Service was amazing, our server was very friendly, very attentive, gave us a nice little offering as we were celebrating a birthday. The highlight of our meal was the Wagyu skewer and the pork tonkotsu. In the future I would skip on the hand rolls as nothing stood out. The pork gyoza was so juicy and melt in your mouth. It was very loud and lively, we sat on the top deck. Drinks were delicious, the server was very helpful in finding something that aligned with what I was looking for. read more

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I was really excited to finally try RVR and made a special trip to the Westside for a late Sunday brunch. After all the hype, I have to admit we left wondering what all the fuss was about. To be fair, I do want to own a couple of things upfront. We had a 1PM reservation for 4, and I forgot to update it to 2 - that was completely my fault. Because of that, we were seated at the bar overlooking the sidewalk. It was very cramped, and we were practically shoulder-to-shoulder with the people next to us. It also happened to be a chilly day, so sitting by the open front wasn't ideal, but that's on me as well. The restaurant was packed, and it looked like most of the tables were set up for groups of 4 so I understood the seating situation. Service was good. We were greeted right away with water, and our server was prompt. Drinks arrived quickly. I ordered the Strawberry Aperol spritz, which was fine - refreshing but nothing particularly memorable. Food was a mixed bag. The tuna sashimi came with thick, generous slices of tuna, which I appreciated. Unfortunately, the spicy yellow horseradish-style sauce overpowered the fish. The duck meatballs were easily the standout dish. They were fantastic, and I honestly could have ordered 2 more plates. Again, though, the accompanying hot mustard wasn't for me - I preferred the meatballs without it. The crispy chicken thighs were probably the biggest disappointment. They tasted like something you'd get at a neighborhood sports bar - crispy, but pretty average and not something I'd order again. Also has some weird bites that were parts of the chicken you can't chew. The sweet potatoes also didn't live up to the hype. The potatoes themselves were okay, but the white sauce served with them was excellent. Honestly, that sauce could make just about anything taste better. I was considering ordering the pancake, but the diner sitting next to me mentioned that it was just okay, so we decided to pass. The pricing is reasonable, the atmosphere is lively, and the location is great. I also like the concept of ordering several small plates to share, which makes it easy to try a variety of dishes. Overall, I don't understand why this place is consistently talked about as one of the best restaurants in LA. Maybe dinner is where RVR really shines, because brunch didn't quite live up to the reputation for us. read more

RVR Venice - Tuna sashimi - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

The establishment is in a covered patio and pretty noisy at brunch. We started off with the spinach which was great. The duck meat balls were okay, nothing unreal. I'd probably prefer regular meat. The Japanese sweet potatoes were excellent. .The wagyu sando blew my socks off, and I'm not a big meat eater. But I'd highly recommend. Lastly we had the vegetable ramen. The was really good The manager, whose name I forget but I remember it was derived from Sanskrit, was a delight. Waitress was nice. Services slow but maybe it's designed that way. Overall, great restaurant. read more

RVR Venice - Spinach - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

Overpriced with shockingly small portions. The food was average at best, and you can find similar dishes elsewhere for much less. The drink menu was solid, but spending $180 for two people and still leaving hungry is wild. The ambiance was great and definitely date-night worthy, but I just couldn't justify the prices for the portion sizes. Crazy expensive for what you get. Also, serving food on a heavily chipped plate was both unprofessional and unsafe. The pacing of the meal was also frustrating. Dishes came out with no real order or consistency--at first, each plate arrived about 10 minutes apart, which felt painfully slow given how tiny the portions were and how quickly we finished them. By the end, two dishes came out at once. The timing was all over the place, which made it difficult to pace our drinks and enjoy the meal in any cohesive way. read more

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Cute little Izakaya spot in Abbott Kinney in Venice. Parking a little bit of a challenge as any spot in Abbott Kinney, you will have to park either behind the establishment or on the streets. I had no trouble finding parking in the back, but had to walk a bit. Ladies do not wear heels for this reason. Had a reservation for brunch and immediately the place was so vibey. I did not like where they sat us initially and they volunteered the rooftop which is the best place in the whole restaurant. Opt for the rooftop if you can. We came for the brunch menu and ordered the omelette , the summer salad, the liver pate, the wagyu skewers, and the mochi beignets. The Wagyu skewers were immaculate. Mochi beignets are definitely a must have. They were kind of like Greek loukamades, but elevated. For drinks, we had the grapefruit high, and those were a nice alternative to mimosa. The service was immaculate and the rooftop had a shade in it so we never really got in the sun. read more

RVR Venice - Brunch omelette. More of a custardy egg. Super tasty - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

Michelin caliber dishes without the rigid environment live DJ music selection made the vibes immaculate a must try for anyone that loves vegetables or even more so, if you dislike vegetables dishes are small, but thoughtfully coursed out. Go ahead and over order, and definitely save a little room for dessert Our server, the Japanese man spoke with such passion and knowledge Definitely my new favorite spot in Venice This place lives up to the hype will be back again 11/10 read more

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All the dishes we had were great - Japanese izakaya tapas style, small shared plates. They ran out of the bluefin tuna belly skewers so they were nice to comp us with a dish so we elected for the bluefin sashimi which was fresh and delicious. Also had the cauliflower, okra, seared bay scallops, and black cod. If you're expecting large individual portions, this isn't the place for you but it's a great way to try a variety of dishes. If you're a party of 2, likely you'll be sitting at the bar. Fun vibe, a bit loud. Bit on the pricier side - we spent about $180 with tip for 2 people but it's a nice and tasty experience! read more

Got a reservation here for brunch and got here at about 11:30. The restaurant was hardly busy. Our server was really nice and attentive and patient in explaining the menu to us since it was our first time visiting the restaurant. We started off with the hand rolls - uni, tuna, and pork. They were just okay. I had high hopes for the uni. However I was a little disappointed because they rolled it with shiso leaf and it overpowered the sweetness of the uni. We got the tuna sashimi plate and the pork gyoza, both were okay. I like the citrus sauce that came on the side and it went really well with the gyoza. The server highly recommended us getting some vegetables and I'm so glad we took his advice. We got the roasted broccolini and sweet potatoes. The broccolini was surprisingly good and had a nice char to it. It went well with the sauce and was a very tasty dish. The sweet potato dish was a standout, very balanced, not too sweet. Overall the two vegetable dishes were surprising standouts. We also got to try an off-menu item: the Japanese curry with beef topped with an egg. It was hearty and we were pretty full by the end. Even though the server recommended us getting 6-9 dishes in total, excluding the hand roll, we felt like we ordered the right amount of food. They course out your meal for you so you definitely get full by the end. We spent about an hour and a half there in total and had a great time. We also enjoyed the ambiance of the restaurant with music from their vinyl record player. Great vibes. read more

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Delicious food especially, if your a foodie that loves to try new foods. Tapas style, great ambience, amazing service! Our waiter checked in on us as it was my husband's birthday multiple times to give us wine and sake recs, and food recs. Food: Peach salad with mint was delicious! wild kapanchi with mint hand roll were 10/10 Mixed rice with duck confit: 10/10 Roasted Sweet potato, great flavor and melts in your mouth 10/10 Wagyu skewer- light and juicy Would definitely come again! read more

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Hype or not? Not! This place has everything to offer. Great ambiance, Wonderful staff and excellent food. We ordered the pork gyoza and the spicy citrusy dip that came with it was the start of the show. We also used it as dip for the chicken karaage. The Duck meatballs were delicious as well. The three handrolls were excellent! We will definitely be back for more! We will try more of their veggies! read more

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RVR is a modern Japanese izakaya with California style. RVR is having a moment on Abbot-Kinney, where the vibe never ends. At an izakaya, you expect small dishes so you can linger while you enjoy your drinks. Here, these include charcoal-grilled meat skewers, dumplings, ramen, and sandos. I visited during brunch and had a large bowl of ramen with a Banner Dark cold brew. I was seated at the bar where the stools have low backs, so you get a little core workout. Before the meal, they bring a warm towel. Manila Clam Ramen: The broth is subtly briny and sweet from the clams and dashi, so don't expect a typical rich pork soup. The Manila clams are sweet and tasty. While I'm not normally a high fan of the texture of clams, these are plump, springy, and juicy. In fact, with their huge size and orange color, they resemble mussels in flavor and shape. Slivers of the preserved lemon give a zesty, aromatic, and fermented flavor. This complements the scallions and sweet citrus zing of the red Fresno chilies. The mitsuba leaves are like a mild parsley. Today I had some interesting interactions with water. In the morning, while I was surfing, I was spitting out the aggressively salty water. My first sip of RVR's tap was noticeably sweet, cold, clean, and refreshing. When the clam broth arrived, the level of savoriness was just right! Parking: You can usually find street parking a few blocks away. read more

RVR Venice - Clam Ramen - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

We visited this restaurant tonight after hearing all of the hype and I'll say-- the food is uniquely curated and flavored but the portions are oh so small and very over priced. We fine dine all over the world (especially in L.A), and RVR is good-- but definitely not great. The service is very average (nothing special). The value proposition is average at best. The food taste and quality is great. But it will for sure leave you wanting more. $18-20 hand rolls, $35-40 sashimi-- good luck getting full here especially with tables of 4-8 people. You will be getting nibbles not bites. We got stuck on the second floor at the bar-- not much vibe up there. 2 stars is generous if I'm being honest considering the $320 bill we walked out with. Unique menu items, small portions, and large price. Good luck! read more

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Food: Amazing. We tried their brunch service - all drinks and food items were spot on. Brunch had items like banana yogurt bowl, mochi beignets, tamagoyaki omelette. Also got their veggie gyoza and shrimp dumplings, 1/2 veggie ramen, and 3 drinks (seista, last word, cosmo). Everything was splendid. Service: quick, friendly, no complaints. Location: By the beach! Can get busy and parking can be difficult but we found a free street parking spot a block away on memorial day weekend!?! Ambience: Beautiful! Inside out kinda space. Even indoor seating is open and has reflective roof that makes the space bright and airy on sunny beach days. There's a vinyl speaker space with records and cassettes. Easy access and restrooms available. read more

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Upon arrival to LA I tried RVR (you'll likely need to book a reservation in advance). We were seated upstairs and I was really impressed with the decor and attention to detail. It felt very Japanese. I started off with a Japanese sweet potato beer and loved it. All of our dishes were really good but the oysters, grilled brocolini, and duck meatballs really stood out. I also really enjoyed the beef tongue, karage, gyozas, and ramen. Also the high ball was great. read more

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RVR is very Venice coded - it's scene-y, vibey, and food hype-y. We started with some yakitori: -chicken thigh ume myoga ($9) -duck meatball tsukune & hot mustard ($10 for 3pcs) -wagyu beef tongue, torpedo onion salsa & toasted sesame oil ($16) The skewers were fine, but nothing was really memorable. And so began our truly unmemorable meal. We had gyozas, a mixed rice, and though it was recommended that each person order individual ramen bowls, we opted not to because conceptually that's a little weird at an izakaya? Our splurgiest item was probably the crispy aji sando ($25). It's a very small portion, though I'm not looking for value at this point. It was a very expensive fish sandwich on regular ole bread - not a ton of flavor even with the morita aioli. The extensive vegetable offerings is probably the most exciting menu plug. The best thing I ate were the roasted sweet potatoes ($16). The potatoes were sweet, roasted, drizzled with a lime aioli and then topped with parsley shichimi. Sweet potatoes are the perfect vessel for any accoutrement and these were no different. Service was spotty - fast dishes, long breaks, repeat. Idk. I feel like there is a whole lot of hoopla for very mid tasting Japanese food. There wasn't anything innovative or new about the flavors I sampled. I feel like any strip mall in Torrance could take RVR down in a fight. Not for me. read more

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Past by these multiple times and it's always packed with people. Finally got a chance to try it and now I know why! The space inside is gorgeous. Love the decor on the wall and ambiance is lovely. Music is on the louder side so I wouldn't take someone on a first date here but maybe a celebration for something. The bone marrow and uni handroll were my favorite. Both were very rich and the uni is from Hokkaido so the size is bigger. The duck meatball was also amazing but only use a tiny bit of the mustard because it is STRONG. Sweet potato was solid. The mushroom was good but a little bit too salty by itself. I wish it was served with the rice at the same time but not a big issue. Drinks were good but not memorable nor that strong for the price. Overall would come again and try the other items on the menu! read more

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This restaurant has been on my radar for quite some time, especially since it was a 2026 James Beard semi finalist for Best New Restaurant. Also, Jeremy Allen White from The Bear also touted it as one of his favorite restaurants in LA. That being said, I was really excited to potentially try this place when I was in the area this past weekend. Although I did not have a reservation, my friends and I waited outside 30 minutes before opening to see if there was a chance that maybe my group could grab dinner at the bar or maybe sneak in a walk-in table. For a Saturday night, we were second in line for standby and we lucked out! The hostess was really accommodating though she said we had to be out within an hour and 45 minutes, which was totally feasible (so long as the team expedited our dishes)! The ambience of the place was beautiful, and I particularly enjoyed the fact that we were on the rooftop area, so it had an alfresco dining feel. What we ordered: COCKTAILS (recommend both) 1) Last word - very tasty and refreshing 2) White Negroni - refreshing as well! FOOD 1) Duck confit mixed rice - The portion was incredibly small and while it was unique, not sure I would order it again 2) Sweet corn - This was surprisingly yummy and exceeded my expectations (since I was expecting creamed corn) 3) Bluefin tuna sashimi - This was a bit underwhelming for the price. 4) Crispy aji sando - This was certainly unique but not that memorable 5) Chicken thighs karaage - This was quite delicious and reminded me of my dad's cooking. Lots of flavor, crispy while not being too oily. 6) Apricots with purple daikon - Very refreshing and love how the apricots were highlighted 7) Japanese eggplant - Disappointed since it was under seasoned. Needed acid and or salt to bring some depth 8) Charred broccolini - Delish and flavorful. Reminded me of the charred broccoli dish at Campfire in Carlsbad 9) Roasted sweet potato - Had great flavor and really enjoyed this one! 10) Duck meatball - Very flavorful and no surprise it is a popular dish 11) Lamb shoulder - Not gamey at all and was very delish as well! All in all, we were happy to try this place since it was on the list for a while. The ambience and service were great and while we appreciated the vast menu, we were left a bit underwhelmed for the price. Perhaps its the price tag that comes with having a restaurant in Venice. read more

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First time visitor, and can't say enough about it. I've been wanting to come to RVR for a long time, and I finally got the chance to. Reservations are tricky! They open about 10 days in advance, and get snagged up very quickly. We were seated on the upstairs patio, which felt very romantic (hell it was a date). It's a lot less intimate than the downstairs though which is dimly lit and a bit louder. The food was delightful. We ordered the handrolls (Tuna and Kanpachi), which were so good. They're a great starter for any meal. Next up was the leafy greens salad which was really good. The chicken katsu was probably my favorite of the night. I'd order this again and again. The pork rib gyoza were also a hit. Very light and airy. Lastly, the sweet potatoes were incredible. I'd order these again as well. read more

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Very cute spot that came highly recommended by many. On nice days would recommend sitting upstairs but bring a jacket because it does get a little chilly later in the eventing. We ordered the shrimp dumplings, mushrooms, karage, duck meatballs, pork belly handroll, scallops and pork dumplings (fried). Overall, I would say it was a pretty good meal. Each dish was pretty unique and tasty. I would definitely repeat the dumplings and scallops if I come back. Coming from SGV, it's a little harder to compete with Asian food. I would say that this is a good spot for the west side. Service was very friendly. It did take a few of the dishes a while to come out so I would definitely recommend family style. read more

Dined with them on Sunday night! It was really busy and alot of people attempting to walk in, but eventually got seated for our 7:15pm reso. Recommend their sweet potato and yellow bean tempura!! Ramen was on the lighter side, if that is your thing. Scallops were also a nice surprise. The server emphasized that they try to include local and seasonal vegetables to the dishes, so really appreciate that! Both cocktails and a few non alcoholic drinks! read more

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I regret to inform you that this place is overhyped TLDR: Some standout dishes, lots of just okay ones. Scene-y vibe. Service is nothing to write home about. The value for your money is Just not there. There were some genuinely great dishes (aji sando!!! And sweet potatoes, but you've probably heard that) most things were clearly made with fresh, high quality ingredients...but weirdly lacked flavor (fava beans in particular, but also the sashimi and shrimp dumplings). We also had two handrolls and a wagyu tongue skewer. No complaints, but I've had much better handrolls and skewers for much less at other places. Our server was knowledgeable and made some good recs, but not particularly warm. They also let us know that they had just given our table away when we arrived since we'd juuust passed the 15 minute mark. Sure, we shouldn't have been late, but we found that kind of annoying since we had gotten in line before the 15 minute grace period passed, the line to check in just moved quite slowly. It was fine in the end, but don't be like me and just give them a call if you know you're gonna be late. This is such a hot spot that I expected to pay a pretty penny, and I'm okay with that, as long as the food is good. But I can't in good conscience suggest that you spend this much of your money here when quite a few dishes fell flat. read more

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Chef Travis the grand architect of Gjelina has unleashed another flavor explosion on Abbot Kinnney with RVR. Some of my fondest childhood memories were eating with my grandmother at Gjelina's patio when it was empty. I enjoyed a wide variety of different dishes that are well worth the hype and the articles. While aimlessly wandering Central Park in New York I saw all these ducks roaming around which made me crave some duck causing me to order the duck confit fried rice. The sauces were all so spectacular I was scraping it off with a spoon to get it all. Everything had a surprise flavor that made each dish special. The chicken Karage was extremely juicy fried chicken without too much breading. The very simple shrimp dumplings were elevated to spectacular levels with high quality ingredients. The sauce was a very unique dumpling sauce. Anyone who has read or skimmed Travis's cookbook Gjelina would be aware that the man is obsessed with pickling. I considered it a crime to not order the pickles. You've got a wide variety of different delicious pickled vegetables The snow peas are delectable and perfect on their own. The Fresno chile did something truly remarkable with the spiciness level. It managed to almost be spicy a very fascinating balance. The Handrolls with toasted seaweed from Japan were great the only thing bad about it is how fast it disappears. The ponzu sauce created a flavor explosion with the Sashimi. This isn't going to be like any other Sashimi you'll have. The crab fried rice a very juicy rice dish it has a texture similar to well made Jambalaya with how wet the rice is supposed to be. Chunks of delicious confirmed duck are also in there. The true star of the show was the Wagyu skewer my god truly tender and flavorful beef. You can occasionally see thr flames rise in the kitchen and it shows in this dish. The desert a vanilla pana cotta the olive oil enhances the sweet and saltiness of the dish a wonderful dessert. A final shout out to the house ginger ale a very good beverage. I do plan to come back to the bar to sample their other cocktails. read more

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We had a 6:45pm reservation but weren't seated until around 7:15pm. The restaurant was clearly very busy, with a line out the door, so we tried to be understanding. Once seated, the upstairs space was beautiful, but it got incredibly loud, which made it hard to fully enjoy the experience. The biggest issue was the pacing of the food. Dishes started coming out extremely quickly..almost all at once making the table feel crowded and rushed (especially since it was a small table). It felt like they were trying to turn the table over quickly. We mentioned it to our server, who kindly said they'd ask the kitchen to slow things down, but then the timing swung the opposite way, our next dish didn't arrive for about 30 minutes, and the final plate was just rice. The food and drinks were good, the overall flow of the meal felt off and took away from the experience. I understand they were busy, but better pacing and coordination would make a big difference. Unfortunately, the experience wasn't strong enough to bring me back. read more

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RVR has been on my list of places to try since I moved back to LA. I was even more excited when I found out it was a James Beard finalist for 2026 best resturant. I went during brunch so some items might not be available for dinner. Parking: there's a paid lot behind the resturant. There's a $15 valet 2 block up and street parking in the neighborhood. Decor: This place is absolutely adorable! There's also a bar and an upstairs patio which was perfect for a Sunday Brunch. There was enough shaded area when we went around 12pm Drinks: if you like aperol spritz, try the orange-hi. The servers recommended it and it is similar as it is refreshing and perfect brunch drink. I also ended up getting a regular aperol after. Also decent. Brunch items: Crispy Grain Pancake - I personally never had a grain Pancake before, it's not as fluffy as a regular Pancake, but had a good flavor. It paired well with the syrup, which even came in cute little container. Wagyu Keema - this was served with rice and pickled vegetables. Ok. TBH. I wasn't sure how this was going to go. I am part Indian and so obviously going to be super judgey about this but I really couldn't resist not trying it. And it was surprisingly good. It had bold but not over powering flavor and paired well with the pickled vegetables. Regular Menu Duck meatballs - ok I now understand why there's so many photos of the duck meatballs! I personally think it's the best dish out of everything we ordered. Although every thing was good, these meatballs stuck with me for a few days. Hiramasa Sudachi Ponzu - super colorful, super fresh, I love hamachi so this was right up my alley. From the sauce to the texture. Everything about this I enjoyed. Crispy Chicken Thigh Karaage with chili honey on the side. We had a toddler with us, so we ordered this dish for him but we also had some. It was perfectly battered and the chicken was juicy. Just be careful not to bite into it, because I learned my lesson...it was steaming hot. Boiled Shrimp Dumpling - good flavor and good texture. This was also a decent dish to share as well. Boiled Sweet Potato w/ miso butter - this is a great dish! I like Sweet Potato so I guess I'm bias but it was perfectly cooked and the miso butter is a nice touch to bring the flavors together. I heard the hand rolls are also good, so I am absolutely coming back to try all the other dishes and also get those duck meatballs again! This place is good for brunch, date night or a girl's night. You have to check this place out. The food, atmosphere and service is top notch. Also our sever was absolutely amazing. She went above and beyond for my nephew and even let him "pay" by letting him tap the card and push the no receipt button. read more

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Overall I think the restaurant was cool. My friend and I went on a weekday and it was packed. The downstairs bar and seating area was really loud and we were thankful that we got sat upstairs. The upstairs was much more mellow. Our waiter made our experience. He really cares about the food and how it's served. He gave us back story on every dish. He was very helpful in helping us decide between items. Everything we ate was good but overall I do think the price and the amount of what was served was a little overrated. The stars of the show were the tuna hand rolls, the lamb and the gyoza. We ordered much more but I cannot remember what. If you're looking for vibes and nice ones on Abbott Kinney this is a good place for that. read more

I get the hype! We came for dinner around 5:45 on a Saturday night and were seated upstairs. We ordered one tuna hand roll, chicken karaage, miso cod, a snap pea dish, fava bean tempura, Manila clam ramen, and boiled shrimp dumplings. We also got the carrot cake for dessert, and a cocktail each. The food came out hot and fresh! The tuna hand roll was buttery, the chicken karaage was perfectly flavored and crispy, and the boiled shrimp dumplings were nicely balanced and the dumpling skin had a perfect texture. The snap pea dish and miso cod were relatively light and flavorful, but not especially memorable. The fava bean tempura was delicious and the perfect combo of light and crispy. The ramen was beautifully flavored and the noodles were yummy! The carrot cake to finish was a great choice. It came with a tasty ice cream and the texture of the cake was soft and fluffy. Overall a lovely meal with tons of options. We would return and order completely new items to have a fresh experience! read more

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We had a great meal here on the roof top near the bar. The duck rice and duck meatballs were both great as was the Wagyu beef. The crispy chicken thigh was amazing and we also really like the dumplings. Every dish we shared was great and the kitchen did a very good job coursing out the dishes we ordered. We shared everything and there was plenty of food for our party of five. Even the deserts were outstanding. We shared the coffee gelato with cream and the mango fruit to end. The restaurant is very crowded and lively which makes for a fun evening. Very hard to get a reservation but worth the effort. read more

RVR by Gjelina is just a beautiful place. I am obsessed with all their establishments interior design and choice of vintage touches in every corner. 10/10 beauty. The food though! We are a regular at Gjelina for years now but I am not so sure if I will be a regular at RVR for their food. We had some delicious dishes and some ok dishes and sadly dessert was 1 out of 10! We tries the Japanese eggplant which was ok 7/10, buckchoy was delicious 9/10, veggie gyoza was so bland but cooled to perfection 6/10 for me, wagyu beef tongue was cold when served but tasty 8/10, the fried chicken was 10/10, and we tried the black sesame/matcha gelato was Horrible 1/10. The gelato texture was not right and in general their Dessert menu was very very unthoughtful with 5 gelato dishes, a flourless chocolate cake (not a specialty dessert you expect to see at Gjelina sister restaurant), and a boring carrot cakes. I want something exciting unique like the mochi donuts they used to have. read more

We visited RVR after running Venice Beach Half Marathon for a drink. As usual, our bartender Raul went above and beyond to provide exceptional service and an amazing well-balanced drink, especially my old-fashioned. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

Had dinner res for 2 and got seated immediately in the rooftop patio which was perfect for a SoCal evening. Had the pickles, tuna sashimi, pork gyoza, chicken karaage, charred broccolini, sweet potatoes, mixed rice with corn, and banana/blueberry gelato. Everything was delicious, but we could have done without the karaage, which we ordered bc our server recommended we have "another protein". The standouts were the vegetables! read more

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Truly an excellent dining experience - the food is AMAZING and the atmosphere is great. The only downside is that you can end up at bar seating even if you have a reservation. read more

We had the best brunch at RVR. It was such a beautiful day in Venice, and we sat upstairs at the bar honestly the perfect spot with great energy, sunlight, and amazing service. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was flavorful, fresh, and so well put together: Citrus Yogurt with Candied Nuts - Creamy, bright, and refreshing. The caramelized nuts add the perfect crunch. Tuna Crudo - Melt-in-your-mouth, super fresh, and topped with the perfect amount of ginger and chives. Crispy Cod Sandwich - Toasted perfectly with a crunchy exterior and all the savory flavors inside. So good. Shrimp Dumplings in Chili Oil - Soft, silky, and full of flavor with the right kick of heat. Beignet Bites - Warm, fluffy, slightly sweet and citrus with pistachios , and the perfect finish to brunch. Everything came out beautifully plated (as you can see in the photos) and tasted just as good as it looked. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was chill, and the whole experience felt like a little escape. If you're on Abbot Kinney and want an elevated but relaxed brunch -- RVR is definitely worth a stop. I'll absolutely be back read more

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Tried this spot while we were visiting in LA and this is the new hot spot in town yall. It just got nominated for James Beard "best new restaurant" award and I hope it wins. Inside has a great ambiance. Dark, pretty with a vinyl bar. For food we got the chicken thigh Karaage ($16), pork gyoza ($16), lettuces salad (one of my faves) and Japanese sweet potato - reminds me of papas bravas. My favorites were the Karaage, lettuces salad and sweat potato - must get. Gyozas were good but nothing ground breaking. read more

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Visiting from NYC and popped by RVR after reading many recommendations. To be fair: I did not have a reservation and this was a Saturday. However it was just me and I came in 20 min after they opened. I was fully expecting to have to wait or be told there wasn't any availability and tbh I kinda wish they had. They said they had one seat available and I had to "give it back by 6:30" I was like lol ok no problem. I would've honestly appreciated a heads up about what type of seat it was but instead they just put me there: Corner of bar, shoved right in between a single male diner to my right and a group of 3 men and a woman to my left- two on my side and two across from me and it was like I was interrupting their meal, how close they made me sit to them. Couldn't even hear myself think over their chatting. There was nowhere to put my purse- the one bar hook available was being used by the diner to my right who I was also basically on top of. Meanwhile there were a bunch of bar seats open in other spots. Sure- maybe held for reservations but they were fully empty the whole time I was there. And after getting my water, I was never addressed again. Despite signaling, closing my menu- etc, the waiter looked at me multiple times but didn't address me. I waited another 20 minutes- uncomfortably between these two other parties, holding my bag since there was nowhere to put it, and no service in sight. So I left! I'm sure the food is fantastic but I thought to myself - I already feel uncomfortable why do I want to waste more time and $$$ to continue that experience? I went to an amazing Iranian spot in Westwood instead and it was like night and day. Disappointing. read more

Good vibes and overall ok food. Nothing was out of the world amazing. Would give it a solid 7/10. Main complaint is the pacing of the food was slow and out of order. We waited long intervals between each dish and by the end we were too full and tired to eat. read more

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Was able to get reservations on short notice for a Saturday night. There was a healthy line out the door at 5:30 for those hoping to score tables. The place is packed. It has a cool vibe ... mellow, hip, friendly. The menu is overwhelming and they recommend ordering at least 1 dish from each of the categories. First category is handrolls we got the yellowtail tuna and the ratio of tuna to rice is generous amounts of tuna. It's a little on the small side, but each bite is wonderful and tasty. Ordered the duck fried rice and bluefin tuna sashimi from the second category (can't remember the name of this category) and both were out of this world. Only bummer is that the duck fried rice came out last but it would have been nice to have this as the middle part of the meal to balance out the flavor bites we had. We also had a duck bone in the fried rice too, so be careful! The bluefin comes with fresh wasabi which gives it a nice dimension. The gyoza / potsticker category we got the pork dumpling and it comes with this amazing salt yuzu topping (so, so, so salty but addicting). These were amazing and I could have ordered 2 plates just for myself! The vegetable category we ordered the pickled veggies ... lots of different bites- cucumber, cabbage, carrot (my fave), celery (second fave), burdock root with shiso leaves (3rd fave), daikon (white radish) and beets (wish it was eggplant over beets). The next category (can't remember the name) we ordered the duck meatball. Good, but not great (at least relative to the above bites). The place is packed so it does feel crowded, loud and warm. The mochi donut is only available during lunch on the weekends (not for dinner, which was a bummer as we really wanted to try that). read more

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The wait was not bad at only about 15 minutes even with a reservation. For a spot like this, I think this is too be expected. The service and meal selection was well worth the wait. The place sits on popular Abbott Kinney and is 2 stories. We were seated on the top level at a table but there is a small bar also. One of our waiters seemed to be an expert on the many dishes and how they are prepared. We decided on the Mixed Rice with Duck Confit, the Crisp Chicken Karaage, the Duck Meatballs, the Lamb Shoulder, the Chicken Liver and the Wagyu Beef Tongue. I was a little hesitant on the beef tongue but I'm so glad that I gave it a try based on the waiter's description on how it's prepared. It was delicious. The crispy chicken looks as good as it tastes. Great spot! read more

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An extremely popular and trendy izakaya spot in the heart of Venice. Jeremy Allen White of The Bear fame said in an interview that this place is where he had the best meal of 2025, and I have heard other good things from others as well. I can confirm that it is a great experience, although not in my personal top three, but I still really enjoyed dinner, the experience of the whole meal, and just the restaurant in general. Inside is medium sized, but it is absolutely packed with people so at times it can be really hard to hear someone sitting next to you. I would say this is a great date spot, but maybe not so for a work dinner. They don't have a dedicated parking lot so it will be street parking which can be difficult to find, or you can do a pay lot. If possible come early because after 6:30 parking is hard to find. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered came out pretty fast, basically things don't come out in a structured order, they come out when they are ready. We chose: 1. Wild Suruki Sashimi - this was one of my favorite dishes of the night. It is packed with flavor, very light, and is a great starter. 2. Duck Meatballs - I enjoyed these more than I thought I would, but my favorite part of this dish was the hot mustard. 3. Boiled Shrimp Dumpling - we loved these. They were rich in flavor and just tasted really fresh and were more filling than expected. 4. Charred Broccolini - this was my favorite dish of the night. The creamy sesame was heavenly, and it was packed with garlic flavor and I just loved every bite. 5. Manila Clam Ramen - I would classify this as my main dish and thought it was pretty good. I liked some of the others more but this was really nice and I admit that I drank the liquid at the end. I think the small is perfect sized unless you get less dishes and specifically want to save room for this one. Overall, a really hip and lively izakaya option in a lively part of town. I would recommend as a great date spot, but just know you should get reservations far ahead and it's going to be loud. read more

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The food here is great! New LA fave! Everything was full of flavor and felt very fresh. My favorites were definitely the broccolini and the duck confit rice. The tonkatsu was nice & juicy. The gyoza and hand rolls were pretty standard. The skewers were my least favorite, but overall I had a great meal. Service was standard as well. We were seated upstairs, which was nice and less crowded, but we did need to share a table with another party. The downstairs is a little more crowded and loud. There's street parking all around. read more

RVR Venice - Izakaya Near Me - Venice, California

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Venice is a really cool hip place and we saw this restaurant being super packed so we decided to try them out! Ambience inside is nice and had nice interior. A bit loud so it was kind of hard to talk to people but it was okay. The foods at RVR are like tapas style. We were a party of 4 and our server recommended we order 3 dishes per person. Visually the foods looked good. I'm sure it's hard to perfect every dish so there were good dishes and some bad. The foods though overall were on the saltier side... if you like a lot of sauce and salty foods, this place is for you! Place of the foods coming out were slow. So it felt like we had a bite of something then stopped. Then a bite then stopped etc. Service was a bit disappointing... we didn't get a refill on our waters during the whole dinner. The best thing on the menu was their matcha, black sesame gelato. read more

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