"Venice’s newest dinnertime entrant is a Japanese and craft cocktail hangout with a rather long pedigree. Housed in the former Wabi-Sabi space at 1635 Abbot Kinney — which burned down in 2018, just one a year after a complete overhaul — the brand new Owa has arrived and is promising lots of snacks, sushi, and more. The arrival of Owa at the end of July has been meaningful for all of Venice, and not just because the well-known location previously housed a different Japanese restaurant for more than two decades. Owa is a collaboration between head chef Yoshi Matsumoto (who used to run the kitchen at Chaya not far away) and owners Mario Vollera and Patrick Brunet. The latter two will be familiar to any longtime Venice resident, with Vollera running the decade-old casual pizza and wine spot South End. What’s more, Vollera and Brunet co-own Roosterfish, the iconic LGBTQ bar up the street, which only recently announced a takeover of Lisa Vanderpump’s closed Pump restaurant in West Hollywood. As for the group’s most recent venture, diners can expect Edo-style sushi served from a counter as well as lounge seating, a heated patio, and lots of wooden tables. The bar area seats 50, the dining room another 40, and the patio holds more than 25 when fully seated for dinner. Beyond sushi, diners can find staples like chirashi bowls and spicy tuna crispy rice, as well as a full omakase option. Best of all, the sushi bar will actually convert to a standing-only setup from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on weekends, meaning nigiri and cocktails for all. At that hour customers can also find music to move to and floor-to-ceiling windows that open right out onto Abbot Kinney. The new Owa joins the buzzy Atla as the latest restaurant to make waves on Abbot Kinney, though the neighborhood is always ready for the next big thing — including a forthcoming Central American restaurant from Panamanian chef José Olmedo Carles Rojas that is taking over the closed James Beach. Owa’s hours run from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily, with an extension to 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Reservations can be made via Resy." - Farley Elliott
