Alisa wine & friends
Restaurant · Venice ·
Greek-Mediterranean seafood, mezze, natural wines, patio dining
Greek-Mediterranean seafood, mezze, natural wines, patio dining
"Alisa Wine & Friends is a cute beige-toned Greek restaurant on Abbot Kinney where you can drink wine. With your friends. It’s not somewhere we’d send anyone for a meal, though, because the food is underseasoned and underwhelming (also, dinner here gets pricey, quickly). Here’s what we do like: the extensive Greek-focused wine list. It’s fun to explore, and the charming servers have strong opinions on their favorite bottles. Get a snack or two if you're starving, a bottle of chilled red to fuel the chit-chat, and, most importantly, dinner reservations elsewhere. Food Rundown Spanikopita These spinach-filled phyllo triangles are forgettable, but we’re into the runny garlic sauce sitting underneath. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Roasted Potatoes The menu says these bland baby potatoes are roasted in beef fat, which is news to us. We’d guess they were boiled in water that was in dire need of salt. Beef and Lamb Meatballs The tart tomato and yogurt sauce is almost tasty enough to mask how dry the meatballs are. Almost. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Eggplant Dip Someone turned the “smoky grilled eggplant flavor” dial on this babaganoush down to 40%. It’s fine. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Carabineros These fancy Spanish prawns are a sought-after ingredient, and at $30 for two, you’d expect them to be treated right. These arrived lukewarm and missing salt. photo credit: Sylvio Martins Chicken Skewer The best dish here by far. The chicken is grilled to peak juiciness, with a nice amount of char on all sides. photo credit: Sylvio Martins" - Sylvio Martins
"A newish Greek restaurant on Abbot Kinney in the former Plant Food and Wine, this spot offers a breezy destination for friend reunions and intimate date nights. The interior, bathed in creams and whites with sapphire blue accents, evokes the whitewashed lime plaster finish of hillside homes in the Greek Islands. The menu includes a heaping Greek salad with a blocky feta centerpiece (ask for the burnt tomato jam on the side); tinned fish, spanakopita, tzatziki, and flatbreads; grilled fish — an herb-butter-rubbed branzino pocked with fried garlic chips; beef and lamb keftedes; and beef-fat-drenched roasted potatoes. The wine list is plentiful and the servers keep it flowing. If and when the sizable back patio reopens, this will probably be the It spot on the block all summer. — Nicole Adlman, cities manager" - Eater Staff
"It’s unclear if you need to bring your own friends, but this white-walled Greek spot on Abbot Kinney will definitely supply the wine. The interior looks like a stylish summer home on Santorini that’s decorated with tiny ceramic vases, seashells, and rows of wine bottles, and the short food menu includes traditional-leaning dishes like spanakopita, monkfish orzo, and lamb chops." - cathy park
"This fairly new spot on Abbot Kinney is serving fresh Greek fare and great wines to locals who are delighted to have a new kid (restaurant) in town. Taking over the former Plant Food and Wine in Venice, Alisa doesn’t miss a beat with dishes like herby grilled branzino, stone fruit salads, juicy whole prawns, and flatbreads and dips (try the baba ghanoush). With an airy, cream-colored interior, large back patio, and decent playlist, this newcomer should be here to stay." - Matthew Kang
"It’s unclear if you need to bring your own friends, but this Greek spot on Abbot Kinney will definitely supply the wine. The interior looks like a stylish summer home on Santorini that’s decorated with tiny ceramic vases, seashells, and rows of wine bottles, and the short food menu includes traditional-leaning items like spanakopita, monkfish orzo, and lamb chops. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Cathy Park
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