What a wonderful surprise…read more I live just around the corner from Jamaica Bay Inn, and for whatever reason, it took me far too long to finally have dinner here with family and friends. I wish I'd discovered it sooner. The restaurant overlooks Mother's Beach, and the setting is exactly what you'd hope for: peaceful, relaxed, and quintessential Marina del Rey. You almost expect the view to be the highlight... Then the food shows up. For appetizers, we shared the hummus plate and the calamari. Both were excellent. As someone whose kids were practically raised eating seafood around the ports of New England, calamari is one of those deceptively simple dishes we judge pretty harshly. Beachside absolutely passed the test. I ordered the cheeseburger, which was solid, but the real stars of the evening were the roasted Jidori chicken and the jumbo shrimp fettuccine. The chicken was perfectly juicy, something that sounds easy but surprisingly few restaurants consistently get right. The shrimp fettuccine completely stole the show. In fact, it's now become my daughter's regular takeout order, and she's easily the toughest pasta critic in our family. Congratulations... you've officially earned the title of our favorite pasta spot in the Marina. The service was another highlight. Our server spoke both German and Italian, had a great sense of humor, and made the evening feel warm and effortless. Between the location, the food, and the hospitality, I already know this is going to become one of our regular family dinner spots.

Today, July 4th is my anniversary. We wanted to take…read moreadvantage of living in Southern California, by getting out in the sun, plus we're going to see a movie close by. First let me say that Nahum, who helped us was excellent. The absolute perfect balance of checking on you but not overdoing it. If it weren't for Nahum, morning sun, and the breeze, I think we would have sent back our plates and left. Really. We didn't tell him there were any issues, because once the decision was made to stay, why ruin his holiday too? lol Ordered coffee. Dreadful. Ok, no big deal. The food came out and I could immediately SEE The Unappetizing . It's special when you can tell that your food is going to be bad before you take one bite. The French toast was Sahara dry, burned and flavorless. The chicken, was competing with it in the dry and flavorless category-- I really can't say which was worse. I don't really use hot sauce and I drowned the tenders in Cholula just to make it halfway edible. Literally we could have waited for the AMC chicken tenders and they would have been better, which is horrifying. Particularly when you try to avoid fried food in general and now you are poisoning your body for no good reason. Husband ordered a steak and eggs, medium well. I'll attach the picture and I'll let you be the judge of whether or not it was cooked properly. Eggs were not good either. Immediately, I gave hubby more than half my plate because he eats All of Everything that's put in front of him. Something would have to get up and walk off his plate for him to not eat it. He was taught not to waste food, period. The exception was steak so that he could take it home, cook it, and then eat it. This was possibly the worst meal I've ever had, and certainly on a special occasion. So many places we could have gone today that would have been a different experience, but it will never happen again. Know that they automatically add an18 percent tip and not just on parties of 6 or more.

One of my favorite cafés in Marina del Rey! Fratelli Café is in such a great location -- literally…read morea 5-minute walk from the beach, making it the perfect place to stop for coffee and breakfast. Sivan deserves a special shoutout because she is the heart of the place! She has the BEST energy, is incredibly welcoming and friendly, and makes you feel taken care of from the second you walk in. She's also super helpful when you're trying to decide what to order and is always happy to give her opinion on the food and coffee. (Did i also mention-she makes all syrups in house daily) The tofu scramble was delicious, especially with an over-medium egg added on top. Their white mocha latte was also amazing. And I have to mention the pistachio croissant -- sadly, they don't carry it anymore, but if they ever bring it back, GET IT. Such a cute café with great food, great drinks, and genuinely amazing service. Highly recommend stopping by if you're in Marina

I love having breakfast/lunch/brunch here. The interior design is beautifully symbolic and…read morecomfortable. Feels like you're dining in a close friend's patio. Also great service! Love chatting with Brandon because he makes the drinks perfectly every time and he welcomes and serves my friends and family like his own! Highly recommend this local gem of a cafe. Compliments to the owner and staff!

Jen was the best, perfect recommendations and even better service 5 stars just for herread more

Super fresh oysters, a delicious mimosa, and a beautiful view…read more The only downside was the wait for a table and for our server. Overall, we really enjoyed it and will definitely be back!

This location was great, service was great. Our server Jessica did a great job taking care of us…read moreand ensuring our drinks and food arrived in a timely matter

Maria is amazing!!!! She is kind, thoughtful, and so so lovely! The food was great and the…read moreenvironment is fantastic. Would recommend!

Ive been here for lunch but i've heard great things about their breakfast items so i had to give it…read morea try. I got the breakfast burrito and it was super, super good - would get again. I just didnt love how wet it got toward the bottom and the salsa was nottt the best. Otherwise, very flavorful and yummy. My friends loved their dishes as well and also said they would order both again. Service and location were incredible as usual - love all the workers there and the amazing venice views

​We dropped by Great White to grab some drinks and quick bites to cool off from the LA heat. It is…read morea truly visually beautiful restaurant with a large outdoor area, gorgeous lighting, and large moving windows that make the space feel completely open. The staff are dressed in matching white t-shirts and pants, and the shirts say "All-Day Cafe." However, we walked in a little after 3:00 PM and found out we couldn't order smoothies (which end at 3:00) or breakfast items (which end much earlier at 11:00). For an "all-day cafe," that felt like a bit of a misrepresentation. ​Since it was very, very hot outside, I was disappointed that they were serving lukewarm water. Unfortunately, there was no vegan pizza on the menu, but our first waiter was very, very nice and friendly, and he had the kitchen accommodate us by omitting the cheese, substituting olive oil for chili oil, and adding spinach. The pizza turned out to be very thin, but yummy, and my party also enjoyed the ceviche. I had an iced coconut coffee that was absolutely delicious. ​After our first waiter ended his shift, our second waiter, Mike H., took over the table and never checked on us not even one single time after someone dropped off the food. When a small issue came up with one of the plates, he was just so nonchalant and dismissive, and Mike didn't add to the ambiance of the place at all. Fortunately, I believe it was a manager who then stepped in with a smile and addressed the issue, which was really nice. Aside from that unfortunate service experience, the food and drinks were tasty, but the misleading menu hours, lukewarm water on a hot day, and inattentive waiter definitely left room for improvement.

Been going to this place for over 30 years when it was first at 26 Washington Boulevard…read more The patio is lovely, the food is excellent lwith generous portions, and the staff is always wonderful. I highly recommend!

Cute little spot in Venice - perfect for lunch. Randomly found this spot while visiting a friend in…read morethe area. Really kitschy spot with an eclectic feel. We were sat in this sunroom looking area with a menagerie of varying decor. Burgers caught our eye and we got the CA roll, spicy tuna, and the money (PB&J). All of them were amazing, especially my CA roll. It was probably one of the best burgers I've had in a long time. The crab really took the burger to another level and it's something I'd order over and over again. The Money was good - reminds me of the peanut butter and jealousy at Slater 50/50. Peanut butter on anything and I'm already a fan. For starter we got the cauliflower wings. Also delicious. Packed with flavor. We opted for the garlic parm. Overall great place. Service was fantastic. if the rest of the food is as good as the burgers were, I'd definitely come back to try their other offerings.

This is one of those places that won't seat you until the entire party arrives. So I'm standing…read morehere surrounded by empty tables on a Sunday while the hostesses chatter away and I'm not offered a chair, a glass of water, a smile. So the initial service is unyielding to say the least. The food is and always has been outstanding. Famously, no substitutions or subtractions when you order, which is again, unyielding to the customer but it's harder to argue because the quality and composition is so outstanding. And my $25 sandwich which came with a tiny side of pickled veggies was indeed very good. I come back to the general indifference of the staff because it feels somewhat dated and unnecessary in this day and age. Perhaps it's easier on the team not to respond to my thank yous or words of appreciation. Then again, perhaps they're simply not necessary. Why bother to say thanks when thank yous are not acknowledged? Like, at all. It harkens back to a day when being treated shabbily by a restaurant was a sign of a restaurant's elite-ness. But as of now I feel I've outgrown that grudging respect for perceived snottiness in my dining out choices. Even if Gjelina hasn't. Next time I'll choose an LA restaurant that serves its outstanding cuisine with at least a hint of kindness. It may or may not taste better, but it will likely sit better in my stomach with the perception that the restaurant I've chosen gives a darn about me as a customer, i.e, a person.

Had a lovely summer dinner on their rooftop - highly recommend sitting up there if you want…read moreopen-air seating that's less noisy and crowded than their main dining room. I was impressed by the freshness and quality of the food. Food also came out promptly. We started with the eggplant which was creamy and covered with fresh vegetables and herbs. The bay scallops came out in a sizzling pan, covered in delicious butter that was not too heavy - our server gave us extra bread for us to soak up the sauce, delicious! And our server helped make sure our pork chop arrived with the tomato salad we ordered to accompany it - the pork was extremely tender and tasted beautifully with the salad. The pot de creme dessert was average, would probably skip that next time. Overall, an absolutely lovely and relaxing place for dinner.

Good food, nice outdoor seating. Accommodating for a tree nut allergy and quickly servicedread more

Fresh Catch at The Hive was delicious. Great combination of salmon, spinach, kale, avocado, tomato,…read moreseaweed, moroccan slaw, beets, wild rice, almonds, and sesame dressing.

I'm a fairly regular customer. It's been awhile since I've been here…read more A friend & I shared a waffle, bacon, & fruit. Eliamarina was our server. She was super pleasant, professional, & responsive. We had alot of catching up to do & were there for awhile. J. Nichols is the best place to catch up over a meal, as one never feels rushed. It was another great experience. We're looking forward to out next return visit to J.Nichols. Keep up the good work, Management & Staff, as we're very grateful for every J..Nichols experience being totally enjoyable.

Stopped by J Nichols as it seems to be very full all the time and I live nearby…read more The service and ambiance in side are quite pleasant and nice. As for the food, I got a pasta and it was pretty good. Not life changing but I enjoyed it. We sat and talked after we ate and the staff did not hassle us. Overall, a little pricey for what you get but good quality and comfortable place.

Love this location and came there whenever I'm nearby. The food there was so good and has nice…read moreflavor. It taste so good and absolutely fantastic. The quality of food was very amazing. I had the Tornado Galbi Omurice and Chicken Croffle which taste so good and nice quality. The portion was so great and generous. They have nice customer service. The place was lovely and has nice setting with great ambiance.

Let me just start off by really making a point here. I am. It the biggest fan of brunch- I think it…read moreis usually overpriced, with sub par flavors, and I leave wanting more. I go to brunch because my girlfriend loves the food selection and mimosas. Now that you know the context of my review, I can honestly say that Sweet Maple broke my streak of disappointment with brunch and is now my #1 brunch spot! We came here for the start of our 10-year anniversary celebration. I was scouring Yelp for brunch spots that seemed adequate. Then I came across this gem. Their menu is extensive with robust and hearty meals. I do not like breakfast items, but when I saw the Korean fried chicken and Omurice, I was shocked and locked-in for this experience. The reservation was set for 8:15. Upon arriving, multiple members of the staff welcomed us was warmth as we walked to our table. I was told the gold standard of service contained multiple check-ins from the staff and constant refills whenever the drinks are half empty. They followed both of these points to the letter! I felt taken care of and all of the staff were always doing something. Also, the food came out insanely fast! I was not ready for all of it to arrive piping hot and all at the same time! The setting is very beautiful. The decor is nice and bright, the chairs are soft and comfy, and the colors go so well together. Moreover, even when busy, the seating areas are still breathable. Last but certainly not least, the food. I was blown away from the ratios between the price, flavor, and serving size of the food. We ordered a mimosa flight, Korean fried chicken, tornado galbi omurice, and the jam juicy Lucy burger. The meat on the burger was nicely seasoned, it had a generous service of fries, tomato's, and greens. The fried chicken had 5 good sized wings and were crispy. The Omurice was nice and rich. Honestly, I would've been fine if it did not come with short rib because the flavors were already so good with just the rice and egg! The portions were impressive. We both left filled to the brim! 5/5. I will be returning to this location to really put it to the test. I will bring the whole family a little later in the morning to see how well they perform during peak brunch times with a large group. I have high hopes. Until next time, Sweet Maple! Maybe brunch isn't so bad after all. ;)