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The rich get richer, it seems, as Venice gains yet another chic natural wine bar along Abbot Kinney Boulevard, this one named Only the Wild Ones. The newcomer at 1201 Abbot Kinney (formerly the Otheroom) sits directly next door the Butcher’s Daughter and blocks from hotspots like Gjelina and Felix Trattoria.
The Venice area is already awash in stunning evening spaces where the drinks flow easily, from the recently-relocated Zinqué (now on Lincoln) to South End, Great White, Dudley Market, Barrique, and beyond. Only the Wild Ones already has plenty of local credibility, though, as its owned by Heather Tierney of Butcher’s Daughter and design firm Wanderlust Design. Tierney is a fixture in the Westside food scene and is taking her knack for building beautiful spaces into this new project.
Inside is the usual (and always Westside effective) wash of tan tones, blonde wood, and exposed brick. This iteration gets some delightful woven fabrics spread across low lounge seats, wicker detailing throughout the room, a touch of neon, and tall windows that look out onto the action beyond. An overhead disco ball and floral scape surrounding a skylight offer the brightest pops in the room.
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On the menu front, expect a full slate of natural wines, with most glasses hovering between $13 and $17 a pop. A compact menu of snacks leans mostly into bites like cheese boards, meatballs and burrata, and some salads, though there are more shareable pizzettes on offer as well — all from the Butcher’s Daughter executive chef Richard Rea, who also operates the company’s outdoorsy vegan spot De Buena Planta. Beyond the wine, there are cocktails available (including several low-ABV options), plus beer, mocktails, and housemade sodas. Grace Gaboury (the Tasting Kitchen, Chi Spacca) is on as beverage director, and the opening menu for both food and drinks is below.
The new Only the Wild Ones opens tonight, Friday, November 19, with hours from 4 p.m. to midnight daily.
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