Michael's is a solid good spot, it's off the 3rd Street Promenade, across Wilshire Blvd., so on the less crowded part of Santa Monica. Because of the location, it's sort of a hidden neighborhood gem. I think if you're looking for a place to eat in the area and places are crowded this could be a safety net place to give a try, as it looks like based on the location, it could be easier do walk-in's without reservations, or at least on the weekdays (not sure 'bout the Friday night or the weekends). The service is excellent, very attentive. I went to the bar lounge area. The food is good, and they do have Happy Hour specials. The prices are a tad on the higher side (2 drinks and 2 appetizers for $40), but the quality of the good is solid. I had the Waffle Wings and the Pizza, both of which were good, the portions were okay. I'd be willing to try the dining area for a formal lunch or dinner meal in the future. There's street parking, but be wary of street signs for when you can and when you can't park (if you don't obey the laws, you'll either find a $50+ parking ticket or won't find your car 'cuz it's been towed). There's a lot of local parking lots in the area which offer 90 mins free during the day (not sure 'bout the evening). read more

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We went to Michael's for a family dinner and the food and service were so lovely. We got to sit in the garden area which was so charming. Each dish was so flavorful and we can't wait to go back soon! read more

Im sad to give a one star review but it's only and just because this place went down unbelievably in last year and half. Me and my partner used to go there on special occasions and always received a classy Santa Monica restaurant experience. Not anymore. We arrived on our special occasion on Saturday. We were greeted with: "you have only 90 min for your dinner!" Just like this ..We didn't have great time. Too many things I'm not going to list but it made us grinch and we will never come back. I.e. $28 champagne glass that doesn't even arrive in a champagne glass, waiters manners like in a beach coffee shop, no class whatsoever (please, Michael, check what your waitress/greeters are wearing - crop tops, very mini skirts, and skimpy tank tops ..?).. food was good, but not great, ... not hot, rather lukewarm ..definitely not as it used to be.. also, no valet parking anymore..Yes, you want to make more $ by putting extra tables outside .. but it used to be a part of the experience: not to wander around through a filthy parking garages in an evening attires .. and we ended up paying almost $300 for a lukewarm experience .. read more

Nice dinner spot in an old classic vibes...same furniture with new food and cool music and happy diners and great service...this place is been around for years but it keeps on ticking and with the new young chef, the food ROCKs...!!!! We had several dishes and believe it or not, the roasted chicken entree was the BEST of the rest and it was delicious!!!...food by the way, is farms to table and emphasis on GREAT fresh Ingredients prepared with care and consistency and lots of LOVE. Sitting on the patio is a throw back vibez from the "old California cuisine" days of the 80's but the service is awesome with tons of smiles and a hot young crowd and the FOOD is to die for so give this place a try on a Friday nite after work with a date is the perfect cure to life....thank you sir Michael's bcuz ur a legend :) read more

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While the charming garden patio provides a magical ambiance for any occasion, the food at Michael's falls flat. Everything we had was over seasoned and low quality. The dishes were SO salty and drenched in sauces. I got very sick from all of the greasiness of the food. The cocktails were good but they definitely did not contain much alcohol which is strange when are a paying $16 per cocktail. The drinks were unique but they missed the mark because they were more like Mocktails. We skipped dessert after the disaster that dinner was... Service was OK but nothing special. No wonder we were the only 2 people in the restaurant at 6:30 on a Friday. This place has really gone downhill and it's rather disappointing. read more

The atmosphere is pretty, though I will say a leaf fell in my meal while I was eating. The restaurant is big but only has two single bathrooms which made for long waits. Lastly, the food was not worth the money( $744 before tip). I have no problem spending money on good food but my lamb was tough, chewy and cold. The knife they gave me wasn't cutting it. The French onion soup just tasted flavorless and oily. read more

Visited the restaurant during dineLA week. Great price with good quality food! Love the kind of outdoor seating area (with sun roof). Staffs are very professional and attentive. read more

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Excellent atmosphere, food and service - on the pricey side so definitely for special occasions.

From the start, this was a bit of a confusing restaurant to me. The pricing and menu items are fancy, but the ambience and service seem more casual. Regardless, I was eager to try the dishes because they seemed to have interesting combinations in each dish. We got several appetizers and a few meat entrees. All the dishes except for the meat items at the bottom are on the small side. So unless you get one of the larger meat dishes, you probably need 2 or 3 dishes to get full. The best thing we had was definitely the cavatelli pasta. It was seasoned nicely and served with shiitake mushrooms, which gave the pasta a nice flavor. We also had octopus which was also stellar. The octopus was very tender and had an excellent char on it. I have to mention a roast chicken dish we had as well. I normally don't like chicken at restaurants, but this chicken was very juicy and the skin was crispy and flavorful. Other than these 3 dishes, I thought many of the ingredients in other dishes didn't seem to go that well together. For example, we had a dish with Japanese sweet potato, strawberries, and a seaweed-flavored sauce. My tastebuds were thoroughly confused by that one. Also, there was a squid dish with some spicy peppers, but the whole dish was very tart. There was a pork entree that was marinated with a sauce that was a little difficult to eat because it was too salty. Overall, everything is cooked really well. The pasta was al dente, vegetables had a great consistency to them, and meats were tender and juicy. I wasn't a big fan of the flavors of most of the dishes though. And that is a big problem especially when everything is so pricey. read more

I'll admit, I didn't know about the Santa Monica institution that is Michael's restaurant. Friday night I made a last minute reservation and told friends and colleagues about it, everyone else seemed to know that they'd recently gotten a new chef and changed the menu up. So who knows what it was like before, but I'm really into their current menu (February 2018) I definitely want to try out their happy hour too, specifically their daily $1.79 cocktail from 5:30-6:00pm only. The restaurant itself is quite a surprise. I had already been told they have a nice courtyard, but that is an understatement. The whole restaurant completely opens up to this giant, plant and tree filled outdoor space, with a few steps down. The food came out with good pacing and I enjoyed everything that we ordered. My only complaint was that the sea bass was bit overcooked. Here's what I had: -Burrata with tangerine, marinated cauliflower, and sour plum. This dish was remarkable. The burrata was smashed along the plate and delicately topped with unbelievable tasting pieces of cauliflower, little tangerine segments, and sour plum. All the flavors worked well together and I would have eaten much more of this. -Black lentil with cabbage, sunchoke, and curry leaf. I wasn't expecting this to be a light curry. It was surprising, beautiful, and full of flavor and texture. It had it all going on. -Cavetelli with braised shiitake, english peas, and parmigiano-reggiano. A nice burst of umami from the shiitakes. Nice chew of the al dente pasta. I loved every bite of this dish. -Sea bass with bonito-rosemary agile, spiced carrots, and turnip. The only reason for losing 1 star was that this sea bass was a little bit over cooked for a fine dining experience. I enjoyed the flavors of everything together and had it been cooked less, I would have given 5 stars. I can't wait to try the happy hour next! read more

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This has to be one of the most disappointing food experience we have had in a while. Every dish, every cocktail was sub par. The pizza was absolutely cold and we needed to send it back. Cauliflower was a mush and not edible, Brussels sprouts were squishy and overly sweetened. Service was good, but couldn't compensate for the over priced mediocre food. Avoid! read more

Came here for early dinner but since the dining room did not open til 5 PM we decided to stay for cocktails and an appetizer at the bar. Ended up staying for the full dinner there. The whole experience was lovely from the staff to the food. Was very easy to overeat because the food was so deviously delicious. Even though we did not dine in the dining room we strolled through it and it was nothing short of magical. Would dine there again as it is a triple threat: food, service and ambiance read more

Came here for Dine LA dinner ($39 per person). Doesn't look too fancy from the outside, but once you step past the entrance and walk down the stairs towards what seems like an outdoor (yet feels like indoor) patio, you are surrounded by what feels like an enchanted forest. String lights, arch, and wall decor (including a subtle mini waterfall), wow. A+ on ambience. Low lit, with one candle per table providing enough light to see your food and utensils. Even from a preset Dine LA menu, it was hard to decide per course. I settled on the salad for appetizer (1st course), but was surprised by the overflowing amount of food (especially as a "starter" course, and by "starter," I mean literally the first thing I ate here). It was a bit difficult to eat cleanly, but I enjoyed the dressing, small hazelnut pieces, and the decent amount of persimmon slices in the salad. By then, I was already 2/3 full, but immediately started salivating when the sizzling crispy shiitake rice (2nd course, presumably the main course) arrived. The red onions and mushroom were a bit too acidic, but balanced well with a good amount of the crispy rice. The pavlova (3rd course, dessert) was interesting but pleasantly light. The meringue was a bit difficult to break up using a spoon, but the passionfruit and kiwi (paired with what tasted like greek yogurt?) made the dessert a lot more refreshing. Overall, would recommend. Perfect for a romantic date night or for catching up with friends and family. read more

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Michael's was an overall good experience. We sat on the back patio and the ambiance there was great - I loved the greenery all over. My boyfriend and I each tried a couple of cocktails and shared several dishes for dinner. For cocktails I had the spring ahead and the lemon daze. Both were light and refreshing, good summer cocktails. My boyfriend had the forget me not which was a good bourbon drink also. For dinner we had the heirloom tomatoes with olives, feta, and green peanuts. As we were visiting from out of town (and not as used to the fresh Cali heirlooms), we were impressed by how fresh and delicious these were. We also had the Peruviana beans which were delicious. The beans are served in paste form (save for a few more on top) and the Chile oil and black sesame on top added great flavors. We then had the cavatelli with shiitake mushrooms and for me it was a bit toooo much mushroom, but still a pretty good dish. Then we had he quail and duck confit for our mains. Both were very good! Finally, we had the hazelnut chocolate ganache for dessert which was tasty. Overall definitely a really good restaurant, just not "knock it out of the park" good. read more

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I'm so conflicted on how to score this place. We went to their outdoor bar - the vibe was great, the drinks were great, and the hospitality and service (especially from the bartenders) was even better. 5-star time, right? The only downside was the owner, who was walking around, appeared to be drunk, and was constantly berating his staff. Even if the staff had done something wrong (and it didn't look like that was the case, which seemed likely given the A+ service we had been receiving) that is NO way to treat the people who work for you. With so many other places to go in LA that treat their workers the right way, it's hard to justify spending money here - even despite the 5-star history, and 5-star drinks and vibe. read more

=== ZERO STARS === AWFUL FOOD AND SERVICE === After reading a recent article about Santa Monica restaurants receiving Michelin awards that included praise for Michael's (Michelin Plate, no Michelin stars), I feel it is necessary to add my own personal experience for anyone considering going to Michael's. To put it in perspective, I eat out frequently, on average 2-3 times a week, including many top rated fine dining establishments. We went to celebrate a birthday dinner on a Monday evening at 6pm, 2 adults and a young child. No other customers were at the bar or restaurant when we arrived. We should have taken that as a cue to leave and go dine elsewhere. Service was extremely slow and poor. We had a reservation and arrived 5 minutes early, but still waited 10-15 minutes to be seated because they weren't ready for service yet. Despite being the first table seated, it took another 10-15 minutes for our server to come take our order for drinks, then another 10-15 minutes to come take our food order. Our server remained inattentive throughout the evening. Note that there were no other tables seated on the outdoor patio at the time. Only two other tables were seated later that evening, while we were there. I don't recall what we had for appetizers, but they weren't noteworthy. I ordered a pork chop and specified my preference for no added salt. It came out plain and dry, with no seasoning or sauce whatsoever. This is not a sign of an experienced, imaginative or competent chef. Furthermore, both entrees were way overdone and burnt. I sent back the pork chop, but she ate the fish entree because she didn't want to wait. During the long 30+ minute wait to redo the pork chop, the child became restless and we decided to go home. I quickly paid the bill and took the pork chop home because the child was in meltdown mode. When I got home, I wanted to finish my dinner and was shocked to see that Michael's sent me home with an UNDERCOOKED PORK chop (see photo). As you can see, it is very pink inside and raw pork is NOT SAFE to eat. Note that the photo shows the edge of the pork chop after trimming away the fat, NOT the center. Thankfully I didn't take a single bite of it at the restaurant or I might have gotten deathly ill from trichinosis parasites. The bread was also somewhat MOLDY, but we couldn't tell at the restaurant because the patio lighting was dim. She had food poisoning afterwards. I wonder why...? When I reviewed the receipt, I saw they OVERCHARGED me and padded the bill with a round of drinks that we did NOT order. Apparently, Michael's has to RIP OFF customers to keep the doors open because they don't have enough of them. Stay far away from Michael's and spend your money elsewhere. Food and service were atrocious and overpriced, adding insult to injury. If you're celebrating a special occasion near Downtown Santa Monica, go to Shutters on the Beach, Ivy at the Shore, Casa Del Mar, The Lobster or Water Grill. Food and service at those restaurants are consistently top notch. ========================================== As a side note, women should pay particular attention to an earlier review by Jan Sarah S. on 12/4/2015 who said "Just heard the bartender working right now say "I like my girls roofied"." For anyone who doesn't know, ROOFIES are also known as the DATE RAPE drug. read more

Michael's Restaurant - Pink and undercooked pork chop from Michael's Santa Monica - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great ambient and phenomenal food. They bring dinning experience to another level; Culinary Art At Its Finest !!! read more

Michael's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I ate here last night. The food is good, the vibe is cool. Seemingly most diners were regulars or knew each other, which was interesting. Main issue: We were seated on the enclosed back patio and there was a rat running around all night less than a foot from our table. The staff was aware of the situation but said nothing to our table (they reseated a few other diners (who were regulars) that were also sitting next to the rat.) we even mentioned it to a waiter who just sort of laughed? The rat went back and forth from our table up to a tree that brought it above the kitchen. Felt like ratatouille but less cute. Because this was a real, live rat, probably with diseases within inches of where we were eating and the kitchen. All that said, I would come back for the wagyu bolognese. read more

We came on a Monday night at 6:30 and the restaurant was fairly empty save happy hour and a few tables. It was completely full by the time we left. What a gorgeous restaurant, the patio is stunning. The cavatelli was our favorite dish, it was melt in your mouth good. Looking forward to trying happy hour and dessert next time. read more

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The gorgeous patio will make you swoon. It's very Midsummer Nights Dream. I've only come here for a drink and late night bite. I'd love to come back for a proper meal in that magically romantic patio. Anthony N.'s review states that many notable chefs have worked here, including Roy Yamaguchi, Jonathan Waxman, and Sang Yoon. Impressive! Service was very friendly. Valet parking available, or there's a public parking structure practically next door. read more

I had such a great experience here. My boyfriend and I came in for a drink and were treated so well from beginning to end. We had already made dinner reservations elsewhere so we weren't able to stay- however, we had such a great time during our short time there that we will be making reservations to come again for dinner. P.s. they have a beautiful back patio, very green and lush. read more

Worst service, spoiled soft crab seafood (no apologies from the waiter), and one available restroom!

We walked in on a Saturday evening and we're treated to an outdoor table and heater. Within minutes the owner himself, Michael, came to our table to thank us for visiting his restaurant. We were both appreciative and gracious for the kind gesture and will make it a point to visit again in the near future. The service was outstanding and the bar area was lively and energetic. We look forward to visiting your establishment again very soon. Thank you Michael sir you are a gentleman and your staff is dedicated to detail. read more

A few years ago, I gave Michael's a one star review because they'd hired some young chef who seemed more interested in creating a unique menu than one with actual edible food. That situation seems to have changed. My family ate dinner there last night and the food was terrific. read more

After having had an outstanding meal here 4 years ago, I brought three friends here tonight. A one-dimensional straightforward experience. No matter which dish, the food was fine but fairly bland. There was no counterpoint on the plates. And the dessert took 45 minutes to arrive (the waiter comped us). I wish I hadn't talked up this place to my friends. read more

Went in to grab some cocktails and appetizers with another couple. Restaurant looks really cool, definitely would try to sit outside. Ordered 3 glasses of wine and a beer. Sat there for 30 minutes, reminded the waitress twice about our drinks. After 35-40 minutes we told them to cancel the drinks. The staff didn't even care that we were walking out. read more

First time stopping in here. The nostalgia alone makes this place a hidden gem tucked away in a neighborhood setting. We came for HAPPY HOUR which goes from 4-6pm and sat out on the front patio. The service was phenomenal-- both our server and the other wait staff who checked in on us. I loved my mixed drink ($12) and my friends enjoyed their beer ($5) and Pinot Noir ($10) as well as the fries ($7). I would definitely come back & explore more of the menu :) read more

This place has so much potential. Great outdoor seating, affordable happy hour prices, and . . actually, it ends there. Ordered during happy hour. My table ordered two burgers and a pizza. One burger came out, then 15 min later, the second, then 10 min later the pizza. My sandwich was cold by the time we all had our food. Random staff refilled our water constantly, but when my friend asked for a lemonade refill, it took forever and didn't come until we were about to leave. When I cut into my daughter's burger, what I thought was lettuce was grilled paper that apparently separated the cheese during prep. I nearly choked on it! Told the waiter who asked me to place it on a platter so he could tell the chef. Had to ask two people for the desert menu, then the waiter never returned for the payment so I had to give my card to the hostess. Good food, poor service. The waiter did offer not to charge me for the extra lemonade due to the paper in my food. Yippee! read more

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This used to be a family favorite. Super disappointed in the Mother's Day brunch. Very unorganized, took time to get seated beyond reservation time even though we got there early. Children sliding around on furniture running into customers and staff (bad parenting which can't be helped in this instance). Food was nothing to brag about though I will say that not being able to pick our own 3 courses (you had to share course 1 and course 3 with the table) was absolutely uncalled for given the price per person. Service was lousy. I got a blood orange mimosa, was offered a second one I never got. Asked for it again and never got it. I won't go back again. There are too many other wonderful options in Santa Monica to settle for an over-priced mediocre experience. read more

The food was excellent, and the service was great. I highly recommend this restaurant and looking forward to our next meal at Michaels we sat in the back patio which has a great atmosphere! read more

Made a reservation on Tuesday December 27th 2022 for the same evening. Then realised it was raining (patio seating) and too damp to outside for my elderly companions. Cancelled perhaps 2 hours after I had made the initial reservation. They've now charged me $160.00 cancellation fee. I called and was told "this is our policy". I will, of course, dispute the change but this is absurd. I've been going to Michael's for the last 30 + years and while the food has gone downhill we still enjoy the ambiance. No longer. read more

We were a small group of 3. It was for a special birthday dinner. I love Michael's! I really want to write a 5 star review, but the food combination was just not my taste. My friend has tried Michael's three times now, with the new chef, but she told me she does not plan on returning soon. She is regular patron too, from way back in the 80s, when Michael's first opened up. All plates are shared. We started with bread, which was yummy, but it will cost you around $6. We shared the 6 raw oysters. The sauce was tasty, but I am an old fashioned gal. I missed my horseradish and sauce. Then we shared the mixed baby lettuces. The lettuce is whole, big leaves! It looked like a mountain of lettuce with a few shaved parmesan pieces, and maybe one shaved carrot, but it was supposed to come with market vegetables. It was cumbersome to serve, and then have to really use a fork and knife to cut the leaves to eat. I am lazy, and would have preferred to have my salad torn in bite size pieces and not have had to work so hard. Granted, it looked pretty in presentation, but it was just lettuce! We also shared the burrata with smoked trout roe. This was perfect with the bread we previously ordered, and if we didn't have bread, the burrata would be difficult to eat. Then we shared the black garlic rice, but the feature were the white turnips, which were bitter and placed as if they were still in the soil, the black rice, with the long stringy roots, which were not appetizing to look at. We all cut these long stringy roots off before eating them. The sumac yogurt was strange addition with the black rice. We shared the branzino, grilled with black carrot puree, grapefruit and dollops of chili on the side. The carrot puree was strange along with the 3 dollops of chili paste on the side. However, the fish was perfectly cooked. For dessert we shared the hazelnut chocolate ganache with pistachio pound cake. The tiny bits of pound cake was silly. By the time the dessert arrived, I forgot what it was. I had to reread the dessert menu to realize this tiny bits of green was cake! The ganache tasted like cake frosting. I was disappointed. I am giving Michael 4 stars because I know the chef and kitchen put in a lot of effort to prepare each dish on this Winter 2017 menu. I also know the wait staff did a fantastic job. We each had prosecco and that was a perfect accompaniment for tonight's meal. The birthday celebration was a nice one too. read more

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This is a really nice place for a special occasion or trying to impress someone. The atmosphere is absolutely stunning. We sat on the patio, but being December, the roof was closed and space heaters were placed around the room, which kept the temperature very comfortable. It's designed to feel like you're eating in a private garden-it's very intimate and cozy. The plates are all designed to be shared. There were 3 of us so our server recommended 2 large plates and 4 medium plates. We took his advice and I was satisfied with the sizes, plus we ordered bread and a olives to start. My favorites were the branzino, which melted in your mouth, and the prawns. The sweet sauce that came under the prawns was so delicious- I couldn't get enough of that. I wasn't too crazy about the crudo, personally. Overall, the food and ambience make this a 5 star restaurant. The one thing holding it back is the personalities of the staff. The hostess and our server were short with us. Drinks were extremely slow to come out and they never asked us if we wanted more wine after finishing our first round prior to the food coming out. Other than that, a lovely evening. read more

Had a bad week so I saved friday night to drive down the 45 minutes to get to Santa Monica at 8:30 after work. I had my Off the Menu App and was excited to try a secret burger from Chef Thompson that I had been waiting for all week and was excited to review it. The availability for the offer was M-F Evening Hours. Since they're only open 5-1030 this was the only time I could get down there. Upon arriving the server asked if I wanted sparkling or tap, to which I asked for tap, and then told him I was there to sample the burger. He stated that this offer was only for their Happy hour from 5-7pm and that it wasn't available. I had planned to have a few drinks, try this and a couple other things on the menu, and asked if he could check to see about getting the burger made since it was only 90 minutes later and it didn't say it anywhere that it was for a limited menu. He came back 2 minutes later and said he said they wouldn't make it. That annoyed me enough so I ordered their $8 bread and a $15 whiskey because of my week and I was hungry from waiting all day for this. The bread was fine, nothing special, and I had enough of being baited and switched so I asked for the check and find that they had charged me $9 for the warm water that the other server had poured for me, first on the table and then in the glass. I paid my $36 for a glass of whiskey, 5-6 pieces of cold bread and warm water on my $35 bill and left. This place looks gorgeous, but is a joke that's there to bilk you out of cash and offer you mediocre service. Stay away and get a better night and more for your money almost anywhere else. read more

Michael's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I love how timeless and elegant Michael's continues to be. Went here for happy hour at the bar and I was reminded how beautiful the plant covered dining courtyard is. Can't wait to come here for my next date night. Happy Hour recommendations: get there for the $1.95 cocktail special only service from 5:30 to 6:00pm. read more

My dinner at Michael's was a bit of a mixed experience. I thought the calamari was delicious and my girlfriend liked the Bourride de Pecheur, but I was very disappointed by the bass. For $58 I would have expected much more flavor. I ordered a couple 1979s and both were great. Overall the service was good. Our waitress was very friendly and our drinks and calamari came out quickly, but our entrees took a long time to come out. I won't rule out another visit but I would stick to a meat entree. read more

I've only been here for happy hour, but it can't be beat! $1.79 cocktail from 5:30-6 everyday! The cocktail is the bartenders choice, so it's best to ask what it includes if you're adverse to any liquors, but even if it's something I wouldn't normally order, I'll get it because $1.79! They do have a regular happy hour menu that goes until 7 that also includes food. Their muffaletta and fries are very tasty and a great price. If you are splitting the muffaletta they will even slice it in the back for you. I've only had friendly, attentive service while here. Like many restaurants, happy hour is limited to the bar and lounge area, but the lounge area is plenty big to fit even a large party. The entire restaurant is beautiful and much bigger in person than it appears outside. I live in the neighborhood, so I always walk, but there is a secret parking garage on 4th that always has spots. read more

"I, Travis, take thee, Bread, to be my lawfully wedded loaf... To honor and cherish from this day forward." What's with the mediocre reviews? Either y'all got screwed service and food-wise, your expectations are way too high, or I received an unparalleled dining experience. Whatever the answer may be, I don't care: I scored one of the best birthday dinners I've ever had, here at Michael's. We arrived just after opening, on a Wednesday night. Empty. Odd. The hostess led us to the back of the beautiful garden patio section, to what I thought was the most perfect table in the whole restaurant. Good start. Then, came the bread. I cannot express in words how absurdly good the bread was, nor can I explain how important good bread is to me (I will go to a restaurant purely for the bread). It arrived steaming hot. The outside of the bread sang its Siren song, but the steam coming off the perfect crust said, "No no, Travis.... I'm worth waiting for." After that bread, life hasn't quite been the same. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, the amuse bouche arrived. A small porcelain soup spoon filled with shredded romaine topped with a thin sliver of fresh anchovy, lightly drizzled with a lemon-Parmesan emulsion. At first, my anchovy-hating side said, "Meh... I'll pass," but then my Cesar salad-loving side won me over. I'm glad it did. A revelation. The perfect bite, and hands-down one of THE best Cesar salads I've ever had the privilege of tasting. My meal.... - Grilled Quail. Yuzu Grilled Apples, Baby Arugula, Thyme, EVOO. This was a first for me. The meat was subtle, flavorful, and rounded off perfectly by the apples. - Liberty Farms Duck Breast. Leg and Thigh Confit, Potato Gratin, Rapini, Port Wine Figs. I don't have to tell you how good this was... You should know. But if you've never had duck, imagine the taste of dark turkey meat married with the rich fattiness of bacon. The confit, however, was the hit of the dish--crisped in the most heavenly manner; I'd gladly endure a scrotal waxing to dive into a plate of that oralgasmic melange of unctuous, dark, ducky love. * It should be noted I tried my first oyster here. I still stick to my conviction that if you swallow a given food without chewing, is it REALLY that good? Once we were finished with our meal, the staff was totally on the spot and, in the most subtle and classy fashion possible, they brought a desert plate to our table that read "Happy Birthday, Travis." Wow. Personalized deserts?... Tight. Everything here hit on all cylinders, during my visit. The decor was classy and elegant in the most timeless sense. The patio was something dreams are made of... White lights amid the greenery of the trees and the garden. Impeccable service, thoughtfully prepared and presented food, and a birthday dinner I'll never forget. Michael's is easy to miss, tucked a few shops behind Sur La Table (on 3rd and Wilshire, in SM), but don't let the understated facade fool you--this place is top notch. read more

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This was an absolutely fantastic dinner. A few months ago, I was lucky enough to celebrate Travis' birthday here with his parents and it was a truly celebratory meal. I highly recommend getting a table in the patio area here; they have a retractable awning and plenty of heat lamps so it would be pleasant even on the coldest of California evenings. We had a choice table, in the back corner, surrounded by twinkly lights, a tiny gurgling waterfall, and flowers and foliage. You almost forgot that you were in the middle of bustling Santa Monica. Then you had the food. To start, the bread is great here. I always have to give credit for tasty bread and it came out piping-hot to boot. We then were served a lovely amuse-bouche of a Caesar salad "bite". Served in a Chinese soup spoon, it was a perfect mouthful of Caesar salad, complete with a little anchovy fillet on top. Nice touch. Then for starters, I ordered the half dozen Seasonal Oysters (which happened to be Kumamoto at that time) because I enjoy them and Travis needed to try them. Delicious! The oysters were plump, delicate delights and the sherry vinegar mignonette served with them was super tangy. The quail that Travis had was also tender and flavorful. For my entree, I had the seared black cod, which was served over wilted greens, forbidden rice, and with fat grilled prawns on the side. Amazing. One of the best fish dishes I have ever had (and I know fish). No leftovers for me that night- I was quite happy and finished off every bit of that fish and its buttery-miso sauce. Last but not least, we tried the chocolate cake for dessert and they served it with a sweet birthday message written on the plate (nice handwriting too!). Despite other reviewers' comments, it was perfectly moist and simply decadent with dark chocolate flavor. Overall, I think this was a great restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. The service was so attentive and friendly- our waitress was really on the ball. If you have the chance to try Michael's, go during a normal dinner service (and not DineLA) to have a lovely, delicious meal. read more

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"The food is a 10, the wine list is an 11 and the company will be a 12" That's what I was told Friday night by my din din companion and I have to say, I'd give all of the above a strong 13! :) Goodness, where to even start? The moment I pulled up to the valet and glimpsed the place, I knew I was in for a true treat. Upon entering, I was greeted with a warm and welcoming smile from the hostess which is always a lovely way to begin any foodie adventure :) She then pointed me toward their quaint little bar area where we enjoyed a wine from their extensive wine list. Ya know, come to think of it, extensive, is an amateur hour assessment of this bible of bottled glory, it's really more like, a phenomenal wine list! I mean we are talking everything from boutique Sauv Blancs, California Cults and choice Rhones to Pinot Noirs, stellar Burgundys and one hell of an amazing '04 Purple Angel 90% Carmenere that was like liquid velvet on my oh so happy palate. Just brilliant...and this was only the bar! We then moved onto dinner and enjoyed a lovely meal on their back patio which is just gorgeous! Twinkling lights, trees, and plenty of interesting and eclectic eye candy to fuel a healthy dose of witty banter. We ordered the steaks and my oh my, this, was a STEAK! Dry aged for 28 days and just cooked to perfection. It was paired with tasty skinny mini pomme frites and a Bordelaise sauce that was sheer sensory overload on a plate! Yum!! We then closed out our meal with some yummy ice cream and baked goodies and they even went so far as to double and triple check that there was no cinnamon in the mix...since dying on a Friday night from an allergic reaction is always a shitty way to start the weekend :) Oh and we also enjoyed a great 20 year Tawny and an amazing ice wine to close out the dining adventure. Yummy yummy yummy! I swear it's places like Michael's that will cause me to always have that extra five pounds of womanly love, but ya know what, when it tastes THIS good and your palate and mind does flip flops the entire next day as you tell your friends how amazing the meal was, hell, I'll deal with a little extra cushion for the pushin! :) Go here and enjoy this delightful slice of culinary heaven! read more

Michael's Restaurant - New American Near Me - Santa Monica, California