Guidebook for Los Angeles
Food Scene
Rated one of the best restaurants in L.A. I like popping in for late afternoon casual dining. Either book ahead or arrive early for happy hour. Takeaway recently added, which offers great sandwiches.
8 locals recommend
Gjelina Take Away
Rated one of the best restaurants in L.A. I like popping in for late afternoon casual dining. Either book ahead or arrive early for happy hour. Takeaway recently added, which offers great sandwiches.
A bit expensive but worth every penny. Great food, great service and great atmosphere. Upscale, intimate, offering great French dishes. Also has a good wine list.
Joe's Restaurant
A bit expensive but worth every penny. Great food, great service and great atmosphere. Upscale, intimate, offering great French dishes. Also has a good wine list.
Drop in for a coffee, breakfast, a smoothie or a sandwich; great bagels. Sometimes has live music.
Abbot's Habit
Drop in for a coffee, breakfast, a smoothie or a sandwich; great bagels. Sometimes has live music.
The best pizza in town. Even New Yorkers will make a point of eating here. Next to Abbot’s Habit.
7 locals recommend
Abbot's Pizza Company
The best pizza in town. Even New Yorkers will make a point of eating here. Next to Abbot’s Habit.
Small coffee shop just down the street, across the Circle, at the corner of Pacific and Windward. Has a limited menu but a good choice for a quick coffee or a light breakfast/brunch.
Cafe Collage
Small coffee shop just down the street, across the Circle, at the corner of Pacific and Windward. Has a limited menu but a good choice for a quick coffee or a light breakfast/brunch.
Bar and restaurant with Asian, Californian and Mexican dishes, including sushi. Located close to beach and across street from James Beach restaurant.
Canal Club
Bar and restaurant with Asian, Californian and Mexican dishes, including sushi. Located close to beach and across street from James Beach restaurant.
This is my top choice for breakfast on the beach. It’s worth the longer walk, which is very pleasant anyway. I would arrive before 8:30 a.m. for the ‘happy hour’ prices and always sit outside, though
12 locals recommend
Fig Tree
This is my top choice for breakfast on the beach. It’s worth the longer walk, which is very pleasant anyway. I would arrive before 8:30 a.m. for the ‘happy hour’ prices and always sit outside, though
Fun Japanese restaurant just down the street, on the Venice Circle; it’s a great favorite with locals. I really enjoy the happy hour menu, which is offered at the bar.
10 locals recommend
Hama Sushi
Fun Japanese restaurant just down the street, on the Venice Circle; it’s a great favorite with locals. I really enjoy the happy hour menu, which is offered at the bar.
You might find a queue extending outside front door - so popular because alternative is to fly to Vienna or Amsterdam to find better coffee. Tea also excellent. You have to try once.
16 locals recommend
Intelligentsia Coffee Venice
You might find a queue extending outside front door - so popular because alternative is to fly to Vienna or Amsterdam to find better coffee. Tea also excellent. You have to try once.
Close to the beach and always busy. Check out the daily specials. Inside and outside seating. Across street from the Canal Club.
James' Beach
Close to the beach and always busy. Check out the daily specials. Inside and outside seating. Across street from the Canal Club.
Seating is available either inside or on front patio; on the pricey side but the organic food is good quality; service can be on the slow side.
Kreation Organic Juicery
Seating is available either inside or on front patio; on the pricey side but the organic food is good quality; service can be on the slow side.
Cafeteria style fast food, offers basic seating, a couple hundred yards from the apartment on corner of Venice Blvd. Has excellent quality sandwiches & salads that are ideal for takeout.
Lemonade Restaurant
Cafeteria style fast food, offers basic seating, a couple hundred yards from the apartment on corner of Venice Blvd. Has excellent quality sandwiches & salads that are ideal for takeout.
Maxwell’s is just a block further inland from Costco. very popular with locals for breakfast or brunch. Good food, reasonable prices, & attentive staff. Very busy at the weekends.
Maxine's Cafe
Maxwell’s is just a block further inland from Costco. very popular with locals for breakfast or brunch. Good food, reasonable prices, & attentive staff. Very busy at the weekends.
If you journey up to the Ocean Park area, this is a pleasant choice for breakfast or brunch. Offers indoor and outdoor seating. Has a deli counter and a bakery.
31 locals recommend
The Rose Venice
If you journey up to the Ocean Park area, this is a pleasant choice for breakfast or brunch. Offers indoor and outdoor seating. Has a deli counter and a bakery.
Popular converted firehouse in Ocean Park area. Classic American breakfast menu; salads, burgers, sandwiches, sushi and typical diner fare. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., bar until midnight (8 p.m. Sundays)
The Firehouse
Popular converted firehouse in Ocean Park area. Classic American breakfast menu; salads, burgers, sandwiches, sushi and typical diner fare. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., bar until midnight (8 p.m. Sundays)
Across street from The Otheroom. A cute café offering innovative ‘Germanesque’ breakfast & lunch dishes from Hans Röckenwagner.
3 Square Cafe
Across street from The Otheroom. A cute café offering innovative ‘Germanesque’ breakfast & lunch dishes from Hans Röckenwagner.
Wabi Sabi rated as one of best Japanese restaurants in L.A.; has happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30 every day.
20 locals recommend
Wabi on Rose
Wabi Sabi rated as one of best Japanese restaurants in L.A.; has happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30 every day.
The Sidewalk Cafe
Has satellite sports and ten TV’s, including three big screens
Cabo Cantina is the ultimate sports event and pay-per-view fight destination, with up to 50 extra-large HD flat screens and drink specials all night long.
Cabo Cantina
Cabo Cantina is the ultimate sports event and pay-per-view fight destination, with up to 50 extra-large HD flat screens and drink specials all night long.
Drinks & Nightlife
The best variety of on tap beers in the neighborhood. No food but you can bring in your own and there are several restaurants within a block where you can grab a sandwich or a burger.
259 locals recommend
Venice Beach
The best variety of on tap beers in the neighborhood. No food but you can bring in your own and there are several restaurants within a block where you can grab a sandwich or a burger.
Authentic Irish pub’s interior shipped from Dublin to Ocean Park! Offers Irish grub, Guinness, over 100 whiskeys and live music; has afternoon and late night happy hours.
Finn McCool's
Authentic Irish pub’s interior shipped from Dublin to Ocean Park! Offers Irish grub, Guinness, over 100 whiskeys and live music; has afternoon and late night happy hours.
Very Popular bar. Live Jazz on Sundays and Mondays. Food is nothing special. I only go for the jazz or a drink with a friend. Can be noisy.
Hal's Bar and Grill
Very Popular bar. Live Jazz on Sundays and Mondays. Food is nothing special. I only go for the jazz or a drink with a friend. Can be noisy.
Venice institution - classic American dive bar, favorite with the locals. 3 pool tables (75 cents a game, winner holds table), live music, free popcorn, good burgers.
12 locals recommend
Hinano Cafe
Venice institution - classic American dive bar, favorite with the locals. 3 pool tables (75 cents a game, winner holds table), live music, free popcorn, good burgers.
One of the oldest businesses on Abbot Kinney. Used to be a Hells Angels hangout but has mellowed into a popular local bar with a pretty good pool table. It’s very busy and noisy at weekends.
14 locals recommend
The Brig
One of the oldest businesses on Abbot Kinney. Used to be a Hells Angels hangout but has mellowed into a popular local bar with a pretty good pool table. It’s very busy and noisy at weekends.
Close to Boardwalk. Lots of game time drinks specials. Breakfast menu & Bloody Mary Bar weekends. Late menu till 1:00 a.m.; 1/2 price apps on Mon. Happy hour 4-7 p.m., extended Fri 4-9 p.m.
Nikki's
Close to Boardwalk. Lots of game time drinks specials. Breakfast menu & Bloody Mary Bar weekends. Late menu till 1:00 a.m.; 1/2 price apps on Mon. Happy hour 4-7 p.m., extended Fri 4-9 p.m.
Daily happy hour from 12:00 -7:00 pm. Kitchen open all day; closes at 1:00 a.m.
O'Brien's Irish Pub & Main
Daily happy hour from 12:00 -7:00 pm. Kitchen open all day; closes at 1:00 a.m.
Sightseeing
You can't visit Venice and not take a quick walk down the front to the world famous Muscle Beach
33 locals recommend
Venice Skatepark
You can't visit Venice and not take a quick walk down the front to the world famous Muscle Beach
Shopping
Take Venice to Lincoln, turn left, on left hand side of road after several blocks.
28 locals recommend
Whole Foods Market
Take Venice to Lincoln, turn left, on left hand side of road after several blocks.
Essentials
At corner of Lincoln and Washington, just a five minute drive away. Albertsons, In N Out and Starbucks are on the same block and Maxwell’s Café is a block further on.
Costco Wholesale
At corner of Lincoln and Washington, just a five minute drive away. Albertsons, In N Out and Starbucks are on the same block and Maxwell’s Café is a block further on.
Windward Market
Convenience store just down the street, across the circle.
Everything Else
Every Friday. Just around the corner, across the street from the library, off North Venice Blvd.
11 locals recommend
Venice Farmers' Market
Every Friday. Just around the corner, across the street from the library, off North Venice Blvd.
Food trucks, open galleries and late-night shop hours— This popular Abbot Kinney celebration brings out locals and distant Angelenos on the first Friday of the month for bites and sales.
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Food trucks, open galleries and late-night shop hours— This popular Abbot Kinney celebration brings out locals and distant Angelenos on the first Friday of the month for bites and sales.
Arts & Culture
The Mint
Live music and bar. Local bands. Reasonable bar food.
The Talking Stick
A local venue for local talent. Great coffee and smoothies.