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The Curious Palate

4.2 (874 reviews)
Open • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Updated 3 months ago

Order The Curious Palate Takeout or Delivery

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THE CURIOUS PALATE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Good for groups
Happy hour specials

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Mediterranean dinner salad
Darien M.

Had a nice dinner at this eclectic restaurant which takes reservations, located on the third floor of the Santa Monica Place mall. Free parking for two hours. It was a good place for us because we had a young child with us. I enjoyed my fresh pea soup topped with bacon and a swizzle of chili oil. My companions enjoyed their dinners, including a Philadelphia cheesesteak and fries, a steak dinner with a spicy sauce, a dinner salad with lots of Mediterranean ingredients, and a hamburger freshly ground with a salad. I think the hamburger is the thing to get here so next time I will have to have that. It was really quite large and looked really delicious. The menu has a lot of spicy items on it, noted with the little red pepper next to them, often times with added harissa, which is great for people who enjoy food with heat. Me, not so much. So I had to work harder to find a dish that I wanted. All produce is bought from the Santa Monica farmers market, and was very high-quality. Service was excellent. They have lots of great beers on tap and are known for that, too.

Pasta
Adrian M.

Had lunch here on Sunday late morning. Nice server and good food, very filling. The pasta however was undercooked and some of it hard.

Onion rings 10/10
Marie S.

Small hidden gem on the 3rd floor of Santa Monica Place. Specializes in farm to table food. Nice variety and great service. Fat asparagus salad is my favorite but today it's Judy a quick snack of onion rings while waiting for a friend to finish a class at Gourmandise School next door. Indoor and outdoor seating, comfortable vibe, great staff

Denise V.

Stopped here for a quick lunch, and was pleasantly surprised. Ordered the Chinese Chicken Salad ... it was good and just enough spice! Located on the top level of the Santa Monica Place shopping center with lots of tables inside and on their patio. Also a nice bar area if you are eating solo or want to grab a glass of wine/beer. Service was top notch!

Antonia F.

Went here for lunch after a morning walk at the pier and I can't say enough good things. It's tucked way in the back on the top floor near the Children's Museum and it's very unassuming. Our waitress Lincoln (sp?) was so friendly and helpful from the moment we arrived and provided all around great service. On top of this, the food was great! Everything was so fresh and flavorful. It was hard for us to choose items bc the menu is so extensive and I hope to return to try some other dishes I was eyeing. The menu is creative, with items from many different cuisines and you can taste that ingredients are from local farms and many items are made in house. I highly recommend this place.

Kale salad
Lizzy R.

Love this place!! Located at the top floor at the Santa Monica place mall, it's located near the Gourmand cooking school. We were trying to go to Cheesecake Factory but it had a 45 minute wait so stumbled upon this place and my hubs pointed out how they had an extensive kids menu - grilled cheese, pasta, pizza, burger, tenders, etc anything u would expect from a kids menu. They also make their pasta fresh on site. My toddler got a kids pasta with tagliatelle and she LOVED it. The sauce was light butter and cheese. I got the spicy shrimp tacos and they were so tasty and fresh. They also have a really refreshing nonalcoholic golden ale beer which was unique.

Pan Roasted Salmon
Assunta L.

This is a Good option to consider for dinner in santa monica third street area. This restaurant is located on third floor of the santa monica place. So also conveniently connected to the city parking structure which is free for the first 90 mins. It has a fusion menu and pretty interesting on their food ingredients combinations. -The persimmon and burrata salad is highly recommended. So fresh and sweet. You can also add protein to any salad. - The pan roasted salmon has a good amount of vegetables (zucchini, spinach, cauliflower). Salmon fillet has crispy skin and tender. - The burgers all taste good and of good quality (grass fed beef), - curry is very spicy. Be aware! Service is friendly and attentive!

Kale and Maple Candled Pecan Salad
Scarlett H.

I love restaurants with simple and plan decor but great food. Makes me feel I'm not paying for the furniture or wallpaper. It was a great joy to try this local (13th years here) farm to table type of restaurant!! Owner Elliot sources from the Santa Monica farmers market and creates novel fusion dishes , as well as some of the good old comfort foods! Two of my friends come here every Wednesday (yes, they love it so much) so I got to try some of their favorites. We started with the curry cauliflower and balsamic glazed Brussels sprouts - both delicious... I texted my vegan friends right away about them! For main dish we ordered the Pea Pasta, Kale and Walnut Salad, the butternut squash soup, and PB&J. The salad was tasty and the portion size was great. The shrimps were great addition to the pasta. The soup was filling. But our favorite was the PB&J!! First of all, the fries that came with it were marvelous- everyone loved them. They made their own peanut butter and jelly and the result was super great taste! Service was beyond friendly! Elliot chatted with us warmly about his foods and other staff members helped made our dining experience fun and enjoyable! This place has been in Santa Monica Place for over 10 years- it looks simple but the dedicated staff adds a lot of charm to it. And in my humble opinion, the foods would most certainly satisfy any curious palate.

Mallory C.

I was in Santa Monica Place and super hungry, so I decided to duck into the Curious Palate for lunch. I didn't have to wait for a table at all and got seated right away. It was pretty quiet on the day I went. My server was super nice and had great recommendations. I ordered the BLT and it was pretty good, but not great. A decent casual, last-minute lunch.

Bonnie G.

It's worth the effort to find this place. Everything made from scratch and delicious. I had the bahn mi, with chicken. Loved it, though not too traditional. The side of spicy kale ceasar was fantastic! I'd order a full with chicken for lunch. Yum. My other had the turkey sandwich on country white bread. It was big and he ate every bite (except for removing some of the onion... too much onion). He liked the balsamic dressing on his side salad. Though again took off some of the onions. Wish ww lived closer - I could eat here often!

Lemon tiramisu
Dan P.

Thai salad with chicken chewers - chicken was tender and juicy, and the bell peppers added a nice touch to the salad. However, salad itself fell short - overly saucy, with soggy lettuce, making it less appealing, especially given the $21 price. While the peanut sauce was the highlight, pairing well with the avocado, its thick texture made it better suited for dipping rather than dressing the salad. Lemon tiramisu - as my waiter mentioned, it's "not your typical tiramisu," with a dominant lemon cheesecake flavor. Bread layer was dense and had the texture of a wet pound cake loaded with frosting, which made the dessert feel heavier than expected. Overall, not my favorite but glad to have tried it! Located on the third floor of Santa Monica mall. Casual and comforting dining experience, there's seating indoor and outdoor! I was drawn to the diverse menu options here, staff were quick and super friendly!

Tonkatsu Wrap with watermelon salad
Sumir D.

First time here and recommended by a friend. What a pleasant surprise to see the variety of food options for dinner. Had an opportunity to sit at the bar and my server, Abigail, give me a few ideas based on my likings. I went with a chicken wrap and watermelon salad. All their dishes are made fresh to order. If you're in the Santa Monica area, you must visit them on the third floor. The owner Elliot was present and we had a good conversation. Get it to go or enjoy a bite there.

Ken E.

This place is incredible. Everything made in house! Great portions! Try the nachos! Our server Lincoln was a doll. She gave us suggestions and each one of them was so tasty and original. Most cheerful server I've had in too long. Steak Frites with aioli. Finally a restaurant that cares about their frying oil! Fries are fried in rice bran oil. Not bad! Prices are good and portions are large. Quality is excellent.

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23 days ago

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3 months ago

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11 months ago

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8 months ago

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4 months ago

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7 months ago

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Thanks for the fantastic review John. Hope to see you back soon.

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2 years ago

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Thanks for the wonderful review Harry. say hi next time you are in!

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The Curious Palate Reviews in Other Languages

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Father's Office - Office Burger

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3.8(3.3k reviews)
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this is a popular little bar known for their delicious burgers. i went in expecting an overhyped…read morespot but oh boy was i wrong. i was in love at first bite. we went at a not so busy time but you order at the bar and will have to fight for a table since it's a small place. since it's a bar setting you must be 21+ to enter and they do check ID's. there is no parking lot but free parking is available in residential areas or street parking nearby. i'd highly recommend this place but it is a bit pricey. The Office Burger maybe even life changing, this burger was savory, sweet, and had the perfect balance of textures. with caramelized onions, bacon, arugula and gruyére cheese, this is a must get. Pork Belly Al Pastor the braised pork belly was so tender it fell apart when we touched it. paired with the tangy pineapple salsa and the grits sope it sat on top of, this dish was elevated and hearty at the same time. Frites in a Basket these thin fries were tossed in a garlic parsley aioli and served with a side of a special mayo like dip. each fry was perfectly crispy and the aioli with the mayo dip paired so well together that we had to physically stop ourselves from finishing the entire basket in one go.

This is different than your typical restaurant, this feels more like a bar style restaurant. You…read moreorder it at the bar and when a table becomes available, you can take it. However, sometimes that means that a two top is sitting at a four top. They are very quick about turning tables around though constantly cleaning and picking up dishes so people leave faster. Food wise, not bad the burger was a little greasy but full of flavor. The tots were not bad. Just wish they were a little crispy and a little bit more tangy from the vinegar. Lastly, the crispy fish sandwich was decent. Overall I would rank this place a six out of 10.

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Father's Office - The many many taps!

The many many taps!

Father's Office - THE OFFICE BURGER

THE OFFICE BURGER

Father's Office - The Office Burger - Juicy beef patty, soft mini baguettes, melted Gruyère and blue cheeses, caramelized onions, and fresh arugula.

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Black Sheep Burgers - Cali (Katsu) Chicken Burger

Black Sheep Burgers

4.5(741 reviews)
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Went to Black Sheep Burgers for lunch today. Don't be fooled by the name. They do not have any…read morelamb burgers. Although Black Sheep Burgers has a vast selection of hamburgers (they probably should have called the place Black Cow Burgers) I had a Chicken Katsu sandwich. It was very good. I liked the option of being able to decide what I wanted or didn't want on my sandwich when ordering. I don't like avocados, so I ordered my sandwich without avocados. There are also a vast number of sides to order if you are very hungry. I was tempted to order the 40's french fries, but the sandwich was enough for me. Professional eaters probably would have ordered several sides. There is a large seating area outside. I sat outside. Other than the traditional problem with eating outside (your napkin, like the answer, may blow in the wind) since Black Shep Burger gave me several napkins, it wasn't a problem.

Food was good, but overpriced and difficult to park safely…read more First off, great taste, but we were on a museum visit which brought us to the area, so we avoided usual staples in the area that are more value for the money. It's in the sawtelle area near Olympic and predominantly Japanese food spots. Service was friendly but in this economy, not a good value. The burger prices should come with fries. 70$ for 3 people was too steep for what you get

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Black Sheep Burgers - Inside

Inside

Black Sheep Burgers - Cali Chicken Burger

Cali Chicken Burger

Black Sheep Burgers - Double Double (minus tomato and onions as requested by the six year old)

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Double Double (minus tomato and onions as requested by the six year old)

Tar & Roses

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Romantic vibe
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Second time at Tar & Roses for my birthday dinner and I was excited to dive deeper into the menu…read moreafter only trying the pre order Singaporean chili crab and a few lighter apps on my first visit. We started with the oxtail dumplings since they seem to be one of the most hyped dishes here, but honestly... they were just mid for me. Not bad, just didn't really live up to the hype. The whole fried snapper was easily the star of the night though. Perfectly crispy outside, flaky inside, and the dipping sauce absolutely makes the dish. The shellfish pot was also excellent -- rich, flavorful, and great for sharing, but I do wish they gave a little more grilled toast with it because you'll want every last drop of the broth. The ribeye was solid and cooked perfectly, but nothing particularly memorable compared to other steak spots around LA. For dessert, definitely get the strawberry galette. The crust was buttery and delicious, and it was the perfect ending to the meal.

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Tar & Roses
Tar & Roses
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The Curious Palate - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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