Guidebook for Santa Monica
Food Scene
Great place for unique Pizzas and fresh baked pastries in the morning. Great bottled beer selection as well--this place gets crowded fast!
$$
130 locals recommend
Milo & Olive
2723 Wilshire BlvdGreat place for unique Pizzas and fresh baked pastries in the morning. Great bottled beer selection as well--this place gets crowded fast!
$$
Great French Bakery with lots of great fresh pastries baked every day. Go here for breakfast and lunch--the omelets and sandwiches are amazing. Good coffee too!
48 locals recommend
Amandine Patisserie Cafe
12225 Wilshire BlvdGreat French Bakery with lots of great fresh pastries baked every day. Go here for breakfast and lunch--the omelets and sandwiches are amazing. Good coffee too!
This is our go-to sushi place. The sushi is really cheap yet there's so much turnover there that it's always fresh.
28 locals recommend
Hara Sushi
12222 Wilshire BlvdThis is our go-to sushi place. The sushi is really cheap yet there's so much turnover there that it's always fresh.
Great old-school mexican joint walking distance to our apt. It represents "old LA," the kind from the 40's and 50's. It has a cool retro-style bar with a live piano player most nights.
Casa Escobar
2500 Wilshire BlvdGreat old-school mexican joint walking distance to our apt. It represents "old LA," the kind from the 40's and 50's. It has a cool retro-style bar with a live piano player most nights.
A good cafe where you can sit and have a good, healthy breakfast. You'll see lots of aspiring writers in here chugging coffee and droning over their laptops hoping for a glimpse of inspiration.
67 locals recommend
Literati Cafe
12081 Wilshire BlvdA good cafe where you can sit and have a good, healthy breakfast. You'll see lots of aspiring writers in here chugging coffee and droning over their laptops hoping for a glimpse of inspiration.
Great Breakfast place that's walking distance. This place is on the greasier side of food, but it's REALLY tasty, especially if you're hungover. ;)
20 locals recommend
Snug Harbor
2323 Wilshire BlvdGreat Breakfast place that's walking distance. This place is on the greasier side of food, but it's REALLY tasty, especially if you're hungover. ;)
A healthier breakfast place that's slightly more expensive than Snug Harbor next door.
15 locals recommend
Bread & Porridge
2315 Wilshire BlvdA healthier breakfast place that's slightly more expensive than Snug Harbor next door.
Great turkish breakfast place. This place serves up crepes along with many standard breakfast plates. Get the zucchini hash browns, they're great!
26 locals recommend
Blue Daisy
609 BroadwayGreat turkish breakfast place. This place serves up crepes along with many standard breakfast plates. Get the zucchini hash browns, they're great!
Great lunch spot for deli sandwiches. This place is always crowded so as soon as you get in there, pull a ticket by the counter. Get anything but get it on the italian roll--the best bread in town.
141 locals recommend
Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
1517 Lincoln BlvdGreat lunch spot for deli sandwiches. This place is always crowded so as soon as you get in there, pull a ticket by the counter. Get anything but get it on the italian roll--the best bread in town.
Go here for authentic mexican food at lunch. They have awesome food and a huge salsa bar with fresh pico de gallo. This is a big-time local spot.
68 locals recommend
Tacos Por Favor
1408 Olympic BlvdGo here for authentic mexican food at lunch. They have awesome food and a huge salsa bar with fresh pico de gallo. This is a big-time local spot.
Starbucks
12100 Santa Monica BlvdStarbucks coffe shop walking distance
Great place to catch dinner and a beer after checking out Main Street for the day. It's around a lot of bars and other restaurants so it's a great place to start out a night on the town.
96 locals recommend
Library Alehouse
2911 Main StGreat place to catch dinner and a beer after checking out Main Street for the day. It's around a lot of bars and other restaurants so it's a great place to start out a night on the town.
Widely regarded as the best pizza in all of LA. This is a good place to grab a really quick bite--you can get a slice to go and take it down to the Santa Monica Pier.
41 locals recommend
Joe's Pizza
8539 Sunset BlvdWidely regarded as the best pizza in all of LA. This is a good place to grab a really quick bite--you can get a slice to go and take it down to the Santa Monica Pier.
REALLY great dinner place that has been all the rave for the past 2 years. The chef is notorious in Venice and you won't be disappointed with the food. For lunch, try "J" next door. Same food.
1062 locals recommend
Gjelina Take Away
1427 Abbot Kinney BlvdREALLY great dinner place that has been all the rave for the past 2 years. The chef is notorious in Venice and you won't be disappointed with the food. For lunch, try "J" next door. Same food.
Another place that has good food. Try and sit in the back patio area that has much more of an atmosphere. Good, California fusion type food. Get the Guinness mouse thingy for desert-it's awesome.
139 locals recommend
Hal's Bar and Grill
1025 Abbot Kinney BlvdAnother place that has good food. Try and sit in the back patio area that has much more of an atmosphere. Good, California fusion type food. Get the Guinness mouse thingy for desert-it's awesome.
You can't leave California w/o having an burger from here--this chain is all over the place. Order your burger in the secret (off menu) "Animal Style" to get grilled onions and bonus condiments.
336 locals recommend
In-N-Out Burger
13425 Washington BlvdYou can't leave California w/o having an burger from here--this chain is all over the place. Order your burger in the secret (off menu) "Animal Style" to get grilled onions and bonus condiments.
Drinks & Nightlife
Great local joint with TONS of beer on tap. The burgers here are some of the BEST in LA as well as the sweet potato fries. Get here early because space goes fast.
344 locals recommend
Father's Office
1018 Montana AveGreat local joint with TONS of beer on tap. The burgers here are some of the BEST in LA as well as the sweet potato fries. Get here early because space goes fast.
Good Irish bar that also serves food. It's a couple blocks from the apartment.
15 locals recommend
Sonny McLean's Irish Pub
2615 Wilshire BlvdGood Irish bar that also serves food. It's a couple blocks from the apartment.
Angel's
A speakeasy/mixology type bar that serves up really tasty drinks and often has live music.
Good bar to go to after dinner on Abbot Kinney. It serves beer and wine only but the atmosphere is cool and very local.
262 locals recommend
the otheroom Venice Beach
Good bar to go to after dinner on Abbot Kinney. It serves beer and wine only but the atmosphere is cool and very local.
Sightseeing
There's tons of boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes on this street. You can walk from our place or take your car. It's a good place for shopping, strolling, people watching.
7 locals recommend
Montana Ave Branch Library
1704 Montana AveThere's tons of boutique shops, restaurants, and cafes on this street. You can walk from our place or take your car. It's a good place for shopping, strolling, people watching.
Great place to shop and eat. If you go towards late afternoon, you see a ton of street performers here. Grab a drink at Barney's Beanery. The outside seats will give a good view of the performers.
1595 locals recommend
Apple Third Street Promenade
1415 3rd Street PromenadeGreat place to shop and eat. If you go towards late afternoon, you see a ton of street performers here. Grab a drink at Barney's Beanery. The outside seats will give a good view of the performers.
These little-known walkways are beautiful to walk through and not really seen by most people (including those who live in LA) You should try and see them when you're in Venice.
947 locals recommend
Venice Canals
These little-known walkways are beautiful to walk through and not really seen by most people (including those who live in LA) You should try and see them when you're in Venice.
This is a great street to take a photo of the Hollywood sign. Back when Hollywood was created, it was first called "Hollywoodland." If you drive all the way up you'll enter into this old community.
7 locals recommend
North Beachwood Drive
Beachwood DriveThis is a great street to take a photo of the Hollywood sign. Back when Hollywood was created, it was first called "Hollywoodland." If you drive all the way up you'll enter into this old community.
Drive through here to see how amazingly DISTRACTING this stretch of road is with all it's billboards. The strip is also where socialites like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan often get arrested.
334 locals recommend
Sunset Strip
Drive through here to see how amazingly DISTRACTING this stretch of road is with all it's billboards. The strip is also where socialites like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan often get arrested.
You can cut up to Sunset blvd by heading north from our apartment or (even better) from PCH (hwy 1). Take it east to the Hollywood sign and you'll pass through many attractions along the way.
82 locals recommend
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset BoulevardYou can cut up to Sunset blvd by heading north from our apartment or (even better) from PCH (hwy 1). Take it east to the Hollywood sign and you'll pass through many attractions along the way.
This is a great spot for boutique shopping, dinning, and people watching. Ben Harper has a T-shirt shop here and can be seen outside sweeping the sidewalk--no joking.
Washington Blvd / Abbot Kinney Blvd SE station
This is a great spot for boutique shopping, dinning, and people watching. Ben Harper has a T-shirt shop here and can be seen outside sweeping the sidewalk--no joking.
Essentials
Ralphs
12057 Wilshire BlvdOur basic grocery store. Here, you can find everything you'll need.
This is a more upscale grocery store with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Brett thinks it's way too over priced while Kerry has an outstanding love affair with the place.
1701 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
225 Lincoln BlvdThis is a more upscale grocery store with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Brett thinks it's way too over priced while Kerry has an outstanding love affair with the place.
This is the newest and closest grocery store to our apartment--just 3 blocks away! This place is GREAT for meats and fresh produce. It's a bit more pricey than Ralphs but the food is higher quality.
3105 Wilshire Blvd
3105 Wilshire BoulevardThis is the newest and closest grocery store to our apartment--just 3 blocks away! This place is GREAT for meats and fresh produce. It's a bit more pricey than Ralphs but the food is higher quality.
Shopping
This guy has a TON of wine and beer and is very knowledgable about both. There's also a "secret" tasting room in the back that has a great Thursday night wine tasting special.
12 locals recommend
Wine Expo Jerrys Liquor
2933 Santa Monica BlvdThis guy has a TON of wine and beer and is very knowledgable about both. There's also a "secret" tasting room in the back that has a great Thursday night wine tasting special.