Caught the play "Guac" this weekend at Kirk Douglas Theatre and had such a great experience. The…read moretheatre itself provides a very intimate audience experience and every seat feels close to the action, which made the performance feel really immersive. The staff was friendly and organized, and getting in and seated was smooth even with a full house. The Center Theatre Group hooked us up with a pair of second row tickets for this play when we were at the LA Times Festival of Books, and we purchased an additional pair for friends to join us for the show. Guac was a hilarious, creative, and heartfelt production. What amazed me was how the star of the show managed to pull off such a spectacular performance as a one-man band. His energy combined with the excellent crowd work on the audience made the whole night feel surreal. Without giving away too much of the plot, I can tell you that this play is very much on the nose for today's social climate and the timing couldn't be more perfect with upcoming elections. You can tell this theatre really supports bold, original productions instead of just playing it safe. Also appreciated how clean and well-maintained the venue was, plus there are plenty of good spots nearby to grab food or drinks before the show, like ramen at Ippudo or Mensho Tokyo. They also validate parking for an additional two hours if you park at City Hall, so I recommend taking advantage of this. The recommended attire is more on the casual side compared to Broadway shows you'd catch at Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, so leave the suits at home and pack a comfy outfit instead. Already looking forward to coming back for another production!

PRO-TIP: You can get free parking at City Hall across the street and they validate up to 3 hours…read more(1st hour is free). The ticket validation scanner is in the lobby area and staff are there to assist if need be. Came here to see the "Enormous Crocodile" with some other fellow adults. Probably one of the few groups here without children. For some strange reason, after purchasing my tickets, it said to pick them up from the box office, but that was no issue and we were able to get physical tickets ASAP, around 20 minutes before the musical. There's concession where you can get snacks (must finish before entering the theater) or drinks (can bring inside). They had some specials for the season and some specials for the showing, which we got both of. I really liked the non-alcoholic Swamp Water, very refreshing and fruity and the little palm tree umbrella was very cute and on theme. My bro and his friend shared the Croc Cooler, which was made with vodka, blue curacao, orange juice and bitters, and sprite and a stick of cinnamon. Very strong, had to water this down with the Swamp Water, but overall, definitely much more affordable than the spirits at the Ahmanson theater. There's also complimentary water. For the families there, there was a table for coloring and craft making, a wall to share your artwork, a nook of books recommended by the Croc, and a small table selling merchandise. For concession and merch, it was cashless only! It's a smaller theater but it uses the space pretty well, some seats to the side, and some balcony seats too. The stage is at ground level meaning you can walk in from the first row of seats (some parents had to reel in their toddlers from doing this). We were in the 3rd row from the front and the sound was nice and crisp, lighting was great, and it was nice from where we were at to see the details in the set, costume, and puppetry. Overall a fun experience and a good theater.

I really enjoyed this venue. The staff was pleasant, the theater was the perfect size, with…read morecomfortable seating and temperature. I look forward to returning.

I love the GEFFEN. Awesome plays in a world of musicals. Awesome sets. Below is the fantastic set…read morefrom "Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous Book" by Pearl Cleage. I really enjoyed the performance I saw. It was still in progress. Bravo! Excellent acting.

Really fun, unique experience in downtown Santa Monica, went on a date night with my husband…read morebecause we love magic and had a great time. They have a fun, eclectic vibe. We got cocktails with glow in the dark ice, it was fun lol. The magicians and comedians were great, we got to talking to one of them who also performs at the magic castle and scored an invite. Highly recommend visiting and supporting local performers!

Went on a Wednesday night. Family of four To see Scot Nery's "Boobietrap"…read more Scott had an incredible show on Mother's Day in Topanga Cyn in 2026. We were looking forward to see his comedy show in theater. I want my money back! $26/pp What a poor show. A disgrace. Childish, unprofessional. Not talented enough to stand on a stage! He threw bags of chips on the audience as part of the show. I gave one star because at the end of the " show" there was an amazing male poll dancing.

I love Beyond Baroque. Just discovered them yesterday while attending a poetry reading. I became a…read moresupporting member and you should too!

One of the best venues for poetry in California. As a poet and editor, I enjoy being a member, as…read morewell as attending workshops. My favorite workshops are the ones run by Brendan Constantine; he's a genius and outstanding teacher. I would say that one of the employees recently had a bit of an arrogant attitude and talked down to me when I was in the bookstore after one of Brendan's recent workshops. She may want to work on that, particularly when she's talking about the poetry of my close friends and former classmates from my MFA program. You never know who someone may know. That aside, I highly recommend Beyond Baroque as I have been coming here for decades and it truly is a wonderful place for creative writers.

A great venue, the theater holds just under 300 seats so not a bad seat can be found. The sound…read moresystem is very clean and acoustically very pleasant. The theater is modernized with comfy seats, and has an upbeat decor. It's hard to beat the intimate vibe, feel like I paid 10x for my seats. Will come back without a doubt. Big bonus, parking lot is a structure on Glendon Ave, just off Wilshire. Once car is parked, just cross the street from structure and walk thru alley to Westwood Blvd to get to the Nimoy. Super convenient and a haven where parking is a pain in the a$$ anywhere in Westwood.

Fun dancing outside. It's been many years so I'm not sure if it's still there. If it is, you…read moreshould try it if you like Latin dancing.

Who doesn't love Salsa Dancing?! The atmosphere is amazing and anyone from any level can just come…read moreup and dance! They do take donations throughout the night to support the DJ who comes out pretty early in the day to grab a spot for dancing. Entrance is free because it's on a public street in the middle of 3rd Street. You see young, old, beginners and professionals there. So don't be shy and come by! It's a great time to have with your friends! Plus, it's right outside Cabo Cantina, so you can have your margarita and drink it too ;)

Came here last week with my spouse for a 7:30pm weeknight showing. Stellar theater for the price…read more Clean, small theaters, a well-stocked snack bar with subpar popcorn but a plethora of drinks, candy, and hot foods, and quick previews (gosh, this was an unexpected, but needed breath of fresh air). The staff members were fine, but certainly not the friendliest I've experienced. I must also comment that the service issues in the theater were less than ideal, so some sort of signage or easy wifi hookup would have been great (or at least friendlier stall to point this out and provide more patience while pulling up tickets...). Would we return? 100%. Our favorite movie theater experience in LA? Not quite, but I certainly prefer this over a mega theater corporation for at least double the price.

Classic, iconic LA cinema that consistently offers a diverse slate of independent, foreign and art…read morehouse films. A good selection of refreshments and snacks are affordable and tasty. The theaters are clean and comfortable with great sound and projection quality. Convenient parking garage across the street. Great place to see a movie!

Great Event. And it's 100% FREE. This event is a concert which is held every Thursday in the…read moresummer (July - September) at the Santa Monica Pier. LIVE MUSIC! More info here: (http://brightbulbideas.com/santamonicapier/twilight/) I first came here for their Salsa Concert. The show started at 7 and was still going strong after 10pm. There were tons of people who showed up to dance. The had a dance floor right on the pier! Overall fun time. Other concerts were just as good. My favorite was, Australia Rocks the Pier. There are many other concerts that are coming up during the summer. Most of them start at 7pm. And the shows usually go on for about two hours. I would suggest that you come early. Find a good spot to sit at. Bring a picnic blanket. A picnic basket...And have a picnic on the pier while watching live music. It doesn't get any better than this. There is also an option to picnic down below at the beach. It's a little darker there. But there are tons of people who go there too. From down there you're able to see the concert on a large jumbo-tron that they have. Parking for this place was pretty easy to find. I usually parked at the parking structure attached to the Santa Monica Place and walked down from there.

Every summer, there are concerts that take place at the SM pier. Admission is free, so there is a…read morehuge crowd that comes here. I recommend parking at SM Place, or any of the parking lots adjacent to the promenade. Parking near the pier can prove to be a nightmare during the concert times. Getting in is not hard at all. The line can get long, but it goes by fast. Security is provided by SMPD and LA County Sheriff's. The cops were very nice, and I appreciated them keeping any trouble makers out of this event. The concert itself was enjoyable. The group playing was great, and expanded my horizons as far as music goes. There were props all over the place, which were great. The lighting could use some improvement, as well as the main band's timing (they were 40 minutes late). But all in all, it was a good time and a good way to end the summer.