Dive into the Mediterranean allure at Orla, where Chef Michael Mina crafts unforgettable dishes infused with Egyptian and Greek flavors amid stunning ocean views.
"Orla is a hotel restaurant, a flashy Middle Eastern spot with 24k gold baklava sundaes, and (our preferred description) a pleasant place to snack on mezze near the ocean. Located inside the Regent Santa Monica, this beachfront spot has five-star service and beautifully plated mezze that you should enjoy on their breezy outdoor patio. The lighter-than-air hummus comes dusted with pistachios, and a classic Greek salad is drenched in high-quality olive oil. We like the sharable grilled entrees, too, including the juicy lamb chops with bessara, which tastes like hummus and green goddess dressing had a love child. Just make sure dinner takes place in the outdoor area—Orla’s main dining space is in the ground-floor lobby, so otherwise you’ll trade ocean views for a close-up of the elevators." - brant cox, arden shore, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Michael Mina’s modern Egyptian restaurant plucked out of Vegas’s Mandalay Bay has landed at the luxurious Regent Santa Monica Beach hotel. One of America’s most prolific fine dining chefs, Mina’s menu at Orla reflects his upbringing eating homestyle Egyptian and Greek fare, like crispy falafel with bigeye tuna; gnudi and lamb meatballs; and kebab platter with filet mignon, lamb kofta, and chicken dolmas. A stark contrast to the Vegas edition, the AvroKO-designed Orla in Santa Monica offers fantastic, nearly unfettered ocean views from its outer tables, while the luxe interior boasts shapely tan leather banquettes. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Rebecca Roland, Matthew Kang, Mona Holmes
"It took six years for chef Michael Mina to open Orla in the Regent Santa Monica Beach hotel. The project was worth it as Orla has one of the region’s most stunning views of the Pacific Ocean paired with Mina’s menu. He incorporates dishes made by his mother and aunts while highlighting the cultural similarities between Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines including Turkish chile pepper (urfa) big eye tuna and salt-baked seabream, while the Yemeni spice hawaij flavors the prime New York strip. The round bar is the perfect place to sip on an Arabian Nights Negroni while watching the sunset." - Matthew Kang, Mona Holmes, Rebecca Roland
"Michael Mina’s modern Egyptian restaurant plucked out of Vegas’s Mandalay Bay has landed at the luxurious Regent Santa Monica Beach hotel. One of America’s most prolific fine dining chefs, Mina’s menu at Orla reflects his upbringing eating homestyle Egyptian and Greek fare, like crispy falafel with bigeye tuna; gnudi and lamb meatballs; and kebab platter with filet mignon, lamb kofta, and chicken dolmas. A stark contrast to the Vegas edition, the AvroKO-designed Orla in Santa Monica offers fantastic nearly unfettered ocean views from its outer tables, while the luxe interior boasts shapely tan leather banquettes. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest" - Eater Staff, Rebecca Roland, Matthew Kang, Mona Holmes
"A family-friendly restaurant in Santa Monica with top-notch amenities for children and an impressive kids menu." - Eater Staff
