Best Restaurants for People Watching in Playa del Rey

51 restaurants available nearby

1. Wabi on Rose

4.5

Price: Expensive

• Sushi • Venice

Booked 19 times today

This local hot spot suffered a fire in 2018 and triumphantly returned in 2020. With Chef Rain's innovative cuisine and vibrant bar scene, Wabi on Rose embodies the Rose Avenue lifestyle. Sexy, contemporary design, frames this hip spot with a chic outdoor seating area. Neighborhood regulars enjoy the fresh-caught, Pacific Rim, sushi inspired menu,and live fire grill. Swimsuit to business suit, all are welcome.

2. Meat On Ocean

4.7

Exceptional(3401)

Price: Expensive

• Steakhouse • Santa Monica

Booked 45 times today

Meat On Ocean is a meat-centric, modern steakhouse in Santa Monica that offers both a sense of adventure and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Beyond the offerings of a world-class steakhouse, Meat On Ocean features an artisanal charcuterie bar, an exhibition dry-aging room and a variety of prime beef – from dry-aged domestic cuts to Japanese A-5. Integral to the operation is a highly trained crew of servers and butchers, who communicate directly with Guests about the beef, organically farmed chickens, house made sausages, choice seafood and more.Located on the corner of Ocean and Broadway, Meat On Ocean is steps from the action - including the Santa Monica Pier, shopping and hotels.Starting May 2024, Meat On Ocean is also your headquarters for private dining and events, with customizable spaces that are perfect for social events, corporate meetings, birthday parties, anniversary celebrations, wedding receptions and ceremonies, with full audio/visual connectivity.

A photo of The Waterfront Venice restaurant

3. The Waterfront Venice

4.3

Awesome(189)

Price: Expensive

• Californian • Venice

Booked 4 times today

The Waterfront Venice is a California Beer Garden with views of the Pacific Ocean. Situated between Rose and Navy on the famous Venice beach Boardwalk, our food & beverage menus celebrate California with carefully selected seasonal produce from local farms.

4. Manchego

4.7

Exceptional(1118)

Price: Moderate

• Tapas / Small Plates • Santa Monica

Booked 13 times today

Manchego also offers walk-ins!Manchego is a Spanish Tapas restaurant in Santa Monica that focuses on delicious small plates and a cozy atmosphere. We recently relocated a few doors down, to a larger space with a romantic patio in the back.Manchego has always been one of the best kept secrets in Santa Monica, and now locals can enjoy our bigger, more accommodating space that offers outside dining on our beautiful patio. Always a great spot for romantic dates or meeting up with friends and family.We also added a specially curated Spanish wine list that offers mainly small-production, unique wines. Our Spanish wine distributor spends his time traveling the Spanish countryside, sourcing hard to find wines from small, mom-and-pop wineries. The wine list also includes a few South American selections and a great local, organic wine.Follow us on instagram at instagram.com/manchegorestaurant

A photo of Mama's Boy at Winston House restaurant

5. Mama's Boy at Winston House

4.4

Awesome(109)

Price: Expensive

• Comfort Food • Venice

Mama’s Boy is an Italian dinner club with a Southern accent, brought to you by Michelin-starred Chef Wes Whitsell. Situated inside Winston House – a popular community hub with live music and DJ sets – Mama’s Boy is the perfect start to a night out. With lively dishes that embody Chef’s Texan roots and mom’s home-cooked Italian food, the menu strikes a balance between comfort and creativity. At Mama’s Boy, he presents his most innovative menu yet: a fusion of nostalgic Italian cuisine with a Southern twist - a true ‘Spaghetti Western’. Each dish is a nod to his upbringing, a journey home where every bite tells a story of love, tradition, and the connection of family.

6. Blue Plate Taco

4.6

Exceptional(972)

Price: Moderate

• Mexican • Santa Monica

Booked 17 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.

7. Piccolo Venice

4.8

Exceptional(611)

Price: Expensive

• Italian • Venice

Booked 2 times today

Chef Antonio Mure's new take on an old Venice favorite, Piccolo.

8. Papille Gustative

4.3

Awesome(173)

Price: Moderate

• Farm-to-table • Santa Monica

Booked 4 times today

Papille Gustative LAFarm to table Artisan foods, single origin, sustainably grown and certified Coffees and Teas, as well as local craft beers and organic, biodynamic wines. Open for Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch . A low impact, Zero waste facility located in Santa Monica CA. Cozy private room and patio. One block to the Santa Monica beach.

A photo of Casa 12 Ristorante restaurant

9. Casa 12 Ristorante

4.8

Exceptional(66)

Price: Moderate

• Italian • Venice

Booked 7 times today

At a location once known for the French restaurant “12 Washington” as well as the Italian restaurant “Casa Ado”, Casa 12 has now open in the same cozy spot at 12 Washington Blvd. Serving Tradition Italian Cuisine, an extensive wine list, sangria’s, spritz, and beers. Only steps away from the beach, enjoy a fun atmosphere with the option of indoor or outdoor dining on the Venice Pier in Marina Del Rey!

10. Catch LA

4.7

Exceptional(10179)

Price: Expensive

• Seafood • West Hollywood

Booked 122 times today

Perched above the dynamic streets of the West Hollywood Design District on the corner of Melrose and San Vicente, Catch LA features modern renditions of classic dishes served in a streaming, shareable style of dining. The retractable rooftop haven marries simple yet elegant, seafood, sushi, and steak with excellent service and a lively atmosphere complete with a unique, open-air dining room and breathtaking views of Downtown Los Angeles and the Hollywood Hills. The menu features signature dishes including the Catch Roll, Truffle Sashimi, A5 Japanese Wagyu on a hot rock, Mushroom Spaghetti, and Cantonese Lobster.

See what locals rave about

From verified diners like you

G
Genelle
Los Angeles •11 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
Music could have been lower otherwise everything was good
More info
The Waterfront VenicePrice: Expensive• Californian• Venice
•
4.3
G
Guy
Los Angeles •3 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
The sushi was excellent! Our server, Katie was very attentive. The hot Sake was delicious. We especially loved the Ikura sushi!
More info
Wabi on RosePrice: Expensive• Sushi• Venice
•
4.5
N
Nathanvip
Austin •1 review
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
Meat On Ocean was perfect for our birthday celebration. We selected the grass fed Ribeyes for our main courses. The steaks were done to perfection. Don't miss the amazing butcher bread. Dessert was included for our birthdays. Get a booth against the back wall for privacy and people watching.
More info
Meat On OceanPrice: Expensive• Steakhouse• Santa Monica
•
4.7
K
karen
Los Angeles •20 reviews
5.0
Dined on Nov 18, 2024
Just the best staff ever- so attentive and welcoming. The food was delicious and we enjoyed every dish that was served. Overall one of the best dining experiences we've had in a long time!
More info
ManchegoPrice: Moderate• Tapas / Small Plates• Santa Monica
•
4.7
J
Joshua
Los Angeles •5 reviews
5.0
Dined on Sep 27, 2024
Next level. More people need to be coming here. Essential.
More info
Mama's Boy at Winston HousePrice: Expensive• Comfort Food• Venice
•
4.4

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Playa del Rey

Best Restaurants for People Watching in Playa del Rey

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51 restaurants available nearby

1. Wabi on Rose

2. Meat On Ocean

3. The Waterfront Venice

4. Manchego

5. Mama's Boy at Winston House

6. Blue Plate Taco

7. Piccolo Venice

8. Papille Gustative

9. Casa 12 Ristorante

10. Catch LA

See what locals rave about

Explore OpenTable