27 Best Cocktail Bars in Santa Monica

“Beyond expectations! Best meal & service in at least 10 years. I’ll be back!“

“Always a great experience and meal at Orto, strongly recommended!“

“Went here for Easter brunch and was surprised I hadn’t heard of this place before. The food was great! I ordered the steak and eggs and while my steak wasn’t a perfect medium rare, the flavor and portion size made up for that immensely. The cocktails were delightful as well! Pricing was as expected for the area and quality. We were seated outside in a makeshift patio in the parking lot, but it was well done and the service was quick and attentive. Next time I would probably try to eat inside or in the smaller patio by the entrance, where the vibes and decor are beautifully done. There is ample free parking in the back as well. I will be back!“

“If you want to go to a bar with perfect seating, great airflow, excellent drinks, flawless service l, a fantastic DJ, a parking lot, a nyc vibe, no one rushes you and you can even reserve a table for drinks…go to the Chestnut Club. My favorite new bar. 14th & Santa Monica Blvd @TheChestnutClub same owners as scopa and black market liquor!“

“Delicious food and drinks“

“Delicious food, eclectic menu, reasonable prices, friendly waiters, bar, nice ambiance.“

“Service,drinks.food,ambiance.staff,etc.“

“Best Mexican restaurant in Santa Monica! Food was fantastic, great ambiance and our server Sebastian was amazing. Super accommodating and considerate which we really appreciated dining with our baby. Highly recommend this spot for a family or date spot :)“

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

“I had a wonderful solo drinks and tapas last week. The experience was wonderful, the vibe in the restaurant is whimsical, the drinks were fantastic, ..they had an excellent gin choice. The staff was amazing and attentive. The food was delicious and filling. I had the bikini con Carino, Patatas Bravas, Anchoa and one more thing, i cant remember. All of it was MORE than enough for a full dinner. I cant wait to go back again with friends.“

“the service was spectacular. really fun group of servers... food = excellent - exception: chicken appetizer a little greasy/ excessively fried but everything else: salmon, hamachi, avocado fries, duck tacos, etc. was great. a little too loud at first due to boisterous group in the bar right next to our table. acoustics are not great for conversation when the bar is hopping. this is my second time and I will come back.“

“In the neighborhood, and we’re looking for some good Mexican food and we found it! Small establishment run by people who obviously care. Food is fresh and seasoned beautifully and cooked with Obvious love. Staff was wonderful you ordered a selection of tacos and every single one was spectacular. Also ordered a burrito.(I was really hungry) Which was perfect easy to hold grill around the outside crunchy and so delicious! Cannot recommend highly enough!“

“We had the Most Amazing Experience at La Monique. Exceptional Ambience, Food & Service.“

“great venue. great customer service, excellent appetizers.“

“old school~ great food~ great host~ a treasure~“

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

“Great Bbq! Great service!“

“I recommend the Bbq chicken, Rack of Ribs and Brisket overall everything I ordered was delicious.“

“Years ago our favorite sushi restaurant from the 80’s closed. Time flies, and as Santa Monica locals we have been looking for a sushi restaurant as a regular. We tried Mikomi and were SO happy. Our server Nathan was a delight, he is professional, friendly, consistent and grounded. Much appreciated his presence. The menu is vast and everything on it that we ordered so far is excellent. Looking forward to returning to try new things and reorder favorites!“

“We came in with a party of 22 (it was a reservation so they had warning but still a lot). And we were treating like utter royalty. They were so kind, attentive, and excited to celebrate with us! Our drinks were always full, chips were constant, food recs were perfect, it was so great. Our server even learned and remembered our names. This is my go to restaurant for every little thing but the success of the massive party was just the complete cherry on top of this place.“

“I love it here because it’s old fashion great table service because management excels in traffic patterns with cross trained wait staff and bidders. No server leaves the kitchen empty handed and the vibe is to make their customers happy with continuous even flow table service. Disney please take note! I am not of of millennial restaurants where stand at a cash register and pay the tip upfront then assigned a number & number holder then fend & elbow for a table. This is old school service upgraded with innovative traffic management to expedite cuisines & cocktails. I love the intimacy of the raised railroad car booths where I can actually hear my guest’s conversation and speak to wait staff at eye level. And the bathrooms are so modern and spotless! The observation window to see the cooking staff hard at work is as much fun as a cooking show! Chocolate chip cookies are warm but melt in your mouth! Gavin Glynn Productions FOX Walt Disney International“

“Stopped here on our family trip around the west coast and this place is beautiful, plenty of parking space and the inside of the real looks amazing. People put time to decorate and it doesn’t disappoint. Food is amazing and Fernando was great helping us. We highly recommend anyone in LA to visit this place.“

“Friendly atmosphere Delicious meals are tasty, appetizing, scrumptious, yummy, delightful, lovely, wonderful, pleasant, enjoyable, appealing, enchanting, charming and hihgly pleasant to the taste.“

“Good vibes inside and sizable patio. A bit loud inside. Didn’t get cocktails but a few came by and looked good. Full bar.

- Spicy pickles 5/5
- fried mozzarella sticks 5/5
- pepperoni pizza with side ranch and side hot honey 5/5“

“It was fun! And pretty environment. Food was delicious“

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

“As someone who travels solo often, I have a personal rule that I rarely visit the same place twice during a vacation because there is always something new to explore. Calabra was the exception.

From the moment I arrived, everyone made me feel genuinely welcomed, seen, and taken care of. The hospitality here is incredible. A special thank you to the General Manager and the entire staff for going above and beyond to make my experience so memorable.

A huge shout out to Joana, whose kindness, warmth, and hospitality were a big part of why I returned! She made me feel welcome from the very beginning and truly helped make my experience special.

Because of the outstanding service and genuine care shown by the team, I came back a second time during my trip, and it ended up being the highlight of my vacation. The atmosphere is beautiful, the views are stunning, and the energy is fun!

To any solo traveler, especially women traveling alone, this is a place where you can feel safe, comfortable, and genuinely cared for while still having an amazing time.

Thank you, Calabra, for making my last day in Los Angeles so special. I usually never return to the same place twice on a trip, but you made me want to. I will absolutely be back.🥂✨️💛“