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
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

Gjelina - Best Restaurants in Venice

Diner Reviews

"Positives: The food is definitely good. Nothing to write home about, but good. The patio out back is also really nice and has a romantic ambience. Negatives: The service is an absolute joke. I've known 4 or 5 other people who have been, and everyone says the same thing. We had a 9:00 reservation and were forced to wait for a half hour, without so much as even an apology from the staff. Once we ordered, the waiter never ONCE came over to ask how our meal was or if we needed anything (I'm sure I would have ordered another drink, since my glass was empty within 5 minutes of when we sat down). From the hostesses to the wait staff, it's almost seems like it's restaurant policy to act like a complete dick. Def not worth returning."
Dined on 7/19/2014
"Need to keep coming back for more in order to sample the many enticing dishes on the menu...Love the Peach Buratta...the Mixed Tomato Salad with lime...The Octopus....The Grilled Okra...and the Black Cod....Not so special was the Chickpea Stew and the Sardine but another wonderful experience and a reasonably fair corkage fee of $20...."
Dined on 7/19/2014
"Had been wanting to eat here for 2 years before I actually got in! Made a reservation a few weeks out for when a friend was going to be in town. Got the salmon (raw) and a mushroom pizza-phenomenal. Great atmosphere, a little loud but not awful. You sit pretty close to the other diners but it wasn't too uncomfortable. Would definitely return!!"
Dined on 7/17/2014
"Really enjoyed it. Great innovative food, friendly helpful service. Really recommend it."
Dined on 7/15/2014
"Wait staff was not very friendly while at the bar. Waiters and bus boys were way too quick to take our plates when we weren't done with the food yet. We felt like they were trying to rush us out. Food was great, but experience was mediocre at best."
Dined on 7/14/2014
"Once again, a delicious, perfectly-cooked and seasoned dinner, served on a lovely patio. I am thoroughly impressed with Gjelina and I come to eat there whenever I can."
Dined on 7/13/2014
"We ordered a number of small plates to share. All very good. None earth shattering. And nothing that a competent home cook couldn't do with good quality ingredients. The service was borderline indifferent. We weren't asked how we were doing. No coffee refill. Check appeared unbidden before dessert finished. LOUD music. Am always annoyed too when food oozing with butter and sugar is served but there's no artificial sweetener (even Truvia or Stevia or something "natural") for coffee. My major issue was cleanliness. The paper menus were covered with stains as was the little paper packet the (early arrived) check was delivered in. Our reservation was an early one--5:30 but the bathroom looked like it hadn't been cleaned in months."
Dined on 7/12/2014
"Our outstanding waitress was smart + focused on our food selections and enhanced our experience. Neat to see how one individual can make such an impact. The food was outstanding. A real experience that doesn't come along but once every couple of years."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"Gjelina continues to be one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles. Maybe even more important, it's also one of the most consistent. No restaurant has a range of vegetable dishes to compare. On the balance of the menu, from pizzas to pork belly, every dish is imaginative and well executed. And the desserts! Also, the servers we've had over the years have been excellent in terms of wine and food suggestions. And for a place as hip and trendy as Gjelina, it has remained relatively unpretentious (with the exception of a trophy hostess or two). Reserve early--it seems sometimes the only reservations available are at 5:30 and 9:30. Which does make me wonder sometimes who gets the 8 PM rez's, and how."
Dined on 7/2/2014
"While familiar with a few mixed reviews, our experience this week was outstanding. We were welcomed and seated on time, and never felt rushed despite a few folks waiting outside that we could see through the large windows. We opted for shared courses of plates ranging from sides to pizza to entree, and all had a range of flavors and textures that was wonderful, especially if you enjoy grilled and/or wood roasted smokiness. This was a birthday celebration and the deserts are worth the raves too! It is easy to see now why there has been a continuous wave of customers of this establishment ever since it opened; they made us extremely satisfied and happy. Memorable."
Dined on 6/30/2014
"Dined here on a recent weekday, early evening. Found street parking easily. Able to sit at a table on the pleasant outdoor patio. Food was stellar. Asparagus with crispy egg and pancetta as a starter, followed by the lamb pizza, with a delectable thin crust. Butterscotch dessert to follow. Only complaint was that the mark-up on wines by the glass was incredibly and unpleasantly high. $19 for the least expensive white. Cannot share a bottle since we have to drive, so less expensive options by the glass would be more driver-friendly."
Dined on 6/30/2014
"Restaurant has a quaint outdoor seating area that's the perfect place for a date. The menu, though overpriced, was creative and the food was prepared exceptionally. Only negative was that our server was pretty condescending a few times."
Dined on 6/24/2014
"Good. I loved the food. Its a little loud (if you're an old guy like me) but I'd go back b/c the food was awesome. Mushroom toast and tomatoes and burrata both recommended. Cod was heavenly."
Dined on 6/21/2014
"Food was amazing, really good. However, the service annoyed me for how expensive the restaurant is. First, our reservation was not ready. We waited nearly 30 minutes to be seated after our reservation time. Second, a waiter dropped a drink near our table, the glass broke and wine went all over our legs. We barely got a sorry and the waiter said, "maybe you'll get a free desert." It was very rude and we didn't get a free desert."
Dined on 6/20/2014
"We had a great time! Meggie, our waitress was fabulous!"
Dined on 6/18/2014
"Came here for a date night with my wife. The food was very well executed, though there was nothing truly outside the box. The spaces/lighting/architecture of the building were fantastic. Would definitely consider returning for a second go around."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"Took an old friend from out of town who is a foodie from Virginia to Gjelina for the first time. Everything was great except my meal. My food was burned (black char on all of it, including the bread). My friend's meal was wonderful. I had to send mine back. I hope to try it again. Waiter said all of their food has that "rustic" char to it. I doubt that. A little burn on food is appetizing -- black charred burn to food is not. I had meatballs. I was so disappointed but will give it another try soon as I truly like everything else about this place."
Dined on 6/11/2014
"We hade reservations but had to wait about 30 minutes to get our table. Totally ok though since the drinks (The Oaxacan Angel) we ordered where while waiting really good. We where seated outside next to the fire and had a great evening. Ordered a bunch of small plates and dessert. Best was the smokey salmon crudo and the butterscotch pot the creme. Best dessert I've ever had. Lovely! We hight recommend Gjelina but make your reservations a cuople of weeks in advance and be prepared to wait for half an hour when you arrive."
Dined on 6/7/2014
"This was my second time at the restaurant. Food was no doubt great but service was really disappointing, 15 mins after we ordered, the waiter came back and said the combination we ask for our pizza is not available! 15 mins later! Not acceptable so we had to skip the pizza. "
Dined on 6/5/2014
"Your meal at Gjelina will be great despite the fact that your food will only be okay. Why? Because you're too busy enjoying your glass of wine, the balmy weather, the quaint but romantic courtyard and the superb service to care about what exactly you're eating. Not to say there aren't a few hits on the seasonal-leaning, vegetable-heavy menu--you can't go wrong with the roasted carrots with cumin yogurt, wood oven-roasted cauliflower, crispy, salty fries, their succulent chicken or any one of their thin-crust pizzas. But overall, their food is uneven. Though the pairing of grilled peaches, arugula and burrata is an inspired combination which I will be bringing home with me. I'll be back. Of course, I will. My Riesling was superb. "
Dined on 6/4/2014
"Gjelina is one of my favorite restaurants in LA. The food is very fresh, well seasoned and perfectly portioned. We ordered family style and shared everything at the table and I loved every plate. Their pizzas are favorite, especially the squash blossom pizza with burrata. I'm not really a big fan of garbanzo beans, but we ordered it and Gjelina even made garbanzo beans delicious that it was one of my favorite dishes that night."
Dined on 6/4/2014
"Terrific menu. The restaurant fills up quickly and it maximizes space. As a result, it is noisy and hard to have a conversation."
Dined on 5/27/2014
"good food however even if you have a reservation they will make u stand against wall with no bar, and wait and wait and wait. 30-40 minutes. the issue is really with the people (maitre D and hostess) who not only do not know how to be organized but are not extremely friendly which makes you feel you are in New York versus Venice CA….lol. So if you don't mind waiting the food is great. service is ok. I would go to AOC instead which has similar food where you get seated on time and greeted well."
Dined on 5/26/2014
"If you happen to be on Abbot Kinney and need to a quick respite, Gjelina is a delightful find. Ducking in from a day of shopping for an impromptu lunch or early evening cocktail and snack, I've overlooked the fact that the food is underwhelming and the 'rustic' ambience is tilting toward backyard junk. This past visit, we booked a month in advance for a special occasion, and we were disappointed. With so many great dining choices in LA, if you plan ahead for a special occasion, there are much better options. "
Dined on 5/25/2014
"I live in Venice and this place is always packed so I've been dying to try it. 1. Always make a reservation, I had mine 3 weeks in advance 2. Even with my reservation I had to call twice to confirm my reservation or else they assume you won't show up...I don't understand this part. 3. Wine and beer only, not a great selection. $$$ 4. Food was great. Roasted artichokes and the pork belly were my favorites. Flatbread was good and filling but it didn't blow me away. Roasted artichokes had so much flavor but I could have done without the snapper or grilled prawns (not enough bang for your buck). 5. Service was just ok. Took about 30 minutes between our first dish and our second dish while the table next to us had finished off 3 plates. "
Dined on 5/23/2014
"We had heard so many good things about Gjelina that we had to try it on our next trip to LA. It was absolutely wonderful. Followed published recommendation to request courtyard table and we were glad we did…..it was the perfect spot for a conversation while dining. Inside was packed and the noise level was high. Ordered many small plates between the 3 of us and every one was exceeded our expectations."
Dined on 5/19/2014
"I love Gjelina! The food is delicious, the location is great, and the overall experience is so nice and fun. I reccomend this restaurant to everyone!"
Dined on 5/18/2014
"While I was over from the uk I definitely wanted to visit gjelina in venice beach as i heard it was a hot spot to eat. I wasn't disappointed, good ambience about the place lots of conversation very loud a very good social spot. The food was delicious and very tasty. I would definitely come back and recommend to family and friends if over in LA."
Dined on 5/17/2014
"I choose Gjelina to celebrate my birthday. The restaurant called me twice that day to confirm my reservation time . After arriving for an 830 res, we were told our table was finishing up. 15 minutes later we still had no table. When we questioned the hostess how long they hold tables for, she confirmed 15 mins. I then asked whether it was fair I be asked to wait longer, and she replied 'I don't know, I just work here.' I'm always willing to wait for good food, but also appreciate understanding and apologetic service. The hostess was neither. I had the snapper, gnocchi, good pizza and delicious pot du creme for desert. Its really too bad the good food was overshadowed by poor service."
Dined on 5/14/2014
"This is my second time eating here and the food, and the menu are just AMAZING! Such an unusual, but always delicious combination of ingredients and flavors in every dish. Get several things and share. The grilled peach with burratta is wonderful. The gnocchi with lamb Bolognese is delicious. All the pizzas are great. The butterscotch pot de crème is OUT OF THIS WORLD - you HAVE to get one to share! SO delish! This is my most favorite restaurant anywhere!"
Dined on 5/14/2014
"The food, the service, the ambience, all were great!"
Dined on 5/12/2014
"I love this place. The food is amazing, the atmosphere is very cool. It's a bit crowded but we always find it worth it."
Dined on 5/11/2014
"Been enjoying this restaurant for a few years now. They continue to deliver great food, service, and ambiance. Still the best spot on Abbot Kinney."
Dined on 5/8/2014
"i used to go to Gjelina when it first opened. It was good and not terribly crowded. I decided to try it again after a five year hiatus. Noisy, rude, crowded, over-hyped. Never going back there again."
Dined on 5/8/2014
"Went there assuming I'd be ordering a vegetarian pizza without cheese. ..ended up eating my way through.their menu of great dishes with plenty of vegan options"
Dined on 5/5/2014
"The food at Gjelina is out of this world. The staff holds a holier-than-thou attitude that just doesn't cut it for a high-end establishment. "
Dined on 5/2/2014
"The restaurant may be a little loud but the food makes up for that! If you can sit on the patio. Diverse small plate & pizza menu - we were pleased that it is vegetarian friendly. We ordered multiple plates that 4 of us shared along with 2 pizzas & 2 desserts - almost too much food. Service was spot on - did not have to wait between tastings. We look forward to returning again soon. A word to the wise be sure to make a reservation at least 2 weeks in advance."
Dined on 4/29/2014
"We were seated right on time for our reservation. Our server was helpful, attentive and nice. The food was wonderful. Everything we ate was interesting and delicious. "
Dined on 4/25/2014
"Would have expected the $60 wine bottles to be of better quality, went with a French Pinot, it was disappointing, they should do a better job with what they offer"
Dined on 4/25/2014
"I read several reviews that criticized long waits from the reservation time. We could only get a 5:30 rez for dinner and it worked out great. We were immediately shown to our table. Dinner was so delicious (3 of us shared around 8 dishes) that we lingered, soaking up the outdoor fire and energy level. I suspect that we held our table too long and inconvenienced another party, for which I apologize. But I sure appreciated not being rushed to turn the table over. This was my third time at Gjelina and the food was better than ever."
Dined on 4/25/2014

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