30 Best Bars in Santa Monica

“Loved the cozy environment especially in the patio area . Food was great! The potato cakes with apples was amazing . Our group of 9 loved all of the food ! Would recommend to others“

“Absolutely incredibly well put together menu, fantastic customer service, and very welcoming and inviting ambiance. A treasure of a restaurant, a must to visit in Los Angeles if you are a fan of fine dining.

I got the Salmon Salad, which was scrumptious, fresh, and healthy. A tremendous amount of care was put into the creation of the dish. It was a treat to be able to eat here at Lunetta.“

“My favorite happy hour in the area but dinner is expensive and just okay. They’ve started doing cool happy hour specials that’s different each day of the week, ie oyster Wednesday, martini pitcher Thursday, fish and chips Friday. Michaels is a regular spot I go to with my friends and I bring all of my out of town friends here“

“One of a kind whiskey-craft beer neighborhood tavern/pub. Absolute Santa Monica / westside institution.“

“Fun ambiance, good drink selection and it's easy to meet nice people as they host lots of events here.“

“Best dance night I have had in a decade, easy. The music was a spectacular mix of classics and everyone in the place was a good and polite dancer. My friend and I made so many new friends. Honestly, this is what clubbing should feel like every time!“

“Haven’t been to a rooftop in a while, so why not go to the beach during winter lol?!

Parking: They have valet at a ridiculous price $$$, or you can get lucky with metered parking spots around the area.

Ambiance/Environment: This rooftop is located in ‘Sonder The Beacon’ hotel. They’re on the 6th floor. Take the elevators up by pressing PH. It’s a medium size space with indoor & outdoor seating. The outdoor area is nice with a beautiful view of the beach, and we could even see the Santa Monica Pier. Some furnitures seem outdated and not as clean.

Service: The bartender that assisted us was knowledgeable about the menu and even gave us her favorite recommendations. I believe her name was Amber? But shout out to her!

What we ordered:

1) Coco Burger - 80/20 beef burger, caramelized onion, bacon, cheese, passion fruit BBQ sauce, lettuce. This was one of their popular food items! It also came with fries. The burger was cooked well and had lots of flavor! Make sure to dip everything in their sauce! Idk what’s in it, but it tasted amazing lol!

2) Fried Hot Chicken Sandwich - pineapple slaw, Swiss cheese, garlic aioli. This was also another one of their popular food items. The chicken was huuugggeee. It wasn’t as spicy to me, but it still tasted good. I drenched everything in their dipping sauce.

3) Drunk in Love - spicy, tequila blanco, Serrano, agave, watermelon juice, lime juice. This was recommended to us, and I loooved it! It was definitely spicy. It’s also on the sweeter side, yet still strong.

4) Pumpkin Spiced Espressotini - I chose tequila, and this also came with black coffee liqueur, pumpkin spiced syrup, & espresso. This was so strong, I couldn’t taste the pumpkin buuut I still enjoyed it! If you love coffee and alcohol like me, this if for you!

5) Pendejadas - poblano infused tequila, mezcal, prickly pear, mole bitters, citrus, black salt. This was also recommended to us. Ooof this was strong! Not too sweet.

6) Margarita - Who doesn’t love a classic cocktail? Had to keep the tequila theme going lol.

Pricing: We came to a rooftop bar for an experience, and that’s what we got. The views were amazing! The cocktails were fun, and the food was delicious. The furniture can use an update, but the vibes and music were lit.“

“Best nik naks & steak strips ever!“

“We ordered quesadillas and chicken tacos. Quality of food was very good but the presentation of the tacos was quite sloppy. There were 3 tacos and it was hard to tell where one taco ended and the next started...everything appeared to be just thrown into the shell without much order. Atmosphere was fun and upbeat.“

“Best steak and service . Say hi to Hillary she is the best !!!“

“Let's start off with breakfast can easily get $40 to $50 a person. But, this is not your everyday diner. I was very pleased with the taste, presentation, and atmosphere. I felt like the service was a little slow for high-end place, but it may have been a one-time thing. When I go here again? Yes.“

“Great food! Beautiful view. We will definitely be back.“

“I will like to give a shout out to the chef. I think his name is Shawn or Sean. When we got to Santa Monica, we looked up restaurants to go have our 26 year anniversary dinner, we stayed at Hotel Delmar right across the street. We googled the restaurant menu, and decided what we were going to have. when we got there, and they brought out the menus, all what we decided to have was not on there. I was crushed. Because I had my mind set on the Halibut. I said it's ok I will just have the Ribeye, mind you I had a ribeye steak the night before. When the waiter came back, my wife asked if it's possible to get the Halibut and he said let me check with the chef. He came back later and said the chef said it's no problem. I was blown away. That was the best Halibut ( besides mine) that I have ever had. Thank you chef Shawn. From one chef to another, thank you. you made my night.“

“Fun place and great location“

“A fine home-like steak house and my black & blue 10oz filet melted in my mouth like it should, really fine cut. All at our table loved the mushrooms, spinach and fries plus shrimp cocktail and beers and wines. Sadly they were out of my lamb chops first choice but that will bring me back I guess-“

“Had a great time. The staff friendly.“

“We went to Vito’s with our son and his family and really enjoyed it. The service was very good and the pizza was great. Very casual atmosphere, which was/is great for the kids and us !

Vegetarian options: They made the pizza without the cheese and were very accommodating“

“This place is the most happening place in Main st where one can chill and enjoy kombucha and get a buzz from the fermented drinks . They have selective non alcoholic kombucha as well .Purchased this kool mug as a souvenir ? #juneshine #hardkombucha #tastingroom #bar #santamonica #mainstreetsantamonica #ad #thumzup @juneshine_santamonica“

“From my first experience with Harvelles in 2015, I havre always had an amazing 🤩 experience…

Beautiful vibe…. every single time…

Always a pleasure!

Go and enjoy!

Cheers 🥂“

“Romantic atmosphere playing throwback 90’s-2000 hip hop/R&B with a dark, laid back and speakeasy feel. Santa Monica gem!“

“The entire experience was wonderful the food , drinks and service will definitely have me returning. Even the Owner was so friendly personable, came out spoke with us about different options on the menu, sang happy Birthday to my sister and even a picture with our was absolutely a worthwhile outing.“

“Usually hotel food is alright, so we decided to play it safe and get a burger and it was actually really good. The patty was juicy, and everything was very flavorful. The fries were also really good, crispy, and well seasoned. Not sure about the rest of the menu, but I would definitely get the burger and fries here again.“

“Went here last night, extremely good bartenders. They really know how to make a drink with style and super cool. The games with classics like pinball games and group games with up to 10 people on one single game. Overall a good cool bar with a great atmosphere.“

“The food, drinks, service, and the classy elegant atmosphere is fantastic!
I love this beautiful place by the beach! I usually go alone to enjoy delicious food and the great ambiance.
I am moving to Santa Monica in June, and will be much closer to this amazing gem by the beach!
? ?

Vegetarian options: I am a vegetarian and they have great options and delicious food!

Dietary restrictions: They have options for dietary restrictions.“

“This place has a very nice vibe, just pleasant people, nice decoration, good customer service, and I absolutely loved the line dancing classes, although I have a long way to go to catch up with some awesome dancers there 😃. But seriously, I highly recommend this place if you want to have a nice, fun evening.“

“The best aperitive in LA, with Salvo at 12-12 a wonderful location. Thanks a lot“

“Hurry for the best Mexican breakfast! So glad I chose Gilbert’s for the delicious everything from the warm, homemade chips with sides, soft tortillas and holy frijoles. Having tried several Mexican restaurants during my visit this was hands down my fav! Loved the outdoor seating, great service- met the founder’s daughter, whose parents from Guadalajara, started it 50 years ago. Good coffee too! Will for sure return when back in Santa Monica! Muchas gracias!“

“The atmosphere was fabous. The staff were all great, friendly, and very attentive and professional. The drink presentations were phenomenal. Great time, not too crowded, so service was quick. I recommend this spot to anyone wanting to het away and have a spirited eveni ng.“

“First time here. Enjoy our dinner, super yummy food and the great customer service from the bar manager . She was great at recommending and explaining our drink had an old fashioned with tequila, she even came back to ask how we liked it. We Never had an old fashioned with tequila and it was really good. The ambience of the place, didn’t have to wait to be seated. Highly recommend this place.“