clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Venice’s Busy Waterfront Gets Big New Boost of Breakfast Tacos and Beer

The Waterfront reimagines a local hang

Venice
A crowded scene in Venice
Flickr/Richard Ha

Big things are happening out near the water in Venice, as the ongoing remake of the shuttered On the Waterfront Cafe continues with speed. The new name of the busy new project is simply The Waterfront, and it is said to soon offer a collection of fun new details, including retail spaces, murals, and a standalone taco spot serving handmade tortillas.

The primary dining option for The Waterfront will still be a casual cafe that serves all day and retains some of the beloved dishes from the old days. That means a warm, soft pretzel at just about any hour, plus salads, sandwiches, and the like. There will be a to-go component as well, offering coffee, healthy morning bowls, breakfast sandwiches, and pastries from Mr. Holmes Bakehouse, before transitioning into staples like burgers and fish and chips for lunch through early dinner. The sit-down cafe itself will serve lots of beer as well as a late night food menu that runs to midnight or so.

Perhaps most interesting is Boardwalk Tacos, a separate takeaway taqueria operating on property that will make its own tortillas every day by hand. That business will run concurrently with the others, doing hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and serving a rotating collection of options from breakfast tacos to more classic carne asada, fish, chicken, and vegetarian options throughout the rest of the day.

On the Waterfront was a beachside staple for a generation of Venice weekenders and tourists alike, who could find colorful characters and spectacular sunsets hovering around outside most days. The restaurant ultimately survived for close to 25 years before closing right after Christmas last winter.

The Waterfront. 205 Ocean Front Walk, Los Angeles, CA.

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for the Eater Los Angeles newsletter

The freshest news from the local food world