This past week, Q-line asked: Where is your favorite place to eat in Santa Monica and why? Here are your responses: “NORMS IS THE BEST PLACE TO EAT AT in Santa Monica because of reasonable prices, very good food and its clean southern style cooking and hospitality. Izzy’s is also good. Good prices and good food.”
“BUD’S DELI ON OCEAN PARK [Boulevard] has been there 30 years and I’ve never had a bad meal.”
“I DON’T DINE OR SHOP IN SANTA Monica anymore — too much traffic, no parking, too many bums and dangerous transients around, day and night.”
“HI, MY NAME IS TAYLOR AND I WOULD just like to say that Ocean Park Pizza has the best pizza and the only place I would ever go.”
“IT WOULD PROBABLY BE MCDONALD’S because everything else is overpriced for what you get, and McDonald’s has pretty good fries, too. You don’t even need ketchup with them.”
“THE BEST RESTAURANT I HAVE EVER eaten pizza is Ocean Park Pizza on Ocean Park Boulevard. It is absolutely just like New York and I’m from New York.”
“MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT TO DINE IN pretty much is La Cabaña on Rose Avenue. The food is just so delicious. I haven’t been there for many, many years but I have very fond memories of that restaurant. The guacamole is absolutely to die for and so is the Mexican food — tortillas, tamales, enchiladas, huevos rancheros. It’s just del-ish.”
“IT WOULD NOT BE FAIR TO MENTION one of all of the restaurants in Santa Monica today without mentioning one of the best restaurants of the past. That restaurant would be Java Time. It was located on Third Street … next to JC Penny on Wilshire Boulevard. Great, reasonably priced steaks and salads with more than a polite staff of waiters. I am nearly certain that nearly every one living in Santa Monica at that time dined in Java Time’s warm atmosphere, including national politicians, actors and actresses, and a lot of plain folks just like me. Java Time is gone, but in my mind has not forgotten. And if any of the waiters of Java Time during that time are still around I again say, thanks pals, you are the best of the best.”
“RICK’S [TAVERN] ON MAIN STREET HAS the best, daily delicious bargains anywhere. He’s got a back patio and my husky pooch is welcome out front to share a T-bone. Izzy’s Deli is the place for those late night pleasures. Their soups are a great bargain.”
“I HAVE TWO FAVORITE RESTAURANTS. The first one is Noma, the Japanese restaurant at the corner of Wilshire and 21st Street — marvelous food. The second place is Fromin’s Deli, also on Wilshire at the corner of 19th. Very, very good food as well.”
“MY FAVORITE RESTAURANT IS THE Bookmark Café at the Main Library in Santa Monica. The food is great, love the atmosphere and the prices are reasonable.”
“BUD’S DELI HAS THE BEST SALADS and I’ve been going there for years and I just love it there.”
“I HAPPEN TO THINK OCEAN PARK PIZZA is the best pizza I have ever had. It’s like New York style and I’m from back east. People need to know more about it. It’s absolutely amazing — very family oriented, they have a little patio in the back and the pizza is just amazing.”
“MY FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN Santa Monica is Bread & Porridge on Wilshire — excellent breakfast, excellent dinner, wonderful waiting staff and a charming owner, plus a good wine selection.”
“I USUALLY DINE OUT IN EITHER Brentwood or the Palisades because the ambiance in these two cities is so much more charming and low key. Here are my Santa Monica favorites — Golden Bull in the Santa Monica Canyon, Gilbert’s on Pico, Rae’s on Pico, Spumoni on Montana, snug Harbor on Wilshire and Casa Escobar on Wilshire for the strongest margaritas in town. All have great food and are wonderful reminders how Santa Monica once was.”
“MY FAVORITE PLACE TO EAT IN SANTA Monica is a place I have eaten at over 5,000 times. It’s my mother’s kitchen. Nothing beats a home-cooked meal.”
“IF YOU ARE A HOMELESS PERSON THE best place to eat are the dumpsters behind Denny’s and Norms restaurants because when they throw out food you know the food is not so old because they serve so many meals. When I want to have some fresh food, I go into Vons deli sandwich and can walk out without paying for it. But Norms and Denny’s are really great if you go behind them and dig in the dumpsters.”
“I LIKE TO EAT. MY FAVORITE restaurant is Rusty’s on the Santa Monica Pier. It’s a beautiful setting, great environment, great hamburgers, great barbecue chicken and the staff is very friendly.”
“MY FAVORITE PLACE IS THE GOLDEN Bull in the Santa Monica Canyon. It’s been there for years. It’s traditional, it’s quiet, a full bar, nice booths, wonderful help and very good food. It’s not a yuppie place. It’s a great place to dine and reasonable, too. And for Mexican food, Casa Escobar on 25th and Wilshire — again old style, been there since ‘64. Good food, good service, good employees and a good feeling, and once again, a full bar.”
“I LIKE O’BRIAN’S AND CASA ESCOBAR. The food is good, fair price, consistent, service and drinks the same.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 24, 2008. Read the original PDF.