A Mexican seafood restaurant?! Sign me up! I saw this advertised on TikTok and the food look amazing albeit expensive but the girls and I had to go. A party of 3 on a Wednesday we were sat promptly in the side room. The menu is in the smaller side but everything looked amazing and we ordered almost all of it! We started with the guacamole which can totally be skipped. It was nothing special, bland flavors and overall a disappointment. We got both the crab and tuna tostadas. As a tuna lover, I was psyched for that one and it was the biggest let down. Way over salted and no one finished it after we each got a bite. The crab tostadas however, which visually is not as appealing, was fantastic! I like crab but I don't run towards it, and I was going In for 3rds. The aguachili was fine, also something I'd skip next time. The ceviche was delicious, we scraped that bowl dry. We also got the potato flautas which were good but nothing special. The prawns were also delicious but barely any meat on them so not worth it price wise. For our entree we got the branzino and I think I've been converted! It was the tasted fish I've ever had! I truly recommend it as your main entree. We something else with pastor and two desserts. The desserts can also be skipped, not worth it. All in all majority of our meal was fantastic with fantastic service, I would absolutely go back again and nustr order the highlights. read more

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Since I live in the neighborhood I was looking forward to a replacement in the Atla space, but unfortunately service, value, and quality all left something to be desired. The experience started off on the wrong foot when we walked in for our 8:30 PM reservation and were immediately told by the host that "the kitchen was going to close soon". Apparently the restaurant closes at 8 so I'm not sure why they would accept an 830 reservation, but we were very rushed and throughout the meal it seemed like the servers were trying to get us to leave as soon as possible even though we were only there for less than an hour total. When we ordered, the server tried to get us to replace the tuna tostada with the crab, and to add two more larger items to our order. Obviously a lot of restaurants try to get you to order more than you want, but it was really weird to try to replace something we intentionally wanted. We ended up adding the crab since she was so intent on it, but it tasted like grocery store crab mix and didn't even have furikake on it? Looks nothing like other photos I've seen. None of us love crab, but usually I can appreciate a good crab dish and this was not it. Both the tuna and the crab tostada needed the green salsa added on top to give flavor, as neither were very flavorful on their own. The Orzo tasted just like standard pesto and didn't carry any flavors from either the pistachio or mole, so had no Mexican twist to flavor to it. It was also quite salty. The mushrooms were scarce but tasty and the overall dish was good but more like an Italian dish. $29 for this mid side dish is really surprising. The Prawns were pretty good! read more

Very exciting that we have one of Chef Enrique Olvera's restaurants in the Venice area. The atmosphere is great, staff is very friend, and food is delicious, however, I do think Damian in DTLA is certainly better. My family enjoyed the Tostada de atún-- it was flavorful and fresh. I personally enjoyed the flautas de papa (you get 3) sprinkled with crema and salsa verde and cabbage on the side. I was surprised at how big these flautas are, so if you choose to order these, you can definitely share them with someone else. My second favorite were the Quesadillas fritas (you get two) that are filled with quesillo and epazote. These quesadillas sound so simple, yet they are delicious!! The Carne asada hanger steak was flavorful; I asked for a medium rare steak and it was cooked to perfection. Our server recommended the Orzo Pistachio Mole as a side dish, so we went for it, but it was overall okay. Drinks need more flavor and were water down-- specifically the Juventino and Canuto. Our server was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable, she explained the entire menu thoroughly. We did, however, order an item and she seemed to forget about it; when we asked she said that unfortunately they had run out that evening-- I wish she had communicated this to us earlier so we could select a different item. Overall, it is a great experience, food is tasty, however, I think that it could improve. Damian in DTLA is still my favorite Olvera restaurant here in LA. read more

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Came to San Damian in Venice for a Friday night dinner and really enjoyed the overall experience. The restaurant was pretty busy, but service was still attentive and solid throughout the night. My favorite dish was easily the al pastor kanpachi. The combination of flavors worked really well and this was the dish that stood out the most for me. For dessert, they made me a tres leches that was off menu for my birthday, which was such a nice touch and probably my favorite part of the meal after the kanpachi. The one miss for me was the carne asada hanger steak. It came out overcooked and noticeably tough, so we sent it back. Unfortunately, the replacement still came out overcooked and tough. Definitely disappointing, especially for a steak dish, but the rest of the meal was enjoyable enough that it did not ruin the overall experience. The vibes and decor were a huge part of why I enjoyed coming here. Everything feels very intentional, from the name brand utensils to the lamps and smaller design details throughout the space. Definitely a place where the atmosphere adds to the experience. Overall, really good service on a busy Friday night, great atmosphere, and a couple of memorable dishes. The hanger steak was a miss, but I would come back for the al pastor kanpachi and to see what else they have on the menu. read more

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I don't know why the Fried Chicken here doesn't get more buzz....seriously the best I've eaten in recent memory. Also enjoyed the Kanpachi al Pastor, Quesadilla, Frozen Yogurt and Churros. Overall thought the Mains were better than the Starters. The Juventido cocktail went down very easy. read more

Definitely like this place over their sister restaurant. Food is delicious! Can't fault an item and well executed! Not an extensive menu, but still has a good amount of vegetarian options. We tried the potato flautas (vegan if you ask for no sour cream), quesadilla, crab tostada, branzino/pescado asada, sikil pak, yogurt helado and mousse. Also tried their 3 specialty house drinks n negroni and got two rounds of their house salsa n habanero sauce. Of these, our favorites were flautas, choco mousse, and crab were our favorite. Everything was fresh. I'd skip the sides next time just because the serving size feels disproportionate in comparison with the cost and the salsas are much better. Service, ambience is comparable to everything else in Venice, iykyk. read more

San Damian - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Ambiance - nice Food - Tuna tostada - 5/5 for flavor, but 1 tostada for $22 Kanpachi al pastor - 5/5 tasty but a very small portion of fish for $64 Potato flauta - 2/5 it was a fried, heavy tortilla on the outside and basically mashed potato on the inside, underwhelming for $19, so overpriced. You get 3 flautas. Sikil pak - 0/5, hated this. We were told it was like hummus, but when it came, it was a side sauce with some onions. The sauce was flavorless, and the onions were not chewable but at least good flavor. What a scam, I think it was $16 for this sauce and some green onions. Like how and why. Service - asked for a water bottle refill, we never got it. Was thinking I could maybe salvage some of the sikil pak at home and cook it with something else, but when asked to box the sikil pak, the server placed a tortilla basket from the table on top of the onions, so I ended up just throwing the entire thing out. Perhaps other items we didn't try are good but pricey for the risk. Read other yelp reviews to find what to get and avoid the potato flauta and sikil pak. I definitely would not recommend and will not be going back. read more

San Damian - Tuna tostada - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Located next to Felix on Abbot kinney, San Damian is a great addition to Venice. Having tried Damian, was excited to try another Mexican seafood r e staurant. Street parking or meter For two we ordered the following (perfect amount of food): Toastada cangrejo (crab) - this was hands down my fav, so fresh, full of crab. Takes me back to sitting down for first meal in Mexico city at a seafood restaurant. Cerviche rockfish sea urchin - deceng classic cerviche, uni was a bit too fishy for us Tlayuda - pescado chorizo was good, the snail was a bit too chewy. Would skip Kanpachi al pastor - well cooked and flavored, comes with soft tortillas and pineapple butter and thinly sliced pineapple that you can make your own tacos with. They also gave free tostada shells at the beginning of dinner, so also used that to give it some crunch Service was slow on a saturday evening, twice different staff saw us looking around for our waiter and came to assist, so maybe they were just understaffed on waiters that night. I'd come back just for the crab tostada. Prices as expected are not cheap read more

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when the dishes hit, they really shine. i'm definitely going back for the tostadas, aquachile, and kanpachi al pastor. the tlayuda de pescado was okay to me. kind of dry and pescado chorizo just isn't my thing. the guac was good, but we sent it back the first time because it was way too salty. the chef that day was very heavy handed with the salt for a few dishes. the cocktail i had was refreshing - the juventino. service was attentive and professional. the dining are is airy and soothing to the senses. there's bar seating in addition to a good number of tables. read more

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Came on a weeknight and it was packed. Service was attentive and informative. The ceviche was very good. Crab tostada is a must have. It was the standout. Skip the Tlayuda even though our server said it was her fav. The steak was OK. Not a lot of flavor. The strawberry dessert was bomb over the churros. I'd come back to try the kanpachi al pastor. read more

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5* food 5* Service 4* Ambiance 4* Value For the love of seafood and Mexican cuisine, San Damian is a must try. The dishes are clean, refreshing, and flavorful, casually plated and served. The ambiance and menu at San Damian are very different from its sister restaurant, Damian, in DTLA. San Damian is smaller, more modern, and less colorful, yet both restaurants offer full flavored menu items and delicious food. This location is also smaller, with somewhat cramped tables inside and a few outdoor tables tucked along a very nondescript side of the restaurant. The dishes are as beautifully plated as they are delicious. We ordered the aguachile, ceviche, crab tostada, prawns, and carne asada. Portions are small, but the flavors are bold and memorable with ittle small touches to each plate. The tostadas are baked rather than fried and have a lovely flavor without the heavy, fried after taste. The churros are light and melt in your mouth. The chocolate sauce served with them has a spice mixed in that I did not find particularly pleasant. The tres leches was light, texturaly perfect, and simply deliciouss. Alexa was our server and she really made the menu and our evening shine! She brought life to the words written on the menu and we all salvated as she spoke. Her recommendations were spot on! we loved each item ordered. read more

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This place was amazing The tuna tostada had some much flavors. Insane. The branzino?!?! I couldn't stop eating it. Service was spectacular. I would recommend to anyone. read more

San Damian - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Excellent new spot on Abbot Kinney. Not a fan of Olvera's spot downtown the older sibling of this resto but loved it here. Took me back to when I ate at Cosme in NYC and how much I loved it. Made me a fan back then. Those prawns yo. read more

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I heard this restaurant rebranded with a new seafood concept and because I had wanted to try Damian for a while, this seemed like the more convenient west side option. Overall the food was generally good, the service was so-so (our waiter seemed bored out of his mind and also forgot one of our dishes which negatively impacted the timing of the meal). This is what we ordered and was the perfect amount of food for 3 people. Aguachile Shrimp (4/5) Delicate, flavorful, not too spicy. Tostada de Cangrejo / Crab (4/5) Reminded me of a crab hand roll in the best kind of way. Quality crab and not too heavy with the mayo. Kanpachi Al Pastor (4.5/5) Everything I love about the sweet savory flavors of al pastor in a seared rare filet of fish. The thinly shaved pineapple was the perfect touch and I wish they gave more of that. Sikil Pak (3.5/5) Torn because the actual dip was amazing (thick nutty texture with pepitas) but the leeks served with it were way too oily. I would add something carby like bread. Orzo con Mole (3/5) Least favorite dish. Looked like a pesto in color but didn't have much flavor. It was very rich in texture and the smooth orzo lacked the rustic flair of the other dishes in the restaurant. The strawberry dessert was tasty but not memorable. I wish they had more meringues on top. Negroni (4/5) Solid preparation and I enjoyed the strawberry and shiso here. Medium strength. Pro Tip: They will provide extra tostadas upon request. Logistics: I was able to snag a weekend reservation a couple days in advance. Parking is metered on Abbot Kinney or mixed luck with neighborhood street parking in the intersecting blocks. There is also Valet. read more

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Heard a lot of hype about San Damian's new opening so wanted to try it out. Came here for dinner and enjoyed our meal. Tucked away in Abbott Kinney, the interior is very elegant. I usually don't go for mezcal-based drinks, but tried the Fuventino at our waitress's advice and it was delicious. We enjoyed everything we tried - my favorite was the kanpachi al pastor. The pineapple butter was unique and elevated the dish. Also appreciated that the aguachile had a nice spice kick. read more

san damian is an excellent restaurant highlighting fresh seafood, a spin on mexican food, and amazing flavors. my whole family said that was the best place we had all week! the appetizers were both delicious, but my favorite was the ceviche. the prawns are a must, they are the best i've ever had. and the yogurt for dessert was super creamy and not too sweet. also all of our drinks were spectacular! our server was exceptionally nice and gave us really good suggestions. the feel in the restaurant was had a tulumy and candlelight vibe. pop in for appetizers and a drink or an amazing dinner!! read more

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Note, if I could give a 3.5/5 I would - I didn't want to round down because I felt a 3 was unfair so I rounded up. We visited San Damian with a group of four, which was perfect for sharing and trying a good portion of the menu. Overall, the food and cocktails were fantastic, but the service didn't quite match the price point. For drinks, the Juventino was a standout. The clarified coconut was delicious, and the mango was subtle enough that it didn't overpower the drink with fruitiness. I ordered the Canuto, which was tart, refreshing and surprisingly not too carrot-forward. We also tried the Feliciano, which had really well-balanced flavors, and the Margarita, where the yuzu was the highlight. We started with the Botanas, Clams, Aguachile and Ceviche, followed by the Tostada de Atún and Tostada de Cangrejo. Both tostadas were amazing, but I especially loved the tuna. It was buttery, flavorful and one of the highlights of the meal. The Tlayuda was probably my least favorite dish. Our server said it was one of her favorites, but the fish chorizo just wasn't for me, and the dish left something to be desired. For the mains, the Prawns al Ajillo were delicious. The entire prawn was fried, so you could eat the head and shell without struggling to peel it, which was a nice touch. The Kanpachi al Pastor was the star of the meal and my favorite dish. It came with warm corn tortillas, and the fish was cooked perfectly. The pineapple butter made it such a creative and delicious take on traditional al pastor. The half branzino was also excellent, light, flaky and beautifully prepared. We ordered the Sikil Pak because we wanted something green or vegetable-forward, but it was another dish that felt like it lacked depth and flavor. We finished with the churros, which were fried perfectly, and the chocolate sauce wasn't overly sweet and complemented them nicely. The biggest disappointment was the pacing of the meal. We asked whether we could order as we went, but our server said they needed the entire order at once (understandable) and would course everything out. Unfortunately, all the starters arrived together, followed by all the mains at once. The plates were so large that there wasn't enough room for the Tlayuda. They were going to move my friend's plate to put it in front of him, leaving no room for his plate. We asked for it to be held in the kitchen until we were ready, but our server instead rearranged the table and tried to convince us there was room. For a restaurant at this level and price point, we expected a better understanding of how to pace and course a meal. To their credit, they apologized, comped the Tlayuda and the manager stopped us on our way out to apologize again. We also weren't offered a refill of our house water throughout the meal. When we finally asked for water with dessert, they brought us a complimentary bottle of still water, which we appreciated, but consistent water service feels like a basic expectation. The patio was lovely, and the music created a fun atmosphere without being so loud that we couldn't hear one another. Our total for 11 dishes and five cocktails came to about $300 per couple, so it was definitely an expensive meal. We still enjoyed ourselves, and the quality of the food made up for many of the service issues. That said, for me, San Damian was probably a one-time visit. I couldn't help comparing it to Si Mon in Venice, which also has excellent food, cocktails and ambiance at a lower price point and is a place I've returned to countless times and regularly take out-of-town guests. read more

Staff is very friendly at this beautiful restaurant with Tulum vibes. Potential street parking with Valet as another option. I think all dishes are a little bit spicier than expected, but still yummy. Some dishes are even more salty than expected as well. Standouts are the potato flautas and the grand Zeno that you have the option to get half of the order. Portions need to be larger given the pricing or the pricing needs to come down more to reflect the small sizes. read more

I came back for a second visit because I wanted to give this place another chance. My first visit was enjoyable overall and I was hoping they'd expand the menu a bit and continue dialing things in. We came on a Saturday and sat at the bar. Our bartender was super friendly, knowledgeable, and very accommodating of my partner's allergy. I appreciate her taking the time to double check each dish and making sure everything was safe. The cocktails were also excellent and easily my favorite part of the experience, although on the pricier side. As for the food *Aguachile - first visit tasted overwhelmingly like celery juice. Second time around was much more balanced and enjoyable. * Tuna tostada- I remember really enjoying it on my first visit but this time it just didn't have the same flavor. * Flautas- had a great crunch but the whole dish itself was a little bland. * Kanpachi al pastor - The first time I ordered it, half of the fish was nicely seared while the other half was completely raw. I expected it to come out the same but this time it was cooked all the way through and noticeably saltier than I remembered. * Pollo frito - Easily the standout dish of the meal. Great flavor and a perfectly crispy crunch. *Flan- I liked this. It wasn't too sweet and orange flavor was not overpowering I'm conflicted because I want to like this place. The drinks and service were excellent, but for the price you're paying, the inconsistent food execution and the sterile, unfinished feel of the space don't quite justify the cost! I don't mind paying for an expensive meal when every part of the experience feels polished. Sadly, after two visits, I'm still leaving with mixed feelings. read more

San Damian - Flan de naranja - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came here on a Friday night for an 8pm res, we got there 5-10 mins early but unfortunately were not seated until 8:25. They were apologetic and very kind and it seemed everyone was waiting far past their res time but def inconvenient to start. The food was amazing tho. So unique, unlike any other seafood I've had around LA which was a fun experience. We got the crab tostada, tuna tostada, tlayuda with pescado chorizo, potato flautas, and churros. It was all very good, the tostadas were so fresh, if you only get one then get the crab! The sauce on the flautas was SO spicy and I did not realize that so I think if you want to try other things these could be skipped. The Tlayuda with pescado chorizo was amazing and a surprise fave. The churros were delicious of course, the chocolate sauce was very dark so a bit bitter. Overall fun experience trying a new place, def on the pricier side and it wasn't the best service ever but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for tonight. read more

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I was so excited to try this place out! We snagged a dinner res for 8:30pm on Thursday. As expected from LA where I have no idea what anyone does for a living except to not work a 9-5 job, it was pretty packed on a weekday evening. The restaurant does give a vacation in Mexico vibes. I loved that the staff spoke Spanish, everything felt pretty authentic about the place albeit trendy Abbott Kinney fit: younger crowd with loud music. I went with my bf and we started with the margarita, which to be honest, was a bit underwhelming although the salt was nice. The tuna tostada is a must get!! So fresh and flavorful. I also loved the Guac and the corn chips that held a strong flavor but worked well together. Personally, the clam dish was a skip: it was too sour for my taste and I could not even taste the clams at all - not sure if it was supposed to taste like that? My eyes were literally twitching at how sour that was, I couldn't taste anything else except citrus. The carne asada though stole the night!!! I'm salivating still thinking about how tender that steak was. Would go back just for that dish. And the tuna. Knocked a star because overall, not sure if I liked it enough, especially did not really love it for a date spot. I would consider going back for a girls night to order that steak and tuna tostada again and to try other items on the menu. read more

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food is not horribkw but is not at all what you expect... is not delicous is like a regular food... nothing soecial just the price... we spend $400 for 4 adults, left hungry and very disapoited read more

San Damian - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

San Damian is a perfect addition to Abbott Kinney. With neighbors like Alisa Wine & Friends and Felix, it fits right in with its fresh take on coastal Mexican cuisine. The space is bright, open, and minimalist without feeling cold or overly designed. The restaurant has bar seating, a small semi-communal area, and plenty of dining room space. Really liked the fact that it doesn't feel like they're trying to cram as many tables in as possible. The layout feels open and comfortable. Service was great! Wild that they've only been open a couple weeks because the staff already seems to have everything figured out. Plates get cleared fast, fresh silverware shows up with each course, and they're always around if you need something without constantly bugging you. The Drinks: Margarita ($22) Fuventino ($21) Canuto ($21) All three had great flavor and felt unique. Feel like the Margarita offers the best value and was easily my favorite of the group. The Fuventino was delicious but felt a little light for a $21 cocktail. All three were delicious though. The Food: Aguachile ($27) Clams (Market Price - $27 today) Tostada de Cangrejo (Crab) ($22) Tlayuda Chorizo de Pescado ($26) Carne Asada Hanger Steak ($56) Aguachile The shrimp was fresh and flavorful, paired with onions, thinly sliced cucumber, green salsa, and pickled red onions. This was good, but not really what we were expecting. The menu mentions lemon, so I was hoping for a brighter, more citrusy flavor, but it tasted a lot more olive oil-forward. Still enjoyed it overall, but probably wouldn't order it again. The fried corn tortillas and crackers it comes with are really good though. Clams Incredibly fresh with a flavorful broth that has just the right amount of kick. The rice soaks everything up perfectly. Definitely a dish I'd order again. Tostada de Cangrejo If you're into crab or tuna, definitely order this. Super simple dish, but honestly one of the best things we had all night. It's light, insanely fresh, and lets the ingredients do all the work. One of those dishes that doesn't need anything fancy because everything in it is already so good. Tlayuda Chorizo de Pescado Think of a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza, but way better and made by someone who actually knows what they're doing. Crispy, super fresh, and loaded with chorizo de pescado, black beans, and a bunch of bright flavors. The fish isn't overpowering at all, and everything tastes insanely fresh. Easily one of the best things we ordered. Carne Asada Hanger Steak Don't skip this one. We ordered it medium-rare instead of the recommended medium and it was cooked perfectly. The outside had an awesome crust with a little crunch in every bite. The potatoes were unreal and probably my favorite side of the night--sweet, salty, and unlike anything I've had before. The peppers were great too. Tons of flavor without any real heat. Overall Really enjoyed our meal here. San Damian is such a great addition to Abbott Kinney and works whether you're just stopping by for drinks and a few bites or sitting down for a full dinner. The team was incredibly friendly and helpful, and you can tell they're genuinely excited about the food. We'll definitely be back to try the desserts and the Kanpachi Al Pastor, but after this visit, I'd feel pretty confident ordering just about anything on the menu. read more

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I finally got to try San Damian. It's been on my list forever and I really enjoyed everything. Our server was amazing ! The ambiance is awesome. And the food and drinks were great. Highly recommend trying both tostada dishes and the pollo frito. Also heard amazing things about the Kanpachi al pastor. I will be coming back to try that dish. Overall it is a must visit spot for dinner in LA. read more

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The food good not bad, however it seemed overpriced for sure. The chicken was outstanding that's all I really liked. Mexican food is really difficult to make "high-end" unless it's like an excellent quality cuts of meat Mexican food is meant to be rustic- comfort food. Very rarely does someone get high end Mexican food right. Just my opinion Staff was very friendly!!!!! read more

Terrible experience here with very subpar food. The service at this restaurant is awful - our server was rude. We asked "how big is the guacamole" to which he responded "it's 16 dollars, so how big do you think it is?" Then he proceeded to be short and rude throughout the remainder of the night - and didn't even check on us once we got our food. The flautas were not good and had no flavor. The tortas for the guacamole were stale and disgusting. The best part of our meal was the saltines. Could've had that at the Walgreens a few streets over. Was my birthday dinner and felt more like a crappy night out where you hope the next dish tastes better. Will not be back and will be telling all of my friends that want to try to stay away. read more

Lovely location, very sweet staff and delicious seafood Loved the salsas and guac Appreciated it wasn't too loud and calming atmosphere. Definitely want to return with friends. Dined alone and it was great. read more

What an absolute bust. Overly priced, severely underwhelming food (except the crab tostada was good), and shitty ambiance. Small menu and of the 5 dishes we got, we enjoyed one. The tuna tostada was served on a stale chip. We told the server, she couldn't have cared less. Two small sized tostadas cost $50. Nuts...The potato flautas were mediocre at best. No flavor. The poached shrimp was fine but I could get better at Conis seafood. The pastor kanpachi main was underwhelming and at $65 it's simply insulting. What's with basket of stale tortillas and saltine crackers too? $250 bill total for 2 people, with 2 drinks (one being a mocktail), 4 starters and a main dish? How? Why does this restaurant think they can charge that much? No ambiance, pretty disinterested staff, and mediocre food. I'd rather go to a taco stand. So tired of overpriced over hyped shit restaurants. Mark my words: this place won't survive 9 months. Never going back. Blahhhhhh. read more

Im a Venice local and i was excited to try this new place on AK last night. The atmosphere is nice, we sat at the bar. The service was just OK at best. We ordered the tuna tostada it was really salty and the ceviche was just ok very small portion. We got the shrimp it was good but not the best I've ever had. We also ordered the carne steak it was topped with a bunch of onions and shishito peppers strange combo and it was cold. We got the house margaritas and they were just ok too. Over all i was not impressed with the hype on this place and it was very expensive. Unfortunately i don't think i will go back. read more

Absolutely stellar service and mouthwatering dishes. The ambiance is a plus, love the coastal vibe in the place.

Overall, food was good, atmosphere was very nice, but service was very off and everything was extremely overpriced. $15 guacamole, $22 PER tostada, $19 potato flautas... margaritas were $22 each. Upon looking at the menu I thought prices seemed fair but these are very small portions for just pretty good Mexican food. You're told to order 2-4 plates per person. We got the aguachile which was tasty but you ended up getting 3 shrimp (cut in half to look like more), and some cucumber/jalapenos/tortilla chips. Both tostadas were pretty good but the tuna ones had an off taste and have gotten much better tuna tostadas for MUCH cheaper. Flautas were good but hard to screw this kind of food up. It was kind of a joke. Table next to us ordered the "market price" branzino, which ended up being $125. For the size of it, another rip off. Waitress rushed us a lot, made back handed comments about not ordering drinks or 'mains.' She read the entire menu off to us more as if she was just getting through her required talking points versus actually making the experience welcoming for us. Definitely do not recommend this place as you can get such better Mexican food outside this kind of off-color restaurant. read more

Delicious and fresh fish! Felt like I was in Mexico City. The tuna tostada was my favorite ! read more

San Damian - Seafood Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Wayyy overpriced $15 for guacamole... $21 for a margarita? I get the location. Rent is through the roof however, I will not be returning and paying those prices again. Customers still want value. read more

I was genuinely looking forward to adding to the positive buzz surrounding this new Abbot Kinney hot spot, but unfortunately, after dining here, I'm struggling to find the angle that would make that possible. My biggest issue was the pricing. Obviously, when you walk into a restaurant that has become "viral" or highly sought-after, you expect to pay a premium. But there's a difference between expensive and overpriced. Having eaten at many Los Angeles restaurants serving similar dishes, it was hard not to notice that we were being charged considerably more for food that, frankly, I've had executed much better elsewhere. The service was attentive, but the experience was diminished by our waitress repeatedly referring to us as "angels" and "sweetie," while seemingly describing every dish as "out of this world." Friendly service is appreciated, but this started to feel overly familiar and rehearsed rather than polished. The drinks, however, were very good. The Feliciano was easily a highlight and genuinely delicious. Unfortunately, the food was much less consistent. We sent the tlayuda back because of issues with both the texture and inconsistent temperature. At these prices, basic execution should not be an issue. The one dish I would absolutely order again was the kanpachi al pastor -- easily the standout of the meal. Unfortunately, one excellent dish isn't enough to justify returning and navigating an otherwise overpriced menu of underwhelming starters. Another frustrating point was the apparent impossibility of adjusting our early reservation. We were made to feel as though there was essentially no flexibility, yet a significant portion of the restaurant remained empty throughout our entire meal. That disconnect was difficult to understand. There is clearly a lot of hype surrounding this place, and perhaps that alone will keep it busy for quite some time. But at this price point, hype, atmosphere, and exclusivity aren't enough. The food needs to justify the bill. For me, it simply didn't. read more

Unfortunately the food was disappointing. Nothing we ordered really stood out and for the prices I expected much better quality and flavor. The dishes looked alright but the taste wasn't there for me. Overall I left feeling like the food didn't live up to the hype or the price point. read more

Food was excellent Service was very accommodating . The place is lovely and comfortable. read more

Sorry to say that we were very disappointed. We have eaten at a number of Enrique Olvera's other restaurants and always had a great time. We had high expectations, and in advance loved the menu we saw online. Both the food and the service fell short. The location / physical space is nice. When we arrived, there was no one in sight to greet us. We awkwardly stayed in the front area, not sure what to do, for quite some time. Servers saw us, but nobody said or did anything to acknowledge our presence. The hostess eventually came (she was REALLY tall!), and never said anything welcoming, apologetic, warm, etc. Just "Do you have a reservation?" "Yes," I said. She walked away . . . it became apparent to get her iPad to check us in. Then she did that ("What's your name?"), and took us to our table, with no other commentary. When we arrived, she offered water, which she then brought. The water was an issue. We asked many people many times for more water. It was hard to get. There was one busboy who said "absolutely!" but then did not do anything to bring water! The table next to us (a party of 3 seated at a 4-top) got to keep a botttle of water on their table. Eventually, our server left us a bottle, but for some reason kept moving it off the table and out of my reach (it was in reach of my companion, because she was sitting on the banquette side, although they progressively moved it farther away from her, but still ultimately within arm's reach!). Once when I went to pour it, the waitress said, "That's my job." Indeed. Not surprisingly, there was an empty bottle of water and 2 empty water glasses for extended periods of time during the dinner and when we got our bill/paid/determined how much to tip. The service was really slow. They are busy. The server was very pleasant, but she provided no information, and proceeded to do her job very linearly (she looked like she would only do one thing at a time, and that one thing almost always seemed to be relating to one of the other tables, not ours). When we got to the table, there was 1 copy of the menu. (For 2 people.) 1 for food; 1 for cocktails. It stayed that way. There was never a wine list (bottles or glasses); as a consequence, we ordered a cocktail but no wine. The food missed expectations. We ordered the Tostada al Atun, the Shrimp Aguachile, the Ceviche, the Clams, and the Kanpachi al Pastor. We were immediately told (upon order, not before) that they were "sold out" of the Clams, even though it was a 6:15 pm reservation. Probably not the best way to say it. So we got 1 dish fewer. The dishes came with a basket of crackers (a house-made crispy corn tostado, and some saltines). The tostado was excellent. (The saltines were saltines, but when we ran out of tostados, the saltines served the purpose adequately for the ceviche). We asked the busboy if the tostados were corn, he did not answer that question but immediately said that he could bring us more -- we enthusiastically said yes, but he never did. (Same busboy as the water.) The cracker basket also came with a pretty spicy green tomatillo -- delicious and definitely the best thing on the table. The Tostada al Atun was nice enough. The Shrimp in the Aguachile were beautiful, but not very flavorful. The Aguachile sauce itself was strong, and very gingery. It was a still a weirdly flat dish. The Ceviche was fine -- the sauce and fish were serviceable. They had little red tomatoes which were exceptionally good and vibrant and fresh. Unfortunately, that just highlighted how flat and generally unflavorful everything else was. The Kampachi was a weird dish. It came sliced in little oval pieces, like a sliced loaf of bread. It had a sweet pineapple accompaniment. You could make little tacos out of it with some blue corn tamales. It was overall a very sweet and mushy dish. Really needed some citrus, and some crunch. (Tostada, anyone?) We used the green tomatillo sauce liberally on EVERYTHING -- it really added a flavor that we liked. But that's a very sad way to make expensive things appetizing. Overall, rather than an elevated Mexican seafood experience, it seemed like a depressed one. The Negroni was absolutely delicious. It was REALLY REALLY small (there was one big block of a cold ice cube, with some liquid around it, hardly filling 1/3 of the glass). Loved it, but it was pricy, and so didn't order another. The table was pretty small. When replacing our plates for the next course, the server put the new entree plates on the table in front of us hanging over the edge. Long wait to get the check, etc. Think I'm not going back until they fix some growing pains, but boy, it seems like a popular and hot ticket, and I knew other people who went in the last week or so and they loved it, so it may also have just been an off night. Hope they can fix it -- the concept and the pedigree are stellar! read more

Food was fabulous! Great service and great addition to the neighborhood. Excited to see them continue to grow!

Excellent everything. Such a great addition to Abbot Kinney. I loved his restaurant in NYC but never a big fan of Damien downtown but this spot. Oh yes. I am a fan. read more

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Great new addition to the hood. Better menu and bar service than ATLA. High end Latin influenced seafood. Had clams that were kinda like a riff on nigiri sushi in the half shell. Then chopped rockfish with uni which added just enough funkiness to complement the mezcal selection. Need to add a spirit forward cocktail. Opening cocktails are all premix. read more