Best Restaurants for People Watching in Playa del Rey

51 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Élephante - Santa Monica restaurant

1. Élephante - Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(1316)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Santa Monica

Booked 255 times today

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

2. Wabi on Rose

4.5

Awesome(1312)

Price: Expensive

• Sushi • Venice

Booked 40 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.

A photo of The Waterfront Venice restaurant

3. The Waterfront Venice

4.4

Awesome(188)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Venice

Booked 13 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.

4. Manchego

4.7

Exceptional(1118)

Price: Moderate

• Tapas / Small Plates • Santa Monica

Booked 31 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 Mama's Boy at Winston House restaurant

5. Mama's Boy at Winston House

4.4

Awesome(109)

Price: Expensive

• Comfort Food • Venice

Mama’s Boy is an Italian dinner club with a Southern accent, brought to you by Michelin-starred Chef Wes Whitsell. Situated inside Winston House – a popular community hub with live music and DJ sets – Mama’s Boy is the perfect start to a night out. With lively dishes that embody Chef’s Texan roots and mom’s home-cooked Italian food, the menu strikes a balance between comfort and creativity. At Mama’s Boy, he presents his most innovative menu yet: a fusion of nostalgic Italian cuisine with a Southern twist - a true ‘Spaghetti Western’. Each dish is a nod to his upbringing, a journey home where every bite tells a story of love, tradition, and the connection of family.

6. Blue Plate Taco

4.5

Awesome(971)

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Santa Monica

Booked 15 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.

7. Piccolo Venice

4.8

Exceptional(609)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Venice

Booked 17 times today

Chef Antonio Mure's new take on an old Venice favorite, Piccolo.

8. Papille Gustative

4.3

Awesome(172)

Price: Moderate

• Farm-to-table • Santa Monica

Booked 4 times today

Papille Gustative LAFarm to table Artisan foods, single origin, sustainably grown and certified Coffees and Teas, as well as local craft beers and organic, biodynamic wines. Open for Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch . A low impact, Zero waste facility located in Santa Monica CA. Cozy private room and patio. One block to the Santa Monica beach.

A photo of Casa 12 Ristorante restaurant

9. Casa 12 Ristorante

4.8

Exceptional(66)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • Venice

Booked 10 times today

At a location once known for the French restaurant “12 Washington” as well as the Italian restaurant “Casa Ado”, Casa 12 has now open in the same cozy spot at 12 Washington Blvd. Serving Tradition Italian Cuisine, an extensive wine list, sangria’s, spritz, and beers. Only steps away from the beach, enjoy a fun atmosphere with the option of indoor or outdoor dining on the Venice Pier in Marina Del Rey!

10. Catch LA

4.7

Exceptional(10171)

Price: Expensive

• Seafood • West Hollywood

Booked 165 times today

Perched above the dynamic streets of the West Hollywood Design District on the corner of Melrose and San Vicente, Catch LA features modern renditions of classic dishes served in a streaming, shareable style of dining. The retractable rooftop haven marries simple yet elegant, seafood, sushi, and steak with excellent service and a lively atmosphere complete with a unique, open-air dining room and breathtaking views of Downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood Hills. The menu features signature dishes including the Catch Roll, Truffle Sashimi, A5 Japanese Wagyu on a hot rock, Mushroom Spaghetti, and Cantonese Lobster.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

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
K
karen
Los Angeles •20 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
Just the best staff ever- so attentive and welcoming. The food was delicious and we enjoyed every dish that was served. Overall one of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time!
More info
ManchegoPrice: Moderate• Tapas / Small Plates• Santa Monica
•
4.7
OI
OwenI
Los Angeles •14 reviews
5.0
Dined on Nov 15, 2024
Always enjoy coming here... fantastic selection of thai / sushi = Five Stars !
More info
Wabi on RosePrice: Expensive• Sushi• Venice
•
4.5
M
Mark
Los Angeles •4 reviews
4.0
Dined on Nov 11, 2024
We sat at our table for 15 minutes outdoors before our order was taken. However, the food was delivered just as fast as long as we waited to order it, and it was very good.
More info
The Waterfront VenicePrice: Expensive• Californian• Venice
•
4.4
J
Joshua
Los Angeles •5 reviews
5.0
Dined on Sep 27, 2024
Next level. More people need to be coming here. Essential.
More info
Mama's Boy at Winston HousePrice: Expensive• Comfort Food• Venice
•
4.4

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Playa del Rey

Best Restaurants for People Watching in Playa del Rey

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51 restaurants available nearby

1. Élephante - Santa Monica

2. Wabi on Rose

3. The Waterfront Venice

4. Manchego

5. Mama's Boy at Winston House

6. Blue Plate Taco

7. Piccolo Venice

8. Papille Gustative

9. Casa 12 Ristorante

10. Catch LA

See what locals rave about

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