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    The Whaler

    4.2 (403 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

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    THE WHALER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - The Whaler

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    Gary C.

    Right off the beach this is a loud fast pace place with lots of folks. My wife went with buttermilk chicken strips. While I chose the fish and chips. If your looking for place to drink this is you place. This is not a Military friendly restaurant.

    Chelsea B.

    Not bad! A great happy hour deal and a nice little meal. Vibes here are kind of barlike no matter the time of day and it was a little loud. But the food was solid, service was good, and there was a michelob ultra brand activation.

    Alex K.

    We popped in for a drink just around lunch time for something simple. It just opened not that long ago so it wasn't busy just yet. The whole inside was emptied as everyone was utilizing the front patio off of ocean blvd. Location wise, it's great as it's right across the street from the beach and pier. Perfect for people watching and having a meal or drinks. There's hi top tables along the side, tufted bar seating hi top on the opposite side. One corner was a little seating area with a fire pit. Menu wise, your usually lunch spot. Sandwiches, salads, shareable, pizzas, some specialty items and breakfast served. Not a lot in that but a few items. We just had drinks which were the mimosas served with a slice of orange. Portion wise was great. And the Bloody Mary. A pickle brine which was quite tasty and that had the adornment of olives, jalapeño and cucumber. It was quite tasty if I say so. We've been a few times and it's normally for drinks. Sometimes a plate to share of some sort. The service has been great. Amazing location and its prefect for lounging with friends and people watching.

    Outdoor seating area
    Veronika K.

    It was good. Nothing crazy not bad- just good Service I have experienced wasn't my favorite We were seating right away which was nice and great ocean view. Waitress came and we ordered drinks. I had Hugo/ I barely felt any alcohol there but okay. Was it good? Yes Did it taste like Hugo? NO! We waited for food 20+ minutes to come and no one came to ask us if we want another drinks so / or water so I had to sip on melting ice(thanks God). I had to share a napkin with my son because no one came to ask if everything is okay or we want another drink or water! I will not be coming back if you want to give a shot and had better experience please update it, but I'm giving a three star.. generally - disappointed Ps: it wasn't so full when I came in. I had to ask twice to pay the bill ..... (maybe it was a sign to leave? lol )

    I wish it had tasted as good as it looks - the meat was totally overcooked and the potatoes were cold and far away from being crisp :-(
    Guido K.

    Jeee-zus. Sadly, this is one of the tripe-F-restaurants (Triple F: Find em | F*** em | Forget em. My wife and I came to have a good time - and a nice lunch. We did not expect the Ritz, but this.... I ordered a soup as a starter and two sandwiches for my wife and myself as entrees, one with fries, one with breakfast potatoes. Our entrees were served a minute after the starter, so I had two spoonfuls - and then went to the entree, which looked delicious, as you see. Sadly my meat was far from the medium rare I had ordered - it was ultra well done. My wife's fish looked delicious but was drained in oil. Here fries were cold - and so were my country potatoes. I would not go again. A shame really, as the ambiance was appealing.

    February 6, 2026 | Friday Night | Scenery | Outside Patio! |
    Shantelle S.

    February 6, 2026 | Santa Monica | After an enjoyable evening over dinner, we decided to extend the evening to light drinks & lively conversation at a new location! The Whaler had a relaxing vibe, tropical drinks, and wonderful customer service! Mocktails | The Passionfruit drinks were perfectly tasty, a pretty orange shade, and garnished with an actual slice of dried passionfruit! He & I both ordered the same drink! Lounge Vibe | The outside front patio was ablaze with a fire pit, relaxing sofa seating with plush cushions & an excitable view by passer-buyers on the oceanfront! Inside | Spacious! I was immediately attracted to the numerous record covers displayed on the wall, which included Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, and a number of names that were new to me! Customer Service | Friendly, and inviting! Even as we were leaving, security/Doorman complemented the energy, as well as a friendly goodbye! Good vibes here! Overall | Customer service, relaxing vibe on this particular night, tasty drinks and especially the fire pit, I would easily return!

    Captain's table for two
    Alejandra F.

    Great spot for drinks. I ordered the captains table for two which brought a lot of food, could've fed 4 honestly, but was tasty

    Poke nachos
    Kevin H.

    This place appeared to be more of a bar / hangout spot than a place to eat with the family. I came here on a Saturday and it was loud with 90s music, which was fine! This place serves alcohol and has pretty good "bar" foods. Parking was bad, so just find local street parking. This place is right off the cost. The clam chowder has a bacon flavor. For the cost.c they give you only a little. I'd recommend the pizza and the poke nachos

    Fish and chips
    Jetrina M.

    We went here for dinner during dineLA and they had 3 courses for $35. We made a reservation online and were seated quickly when we arrived. We ordered the shrimp cocktail and oysters to start - both came with 2 pieces of food so a little on the small side. Ordered both the Cesar salad and shrimp Louie salad (they were out of Brussels sprouts), which were the size of a small side salad. The main entrees were pretty large - ordered the steak frites and the fish and chips. I think the fish and chips is the most bang for your buck and they both tasted great. Street parking or lot parking in one of the lots near 3rd street.

    Steak eggs and potatoes
    Kevin M.

    I am on a recreational trip to California this Christmas season. I stopped in here on Christmas Day. There was heavy rain from the atmospheric river yesterday, but today the sun is out and people were enjoying Santa Monica. I walked but I think there's a reasonable parking nearby. The setting is spectacular. From the patio there is a view of the ocean and beach. The decor is casual. Staff was friendly and prices are reasonable. I had steak and eggs. The chimi sauce with the steak was really delightful. The scrambled eggs were moist and tender. I enjoyed the diced potatoes as well. They had a crisp exterior and creamy interior, just what I like. This is a great way to enjoy Santa Monica! Good food, great view, nice people. I'm on an alcohol free kick for a while but if you choose, it looks like they have an outstanding bar.

    Keson T.

    I stumbled across this gem about two weeks ago and I've already returned like three times. The view of the Pacific, the friendly and prompt service, combined with the incredible food all brought this experience together very nicely. They have a great happy hour menu as well.

    Keri M.

    Welcoming with a great location. Not a large selection of specialty cocktails but if you're a Mezcal fan... look no further - the Westside Vibe is delicious. Sad to report the spicy tuna on crispy rice was average. Overall a cute spot to hop in for a few cocktails at the bar.

    Nijole T.

    What stood out here was the great service. The food was average, but the prices were fair, considering the area and made to order quickly. We did enjoy their drinks and they do have a good happy hour as well. Not my first option when in the area, but a solid happy hour.

    Shrimp Louie, close up

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    27 days ago

    Great service, great food, great location. Prices were reasonable, no complaints, definitely would recommend and would go back!

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    Not No Bar

    Not No Bar

    3.8(45 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    Such a special spot! Love the classic speakers, you got a DJ spinning scrumpcious beats, and the…read morekitchen is firing up some great plates...And the drinks....SLAM! Did I get all those descriptors mixed up? Music slams, kitchen is scrump....OH, this is creative writing, not grammarly. So, yes...tables are SCARSE! so you might stand and eat if you want, but here, the folks dance drink and drift. Super cool staff, and very nice atmos. Had the Aguachile pie, the Margherita, Salad pie, Clams, Tiramisu.....Let me take a moment folks....Tiramisu is not done right in MOST places, even claiming Italian. This dessert is one from Veneto, it is done with egg mostly yolk, espresso coffee, marcarpone cheese, and MARSALA WINE,...no sweet liquors or any other BS..its not supposed to be some sweet bomb dessert! Once you have it done right, and its fresh, you will see. This place out of so many I have tried actually does it right! Major points.We had a few other things linke Del Rancho, House of Learned Docs, and some Draft IPA. All solid, and some just great.

    Not No Bar keeps it simple with wood fired pizzas and cocktails. There is extremely limited open…read moreseating and it the whole place gets packed on the weekends with standing room only. It's sort of like, with not much room to sit, and not much room to stand, they didn't decide which one they wanted it to be. The ambiance is cool with a vinyl DJ and the pizza oven out in the open. There's some outdoor seating and it's kid and pet friendly until the later evening hours. The cocktail menu leans tiki, and I had the "I Believe In Science" made with gin, Thai basil, watermelon and soda water. It really didn't taste like much. Their pizza menu changes from time to time. We had the clam pizza which was almost personal pizza size and cost a cool $27. At that price, I would expect to be blown away. Overall, the whole experience was underwhelming.

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    Inside

    Not No Bar - Little gem salad.

    Little gem salad.

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    Bar Chloe

    Bar Chloe

    3.9(511 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    Intimate setting speakeasy, perfect sized room, great for date night and conversations. Nothing…read morememorable or impressive, not bad if you're around the area and want to stop by for quick drinks. Left after one drink, and went to another bar. Most of the bars are dive bars in downtown Santa Monica, and parking is quite accessible for this place. So I'd recommend for that reason. In terms of the drinks, I'm a huge fan of cocktail but I would say their menu selections are a bit limited. Nothing in the signature cocktail looks interesting to me, so I had the bartender make a classic cocktail instead. He's very attentive and friendly, didn't take forever to get a drink either, no attitude. Drinks aren't watered down either. Nice! You come here to grab quick drinks when you don't feel like being at a loud dive bar in the area, it's in a hotel but not too upscale, no strict dress code. Music is not loud and they have couches and booth if bar table if not your thing, you don't have to yell or pretend you hear everything to hold a conversation here (lol). ** Keep in mind 20% gratuity is automatically included in bill, it's my first time here. But I think I've other spots I'd prefer to be in, even at Santa Monica. Wouldn't be self-motivated to come back because there are better places that specialises mixology, and there are also better upscale hotel bars to be at. But if you're around the area it's a great intimate bar for date night that's not overly pricey. Wouldn't travel all the way to here just for this (if you know what I mean).

    I loved this bar. It was such a vibe. Very dark and moody, and served up great drinks. Located in…read moresanta monica, its a great spot to walk to from a few other eateries. I had the french 75 and it was tasty. We werent there long but it was busy for a Thursday night, would love to come back.

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    Bar Chloe
    Bar Chloe
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    The Lincoln - www.TheLincolnVenice.com #TheLincolnLA

    The Lincoln

    4.0(312 reviews)
    3.1 miVenice
    $$
    Hipster vibe
    Live music

    great spot that slowly turns into a full-on club as the night picks up. Starts off chill, but give…read moreit some time and it gets packed... like barely-room-to-walk packed. Energy goes way up with it though. Music is consistently great and the crowd matches it. Mostly a younger, high-energy vibe. If you actually want to enjoy your drinks and maybe chat with the bartenders, show up early. Once it gets going, it's all motion and noise. It's never disappointed us. You kind of know what you're signing up for, and it delivers every time. Ambiance leans classy without feeling vintage. Dim lighting, a touch of rustic, and just enough polish to set the tone without overdoing it. They've got a patio too, which comes in clutch when you need a breather or want to actually hear the person next to you. We usually do street parking and it's not too bad if you're willing to walk a bit. Reservation needed: Not really, unless you've got a big group and want your own section Parking: 6/10 - Street Crowd: 8/10 Vibe: 9/10 Service: 9/10 Music: 9/10 Drinks: 8/10 Price: $$

    I love it here! Ever since their remodel, this has been a go to spot for me. The ambience is…read moreamazing, low light but enough to still set the tone. I had a Miami Manny and boy was that thing smacking. That mezcal boy o boy.... Our bartender was super cool and helped navigate through the wide selection of drinks. I highly recommend going here!

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    The Lincoln - The Lincoln

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    Kavahana - Strawberry Matcha and Kona Coffee with Blue Spirulina Coconut Cream Top + O.G. Kava Nectar in a Coconut Shell

    Kavahana

    4.7(265 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$$
    Romantic vibe
    Pet friendly

    kavahana: won a giveaway a long time ago and finally got to try it. they actually recently opened a…read morelocation in hollywood but we were by santa monica this day so went to the og location. first time trying kava nectar and it was such a unique experience. we got the mango lassi w 2 shots of the kava nector and mango matcha w 2 shots as well. the kava nectar doesnt rlly effect the taste of the drink but u can def feel it. my tongue got alittle tingling after a few sips and i felt the relaxing affect a few mins in. felt like being tipsy without any of the bad alcoholic effects. but my friend didnt rlly feel it so everyones tolerance is different‍ also fun fact: kava nectar has a reverse tolerance effect so the next time you drink it the less you need to frel the same effect. overall p cool experience! highly recommend trying kava nectar atleast once!

    was just looking for a smoothie spot and ended up finding such a unique place -- a Hawaiian bar…read moreserving kava nectar drinks Honestly, I didn't even know what kava was before this. Turns out it's a relaxing non-alcoholic drink with a very unusual effect -- I felt a slight numbness on my tongue The bar itself was clean, atmospheric, and super cozy, the drink was actually really tasty, and the service was absolutely amazing. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. If you want to try something different and unique, this place is definitely worth visiting!

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    Coconut cups with coconut water

    Kavahana - Strawberry matcha, mango lassi nectar, paradise nectar, o.g. kava nectar, soupless island ramen, bread pudding, and li hing olives

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    neat

    neat

    4.2(255 reviews)
    3.1 miSawtelle
    $$

    Came here for happy hour on a Friday night after work. Luckily we found street parking fairly…read moreeasily just about a block from the bar. Appreciate that the bartenders were attentive and that the place wasn't too full or busy. Happy hour drinks are worth the price. The regular cocktails are good but cannot compare to more well known places. I liked that there were bar seats, standing tables and seated areas. I wish they had some bar snacks but because they don't offer food, you can bring your own.

    Stopped in on a Saturday night. It may have been way too early (around 7:30pm) but we easily found…read morea seat at the bar. It had a cool vibe and tons of allocated bottles on the bar (tequila and whiskey and whisky to name a few categories). The staff greeted us quickly and supplied us with some menus. I opted for the Idyllwild cocktail and loved it! It had the most complementary flavors and was so refreshing with the bourbon, yuzu, chartreuse, honey, and lemon flavors. My husband opted for a neat Caballito Cerrero Puntas pour (high proof agave spirit). They only had 0.5 Oz for their bottle and only charged for the partial pour. People came in and ordered anything from cocktails to neat pours to flights. It was a cool spot and the bartenders seemed pretty well versed in different cocktails, giving a few suggestions to different patrons. Even making a few Espresso Martinis for a couple of girls that didn't really like their initial cocktails. Staff was cool, attentive, and pretty quick and efficient with the pours. I'd definitely be down to try more drinks here if we roll through again. Luckily, we found some close street parking and it wasn't super busy so we easily found parking in the area. It also wasn't super packed in the venue so we could've opted for other seating--lounge areas, a few tables, or just at the bar.

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    Locked and loaded

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    The Whaler - breakfast_brunch - Updated June 2026

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