"Just steps from the Santa Monica Pier, I visited the Surfing Fox, a casual newcomer opening on Tuesday, August 15 on the ground floor of the new Pierside Hotel at 120 Colorado Avenue. The long street-side patio tucked under swaying trees, a glowing corner bar and a breezy indoor dining room—wrapped in surf-culture accents and California ephemera—give it an indoor-outdoor vibe meant to pull the restaurant into the greater neighborhood and make it a fine (and fast) stop for locals, tourists, and everyone else. Chef David Yamaguchi (Chulita) oversees a menu that moves between ceviche, Caesar salad, a burger, fried chicken sandwich, and fish tacos, with distinctive touches like a koji brine on the chicken, Oaxacan spices, and a roasted half-chicken with coconut sauce and green sambal; espresso, La Colombe coffee, pastries and breakfast plates are served daily, cocktails start at $17 and glasses of wine at $14, and the opening menus even include dog-friendly offerings. The plan is to activate different areas of the space throughout the day—from sunny morning coffee to a lively night at the bar—while diners lounging outside can take in views to the pier and beyond, and the location sits right by a Metro stop and within sight of the ocean." - Farley Elliott