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Elephante Santa Monica Reviews
Best in Santa Monica easily!
Definitely on my list for one of the best restaurants, in the greater Los Angeles area. As I told all the staff I encountered, A+++ service from the hostesses, our wonderful waiter, staff who assisted him and of course the chefs/sou chefs in the kitchen... Food/drink wait times were non-existent which was incredible. Food was brought to the table hot/fresh, literally within minutes of ordering. A very impressive feat for a busy restaurant near such an iconic attraction, which is the Santa Monica Pier. Make reservations in order to get a table over looking the water. Can't wait to come back and try their brunch.
Perfect food with excellent California vibe
This is a great California experience. We went for lunch once, and, it was so good we returned a second time! Try the eggplant hummus, the arancini balls, and the pasta with black squid ink! Amazing and creative dishes! Our servers both times were super, and their wine suggestions were spot on. Awesome view from the second floor terrace. All around great experience!!
Delicious, Moorish Italian food!!
Fantastic location and AMAZING food. Everything we ordered eggplant, pizza, calamari and burrata were 10/10. The staff were friendly and efficient. It’s is clearly a well run establishment and the locals are blessed to have this near them
Over hyped under serviced
Over rated TikTok hype. Crazy loud, mediocre food, hustled us through in a big hurry! ~ drinks appetizers and dinner in 40 minutes to get the next table in?! On a Thursday evening. Got our appetizers before drinks got our main while appies were still on our table Totally disappointed for a $300 usd drink and a pasta dish Go elsewhere. Trust me
Definitely not worth the $100 plus, for two.
I was hoping we would have a wonderful dinner. We didn’t. I can’t understand the popularity of this restaurant. It’s supposed to be an Italian restaurant. Without discussing the disappointing entree, how many Italian restaurants have you been to, that do not serve bread with their meals! In my experience, zero. At the very least, how about some breadsticks. If it’s any consolation, my wife enjoyed her meal but would have killed for some ice in her water glass. Aaaaaargh. Oh wait. The server was great.
Excellent
Came here for a late lunch. The place was heaving and based on the food we had, I can understand why. I had pasta with chicken and my daughter had pizza. Both meals were spectacular. I would highly recommend this restaurant but you'll need to book.
Must visit in SM
A really nice location and one of the go to restaurants in Santa Monica. We actually went twice. First time in the evening where booking is pretty much a necessity. I would suggest the ocean view part of the restaurant rather than the garden room even though there is no view in the evening. It’s a better buzz and is more airy. Food is I guess Italian/American. Nice options. Nothing super fancy but very good. Went next day for breakfast. It’s a really nice place in the day. Nice beach views. Staff very friendly on both occasions.
Best of Santa Monica
Best spot in Santa Monica! Great costumer service, great food. Everyone was really nice specially Ivana. We really enjoyed the ambiance
trendy and fun
When you have a trendy popular place, I guess a little employee attitude goes along with it, but they were friendly. Waitstaff was friendly, efficient and did a good job. Eggplant dip and pizza were items to order. Place has fun vibe, good views and lots of alcohol. A fun popular place for happy hour. Make a reservation.
Surprised
Gorgeous lighting but paid almost $200 for pasta and three scallops, yikes. Making reservations, here was actually the biggest mistake of my whole trip to California. The noise of others talking was so loud that I couldn’t hear anything anyone at my table said for the whole meal. I made reservations a month before, and asked for an ocean view, and a seat by the window, but was seated by the bathrooms, nowhere near a window. My son ordered scallops and the dinner portion came with three scallops. I’ve never received food so quickly in my life, not even at a fast food restaurant. The food arrived about maybe 2 minutes after we put our order in so I sent my cocktail back. I suspected maybe they were rushing to free up a table but it took a very long time for the bill to come after we ate so I don’t think that was it. When I complained to the manager about my seat, he was clearly annoyed so we left.
First Timer...LOVED it!
Went here for the first time and I was impressed. We sat in the cactus room and it was lovely. What looked even more lovely was the room with the ocean view, but I made reservations late, so I understand not being seated there. The service is truly the one thing that was lacking. Our server was friendly, if not warm, but I didn't feel taken care of. I don't need/want to be babied, but nobody asked how the food was. Not once. I rate the service here "fair". I had a Northside Mule. It was tasty (I did not get any watermelon notes), but not outstanding. My partner had the honey ginger lemon spritz and that was PHENOMENAL. We split an order of the banana bread. Generous portion for $8. Warm, moist, lighter than banana bread usually is...DELICIOUS! We also split an order of the avocado toast. Very tasty, a bit overpriced (but not bad) at $14. My partner had the ricotta hotcakes. He said they were good...the nutella and honeycomb butter on the side really made them. I opted for the chia and granola bowl. At $13, it wasn't PRICEY, but there was very little food in my bowl. It was VERY tasty, but afterwards I was not full, so... I had the tiramisu! FANTASTIC, large portion, worth every penny of the $12 spent. It filled me up just fine! Would I go back here? Absolutely! The pizzas and pastas I saw going by looked extremely tasty & I would try some of those. I usually don't put a lot of prices in my reviews, but I felt a need this time. I'm all about VALUE...I'll gladly pay for an expensive meal, but it better be good and worth it. Elephante was totally worth it. The ambience and food were very good, the drinks good and the service, while not exemplary, was okay. It's a nice place to have a leisurely meal and I look forward to returning some day.
Lovely
We had a wonderful brunch. The view and atmosphere is lovely and we shared three dishes to sample a variety of items. All were excellent!
Great Bar, Fun Atmosphere, Great Food!
The hostess was kind enough to allow the four of us to sit at a couch for 2 hours during which we shared great appetizers and drinks. The atmosphere is lively and fun and the cocktails are incredible. We loved the meatballs and the burrata with honey was amazing. Also recommend the most incredible shrimp. We are going to return for dinner as soon as we can!
Hard pass.
The food is pretty good but the service was essentially atrocious. Our food had a massive mixup. Calamari in a potato dish. We do not eat shellfish or seafood and were really upset to bite into a calamari. Both myself and my daughters got it. Had we been allergic, it would have been awful. The first waiter who came by told us "it happens all the time" bc they use the same fryer for calamari and potatoes. Super irresponsible considering shellfish allergies. The waiter was incredibly rude about it to boot and acted like we were overreacting, despite the fact that we are in fact super strict non shellfish eaters. After that, they treated us like pariahs. We ordered a second round of drinks that never came. Manager was told to be on the way to discuss the calamari issue and never came. We were comped the potatoes and not offered anything else. And finally - the waiter came to the table as we were leaving and said "by the way, the chef does not think you got calamari and you were mistaken." No words. I can tell the difference between a potato and calamari - especially since the first waiter told us "it happens all the time." It was gummy and tasted like the bottom of the ocean. It was really just so rude. The food is good but not THAT good as to warrant that behavior.
Comparably authentic pasta!
Had a last minute reservation here on 12/09/2023 with a friend who lives in SM. With the reservation there was no wait so I was already happy since I was starving. It was crowded, even at 1530 on a Saturday late afternoon/early evening. They had a nice holiday drink menu, but I was driving back to the SFV so went with the raspberry mint mocktail. It was OK, but my mint garnish was wilted. We shared a Brussel sprout salad which the portion size seemed small, but it was delicious. The meatballs were superb and the marinara sauce was divine. I got the Cacio e pepe pasta and my friend ordered the pasta with the vodka sauce and both dishes were amazing. I've been to Italy several times and these dishes were comparable to the authentic pasta I'm used to having there. We also ordered the potatos as our vegetable. I'm not a fan or ranch so no need for that on the side, but the potatoes were nice and crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside and the coarse sea salt garnish was the icing on the top. I would definitely return her, and Would highly recommend; just make sure you have a reservation because there was an line forming at the entrance as we were leaving.
A good brunch with great views
For a place that could get by on it's stunning Pacific views Élephante from Wish You Were Here Group is serving up an impressive brunch at bargain prices relative to the setting. A renovated old Beach House, restaurateur Nicholas Mathers sourcing coastal Italian influences across the interior as well as the menu, Élephante could get by on it's stunning Pacific views but instead opts to serve an impressive brunch at bargain prices relative to the setting. Part of Wish You Were Here Group, guests ascending to an open rooftop once reservations are confirmed, it is amidst music and Mimosas that the kitchen turns out everything from Pizza to Pancakes at a speed that never feels rushed. Wood-clad with decorative flourishes, Bartenders quick to send out a Mezcal Margarita, it was not long before toasted Banana Bread with restrained sweetness sat adjacent creamy Cornmeal topped in Corn, picked Crab and a poached Organic Egg for just $16. Cooled by Ocean breeze and fans, most diners dressed casually save for a few 20-somethings in couture, dinner’s Spicy Vodka Sauce finds itself on the Brunch menu atop al dente Canestri while Pizza from the wood oven has just enough char to peak out from behind honey and heat. Passing on the signature Eggplant Spread, perhaps a mistake, airy Ricotta Flapjacks arrive three-high with Hazelnut Cream, Honeycomb Butter and the sort of Maple Syrup every Restaurant should be serving plus some sliced Bananas.
We loved Elephante
Absolutely delicious food and cocktails with beautiful ocean views and a hip island resort feel. We went mid-day on a Saturday and it was packed with a youngish, cool kid LA brunchers crowd. The vibe is lively, but thankfully not too loud or too much of scene. We didn’t have reservations, but were sat at the first-come-first-serve bar after a short wait. If you want a table at any time of day, reservations are a must! This place is busy! The food skews Italian and everything we had was delicious! Grilled octopus was so tender and served over a fresh and flavorful salad. The Rigatoni Verde was a good balance of earthy umami and rich creaminess. For LA, it’s a large pasta portion, but even so we weren’t left feeling like we’d over-carbed. Around us we saw bowl after bowl of their vodka sauce pasta go by so that seems to be a popular choice as well. The Soppressata Pizza was fantastic - a perfectly light, crispy crust with some delicate sour tang. Juuuust enough honey to add a kiss of sweetness without being unctuous. We had ours topped with arugula and that was a great choice in our opinion :) Cocktails are amazing - balanced and layered. Bold Sea Slushie was my favorite Mezcalera - delicious! Acqua - good Margarita - classic and good Many people around us were ordering the Watermelon Mezcalrita and loving it, so we’ll have to try it next time. All in all an excellent spot to hit in Santa Monica with lots of energy.
Date Night!
Last night my lady and I dined at Elephante - great cocktails, vibes/ambiance, would highly recommend ordering the whipped eggplant, vodka sauce pasta and soppressata pizza. Seems like the ideal place to visit if you're traveling to LA, have a special someone you want to take out for a nice date or perhaps a client/colleague dinner. Special shoutout to Cameron who was at the host stand; we were originally sat outside on the balcony, it was a bit chilly ~50 degrees and with a breeze. She brought us two blankets, but in addition to that, about 5 minutes later, came back to let us know that a table for two opened up inside the cactus garden and gave us the option to switch - which we absolutely preferred/appreciated. At restaurants and dining out, of course, food/drinks/ambiance is always important, but what I always seem to remember most are the people & Cameron was a bright star. Thank you!
Amazing View
The sunset room at elephante has such an amazing view of the ocean!
I like this place
I really enjoyed my visit here. I came here in the afternoon for drinks. The entire vibe of this place is completely my style. When I sat down I saw a big puffy bread that looked interesting and I had to try it out. I had a Violet Curtain and it was delicious. The whipped egg plant is like hummus and the puffy bread is puccia. So good and so different and definitely worth a try. The service was great and I will definitely be back here.
Élephante is AMAZING!
Positioned beautifully beachside and overlooking the Santa Monica Beach, Élephante is geographically positioned for success. The entry is street side, a little mysterious and could be more impressive. Valet is available. HOWEVER, once you arrive to the third floor, you are greeted with friendly staff and a chill, luxurious atmosphere. Food is excellent, service is excellent and views are stellar. Absolutely no negatives here, make a reservation early and enjoy. This is a restaurant not to miss if visiting Santa Monica.
Great experience
The food, view, ambience, service, all were outstanding. The pizzas we had were great, but what stole the show for be was the unique chilli oil that they gave us as a condiment to the pizza. Wow!
Disappointed before we even walked in
As we stepped up to the podium to check in, the gigantic bouncer moved quickly to block the entrance like he thought this tiny grandmother was going to rush him. Service was perfunctory. Flavors lacked balance in terms of salt and acidity. Express lunch decent value. Super noisy with bros to our left one-upping each other and young women on our right screeching to be heard. Didn’t get the combo of a French name, Safari decor, and Italian food. Lovely view.
Brussel Salad & Rigatoni
Get the whipped eggplant, brussel sprout salad, and spicy rigatoni pasta, you won't regret it!
Worst service, not worth it
Obnoxious people working there, horrible service. Not worth it at all. The view is fantastic but the service is horrible, people working there are very obnoxious and couldn’t care less. I put one star for the view and location but don’t recommend it. Avoid it!!
Lovely evening out!
We had a fab evening here, got there just after sunset but could tell it was the perfect place for sunset dinner and drinks. Decor was lovely, good vibe and friendly waiter at the table. Food was lovely the eggplant dip with pizza was amazing, so was the crumbed veal and the pavlova is a must try (but definitely to share). Only thing that could have been improved it was slightly too dark at our table but others where brighter. Would recommend!
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Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Elephante Santa Monica at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Elephante Santa Monica page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
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1.) Setting a Reward (Bid)
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* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $5.
* At this stage, the reservation does not exist yet.
2.) A Community User Picks Up the Bid
* EternalAnt36, an experienced AT user, has a strong track record of successfully securing reservations and low refund requests, they receive a notification about Peter's bid.
* EternalAnt36 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
* Peter can now talk to EternalAnt36 for any questions Peter may have as EternalAnt36 user fills the bid.
3.) Finding the Reservation
* EternalAnt36 now uses their connections at Elephante Santa Monica to secure the table.
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* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at Elephante Santa Monica!
* As with all transactions on AT, disputes and no-show fees are handled through the platform's community-driven resolution system. Users with a strong track record are incentivized to fulfill bids successfully, and community members can report issues to maintain trust in the marketplace.

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