The Sidewalk Cafe

Friendly and fast service — maybe I’ve been spoiled, but food is not so great. Also got inconsistent answers about ingredients and I am pretty sure I will be sick later…
The view from here is nice an they validate parking.

Geez … I dont even know where to start. Lets try a little history first. I have been coming here for years, this wasnt one of my first visits. The café has never been a place where you are going to find the best of any type of food. Yet knowing this it has always been accepted without question. And im sure we will all agree we come to dine and people watch. The bar inside the restaurant is very old but the restrooms have been updated.
Now lets get to my visit today (6−15−16 09:30 am) a day I will remember. It was overcast in Venice but people were out. The restaurant had very few customers at the time so it was seat yourself where ever (I was solo today). I was lucky enough to have a kind and attentive older man who was actually the bus boy seat me. He asked me if I would like a menu and something to drink, I responded coffee would be fine. My coffee was served by him within minutes. He then told me he would find my server. To be continued

Had a lunch date with my mom. She enjoyed the Pesto Pizza, which if I wasn’t lactose intolerant on a hot day at the beach, I would have indulged. However, I had myself the John Irving and hallelu– my taste buds were dancing. As a burger lover, I would say the John Irving tastes amazing. And observing my mom’s pizza, it looked thin, crisp, and yummy. It was crowded, but then again, it’s the beach… Next to the sidewalk strip. And a talented gentleman played some great melodies on his piano, next to the beach! Also there’s a next door bar that has a visible t.v. to catch up on sports.

I’ll tell ya right now, there’s no point dining here if ya can’t sit by the sidewalk! It’s the whole point: people watching. How can you talk shit if you can’t see the boardwalk?! How??? Plus it’s quite dark and noisy otherwise… Not sure why, like noise gets trapped on the interior. It’s worth the wait for a table by the sidewalk, is all I’m saying. They’re real cool with table requests. Note tho: they oughta space the tables better cuz if you get a big guy behind ya then your abs/​jelly belly will be right against the table. Like, it’s ok… I can still breathe… just don’t shift.
I still love their hot pastrami sandwich, that’s consistently good. I just tell them hot pastrami, not sure what it’s referred to on the menu. I will double the meat next time, if I’m hungry. Awesome stuff. Fish n chips were excellent! Love the steak fries… just dash in da salt. The tiramisu was very good. Not baked that day, that’s for damn sure, but the flavors were good.
Service here is efficient and they’re always nearby if you need anything.

I had a good time here, the service was prompt for a table of 8 and we bought delicious food. I had the tsunami burrito which was excellent with guacamole. Don’t be afraid of the 3 eggs, I ordered mine without potatoes so it wasn’t as huge; size of a Chipotle burrito. I will definitely be back!

Really enjoyed this place with my best friend. She showed me around since this was my first time to the area and they have a great happy hour special and some good snacks. I wish the sandwich I ordered was hot instead on lukewarm but still tasted ok. The one female bartender was great but the male could use some training under her. We left with bellies full and a little tipsy but otherwise in good spirits. *Note* they need to do a better job of keeping the homeless and drifters out of the bathrooms, I saw a lady doing some sort of drug near the sinks and she was ran out.

The food is gross, the pints taste weird and come in plastic cafeteria cups, but the people watching is great. I’d just get bottled beer and eat elsewhere next time.
The chips were stale, and the stuffed mushrooms were watery.

After walking down from the pier, we stopped in and despite how busy it was, we were seated quickly and were well taken care of by the staff. I thought the lunch menu had several good options, and I went with the Hawaiian-​Style Pulled Pork Sandwich which was great! Lots of TVs if you’re trying to catch a game. If you want to do some excellent people watching, try to get a table along the sidewalk.

Nice place for a visitor that wants to grab some decent food and drinks and get a great view. The food was just your average bar food as I expected, but if you aren’t from around Santa Monica then it was really nice to grab some food right there on the path and have the view of the ocean. Great service too.

Pretty cool place to come ans hangout. Sat in the bar area.
Bathrooms are clean. Handwash area is unisex.
Food was good. had the Carne asada plate. The steak and salsa were delish. Beans and rice so-​so.
Beer was good, nice and chill. Loud atmosphere which is lively. The cocktails are hard. So totally worth the money. Will definitely be coming back!

I’m going to have to agree with the rest of these Unilocal reviews. I came here hoping it would be good but it was okay. The Sidewalk Café is right off the boardwalk in Venice Beach. We chose to sit by the walk rather than the bar although they do offer deals and happy hour if we sit at the bar instead. Our server was really nice and brought out our drinks right away and took our order. The food came out quickly too, we ordered a medium pepperoni pizza with a side basket of French fries. The fries were pretty good, nothing out of the ordinary. The pizza was cooked well for us too but it had soooo much cheese and the dough was so flat it almost tasted like rubber. The view was nice and the restaurant was cool but the food was just not that great.

This place was just ok. We were really hungry so we made the best of it.
Ordered the BLT with egg & avocado along with the «famous» potatoes on the side. My BF got the Tsunami Burrito & also the mozzarella sticks for an appetizer. The sticks were really good & I enjoyed my BLT sandwich. The potatoes that we were told this spot is known for did not seem like anything too special (reminded me of Denny’s). The Burrito was also just ok. It tasted somewhat bland too.
Our waiter was attentive and we received good customer service. The view of the beach/​walkway is nice for people watching and seeing the entertainment. Unfortunately we had an entertainer playing the piano with a long string of mucus hanging out of his nose so that was disgusting. You never know what to expect in Venice but just wished I didn’t see that while eating. Overall, the food didn’t cut it for us — too bland & nothing special.
Won’t be coming back to eat — they do have a bar area in the back with TV’s so MAYBE to catch a game next time.

This is an easy place to dine if you’re on the Venice boardwalk. It has something for everyone, so if you have a picky eater in your party, there will likely be something here that they will be happy to eat.
I’d been here before but recently came here again with my boyfriend when we were exploring the boardwalk. We decided to come here and try it out because they had a nice patio. They also have a bar area inside that you can’t really see from the outside. So if you’re looking to get a few drinks, there’s that!
We were seated quickly with no wait. I was craving pizza so I got a personal sized pepperoni and my boyfriend got a burger. We were both happy with our meals. They were nothing special but they were good! We also got a pitcher of margaritas which were strong and it was priced pretty well. I think it was only $ 20 and we both got a decent amount of drinks from it.
It’s a little pricier than it should be, but that’s because of its location. It’s right on the boardwalk, so it’s convenient. And with its outdoor patio, it’s a great place to people watch and get some sun while you dine.
Our service was great and everyone seemed friendly! I would definitely come again if I were on the boardwalk but wouldn’t go out of my way to get a meal here.

Not sure how the food is but this place is gigantic and hopping along the Venice strip. No wait to go into the giant bar area though. Got 2 drinks and used a clean restroom while we were there. Nice place to escape the sun/​wind.

Veeeery basic. Everything is overpriced because it’s on the boardwalk but if youre too lazy to get out and drive somewhere else, that’s what happens!
Bacon cheeseburger $ 13 — tasteless but what can you do. Just keep adding the salt and pepper.

This café is a hidden gem in a way that is just off of the sidewalk on Venice Beach. Depending on which way that you are walking, you’ll see a bookstore first, and the café second. The food itself is average, as well as some of the drink choices. Customer service here is pretty decent, which is pretty remarkable, considering the amount of people that can pack this venue between the hours of 11 – 3 PM.
People watching from this café offers a unique vantage point. You’ll never know what sideshow that you’ll see on Venice Beach. What’s interesting is that you can see someone do magic tricks five feet away from your table, and then demand that you pay them a few bucks because you looked in their direction. Its just the way it is.
Nonetheless, The Sidewalk Café is a good stop to pop in and feed your face & watch the drama of Venice Beach life unfold.

We skipped the line for a dine-​in table to go straight to the bar, you still have to check in at the front door though since they check ID
The bartender was very accommodating with our large group, loved him! The only reason I’m giving 3 stars is the just ok food
—wings: they had a very funny taste. I don’t know if it was a pre-​frozen taste but definitely off
—artichoke flat bread: not bad but small so if you’re hungry go for a pizza
—tomato mozzarella pizza: actually enjoyed this one
The bar is in the back but if you sit up front it’s like patio seating by the boardwalk

Pretty basic American menu. Reasonable prices, good portions, alright quality.
Great spot for people watching.

A lot of menu options, decent tasting food, friendly staff, good view of the boardwalk, and bathrooms (it’s hard to find a restroom in Venice).

I like this place. First of all, how can you not, it’s ON the sidewalk of Venice Beach?! This particular time, I went after running a 5k. I expected there to be a wait but there wasn’t because the place is huge with tons of seating. They have a ton of options for brunch so I opted for their salmon benedict which was delicious, reasonably priced and includes a glass of mimosa! (or as I called it a «victory glass!»)
Service was great and super friendly and we were served relatively quickly which was great because we were HUNGRY (not yet hangry) after running the race. Will definitely go back!

Blah! Boring food! I decided to grab breakfast at this spot but it was nothing special.
I ordered their huevos rancheros and it was two eggs on top of two corn tortillas with la Victoria salsa, la rosita refried canned beans, and with Costco guac.
This place is great for grabbing a beer and people watch since its in the boardwalk.

The food is below par but I mean look were you are…
Defiantly not a five star restaurant but…
Just stick to a
Hamburger, bllt sandwich, fried shrimp anything fried is the way to go.
It’s nice sitting close to the rail, you can people watch if that’s your thing.
— there is usually a piano player, playing beautiful music right in front.
There’s a bar inside too. One of those sticky bars.

Positives– Was seated fast, got my food fast, and the employees were friendly.
I decided to spend the day in Venice, which includes all day parking, roaming the streets and eating while watching the sun go down.
Sometimes when I look at reviews, I will see that some of the places I really like have received 3 star reviews, so despite the reviews, I decided to give this place a try.
I ordered the Bloody Mary to start off with. I knew I was in for trouble when it came in one of those old style plastic glasses (you know, the ones your grandma had that had all the ripples and ridges all over it?). Bloody Mary’s DO NOT BELONG IN PLASTIC CUPS, especially if they cost $ 8. I have had delicious $ 4 Bloody Mary’s served in short glass glasses. This Bloody Mary was pulpy, spicy but little actual flavor. It didn’t even have any damn olives. I took one sip and sent it back. I asked for the Kona Surf wheat beer, which also came in the same damn plastic glass. It tasted like any other lame flat beer with little taste. It is hard to determine if it is the plastic cup that is messing with the flavors and the foam, but it was not good. I drank half of it, only because I didn’t want any negative fallout.
For food I ordered the bacon and bleu cheese burger with the french fries. The burger itself was very bland. The patty was obviously from frozen, was flat and relatively flavorless and the bleu cheese crumbles was the only thing giving it any kind of flavor.
The fries were cold and stale by the time I got to them. Again, these lacked any real flavor and I had to salt them myself.
My advise to the place would be to really invest the money into the food and the restaurant itself. I passed through the bar and saw their glassware, so they obviously HAVE it. The place is right on the boardwalk and you know they get a LOT of foot traffic and get enough money from visitors that money is not an issue. They could stand to make their burgers fresh and to invest in better house recipes. This place could be a killer gem if it took the time. Its a sick place to watch the sun go down in Venice.
I will not be back.

Unfortunately after years of coming here I am am sad to say I had to write them off. I informed them that I was vegan and ordered the veggie wrap with no cheese. I stressed to them multiple times no cheese. What do you know, I took one bite of it and it was filled with extra cheese. I didn’t know if this was a sick joke or what. I was sooo upset I haven’t eaten an animal product in over 2 years! Not only that, this was like my 10^th time here and since I’m vegan I can’t do most of their sides and they always let me substitute with a side of strawberries. Not the case today, not only was I told that starwberrys were not a side option and he couldn’t substitute it but I can buy them extra for $ 7 or so and still pick a side it came with… I told them never mind and walked out. Way to treat a regular who’s been coming for yearssss. I and my family will never be back.

Take mediocre food cooked by someone that’s «been in a kitchen before,» charge double the price what you might find at a regular diner, put it by the beach and call it, «The Sidewalk Café.»
I ordered the John Denver omelette and found the portion to be filling but it left me wanting more, something… better.
Come with high expectations and you’ll be let down. Come with no expectations and you might be surprised, but likely still let down.

One star for the hostess.
$ 15 bacon cheese burger. If I had known that this place is not even decent… starving myself would’ve felt better.
French fries tasted like they were fried in the same pan as the fish. The bun was cold and the patty was the thickness of a shoe insole.
After taking our order, the server left and never came back. Actually, I’m still waiting for him to return to at least ask me if my food was ok. Which it wasn’t.
Hurry up server. I must leave this place to enjoy the 100 000 degree weather outside of this restaurant. That’d be a better feeling.
Thanks.

Bugs, flies, more bugs, EVERYWHERE. Cleanliness and sanitation is a massive problem here. I spent more time swatting flies away from my food and drink than I did enjoying my food or talking with my friend.
And for that reason only I’d never come here again. We sat in the corner next to the screened in windows and I’ve never seen so many flies in my life.
The food was way over priced and small. It might as well have been an appetizer and not marketed as an entrée. The pulled pork sandwich waa awful with no taste. And the reuben was the most shrunken reuben I’ve ever seen.

We were longboarding on Venice beach and needed some grub. Ran into this little gem. Covered seating alongside the walkway with screens as to not block the beach and ocean view. Not to mention a great people watching place as you eat, drink and relax.
Enough about the ambience. The food was pretty good. I had the carne asada plate. Very yummy by the way and my girlfriend had a beach club sandwich that before I knew was gone in a blink of an eye. If what we had was an indicator on the rest of what was on the menu. Everything has got to be just as good. We will be back again in Venice beach and Santa Monica area. This will for sure be a «must eat at» while in town.

I’ve came here a couple of times and I’ve always love this place. Came here not for the food or service, as it is just average, nothing to rave about. At least this place look more decent along the stretch to have a proper brunch. Love the simple and causal ambience of this place plus being able to see whats going on the Venice beach by the window seat, is pretty awesome. It just adds on to the dining experience here.

Came here because we just got to the beach and wanted something to eat. It was perfect since we were looking for a place to sit down.
My boyfriend ordered the chicken burrito, our son order extra cheesy pepperoni personal 10 inch pizza and I had the pull pork carnitas tacos.
My meal was delicious, better than I thought it would be. The pulled pork was great and I loved the guacamole on the side. The rice & bean with moly sauce (sp?) was pretty good too but honesty I didn’t even have enough room to eat it all.
Our son’s pizza came out really cheesy which was perfect. He ate a few slices and we took the leftovers to go!
BTW our waiter, didn’t catch his name but he was African America, with a Mohawk style hair cut was extremely nice. He provided great customer service.
Oh and seating by the windows was great to people watch. The man on the piano was really talented. Will have to come again if we’re ever in the area!

My partner and I were spending the day in Venice and decided to stop into the Bar at the Sidewalk Café for some Happy Hour drinks.
We absolutely loved the laid back, beach-​dive setting and the music playing was really awesome! We had the Happy Hour margheritas and some chicken wings with ranch sauce, both were super tasty!
Our bar tender was friendly, helpful and we got both our drinks and our food really quickly! Definitely want to get back here soon.

Remember where you’re at. Supply and demand. This place is pretty much the only restaurant type establishment on the strip, at least for most of it. Why four stars then?
1) you get to sit and be waited on
2) big menu selection
3) decent staff
SUPPLY and DEMAND
The sidewalk café wins by default. My suggestion is have mediocre expectations, order something basic (ie fish and chips, soup and sandwich ((soup was pretty bomb))) and leave happy. It’s reasonably priced for a tourist trap, just don’t go ordering steak and sea food looking for top notch eatery. Ya dig?

Unprofessional and Rude. My friend and I were visiting LA for the first time and decided we would grab a couple drinks here. There was no one manning the door when we heard shouting behind us for our ids. It was the bouncer who was chit chatting with his friends out on the boardwalk and my friend and I almost slipped by without being carded. After showing him our cards we went and sat down at the bar where the bartender ignored us for seven and a half minutes. When he finally did acknowledge our presence he let us know that we’re sitting in someone else’s seat. How come he did not tell us that seven and a half minutes ago?
All of our interactions were negative so we decided to take our business elsewhere. Very disappointed. We’re not really sure why this would even be called a café.

I stopped by here for breakfast here a few weeks ago when I was visiting Los Angeles.
Here’s the deal. The food here was good, but the location is great! Right there on the strand. If I had come later in the day I could have people-​watched and had a great time.
As it was I ordered a very healthy (egg white, broccoli, something else) omelette, some really good coffee, and just chilled out.
The wait staff was friendly, but mostly the food was good, the view was good, and man did I just chill out.
There are cheaper places to eat, but they probably don’t have as good of an atmosphere. Enjoy yourself.

I’ve had better food in my life but the location makes up for the food quality. It’s not bad but it’s not great either.
You ain’t gonna find a lot of solid options on the strand so this one might work for you.

Made a visit to Venice with a group of 4. We were starving and The Sidewalk Café seemed to be the only dine in restaurant around compared to ice cream and hot dogs sold on the board walk.
It was pretty busy and we waited for about 20 minutes. Not too bad considering it was the weekend. We were sat on the window side in the sun which was nice. A group next to us got sat after us, served drinks and food before we were asked what we wanted to drink! nonsense! Our food came in about 25 minutes and it was cold!
Overall average dining experience.

The location of this place is awesome. We had a seat near the screen window, which is prime people-​watching area. And in Venice Beach, that is the name of the game!
We came for Sunday morning breakfast. The menu was larger than I expected it to be — there were two pages dedicated to omelettes! I ended up getting the fried egg sandwich with cheese. I have to say, it was a little mayonaisse-​y. I probably should have asked for it on the side. The potatoes were not my favorite either.
Despite my so-​so breakfast meal, everyone else at the table seemed to devour their meals. Price-​wise, this wasn’t so bad for Cali. It also wasn’t the best meal, so take it for what it’s worth!