Si! Mon

"With a gorgeous multi-room space that includes a plant-covered patio, wrap-around bar, and a back bungalow, it’d be easy to talk only about Si! Mon’s stunning design. But it’s the food at this upscale Panamanian restaurant in Venice that you’ll be stuck in your head the following day. The seafood-leaning menu here pulls influence from across the Caribbean and Central America, with a line-up of creative dishes that don’t resemble anything else in LA. Think hamachi crudo painted with curry mushroom oil, a thick, burnt-orange crab stew called gaucho cooked with rum and habanero, and flaky kanpachi steamed in banana leaves. If there’s a bad order at Si! Mon, we’ve yet to find it, which is why this spot is a no-brainer for a splashy Westside dinner." - brant cox, garrett snyder, sylvio martins

"The “Spanish ranch hidden in a Malibu canyon” vibe at Si! Mon—an upscale Panamanian restaurant in Venice—extends throughout the restaurant's multiple dining areas, but it’s the semi-enclosed patio you’ll want to take in first. Out here you’ll find a roaring fireplace, a wrap-around bar, and enough potted Bird of Paradise plants to rival a tropical greenhouse. It’s a lush, cinematic backdrop that works for everything from splurgy date nights to big group friend dinners—especially considering the food is even better than the setting." - brant cox, arden shore, sylvio martins, cathy park

"The biggest argument for hosting a birthday dinner at Si! Mon is the space. This upscale Panamanian restaurant in Venice looks like the grounds of a Spanish ranch in Malibu, complete with a tropical patio and an interior filled with seashell chandeliers and plush green booths. The seafood-leaning menu is even more impressive, but some dishes do run small and can get pricey if you’re ordering several rounds for a big group. Our advice: keep your party to less than six people and you’re in for a meal as special as you are." - brant cox

"Si! Mon came swinging into Venice last fall with a punchy menu focused on seafood and bright Central American flavors. All the dishes here are winners, but standouts include the puffy, momo-esque Afro-Caribbean shrimp dumplings; the yuca tostadas topped with delicately spiced tuna carpaccio or a vegetarian citrus medley; the double-fried green banana patacones, served with an earthy ajillo sauce; and the fried chicken drumsticks, which almost resist definition. The ultra-chic interior — think rattan chairs, fringe lamps, and deep green banquettes — makes this one of the most visually appealing dining rooms in Los Angeles." - Matthew Kang, Nicole Adlman

"A Venice restaurant that serves modern Panamanian flavors, offering a collaboration dinner with Majordomo chef Tim Mangun." - Matthew Kang