RVR
Japanese restaurant · Venice ·
Japanese izakaya with California seasonal produce & local fish
Japanese izakaya with California seasonal produce & local fish
"I’m not usually one to order cake in a restaurant for dessert because restaurant cakes are often not friendly to gluten-sensitive people. (I’ve made peace with it, sort of.) RVR in Venice offers a salve, however, with its flourless chocolate cake, an unapologetically rich rendition that doubles down on its earthy flavor with the inclusion of virgin sesame oil. Sprinkled with rough shards of sea salt and nestled alongside an oversized orb of hazelnut-chocolate gelato, the cake offers mind-blowing, serotonin-boosting flavor that demands to be had all to yourself — your dining partner will be better off getting their own slice. — Nicole Fellah, Eater editorial manager" - Matthew Kang
"I’m not usually one to order cake in a restaurant for dessert because restaurant cakes are often not friendly to gluten-sensitive people. (I’ve made peace with it, sort of.) RVR in Venice offers a salve, however, with its flourless chocolate cake, an unapologetically rich rendition that doubles down on its earthy flavor with the inclusion of nutty virgin sesame oil. Sprinkled with rough shards of sea salt and nestled alongside an oversized orb of hazelnut-chocolate gelato, the cake delivers mind-blowing, serotonin-boosting flavor that demands to be had all to yourself — your dining partner will be better off getting their own slice." - Eater Staff
"A vegetable-forward izakaya with understated listening-bar vibes, this Venice spot channels some of MTN’s spirit without feeling like a clone: precisely cooked small plates, a wraparound bar that curls toward a wall of vinyl, dark wood, ceiling-draped vines, and stellar natural wines. I come for the crispy chicken thigh karaage, fried in a feather-light batter and doused in a tangy chile-honey sauce that recalls Koreatown’s sweet-and-spicy glazes, and any of the yakitori; the roasted Japanese sweet potato and maitake mushrooms in anchovy–miso butter are standouts. At brunch, the tamagoyaki-style omelet—an oval spiral of luminous golden eggs—arrives sliced and crowned with shaved Comté, chives, and cracked black pepper; I alternate bites with a red gem lettuce salad dotted with crisped Brussels sprouts in aged black vinaigrette. If I’m after something sweeter, mochi beignets and black sesame pancakes seem to be popular, paired with not-too-sweet teas over ice or a pour-over coffee. Your Gen Z server might talk to you like your high school nemesis, but I’ll accept the hot-and-cold treatment for another bite of glistening duck tsukune. During the day and early evening, I perch at the counter seats facing Abbot Kinney Boulevard for prime Venice people-watching." - Nicole Fellah
"Brunch at RVR looks pretty similar to dinner, with a nearly identical menu and people sipping highballs at the bar. However, the crowds are smaller, the pace is slower, and this California-filtered izakaya on Abbot Kinney sprinkles in a few daytime specials that we love, including their incredible mochi beignets served warm in sweet-salty miso-orange syrup. Dunk these into a clean-tasting Japanese pour-over and consider your morning off to an excellent start. 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." - brant cox, sylvio martins, cathy park
"Brunch at RVR looks similar to dinner, with a nearly identical menu and people sipping highballs at the bar. However, the crowds are smaller, the pace is slower, and this California-filtered izakaya on Abbot Kinney sprinkles in a few daytime specials, including mochi beignets served warm in sweet and salty miso-orange syrup. Dunk these into a Japanese-style pour-over and consider your morning off to an excellent start 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, cathy park, jess basser sanders