Venice Restaurant Tips by giampiero6 Top 5 Page for this destination

James Beach: Elegant, Casual, Fun - Food decent James Beach Restaurant Review

James Beach is a combination Restaurant and Night spot. It's a very casual but has a fairly nice quiet and more elegant side too. It's been around since the 80s and is a great place to have a mojito, a steak, a glass of wine and mingle with the others. One side is more elegant and the other features a patio where the party usually is centered. The scene is pretty mingly and fun. A little bit of a schmooze fest, but not Hollywoodish. It's relaxed and fun and a place where folks from the neighborhood come to hang out.

Favorite Dish: New York Steak and french fries are very good. The restaurant however is resting a little bit on it's long past laurels in the early 90s. A lot of the food seems to be prepared fairly thoughtlessly. Still, I'll definitely eat a steak here, if I mean to hang out in the lounge area after and their burger is good and some fish dishes are quite good.

I was extremely disappointed however a few weeks ago (July 2009) when I ate at the restaurant. I ordered the "Calf's Liver" and what I was given was definitely a tough gristly piece of beef liver - nothing like the tender soft foie gras like calf's liver taste. When I asked the manager what the deal was, he disappeared and came back sheepishly only after I caught his eye and motioned. He apologized that they served me beef liver saying "they were not happy with the quality of calf's liver they got, and substituted" but forgot to change the menu. This is total bullsh*t. It was clear that most people simply wouldn't notice and that they were pulling a fast one. In fact the manager even said that 'most people wouldn't know'. How can you not know. It's like the difference between veal and steak. Anyway, it was extremely disappointing though they offered a free dessert...which was a decent gesture, but leaves me suspicious and unsatisfied.

In short...come for the steak or a salad or something, but don't expect fine dining and you won't be disappointed.

Address: 60 N Venice Blvd Venice, CA 90291

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: take North Venice all the way to the ocean stop before your car gets wet. ;)

Phone: (310) 823-5396

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 3

Theme: American

Primitivo: Vino and Tapa

Primitivo is one of my favorite hangs in Venice. It's a nice place with a good crowd, nice lighting, good music. The wine is a wide excellent selection. The tapas are uneven..some dishes are great, some average, the deserts are excellent. It ain't cheap, but it can be a great place to have a romantic dinner, or to just sit at the bar with a friend and have a drink.

Favorite Dish: Changes often.

Chanterelles gratin
Goat cheese stuffed zucchini blossoms
Steak with harissa

Ripassa wine

Address: Abbott Kinney

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Abbot Kinney street towards, main street.

Price: US$41 and up

Rating: 4

Theme: Wine Bar/Wine Tasting

AXE: Axe Azhay, Whatever

AXE is an elegant, meditative, organicky but not hippy dippy spot on Abbot Kinney that opened about 1 year ago. The food is delicious and interesting..largely organic..and good for you, but not dogmatic.

Favorite Dish: I really like everything there..deserts..and believe it or not, the Pasta Aglio Olio is delicious and surprising. Usually the garlic is burnt or undercooked, here it's perfectly carmelized and crunchy without the bitter burnt flavor.

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Abbot Kinney near Main

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 0

Theme: Eclectic/International

Primitivo: Wine and Tapas

Primitivo is a sweet little spot on Abbott Kinney. They serve a vast array of mostly European and California wines in a casually elegant set up. The food is good, the wine is good and the people are cool.

Favorite Dish: Every M-Thursday they have a small wine tasting with 3 wines and a small tapas plate for $15. It's a little pricey but nice if you share food and wine. Here's the real scoop. If you're having dinner order and entree, they are reasonably priced at about the same as a small tapas dish. Of course they try to sell you on the tapas, but then that's their job; to sell you food!

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: Abbott Kinney Near Main

Price: US$31-40

Rating: 0

Theme: Wine Bar/Wine Tasting