I don't understand the low rating. I really don't. Is it a good place? Yes Does it have good food? Yes Is service good? Yes Is it clean? Yes So I don't understand the low rating. I prefer Post, and Arthur J, and strand House, but this is a good restaurant. I don't get the low rating. Been coming to this location since it was Pierre and it has always been good. So, I have a new rating system......I will write what I feel honestly about an establishment. The only ratings I will give are 5 stars, which is enjoyable, or 3 stars which is "needs work." read more

I've been to Love & Salt several times over the years, and I remember absolutely loving it. I recently returned for my birthday, and while the food was still very good, the overall experience didn't quite live up to what I remembered. We started with the Fett'unta and Grilled Sprouting Cauliflower, and both were excellent. The cauliflower was easily one of the standout dishes of the night. For our mains, we shared the Love Letter Discoteca pasta, Whole Branzino, Angus Ribeye, and both the Japanese Mushrooms and Spicy Soppressata pizzas. Everything was flavorful, well prepared, and perfect for sharing. Unfortunately, the rest of the experience fell a little flat. The dining room was very loud, and we were seated right by the front door, so there was a constant flow of people walking by. I understand every restaurant has a few less-than-ideal tables. I worked in restaurants myself but it definitely affected the experience. If you're dining with a smaller group, I'd recommend sitting at the bar instead. From what I remember from previous visits, the bartenders are fantastic, and I actually prefer the atmosphere there. I had also noted on my reservation that we were celebrating my birthday. I wasn't expecting a complimentary dessert or anything, but I was surprised that neither the host nor our server acknowledged it with even a simple "Happy Birthday." It's a small detail, but thoughtful hospitality goes a long way in making a celebration feel special. read more

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Pasta was AMAZING! It was fresh and a good portion!! My only comment is the mixed drinks were ok, ranges from $15 and up. It just wasn't worth it, you can get better drinks nearby. The service was great. It was fast and friendly. The tables are at a good distance from each other so it doesn't feel crowded. read more

Love & Salt - drinks - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Used to love going to Love and Salt for dinner so we decided to try out their brunch for the first time. Lots of open tables on a Saturday and we thought uh oh. Is it not good? We ordered their eggs in purgatory and corned beef hash. The eggs in purgatory was served nice and hot and had a lot of flavor. The corned beef hash was very greasy and mush. It had this weird scent to it that we couldn't figure out. Both dishes were served with toasted bread but the edges on one side burnt.... On all of them. So they were faced down. Overall it was okay... service was good but we will be going to other places for brunch instead. read more

Love & Salt - Eggs In Purgatory - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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Came here for Valentines! It was very noisy inside and small tables. The pizza was very good but I didn't like the bone marrow pasta much personally. It was just very greasy read more

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Love the vibes, atmosphere, and location! Within walking distance to Manhattan Beach Pier and easy street parking. Food is delicious as well. Fast service. Make sure to make a reservation ahead of time as they are very popular. Really enjoy the bread + burrata as appetizers. Sourdough is toasted to perfection and goes so well with the burrata. Pizza (vodka sausage) and pasta (carbonara) is on the more flavorful side, so if you enjoy less oily and salty food, would recommend asking them explicitly. We enjoyed it nonetheless. One appetizer + pizza + pasta was more than enough for two people. We were very full and had leftovers. read more

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Meh is the best I can say about brunch here. We ordered Eggs in Purgatory and Full Belly Eggs. The flavor of the Eggs in Purgatory was good but the bread that is served with it is terrible. First it was burnt and I had to ask for more bread. The bread I was given tasted 3 days old and they actually charged me on the bill for asking for bread that wasn't burnt. The Full Belly Eggs were scrambled and just OK and it came with duck fat potatoes that were underwhelming. I didn't even bother eating them. We also ordered a side of biscuits. At $7 I was expecting a large glorious biscuit. It was small and lackluster. Also don't bother ordering their $7 orange juice. It is NOT freshly squeezed and would probably be best only used for mixing cocktails. Will definitely not be returning for brunch. read more

The restaurant is located very close to Manhattan Beach. We ordered the bone marrow pasta, pork chop, and basque cheesecake. The food was so good. I finished the bone marrow pasta on my own. The dish had so much flavor and the pasta was cooked perfectly. The pork chop was very good and we really enjoyed the cheesecake. The restaurant was very cute inside but so loud. I couldn't hear a thing that my friend was saying to me and we were right in front of each other. We were constantly like, "what did you say?" I hope they could lower the volume because I was so overstimulated that night. Food was great but it wasn't an enjoyable dinner experience. read more

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Great local dining spot downtown Manhattan Beach. Nick our Server was fantastic and very accommodating. Food was fantastic, loved the Chicken, so tender and moist. My favorite was the Trottole Salsiccia. Drinks were great. Love the ambiance. read more

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Made reservations for Valentine's Day and everything was excellent. We got to sit at the high tops which overlook the kitchen so that was pretty cool. We got sat right away and the service was great. It was pretty busy, so it was surprising how fast the food came out. We started with the meatballs which were very tender, but I wish they came with a bigger piece of bread. Both of the pastas were perfectly aldente and had great flavors. read more

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Peter was absolutely amazing and was very thorough with his recommendations. Food was out of this world! Peter was really kind and made sure we got our food in a timely manner. The staff is so incredible! Wasn't too busy for a Saturday night but please make a reservation to make sure you get a table! Kale Caesar is a must! Duck egg pizza was phenomenal along with the mushroom gnocchi read more

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First time visiting Love & Salt and we really enjoyed the service and the food selected. Top notch Sopresata Pizza Delicious bone marrow pasta - caution it's al dente not usually my first pick but it was really good Fennel salad - average only bevause it had too much cheese Cocktails on point!! Yellow tail crudo is a MUST read more

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I've tried Love & Salt three times now and each time I would have rated it three stars. The service is always quite fantastic and I love the lighting inside when it's night time. But the food is always just mid, which kind of makes me sad! I've tried their Wedge Salad, Fett'unta, Bucatini Al Pesto Genovese, Spicy Soppressata Pizza, and I believe another pizza called Capitain (but don't quote me on that one). Their cocktails are always a little too sweet for my taste, and that's saying a lot! I so desperately want to go back and have one super fantastic meal that makes me a regular, but three times in a row with mediocre meals makes me a little hesitant to return. read more

Great Italian restaurant located in the heart of Downtown Manhattan Beach. The food and service here was great and general vibe was slightly upscale, but casual enough to have fun dinners here with small groups or to bring your SO for a nice/casual meal out. It should be noted though, that my experience was probably different from most. I came here for a large group for a milestone birthday and the check was covered by someone in our party. So I don't really know or have a sense of how expensive everything is and our service was great considering that everything was already selected in terms of food along with some bottles of wine and we just interacted based on drink recs and if we needed something, etc. Because of the large party, we also got to dine upstairs in the private wine /dining room, which was really cool. So my opinion or assessment on the general vibe is really based on my short stroll through the main dining room. While the food was really good, I think that I was was more enamored with the somewhat unique experience we had here. Based on my memory or my best guesses, our prix fixe menu consisted of: - Baby Kale Caesar - Castelfranco Radicchio Salad - Margherita and Spicy Soppressata pizzas - Creste Di Gallo Midollo (bone marrow pasta) - Roasted free-range chicken - I wanna say...a short rib on top of risotto dish? (tried looking at menu but didn't find anything that fit what the food looked like, but it was good. Overall, this was just a really great night and great experience. Definitely would come back, but I feel like it would be a way different experience under different circumstances. Parking: I was able to find street parking two blocks away at a meter. It was past the limit, so it was free. I would imagine parking tickets get doled out in this area at a pretty high volume, so just make sure you pay attention to the signs. read more

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Once again the food here was phenomenal! The service was fantastic as well! The only annoying thing is the ambiance, it's always so nosy and crowded in here, I almost prefer the bar seating since it's a little further from everything else. The stuffed shells with the tomato ragu is probably my new favorite item here, it's so delicious! Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 2.5/5 Value: 4/5 Overall: 4.33/5 read more

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Gluten-free girlies, beware!! While they do make homemade gluten-free pasta, according to our waitress, they do not use separate tools and they cook the gluten-free pasta with the regular pasta in the same water. If you have a gluten allergy or sensitivity, this is not a safe place to eat!! read more

Love & Salt has been on my list of MB restaurant to try for years. I've been to most if not all, the surrounding restaurants but for some reason, missed this one. Finally, an opportunity to try out Love & Salt with my friends who prefer tapas style girl dinner. Cozy seating and friendly service right off the bat. The atmosphere is lively and loud. Note if you are trying to have a conversation, it is challenging. The music is very loud. I love bone marrow pasta and had to order that! We order this along with the Duck pizza, Shaved Fennel Salad, and Wood Oven Meatballs. Served Tapas style, we enjoyed being able to taste a little of each for the four of us. The shaved fennel was unique and something I haven't had before. Note: Regarding the Duck pizza, if you are a dry egg or the type of diner that orders their steaks well done, this is not the dish for you. The heat of the pizza is supposed to "poach" the duck egg on top, however, i think it would help if there was some way to heat the egg from the top? I love over easy eggs, but unfortunately, one of our dining companions opted out. No biggie, but just something to check before ordering. We loved our cocktails and the grande finale, Nonno's Tiramisu! Even our non-tiramisu fans enjoyed it. read more

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Came here for a group dinner event. Parking can be a challenge with the beach traffic. Come to find out the private meeting room is upstairs with no elevator access. This is not disability friendly at all. The two downstairs restrooms were handicap accessible. Walking up the stairs was a challenge for me. We had a pre-fix menu served family style. The food was very good, but i need to deduct a star because of having to negotiate all the stairs to get to the private room read more

Food was fantastic and service is amazing. It is a little pricey so you'll have to order multiple dishes to be full. Definitely packs a punch in each bite though! I got the truffle pasta and tried some of the other salads as well as we shared for girls night. Definitely a nice hangout spot and great views outside as well read more

Love & Salt - Menu - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Finally got to try this place out. The food was good, a little dark vibe inside. It packed up quick and you definitely need a reservation. read more

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Share your food, order what we got (excluding the grilled bread) and pull out those lactase pills! Love & Salt is a 5 minute walk from the Manhattan Beach Pier and the location is surrounded by so many dessert spots (and other businesses) should you or your group want to explore after eating. If you're sharing, you're looking at spending about ~$45-$55 bucks per person. Yes, the portion sizes are not huge, but what do you expect from a business located in one of the most expensive zip codes? I will say though that you ARE getting a deal relative to the area the restaurant is located in. Often times, portion sizes are even smaller for the price of each plate we paid. Although all of the food was quite tasty, my top two favorites were the Trottole Salsiccia and the Creste DI Gallo Midollo. Below are what the 4 of us got in order of what I enjoyed the most to the least (but all of it was tasty): Trottole Salsiccia ($25) fennel sausage, swiss chard, parmesan, bread crumbs Creste Di Gallo Midollo ($29) bone marrow, garlic confit, bread crumbs, parmesan Bucatini Al Pesto Genovese ($32) rustic pesto, burrata di Puglia, pine nuts Sausage all Vodka Pizza ($26) fiore di latte, pickled peppers, pecorino Fett'unta ($12) grilled bread, sea salt, garlic, olive oil In terms of service, we were attended to by someone named Peter. He gave us the space we needed to chat but if you're a solo eater or with a group that doesn't talk then maybe you'd want a waiter that comes around more often. For us, he was perfect. I enjoyed my food experience here and will return if the opportunity arises. read more

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It's a real shame the service was so poor, because the food was pretty good. Like another reviewer mentioned, our server (Peter) rushed us the entire night -- constantly interrupting, clearing plates before we were finished, pushing dessert, and even bringing the check without us asking right after we ordered another drink. He came back multiple times to collect it before we were ready, making it crystal clear he just wanted to turn the table. By the end, we felt unwelcome and uncomfortable which really soured the entire experience. We understand if there's a time limit, but the crazy thing is, we weren't even there longer than a regular dinner. We spent $400 only to be made to feel like an inconvenience. I almost never tip less than 20%, but I couldn't justify it, he was basically kicking us out. Also, be aware of the "auto-tip" feature -- they calculated it on the total, when it's supposed to be calculated based on the pre-tax the subtotal, which is misleading and not good business practice. On a positive note, the two hostesses were fantastic -- warm, friendly, and professional. They were the highlight of the service staff! read more

I had a fantastic a birthday dinner here! First- the vibe is a perfect mix of elegant yet beachy. We came on a Monday night, which was a more relaxed atmosphere, but I'm told it can be quite the poppin scene on the weekends. Service was excellent from Peter- helpful yet non intrusive. And I really liked how the barkeep let me sample a few wines before making my selection of the powerful primitivo. The food is. a hybrid of classic Italian with Cali twists. Stone fruit salad: was a lovely presentation but didn't quite make sense with the flavors. I wish the fruit had been riper and the mint did not quite meld. Corn ribs: can I just give a massive shout out to CALABRIAN CHILI OIL!! This was my favorite item. They are sliced sections of corn on the cob lathered with a mix of honey and chili oil. It's a bit messy but worth every lick of your fingers!!! Arancini : respectable, made much more flavorful with the pesto. Next shout out goes to the Cadillac margherita pizza- named aptly so due to the special mozzarella di bufala that comes with. And it was perfection with a side of- CALABRIAN CHILI OIL!!! Dessert: I've had a zillion tiramisus, but this is a 100 year old recipe from within the family, and may it last another 500 years. The mascarpone was truly a star. And I had to try the amaro float! I've never thought of ice cream with amaro! It's a very interesting combo, and I recommend letting the ice cream really melt. Better yet- although it would not be as fun to watch, blending it would probably make for the tastiest option. Lastly you'll be a 5 minute walk from the pier, so you can burn off all those delicious calories with a walk along the strand. Thanks to all the staff for being so welcoming. read more

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A very nice place in the heart of the Manhattan Beach beach city. An Italian vibe with an ambiance of successful young adults. It is a place that is welcoming and comfortable. Maybe we've gotten lucky but we've never had to wait for a table or even a place at the bar and the service is always lovely. The food is wonderful and is always presented deliciously. read more

Love & Salt - Super Tuscan - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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A true gem. A delightful dining experience! Lovely spot with great service and amazing food. Got to go for a date night and we were thrilled with everything we ordered. The olives, Arancini, Bolognese pasta, and the roasted half chicken all incredibly delicious. The Tiramisu is so wonderful. The chicken was the best we've ever had ! The service was well timed and all needs were anticipated. Bravo for chef driven great Italian and SoCal inspired menu, all made with care and attention to detail. We felt so very welcomed and cared for throughout the meal. The flavors and textures were so great. Must try! Buon Appetito!! read more

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Came here with friends and LOVEED the food, only wish the prices weren't so steep. We started with the Christmas cocktail which was delicious and tasted like dessert. My bf and I shared the fig pizza which was quite yummy. The dough was cooked well and the pairings on the pizza went well together. We ate it easily as it wasn't a big portion for two. We also tried the beef marrow pasta which was insane, so flavorful and want to come back and get it ourselves. The ambiance of the restaurant is beautiful and romantic, but it is quite small inside so recommend making reservations. The food is really high quality, just know you'll be paying a bit more as expected as it's a nicer place. Would love to come back again. read more

Known as a neighborhood favorite, we were excited to try this place. The front of the house staff was great. Our server was attentive. The restaurant is very nice. The ambience is definitely one most folks will enjoy. It's clean, stylish decor makes for nice surroundings. We ordered some great dishes - the fennel salad, the roasted carrots, fennel sausage pasta, and the kids cheese pizza which had the most amazing crust. I do not recommend the Manhattan Sour - a bit too floral for me. read more

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There's al dente and then there is "it's too hard to chew." We tried a few of the pastas and the sauces were decent but it was a jaw exercise to chew it. It's also small portions of everything and prices were kind of steep especially for the appetizers. I wanted to love this place but it's not amazing and it's also not bad, just meh. Service was good but portions were small. Most of the pizza we ordered was good except for the mushroom with arugula. I couldn't even bring it near my nose. The chicken was DELICIOUS! Cooked to perfection and big enough to share, you might even fight over who takes the leftovers home. Overall the ambiance is nice and it can get loud in there. read more

The food service in ambience is great at love and salt. The bartenders really know what they're doing with the basics but also some pretty interesting cocktails. They're always friendly when we sit up at the bar too. The food is incredible. The pizzas are the best in Manhattan Beach and the fennel salad, which I usually wouldn't order is really unique and delicious. My friend who I ate with said that the pork chop was the best pork chop they've ever had. read more

i was really excited about the handcrafted gluten free pasta but the whole experience fell a bit short for me. i sat at the bar & didn't feel like i could interact with the bartenders. the food was fine, a bit expensive for such a small portion but the flavors were good. there's a lot more dishes to try & the pizza looked really yum (no gf options though!). there were a few different bar seating set-ups and very much a date night spot. read more

Love & Salt - Trottole Salsiccia (gluten free) - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

Dropped by Love & Salt and tried the Damn Piña cocktail. I substituted the tequila with Fortaleza Blanco--it gave the drink a clean, smooth base. The cocktail had a nice little kick of spice, and the smoky rim added a unique twist that really brought it all together. Overall, a well-balanced drink with some character. I'd give it a solid 8 out of 10. read more

Love & Salt - Damn Pina - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

We came here for a company dinner and we got to try many things on their menu. We were seating in a cozy space upstairs with lots of wine decorations on the wall. The vibes are fancy and all the food are high quality! Pasta and pizza got the chewy fresh textures and salad had delicious flavors. My favorite dishes would have to be the radicchio salad (red cabbage, first time having this veggie and was amazed by the crunchy texture), mafaldine sugo d anatra (so creamy, flavorful, chewy), Japanese mushroom pizza (chewy and thin crust, made with high temp oven)! I ordered the crime by passion fruit cocktail but wished it was a little sweeter, had good passion fruit flavor. The service was great, they periodically filled our waters and came to get our drink orders. read more

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Ordered meatballs and pasta bolognese. Both were good but for a total of $50 the portions were very small. In particular, there is no way that 3 small meatballs in a simple red sauce should be $25 (including tax). I think the owners should revisit the pricing or portion size on some things and don't blame inflation...it's just being greedy. read more

Had a date with my two boys and we throughly enjoyed the food and service. Even the simple butter pasta was delicious, the pizza and pork chop were also exceptional. read more

This is the best italian food i have had in America. "Best meal of my whole trip" - my mom The space is very small but modern and decor is cozy. The food seems really seasonal and fresh. It was amazing. Highly recommend the vodka pasta and summer squash. I would recommend going with NO MORE than 4 people and you should definitely share plates because you'll want to taste as much as possible! read more

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A cute, Italian bistro right in the heart of Manhattan Beach. I went with a couple of my close friends and ordered a few dishes to share: arugula + frisée salad fett'unta japanese mushrooms pizza spicy soppressata pizza creste di gallo midollo pasta malfadine sugo d'anatra pasta the fett'unta appetizer was bread with a side of burrata and while it wasn't a bad dish, I didn't feel like it added anything to the "experience." If you are a fan of burrata, then it's a must, but if it's your first time at this restaurant, it isn't something you "need" to order! the salad was "no-frills" and very refreshing. a great start to the meal. both pizzas were delicious with the Japanese mushroom pizza, edging out the spicy soppressata one by a little. of the pastas, the malfadine was fantastic!!! easily could have eaten the bowl myself. unfortunately, the creste was my least favorite of all the dishes, which is surprising as I am a fan of bone marrow. something was missing in terms of flavor. overall, great atmosphere, great food and service. there is public parking around the corner or street parking . will definitely be back to try other dishes as it looks like some of the dishes are on rotation and they keep the menu new and fresh. p.s. if you love sauvignon blanc, like I do, they carry a really nice vermentino read more

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We had dinner with family last night and we had great expectations. The restaurant was quite busy and so I personally was looking forward to trying what was in the menu. Disappointingly, the food was horrible. The Vongole pasta was tasteless with a few clams thrown in. The stuffed shell was cold and also tasteless. The pizza and the yellowfin tuna crudo were passable. The dessert was also a disappointment. Service was okay. read more

If you love heavy-handed salt (I guess as the name entails) come here. I have never requested this at a restaurant before but I actually asked the server to take back the bone marrow pasta. It was extremely salty and undercooked, and this is coming from someone who likes things very savory and al dente. I came here to see if other guests experienced the same and I do see that there are some who also felt this way. Not sure if we were just unlucky with a particular chef that day (came here for dinner 2/13 at 7pm) since this place had such good reviews overall, but I wouldn't come back. The dining tables are also crammed so tightly together that it takes away from the atmosphere. I will say the service was very attentive and kind about replacing our meal, but it's just not the quality I'd expect at this price. Even when they replaced the pasta, the heavy salt was still very much there (though cooked properly the 2nd time around). If you do choose to come, I'd recommend the dungeness crab spaghetti (definitely has a kick). Tuna crudo was also decent. But if you don't want to spike your blood pressure, skip the bone marrow pasta. read more

Love & Salt - Tuna crudo - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

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I absolutely love this Italian restaurant. The food is amazing, the ambiance romantic, the service is great!! I recommend having a reservation before coming!! This restaurant tends to get very busy. Now for the food: Cheese Ravioli with fig jam 10/10: the most amazing, flavorful, delicate ravioli!! The food here is so good, I just wish the portions were bigger! This is a perfect date spot, they are able to serve small parties. * Minimal vegetarian options * read more

Love & Salt - Cheese Ravioli with fig jam - Italian Near Me - Manhattan Beach, California

A cute Italian place in Manhattan Beach, Love and Salt has a large menu with a bunch of fun pizzas, pastas, and appetizers. It's cozy, with a lot of tables packed into a small space. The trottole salsiccia and black truffle tortellini were unique and tasty without being too heavy. The sausage alla vodka pizza was great, but the burrata di Puglia was skippable with jarring chunks of fennel stems. The peanut cookie sundae was my dream dessert! read more