Gjelina

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Address:
1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Venice, CA 90291

Neighborhood:
Venice

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Cuisine:
American

Price: $30 and under

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Gjelina Details

Dining Style: Home Style
Website: http://gjelina.com
Email: info@gjelina.com
Phone: (310) 450-1429
Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 3:00pm.
Dinner: Monday - Thursday, Sunday: 5:30pm - 11:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:30pm - 10:30pm.
Weekend Brunch: Saturday - Sunday: 9:00am - 3:00pm.
Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: American
Executive Chef: Travis Lett
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Counter Seating, Farm to Table, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access
Private Party Facilities: Private Dining available for parties of 10-14.

Getting there

Cross Street: Milwood
Parking: Street Parking

A word from Gjelina

Farm to Table American Bistro.

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerAmerican
Diners' Choice WinnerHot Spot

Diner Reviews

"After calling the restaurant to confirm my attendance prior to 3 pm as instructed so as not to lose my reservation, I was very upset to find myself standing on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant for 45 mins waiting!!!! Our party of four arrived precisely at 6:30 and after four inquires about our table we were seated at a table at 7:15. Each inquiry was greeted by a 'and what was the name of the reservation?' and a 'it will be a few minutes'. Although the food was wonderful and our table service attentive and friendly, it was hard to get over the wait. I had heard so much about this restaurant and was so pleased we managed to get a reservation during our recent trip to Los Angeles…..too bad."
Dined on 3/9/2014
"The food here is outstanding, our waiter stated early in the evening that it was "the best in LA" and I'm inclined to agree with him. It seems slightly wrong ordering pizza in a restaurant where the plates are as good as this, but we shared one between the two of us and were very glad for the recommendation. Woodfired perfection. The only downside was an aggressive confrontation from the manager after sending back a corked wine. We were berated and told the wine was sound. Unfortunately as a qualified oenologist with 15 years experience as a winemaker I've come across this sort of thing before, but never with this level of aggression. 3 other bottles were perfect and only this encounter ruined an otherwise magnificent experience."
Dined on 3/7/2014
"We were 5 minutes late and ended up waiting 15 minutes when we were seated at nice two top. Restaurant was packed. Server was very nice and switched out a wine by glass that didn't hit the spot. Food is quite good. Hearty and tasty. Interesting spinach salad with cherry tomatoes pine nuts and feta and olives. Fresh grilled sardine with those cherry tomatoes again. Bianca mushroom pizza. Thin crust and maybe just a bit too much olive oil. Robust lamb bolognese gnocchi. Nothing remarkable about the pasta but the lamb was really great, the opposite of gamey. Almost forgot the wine based cocktail kind of a sangria with bitters. Really hit the spot. Would definitely go again. Maybe on a weekday."
Dined on 3/8/2014
"The service was very strange. The waitress did not approach us for at least 20 minutes. Zero acknowledgement! The order in which they brought the plates was off. We ordered several vegetables, but the first plate they brought was grilled mackerel! And it was burnt on one side. The king oyster mushrooms were not fully cooked and it was rather difficult to chew them. I did enjoy the grilled sturgeon. The in-house made sausage had chimichurri sauce that I strongly dislike, but my husband liked it. The very last dish they brought was roasted cauliflower (one would think it should have been served in the beginning.) It was full of chilly and lacking flavor otherwise. Overall, though the ingredients seemed fresh, the taste wasn't there for me."
Dined on 3/2/2014
"I brought a friend visiting from out of town who enjoys great food. As I expected, she loved it, and it was a delicious this time as my past visits. The veggies were superb and our mushroom/gruyere/arugula pizza was killer. Our waiter made the right suggestions about the order in which the food should be served. There was a sudden downpour that brought some water into the restaurant, but the staff were on top of it right away. The water was swept out very quickly. The restaurant comped our dessert, even though it was definitely not necessary. All in all, another wonderful evening at one of my favorite local restaurants."
Dined on 2/28/2014
"Great food and atmosphere. The puddings are amazing. Save room!"
Dined on 2/15/2014
"The food was great!!! Bring all my out of town guests to Gjelina ..."
Dined on 2/17/2014
"We had dinner on a Sunday night when we were in town and it was packed! I can't imagine dining there on a Saturday night. The food was excellent. The service was good. The prices aren't too bad although it can easily get expensive by ordering small plates. Be prepared for the noise. It was extremely loud in there and the guy seated next to us screamed vs talking the whole time."
Dined on 2/16/2014
"Frosty reception, poor table, unexceptional food. I am very rarely critical of restaurants, but I think this one does not deserve the hype. Our server was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable and helped salvage the so-so experience."
Dined on 2/17/2014
"I love Gjelina! They were packed during this visit but the hospitable hostess didn't keep us waiting too long. Great service and food. We brought two friends that had never been there and they can't wait to return. As always, the Butterscotch pot de crème was crazy amazing! I'll be back soon!"
Dined on 2/12/2014
"Been to Gjelina 3-4 times and every time our tastebuds are blown away! Make sure to make a reservation, or else you'll be waiting for a couple hours. The food, wine, cheese boards, entrees and desserts are amazing here! One of our favorite LA restaurants."
Dined on 2/15/2014
"Food was outstanding as always, however the service was a bit indifferent. We ordered a cheese plate. The server dropped it off without a word to explain what the different types of cheeses, spreads, etc. were. We had to ask twice for water. We were seated in a little room to the side that is almost an after thought with a few small tables. I would return because the food is really good, however expect average service that rushes you through your meal."
Dined on 2/13/2014
"Service was a bit off. Waiter was not very attentive and plate service was not timed very well. But, food is wonderful. Outdoor patio is splendid on a nice evening. Inside is way too loud for my taste."
Dined on 2/12/2014
"Everything from the chicken to Brussels sprouts were delicious"
Dined on 2/10/2014
"It was my boyfriends birthday, we made our reservation the customary 30 days in advance, and were fine with getting a 9:30 reservation although we live in Echo Park and the idea of driving an hour home late late at night didn't sound thrilling. Arrived early by accident. Went next door to get a drink because the restaurant was too crowded to stand by the bar and didn't mind waiting. Came back at 9:30. And were told the people before us hadn't finished. 40 minutes later, after watching a walk in get seated out of familiarity with the host or whoever, were seated with not a word of sorry for the wait."
Dined on 1/31/2014
"I was on a business trip so unfortunately I booked a table for one :( The food (and the service) immediately made up for my loneliness. The duck confit in kumquats was absolutely amazing! I would definitely go back there when I return to L.A. with company, and we might even try the communal table (looks like fun). Oh, don't forget - BOOK IN ADVANCE - the place is busy!"
Dined on 1/29/2014
"Second time at the Djelina the welcome was cold the service was poor the wine by the glass was not good the food was fair , but not impressive and the noise was that annoying that we left after 35 minutes last time we go there"
Dined on 2/3/2014
"Best restaurant on the block; patio is candle-lit and lovely. Very good food."
Dined on 2/1/2014
"Everything was great -- food, ambiance, sitting in garden next to gas fire with lava rocks. Even on a cool evening sitting outside was wonderful! Highly recommend."
Dined on 1/30/2014
"I found the food to be good, yet some dishes were below average... The restaurant is very crowded, packed to the gills at all times, every night of the week. This is one of the loudest restaurants I've ever been to, And my friend and I spoke at the tops of our voices, struggling to hear each other the entire evening. If the food had been outstanding I still would not return to this restaurant. Regarding the food, however, I don't see how it's possible to turn out consistently high-quality dishes with this amount of patrons and this level of chaos."
Dined on 1/29/2014
"After years of hearing about this restaurant and how good it was, I finally was smart enough to make a reservation and try it! The food was amazing! My friend and I shared the cheese plate, brussel sprouts, red potatoes and the chorizo pizza. All were mouth watering! The best was the dessert though... that butterscotch with caramel and sea salt was to die for!!! We were almost tempted to order one to take home! I will definitely be going to back to Gjelina as often as I can! The ambience was very cool too... it had that modern, rustic chic vibe that I love."
Dined on 1/28/2014
"And them some, given it was recommended by two friends with discerning taste. Not only was the food superb, the options, well, hard to choose what to order, but the staff was accommodating in ways one wouldn't expect. For example I had some concern about parking and tickets, the signs were ambigious, and the manager actually took me outside and walked me around the corner to show me where to move my car. No wonder it is so popular. Incredible food, no attitude. Sweet. It kind of reminded me of Tallulah' s Garden in Philly if you've been there....."
Dined on 1/21/2014
"Love the atmosphere and for breakfast, lunch or brunch this place rocks, but for dinner, It was good but not outstanding like I wanted it to be. Marinated olives were way too oily rather than briney and frankly were not our cup of tea - bitter and too much fennel for three variations. The meatball, shrimp and merguez sausage starters were all very good. The pizza was average - maybe below average. The charcuterie was good - again average. We didn't have dessert because after all that food we were full but the dessert menu was way below our expectations. Overall, good for dinner but great for breakfast/brunch with better noise level and less expensive for the size of the meal."
Dined on 1/10/2014
"This place has a great walled in patio with plenty of heaters and blankets to keep you warm. I prefer the patio because the dining room can be very loud and the patio has a very pleasant ambiance. The food is delicious! My husband and I are dairy free and we still had plenty of options to choose from."
Dined on 1/8/2014
"We were in a room with a large group and us, so it was very noisy and the service was not the best. But, the food is fantastic and it is a really cool place. If you sit outside, bring a sweater."
Dined on 1/6/2014
"They are so great but they hurry you through. A lot of people any to eat here!"
Dined on 1/6/2014
"Despite a réservation, we had to wait 30 minutes to get seated. Meanwhile, we ordered a drink that we never received. Nevertheless, the ambiance is great and the food wonderful."
Dined on 1/5/2014
"Very poor service. We waited 15 minutes just for water. The food was okay. The take-out restaurant next door is better overall than the restaurant."
Dined on 1/2/2014
"Gjelina delivered! Adventurous flavors in a range of somewhat traditional dishes. Beautiful evening under the stars and a full moon. This place rocked my socks off!"
Dined on 11/14/2013
"We arrived about 15 minutes early - escorted right away to the table - waited about 15 minutes for the menu's to be printed - they are printed that day from what they gather fresh that day - Voila!! From the Lemon - Basil Italian soda, Lamb sausage pizza, roasted cauliflower, pork meatballs, cheese plate and Butterscotch pot de creme and cappuccino - there wasn't a thing to dislike - right down to our bus person - the waiter was personable, polite and attentive, they seemed to have so many people working that everything arrived hot, timely and effortlessly - on top of it all Truly enjoyable & Fun - so glad I can walk there in less than 10 minutes because they have GTA Gjelina Take Away to bring home right next door to them!"
Dined on 12/31/2013
"We have dined at Gjelinas twice, and it has been a wonderful experience both times. The food is clearly prepared with great care, and is delicious and unusual. The outdoor patio with heat lamps is lovely. Such great care is given to details. And also, the desserts are some of the best we've ever had. Thank you for an unforgettable dinner."
Dined on 12/20/2013
"We are from Santa Barbara but whenever I am close to Venice again I will make SURE to eat here again. It was perfection from the moment we walked in the door. Highly recommended!!"
Dined on 12/16/2013
"I would definitely come back again. Food was great. Atmosphere was great. Wine was superb."
Dined on 12/13/2013
"I'd read about Gjelina as being a great place to dine before arriving in LA. Luckily I had a reservation as it was completely booked out the night we went. We sat outside and it was perfect! I also liked the darkness of the restaurant , it made it feel more intimate and private. I had the Goats cheese pizza and it was very tasty, I highly recommend it! The service was a little laid back or maybe it was because they were very busy, either way it was refreshing to be left alone while we ate and not be interrupted."
Dined on 12/1/2013
"Great dining experience out on the patio next to the fire pit. Everything we ordered was terrific. Pizza crust amazing. The flavors in all our dishes was awesome. Definitely a place we'll go back to. Reservations a must -- the place was packed from when we arrived until when we walked by it several hours later."
Dined on 12/6/2013
"Loved Russian kale salad and most other dishes. Duck confit was bit salty and overall can improve as well. Most all others were outstanding. Olive oil gelato was excellent! service was superb."
Dined on 11/17/2013
"An absolute hit. Every bit of food made to perfection, great friendly, professional service and lovely atmosphere. If you can get an outdoor seat in the back - go for it."
Dined on 11/26/2013
"The food here was really excellent. We enjoyed the various tapas they brought out. However, our waiter had more attitude than I cared for and was completely just outright rude for no reason at all. When he dropped off menus he just slapped them down and rushed out. When he came back 20 minutes later he asked us simply if we were ready to order and was frustrated that we had questions about the menu, etc. So that was a huge turnoff. Maybe it was just that one waiter. I would recommend sitting outside by the fire; it was a nice ambience sitting there."
Dined on 11/10/2013
"The food is absolutely delicious, but the service is terrible. The waiter never checked on us, and never filled our water glasses. He had an attitude from the second he greeted us. NEWS FLASH: you work in the service industry!!! He only showed up to ask us if we wanted dessert at the end."
Dined on 11/16/2013
"Food was amazing. The restaurant was just beautiful and so welcoming. It was well worth the wait to get a good dinner reservation."
Dined on 11/15/2013

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