Best Casual Restaurants in Santa Monica

470 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Water Grill - Santa Monica restaurant

1. Water Grill - Santa Monica

4.6

Exceptional(6023)

Price: Expensive

• Seafood • Santa Monica

Booked 69 times today

Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Water Grill Santa Monica is an iconic seafood destination to enjoy the first catch of the season and a deep variety of fish, lobsters, crabs, oysters and shellfish on a robust menu that changes daily. Located on Ocean Ave. across from the Pacific Ocean and steps away from the Santa Monica Pier, Water Grill Santa Monica is the perfect place to dine, celebrate and host an event for business or pleasure. New product arrives from boat-to-table in a matter of hours from our exclusive seafood distribution company and our chef’s preparations allow the high-quality product to shine. Consistently rated as one of Santa Monica’s top seafood restaurants, Water Grill Santa Monica also offers customizable private dining options for business meetings and special events.

2. The Surfing Fox

4.1

Excellent(102)

Price: Moderate

• Californian • Santa Monica

Booked 18 times today

The Surfing Fox is a chilled-out gathering spot serving up coastal California cuisine on a plate (or in a glass!) with a generous side of good times and vibes. Whether you're spending the day hanging ten or hanging out, come take it easy with us from dawn to dusk.

3. Massilia

4.7

Exceptional(826)

Price: Expensive

• French • Santa Monica

Booked 16 times today

Massilia is a Marseille-inspired brasserie with culinary influences from the South of France, Italy, Spain & North Africa. SUN – THURS Bar open til 11pm / Kitchen open til 10pm | FRI + SAT Bar open til 12am / Kitchen open til 11pm | MON – FRI Enjoy 50% off all craft cocktails & wines by the glass from 11am – 6pm

4. Xuntos

4.8

Exceptional(149)

Price: Expensive

• Tapas / Small Plates • Santa Monica

Booked 25 times today

XUNTOS, "together" in Gallego, is a Tapas Bar from Chef Sandra Cordero in the heart of Downtown Santa Monica, serving small plates of things we want you to try: from the farmer's market around the corner to traditional dishes of Galicia, Asturias, Catalunya & the Basque Country, as they're eaten in Spain.The wines follow the food: natural, fun & unrefined–joined at the bar with Spanish twists on classic cocktails, plus vermouths, sherries & cold cervezas.Walk in to the bar for Xuntanza from 5-7pm, Tuesday-Saturday!Please email us for large parties & private dining: hola@barxuntos.comValidated parking is available across the street at 501 Santa Monica Blvd (Enter on 5th St.): $7 for 3 hours.

5. Blue Plate Taco

4.4

Awesome(975)

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Santa Monica

Booked 24 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.

A photo of Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica restaurant

6. Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(68)

Price: Very Expensive

• Japanese • Santa Monica

Booked 7 times today

Kappo (かっぽう / 割烹) means cooking food with knives and fire. In simple Japanese terms, means cutting, chopping and cooking food with knife, and so on. And means boiling, cooking food with fire. So the combination of these two Japanese characters are a different expression of cooking with a knife and fire. Kappo is a dish that is improvised by the customer's order and can be enjoyed at the counter or at the table just in front of the kitchen without much formality. From now on, Kappo will be held in Miyabi restaurant, Santa Monica. Miyabi (雅) is one of the traditional Japanese aesthetic ideals, meaning "elegance," "graceful" and "courtliness". There are a lot of complexities of Japanese cuisine, including not only food, but also visitors, music, and order of food. So, there is a burden because of the needlessly cumbersome, expensive, and unnecessary formalities, and we focus on foods that are only used to show off the cooking skills of the chefs and customers.

A photo of Ye Olde Kings Head- Santa Monica restaurant

7. Ye Olde Kings Head- Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(275)

Price: Moderate

• American • Santa Monica

Booked 11 times today

Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica, California has been open for over 40 years. It has developed an amazing reputation as among the most recognizable, finest British pubs in the USA. We have a casual comfortable dining room with Fireplace in the cooler months and an outdoor heated patio where patrons can sit and enjoy the restaurant’s delicious food. There is also a Private Dining room available and Afternoon Tea is served Mon - Sat 11.30am-4pm. (Private room also available for Baby & Bridal Showers)Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica provides patrons with the look and feel of Britain right in California. It has something that will appeal to everyone and offers a traditional British Breakfast and British favorites such as Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash and Shepherd’s pie, along with some healthier options, Salads, Curries and Vegetarian dishes. Come taste Britain in the heart of Santa Monica.

A photo of True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica restaurant

8. True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(1537)

Price: Moderate

• American • Santa Monica

Booked 25 times today

True Food Kitchen is a chef-driven restaurant and scratch bar that was founded by Dr. Andrew Weil, the pioneer of integrative medicine, to provide food that tastes great and is good for you. At our table, delicious dining and conscious nutrition go hand in hand, without sacrificing flavor, creativity or indulgence. Our expertly trained chefs craft flavor-forward dishes, handcrafted cocktails and freshly pressed refreshers so you can enjoy epic food experiences that aren’t just good for you, but good to you. Join us in Santa Monica for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch. New flavors, new combinations, new obsessions. Come see us for something completely new and delicious.

A photo of Calabra at Santa Monica Proper restaurant

9. Calabra at Santa Monica Proper

4.8

Exceptional(1585)

Price: Expensive

• Mediterranean • Santa Monica

Booked 54 times today

Calabra at Santa Monica Proper Hotel (One MICHELIN Key 2024) is located on the hotel's rooftop. The elevated garden terrace provides an inspiring atmosphere, with the ocean as a backdrop. Whether from the pool sundeck or circular bar, the views are best enjoyed with dinner, boutique wines, seasonal cocktails, and small-batch spirits. Serving Mediterranean & Californian cuisine with a view. Seating arrangements for all reservations at Calabra may include outdoor dining, bar area, as well as our indoor/ outdoor covered lounge space. Be sure to dress warmly.**Dinner reservations are for dining only. Drinks will be accommodated upon first come first serve at the bar area. Private Couch Alcoves are available with a rental and minimum spend**

10. pasjoli

4.6

Exceptional(659)

Price: Very Expensive

• French • Santa Monica

Booked 19 times today

Pasjoli is an elevated French bistro from James Beard award-winning chef Dave Beran. The restaurant pays homage to French cuisine utilizing the bounty of produce available in Southern California. Rooted in classic French cooking and inspired by Parisian markets, pasjoli reflects Chef Dave’s thoughtful cooking style, showcasing his creative touches on bistro fare.We serve a five-course prix fixe menu in our dining room and our secret garden. You'll be able to select your seating preference when you confirm your reservation. Please visit our website to see the most current menu.Each evening, we have limited availability of pressed duck dinners. If you are interested in enjoying a pressed duck, please email info@pasjoli.com, and we will do our best to accommodate your request. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate vegan diets.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

B
BernadetteVIP
Los Angeles •17 reviews
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
We had a lovely dining experience at Water Grill, Santa Monica. Our server, Melissa was lovely, genuinely personable, and it was evident that she loves her job because her expertise and positivity shines through. Our dinner selections were deliciously satisfying and capped off nicely by a scrumptious key lime pie. This spot is a gem and we definitely will be visiting again soon :)
More info
Water Grill - Santa MonicaPrice: Expensive• Seafood• Santa Monica
•
4.6
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles •1 review
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
Good food and excellent service—both parties enjoyed the meal, and our waiter was fun and helpful.
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MassiliaPrice: Expensive• French• Santa Monica
•
4.7
A
Ali
New York City •4 reviews
4.0
Dined 5 days ago
Food was fine. Nothing wrong, just a bit bland. Makes sense for this location - touristy. Service was outstanding. Busboy made extra efforts to keep us warm by repositioning the heat lamps and refilling them with propane. Nice touch.
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Blue Plate TacoPrice: Moderate• Mexican• Santa Monica
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4.4
B
Britt
Los Angeles •1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
Beautiful dining experience. We did the tasting menu, which was not only delicious but perfectly paced. Will absolutely be back!
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XuntosPrice: Expensive• Tapas / Small Plates• Santa Monica
•
4.8
G
Grace
Las Vegas •1 review
4.0
Dined on Dec 8, 2024
Very nice place for breakfast or brunch. Very cute ambiance, friendly service and delicious food. Notes: I would sit indoors as the view outside is more street than ocean and the street there has a lot of traffic. Parking at the hotel valet is expensive even with validation, so if you have time to park in one of the local structures and walk over, that's a more economical choice.
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The Surfing FoxPrice: Moderate• Californian• Santa Monica
•
4.1

Best Casual Restaurants in Santa Monica

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470 restaurants available nearby

1. Water Grill - Santa Monica

2. The Surfing Fox

3. Massilia

4. Xuntos

5. Blue Plate Taco

6. Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica

7. Ye Olde Kings Head- Santa Monica

8. True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica

9. Calabra at Santa Monica Proper

10. pasjoli

See what locals rave about

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