Diners' Choice: American restaurants in Westside

OpenTable

Updated October 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall American cuisine in Westside? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Tar & Roses

4.9

4.9 (4162)

$31 to $50

American

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Tar & Roses is a globally inspired culinary experience.
Chef Andrew Kirschner has transformed his kitchen into a local and welcoming home, focused on the element of the wood fired oven to bring out the best flavor in our dishes. Coming straight from the visionary mind of our award winning chef, our menu is created with only the highest quality ingredients and fresh, local products. This attention to detail helps makes our food a perfected craft which will inspire you to be adventurous, in the most approachable and delicious way possible.
When you step into Tar & Roses, you'll feel like you are coming home. Our entire staff awaits your arrival with warm smiles and thoughtful service ~ please, come share a meal with us!

Top review

Richvip

Dined on Oct 1, 2024

Great service and outstanding food. A real treat.

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Popular dish

Shellfish Pot

Popular dish

Whole Fried Snapper for Two

Popular dish

Fried Cauliflower

Upper West

4.8

4.8 (2647)

$30 and under

American

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

**Contact us today to schedule your next event! We can accommodate parties of 10 to 150 guests**

Upper West's ever-changing menu draws inspiration from around the world while maintaining eclectic flavors unique to them. The bar offers Happy Hour Wednesday-Sunday from 4:30-7:00pm serving refreshing craft cocktails, handcrafted beer. The dinner menu is always evolving and includes ingredients sourced locally from the Santa Monica Farmers Market as well as local farmers such as Weiser Farms and Niman Ranch. Upper West is the perfect place to book large events for 20 or more guests and is an excellent private party venue for hosting corporate events, birthdays, anniversaries, holiday festivities, rehearsal dinners, and more.

Top review

Amari

Dined 4 days ago

Great night, service was good, very attentive, no complaints. Can’t wait to come back

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Curried Chicken Salad

Gjelina

4.7

4.7 (2176)

$31 to $50

American

Venice

About the restaurant

Gjelina is a restaurant specializing in New American cuisine. Open every day from 8 a.m. until 11pm, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast, try 9 grain pancakes with butter and maple syrup or warm banana buckwheat loaf with butter and jam of the day. Brunch options include Moroccan baked eggs and 7 grain porridge. Gjelina offers a variety of oysters, crudo, charcuterie and salad options to start at lunch and dinner. Main courses include pizzas from our wood fired oven and entrees like duck confit, house made pastas and roasted organic half chicken.
*Only ADA certified animals are allowed in Gjelina
*A 20% Mandatory Service Charge is added to your check. Our belief is that every hourly Gjelina employee contributes to your service and 100% of the MSC will be distributed amongst them.

Top review

Terry

Dined 2 days ago

Excellent food and service. Lots on the menu and great for sharing.

Charcoal Venice

4.6

4.6 (506)

$31 to $50

American

Venice

About the restaurant

Charcoal Venice is an inviting neighborhood restaurant from Michelin-starred Chef and Owner Josiah Citrin that was inspired by the backyard barbecues he hosts on weekends for his friends and family. As the name suggests, everything is cooked indoors over live fire – whether over charcoal or in the coals. Citrin and Chef de Cuisine Dani McNish prepare a seasonal menu of craveable comfort foods featuring locally-sourced proteins and vegetables ideal for sharing family-style. Whether diving into a platter of smoky grilled chicken wings with a beer or classic cocktail at the bar, or splitting a 48 oz. dry-aged Porterhouse and a bottle of Bandol with friends, Charcoal Venice is an everyday dining spot.

Top review

Mariah

Dined 5 days ago

Hadn’t been in a while and left very impressed and satisfied with the quality, preparation and presentation of the food. Every dish was unique snd delicious. Server was personable, knowledgeable and helped us order the appropriate amount of dishes for the table. Honestly can’t wait to get back and try more dishes. The Bison Ribeye was the star main, but don’t skip the lamb rib starters or the deserts.

The Butcher's Daughter

4.6

4.6 (141)

$30 and under

American

Venice

About the restaurant

The Butcher’s Daughter is a plant-based restaurant, bar, juicery, and “vegetable slaughterhouse." We treat fruits and vegetables as a butcher would meat: We chop, fillet, and carve fresh produce into healthy vegetarian dishes and press them into pretty juices. Our five locations serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. We take pride in our daily-changing menu, which is 100% vegetarian, with many vegan and gluten-free options.

Top review

Frank

Dined 3 days ago

Loved the venue, the space design, especially the food abs excellent service.

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Experience

Butcher's Daughter Supper Club | Wander Tuesday

Back on the Beach

4.8

4.8 (167)

$30 and under

American

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Back on the Beach Café is situated along a wide, sandy white beach that offers jaw-dropping views of the ocean waves, the pier, the mountain range and of course, Catalina Island. There is both indoor and outdoor seating which allows you to enjoy the sea-salt air and sandy toes while you dine.

The café takes reservations for 2-12 guest. Reservations are available one month in advance. To accommodate our reservations in a timely and orderly manner, the café has carefully designed time frames in which to dine. The café designates 25% of the restaurant for reservations, 75% is available for walkup service.

For reservations of 12 or more guest, please contact the restaurant directly. We don't take multiple group reservations. Please note that large group reservations requires a customizable menu.

In consideration of all guest, we kindly remind you that tables are reserved for 1.5 hours.
We take a maximum of two credit cards payment per table.

Top review

Patricia

Dined 5 days ago

This is a delightful restaurant where you literally sit on the beach overlooking the ocean. The food is delicious and the service was very attentive.

True Food Kitchen - Santa Monica

4.4

4.4 (1519)

$30 and under

American

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

True Food Kitchen is a chef-driven restaurant and scratch bar that was founded by Dr. Andrew Weil, the pioneer of integrative medicine, to provide food that tastes great and is good for you. At our table, delicious dining and conscious nutrition go hand in hand, without sacrificing flavor, creativity or indulgence. Our expertly trained chefs craft flavor-forward dishes, handcrafted cocktails and freshly pressed refreshers so you can enjoy epic food experiences that aren’t just good for you, but good to you. Join us in Santa Monica for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch. New flavors, new combinations, new obsessions. Come see us for something completely new and delicious.

Top review

Laurel

Dined on Oct 1, 2024

Love the delicious nutrient rich fresh food and creative “healthy” cocktails ! Open & inviting ambiance, sunny outdoor seating in the daytime + fun location close to variety of activities & entertainment. Staff has always been friendly and smiling (tho not always as quick as needed). Overall, this is a nourishing experience all around and I try to dine here whenever I’m in town.

The Venice West

4.6

4.6 (170)

$31 to $50

American

Venice

About the restaurant

The Venice West is an eclectic restaurant and live music venue located in Venice, California. TVW offers a supper club vibe serving “upscale comfort food” accompanied by a full bar featuring an array of tasty cocktails and a great selection of beers on tap.

Chef Diego’s mouth watering creations will delight you. From main dishes like the Crispy Chicken & Waffles to a savory selection of unique Neapolitan-style pizzas, salads, sandwiches, share plates, and desserts. The menu truly offers something for everyone.

The Venice West provides a true “dinner and a show” experience and will not disappoint. Our goal is simple: create a welcome place for music fans and artists alike to enjoy great food, music, and good times. Thank you and we hope you enjoy the show!

*Dinner served from 6-9pm. Show tickets must be purchased separately at www.thevenicewest.com, on Ticketweb, or at the door (if not sold out).

Top review

Kellie

Dined on Sep 30, 2024

We got a table for a show and it was perfect. All the staff was very friendly and the service was great. The food was good and they make a strong drink.

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Experience

Live Show Reservation 2 Guests

Experience

Live Show Reservation 3 Guests

Experience

Live Show Reservation 4 Guests

Belles Beach House

4.5

4.5 (267)

$31 to $50

American

Venice

About the restaurant

Owned by seasoned restauranteur Nick Mathers and Wish You Were Here Group, Belles Beach House aims to transport guests from Los Angeles to a tropical destination whilst staying in the heart of Venice Beach. An ode to the retro Tiki Bar and legendary artist Larry Bell, Belles Beach House exudes the laid back, island vibes of the 1970s serving Hawaiian-inspired dishes with a touch of Japanese influence, vibrant craft cocktails and a thoughtful wine list.

Top review

Catherine

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

Cameron is our favorite part of brunch at Belle’s, beside the banana bread! He always remembers our order and spends extra time chatting. Great guy! The food is very good and always consistent. You could use some paper towels in the restroom. The hand dryer is as loud as a rocket 🚀

Ye Olde Kings Head- Santa Monica

4.7

4.7 (259)

$30 and under

American

Santa Monica

About the restaurant

Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica, California has been open for over 40 years. It has developed an amazing reputation as among the most recognizable, finest British pubs in the USA. We have a casual comfortable dining room with Fireplace in the cooler months and an outdoor heated patio where patrons can sit and enjoy the restaurant’s delicious food. There is also a Private Dining room available and Afternoon Tea is served Mon - Sat 11.30am-4pm. (Private room also available for Baby & Bridal Showers)

Ye Olde Kings Head in Santa Monica provides patrons with the look and feel of Britain right in California. It has something that will appeal to everyone and offers a traditional British Breakfast and British favorites such as Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash and Shepherd’s pie, along with some healthier options, Salads, Curries and Vegetarian dishes. Come taste Britain in the heart of Santa Monica.

Top review

Elizabethvip

Dined on Sep 28, 2024

Exactly what we were looking for and happy it wasn’t overly crowded or loud.

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