A previous yelper said something that they would give this place more stars if it were only a bar and I agree completely. As a dive bar, which was my first encounter with the place it does just fine. Well, except that when we pulled up there was only valet parking available. We told the valet that we could park ourselves and he said we'd still have to pay. Granted, I think it was only $3, but really? To walk maybe 10ft and park ourselves? To top it off, the place wasn't even busy. So, we opted to find a spot on the street and left it at that. Had one drink, nothing special from any other bar really. My second encounter was just this past Monday night. We arrived for an early dinner and found it not too crowded. Oh, and we walked since it's so close, and I noticed the whole night there was no valet. The spot quickly filled up with a mix of what seem to be locals, families and young folks. We guessed that they might be locals in that they were attended to far more quickly than ourselves, who had arrived before them. As we sat, the place began to get crowded with all tables and the bar filling up. On our way out it was even a little squeeze to get through the door with people waiting for a table. The service is nothing special, but our server was on his game to translate our menu and to make recommendations as to what fillet of meat would best please our palates. With severe reservation I ordered the Fillet Mignon. I was hesitant for two reasons... one, I love me a tender meat, but don't want to watch it bleed, thus running the risk of it being overcooked and two, because it was a whopping $27.95. I just felt like that was a lot of money considering the spot. Now, granted, the decor is simple, nothing too fancy, there is saw dust on the floor (though not as much as one might expect) and it has a sort of rustic feel to it, but if you're going to charge that much for a steak, step it up a little. Somehow I just feel that prices and aesthetics should be congruent. Sorry. They start you off with a couple of black olives, carrot sticks and celery. Nice and fresh. Next is a bread basket of really tasty garlic bread and then of course your salad or soup starter. The soup du jour was sausage something or other and my salad was... disappointing. Just lettuce, a mix of iceberg and maybe romaine? Nothing else on it. I wasn't keen on the Italian dressing and didn't finish it. When my steak arrived it was a pathetic sight. Charred across the top, but not in a good way... too tough to cut and then completely rare once you got down to the center. My request of medium-well didn't go over in my book. Now I know this can be a tough request, but I know that I can go to many other establishments and get a perfectly done medium-well fillet Mignon, even if that's not how you're supposed to eat it, and it will be spectacular. The plate looks as if you've gotten food appropriate to the bar, but at that price I think it's just terrible. The scalloped potatoes were a fretful sight, watery, but overall probably my favorite part of the meal. Oh, and there were a few slivers of zucchini and carrots, but not much. Ultimately I didn't even finish the steak... a travesty, I know. So, really, this is a touristy yet local loved spot baking on it's 40 years of history and little more. The service is mediocre and they charge and arm and a leg for crap food. It seems to have the same trouble that a lot of places in Santa Monica have... deciding what kind of place they really are. read more

If I was back in college, I would have thought this place was flat out cool, with its history, the peanut shells, this dark, dank wacky dive. Today, I"m more jaded and not as much into bullsh*t. It's an old, small, interesting place, filled with nostagia for the older crowd. It's just not really my kind of place. I don't really get into the barfly scene, which is what Chez Jay seems to be about--middle aged beach characters lamenting the loss of working class white beach bums in Santa Monica. So, the atmosphere was a little depressing for me. It was dark and I felt kind of self-conscious because I was the only Asian there. I came for lunch because I was in the area and heard about their sand dabs. The owner(I think) said filet of sole was the lunch equivalent of sand dabs, so I got that. It was filling--two steaming fillets encrusted with almond pieces, with a rice pilaf, and a few steamed veggies--and I enjoyed it, but it wasn't particularly memorable. Service was okay. The bartender was that and the waiter. All in all, an interesting throw-back to the good ole days of surfboards, dune buggies, golden-haired beach boys, tanned floozies, who are now aging drunks... read more

I had high hopes, based on everything I've heard over the years. However, the food was overpriced and mediocre. I had the butter steak with the potatoes au gratin. The potatoes have bananas in them, which might've been interesting had I known what I was getting myself into. But since they don't mention it, you spend the rest of your meal wondering if a banana accidentally fell into the dish as they were preparing it. Then you start wondering what else accidentally fell into your food. The service wasn't very helpful either. If I go back it will only be because I work nearby and need a drink at the bar. Food? No thanks. --- Take Metro #534, 720, 920, 20, 33, 333 or Big Blue Bus #1, 7 or 8. read more

This duvet spot has great food! Service is casual but good. The calamari streak in happy hour is what we come for! The shrimp scampi is also great! read more

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Spending Jay's bday at Chez Jay is so...um..gay! But that's what makes me love him and it...even more! If you are coming here on a Saturday night...expect there to be a wait even with reservations. But, people, chillax! Grab a drink at the bar and order an appetizer...it does a body good! I recommend the calamari steak. The calamari steak is so tender that you can cut it with fork...honestly, I don't think I've had a better one in my life.... There's a bunch of things on the menu worth checking out...and while I would love to list them all (maybe later)...let me just hit the highlights.... Grenadine of Beef with mushroom sauce Filet Mignon Barnaise Cheesecake THE HOUSE DRESSING (OMG) Scalloped potatos (I made the mistake and got the baked....i'm still hating myself for it!) We didn't get table 10 or the backroom...but it was a great time and a great celebration....AND it's romantic.... I didn't get a chance to try the world famous peanuts tho...will definitely have to go back to check that out.... Finally, people will ding this place for being kinda old school and divey...but this is...definitely more about substance than surface. And I don't know...there's something extremely charming about the place... read more

Other than the cute shabby-rustic-cramped interior, I have no other significant recollection of my dining experience here. I wasn't drunk or high during my dinner, which probably means that the culinary offerings were less than remarkable. I had one of the chicken dishes (probably breast, because I love big ol' titties), and it must have been boring in every sense of the word, because I don't remember it being either good or bad. VERY forgettable. But then again, I've only tried one dish. read more

I've lived to Santa Monica for 20 years, i use to enjoy the family environment of Chez Jay as what an amazing history the Bar and Restaurant have. Unfortunately I stopped in to Chez Jay today and was met with the most rude and discussing staff looking for a free hand out from tourist or fans of the show Goliath. It is a very very very sad day when Chez Jay treats its regulars life trash! I'm disappointed, disgusted and I will today will cry for the passing of Chez Jay, it is like loosing Anthony Boyrdain, a very very very sad day RIP The orginal and unique Chez Jay read more

Best chicken sandwich ever. Great atmosphere! Slower service but so nice to not be rushed out in a LA restaurant!

So you're telling me there is a Dive Bar on the west-side of town? With peanut shells on the floor from the peanuts they give you to eat? A bartender who knows what a shandy is? A small kitchen that can make you a solid cobb salad and a pretty good looking seafood salad at 3:00 before the kitchen opens to serve dinner at 3:30 or 5:30 or something like that? (At which point they have all sorts of random steak or seafood or salads and such) And you're telling me that the clientele on a lazy sunday was a Canadian and an englishman who we could share a little earthquake with and chat and have a good time? SO you're telling me this place also has a jukebox with Edith Pilau, The Rolling Stones, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, Bob Seger, and George Thoroughgood? AND it has a half door? Wait, Wait, and its on Ocean Ave, AND it is nautically themed? Yeah I'm in. Sold. Winner. I'll take two. read more

Dang, I count the on Yelp Community and they let me down. My husband was in charge of finding a great restaurant to surprise me with for our 5th Wedding anniversary. With all the positive reviews and the photos, he thought this was an idea setting. Reading the reviews and seeing the photos after the fact, I can see how he was confused. The photos don't do this place justice. It is really a dumpy dive bar with a great restaurant hidden under its roof. The interior needs some major upgrades. It looks like it hasn't been updated in 30-40 years and is a ship wreck like Gilligan's Island (if you like this interior, by all means check out this Pirate Furniture Store: http://www.yelp.com/biz/larry-st-john-and-company-gardena#hrid:onTPbNZxM5M3xTzEFWnaDg/src:search/query:larry%20st.%20johns. Don't be fooled that because this place is a dump, it is a great value. Entrees are $25+ and are comparable to other fine dining locations with much better ambiance. If I was blind folded when dining here, I have to say the meal was excellent and so was the service. Because I wasn't blind foiled, I seriously had to trying so hard not to cry or punch my husband in the gut. This was a very miserable experience for me, but I will be as partial as I can on the rating. read more

After reading all of the positive, glowing reviews of this place, I was enthusiastic about dining at the best steakhouse in Santa Monica. Boy, was I in for a shocker.... I usually do not judge a restaurant based on how it looks from the outside/inside, but my visit to Chez Jay has me reconsidering this policy. Upon entering, I was shocked at how campy the decor was. The place was packed, though, so it looked like a good sign. Since tables were scarce, I was seated at a table where another couple was already dining, and some sort of divider was placed on the table to "separate" us! Uh, what?! So much for privacy.... Service was slower than I would expect to find. Server took too long to take drink orders, return with drinks and take food order, etc. I ordered the filet mignon (MR, of course), and came with an appetite so when it finally arrived I couldn't wait to dig in. Imagine my discontent when I bit into a piece of overcooked, dry, low quality meat that lacked any hint of the rich aroma I was expecting from this cut of beef! This pretty much ruined my Chez Jay experience right then and there. This was the first time I never finished a steak, and hopefully the last. The biggest insult came when I got the check; I feel that Denny's offers more value for the money since the quality of the meat is comparable. Not the worst place, but IMO a huge letdown based on the other reviews. Maybe I just don't get the Chez Jay concept.... ***/***** read more

To be fair, I visited this bar a while ago, so maybe it is better by now...I can only hope so. This is a little dive bar on Ocean in Santa Monica. We went there on an impromptu bar crawl - heard it was a good place to get a cheap drink. By the time we got there I was pretty...happy. So you can imagine my horror when this horrible smell of urine invaded my martini-made bliss. EWWWWWW! The whole back of the place smelled. It was so bad I couldn't even think about ordering a drink. read more

Fun! Perhaps a slight identity crisis, as the place looks like it may belong in Texas, the menu consists of French-style items, and the manager is Hispanic. ;-) That is why you've gotta love this place. It's very welcoming.. cozy yet not restrictive. We pulled into the driveway.. which has decent sized parking lot. Free. Yay! Someone else here said that they only valet, but maybe that's later in the evening, because that's not what we encountered on a Saturday around 6pm. We walked up to the front.. and it's a heavy, weathered wooden door that is in two sections. You know, the top is open like a window, the bottom is closed. We went in and were promptly greeted to our seat.. a booth, but we preferred a table, and they gave no attitude or the "there are no waiters in this section" type of excuse you get at many chain restos. They gave us plenty of time to glance the menu.. which is pretty basic.. lots of steak dishes and fish. I think the man who took our order (and the orders of the other patrons) was the manager. How nice! I ordered from the specials menu, because it was announced as "fresh fish".. which was the swordfish (they also had whitefish as a special). It comes with soup or salad (their dressings include Roquefort and Poppyseed, among others.. neeeeat), and a side. The swordfish special was $23, and let me tell you, that is a major bargain for the size of the piece they served, and the giant salad, scalloped potatoes, and steamed veggies. My friends ordered steak (I think it was NY steak), which also were HUUUUUUUGE. For about the same price as mine. You get your bang for that buck, alright! The swordfish was heavily pepper crusted (yummy, perfect!), not fishy in a bad way, and so tender and flaky. Just the way it should be! It had the skin attached, which I didn't eat, but my friend tasted it and said it was good even with the skin. The potatoes were ok.. a bit *too* creamy/heavy and slightly sweet.. so I didn't eat much of them. The veggies were good, but nothing to write home about. Oh, and instead of the typical bread and butter, you get carrot and celery sticks, green onions, and black olives (I'm not a big olive fan because they can be too briney, but these were meaty!.. very nice!). The table also gets a loaf of garlic bread - and it was definitely tasty. But when is garlic bread not tasty, right? :) My friends' steak was fantastic, too. When they ordered medium-rare, that is exactly what they got. Yay! So many places will over-do it, but nope, not Chez Jay. ;-) Lots of flavor, thick cut, and a long cut. The manager/person who served our table, was one of the nicest people ever! So happy, friendly, conversational, helpful, and just plain dandy. He asked if we wanted dessert, and we decided against it. BUT, he surprised us anyway with a slice of their cheesecake. Aw! Now that's service that is above and beyond special. And the cheesecake was light and airy, with the graham crust on top, it seemed. Coolness. Their menu doesn't offer a variety, and it seems like they mostly change just the seasonings/toppings on different menu items (everything does sound good though).. but hey, In n' Out has a limited menu that's rocked for decades, so.. can't complain about that. With that said, I'm a sucker for variety. :) If you're near the Santa Monica pier, give this place a whirl! Not cheap, but they make up for it with the amount of food you get. Very casual, and the patrons range from families to young couples to older couples.. and friends (waves hi)! read more

Giving this place less than 5 stars means you've missed the point. This is a windowless dive with vinyl booths and far too much nautical imagery across the street from the beach. They serve baskets of peanuts (shells strewn on the floor). Every piece of meat they serve comes with choice of soup or salad and 2 pre-determined sides. The waiters all have huge cheesy mustaches. And they gave this place a French "haute cuisine" name: Chez Jay. It's dripping in irony. Even though a small, tough, poorly prepared scrap of meat would align with Chez Jay's spirit, my steak was very good and perfectly prepared to medium rare. And everything else on the table was fantastic. The music was great. Service was very well intentioned, as if the waiters were all playing the part of "slow and confused" which only amplified the fun of the experience. Don't go to Chez Jay if you don't revel in "hole in the wall" places. You will be disappointed. But if you respect places that aren't trying to get 15 minutes on Travel Channel or Food TV, come worship at the campy altar of Chez Jay. read more

Came here due to the proximity of our hotel. Prices are what you'd expect at say Boa Steakhouse around the corner but without the cleanliness. I get it - it's a super dive place with a fun ambiance but come on, if you're going to charge those prices then at least step up your game. My water glass had food stuck to it, the bread basket napkin was filthy, the walls were filthy, the silverware was filthy. The prices were about $40 for filet mignon. I might come back for a quick drink but there's no way I'm eating here again. Sorry. read more

Chez Jay, King of LA dive joints. Can you say character? Walk into the front door, and feel 50+ years of business. The bar is falling apart, so don't lean on it too hard, the decor is dingy and tar covered from the days when you used to be able to smoke indoors and they have an old school record playing jukebox. The food is great and you get everything you pay for. I struggle to finish any meal. My favorite time is Sunday mornings when I order a steak and eggs meal and shoot the breeze with the bar tender Jeff. All walks of life come in and out of Chez Jay from the occasional celeb to the guy who just got off the night shift and needs a night (err.. morning) cap, and the regular characters which includes "The Norwegian" who is responsible for the some of the drink mixes. If you like a true dive bar, (and I don't mean some corporate hollywood-esque celeb owned attempt at a dive bar using reclaimed wood and antiques) this is the place for you.... and the food is good too. read more

Chez Jay - Steak and eggs - Steakhouses Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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GREAT FOR A HANGOVER My girlfriends and I always go here on Sundays for brunch/breakfast. The food is much costlier if you go for their seafood dinners but breakfast is great, the food is awesome, and it's got a dark interior so it won't hurt your sensitive blood-shot eyes after those oh-so-fun nights of debauchery. I forget what I ordered but it entailed potatoes, grease, bacon -- and it was DAMN good. read more

The atmosphere is nice and it is a welcoming, non-pretentious atmosphere. Nothing on the menu was anything to write home about. Nothing tasted bad, just not excellent, and I definitely could have cooked a better steak at home myself. We ordered several things including appetizers and entrees off the menu and they all came within 5 minutes of each other. It was like a food race. I would suggest going here if you are in the mood to put on the food bag, not dine. read more

Funny story: I met Ron Jeremy here. I have absolutely no idea why he was there, but I was at Chez Jay for a private party and lo and behold, so was Ron Jeremy. It certainly contributed to the atmosphere of the place, which made me feel like I had stepped into a corny VH1 reality show. Take that as you will. It could be either good or bad. The Christmas lights, giant ship's wheel right when you walk in, and cheesy decor are right out of a Joe's Crab Shack, but the thing is, at Chez Jay, they're for real. The bouncers were the most roided-up people I'd ever seen in my life. Attire of choice is a Hawaiian shirt. (The folks hosting this party decided to juice it up with leis, too.) Oh, and sometimes people like Ron Jeremy show up. The catch is that it's small, dark, loud, and a tad chaotic. There's nothing special about the drinks, and the food's pricey (though I can't comment on the quality because I didn't actually order any). It's hard to move around and you're constantly stepping on people, since the restaurant tables extend through the bar. I'd give this place two stars, but having been a history major in college, I put a bit of value to landmark status, especially in the wake of adversity (the surrounding area is all bulldozed lots now, presumably to make the space for more ocean-view luxury hotels) so there you go, three stars. read more

Yummy yummy yummy steak joint! No frills...almost a sawdust on the floor, writing on the walls sort of establishment but without all that stuff. lol Nice booths and tables...great mellow and non-pretentious restaurant for a first or 30th date. Pretty good selection of meats and fishies as well... And like JayChan said...would be a shame if they leveled the place any time soon. It's such a gem! (There's always a chain link fence here or there and construction near by and yet, little Chez Jay remains in the midst of the fray!!) read more

No. Nonononononono. Just no. Herbed butter steak? More like flavorless hunk of fat, barely recognizable as beef, nestled atop a pool of oil. Not butter; oil. OIL. Salad? Just a few shreds of lettuce with one lonely tomato, and one sad little black olive. Potatoes au gratin? Surprisingly sweet. Too sweet. Sugar sweet. Very confusing. 1 star for good service, 1 star for Christmas lights. Because who doesn't love Christmas lights? read more

Excellent food! You wouldn't expect so many tantalizing menu options if you thought it was just cocktails in this hip and historical bar. Chez Jay is a favorite spot to 3 generations of our family, to my Dad ever since it opened in 1959. Looking forward to coming back! Again and again.... read more

One of the last icons on Ocean Ave, and still the beat-nik hip dive it was 50 years ago. This place defines the word "tacky" with it's year round Christmas lights and sway back Formica bar. That's why I love it. Jay, the owner, just recently passed away. He was a gracious host to some great sand dabs and steaks. Mike, his partner has continued to keep the atmosphere alive. The waitresses are out of central casting and provide great service. The back rooms are great for parties of six or less. This place rocked before Marina del Rey was built and all the boat owners (my dad being one of them), were moored at the Santa Monica pier. Hell they even had shore boats, but I digress. Order off the "specials" board for lunch, Always between $10-12 and an incredible value. Valet parking, scary bathrooms (if your hands are bigger then Tom Thumbs', they won't fit in the sink) but a ton of charm with a great kitchen. Don't forget: throw your peanut shells on the floor, or you're out the door! read more

Ugh yuck. Dive bar be prepared to take a dive you step inside. Wish I never heard of it. Can't recommend.

I'm a fan of dive bars, so this might be biased, but I love this bar. Santa Monica is full of new, high priced, hip bars, but rarely can you find a bar that has history and character. This place was around in the 50's...you probably weren't born when they were first pouring drinks here. If you want a $15 martini, go somewhere else...this isn't your place. If you want cold beer, good food and peanuts where the shells get tossed on the floor, this is your place. I also like to meet interesting people, and this place usually has them. read more

This might just be my favorite place in Santa Monica. Gone are all the pretensions and lines and Santa Monica b.s. and here is a little local divey delicious gem. They opened in 1959 and I'm not sure they have budged one inch into modernization since then - and that is a compliment! It reminds me of all the tiny little family owned establishments on the South Side of Chicago where I grew up. Where the owner comes out and chats with you and the waiters are all flirty gentlemen who enjoy their work. The jukebox was pumping out the hits all night long - Dylan, Eagles, ACDC, Stones - and at an appropriate volume too. The food was incredible! I ordered Chicken Marsala, which came with a baked potato and cauliflower. No fuss, no special spin on the food, just simple delicious classically cooked recipes. Delicious! I did not get a chance to drink at the bar, but I'm sure they woudl also make you a killer Martini. I can imagine Don Droper sitting up there during one of his California trips. I will definitely be back! read more

Tonight was my first night at Chez Jay. I was sort of ready to hate it when we walked in and saw (1) how crowded the bar area was and (2) how small the dining area was. We went with another couple and I was skeptical, after talking to the hostess/manager, about the likelihood of us getting a table. I was happily wrong. We got a booth in the back of the main room (as opposed to the cramped table by the door that was first offered to us. And that change in perspective made all the difference. I'm a bar person and the bar here stressed me the heck out. So I can't in good conscience give this place 5 stars. The bar is cramped, crowded and dark (during the day, at least). However the restaurant was pleasantly surprising. We had two steak dinners, the Chicken Chez Jay (like picata) and the scampi at our table and no one was dissatisfied with the meal. The steaks were both cooked to the correct temperature (MR) and my NY strip was not the greatest cut of steak I've ever had (I usually order filet if I'm eating steak, but I was in the mood for something different), but was not bad for the $23 price tag. This isn't Morton's, folks. The pilaf was tasty and the steamed vegetables had flavor and were cooked to the appropriate firmness. Steak and a carafe of house wine and I'm happy. I'm easy like that, I guess. Summary - bar's a bit claustrophobic, but cute; restaurant is homey good food, but don't think it's a steakhouse or anything. It's good for what it is. And it's a block off the SM pier. Soak in the local flavor within 100 yards of tourist hell. read more

This review is for the bar. We stopped in here after a work do and I really loved the fun hole in the wall decorations. The clientele all looked like they had been on a ship for a few months which added to the sea faring ambiance of the bar. The service was very fast and the bartender was super lovely! We had a great time dancing around and drinking. Drinks were reasonably priced. I'd love to come back here to try out the food. read more

This place has been around forever. Great hole in the wall unpretentious with good food and drinks. They play really good music too. It's dark inside with old memorabilia. I think it's a cool place. read more

What an epic little spot! Perfect spot for impressing your dates with a retro feel and stories about the joint that give it that "epic" adjective. Stopped by here with a foodie press tour with the Santa Monica Foodie Tours, and had the pleasure of trying the Calamari steak and a lovely Sauvignon Blanc. Highly recommend - just be sure to read up on the history first. The Pentagon papers were leaked at the back table. See? Epic. read more

Incredible food with a great nostalgic vibe. Great filet mignon. Jim M.

Yes, over the last 50 odd years, many celebrities and many, many more regular folks have become Very well lubricated here, starting the wheels rolling towards much amusement and episodes of high and low debauchery innumerable. Yes, many Cold War secrets were probably passed under the tables due to the close proximity to the Rand Corporation, adding a little historical mystique. This is just about as close to a landmark as you can get these days in Los Angeles....Grab a seat at the bar and you will probably end up in an interesting conversation, unless you happen to sit next to an "Industry" chucklehead. Usually a good mix of locals and tourists and business travelers. Unfortunately the current crop of bartenders couldn't rustle up a personality between them, and most of them seem to relish their bizarre fetish of chastising customers who don't throw every last teeny tiny scrap of residue from the complimentary peanuts onto the floor.... Btw the food is mediocre, hit and miss and a bit overpriced but don't let that stop you from dropping in and having a good time. In a place like this, I don't think the food should really be the main focal point. read more

Meh. You did nothing for me. The best thing you provided was a a heavy pour of Patron on ice , I'll definitely give you credit for that. However, I came here to eat and even that heavy pour wasn't enough to hide the fact your food was just mediocre. read more

I've been here a couple of times... never had the food. Only drinks. This is the type of place where I wouldn't dare order anything more than a beer or a simple Gin & Tonic... no fancy shmancy drinks. The bartender was nice enough to let me sample 3 different drafts before I ordered one. Nice touch. On my last attempt to come here, I drove into the lot, and found a spot and parked the car myself. The attendant came to me to charge me $5 for the space. He didn't park it. The valet stand wasn't set up. Yet I would have to pay to go in to pay for drinks? I dunno. I thought that was kinda lame. So we got back into the car and drove to one of the promenade lots and ate & drank someplace else. I guess I was in one of those moods. read more

I adore this place. Every single one of my favorite restaurants holds a similar adjetive in common: TACKY Chez Jay is tack tack tack and I love it. The food is overpriced, but great. The location is bomb. And the owner is awesome. J'adore Chez Jay read more

Excellent spot for brunch near the Santa Monica Pier. This place has clearly been in the location for a very long time, but it runs like a well-oiled machine. The cozy interior has peanut shells on the floor, but this is no steakhouse. The bar & dining room fit well together in the same space. We were served at a table by both the bartender and kitchen staff, who took care of everything we needed (including a bloody mary to get going). The food came in average time, but was delicious. Parking is available next to the building, which is great, although limited. read more

Cool dive bar with peanut shells instead of saw dust on the floor. I liked the vibe in here before the crowds for a steak dinner. Between 3-5. The tables fill up quick but eating at the end of the bar by the jukebox is a nice spot. Very comfortable stools for 2 to 3 people. Threw some change in the big jukebox and played some Sam Cooke. Stayed for a few drinks after the early dinner...had a great time and left on a high note. CHEZ JAY by the Santa Monica Pier, I recommend it. I think Steve MacQueen and Lee Marvin used to frequent this place back in their day. And sat in the table all the way in the back. It has a little bit of privacy at that table without cutting you off from the room. Good for a small group of 4. read more

I hadn't been back here in a while, but we decided for a change to give this a go...since it had been a while and we were both interested in getting steak. Chez Jay is an institution, a landmark, whatever you want to call it, and its pretty solid, however I do think its a bit overpriced for what it is. You are paying for the location and history (50%) and the food (the other 50%). We both had the rib eye which comes with bread, salad or soup, and two sides. Steak was decent, but i sent mine back for being too rare (I ordered medium rare). Chef brought it back out and watched me with a flashlight (it is dark in there) as I cut into it again, and told me to order it "medium" next time. Obviously we have a difference in opinion, and I know how to order my steak, thank you very much. Otherwise, service was pleasant. read more

Chez Jay is great for a date night. This restaurant/bar has peanut shells all over the floor a sticky bar lots of loud locals having a great time draft beer cheap cocktails The food is superb, especially if you're looking for a good steak. Come for dinner and stay for drinks. Keep in mind that the kitchen closes at 9 pm. Definitely recommend checking out Chez Jay's the next time you're around Ocean Ave. read more

The reviews here are hilarious. Bitchin' about food, or how we brought 9 people to a tiny little hole in the wall. Good stiff drinks. - check. Great dive bar ambience - check An Institution in SM for a long long time - check Has a great history, the place you brought your mistress to - check Jukebox and a Steak Dinner - check (where do you find that?) Don't expect the world from the menu. Its good, not grand. Kinda like a nice home cooked meal, you feel like family here. read more