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Santa Monica / Westside, Los Angeles, CA
Where historic Route 66 hits the bluffs overlooking the glistening Pacific Ocean sits the scenic city of Santa Monica that, along with much of LA’s Westside, has a relaxed and affluent vibe that starkly contrasts to the more hectic areas to the east.
By day there’s no shortage of outdoor activities, as the area’s wide, sandy beaches and adjacent bike paths are full of fitness-minded locals swimming, jogging, and playing volleyball. Tourists and families crowd the iconic Santa Monica pier and the popular weekly Farmers Market, while many of the city’s homeless laze along the grassy paths bordering Ocean Drive.
The shopping district centering around the Third Street Promenade bustles day and night with restaurants, fashionable stores, chill bars, a movie theater, and plenty of street performers to entertain the masses.
Much of Santa Monica’s nightlife caters to a preppier yuppie clientele that prefers more casual evenings of drinking and dining at the many seafront restaurants and hotel bars.
Those who want a livelier scene in this part of Los Angeles, however, will find a number of rowdy sports bars along Wilshire Boulevard that draw college students from nearby UCLA, as well as several “meat markets” on Main Street that fill up on weekends with a tipsier and flirtier crowd.
What to Do in Santa Monica / Westside
After Work / Budget-friendly
Reviewed by Chad F.
"Liquid Kitty on Pico near Fox is an awesome dive bar. It's not just dark...it's dark-dark. Anything goes here. It's a place you go to drink when yo ..." more
11780 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
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30s / 40s / After Work / Ambient / TVs
Party Earth Review A classic LA favorite where everyone from celebrities to sunburned surfers in board shorts gathers to please their taste buds, Father’s Office is a popular gastropub offering gourmet ... more
1018 Montana Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90403
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20s / 30s / Ambient Rock / Bar / DJ / Hip
Party Earth Review Fierce winds destroyed the original Arsenal in the 1870s, the Great Flood of 1916 laid waste to the second version, and a flicked cigarette burned the third incarnation to the ground ... more
12012 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90064
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20s / 30s / 40s / After Work / Ambient
Reviewed by Lani D.
"This charming rooftop getaway is a diamond in the rough, tucked away high in the corner of the Santa Monica Place shopping mall. Unbeknownst to most m ..." more
395 Santa Monica Place
Santa Monica, CA 90401
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20s / 30s / Asian Food / Breakfast
Reviewed by Shelby G.
"My Take: Ma’Kai offers a trendy restaurant and bar setting right in the heart of Santa Monica. Cool hues flood the walls of Ma’Kai complemented by a m ..." more
101 Broadway Avenue
Santa Monica, CA 90401
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Blazers / Breakfast / Brunch / TVs
Reviewed by Nisha S.
"Casa del Mar is an upscale oceanfront hotel in Santa Monica, located next door to another lovely hotel, Shutters on the Beach. Casa del Mar is defin ..." more
1910 Ocean Way
Santa Monica, CA 90405
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20s / Bottle Service / Cocktails
Reviewed by Nisha S.
"Shorebar is a nice addition to the Santa Monica/Palisades area of LA. The bar has a cool atmosphere, is dimly lit, and has a modern yet beachy décor. ..." more
112 West Channel Road
Santa Monica, CA 90402
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20s / American Restaurant / Deli
Reviewed by Leland F.
"Fat Sal's is a great place to eat if you're stoned, drunk, or just so insanely hungry that you need to eating something NOW GODDAMNIT! Located on the ..." more
972 Gayley Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90024
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All Ages / All Types / Casual / TVs
Reviewed by Paul F.
"If you've been to Philly and experienced the majesty of what an authentic cheese steak tastes like, then you understand how difficult it is to find a ..." more
1870 Westwood Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027
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20s / 30s / After Work / Bar / Beer / DJ
Party Earth Review Boasting the cheapest drinks on the Westside, Mom’s Bar & Lounge is an upbeat crowd pleaser that knows how to pack them in. Happy Hour sees plenty of chatty young professionals pouring ... more
12238 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90025
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Affluent / Brunch / Button-downs
Party Earth Review Perched high atop the swank Huntley Hotel is The Penthouse, a dazzling, ultra-mod restaurant/lounge where a slightly older clientele of affluent Westsiders meets and mingles. Expansive ... more
The Huntley Hotel, 1111 2nd Street, 18th Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90403
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More things to do in Santa Monica / Westside:
- → After Hours
- → Date Ideas
- → Happy Hour
- → Pubs
- → Singles
- → Bars
- → Free Things to Do
- → Lounges
- → Restaurants
- → Sports Bars
- → Brunch
- → Good for Groups
- → Outdoors
- → Shopping
- → Venues
- → Cocktail Bars
Where to Go in Santa Monica / Westside
- * Aero Theatre 20s and up / 40s / Artsy
- * Bar Chloe 20s / 30s / 80s Music / After Work
- * Barney's Beanery (Santa Mon... 20s / 30s / Bar Food / Beer
- * Britannia Pub 20s / 30s / Bar Food / Beer
- * Busby's West 20s / 30s / Bar Food / Board Games
- * Cock 'n Bull British Pub 20s / 30s / 40s / Beer / Breakfast
- * Copa d'Oro 30s / 40s / 80s Music / 90s Music
- * Food Breakfast / Brunch
- * Joe's Pizza All Types / Anything goes
- * Library Alehouse 30s / Affluent / Ale House
- * Ma'Kai Lounge 20s / 30s / Asian Food
- * McCabe's Live Music Venue
- * O'Brien's Irish Pub & Resta... Brunch / Budget-friendly / Burgers
- * Rosti Tuscan Kitchen 20s / 30s / 40s / Brunch
- * SHOREbar 20s / Bottle Service / Button-downs
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