Best Restaurants for People Watching in Santa Monica

51 restaurants available nearby

1. Blue Plate Taco

4.5

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Santa Monica

Booked 16 times today

Blue Plate Taco is a coastal Baja-meets-Santa Monica destination on Ocean Ave. We are dedicates to creating all our food from scratch including the agua frescas and margaritas from the bar, the tortillas are made by hand fresh all day, and our salsas are made daily. The entire menu is fresh, light and delicious. We hold most of our tables for walk-ins so if you don't see any reservations, don't fret! We'll get you seated after a short wait while you're admiring the Pacific and taking in the famous Santa Monica pier.Reservations are limited to 90 minutes, we hold reservations for 10 minutes.

A photo of Élephante - Santa Monica restaurant

2. Élephante - Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(1316)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Santa Monica

Booked 259 times today

Chic destination for elevated Italian cuisine in breezy, loungelike dining areas with ocean views.

A photo of Calabra at Santa Monica Proper restaurant

3. Calabra at Santa Monica Proper

4.8

Exceptional(1565)

Price: Expensive

• Mediterranean • Santa Monica

Booked 67 times today

Calabra at Santa Monica Proper Hotel (One MICHELIN Key 2024) is located on the hotel's rooftop. The elevated garden terrace provides an inspiring atmosphere, with the ocean as a backdrop. Whether from the pool sundeck or circular bar, the views are best enjoyed with dinner, boutique wines, seasonal cocktails, and small-batch spirits. Serving Mediterranean & Californian cuisine with a view. Seating arrangements for all reservations at Calabra may include outdoor dining, bar area, as well as our indoor/ outdoor covered lounge space. Be sure to dress warmly.**Dinner reservations are for dining only. Drinks will be accommodated upon first come first serve at the bar area. Private Couch Alcoves are available with a rental and minimum spend**

4. 1212 Santa Monica

4.6

Exceptional(1771)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Santa Monica

Booked 46 times today

1212 Santa Monica is a unique New American Cuisine restaurant located in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica on the Third Street Promenade. Our menu highlights the palette and diversity of the SoCal landscape. Complimenting the food, our beverage program includes select wines and creative cocktails to enhance your dining experience.Join us for All Night Happy Hour starting daily at 5pm & Bottomless Brunch every Friday, Saturday and Sunday with bottomless mimosas for only $28. On specific Saturdays & Sunday brunches we charge a $10 Entertainment Fee for those enjoying drag shows in our Main Dining Area.Enjoy the beautiful beach weather on the patio, or indoors in our massive dining room. Plan a private event or meeting on our Balcony, Private Dining Room or Patio.

A photo of Wally's Santa Monica restaurant

5. Wally's Santa Monica

4.8

Exceptional(108)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Santa Monica

Booked 36 times today

Experience Santa Monica’s favorite location for fine food and wine. Wally’s Santa Monica is a hybrid concept that encapsulates the finest food, beverages, and gourmet foods to provide a one-stop shop for everything delicious. From chill afternoon apps and cocktails, to decadent caviar service—whether you’re in a tuxedo, or just coming from the office—our vibe is ideal for any occasion that calls for enjoying great food and drinks. You can explore our peerless selection of rare spirits, extraordinary seasonal menu, over 100 wines available by-the-glass, and shop the gourmet counter for specialty meats, cheeses, and artisanal chocolates.

6. Wabi on Rose

4.5

Awesome(1312)

Price: Expensive

• Sushi • Venice

Booked 41 times today

This local hot spot suffered a fire in 2018 and triumphantly returned in 2020. With Chef Rain's innovative cuisine and vibrant bar scene, Wabi on Rose embodies the Rose Avenue lifestyle. Sexy, contemporary design, frames this hip spot with a chic outdoor seating area. Neighborhood regulars enjoy the fresh-caught, Pacific Rim, sushi inspired menu,and live fire grill. Swimsuit to business suit, all are welcome.

7. Manchego

4.7

Exceptional(1118)

Price: Moderate

• Tapas / Small Plates • Santa Monica

Booked 30 times today

Manchego also offers walk-ins!Manchego is a Spanish Tapas restaurant in Santa Monica that focuses on delicious small plates and a cozy atmosphere. We recently relocated a few doors down, to a larger space with a romantic patio in the back.Manchego has always been one of the best kept secrets in Santa Monica, and now locals can enjoy our bigger, more accommodating space that offers outside dining on our beautiful patio. Always a great spot for romantic dates or meeting up with friends and family.We also added a specially curated Spanish wine list that offers mainly small-production, unique wines. Our Spanish wine distributor spends his time traveling the Spanish countryside, sourcing hard to find wines from small, mom-and-pop wineries. The wine list also includes a few South American selections and a great local, organic wine.Follow us on instagram at instagram.com/manchegorestaurant

A photo of The Waterfront Venice restaurant

8. The Waterfront Venice

4.4

Awesome(188)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Venice

Booked 14 times today

The Waterfront Venice is a California Beer Garden with views of the Pacific Ocean. Situated between Rose and Navy on the famous Venice beach Boardwalk, our food & beverage menus celebrate California with carefully selected seasonal produce from local farms.

9. Farmshop LA

4.9

Exceptional(561)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Brentwood

Booked 52 times today

In 2010, chef Jeff Cerciello opened Farmshop in a space that denotes rustic elegance. Located in the beautiful Brentwood Country Mart, bordering Santa Monica, the restaurant has become a dining destination featuring the very best local ingredients, simply prepared, served in casual fine dining style.

A photo of The Courtyard Kitchen restaurant

10. The Courtyard Kitchen

4.7

Exceptional(110)

Price: Moderate

• Contemporary American • Santa Monica

Booked 26 times today

The Courtyard Kitchen is located in a historic landmark building on Montana Ave, Santa Monica. We are a full service bar and restaurant with 4 different dining spaces ranging from old world charm to contemporary upscale dining. We pride ourselves in our Neapolitan style pizza, vacation inspired Mediterranean cuisine and favourite American Brunch classics.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

A
Amyvip
Los Angeles •25 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
Every course was a hit. Service was attentive and friendly. A must visit!
More info
Wally's Santa MonicaPrice: Expensive• Californian• Santa Monica
•
4.8
M
Maycol
Phoenix / Arizona •3 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
Like always top notch. We with my cousin and her best friend from visiting from Canada and I asked for a table by the balcony and they were able to accommodate us perfectly. We had a great time and enjoyed the fantastic view. You can’t go wrong with Élephante. Outstanding!
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Élephante - Santa MonicaPrice: Expensive• Italian• Santa Monica
•
4.5
R
Rick
Los Angeles •2 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
Ricky made our experience at Calabra truly unforgettable! From the moment we sat down, his friendly and genuine demeanor gave us a warm, local vibe that made us feel right at home. He went above and beyond by recommending incredible cocktails tailored to our preferences and even crafting them to perfection himself. Ricky's smile never left his face, and his generous attention to detail elevated our dining experience. Combine his stellar service with Calabra's amazing Mediterranean food, and it was an evening to remember. Thank you, Ricky - you're a gem!
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Calabra at Santa Monica ProperPrice: Expensive• Mediterranean• Santa Monica
•
4.8
KL
KatleenLvip
Los Angeles •6 reviews
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
Food was amazing. DJ was on point definitely would recommend this place from your 20s to your 40s. Great ambience great food.!!
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1212 Santa MonicaPrice: Expensive• Californian• Santa Monica
•
4.6
B
Brian
London •4 reviews
5.0
Dined on 9 Nov 2024
Nice place, good food, great atmosphere. Will come back again
More info
Blue Plate TacoPrice: Moderate• Mexican• Santa Monica
•
4.5

Best Restaurants for People Watching in Santa Monica

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51 restaurants available nearby

1. Blue Plate Taco

2. Élephante - Santa Monica

3. Calabra at Santa Monica Proper

4. 1212 Santa Monica

5. Wally's Santa Monica

6. Wabi on Rose

7. Manchego

8. The Waterfront Venice

9. Farmshop LA

10. The Courtyard Kitchen

See what locals rave about

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