TRENDY PLACES TO EAT IN SANTA MONICA

[brianm21]

Hi All

I will be in Santa Monica for two nights and am just looking for a few trendy places to eat. Someplace that I can get a decent meal and enjoy some good people watching!!!!! I am also looking for any reccos for LA as I will be there for one night as well.

Thanks
B

[soniabegonia]

Wilshire
2454 Wilshire Blvd

Nice patio, pretty trendy, food is not bad. Just avoid the Thai style deep fried fish. Though billed as a favorite, it is overpriced and boring. There are better items on the menu.

[igj]

If trendy and people watching are a priority and sit down meals are not, the wine bar called Bodega is tres trendy. They do a smattering of small plates, so it is either cobble together a meal of small plates or have some wine pre- or post-dinner elsewhere.

Bodega is on Broadway, just east of Lincoln Boulevard.
310.394.3504

[LisaStitch]

Definitely Ivy at the Shore. Best people watching is weekday lunch or dinner. Go hungry because the portions are huge.

Bodega has a very happening scene practically every night of the week. It's a wine bar with small plates - I highly recommend their little pizzas. Nice lounge-y place, also very loud - service can suffer because it gets so crowded. It's a fun time though with lots of hip and trendy people around to watch.
http://www.bodegawinebar.com/

For people-watching in LA proper, I'd again recommend the Ivy - the location on Robertson. Also Koi and Mr. Chow and probably Cut. These are all pricey places though.

[cynthia105]

IVY, MUSHA

[yogachik]

Best people watching:

Penthouse at Huntley Hotel
Whist at Viceroy Hotel
MaKai
World Cafe on Main Street
Beachwood in Venice
Chaya Venice (eat in the bar)

Basically - just go wherever there's a happening bar scene.

[J.L.]

Agree with Whist.

[New Trial]

Abode just behind Tengu and Il Fornaio on Ocean is hip, new and delicious.

[Frommtron]

And already closed down, if you can believe it.

[foodiemahoodie]

Abode had a nice room, but I don't think it ever had a trendy crowd.

Gjelina is a pretty trendy crowd, food's good too.

Are you looking for trendy atmosphere or food?

[PaliBruin]

Abode closed over 6 months ago.

[mollyomormon]

Well, yes, but it was open when New Trial replied to the OP.

[Frommtron]

WOW! I didn't realize just how old this thread was! It appeared on the first page of the new postings list. Odd. Sorry for the unnecessary bump.

[ExtraCheesePlease]

Love Gjelina and also AK was a great experience. And there's always Joe's up the street on Abbot Kinney.

[handlertaper]

Giorgios (Giorgio Baldi) in Santa Monica Canyon. Fun people watching and good food although some report snoby service (I have not experienced that).

Buffalo Club on Olympic and 14th Street. Good crowd and fun.

The Penthouse. Newish restaurant on the top floor on the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica on 2nd Street. Good crowd, pretty happening right now!

Nic's in Beverly Hills. Fun restaurant for people watching. Good food and fun martini's. Live music on the weekends.