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    Crimson Photos

    CRIMSON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Classy
    Outdoor seating
    Good for working

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    Recommended Reviews - Crimson

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    Menu back
    Jessica H.

    The food, flavor and portions are good. There is a lot of the menu to chose from for food and drinks. I would say the prices are a little higher than I would like. But overall it's a good place.

    White chicken kabob and kale salad and dolmens.
    Vanessa P.

    Ridiculously delicious tender mouth watering white chicken kabob and kale salad!!! Highly recommend this restaurant! It's clean, staff are friendly and the cook must be an Arabic Chef. This is beyond delicious.

    Massive chicken kebab (dark meat) plate with shirazi salad and garlic sauce! So juicy and tender
    Jonathan H.

    The food at Crimson is so good, fresh, and healthy. I would eat here everyday if I could. Very solid Mediterranean option if you're in the Santa Monica area. Plenty of indoor seating and the restaurant is clean and full of sunshine. The staff are really friendly and helpful with menu recommendations. I have had the grilled plates here, which are excellent and very filling. If you are looking to get a good amount of protein for the day or hit your macros, this will do it. The meat is grilled to order so it takes a bit more time to cook, but it is so worth the wait. The chicken thigh kebab is so juicy and the garlic sauce (toum) is to die for. My recommendations for the side are the broccoli salad (I know, very random for a Mediterranean restaurant but trust it is so good) and the babaghanoush. You can't go wrong with any of their side salads though and they don't skimp on the leafy greens! They also have free cucumber water if you dine in.

    Chicken Kabob.
    Guy K.

    In A Nutshell: -Crimson is a super good Mediterranean restaurant that offers huge portions for a fair price. -I love ordering the Chicken Shish Kabob w/ 2 sides for $22. -The service is always proactive w/ plenty of smiles. Overall, the food tastes very good here & it's quick perfect for lunch!

    $21 filet
    Bradley K.

    First time trying this spot. Full of regrets :( 2 stars because the staff was really nice and apologetic or it would be 1 star. Ordered the filet kabob and just fyi, it's the smallest portion of meat you've ever seen. Order 2 meals @ $21.00 each if you're hungry!! The meal comes with just a couple small cuts of meat, two small corners of pita and a 5 gallon bucket of rice. I would recommend checking out some of the other similar spots to eat Mediterranean in the area that offer normal sized portions. $42 later, I now have 6 small pieces of meat, 4 pita corners And 10 gallons of rice!

    Holly B.

    Food was disgusting. I ordered the sirloin kabob and it smells and tastes like dog food. The tabbouleh salad was old and wilted and looked like it's been out for a while. The kabob was so bad I had to spit in into my napkin. For $50+ for two plates that's insane.

    Ground Siloin Kabab - Fake Meat
    Makoto C.

    Crimson is in my opinion the equivalent of airport-food court Mediterranean food. Nothing feels like it was made with care or passion. It for the most part resembles the actual Mediterranean food without going above in any area (except their fries are good). Their pita bread taste like it was taken out of a Ralphs pita-value pak. And their ground sirloin ka-bab is just awful (although it looks super good in photos). It isn't real meat. When it only costs $2.50 to add a whole 2 extra kababs to your plate you know it isn't real meat. I wish they would up the prices and make the food real.

    Mark L.

    Definitely worth the walk from 3rd Street Promenade--this place has some of the best Mediterranean food in the area. Every dish my family ordered was delicious and satisfying. The prices were fair, and the ambiance was lovely and inviting. Overall, it's incredible Mediterranean cuisine that shouldn't be missed by anyone.

    Outside
    Roselia G.

    Seriously good Mediterranean restaurant! It's all street meter parking, but we were lucky enough to get a spot right outside the door. I love the interior, and that wall sign right by the register too. It's kinda funny and sad at the same time, but it's the perfect table to sit at right under that neon sign if you're breaking up with someone. You'll get it when you walk in:P Amazing meats, really good sides, and great service. I am one of those that really only eats dark meat, so I was pleasantly surprised that they offer both options! I had to try the filet mignon wrap first, and it was so good! I'm gonna have to come back for the dark meat chicken kabobs, cuz I have never seen that offered anywhere else! I'll also have to get more of the sweet potato fries. They were probably the best I've had! Oh and the Persian Latte was so good! I had never had it before, but it's part coffee and part tea. You gotta try it if you never have.

    Chopped Salad with Salmon
    Jaenell C.

    The food here is good. The salmon is perfectly cooked and well seasoned. The salad is tasty and the dressing is a nice compliment. The portions are decent as well. The service is very hit or miss. If you're dining in it becomes pretty apparent the restaurant favors to go orders. Almost every time we've eaten here it's practically empty. Still if you don't mind a quieter spot with consistent food I'd check it out.

    Chicken Gyro (White Meat)
    Jia Y.

    Pretty good pretty good! The chicken kabob plate was definitely pretty good and very filling!

    Salmon kabob, Filet Kabob, Chicken kabob
    Maylee W.

    Ordered thru Grubhub/ chicken kabob, filet kabob and salmon kabob - delicious! The filet was very tender and juicy. My order was delivered very quickly. I would definitely order from Crimson again.

    Salted caramel (right) and tan and black or something like that.... both good!
    Sonia V.

    My bestie and I hit this spot up after a hike and we were not disappointed! She ordered the salmon plate and loved it! I don't eat seafood but it did look bomb! As for my falafel wrap with spinach tortilla -- overall, delicious! I asked for the garlic sauce and spicy sauce on the side and with the sriracha, it was just *chef's kiss!* Highly recommend adding the sriracha to each bite! It changed it for the better. The falafel itself wasn't completely moist and soft... it definitely could have been better but the overall wrap was good. It's pretty good so unless you're really hungry, you can take half to go! Your order comes with either 1 side or 2 sides, depending on what you choose and we got the broccoli salad! Super good! Light and delicious! Do recommend. I also tried the tzatziki and it was good. Nothing noteworthy there. I ordered the salted caramel latte iced w/oat milk and it was sooo good! It leans more on the salty side instead of sweet which I liked! It was one of those drinks where you just sip a little more and you can't stop sipping cuz it's addicting! Service wasn't bad! Staff was friendly but despite a nearly empty restaurant, it did take a while to get our food. There was a Yelp check-in deal that they did NOT honor. Oh well! For the two drinks and two entrees (one with 1 side and the other with 2), our total was about $65 (+tip). Seemed like a lot and not sure if we were charged correctly, but then again... SaMo.

    Chicken Kabob plate

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    4 months ago

    This is my favorite Mediterranean food spot! Love the salmon plate and all the sides they offer are fire!

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    2 years ago

    The chicken shawarma and chicken gyro are fantastic! Kebabs too. Really good value.

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    Page 1 of 10

    Crimson Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Crimson

    Does this place serve halal meat?

    Yes, the do serve halal meat and use organic ingredients as much as possible.

    Do you order at the counter or is there a waiter?

    Hi Sam, we are a counter service restaurant, however for parties of six or more we are happy to provide table service.

    View All 4 Questions

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    goodboybob is a delightful communal cafe tucked away in the santa monica neighborhood! the long…read moreline that extends out their door on weekends is well warranted. their coffee is well balanced and their latte art is impeccable! their breakfast burrito is as amazing as folks claimed, too! ORDER 01. brown butter latte ("BBL"): house-made caramelized butter syrup (containing REAL butter), espresso, & milk 02. gold coast: eggs, beef & potato hash, avocado, pepper jack cheese, scallions, & cilantro crema in a whole wheat wrap i was worried the burrito might be too dry on account of the whole wheat or too greasy because of the hash, but it was neither dry nor greasy! all the ingredients came together beautifully. the burrito felt healthy and satiating, enough to feed two adults! note that this item is only available at the santa monica branch! the "gold coast" is the cafe's take on the california burrito, whereas "the six" is the cafe's take on the standard american breakfast. pick the former if you want something more savory. pick the latter if you want something more sweet. in any case, the hot sauce served on the side is a must! SPACE the open floor plan allows for plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, so the atmosphere feels relaxed. there is one unisex restroom available. WI-FI stable!

    Unfortunately my experience was less ideal than expected, my friends and I got the cosmic cream top…read more(ube cream over coffee), matcha latte, and new moon latte (sesame latte). The flavors sound exciting, but the cosmic cream top lacked both a prominent coffee and ube flavor despite the color, the matcha was quite milky, and the new moon latte did not taste of sesame. It was visibly busy when I visited, but the drinks came out reasonably quick. The cafe itself is quite hidden from the street, tucked away behind what looks like a business complex. The environment is cute, with both indoor and outdoor seating, and there is only street parking.

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    Kavahana - Strawberry Matcha and Kona Coffee with Blue Spirulina Coconut Cream Top + O.G. Kava Nectar in a Coconut Shell

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    kavahana: won a giveaway a long time ago and finally got to try it. they actually recently opened a…read morelocation in hollywood but we were by santa monica this day so went to the og location. first time trying kava nectar and it was such a unique experience. we got the mango lassi w 2 shots of the kava nector and mango matcha w 2 shots as well. the kava nectar doesnt rlly effect the taste of the drink but u can def feel it. my tongue got alittle tingling after a few sips and i felt the relaxing affect a few mins in. felt like being tipsy without any of the bad alcoholic effects. but my friend didnt rlly feel it so everyones tolerance is different‍ also fun fact: kava nectar has a reverse tolerance effect so the next time you drink it the less you need to frel the same effect. overall p cool experience! highly recommend trying kava nectar atleast once!

    was just looking for a smoothie spot and ended up finding such a unique place -- a Hawaiian bar…read moreserving kava nectar drinks Honestly, I didn't even know what kava was before this. Turns out it's a relaxing non-alcoholic drink with a very unusual effect -- I felt a slight numbness on my tongue The bar itself was clean, atmospheric, and super cozy, the drink was actually really tasty, and the service was absolutely amazing. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. If you want to try something different and unique, this place is definitely worth visiting!

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    Coconut cups with coconut water

    Kavahana - Strawberry matcha, mango lassi nectar, paradise nectar, o.g. kava nectar, soupless island ramen, bread pudding, and li hing olives

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    Rabano - Peruvian Saltado

    Rabano

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    1.0 mi
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    All I can say is wow. We're in the area often, and today we were looking for a new, cool spot to…read moretry when my wife came across Rábanos. I'm really glad she did. My wife was craving Thai food, so she ordered the Thai dish, while I was stuck between the Peruvian Saltado and the Showtime Burger. I ended up going with the burger, and I'm glad I did. It was absolutely amazing -- flavorful, high quality, and perfectly put together. From the first bite, you could taste all the layers of flavor in what honestly felt like a masterpiece of a burger. Both dishes were very good, but the burger was definitely the winner for us. We also tried the Garage beer, which was super light and delightful, along with a latte. The latte was okay. We're big coffee people, so it didn't quite meet our expectations. It was served too hot, and the milk seemed overheated. The coffee itself tasted good, but it didn't feel carefully crafted. I enjoy latte art and that first sip from a freshly made uncapped latte, and that part was missing for me. That said, the food was so good that we're more than willing to overlook the coffee. Great vibes, superb service, and an overall fantastic experience. Highly, highly recommend this place. We'll definitely be back with friends and family.

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    Rabano - I mean look at this ambiance!

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    Tartine - Banana cream pie

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    1.1 mi
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    Wonderful ambience! This is not a full service restaurant. You wait in line ( many times the line…read moreis out the front door onto the side walk. This part is a bit stressful. Order and pay at the counter and find a table indoors or outside. Both areas are nice, however inside, the noise level is a wee bit louder, however I haven't had any issues having a conversation with a friend. For those with sensitive ears, just sit outside. One can come here for coffee. Free refills! You can ask for a cup ( their cups are glass), but the coffee doesn't stay warm long. If you plan on sitting there and don't mind a paper cup To Go, order your coffee in a To Go cup. Food: each time I have ordered food to eat there, it arrives promptly and presented beautifully. Their sandwiches are made with their house made bread! Delicious! Try to save room for one of their pastries or desserts. Tartine is an oasis to relax, unwind, catch up with friends, people watch. Parking: paid lot, adjacent, not cheap.

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    Crimson - mediterranean - Updated June 2026

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