Amazing! Awesome menu, great staff. Felt welcome from the moment I walked in the door. Sat in an incredible Garden. Could have been in the south of France for all I knew. What a wonderful experience.
November 2023
Great environment to eat. I would recommend to my friends but I have eaten at better places so reluctant to score a 5. They have a happy hour. Don't look much from the front but the rear of the restaurant is full of plants, like eating in a garden.
November 2023
A wonderful culinary experience in a romantic lit ambiance. Happy to return her after almost 14 years. It did not disappoint, on the contrary.
In 1979, at the age of 25, Michael McCarty founded Michael’s Santa Monica, a restaurant credited as an early pioneer of California cuisine with its market-driven plates that utilize local produce and hyper-seasonal ingredients. Throughout the years, Michael has spearheaded the restaurant’s evolution, bringing in a veritable who’s who of culinary talent that includes current chef Job Carder, as well as opening chef Jonathan Waxman, Nancy Silverton, Brooke Williamson, Sang Yoon, Mark Peel, Miles Thompson among others; and along the way, he authored Welcome to Michael’s: Great Food, Great People, Great Party!, which received a 2008 James Beard Foundation Cookbook award nomination in the entertaining category.
Other Information
Parking: Street
Attire: Dressy
Cuisines: Burgers, Family Style, American, Hot Dogs, Healthy, Vegetarian, Pizza
Alcohol: Full Bar
About the restaurant: Restaurateur Michael McCarty is a pioneer of California cuisine and mentor to some of L.A.'s finest chefs, and his establishment has become a culinary landmark and local treasure. This Santa Monica destination used to offer more of a fine dining experience, but the white tablecloths are now gone in favor of a more democratic approach. Near the entrance is a section of high-top tables and the bar, while upstairs there are private dining rooms. We've always enjoyed immersing ourselves in the atmosphere of the lushly landscaped terrace that exemplifies the Southern California lifestyle at its best. Additional al fresco seating is available at the outdoor bar, sidewalk and parklet.Food & Drinks: The restaurant's adherence to a well-earned reputation for market-fresh ingredients and creativity on the plate means that the kitchen consistently turns out quality California cuisine. You might encounter plates like crudo to start, followed by rotisserie chicken, duck leg confit and dry-aged Prime rib-eye. In addition to being a renowned restaurateur, McCarty also has a passion for wine. Selections from his three-acre estate, The Malibu Vineyard, may appear on the sophisticated wine list.
