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    The Waterfront Venice

    3.9 (762 reviews)
    Closed 3:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    The Waterfront Venice Photos

    THE WATERFRONT VENICE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Touristy

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    Recommended Reviews - The Waterfront Venice

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    Nachos
    Lauren T.

    The atmosphere is fun and I liked the nachos (you can choose between 3 different sizes depending on how many people it's for), but the pina coladas were nasty. Don't use the restrooms outside in the trailer, so many tiny flies. Also, we sat in an area that didn't have a 'reserved, go see the host first' sign but half an hour after we sat down, a waitress came over to tell us we had to move even though there were other groups in our area who were not seated by the host either.

    Monica Q.

    Loved the ambiance and vibes here! We stopped by for drinks and ordered a Kona and a colada. The Kona was fantastic, and the colada was unique and definitely not your average colada, but still good! We didn't get to try the food because we had just eaten, everything coming out looked good though! The service is super casual, you seat yourself and order ahead via your phone, so you don't have a traditional waiter, but the entire staff was incredibly friendly and welcoming!

    Already closed by 8:30 on a Saturday night
    Allie G.

    Location is great, the indoor to outdoor open flow set up allows for a nice environment. We came in on a Saturday night at 8:30 and it was decently busy. However they had already closed off more than half the spaces. It felt like they were rushing to close which they ended up doing almost an hr earlier than their schedule says. Their margaritas were ok; the mixer was a little too sweet for my liking. Overall I feel this would've been a better outing if they didn't shut everything down so early and had better mixers for their beverages.

    Drea H.

    We ducked in here for a quick drink and rest while walking along the beach. It was such a perfect spot! They had daily drink deals on a cocktail of the day and can of the day. We got a couple of margaritas and kicked back To enjoy the sun setting. Awesome stop with top tier cali beachy vibes

    Back Patio Seating
    Luis M.

    I have always enjoyed brunch at the Waterfront. The private patio is great for large parties. Bottomless service was on the nose, drinks were being served back to back, love to see it. The breakfast burrito is a great choice, but the burgers and French toast looked delicious as well! Oh, and they have this thing called a Margarita Tower!

    QR menu
    Al L.

    Located on the Boardwalk at Rose Ave. There is plenty of parking and it's reasonable!! Perfect for a Sunday, they have televisions with the football games and very cool music playing in the background. The chicken was tender and really juicy. The waffles were soft and had powdered sugar nice! The Bloody Mary was ok, not a lot of vodka taste. Although the mix was tasty just not no bite.. So from entering into this place, greeted and seated, the staff were exceptionally professional and pleasant. Everything was brought out right away, tasted famously and I was wanting for nothing! Everyone here is accommodating and welcoming. If your in Venice, give this place a shot Oh BTW Behind the bar They have games, a ping pong table and corn toss. Great for kids or and afternoon battle with friends or a date!

    Live Music Sundays
    Parker G.

    The Waterfront Venice is a tricky one to rate because while I enjoy going here both for the food/drinks & the good vibes....it undeniably has VERY bad service. We stop by The Waterfront often to grab a drink or two and hang out during the weekend, but they also have some really great food options available. We've tried a few of them here and there over time, and I found most of them to be truly delicious, generously portioned, and reasonably priced! On a recent visit, for example, we got their Ceviche and the 6 Piece Fried Chicken Bucket. Both of them were SO yummy and the big pieces of chicken that literally came in a KFC-style bucket left us with extra to bring home as leftovers. Back to the service, however.....the whole time we were trying to dine and enjoy our food, servers kept coming over and asking if either we had been seated by a host or if we had paid yet or not....MULTIPLE TIMES. It was a definite detraction from trying to enjoy eating there....communication lines definitely need to be smoothed out. Also, the service just in general was off-putting and rude, with the waitress seeming very short tempered and irritable with us while taking our order initially. And if you're coming here just for a drink or two, GOOD LUCK getting the attention of the bartenders. They'll literally stand around either on their phone or chatting/flirting with some girls while there's a WHOLE LINE of people trying to order drinks. There's often DJ's or bands here for live music during the weekends, which I enjoy going to sometimes..just keep in mind that it gets QUITE packed, which also makes it even harder to order from the very slow service here. Overall, The Waterfront is a fun spot to hang out at with solid, generously portioned food. Some people love it, while others likely feel the opposite!

    Fritz H.

    We had a table in the back for our group of eight, which worked out nicely. We started with drinks all around. My choice was the spicy margarita. It was fine, but nothing particularly memorable. For appetizers, we ordered the nachos and tater tots. The nachos were excellent a generous spread with plenty of toppings and dressings, well-balanced and flavorful. For my main, I went with the Venice Bowl with shrimp, and it was the highlight of my meal. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the mix of sauce, fresh vegetables, rice, and avocado made for a delicious, well-rounded dish. Overall, it was a good experience. While I'm not sure when I'll be back, the food especially the nachos and Venice Bowl left a positive impression.

    Sadel S.

    The Waterfront is a nice, almost hidden in restaurant on Venice Boardwalk. Their decor is cute and there's games/activities, a nice bar, and fans all over the place - so the breeze was super nice! Waitstaff were friendly, but a bit slow with coming back and checking in. We would have order more food and drinks had they checked on us again. The bathrooms are camp-style... Hot bathrooms, doors are hard to lock, foot pump to "flush", but...they work! Lol Parking for the beach (closest to the restaurant) can be confusing. If you're in the back alley roads where the GPS takes you then: valet is in the back of the restaurant $15 (w/ validation), but the block directly past that, you make a right and that takes you to the entrance to the beach parking lot. The food was good! I got the fish n chips and it was fresh. The fries were good and their tarter was awesome. I also liked the margarita. I'd go back to try more. It seems flustering if it's your 1st visit and you're not already walking the pier, but once you've been, the whole process will be easier.

    Seairra D.

    Super great service, really cute place and nice vibe. The food is pretty standard but good.

    Patio View
    David L.

    Decent drinks, food is below average. Do not order the chips and queso/salsa, it's terrible.

    Açaí bowl
    Tara F.

    Been here several times before but when I came here last on Sunday during brunch time, it was pretty shocking and depressing how dead it was. But I guess that is the state of the economy now. Once upon a time, this place used to be so fun and lively, but now, at 1:30 pm on a Sunday, it was literally just me and my bf sitting in that entire outside nice area until another party arrived. The food was okay - nothing to rave about. Service was decent. Felt a bit of a waste of our Sunday funday :(

    Menu
    Alexis M.

    I see what other reviews say about this feeling like a frat house that's a bar lol but thankfully they do have seating away from the crowded bar area. My friend and I came during happy hour and ordered the happy hour bubbly wine and rose. Our amazing server brought both happy hour drinks out at the same time which was great. I also ordered the tots loaded in size small and they were yummy! Good spot along the beach and nice happy hour deals

    Guacamole, chips and salsa

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    The Waterfront Venice Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Waterfront Venice

    Is the outdoor area dog friendly?

    Hi Kevin, We are dog friendly but do not permit our furry friends after 3pm on a Saturday. The place… 

    Is there still a ping pong table?

    I did not see one when I walls there. But I wasn't really paying attention. There was cornhole.

    Are kids allowed on Saturday for brunch?

    Hello! I am not sure because the two times that I've been were for dinner. I heard nothing but good stuff about their brunch. I would imagine that children would be allowed. I mean it's brunch it's not a strip club lol. Just make sure they don't get… 

    Is brunch offered on Sunday?

    How much is the bottomless brunch on Sundays? Also is that included the food and drinks? Thank you

    You can't buy bottomless without spending another $35 for food buffet, its $75 total. You only get 1.5 hours of drinking and then you lose your table and bottomless drinks. Don't waste your money.

    How much is the Saturday brunch buffet?

    $35 for all you can eat $30 for bottomless cocktails IF they are bought in tandem with the bottomless brunch option.… 

    Is there a happy hour on weekdays?

    Hi Brenda, yes there is. We open for happy hour between 3pm and 5.30pm on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Hope to see you there!

    Are you serving liquor yet? I saw a post from 27 days ago saying no liquor was being sold

    In sure they are if they have cocktails on the menu

    Gluten free options?

    Yes - Alternative options are available for GF guests

    What time is your guys happy hour on Saturdays? I have been calling but no one is picking up the phone unfortunately.

    There's no Happy Hour on Saturdays. 3pm is when the DJ starts and the standing bar areas are opened for walkins

    I've been sending emails about making a reservation since June 23, can someone please get back to me ?thanks

    HI Maryanne, I don't see any emails from you. Please note that all of our reservation slots are… 

    Will you be showing the Dodger game tonight?

    Hi Hamish, Unfortunately we are not planning to show sports at the moment.… 

    Are they open for dine in?

    Hi Alli, Yes we are open for dine-in, Thursday - Sunday.… 

    Do they have bottomless mimosas?

    Unfortunately we do not

    Can you bring kids during the day?

    Yep

    Is the Waterfront open on CHRISTMAS DAY, 12/25/2019 for BRUNCH, 10am? we have a party of 10people and we're looking for a delicious brunch for a bunch of foodies. ;)

    HI, Sadly we are closed from December 23-25 to allow staff to celebrate with their families.… 

    What about parking? Is there valet?

    Parking near by for $5+

    Are dogs allowed?

    Yes! Dogs are more than welcome in any of our outdoor areas!

    Does this place finally have a full bar or still only beer and their specialty drinks which aren't that good?

    No full bar, only beer and wine/wine-based "liquors."

    What happened to the old classic Waterfront? Did the owners sell? The classic German food and weird local vibe gone?

    Probably sold. This is a new very hip restaurant serving American and Mexican cuisine

    View All 36 Questions

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    La Purépecha Cocína Mexicana

    4.4
    (180 reviews)
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    I can't recommend La Purépecha Cocina Mexicana enough! If you're looking for authentic Mexican…read morefood, this is the place to go. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and homemade tortillas you can truly taste the quality in every bite. I highly recommend the Burrito Mojado with Salsa Verde. It was absolutely delicious! The salsa had the perfect balance of flavor, and the burrito was cooked to perfection. They also have freshly made drinks that were incredibly refreshing and the perfect choice for this hot weather. They paired perfectly with the meal and made the whole experience even better. What really stood out was the outstanding customer service. Everyone greeted us with a smile, was incredibly kind and patient, and took the time to help us choose what to order. You can tell they genuinely care about making every customer feel welcome. The restaurant was also spotless, had a fun and inviting atmosphere, and the music created a great vibe. From the food to the service, everything exceeded my expectations. I'll definitely be coming back and will be recommending this place to all my family and friends. If you're craving authentic Mexican food with amazing service, delicious fresh drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere, don't miss this hidden gem!

    If I could give this place zero stars I would. We got the California burrito with carnitas, a…read moreburrito mojado and a steak quesadilla and they were all disgusting. We literally threw it all away. The carnitas was so tough you couldn't chew it. The chicken in the mojado burrito was dry chunks of flavorless baked chicken. And the rice was so overcooked it was impossible to tell the difference between it and the refried beans. The supposed mole sauce was canned red enchilada sauce. And the cheese in the quesadillas tasted like bad Swiss cheese. They should be ashamed of themselves you could find better Mexican food in Ohio

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    Restroom for Customers
    Restroom for Customers
    Fish taco
    Fish taco
    La Purépecha Cocína Mexicana

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    Tacos Por Favor

    Tacos Por Favor

    3.8
    (1.8k reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Been coming here a ton. Totally reasonable prices. I've had the mahi mahi burrito, shrimp burrito…read more they've got great veggies in there. I've also had both as a breakfast burrito too which are similar and come with potatoes and eggs. I really like their green salsa, red is a little spicy. I actually like the bag of chips, keeps me portion controlled. Nice size menu. I had the huarache the other day, I enjoyed it, but not as much as the burrito and some other places I've had huarache at. Big venue, order at counter and sit. People behind the counter have been super friendly as is the woman who hands out the food.

    So classic, such a constant neighborhood food hub in the area…read more One of my first creative jobs (at $75 a day) was in a commercial production and motion design studio in a Frank Gehry loft on nearby 12th street. The work was tedious, the people often annoying, but the learning real. And I would duck out to grab a burrito at TPF at lunch because the walk there and back was almost meditative. TPF speaks to an earlier version of Santa Monica, before Silicon Beach happened. When Dogtown was still in transition, the commercial and industrial spaces still plentiful, and the creativity flowed. I usually get a chicken burrito. It's great. The space hasn't changed. And is never crowded. But you see people popping in, and you can tell that maybe they were having a slow day at home, and that a little homestyle Mexican comfort food is part of their ritual. Their salsas are incredible and I've never tasted similar ones elsewhere. If you're looking for a simple, satisfying, no-frills Mexican experience, this is it.

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    Menu
    Menu
    Burrito Bowl
    Burrito Bowl
    Taco Pastor $4 and Taco Asada $4.15

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    Taco Pastor $4 and Taco Asada $4.15

    The Waterfront Venice - beergardens - Updated August 2026

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