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A grilled steak with onions, a side of french fries, and sauce poured on top at Coucou restaurant in Venice, California.
Steak frites at Coucou in Venice.
Nick Walker Studio

18 Fantastic Restaurants in LA’s Beachy Venice Neighborhood

One of LA’s most storied restaurant scenes, Venice melds beach vibes with upscale eateries in some of the city’s most stylish streets

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Steak frites at Coucou in Venice.
| Nick Walker Studio

Venice has undergone dramatic changes over the past few decades. What was once an artist community has transformed into arguably the coolest neighborhood in all of Los Angeles. It’s not cheap to live (or dine) in Venice these days, but thankfully a variety of eating options exist for the neighborhood, its many tourists, and everyday Angelenos ready to head to the beach for a bite. Here are 18 of the best places to eat in Venice, including steak, pasta, classic dive bar burgers, and market-fresh produce — all listed geographically.

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Dudley Market

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Last year this seafood destination partnered with famed Baja California chef Diego Hernandez to inject a bit of Alta California flavor into the menu, with longtime barista Nicely Abel serving quality espresso drinks by morning. Pairing locally caught or well-sourced seafood, fresh oysters, natural wine, and HiFi tunes by the evenings, Dudley Market is a gem of Venice’s restaurant scene.

Dudley Market Venice 2019 New
Crudo at Dudley Market.

With a brick-lined, charming space along Main Street just on the edge of where Venice meets Santa Monica, Coucou serves a tight menu of updated French bistro classics like hamachi ceviche with coconut milk, fried olives, and shucked oysters to enjoy before steak frites, a cheesy burger, and mussels marinere studded with soft lentils. Try the $25 “perfect” martini, strong enough to account for almost two drinks.

The bar at Coucou restaurant in Venice, California.
Bar at Coucou in Venice.
Nick Walker Studio

The Rose Venice

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Jason Neroni’s remake of the iconic 1979 Rose Café is still a staple in the neighborhood. From soy milk chai lattes in the morning to tagliatelle with Santa Barbara uni in the evening, this restaurant megaplex has it all, and all day long. Even better, the expansive outdoor patio will impress those out-of-town relatives when they drop into Los Angeles.

La Isla Bonita

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Longtime neighborhood mariscos truck La Isla Bonita from chef Antonio Gonzalez serves chopped fish and shrimp ceviches over crisp tostadas; tacos of all types, including carne asada; and heaping cocteles stuffed with fresh seafood that taste even better with that ocean breeze coming in from Venice Beach just a few yards away. It’s probably one of the best budget spots to eat in this mostly very expensive neighborhood. Open 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday to Wednesday, closed Thursdays.

La Isla Bonita Taco Truck
La Isla Bonita Taco Truck.
La Isla Bonita

The Wee Chippy

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Scottish native Joe Gorrie opened this homage to fish and chips in 2009, and the neighborhood took to it right away. His menu is full of salty and crispy renditions of the familiar combination that cost around $16 (with a vegan and a gluten-free option for the same price).

Fish and fries on paper.
Wee Chippy’s famous fish and chips.
The Wee Chippy

American Beauty

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The chops at this modern steakhouse and bustling Venice restaurant are grilled over almond wood and finished simply with salt and butter. Meanwhile, sides like the melty, sour cream-stuffed hash browns and grilled artichoke complete the meal. The Win-dow, the outpost’s to-go option, slings smashburgers and affordable grain bowls during the daytime.

Wooden tables and chairs in a dim steakhouse room.
Dining room inside American Beauty in Venice.
Wonho Frank Lee

It seems that Gjusta can do no wrong, with just about everything coming out of the kitchen — from cured fish plates served with slabs of its folkloric, fresh-baked bread to heaping bowls of pork posole — tasting crazy-delicious. And now that the restaurant and bakery has graduated from the days of milk crates with actual patio seating, there are few reasons to not stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Belles Beach House

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The beach seems to come right to diners and drinkers at Belles Beach House, the Tulum-meets-Tiki newcomer on Windward where the coolest of the westside set hang out these days. Part bar, part restaurant, this is the place to smell the salty ocean and maybe see someone famous as you dine on pan-Asian dishes with Polynesian influences. Try the epic teriyaki cheeseburger with a draft yuzu spritz cocktail.

Tiki-style bar at Belles Beach House in Venice with wood chairs.
Tulum-meets-tiki vibes at Winston House.
Wonho Frank Lee

Market Venice

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Planted under white brick arches on a surprisingly quiet boardwalk alley in Venice Beach, Market is an Italian restaurant that opened in March 2022. It has been quietly delighting locals and visitors with its unfussy, aperitivo-influenced menu, bold wines, and indoor-outdoor layout (the glass walls to the inside open completely, and the front patio has ample seating). On a menu that focuses heavily on what’s seasonal in the — surprise — market, it’s hard to pinpoint one dish to be most enamored with. Regardless of the punchy salads and fresh pastas to start with, always include the crispy fried potatoes, a dish that could itself be the centerpiece of any meal. 

A white bowl holding fried potatoes dressed in housemade ranch and speckled with chives; to the side, a corner of a bowl with eggplant pasta.
Crispy, craggy potatoes from Market Venice.
Nicole Adlman

Gran Blanco

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Gran Blanco is among Venice’s best natural wine bars, a cozy and dimly lit dinner and drinks hang out right under the iconic Venice sign and steps from the beach. Hip kids mix with surfers, tourists, and everyone else inside the whitewashed evening space, open Wednesday through Sunday.

Chef Evan Funke’s dedication to serving some of the best pizza and handmade pasta in the city has yielded tremendous results. Plan on making several return trips to eat through the pasta menu, which is broken down by regions of Italy — and don’t forget to catch the pasta-making action from the main dining room.

Located in the former 20-year-old Canal Club, Ospi from chef Jackson Kalb and Melissa Saka is making some of the city’s top thin-crust pizzas and pastas, along with meatballs and lots of vegetables for starters and larger mains like a crispy branzino, butter chicken, and pork collar. The secret to any order here is a side of spicy Japanese eggplant and the frisbee-sized fried provolone with vodka sauce to start.

A thin, crispy pizza and sides like toast from above at a restaurant.
Thin-crust pizza and sides at Ospi.
Wonho Frank Lee

De Buena Planta

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De Buena Planta, which comes from the same folks behind the Butcher’s Daughter, serves well-prepared vegetarian Mexican fare along with a fine cocktail list. Meatless taco fillings include Impossible asada, squash, and cauliflower.

Casablanca

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This Lincoln Boulevard restaurant has kept its doors open for more than 40 years — no easy feat for a dynamic food scene like that of Venice. It might be the house-made tortillas and 250-plus tequila options that keep fans coming back, in addition to the restaurant’s signature calamari steak, squid pounded into a steak and served lightly fried.

Flour tortillas in the making at Casablanca, Venice.
Flour tortillas in the making at Casablanca, Venice.

Willie Mae's Restaurant - Venice

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New Orleans transplant Willie Mae’s has fit right into this more inland location along Lincoln Boulevard, bringing some of the best Southern fried chicken this city has ever seen, with a shatteringly crisp crust and juicy, flavorful meat. Throw in some favorites like a killer bowl of gumbo and amazing sides, and Willie Mae’s stands as a real fried chicken destination.

Gumbo from Willie Mae’s in Venice.
Gumbo from Willie Mae’s in Venice.
Matthew Kang

Hinano Cafe

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This iconic burger shack just steps from the Venice Beach pier has been slinging casual fare and brews since 1962. A favorite of both rock legends and locals, there is little argument that this is one of LA’s most beloved dives; it also serves a hefty, eggy burrito in the morning for hungry surfers and locals who need a substantial weekday breakfast.

Burger at Hinano Cafe
Hinano Cafe’s famous cheeseburger.
Farley Elliott

Paloma Venice

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While the cuisine isn’t groundbreaking at Paloma, offering coastal Mediterranean and French fare like pasta, crudo, grilled steak, and fish, Paloma offers a bit of everything for tourists and locals. The sweet, expansive patio also makes a fine crowd-pleaser, especially with well-made spritzes and other summery cocktails.

An outdoor dining area with hanging lamps and plants at Paloma restaurant in Venice, California.
Outdoor patio of Paloma in Venice.
Stan Lee

Night + Market Sahm

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Get to Venice for some of Los Angeles’s best Thai food, made with color and care by chef Kris Yenbamroong. This spot doesn’t skimp on flavors or heat, making it one of the hottest (in many ways) places to dine in all of Venice. Don’t forget to try a bottle from the stellar natural wine list.

A pink Thai restaurant with aqua blue awning shown at its corner from the day.
The exterior of Night + Market Sahm.
Wonho Frank Lee

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Dudley Market

Last year this seafood destination partnered with famed Baja California chef Diego Hernandez to inject a bit of Alta California flavor into the menu, with longtime barista Nicely Abel serving quality espresso drinks by morning. Pairing locally caught or well-sourced seafood, fresh oysters, natural wine, and HiFi tunes by the evenings, Dudley Market is a gem of Venice’s restaurant scene.

Dudley Market Venice 2019 New
Crudo at Dudley Market.

Coucou

With a brick-lined, charming space along Main Street just on the edge of where Venice meets Santa Monica, Coucou serves a tight menu of updated French bistro classics like hamachi ceviche with coconut milk, fried olives, and shucked oysters to enjoy before steak frites, a cheesy burger, and mussels marinere studded with soft lentils. Try the $25 “perfect” martini, strong enough to account for almost two drinks.

The bar at Coucou restaurant in Venice, California.
Bar at Coucou in Venice.
Nick Walker Studio

The Rose Venice

Jason Neroni’s remake of the iconic 1979 Rose Café is still a staple in the neighborhood. From soy milk chai lattes in the morning to tagliatelle with Santa Barbara uni in the evening, this restaurant megaplex has it all, and all day long. Even better, the expansive outdoor patio will impress those out-of-town relatives when they drop into Los Angeles.

La Isla Bonita

Longtime neighborhood mariscos truck La Isla Bonita from chef Antonio Gonzalez serves chopped fish and shrimp ceviches over crisp tostadas; tacos of all types, including carne asada; and heaping cocteles stuffed with fresh seafood that taste even better with that ocean breeze coming in from Venice Beach just a few yards away. It’s probably one of the best budget spots to eat in this mostly very expensive neighborhood. Open 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday to Wednesday, closed Thursdays.

La Isla Bonita Taco Truck
La Isla Bonita Taco Truck.
La Isla Bonita

The Wee Chippy

Scottish native Joe Gorrie opened this homage to fish and chips in 2009, and the neighborhood took to it right away. His menu is full of salty and crispy renditions of the familiar combination that cost around $16 (with a vegan and a gluten-free option for the same price).

Fish and fries on paper.
Wee Chippy’s famous fish and chips.
The Wee Chippy

American Beauty

The chops at this modern steakhouse and bustling Venice restaurant are grilled over almond wood and finished simply with salt and butter. Meanwhile, sides like the melty, sour cream-stuffed hash browns and grilled artichoke complete the meal. The Win-dow, the outpost’s to-go option, slings smashburgers and affordable grain bowls during the daytime.

Wooden tables and chairs in a dim steakhouse room.
Dining room inside American Beauty in Venice.
Wonho Frank Lee

Gjusta

It seems that Gjusta can do no wrong, with just about everything coming out of the kitchen — from cured fish plates served with slabs of its folkloric, fresh-baked bread to heaping bowls of pork posole — tasting crazy-delicious. And now that the restaurant and bakery has graduated from the days of milk crates with actual patio seating, there are few reasons to not stop in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Belles Beach House

The beach seems to come right to diners and drinkers at Belles Beach House, the Tulum-meets-Tiki newcomer on Windward where the coolest of the westside set hang out these days. Part bar, part restaurant, this is the place to smell the salty ocean and maybe see someone famous as you dine on pan-Asian dishes with Polynesian influences. Try the epic teriyaki cheeseburger with a draft yuzu spritz cocktail.

Tiki-style bar at Belles Beach House in Venice with wood chairs.
Tulum-meets-tiki vibes at Winston House.
Wonho Frank Lee

Market Venice

Planted under white brick arches on a surprisingly quiet boardwalk alley in Venice Beach, Market is an Italian restaurant that opened in March 2022. It has been quietly delighting locals and visitors with its unfussy, aperitivo-influenced menu, bold wines, and indoor-outdoor layout (the glass walls to the inside open completely, and the front patio has ample seating). On a menu that focuses heavily on what’s seasonal in the — surprise — market, it’s hard to pinpoint one dish to be most enamored with. Regardless of the punchy salads and fresh pastas to start with, always include the crispy fried potatoes, a dish that could itself be the centerpiece of any meal. 

A white bowl holding fried potatoes dressed in housemade ranch and speckled with chives; to the side, a corner of a bowl with eggplant pasta.
Crispy, craggy potatoes from Market Venice.
Nicole Adlman

Gran Blanco

Gran Blanco is among Venice’s best natural wine bars, a cozy and dimly lit dinner and drinks hang out right under the iconic Venice sign and steps from the beach. Hip kids mix with surfers, tourists, and everyone else inside the whitewashed evening space, open Wednesday through Sunday.

Felix

Chef Evan Funke’s dedication to serving some of the best pizza and handmade pasta in the city has yielded tremendous results. Plan on making several return trips to eat through the pasta menu, which is broken down by regions of Italy — and don’t forget to catch the pasta-making action from the main dining room.

Ospi

Located in the former 20-year-old Canal Club, Ospi from chef Jackson Kalb and Melissa Saka is making some of the city’s top thin-crust pizzas and pastas, along with meatballs and lots of vegetables for starters and larger mains like a crispy branzino, butter chicken, and pork collar. The secret to any order here is a side of spicy Japanese eggplant and the frisbee-sized fried provolone with vodka sauce to start.

A thin, crispy pizza and sides like toast from above at a restaurant.
Thin-crust pizza and sides at Ospi.
Wonho Frank Lee

De Buena Planta

De Buena Planta, which comes from the same folks behind the Butcher’s Daughter, serves well-prepared vegetarian Mexican fare along with a fine cocktail list. Meatless taco fillings include Impossible asada, squash, and cauliflower.

Casablanca

This Lincoln Boulevard restaurant has kept its doors open for more than 40 years — no easy feat for a dynamic food scene like that of Venice. It might be the house-made tortillas and 250-plus tequila options that keep fans coming back, in addition to the restaurant’s signature calamari steak, squid pounded into a steak and served lightly fried.

Flour tortillas in the making at Casablanca, Venice.
Flour tortillas in the making at Casablanca, Venice.

Willie Mae's Restaurant - Venice

New Orleans transplant Willie Mae’s has fit right into this more inland location along Lincoln Boulevard, bringing some of the best Southern fried chicken this city has ever seen, with a shatteringly crisp crust and juicy, flavorful meat. Throw in some favorites like a killer bowl of gumbo and amazing sides, and Willie Mae’s stands as a real fried chicken destination.

Gumbo from Willie Mae’s in Venice.
Gumbo from Willie Mae’s in Venice.
Matthew Kang

Related Maps

Hinano Cafe

This iconic burger shack just steps from the Venice Beach pier has been slinging casual fare and brews since 1962. A favorite of both rock legends and locals, there is little argument that this is one of LA’s most beloved dives; it also serves a hefty, eggy burrito in the morning for hungry surfers and locals who need a substantial weekday breakfast.

Burger at Hinano Cafe
Hinano Cafe’s famous cheeseburger.
Farley Elliott

Paloma Venice

While the cuisine isn’t groundbreaking at Paloma, offering coastal Mediterranean and French fare like pasta, crudo, grilled steak, and fish, Paloma offers a bit of everything for tourists and locals. The sweet, expansive patio also makes a fine crowd-pleaser, especially with well-made spritzes and other summery cocktails.

An outdoor dining area with hanging lamps and plants at Paloma restaurant in Venice, California.
Outdoor patio of Paloma in Venice.
Stan Lee

Night + Market Sahm

Get to Venice for some of Los Angeles’s best Thai food, made with color and care by chef Kris Yenbamroong. This spot doesn’t skimp on flavors or heat, making it one of the hottest (in many ways) places to dine in all of Venice. Don’t forget to try a bottle from the stellar natural wine list.

A pink Thai restaurant with aqua blue awning shown at its corner from the day.
The exterior of Night + Market Sahm.
Wonho Frank Lee

Related Maps