm, crisp to a perfection with tasty seasoning), broccoli (also super tasty with the sauce and slightly charred yet still juicy), curry rice bowl (good amount of meat sauce and decent size to share), yakitori Skewer (well cooked and delicious), mochi doughnuts (too oily but pistachio topping was good). This was the perfect amount without breaking the bank. Makes me want to go back and try their other items on the menu! Street parking is doable read more

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Loved our first experience at RVR. The service and the staff was amazing, everyone was wanting to lend a hand and share opinion on their favs on the menu. Loved the downstairs bar area and upstairs vibes. They really know what they are doing! Bigger restaurant than I expected. read more

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Elevated izakaya where reservations are almost impossible to get unless you plan ahead... or if you're lucky you stumble on a last minute prime time cancellation (which are more common than you think). It's lively (aka loud) and vibey. We were greeted by the sincerely, gracious host (who was juggling a lot of impatient people waiting by the front door) and didn't wait more than 5 minutes to be seated; at the bar which is perfect for 2 people. All the staff was attentive and while we knew what we wanted to order, they described the dishes so flavors were complimentary. Flavors of the Channel Island Rock Cod Tempura hand roll with tartar sauce were a great opening plate. More roasted cod and Chidori (purple kale) was delicious, mixed rice with duck confit would benefit from more succulent duck. I would absolutely order charred broccolini and roasted sweet potatoes every visit! Flourless chocolate cake was a little too pudding-like for me but the flavor was still lovely. read more

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Not worth the hype. It should have been a red flag for me when I stood and waited to be seated 30 minutes after my reservation time and saw a majority of non Asian diners. That's fine but I then noticed a lot of them struggling to use chopsticks. There were several parties waiting outside well past their reservation times getting visibly irritated. It seemed as though the staff was in no rush to clear tables and didn't seem apologetic about long wait times. I was finally seated half an hour past my reservation at 9 pm. I expected to sit at the bar as a solo diner and that's where I ended up. Fortunately I already looked through the menu and wrote my entire order on my notes app so I could just show them my full order. I ordered a variety of dishes knowing the portions would be on the smaller side. Most of the dishes I ordered were okay and nothing really stood out as a must try. I like the concept of it being a izakaya shaped by farmers market produce. Everything is way too expensive for what it is and my total bill was $260+. For that price I could have dined at a Michelin star restaurant or had quality sushi, omakase, or yakitori. Overall, I left unimpressed. While there weren't any dishes that were flat out bad, nothing blew my mind. Service was slow to nonexistent and the cost does not equate to the experience I had. I would recommend trying out a real izakaya or yakitori spot if you care about food. If you just want a vibey LA spot with okay food then come here. read more

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A new izakaya restaurant on Abbot Kinney has created new buzz. Reservations are hard to come by and bar is constantly full. I have gone twice and highly recommend when making a reservation to request a private table. The reason is they have communal tables that I find extremely uncomfortable. For parking use valet to enjoy a special night! | F O O D | Grilled Zucchini 8/10 - added nuttiness and satisfying chew Zabuton 9/10 - even more tender than the ribeye Duck Meatballs 8/10 - tender and great acidic from the mustard Tuna Handroll 9/10 - balanced and shoyu so sauce compliments the fish perfectly Chicken Karage 9/10 - rich and meat melts in your mouth, wish chili sauce was a little more pungent Ribeye Steak 9/10 - rich tenderness with just enough chew to not be overwhelming for wagyu Sweet Potato 9/10 - soft, rich, and tangy Mixed Fried Rice 9/10 - both vegetable and duck are the best fried rice I have had | A T M O S P H E R E | Rustic and hip vibe. Displays an old record player and some nights have a live DJ. The service is highly educated and give great advice. The menu changes frequently and to memorize intricate details to each dish is impressive and elevates the dining experience | O V E R A L L | I love veggies and the ability to try so many different dishes. Almost every dish is amazing and at the least just different, but still good. The desserts fall short since I prefer them sweeter, but makes sense for an izakaya to be more mellow. RVR is now gonna be one of my top restaurants to look for when planning a special night out! read more

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Cold food yes Hot food no Vibes yes Cocktails yes read more

After trying to get a reservation for what seemed like forever, I finally secured a spot on a Saturday night at 6:45. When we checked in, the hostess told us it would be a couple minutes while a table finished up. We waited outside and were greeted by Samuel who offered us champagne while we waited. After about 15 minutes we were sat at a great two top table in the front room. We were immediately greeted by our server Ava who helped guide us through the menu. We were starving and everything looked amazing so we ordered quite a bit of food. We started with the kampachi hand roll and tuna sashimi. The hand roll was ok but not worth $16. The tuna sashimi was amazing! Super fresh and melted in your mouth. Next we got the chicken karaage, tempura fava & shrimp dumplings. The karaage was perfectly crispy and extremely flavorful and the sauces were excellent. The tempura fava were delicious and a definite must try as they're only in season for a limited time. The shrimp dumplings were some of the best I've ever had! They may be a bit spicy for those who aren't accustomed to spice but an absolute must have. Next up we got the pork gyoza, sweet potato and black cod. The pork gyoza was perfectly crispy and flavorful but it wasn't a stand out. As someone who doesn't love sweet potato, I LOVED this one! The creamy sauce was a great balance to the natural flavors. The black cod was great but a very small thin piece for $32. Last up we got the duck meatballs and ramen. If you don't like duck, I'd say the meatballs are a great way to try them again. The ramen was my least favorite of everything we got. It was a pretty small portion in a tiny bowl. The flavors were interesting but it's not something I'd order again. Overall our experience from start to finish was one of the best dining experiences I've had in a long time. Both Samuel and Ava were super attentive and helpful and made our evening extra special. It's a great atmosphere with a vinyl dj in the back and the people watching in Venice is something you can't pass up. We can't wait to come back and order everything we didn't get to try! read more

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Underwhelming. My partner had heard about this restaurant being the "favorite restaurant of the fictional chef in "The Bear" TV series on Hulu"...in actuality, it is the actor who plays that chef, Jeremy Allen White's, favorite meal of the year. No offense, but this clarification had me significantly less excited to try this restaurant. Nevertheless, came here on veteran's day, a weekday night, and the restaurant was packed. All seats were filled and multiple parties were waiting outside in the cold. Inside was a lively pub-like atmosphere, dim and incredibly loud. It was difficult to hear speech of any sort inside the restaurant. Would not recommend for a first date. Honestly, wouldn't recommend in general but we'll get to that... Food was nothing to write home about. Hand rolls were not bad and probably the best dish of the night. Gyoza were fine but the dipping sauce was off. Duck meatballs were nice and flavorful, although texture left something to be desired. Mixed rice with duck confit was a haphazard blend of flavors that didn't quite complement each other and was overall bland and lacking meat. Roasted sweet potatoes were beautifully caramelized but over-sauced. Would have honestly been better without the creative direction, as we ended up scraping off all the sauce and eating them naked, street-food style. Fresh mint tea was a nice touch. Overall there was nothing that stood out, nothing I particularly loved or would come back for. Sitting by the bar facing out into the street was a bit depressing as we watched onlookers" cold and hungry faces glance inward at us. We were far enough from the door but it was still cold indoors. Combined with bar seats that were not particularly comfortable, this made for a mildly unpleasant dinner experience overall. read more

RVR Venice - Fresh mint tea - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

Good food and great ambience! Sat at the bar and ordered a few things to try. The food was good, the bartenders weren't very attentive though. We were trying to order and it was hard to track them down and place an order. With that said everything else was great. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

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I've heard all the buzz about RVR and it definitely lived up to the hype. The staff was attentive and kind. This place was buzzing when we arrived. We had a reservation but they were delayed seating us by almost 30 mins. But the host definitely acknowledged and was apologetic about the latency and offered us a cocktail on the house, which was an appreciated gesture. I had their Penicillin cocktail and it was refreshing and had just a subtle smokiness. The atmosphere was laid back...cozy interior design, beautiful stoneware plates and dishes, strong and attentive staff in front and back of house. All the items are Japanese tapas style and every small to medium bite that we had were so flavorful and presented beautifully. Portions were smaller but still substantial ...we ordered around 5 dishes and we left quite full. For me the All-Star items would be the vermillion tempura hand roll, the signature cod dish and their chocolate flour less cake. I loved our experience so much, I booked another reservation in a couple weeks to try more items off the menu. You have to visit this amazing gem on Abbot Kinney! read more

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The food here was excellent. Most were shareable tapas so my group was able to try a lot of dishes. The mochi beignets were definitely the best dish. It has a dusting of crushed pistachio and a citrus glaze that all came together so well with the fried dough that had a light airy texture. The omelette was the next best with such nice fluffy texture and just enough melted cheese on top. The inside is throwback and vintage with dark wooden tables and chairs, dark greenery over head, printer paper menus, and shelf full of vinyls. We got there just before opening without reservations because we're from out of town and randomly chose the restaurant based on options. We were able to get a table within 15 min of waiting. We were told that there was a reservation for our table about 90 min after, so we can take the table if we can finish brunch within that window of time. I appreciated the honesty and the attention to timing and care for reservations. read more

Arrived at 5 pm for my reservation and there was a very long line. Hard reservation to get. Happy to be seated at a booth and not the bar. Started with a Cosmo ( not big, too sweet) and the Paloma. Ordered the shiitake gyoza, Shrimp gyoza, roasted Kabocha, Japanese sweet potato, chicken karaage ( great chili honey) and the broccolini ( amazing). All the vegetable dishes were delicious, small portions. I would return to try other items on the menu. read more

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We are blown away by how lack luster the entire experience was. The food was good, definitely NOT what I would expect of a James Beard finalist. However, my largest issue with the restaurant was the staff. Our first waitress was definitely nice, but once we put in our drink and appetizer / first round order, she completely disappeared. It was over an HOUR until we got the attention of another waitress, who effectively took over for her. She was very kind and I could tell she cared, but we had to wait 20-30 minutes for every drink or food ordered after waiting so long to put anything in. Our original waitress did not come back at all to even check in until we handed our card over to pay. When we got the check, we noted we were overcharged by $75 for an item... that isn't even on the menu. When we asked about the order, the waitress was unable to explain the charge. They corrected the issue and then asked us to wait an additional 10 minutes for a "treat" which was on its way. At this point I almost entirely forgot it was my bday and I put it in the reservation notes. We finally got the desert and then just tried to leave as soon as possible. I definitely do not recommend. read more

Came here for valentine's day with my boyfriend and it was definitely very packed!! I would definitely recommend getting a reservation since they get really busy at popular times. Loved our waiter and the food was absolutely delectable. Wasn't a fan of the very loud and cramped atmosphere but we did go on a holiday! That didn't take away from the quality, taste, or presentation of the food for sure. It's on the pricy end (pricier on holidays) so I'd come again after I get my money up read more

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The food was just so. good. I'm not sure why some negative reviews would say anything negative about the food. The service was a little slower, but our server was attentive and gave us amazing suggestions. Though the portions are small, I think the flavour makes this place a must try. read more

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RVR for better or worse is a quintessential LA dining experience. The dishes are tiny, the service is a bit standoffish, and the space is somewhat cramped. There were a lot of fun and interesting flavors, but no dish really stood out as particularly outstanding. I did enjoy the figs and the avocado, and the sando was more filling than some of the other dishes. To share with a group of 4 the dishes were small enough where sometimes there was not enough for every person to have even a full bite. For instance, the pork belly was flavorful but it was cut in three pieces for a group of four. The server was also inconsistent with whether or not one of our party member's allergies could be accommodated which was confusing. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

Got brunch here on Sunday and we were able to snag seats at the bar without reservations. We ordered the mochi beignets, karage, eggplant salad, uni handroll and the cosmo cocktail. The mochi beignets are actually pretty light and not heavy or too sweet. Overall very enjoyable. Karage and eggplant salad were also good. The uni handroll was just meh and I would suggest skipping it. For those who like sweet and yummy cocktails, the Cosmo was great. All in all a very delicious brunch! read more

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Came here on a random Sunday and was able to get a single seat at the window! The food and service was great, I had the duck ramen, the blood orange salad, shrimp dumplings and the good mother beans. I will say the veggies dishes were the highlight, the ramen was good but just regular. I really enjoyed the music too! read more

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