Restaurants with-in walking distance to the Santa Monica Pier................

[woodranch]

Is there any outstanding restaurants with-in walking distance of the Santa Monica Pier.I am taking my wife to Cirque Du Soleil and would like to park once and walk to the show.Thank You in advance!

[Senzinina]

Capo on Ocean just north of Pico - tiny wood floor, brick oven place with HUGE wine list, beautiful grilled meats and unlike most LA restaurants, you can actually hear your dinner mate talking.

Catch in the Casa Del Mar - right on the beach, super sleek, modern white leather, chrome kinda place. Crudo and large sake selection. The bar is comfy and wonderful for late night drinks and good convo.

Annaisette - Santa Monica at 2nd (just before 3rd st promenade) - Wonderful French styled bistro. The baked chicken with pommes frites is so authentic. Good wines by the glass.

The Huntley - In the Huntley Hotel on the top floor between Wilshire and Calif street on 2nd (or 3rd?). Contemporary, overlooks the entire bay. Amazing for sunsets. I fell in love with my fiance there, so I"m a bit partial. But it's swanky in a easy SMonica kinda way. Some of the dishes are so chic chic, that they quantity leaves you hungry, but the meats, we had the Beef Wellington and mushroom soup that I remember to this day.

The Lobster - ick. Loud. Tables on top of each other. Touristy.

Michaels - on 2nd street at Wilshire. One of LA's most famed foodie stops. Decor very 80's, but food.... ? Oh yeah. ..... must go. The owner, Michael McCarty, makes his own wine grown from his home in Malibu.

[Phurstluv]

Michael's is on 3rd. I found their food a little inconsistent, even though Michael is still there.

[TomSwift]

Maybe it's my menu choices, but I've found the food consistently superior. Michael does do the flesh-pressing rounds and the patio is one of the most beautiful in the city.

[Phurstluv]

Agree with you that Michael is the consummate Host and has a beautiful patio, but never have been able to eat in it, actually!!

[wasabica]

Capo for steak and pasta or Catch for seafood. They are not only close to the pier they are both two of the best restaurants in LA, IMHO.

[energy]

Cora's Cafe for VERY casual good, healthy food.

[cookie monster]

Cora's is only open for breakfast and lunch though, right?

woodranch, depending on when you're going to Cirque du Soleil, La Cachette Bistro might finally be open by then . . .

[ipsedixit]

Yeah, Cora's recently cut out dinner service (now closes at 3 p.m.) -- found out the hard way.

It's a decent little coffee shop / diner type of place, but really not appropriate for a night after the Cirque (even if they were still open for dinner).

[lapizzamaven]

Cora's should never have been bought by Bruce Marder or whoever destroyed one of the great greasy spoon joints ever! Thats when Cora's was great.

[Phurstluv]

Drove by today and it still looks half done. Be surprised if he finishes before the end of the month.

[Senzinina]

I noticed La Cacchette's awnings the other day. Is this owned by same as the restaurant of the same name up in Century City? Exciting!

[Servorg]

Moving from CC (closing) to SM.

[Phurstluv]

Yes, but Francois Meiteigner (sp??) has closed the Century City store, and is remaking his concept into a more accessible bistro type place, that is my impression, anyway.

[westsidegal]

since you opened the discussion to more casual food,
musha should be mentioned. . .

[Ogawak]

Your recent posts indicate pretty high standards. I would say that of the restaurants mentioned, Annisette might be your best choice for good food. It's a few blocks from the pier. For decent food and great view, I would recomment the Lobster which is the most convenient for your purposes.

Just one thing. We would appreciate feedback from you regarding your dining adventures. Thanks.

[yogachik]

I second Anisette. Closer, though, would be Catch, which would be my first choice (in Casa del Mar). And it's a great companion to a night at Cirque.

[Baron]

IL FORNAIO is across from the pier and serves pretty good and reasonably priced Italian food. I've never had a bad mean there.

http://www.ilfornaio.com/page1.htm

[Phurstluv]

It is LOUD tho, but the food's decent. I forgot all about them!

[lapizzamaven]

Definitely concur about Il Fornaio...great in the morning for capuccino and a pastry..great bread and rolls,too...

[stevedi]

I second the choice of Ivy at the Shore. Somewhat of an institution...very good food and cheaper (and less formal) than Capo.

[joshekg]

Riva, Bar Pinxto, Houston's, Border Grill, Chinois on Main, Via Veneto. Via Veneto is the furthest away (1.3 miles), but a nice stroll along the beach after dinner and before the show can be enjoyable.

[Phurstluv]

All good choices. But Chinois & Via are in Venice, for the OP. You may want to cab it. And there is so much right where you will be, I don't really find those places worth the hike, if I had to walk.

[joshekg]

Actually, both of them are still in Santa Monica. I mentioned them because they are right by my house and I will be making the walk to the pier for Cirque du Soleil as well - so they are aren't outside what I would consider walking range. I wouldn't think of cabbing such a short distance.

[Phurstluv]

You're right, they're Main Street, which is closer to Venice than the pier.

[Phurstluv]

Okay, I just drove to the airport & back last night, and all I could think about was this particular post, since I was going right past the pier & Main St.

Let me tell you something about women. We don't like to spend time on our hair & makeup, get dressed for dinner, and then expect to walk 1.3 miles (x2!) and get all sweaty and our cute new shoes or heels are hurting our feet! Trust me, makes for a very CRANKY wife. So, if you're with a date, and want to walk that far to dinner & back, WARN her, so she wears sneakers, or expect to get a cab!

[LicketySplit]

The other thing about women, is, we don't like to have any one person speak for all of us. :-)

Chinois to the Pier is a very pleasant 1 mile stroll, each way. I've done it in 3" heels, and it wasn't an issue. But visions of deep-fried fish dancing in my head might've kept my feet motivated! ;-)

But if you and your companion aren't feeling up for the stroll, there is also the fun little Santa Monica Tide Bus that will take you there, or any of the municipal buses, if you only want to walk one way (or hitch a ride both ways).

I think Chinois would be a fabulous addition to your night at Cirque.

[Phurstluv]

Excuse me for bringing up a point. Obviously, I wasn't speaking for you. ;-)

[kevin]

yeah, usuallly girls if they are dressed to the nines would not want to make a 3mile trek in high heels but then again what do i know????

there's also that italian joint, the old majiofso style joint right by lobster just a short jau8nt away as well as chez jay a couple blocks away.

[Servorg]

If they are dressed to the nines they most likely aren't going to be happy to be taken to Chez Jay's either.

[kevin]

you're point is well taken.

come to think of it no wonder why there was no second date.

[Phurstluv]

Which old Mafioso joint are you referring to?? I'm trying to rack my brain... Capo?

I Cugini? Il Fornaio?

[Senzinina]

Is Bruce Marder a mafioso? Who knew?

[Phurstluv]

I didn't even think he was Italian!!

[joshekg]

I agree that for some people this may be outside their comfort range for walking, but I included them since it would be within walking range for others. And yes, a 1 mile walk for a woman wearing heals require a courtesy warning.

[Phurstluv]

Appreciate that you've acknowledged my point :). That makes women happy too!!! (LOL) But again, if she's prepared, she probably wouldn't mind the walk on a nice summer night. ;)

PS - to Licketysplit, I'm still not speaking for you!! ;)

[Phurstluv]

Capo is excellent and very expensive.

I Cugini serves delicious Italian seafood & fish.

Lobster has a killer view, but can get loud, and some of the food's been inconsistent, imo.

Love Catch at Casa del Mar. Love Anisette & Boa, as well, all are expensive, with different types of food. And loved Whist, tho haven't been back since new chef appeared.

Those would be the most "outstanding" IMO.

[TomSwift]

Next door to One Pico is Catch (in the Casa del Mar hotel) which I consider to be superior to Pico. Just across the street from the pier is Ivy at the Shore, which many consider to be good, if somewhat expensive.

[ipsedixit]

What do you consider "walking distance"?

There's The Lobster right on the pier.

A bit further south of the pier is Ocean and Vine, Capo, Whist, and One Pico.

Just north of the pier is Boa Steakhouse and Anissette.

[jaykayen]

The Lobster is closest, and I consider it to be very good.