Food Scene
Poom Thai Cuisine
2204 Lincoln BlvdIt's delicious Thai nearby
A fun 24 hour diner with greasy and healthy options. $4.50 breakfast special before 11 on weekdays. Late night celebrity sightings
116 locals recommend
Swingers
8020 Beverly BlvdA fun 24 hour diner with greasy and healthy options. $4.50 breakfast special before 11 on weekdays. Late night celebrity sightings
Delicious Jerk chicken is their specialty. But our favorite part is you can bring you own beer or wine!
83 locals recommend
Cha Cha Chicken
1906 Ocean AveDelicious Jerk chicken is their specialty. But our favorite part is you can bring you own beer or wine!
Tacos Por Favor
1408 Olympic BlvdA staple for the area. Cheap and authentic Mexican food.
Lares
2909 Pico BlvdAnother good Mexican restaurant. Good food and margaritas.
A good place for soft serve, burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. Walk up window. Very cheap and cash only.
12 locals recommend
Fosters Freeze
2760 Fletcher DrA good place for soft serve, burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. Walk up window. Very cheap and cash only.
Tons of mix n' match pasta choices with huge portions. Usually there's a wait.
76 locals recommend
Fritto Misto
620 Santa Monica BlvdTons of mix n' match pasta choices with huge portions. Usually there's a wait.
People swear this is the best place for coffee in LA. Be prepared to pay a premium for it.
27 locals recommend
Funnel Mill Rare Coffee & Tea
1506 BroadwayPeople swear this is the best place for coffee in LA. Be prepared to pay a premium for it.
Starbucks
12100 Santa Monica BlvdIt's Starbucks.
One of our favorite restaurants. It's a small restaurant serving Japanese tapas fusion. The Japanese risotto and Pork belly are your two best bets
12 locals recommend
Musha
424 Wilshire BlvdOne of our favorite restaurants. It's a small restaurant serving Japanese tapas fusion. The Japanese risotto and Pork belly are your two best bets
Consistently voted Santa Monica's best hamburger. Also try their sweet potato fries. The have an amazing beer list, but if you want a mix drink, you need to go to their Culver City location.
344 locals recommend
Father's Office
1018 Montana AveConsistently voted Santa Monica's best hamburger. Also try their sweet potato fries. The have an amazing beer list, but if you want a mix drink, you need to go to their Culver City location.
A nice restaurant for some healthy portions. Indoor and outdoor seating. All the food is good and a little pricey
85 locals recommend
M Street Kitchen
2000 Main StA nice restaurant for some healthy portions. Indoor and outdoor seating. All the food is good and a little pricey
It's cheap and good quality fast food chicken and Mexican food. A popular Southern California chain.
20 locals recommend
El Pollo Loco
1906 Lincoln BlvdIt's cheap and good quality fast food chicken and Mexican food. A popular Southern California chain.
One of our closest coffee shops, and a nice walk through the neighborhood to get there.
84 locals recommend
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
829 Wilshire BlvdOne of our closest coffee shops, and a nice walk through the neighborhood to get there.
A great street of authentic and inexpensive Japanese restaurants. Some people call it Ramen Row.
6 locals recommend
Sawtelle Blvd
Sawtelle BoulevardA great street of authentic and inexpensive Japanese restaurants. Some people call it Ramen Row.
New and trendy gastro pub with small plates. Their sandwiches are great and the beer bacon popcorn's worth a try!
11 locals recommend
Next Door by Josie
2420 Pico BlvdNew and trendy gastro pub with small plates. Their sandwiches are great and the beer bacon popcorn's worth a try!
Everything Else
An easily walkable park with a children's play area, basketball courts, and picnic tables w/ barbecues.
26 locals recommend
Virginia Avenue Park
2200 Virginia AveAn easily walkable park with a children's play area, basketball courts, and picnic tables w/ barbecues.
The Santa Monica Aquatic Center has great pools for lap swim or for just wading around. Around $5 entrance. Special family deals on the weekends.
73 locals recommend
Santa Monica College
1900 Pico BlvdThe Santa Monica Aquatic Center has great pools for lap swim or for just wading around. Around $5 entrance. Special family deals on the weekends.
Temescal Canyon Park
15900 Pacific Coast HwyGreat places for hikes with views of the city and ocean.
InterContinental Los Angeles Century City
2151 Avenue of the StarsOur closest rock climbing gym.
Essentials
Vons
4030 S Centinela AveIt's the largest grocery store close by.
Trader Joe's
6150 Slauson AveGood quality friendly grocery store.
Whole Foods Market
225 Lincoln BlvdHigh-end local/organic grocery shopping
It's the closest place to find groceries, but the selection's not great and it's pretty pricey. If you don't mind the distance, Vons is a better bet.
18 locals recommend
Yummy.com
1308 Pico BlvdIt's the closest place to find groceries, but the selection's not great and it's pretty pricey. If you don't mind the distance, Vons is a better bet.
Shopping
Main Street
Main StreetBoutique shops and nice restaurants near the beach.
Montana Avenue
Montana AvenueSanta Monica's high-end shopping district.
A great mall - the most LA place to shop. Good restaurants, a movie theater and a farmers market. Plus they film Extra there.
2580 locals recommend
The Grove
189 The Grove DrA great mall - the most LA place to shop. Good restaurants, a movie theater and a farmers market. Plus they film Extra there.
Drinks & Nightlife
A restaurant with a great happy hour Sunday thru Friday from 6-8 and 10-close. They have good prices on select seafood happy hour appetizers. They also make a GREAT bloody mary.
75 locals recommend
Enterprise Fish Co.
174 Kinney StA restaurant with a great happy hour Sunday thru Friday from 6-8 and 10-close. They have good prices on select seafood happy hour appetizers. They also make a GREAT bloody mary.
A large menu of specialty mixed drinks. $5 drink specials on Monday, happy hour every evening. It has a nice Manhattan hole-in-the-wall bar feel.
26 locals recommend
Copa d'Oro
217 BroadwayA large menu of specialty mixed drinks. $5 drink specials on Monday, happy hour every evening. It has a nice Manhattan hole-in-the-wall bar feel.
Great wine bar with a hip vibe. Good happy hour if we remember correctly!
81 locals recommend
Bodega Wine Bar Pasadena
300 E Colorado BlvdGreat wine bar with a hip vibe. Good happy hour if we remember correctly!
The Edison
A great downtown bar - dress code enforced.
Behind the Victorian, this hip bar has a great vibe and good people-watching.
83 locals recommend
Basement Tavern
2640 Main StBehind the Victorian, this hip bar has a great vibe and good people-watching.
Arts & Culture
A beautifully designed library with computer access and lots of media and books
26 locals recommend
Santa Monica Public Library
601 Santa Monica BlvdA beautifully designed library with computer access and lots of media and books
The Getty Villa
17985 Pacific Coast HwyA museum with beautiful views.
Sightseeing
At the end of Colorado street you can walk down to the pier and there are fun carnival games and amusement park rides. Day passes are available.
2744 locals recommend
Santa Monica Pier
200 Santa Monica PierAt the end of Colorado street you can walk down to the pier and there are fun carnival games and amusement park rides. Day passes are available.
This road gives you a good view of the Hollywood sign. If you follow it to the top of the hill, you'll eventually be right at the base of the sign, and a big fence that says "Do Not Enter"
7 locals recommend
North Beachwood Drive
Beachwood DriveThis road gives you a good view of the Hollywood sign. If you follow it to the top of the hill, you'll eventually be right at the base of the sign, and a big fence that says "Do Not Enter"
Check out all the weightlifters at the famous Muscle Beach. It's a great walk or bike ride from our house with tons of sights to see on the way.
1387 locals recommend
Venice Beach
1900 Ocean Front WalkCheck out all the weightlifters at the famous Muscle Beach. It's a great walk or bike ride from our house with tons of sights to see on the way.
A great street for window-shopping & people watching, packed with boutiques & trendy restaurants & bars like Lemonade, Abbot's Habit, Gjelina, and the otheroom.
http://www.abbotkinneyonline.com/
1065 locals recommend
Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Abbot Kinney BoulevardA great street for window-shopping & people watching, packed with boutiques & trendy restaurants & bars like Lemonade, Abbot's Habit, Gjelina, and the otheroom.
http://www.abbotkinneyonline.com/
This is a great street for authentic Mexican food and souvenirs.
27 locals recommend
El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument
125 Paseo De La PlazaThis is a great street for authentic Mexican food and souvenirs.