Went to hillstone for the first time since I've heard great things about it and it seriously lived…read moreup to the hype. Service was 11/10! Everyone was so friendly and attentive. Our waiter constantly checked on us and never did we have to ask for extra water or other things. They would just always make sure we were all good. Food was really tasty, I really liked the kale and sashimi the acid balanced really well with the fennel and cashews. The chicken sandwich and French dip were HUGE while the bread was so fluffy. Overall great experience and would come again. Note: I did make a reservation (and highly recommend to as it was packed on a Tuesday night). Parking options are metered parking or parking in one of the structures.

We stopped here at Hillstone after catching a movie on 3rd street and it was busy, but we were able…read moreto snag a booth. First off the service was wonderful. Drink: got a dirty martini and asked for extra Olives and they did not disappoint. Food: My friend got the steak and loved it, the fries were perfect! I believe i got the special, it was salmon of some kind with some extra. It was delicious. The shrimp and Mac roll was also good. The ambiance of this place is trendy, could be a little loud depending on the time since it was packed around 6:30 on a Thursday. There's a lot near so parking was also a breeze.

They should call this restaurant poolside instead of shoreside. They are not set up for large…read moregroups. I was looking for a new restaurant for a work dinner -- I would not suggest this spot. I also thought you would be able to see the ocean since it is right on Ocean Ave -- but once seated you can't really see the water. And unfortunately the view of hotel guests swimming wasn't very appetizing. We had a reservation for 14 and somehow they lost it (even though someone called to confirm the day before) -- so they had to quickly set up a table for 14 which they clearly did not do that often -- it was all squished between plants and heaters. After waiting 10+ minutes we were finally seated. Right away we noticed that the menus were different, not drastically but enough to cause some confusion. The waitress seemed very flustered and kept mentioning that our group was not expected. We started off with drinks -- I got a strawberry lemon tart -- it was good but the strawberries were a bit too chunky for a cocktail (IMO). Some people received their drinks in a plastic glass -- I guess because it was near the pool? We ordered a number of appetizers and then our mains. The waitress wasn't sure about us even ordering a main -- it made me wonder if they actually had enough of the dishes in the kitchen. Apps were good but nothing amazing. I got the sea bass for the main and it had no spice or flavor to it -- it even had these little dollups of romesco sauce that was also flavorless. Several people at the table ordered the filet mignon -- the only beef course on the menu and one of the plates came out at least 10 minutes after everyone else received their meals. The waitress did give him a free drink for his patience. Also my other coworker told me the lobster roll was terrible and made her stomach hurt the next day. Overall I was not impressed and will not likely return for a dinner here.

I ordered the seared Ahi sandwich and salad with "Asian" dressing…read more Sandwich itself was very good. Ahi wasn't too fishy and the sauce and salad matched perfectly. Only drawback was that there was a lot of bread. Salad was pretty good too. Sour, zesty, fresh, and mouthwatering. Service was fine - there weren't a lot of people there for a Monday afternoon. Ocean view ambiance, although, there's a lot going on in the space considering that it's part of the hotel.

This is in the Viceroy hotel, right as you walk in off Ocean. It is a Friday morning after I was…read moreexcused from jury duty and I just wanted a quick bite... and a beer. It is nice, classy, calm, and inviting. Service seemed to be a bit off put by me sitting down without a room, but we'll let that slide cause the food was amazing. You know when you order a breakfast burrito and you get to the end and it is 99.9% tortilla? This one wasn't that! Full of flavor with creamy avocado, crispy bacon and fluffy eggs. The salad is simple but pairs well with it, so does the Pizza Port Mango DIPA. Idk if it is enhanced Franks hot sauce, but it had a bite (mind you I cook with Thai chilis and habanero on the regular). If you are staying at the Viceroy or just in the area, for breakfast, I recommend stopping by. Aaaap... standard 20% gratuity. Good service so I was going to give it to them anyway (my actual server didn't give me any sideways look and was very friendly)... but if that erps you just FYSA

We visited for dinner this past weekend while in town as the ambiance looked great online and the…read moremenu also looked good. Upon arrival, we were informed there was no host so we could just sit wherever despite having a reservation. We had to ask for a server to take our order after a pretty long time of sitting down and he then informed us that they were out of almost all dishes (everything but a burger, pasta and salmon). I was shocked to learn that all pizzas and the majority of entrees were unavailable and we hadn't been told when calling to make the reservation or upon arrival. We were heading to the airport immediately after the dinner so we didn't have time to change the location for the dinner with friends. My boyfriend and I decided to order the burger and pasta of the limited options. I thought the burger was just ok, same as the fries and it's not an item I'd go out of my way to get again. The pasta on the other hand was very good and I'd happily eat again. All in all, the ambiance was great with the fire place seating but I wouldn't go back based on the food and service.

The restaurant was on my "to try list". The reservations were fairly simple and once we showed up,…read morewe were seated right away. The restaurant offers plenty of seating space inside as well as outside. Our server was really attentive and suggested items from the menu that are popular as well as some of the entrees that are loved by staff. Calamari Fritti was a different spin on a traditional calamari. It was fried with a batter that was a little sweet. The lemon wedge helped cut the sweetness. The two sauces provided a nice touch. Seared scallops were delicious and cooked perfectly. The bed of sweet corn risotto accompanied the protein well. The crispy shallots were a miss, for me. They were bitter. Roasted salmon entree was good. The fish was cooked well and the pesto pasta was good. Overall, the restaurant was a good choice for a delicious meal. The service is great and ambiance completes the dinner.

Came in here for a Timeleft dinner Friday eve and was 30 mins early-- so I decided to sit at the…read morebar for a quick bite and drink before everyone else got there. The place was so charming, but I always find TVs to be an aesthetic buzzkill. It felt out of place compared to the rest of it; but that's someone's cup of tea! (Esp during World Cup). There were 3 other people sitting at the bar, rather chill. Took some time to get the bartenders attention-- she'd be chatting with coworkers, looking right past my direction, then proceeding to chat. The gentleman next to me was attempting to get his check for 5 mins before he got her attention lol.. it just gave such a cold vibe to the start of the experience. I asked what the quickest thing on the menu would be, concluded to getting some bread (ya girl was ready to eat an elephant) to make things quick and 15 mins later proceeded to cancel it. I work in this industry, so it's hard when I see someone take note of something, then proceed to not give a hell about it and chit chat. No pit stop to the kitchen, no "hey, can we check on this?". It was cancelled, then the dish came out anyway. The runner was sweet and just gave it to me anyhow, however at that point it was 5 mins from the rezy and the moments passed for a gal to have a peaceful grub. She dropped the check without a word and grabbed the check without a word and that wassss on THAT. Food was great, dinner went awesome-- our server was kind and attentive. Got the shrimp squid ink pasta, was nice to see pescatarian options-- tho not many vegetarian. Paid parking across the street was $3. Not a bad deal! Thanks for having us yall.

Visiting from out of town and was very impressed with our first time to this restaurant. Great…read morelocation to the pier, food was outstanding (highlights: scallops and ribeye) and decor was beautiful, perfect for a date night. I liked that the manager Brian stopped by and checked in on our food and the bottle of red I ordered. Will definitely be back.

Wow what a great spot to have dinner! We came for my 40th bday after taking the family to the pier…read moreand we are so happy we did. VIEWS, VIEWS, VIEWS! What a sunset! The food was so tasty, the dry aged steak was delicious. The place is really run well, the manager Brian is everywhere. He checked in on us numerous times, he showed us the dry aged room and explained what we were eating exactly. He also gave us places to see on our upcoming trip to Chicago! What a great experience we had here. Can't wait to come back!

First time in, and we had a great meal. We put our name on and walked around for a bit since it was…read morea bit of a wait. Once we were seated the service was excellent. We had a duo duo - the chips were perfectly salted and warm, with guac and "queso" - basically a creamy pimento cheese dip which was delicious. I had the generously-sized Ding's Crispy Chicken Sandwich, and my dining partners had a burger with fries and the ribs. They were all very good, but I think it was a tie between the ribs and the chicken sandwich for a winner. Laidback vibes - seems likes like a spot people in the neighborhood gravitate toward.

This is a true Californian coastal restaurant with a fun, social scene. Reservations are strongly…read moresuggested any day of the week because they are known for their Happy Hour and regular menu. On the evening that we arrived, we placed a reservation knowing that we would still have to wait and we had hoped for a seat at the bar. It was very crowded so we were able to get a drink and wait outside. The evening was lovely and we enjoyed paople watching until we were seated. Service was good and our food arrived fresh and at the right temperature. It was a fun evening and the neighborhood is also really nice to check out before or after the meal.

The atmosphere was nice. It was a bit odd to see photographs of Michael Jackson, Teri Hatcher, and…read moreNWA on the walls, but I guess that adds to the charm. For the price, the food could have been better. The risotto was salty and slightly undercooked We were told that the Wellington would be slightly on the rare side due to the pastry. That's understandable, but the meat was VERY rare The potatoes had good flavor, but it was very salty The ribeye was very good The chocolate souffle was outstanding! They charged us for an extra bottle of water too. I can say I've eaten here, but I doubt I'll be back.

This place was AMAZING! We had a booth right by the kitchen so it was cool to smell everything and…read moresee them cook. Intimate and perfect for a birthday! Cavatelli is a MUST order and the ahi tuna cigars are delicious. Steak was so perfectly cooked too. The sticky toffee cake was also perfect (lowkey better than the Souflee). Service was attentive and quick! Would highly recommend this place!

Oh my goodness! This pace was amazing. The atmosphere ugh! The music alone made us want to sty all…read moreday. Sebastian was our bartender drinks were amazing!!! Highly recommend people!!!! Perfect way to start our Sunday!!!

We visited The backyard at Chez Jays in Santa Monica on a Sunday afternoon, looking for a…read moredog-friendly spot, and it turned out to be a delightful choice. The atmosphere is super cute and cozy, reminiscent of relaxing in your own backyard, which is fitting given the name. The staff and other patrons were friendly, making it a welcoming environment for both us and our dogs. We ordered nachos with chicken, but I found them lacking in cheese, and the addition of lettuce felt a bit off for nachos. The guacamole also could've used a bit more flavor. On the brighter side, the drinks were enjoyable; I had a michelada, while my friend opted for a Mai Tai. She also tried the chicken sandwich with fries and really liked it, especially the slaw that accompanied it. Service was decent, sweet and attentive, though it could've been a bit quicker. A nice perk is the parking lot, though keep in mind that you need to pay during certain times. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, but there's room for improvement in the food.