clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Lobster Rolls and Sandy Sunsets Arrive at This Historic Santa Monica Hotel

Hotel Casa del Mar’s breezy ocean-level terrace is reborn as a sunny spot for lots of seafood

A low level photo of a restaurant with marble tables along the sand with the ocean in the background.
Patio del Mar
Wonho Frank Lee
Farley Elliott is the Senior Editor at Eater LA and the author of Los Angeles Street Food: A History From Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. He covers restaurants in every form, from breaking news to the culture, people, and history that surrounds LA's dining landscape.

There’s a new seaside dining option to know about in Santa Monica this week, as the historic Hotel Casa del Mar has revamped its oceanfront dining space to allow for even more sun, big ocean views, and loads of seafood.

The new Patio del Mar has arrived as of last weekend, offering nearly unrivaled access to the sandy strand along Ocean Way in Santa Monica. The focus here is on simple solutions for refreshing dining at the beach, meaning everything from heirloom tomato, melon, and burrata salads to both East and West Coast oysters, ceviches, and a lobster roll made with Maine lobsters. This being a hotel still, diners can also find a wagyu burger and avocado toast spread across lunch through sunset hours.

Ocean views are nothing new for many Westside restaurants, particularly those that hug the coast from Malibu to Santa Monica to Venice. But few have the kind of right-on-the-sand access that the redone Patio del Mar provides, well away from the busier, more crowded Venice Boardwalk. Here diners can snack away while sipping on rose, seltzers, sangria, or $16 spritzes. It’s an ideal life for visitors staying at the hotel or locals looking to get away for an afternoon. The opening menu is below.

Expect a busy weekend at Patio del Mar, with temperatures climbing to 90 degrees or more across Southern California. And while the restaurant may not offer the same kind of range of quality seafood as nearby spots like Crudo e Nudo — or the celebrity-watching that can be found at spots like Nobu Malibu, or the fried fish bonanza that is Neptune’s Net — the patio is still certain to be a summertime hit. Hours for the new Patio del Mar run Thursday through Monday, beginning at noon (last seating is at 7 p.m.)

An overhead view of a marble table and white table with scallops and seafood.
Scallops and wine
An overhead shot of salmon chopped up on top of avocado on a dusted plate with wine.
Salmon tartare
A wide patio with lots of umbrellas and views to the sand and, far away, the ocean.

Hotel Casa del Mar

1910 Ocean Way, Santa Monica, CA 90405