AngieJ

This place is a lot of fun. My buddy Mike and I went and you get this card thingy – we just bought 20$ worth and you stick it in this circular structure that has expensive wine bottles attached to it. It checks you out for one ounce of wine. So, you can sample lots of different wines in one night. Mike decided to hit the button a couple times to get more than one ounce of a couple wines.

The Rhone was my favorite, they have wines from France, Span, Italy, Australia and one that is like 15$ an ounce.

They have a patio too, as well as a posh indoors setting…So you sit and sample wine and it feels liek you are in Italy!

The apps were just okay…Don’t get the cheese plate, its sad and the stuff peppers were also a disappointment…but, the pizzates look great.

Will have to try those next time.

This place is a lot of fun. My buddy Mike and I went and you get this card thingy – we just bought 20$ worth and you stick it in this circular structure that has expensive wine bottles attached to it. It checks you out for one ounce of wine. So, you can sample lots of different wines in one night. Mike decided to hit the button a couple times to get more than one ounce of a couple wines.

The Rhone was my favorite, they have wines from France, Span, Italy, Australia and one that is like 15$ an ounce.

They have a patio too, as well as a posh indoors setting…So you sit and sample wine and it feels liek you are in Italy!

The apps were just okay…Don’t get the cheese plate, its sad and the stuff peppers were also a disappointment…but, the pizzates look great.

Will have to try those next time.

I have been going to Hama for 6years now. It’s changed ownership over that time – Toshi left…but they held true to the great sushi and fun atmosphere.

No reservations, but if you become a regular like me, you are sat immediately.

Ask for Maysao or Jason for the best service. Maysao is from the old school that ran the bar under Toshi. The Toro is better than any place I have been on the west side by far and prices are reasonable.

I don’t think it’s on the menu, but Agadashi Tofu is my favorite when it’s cold outside and a great choice if you bring someone who is scared of raw fish.

I lived in japan before and am kind of hard core (no California rolls for me), but if you have friends who are not big sushi people…but they like really like hot stuff…get them Jason’s Red Devil Roll with the “don’t sue me sauce.” This will provides loads of entertainment.

Tapas and Wine…this is one of my favorite restaurants in Venice. Take a big group and enjoy great Tapas dishes and share different delicious bites! The Tiger Shrimp, Lamb and DaTes wrapped in Bacon are my favs.

The wine list is gi-normous and full of amazing wine by the glass and bottle. There High Syrah is one of my favs but $15 a glass…so yummy!

If you are on a date and need to hear each other or want to snuggle opt for the patio, it’s quieter. They have a tarp that encloses it with heaters in the winter, so you can use it year round and not freeze.

Another one of my favorite places, but you have to be “in the know” to navigate this one.

For dinner this place is amazing. The dinning room in the back is serene and cozy. The decor is classy, modern and even a bit masculine which explains the hot men that like to go here. great for a date or just a nice dinner with a friend. Every single person I bring here LOVES it.

I loved Brooke’s other spots Amuse and Zax, before she opened Beechwood and am a big fan of her food. For dinner the Skirt Steak and Sweet Potato fries is the winner. Their Dinner steak and even their Burger is excellent too. Brooke knows her red meat!

They also have a nice wine list, but don’t order a martini, they do not know how make one and the mixed drinks are weak.

For drinks at the bar/patio…this is a scene. There are always fun people at this bar and I have met many people just sitting next to me, who actually have something to say and are not the “empty doll heads” of Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Beware: It gets crowded, fast. The couches are comfy, but don’t order food there because they are very low and it’s not a pretty sight. The seating outside is mostly hard benches and chairs. The fire pit is really pretty with glass rocks and most people like to hang around that, even if its not cold outside.

This is definitely a fun place to go for drinks, but there are some rules.

1. Get there by 9pm, if you want to sit anywhere. They definitely fill beyond capacity and the bar/patio area is very popular. Sitting by the fire pit is the most fun and central.

2. If you have a big party, call ahead to reserve the BIG table on the patio. They are very nice about doing this, but it gets reserved quickly and usually reserved once at 7pm and again at 9 pm.

3. Don’t use the waitresses in the bar area, go to the bar. Every single waitress this place hires is a complete dingbat and is very slow. They usually only have one waitress working the whole patio.

4. The bartenders have better service, but stick with beer or wine…they do not know how to make a drink.

5. During the week they close by 12:30 because they have residential behind them and the noise is a problem.

This may seem like a lot of stuff to deal with, but once you know the skinny, it can be a fun experience.