Best Casual Restaurants in Santa Monica

253 restaurants available nearby

A photo of Loulou Rooftop Restaurant and Lounge restaurant

1. Loulou Rooftop Restaurant and Lounge

4.3

Price: Expensive

• French • Santa Monica

Booked 22 times today

Experience the "Joie de Vivre"At LouLou, food, entertainment, fashion, and art converge into a unique, one-of-a-kind destination.LouLou’s carefully crafted menus showcase French Mediterranean flavors with a classic California twist, while honoring the generosity of artisanal and homemade ingredients, as well as local organic produce.A carefully selected wine list offers a tasteful array of wines from both France and CaliforniaNever bowing to the ordinary, whether it’s a legendary brunch, after work cocktails, elegant dinner, or corporate event, LouLou will always deliver an experience to remember.Ample parking is available in the building. We are located on the rooftop level. Suite 300

A photo of Water Grill - Santa Monica restaurant

2. Water Grill - Santa Monica

4.7

Exceptional(5973)

Price: Expensive

• Seafood • Santa Monica

Booked 72 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.

A photo of Benihana - Santa Monica, CA restaurant

3. Benihana - Santa Monica, CA

4.1

Excellent(4072)

Price: Moderate

• Japanese • Santa Monica

Booked 69 times today

Welcome to Benihana, a dining experience unlike any other! Our guests are seated at communal tables in groups, where your personal chef will perform the ancient art of Teppanyaki. Watch as we slice and dice, preparing a meal that will dazzle your eyes as well taste buds, whether you choose mouth-watering steak, tender chicken or succulent seafood. You can also enjoy sushi prepared by a talented sushi chef and indulge in a specialty cocktail.

4. The Surfing Fox

4.3

Awesome(100)

Price: Moderate

• Californian • Santa Monica

Booked 22 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.

5. Blue Plate Taco

4.6

Exceptional(972)

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Santa Monica

Booked 14 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 North Italia - Santa Monica restaurant

6. North Italia - Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(1479)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • Santa Monica

Booked 35 times today

Everyone has a favorite dish at North. Every day, our Chefs start from scratch to create handmade pizza and pasta using only the best ingredients to craft inspired dishes from the garden, farm, and sea. North defines the standards for handcrafted Italian. Our menu offers a great selection of antipasti (daily soup, charcuterie, bruschetta), salads full of seasonal ingredients, and a main entrée menu driven by both traditional Italian cuisine and lighter fresh fish dishes. North is a great neighborhood spot for family and friends to meet and share a handcrafted experience. From the food to the service, at North every detail matters. Due to recent current events, we will be only open for to go sales only at this point in time. Thank you for your understanding

A photo of Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica restaurant

7. Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica

4.5

Awesome(65)

Price: Very Expensive

• Japanese • Santa Monica

Booked 4 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 True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica restaurant

8. True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica

4.3

Awesome(1527)

Price: Moderate

• American • Santa Monica

Booked 19 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 King & Queen Cantina - Santa Monica restaurant

9. King & Queen Cantina - Santa Monica

4.1

Excellent(143)

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Santa Monica

Booked 3 times today

*WALK-INS ALWAYS WELCOME*King and Queen Cantina brings a Latin flavor to Santa Monica. Our colorful skull décor makes for a Dia de Los Muertos theme all year long. Prepare to “fiesta like there’s no mañana” with our unique menu adding an Asian infusion and an urban twist. The concept created by the owner Mr.Tempo will make you live an incredible experience from bar to kitchen to service - one of a kind. #MASCHINGON

10. Shoreside

(0)

Price: Expensive

• Contemporary American • Santa Monica

Coming Soon this Fall! Welcome to Shoreside Santa Monica, where we offer the quintessential indoor-outdoor coastal dining experience, seamlessly capturing the relaxed ambiance and sun-soaked charm of Southern California. Indulge in the flavors of Southern California with our locally inspired menu crafted with the freshest ingredients. This coastal haven effortlessly blends timeless charm with contemporary California cool. A destination to savor cocktails poolside, gather with friends for a delicious meal, or socialize into the evening hours in our cozy lobby lounge. Join us to experience the locally inspired menu of SoCal rich flavors and premium drink selections against the backdrop of Santa Monica's coastal scene.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

S
Sarahvip
New York City •13 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
Decent food and they keep it warm in the covered patio which was nice. The service was spotty but it was only because there was only one server and the place was packed! I felt so bad for him. He was so nice the entire time despite the fact that it was only him. I really don’t know if I’ll be back because $30 for some tacos and guac is pretty steep, but maybe if I want to treat myself.
More info
Blue Plate TacoPrice: Moderate• Mexican• Santa Monica
•
4.6
N
Nicolavip
Los Angeles •51 reviews
5.0
Dined 6 days ago
Server was remarkably knowledgeable about the food, where it comes from, ingredients, how prepared, etc. very interesting cocktails. Great ambiance and setting. Was very impressed as I generally don’t like hotel restaurants.
More info
The Surfing FoxPrice: Moderate• Californian• Santa Monica
•
4.3
J
Jasmine
Los Angeles •1 review
5.0
Dined 7 days ago
Food was Great! customer service awesome will go back any day. I will be in town for a few days big possiblity of going back .
More info
Loulou Rooftop Restaurant and LoungePrice: Expensive• French• Santa Monica
•
4.3
L
Lynvip
Los Angeles •36 reviews
5.0
Dined on Nov 19, 2024
Water Grill Santa Monica is the go-to for my friend Nancy and I. We had lots of delicious fresh oysters, piping hot french fries and a wonderful server named James....James was helpful, friendly and really cared that we had a perfect experience, and we did.... We will definitely be back! The gorgeous sunny day, comfy booth for two, and inspiring view of the Pacific was the icing on the cake....Thank you Water Grill!
More info
Water Grill - Santa MonicaPrice: Expensive• Seafood• Santa Monica
•
4.7
D
Daniel
Los Angeles •1 review
5.0
Dined on Nov 18, 2024
Tyler served us at the Santa Monica location he was an outstanding server, will def be back to this location and ask for him!
More info
Benihana - Santa Monica, CAPrice: Moderate• Japanese• Santa Monica
•
4.1

Best Casual Restaurants in Santa Monica

Price

Cuisine

Regions

Neighborhoods

Top Rated

Dining Options

Seating Options

Award-winning

Accessibility

253 restaurants available nearby

1. Loulou Rooftop Restaurant and Lounge

2. Water Grill - Santa Monica

3. Benihana - Santa Monica, CA

4. The Surfing Fox

5. Blue Plate Taco

6. North Italia - Santa Monica

7. Kappo Miyabi Santa Monica

8. True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica

9. King & Queen Cantina - Santa Monica

10. Shoreside

See what locals rave about

Explore OpenTable