"The sexy and brooding izakaya from the former Gjelina chef is a Venice restaurant through and through: Beanie-clad dads pull up to dinner on electric motorcycles, agency folks are on dates with graphic designers, and no one hears the lo-fi vinyl playlist over conversations about surf camp in Nicaragua. RVR late night is the liveliest we’ve seen Abbot Kinney since the Birkenstock store’s end-of-summer sale, and ideal for a Westside rendezvous with someone you want to impress. Booking a table takes some effort, but it's worth it for delicious, pared-down Japanese small plates that lean traditional while also swerving totally Californian. Online reservations are released 30 days out at midnight daily. For walk-ins, plan on lining up before doors open at 5pm, or arriving after 8:30pm—you'll likely be seated at the wrap-around bar either way." - sylvio martins, brant cox, cathy park