Tapas Restaurants near Santa Monica, CA

“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.“

“Great food and service. This place never disappoints.“

“Fantastic meal! As good or better than the old days.“

“Bacari Sherman Oaks was the most incredible dining experience I have had in a very long time. It was more than just great food. The staff at Sherman Oaks created a complete experience with ambiance, fantastic service, and creative dishes to choose from.

The ambiance is energetic yet relaxed, and the Mediterranean-inspired small plates are incredibly creative and fun to share. Every dish we tried was outstanding. Our server, I believe her name was Mallery, was absolutely fantastic. Her warmth, enthusiasm, and attention to detail elevated an already amazing meal into something truly special.

Congratulations to the Bacari team for building something so unique. Bacari delivers an experience well beyond great food. I will enthusiastically recommend Bacari to everyone I know who visits Los Angeles, and I'll definitely be back when I'm in town.

Wishing the entire Bacari family continued success!“

“What a fantastic dining experience! We were so well taken care of, and the food was amazeballs! Definitely top of my list as my new favorite seafood restaurant. Elijah, the bartender was awesome and Katie went out of the way to make sure we had a lovely time. What an evening… I highly recommend this place.“

“This is a very popular place as it gets crowded even before normal dinner time. The semi-indoor/outdoor seating area is clean and relaxing.“

“The food is phenomenal!! Everything is amazing“

“Outstanding service from the time we stepped in the door. Tess our server was very knowledgeable and we loved her wine pairing suggestions.
The food is also outstanding! All three of in our party lived our dishes, especially all the varieties of tin fish. I had the best Dover Sole ever! Highly recommend!“

“Great food as usual and every time we come we have an excellent service. Love coming here!!!!“

“This review is long over due. Honestly this place is nothing without Stephen. We have over the last almost three years been coming here for the wine. The monthly wine events are nothing short of a mini vacation with the journey through the region Stephen takes you on. He is brilliant in his craft, very knowledgeable and welcomes everyone with a warm smile. Someone we look forward to seeing along side a glass of wine we always know we will want to take home. Ask for Stephen and enjoy a glass of wine. Get the burger ❤“

“I LOVE this place. The food the atmosphere, both amazing. Of the small plates please try the sweet potato chaat and the cauliflower dish. Of the large plates, I’ve tried 3-4 and all were really good. Great for dates, casual hangouts, and to get a bit drunk with delicious bites.“

“Great drinks, delicious food, the most ADDICTIVE CHIPS and guacamole- I promise you won't be able to stop at one order so walk your 25k steps before you make reservations! Our server was so pleasant and engaging and the entire staff that day 3/21 @6pm was awesome includingthe valet as we left! I forgot to get names, hence why I gave the date we were here:) I had the best quesadilla and my husband ordered a chicken and a carne Asada taco...DELICIOUS!“

“Awesome fun place with music good food, and fun. ❤️“

“We loved the authentic noodles and warm hospitality. Our lovely server also recommended me to drink the Tenth degree ginjo instead of regular sake, which I liked a lot.“

“Great food and service (Amanda did a great job), I love their double r 20 oz cowboy’s rib eye and I like the ambiance it is very cozy.“

“Came in after passing by many times and I am so glad I did. The food was simply phenomenal, the service was so good - attentive, friendly, knowledgeable about the extensive menu and specials. Even the ambiance was such a fun balance of coastal Italian, California kitsch and nostalgia. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back.“

“We enjoyed everything about our meal from start to finish.“

“心の居酒屋です🏮 モツなべなど　博多メニュー充実“

“Everything that I oder was tested good. And nice servers.“

“Overall a nice stay: friendly staff, nice updated facilities, free ♿️ valet👌-3 to 4 blocks from beach. Very expensive at $500 per night, used the 2 $10 free tickets at bar for 2 drinks and still owed $8.36. This was the host hotel and stayed 2 nights Fri/Sat July 22-23, 2022, with hamburger & soup in room, total $1100. T.“

“I cannot say enough of the five star service Ernesto provided. We were waiting for the shuttle to take us to the airport. It was 10 mins late, then 15 mins late. I asked the gentleman at the front desk to inquire but he was not helpful at all. Just said he will be there. I expressed my concern that we had an international flight to catch. I was so frustrated by this front desk man's customer service I told my husband we should call an Uber. Meanwhile we already paid for the hotel shuttle. Ernesto overheard my frustration. Called the bus to find out it wouldn't be coming there was an issue. He refunded us for our shuttle we paid for and also paid for our Uber. It was Four Seasons customer service, over and beyond exceeded our expectations! You should be so lucky to have a person like Ernesto. The other gentleman needs to go back to learning customer service skills and hospitality! Go Ernesto!“

“A friend recently treated me to dinner here at this family-owned and it was spectacular start to finish. Charming, intimate atmosphere, friendly service and terrific food. I love tapas and don't know of a great tapas place in LA, so this was quite a surprise, especially in the valley.

Highly recommend the hamachi crudo, albondigas and paella, which is one of the best I have eaten.“

“This restaurant is seriously slept on. There should be a line out the door (not that I wanna wait to eat all the delicious food). They're serving up elevated comfort food with a carefully curated sake list. We often imbibe a bit too much of said carefully curated sake list, so I don't have photos for every item we've had. We love both the sushi and izakaya items

Yellowtail carpaccio: fresh melt-in-your-mouth fish, lightly dressed with olive oil so that the true flavors shine through. There are salt and spice on the side of you want a little more zing (though the jalapenos provide enough zing for most palates).

Ankimo sashimi: so smooth and silky, perfectly dressed to highlight the flavors without overpowering it.

Summer roll: balanced combination of delicate blue crab, piquant spicy tuna and creamy avocado wrapped in radish (perfect for those trying to stay away from carbs).

Kurobata corn dogs: arrived at our table, still piping hot. Just perfectly fried. Batter light and crispy and the meat juicy and succulent.

Lobster hush puppies: their timing on their fried items is amazing. These, too, arrived at our table fresh out of the fryer. The batter is well-seasoned, light (but not too airy and unsubstantial) with enough density and chew to create the best texture, and the sweetness of corn and langoustine sprinkled throughout.

Grilled black cod: buttery fish with a hint of miso, served with mushrooms on top.

Miso eggplant: I don't know what magical incantations and techniques are used on this dish, but people who actively don't like eggplant love this dish. It's caramelized deliciousness. Straight-up witchcraft I tell you.

Pork gyoza: juicy pork encased in thin wrappers, left long enough on the pan to create a crispy layer on the bottom (Maillard reaction, boys and girls), with thinly sliced scallions on top for freshness and zest.

Bacon mochi: blistered (but, magically, not burnt) and bubbly mochi wrapped in crispy, salty, fatty bacon. You bite into the mochi and it has the most ridiculous stretch, like mozzarella! The mochi provides the perfect blank canvas for the bacon.

Fish tacos: light, crispy batter on the flaky fish with fresh veggies on top. I daresay I felt healthy eating these tacos.

Sauteed scallops with ponzu: scallops cooked (not overcooked, not undercooked) to a perfect texture that retains the natural sweetness of scallops, which contrasts beautifully with the savory-tangy-umami elixir created by ponzu and butter. The sauce is so delicious that we always order a side of rice to get every last drop.“

“I love this place! The food is fantastic! And I’m a regular for a reason 😉“

“Traditional Japanese izekaya. Daily specials. A definite must try.“

“Thank you Tu Madre for your one-of-kind customer service and creatively delicious food options. Your Vegan Fried Avocado Burritos are out of this world, and so is the gracious care you provide to each customer. If you’re looking to support a small business that is swift, delicious, and will keep you coming back for more, go check out Tu Madre Westwood!“

“The drinks are good and friendly people. Great vibes!“

“Phenomenal food, drinks, and service. I came for the USA/Australia World Cup game on Friday afternoon with my husband and toddler. The service was warm, drinks and food were very high quality, and it was a great experience. We are moving to the neighborhood, and I have a feeling this will be a repeat local spot. Highly recommend!“

“this place has great drinks, good food and an awesome vibe! I just love how it's hidden too. So clean and the staff is so nice. I will definitely be back!“

“It’s in the Hampton Inn just south of LAX. As of March 2026 they are open from 4 PM to 11 PM daily. There’s a happy hour from 4 PM to 6 PM which gets you $2 or $3 off food and drinks. It’s on the pricey side, but this is in an airport hotel, and restaurants in airport hotels are normally not cheap.“

“Great wine different flights to sample. You can even buy bottles“

“While the ramen is quite good, try their other non-ramen offerings. Katsu curry rice is very good here (katsu pork was prepared perfectly and curry flavorful) as well as their gyudon (beef over rice). Service as fast, friendly and attentive and the dining area was very clean. Value for the meal is excellent especially for West LA! Cannot recommend enough!“

“Cozy restaurant in an old school shopping plaza with a free parking lot. Has by far the best all day specials on the Westside on sake, sushi and apps. I am a big fan of their eel but my friend really liked the octopus balls (the kind with the fish flakes that move eek!) Bento box is a really generous size. Low-key, like if you took a diner and mixed it with a sushi place. Seems like a spot for locals.“

“My family and I had such a wonderful experience here! The food was delicious, but what truly made our visit special was our server, Zeeshan. From the moment we arrived, he made us feel welcomed and valued. He was incredibly kind, attentive, patient, and professional throughout the entire meal.

We accidentally had a mix-up with part of our order, and Zeeshan handled it with such a positive attitude and genuine care. He quickly helped resolve everything and made sure we were completely satisfied. It’s rare to come across customer service this exceptional.

Thank you, Zeeshan, for making our night so enjoyable. Your kindness and dedication did not go unnoticed. The food was fantastic, but Zeeshan outstanding service is what will bring us back. Thank you for making our night so special!“

“Beautiful view, great service and nice selection of drinks“

“I haven't been able to try this restaurant since it reopened and I had just the time to do so today. All the dim sum was great, just no BBQ pork buns 😂. The dumplings were thin skinned and tender and tasted similar to what I had in China and the waiters were friendly!“

“Tasty chicken wrap. Limited beer selection, but nice quiet location in the terminal to enjoy it. Excellent service.“