Local Kitchen & Wine Bar

Update: 7/27/2025. I am a local. I live 2-3 blocks from this restaurant. My wife and have been walking over and eating here for years since its inception. And yet, no one seems to know us, nor remember us. It's weird. Compared to other places that we frequent regularly, we often receive a warm smile upon our return, or even a "welcome back" or "good to see you again" by our servers and wait staff. We hoped LOCAL would be our local hangout. Nope. I realize now, after years, that we've never really felt welcomed. Not warm. Yet, we'd still come back time after time for our favorite dishes: But now they've changed this too. Frustrated, I've changed my ratings. They've changed my favorite mushroom truffle pizza (it came cold) and the mussels "lost its chili flakes bite" (plus super tiny tiny mussels this time.) At least the manager removed the mushroom pizza from our bill. That's good service. On top of this, one of the hostesses is not very friendly, depends which one you get. I always expect that a hostess should make you feel welcome. A warm smile and greeting. Nope. Our waitress was friendly, but new. Not my local favorite anymore. I'm hoping they'll improve. I was routing for Local to be my favorite local restaurant. ORIGINAL REVIEW: One of my favorites new restaurants on Ocean Park, only a few blocks away from my house. It's great to have such a nice restaurant within walking distance. Not only convenient but excellent food, cocktails and wines. One of my favorites is the mussels with sourdough bread. Great for sharing, but you must pay extra for the toasted sourdough bread which you must have to dip into the wonderful seafood broth (perfectly spiced and seasoned.) The second is the mushroom truffle pizza. Ghisallo, known for their pizza, is a block or 2 away, but i think Local's pizza is better. Better cheeses, less oily, crispier, thinner crust. The best IMO. Lastly, the 24 oz bone-in aged ribeye. This is a great dish to share. I love the chef's version of this classic dish. Again, other places can serve bone-in ribeye steak, but the smoky, grilled flavor is amazing. The only negative is that sometimes the ribeye may have a lot of fat. Sometimes, I'm cutting away 20% of the steak. I'll have to search back and find a picture of their ribeye and post it. Overall, as a local, I enjoy eating here and trying their different dishes. They're all pretty good. Coming out of the pandemic, they had the best outdoor patio seating arrangement: cozy, front patio and a large parking lot patio, all with ample patio heaters. I prefer the indoor seating but it can get really loud when busy. I also gave only 4-stars for service, because sometimes, they seem understaffed. The service staff are good and friendly, but can be overwhelmed during peak hours. Thus we eat early and leave early, often taking our leftovers and walking back home. It's great to take a nice walk after dinner.

First of all, Casey was such a wonderful server. Knowledgeable, kind, helpful and genuine—a rare treat in Santa Monica! Highly recommend the scallop dish!

We stopped in without reservations and were lucky to grab the last two seats at the bar. Food was excellent - great variety of mains, pastas, apps, and pizzas. Don’t skip on the pizza it’s some of the best crust we’ve had in LA. Hanger steak was second best perfectly cooked with a great crust. We got the special pasta (lobster) and noodles were fresh.

Wonderful local restaurant, GREAT food & the atmosphere is just perfect. Service is always outstanding as well. We have yet to be disappointed with any dish, & consistently enjoy our dining experience. Great cocktails, mocktails & wine list too :). This local gem should be on your restaurant bucket list if you live anywhere on the westside, are visiting the westside- & especially if you live IN Santa Monica. You won’t be disappointed!

Local Kitchen and Wine Bar is under new management and has a new chef. I am happy to report they have really upped their game. The service was great and the food was delicious. We had the mussels, the burrata and the cobbler. We will be back!

Great italian local place. Design and ambiance is really cool. Nice bar plus indoor and outdoor seating. The paste with wild mushroom was very tasty. So was the artichoke and the meat balls. Pizza is good but ask it them to make it well done.

What a wonderful dining experience! The food is made with high-quality, fresh ingredients, and everything we ordered—from the creamy burrata salad to the savory mushroom pizza and perfectly cooked sea bass—was absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to return.

Great food and drinks! Fast and friendly service. The seafood is super fresh. Everything was well prepared. Awesome place!

This place is pretty awesome. It's really great food at a fair price. I love that things are designed to share as it helps you get to try a bit of everything. The ahi appetizer for example turned someone who believed they didn't like fish and seafood into a fan They also have really great pizza made fresh on site. This place is small so reservations on busy nights are a good plan. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and if you sit in the bar/pizza oven area - they have TV so you can watch sports

The perfect little place to decompress after an interview (and I got the job thank you very much) Arrived around 3pm for a glass of red and the place was exactly what I needed...quiet. I had spent the past few hours being "on" and wanted to have a drink to mentally regroup. The place was empty, but I was quickly greeted by Angel who happily poured me my first glass of wine. After a bit, I took another peek at the cocktail menu and chose the Redwood "en root". Probably the best cocktail I had in a bit. I'm a huge fan of ginger and this drink was perfectly fresh and spicy. I also love this part of Santa Monica. I was previously in the 3rd street area and this was tucked away on ocean park and away from the hustle and bustle of the busy parts of SM. Cute and relaxing afternoon spent at Local. I'll happily come back when the mood strikes.

This restaurant is in a super cute area of Santa Monica and is very charming. It was pretty busy when we came on a Tuesday night but nevertheless the service was great. We loved the Olive oil flatbread - that Parmesan sauce is delicious. I also really enjoyed the tomato braised meatballs and my drink - the untamed Paloma. We also got the broccolini, the hangar streak and the bigoli (cacio e Pepe). They were also good but not my favorites when compared to other restaurants.

A couple friends and I came here for a nice dinner to meet up. For my first time at this restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by everything they had to offer. To start off, the table setup was great and they had many options for different sized groups. We got the artichoke hearts, the sourdough bread and the meatballs for the appetizer, and two margarita pizzas for the main course. But we have to say, the ice cream that they serve was our favorite part. The chocolate was rich and sweet, and the raspberry sorbet was light and paired extremely well with the chocolate. The presentation of the food was also great. Altogether, it was one of the most satisfying meals I've had in a while, and the service was superb. Our servers, Nicolás and Eve were incredibly kind and gave us plenty of time to order and such. All in all, I would highly recommend this restaurant for a nice, delicious meal!

Neighborhood place - nice menu. Everything was delicious. Tuna tar tar, beat salad with goat cheese, hangar steak with grilled onions and whipped parsnips. Yummmm Oh and they have great pizzas! We didn't have this time but they have a huge pizza oven and they are equally delicious.

I recommend making a reservation for Local Kitchen + Wine Bar on Resy in advance. It's located on Ocean Park Blvd in Santa Monica, and we were easily able to find metered street parking. As far as food, I strongly recommend Chicken Under Brick ($28) with balsamic chile glaze, charred onions. shishito peppers, & pan jus. Bonus points if you order it singing "Brick House" by Commodores like I did. I strongly recommend the chilled Stolpman Vineyards 2021 vintage So Fresh G.G.T. chilled red blend of Grenache, Gamay, & Trousseau, which is primarily composed of Grenache. $72/bottle. For those looking to explore bolder reds, the Cabernet "Cab" Franc from Idiot's Grace vineyards in the Columbia Gorge AVA paired well with the heartier dishes. Also $72/bottle.

Great neighborhood restaurant ! Food service and atmosphere is great. A must try. You will not be disappointed

Food and ambience were great! Service was the opposite; hostess wouldn't give us the table we wanted claiming it was reserved, but in our view,, it was empty the entire time we sat there a little over an hour. Also, I asked my waitress what was in the drink, and to describe the pasta I wanted. (The menu had all very exotic names and descriptions),, She didn't know what ingredients or how to describe either and seemed put out both times when I asked . Since the food was so good, it shouldn't have been a problem. But, since I used to work in a service/restaurant industry for years, and when you're spending almost $100 a person for a nice meal with cocktails, I believe the Server should at least know how to describe the food. I recommend the cocktail called Mrs curtis . From the dinner menu ;The pasta w/ clam sauce ( might be seasonal ) . And the flatbread , burrata.

I love the cozy ambiance of the restaurant but the hostess is the biggest negative of Local Kitchen. I've been here honestly well over a dozen times bc I live nearby and the hostess has NOT ONCE acknowledged me like she's ever seen me before. I by no means except a discount, free drinks or anything but just an acknowledgment, like Nice to see you again is all it would take for me to come more often. the rest of the staff and bartenders are great. I'm not sure if the woman is part owner or what but she should be at the front of the house.

A must for all LA, WLA, SM and Venice plus MdR and PdR residents Progressive and fun Menu along with a gracious knowledgeable staff Tremendous Manager Kim is Incredible

This is our local "go to "place . Great dinner date spot . Love the food . Good service as well ! The Beef tartar

My dining experience as a Venice "Local" was exquisitely divine, from the succulent short rib to the refreshing beet salad and impeccably crafted mocktail, it was the perfect pre-detox meal. Our server, Cat, exhibited remarkable patience and possessed a delightful personality, enhancing our overall enjoyment of the evening.

This was an unplanned find while still on the road finding a place to eat . Chicken under brick - Classic dish chicken was succulent , cooked to perfection , boasted a crispy skin that was juicy , tender meat . The onions were complimenting the chicken so well leaving us satisfied. Ora King Salmon - cooked well had a buttery texture that melts in your mouth . Surprisingly it wasn't dry since it didn't come with a sauce and pairing of the veggies completed the meal well . This was a gem find for us and we'd recommend as a must try .

Amazing mix of foods. They've got amazing Bahn Mi and swiss burger. High quality foods.

This is our first real neighborhood restaurant, we've been coming since it opened, and it has evolved into one of my favorite restaurants. It's consistently satisfying and special. If you like elevated California Mediterranean fresh ingredients, healthy food, then this place is a must-visit. What prompted me to write this review is our recent visit last night, which turned out to be one of the best meals I've had in a really long time. The variety of dishes that have consistently delighted my taste buds includes their salmon dishes, the chicken under the brick, and all of the pastas and salads. It's hard to pick a favorite when everything is so good! The standout dishes from our latest visit were the clam chitarra pasta, ricotta cavatelli with mushrooms, Caesar salad, tuna tartare, and the mushroom toast. Each bite was a burst of flavor, and I couldn't get enough. In my opinion, this restaurant is the best in the neighborhood by far, and I can't recommend it enough.

The service, food and ambiance was amazing. Took my mom for her birthday and she loves it there too.

My friend and I dined here recently without a reservation and the hostess was kind enough to accommodate us at our desired table. Very clean, modern rustic ambiance with a quaint outdoor patio lined with green hedges and soft candle light. I expressed to Joshua, our waiter that I felt my wine was a little too sweet to my liking, and he immediately brought me three different samples to try with more on the way. He was really keen to appeal to our palates, and would regularly check up on us with a cheery disposition. Five star customer service! We ordered the charcuterie board and cheese board, as we had dinner reservations elsewhere. My only suggestion would be to include cheese with the charcuterie board so that you don't have to order a cheese board separately. The honey was divine! We'll definitely be back! Thanks again Joshua!

Came on a Wednesday night and the restaurant had a good amount of people. We sat outside in the back and the heaters made it super warm. We got the artichokes, meatballs, sourdough bread, truffle mushroom pizza, and sausage pizza. Everything was super tasty, but my favorite was the mushroom pizza. A highlight: the sourdough was thick, soft, and fluffy! The bread paired nicely with the meatballs and meatball sauce. We shared everything between a group of 6 and had a good meal. Parking: Got lucky and found street parking in the front for free since we came at night. There is nearby neighborhood parking too. However, there is a small parking lot in the back!

A beautiful, cozy spot in the Santa Monica area. They do have a limited amount of parking in the back, but I found that street parking is usually easy to find in the area. My party and I came about thirty minutes before our reservation, but the hostess kindly seated us. I came during dineLA, so took advantage of that 3 course for $65 deal. As an appetizer, I was able to try the yellowtail crudo and burrata. I found both pretty basic. The yellowtail was a bit too oily and salty for my liking. The burrata was mild in flavor, but the strawberries that accompanied the dish was a nice touch. For the pasta we were able to try the tagliatelle and corn agnolotti. The tagliatelle was nothing special, but the agnolotti was my favorite dish. It was nothing like I've tasted before. The agnolotti was cooked perfectly and the inside corn/cream mixture was super flavorful. I highly recommend this dish. For the main and final course, we were served the hangar steak and the Ora king salmon. Both were cooked to perfection, but the chimichurri sauce that accompanied the steak was super flavorful and not too oily. Overall a really great spot for good food that won't break the bank. I would love to come back to explore their menu more.

Ambiance is lovely on the patio. Service was very nice and our lunches came out quickly. Food-wise--maybe I ordered wrong. I got the farro salad and added grilled chicken ($25). The salad was insanely salty and the chicken was dark meat with a lot of gristle. It was so expensive for what it was. Our server (who was, just to be clear, very nice and otherwise on top of things) didn't ask how the food was, and if she had I would have told her. But given that I'm trying to avoid dairy, there wasn't really anything else on the menu that seemed like it would work for me. My friend ordered the olive oil flatbread and I had a bite and it was delicious, which leads me believe I ordered wrong. Still, based on my experience I don't see myself returning.

Absolutely a neighborhood favorite for Samo subs. Amazing ambiance, warm staff, and an impressive variety of dietary-friendly options on the menu. Highly recommended dishes include grilled octopus, mussels, chopped salad, tuna tartare, short ribs, bucatini, chicken under a brick, and grilled carrots. Despite its size, the restaurant offers ample space for lengthy conversations and boasts an excellent selection of wines.

Wow, came here for dinner on a business trip to Santa Monica. This place is delicious. Started with a French 1736, their version of a French 75 (their address is 1736...). Gin, Prosecco, blood orange, st elder and lemon. I really liked this cocktail. Then we shared a beet salad and baby artichoke hearts. The beet salad had candied pistachios--never had those on a salad before, but I loved them! I'm not a big artichoke fan, and was pleasantly surprised by that dish. They were pan fried and served on Parmesan cheese. For mains we had the hanger steak and the squash agnolotti. The squash dish, a little like mini raviolis, was delicious. The lamb was a bit over salted, but I find a lot of restaurant food to be overly salted. The hanger steak came with seasonal mushrooms. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare. The homemade horseradish was the best I've ever had! The restaurant itself has a nice indoor section and a heated patio and a little bar. Looking forward to another excuse to come here for dinner!

Shout out to our waiter Eric who coursed us out perfectly. We started with the arugula salad, meatballs, fingerling potatoes and sourdough bread. Got the sausage pizza second and it was delicious. Had a few pastas and steak. Everything was tasty and the only reason they didn't get 5 stars is that the bucatini pasta was overcooked.

Dropped in this restaurant with a friend to grab a celebratory drink and they were packed. Must have a reservation on a Saturday night - even if it's raining in LA (which is super rare haha) We ended up grabbing food somewhere else but came back for a drink at the bar. Honestly we came back just because the host was really trying hard to get us seating / very welcoming and the environment was really nice. Glad we came back. Had a great glass of the cab from Paso Robles - perfect night cap with my friend. We just sat at the bar. The bartender was the perfect level of attention to us without rushing up or pestering. Great service. We all know prices are higher than pre-Covid. It's cheaper to grab a bottle and hang at the house but life is short at its nice to go out. Great service makes it worth ever single penny. Will be coming back!

Dined at Local Kitchen & Wine Bar for the first time with my girlfriend and had the pleasure of being served by Josh this evening. His service was fantastic: friendly, professional, and knowledgeable about the drinks and food. For drinks we had the Islay scotch cocktail, kiwee sour, and Oregon Pinot from Willamette Valley as well as a taster of the dragons breath by Trefethen. The scotch drink was my favorite and very well balanced with hints of spiced ginger. Both wines were excellent with the dragons breath being a more tannic blend of Malbec, petit Verdot and cab whereas the Pinot was very light with bright acidity and a total juice box. For food we had the olive oil flatbread, tuna tartare and veal pappardelle. All of them were exquisite. The pappardelle pasta was probably the best pasta I've had in west LA and was truly a treat. Portion for the pasta was plentiful and I will be thinking about it for the rest of the week. For dessert an Affogato and butterscotch budino. Would definitely pass on the budino but the Affogato was very nice - the espresso was not bitter at all and of a nice roast. Will definitely return to see Josh again and grab that pappardelle pasta and to try the brick chicken that he said was his fav. Highly recommend checking out this spot if you haven't yet!

First time here and I am very tempted to come back. A lot of dishes on their menu looked delicious! It was hard to choose. Between the four of us we had the burrata, brussels sprouts, tagliatelle pasta (cacio e pepe made with gluten free pasta), the squash agnolotti, and the brick chicken. It was a great amount of food for four people and with two teas and one alcoholic beverage, it came out to $45 total a person. Full but not overly stuffed and we were able to finish everything except some bread. Really pleased at the portions and how we were able to share to try so many things at a reasonable price point. Best dishes - 1) brick chicken was so juicy and had an amazing light sauce that one person in our group said "i just want to lick it up." I loved the caramelized onions with it and couldn't get enough of this dish. 2) squash agnolotti with lamb was a little sweet (from the squash) and the salty, soft lamb struck a good flavor balance. I will say this dish felt a little luke cool when it was served. But flavors still great. This is the only pasta dish they cannot make gluten free as they are already stuffed. The others were good but pretty standard. I will say I expected more from the cacio e pepe in terms of cheese/ratio of sauce to pasta. Now the best part and why I may want to come back--I was waiting for my ride to pick me up and ended up chilling in the bar talking to the bartender who was cleaning up for the night. He said his favorite dishes were the octopus, salmon, Caesar salad, and pizza with meatballs on top (not on menu but the cool makes it after each shift for the staff). Not sure if you can get this pizza but obviously we did not order any of these favorites and now I want to come back to try them! He seemed trustworthy and direct, very personable. It was actually chilly tonight so I was worried about eating outside (I also made a reservation and was a little peeved we got seated outside) but pleasantly surprised the back part was relatively protected and warm near the heat lamps. So, not ideal but also not bad. The hostess in the beginning did mistake me for another party and then when my actual party arrived walked right by me at the bar. So not as smooth as I would have liked but it's also not that big of a deal.

Food and drinks are incredible. Our server was kind and attentive and made our experience very enjoyable. We sat outside on the back patio which was fine but the inside looked so warm and cozy I'm hoping to get a table in there next time I visit. Amazing local gem!

I came here for the first time for an Alumni tailgate two weeks ago! The food and drinks were great especially the truffle pizza, eggplant appetizer, and the Cucumber Breeze margarita. The service was fantastic Lucy and Eric were great servers and displayed the best customer service! I would definitely recommend coming here for dinner! Thank you for a great time and I will be back!

I love this place. The food, the staff the ambiance is great. Although their cocktails are good but the wine is what I come for... wine and the pizza. Simply delicous.

Simply the best of Ocean Park. This tight knit community knows how to support the local talent and between this space the the other one, Tyme, we are a very blessed community.

Food: 5 stars Service: 5 stars Ambience: 5 stars Value: 4 stars Drinks: 4 stars This review is a long time coming. I've been coming here since 2018 or so, and have always loved their Santa Monica Sunset Park location, and they are very much an excellent neighborhood restaurant. I've done takeout on New Year's Eve (2020) and Christmas Eve (2021) and have also had great experiences eating inside and on their patio. My favorites are the burrata, pizza, hanger steak, and chicken under a brick. Staff here are great and very friendly, though service can occasionally be slow depending on how busy they are. I love eating in their outdoor seating, although the have a limited number of outdoor tables. Cocktails are also quite good, but fairly pricy.

My wife and I really like this restaurant -- the food, the atmosphere, and memories. We came here frequently for the past 7 years. Even after we moved out of Santa Monica, we still come at least twice a year.

This place came highly recommended by my friend, but unfortunately it fell flat in many aspects. My biggest issue was that we hardly saw our server and when we did, she did the bare minimum. We were never offered water. Our drink glasses sat empty for a long time. Our app plates went uncleared. We had to flag her down to order food and then again to order a drink. I ended up placing my second drink order with a different server. The other big issue not related to food was the fact that they insisted on keeping the back door open despite the winter temps out. We sat shivering in our coats the entire dinner because the back door was causing a draft past our table. We requested to have it closed, but were told no because a party in the back needed it open. That seemed like an odd requirement, but also told us that higher-revenue guests get special treatment. Food disappointments: - Fire-roasted Brussels were not truly fire roasted, and they weren't crispy like I would expect from something that's called fire roasted. They seemed pan seared, which I wouldn't have ordered had I known. - The craft cocktails are very expensive and heavy on the ice. I finished my specialty Paloma in a small rocks glass in just a few drinks. - My friend's pizza was burned on the bottom. Having an in-house pizza oven is always a plus, but the bottom came out black. - The brick chicken was tasty, but was missing a true side. It came with sauteed onions and peppers, which seem more like a garnish or supplement to something else rather than an actual side. I basically paid nearly $30 for a fancy, yet incomplete fajita platter.

Ridiculous prices on just about everything. Good concept but the snooty arrogance is off putting. We'll see how long they can sustain the business when the kids grow up and wake up.

Ambience good. Food good. Waiter pompous and rude. There are many restaurants in Santa Monica with many of them having great food. The way the waiter treated and spoke to us made me not want to return.

Not sure what happened but the food just isn't as tasty as it was. I heard that they changed chefs. Shame bc

I loved having dinner here. Amazing food and wine. Great service. Wonderful ambiance. Can't wait to return!

Really decent food - I find it difficult to justify the price tho. It was good, but not mind-blowing. My friend and I got a lot of different items and I would say most of them were very good. My favorites included the Truffle Pizza and the Fig & Thyme cocktail. The lamb meatballs were average. The peach cobbler was a dynamite choice to end the meal. Not sure if I would go back again, but it's definitely worth a visit.

I had dinner here the other night and everything was fantastic! The food, the drinks, the service! We ordered: Lamb Meatballs with Carrot Purée and Ricotta Salata Caesar Salad Duck Confit Agnolotti Olive Oil Cake with Blueberry Compote and Vanilla Gelato I cannot wait to come back and try their pizza. Outstanding experience!

I love the vibes at Local Kitchen! Awesome cocktails, a beautiful patio and delicious food make for a great LA dining experience. The appetizer menu is ON POINT and perfect for small groups. The fried squash blossoms and tuna tartare are amazing. But the best thing is the arancini--fried balls of ricey, cheesy goodness. The artisan pizzas are also delicious. The fig and prosciutto is the perfect combination of sweet and savory. I treasure a restaurant who puts as much thought into cocktails as food. The drinks here are stiff but delicious--I was buzzing after just one. The wine selection is also very good. Overall, good LA vibes without too much pretense.

I'll admit it, the food scene in Santa Monica is overpriced for what you get... usually. However, I'm glad to find a consistently solid place at Local. My second visit to Local was to celebrate a new co-workers start date. We all ordered a glass of wine (solid red selection) and split the calamari and crudo. Calamari (5/5) was delicious! Good portion size and was fried to perfection. The dipping sauce was an added bonus to an already tasty bite. Crudo (3/5) was not worth it. Lovely in presentation but sparse in actual fish. You'll mostly taste the accompanied fruit. Wish I tried the artichoke hearts instead. My colleagues both ordered the caesar and escargole salad and said they both enjoyed theirs. Opting to be the edgy one, I ordered the diver scallops. Diver Scallops (5/5) was the best item of the entire meal. The puree harmonized with the large scallop pieces. If you're a scallop-fiend like myself, you will not be disappointed! Overall, the service was prompt. Ambience was relaxing. Great place for a date or to hang out post-work. If you're in the area, check Local Kitchen out.

Such a gem. I went on a double date last night and our waitress, Sivan, was so knowledgeable, fun, sweet, and fast. The ambiance sitting outside was great, but the FOOD! Wow. The $28 cheeseboard was worth it if you really like cheese -- but would not feed more than 4 for a filling app where everyone can get multiple yummy bites. I had the pumpkin ravioli and it was the perfect serving size and very delicious. Bravo, Local Kitchen. Finally, the cocktail menu was bangin'. I got the Fig & Thyme and their seasonal blood orange marg; both options were fuego. We will be coming back soon!

VEGAN REVIEW: No food for vegans-- and they are not very keen on helping you make substitutions. Drinks are pretty good, tho the bar staff is hot or miss. Sigh,

The food and drinks here are 10/10. The hostess wasn't as warm as I'd have liked but the bartender made up for it. He was amazing!

Definitely a little splurge, but haven't had a bad dish here yet. Pasta is all homemade and tastes exactly as such. Pizza's are thin, wood-fired and interesting toppings. Salads and share plates are gourmet and excellent. A great spot to take someone for a non-sceney, upscale meal!

A great spot for homemade pasta on the west side! The cacio e pepe was very good, though a bit more peppery than to my liking. Their outdoor seating section is adorable and great for the chillier nights- the heat lamps above the seating makes a big difference. My favorite part of this spot though is the dessert! The biscuits with maple butter were incredible!! Such a unique desserts and the perfect combination of sweet and a touch salty!

Local was recommended to us by wife's friend I liked the ambiance and the restaurant was busy Our waiter, Dave, was very good and helpful and even took off bill the one thing we didn't like- which was the decaf cappuccino. Everything else was delicious and reasonable *Starters- we had the prosciutto wrapped persimmons with crispy basil and aged balsamic- very different and tasty * Pizza- the Truffle and mushroom pizza was cooked perfectly, fragrant and delicious * Appetizers- Persimmon and pomegranate seed salad was fresh, tangy and yummy The Buratta was fresh, creamy and very good- but i didn't need it on top of the grilled toast, and the side salad it came with was so so *Entrees- Brick Chicken was great! Cooked perfectly tender and the skin was nice and crispy Short ribs were also great- nicely carmelized on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside Parpadelle with veal bolognese was equally delicious- however shaved parmesan on top would have made it stellar Soup- not sure what soup it was, but one of our guests enjoyed it *Sides- they all sounded good- but we had the Crispy Brussel sprouts that were so good * Dessert- we had the apple cobbler with caramel gelato which was very good Price- all of this food and two bottles corkage at $25 each ($50)- the entire meal with tax and tip for four people was $270 or $135 a couple. Not too bad All in all, everyone enjoyed Local and we will be back

Nice ambiance and great food. We enjoyed the burrata appetizers along with some very innovative cocktails. The hanger steak is aged and prepared perfectly and we loved the pasta veal dish. The Biscuits with maple butter and blueberry compote was a really fun and creative desert. The staff is friendly and server Joshua was extremely helpful. They also have a great wine by the glass selection.

Came back again for lunch and loved everything we ate! Fav dishes: verde pizza, carbonara pasta and the stone fruit cobbler Great new spot in Santa Monica! Everything we ordered was delicious and the ambiance is wonderful as well. We ordered a bottle of Syrah, the persimmon and prosciutto bite, white bean bruschetta bite, local green salad, lamb meatballs, roasted cauliflower and the Nutella chocolate donuts. The bites were a nice start but they were teeny tiny...which is probably why they call them bites. The meatballs and donuts were my favorites. We weren't super hungry so we didn't order any mains. The chicken looked fantastic so I'm definitely trying that when I come back. The portion sizes in general were pretty small...which I think they could work on. The pizzas looked pretty tiny as well. Our meal ended up being $100 which was a bit on the high side considering we ordered a bunch of sides and no real mains. However, I was happy to see they had a nice range of price for bottles of wine (starting at around $40). I'm excited to come back and try more dishes. Definitely a winner!