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Wine barWine tasting roomDowntown
AJA Vineyards pours its Malibu Coast AVA estate wines in a 2nd Street tasting room in Santa Monica, flights and glasses beside boards of cheese and snacks.
DrinkEstate wine flight
FoodBar menu
TipHappy hour knocks 5 dollars off flights Wednesday to Friday 15:00-18:00; outside food is allowed for a 15 dollar fee.
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Steak and seafoodHistoric barMain Street
The Galley has kept its portholes and rope nets on Main Street since 1934 as Santa Monica's oldest restaurant and bar, steaks, littlenecks and stiff drinks.
DrinkMai tai under the fairy lights
FoodBar menu
TipSit at the South Seas Bar under the year-round fairy lights; the East Coast littleneck clams are the classic starter.
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AmericanDive barOcean Avenue
Chez Jay has kept its nautical dive-bar dining room on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica since 1959, a city Historic Landmark of steaks, peanuts and lore.
DrinkMartini with free peanuts
FoodBar menu
TipThe sandy-floored front room is the landmark bit, designated by the city in 2012; the Backyard patio opened in 2019.
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GastropubGastropubMontana Avenue
Father's Office on Montana Avenue is the Santa Monica gastropub where Sang Yoon's no-substitutions Office Burger was born, backed by 36 craft taps.
DrinkOne of 36 craft taps
FoodBar menu
TipNo ketchup, no substitutions, 21-plus only; the burger comes one way and the bar means it.
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BritishBritish pubDowntown
Ye Olde King's Head has poured pints a block from the Santa Monica Pier since the mid-1970s, the British pub whose fish and chips built its name.
DrinkImported bitter on draught
FoodBar menu
TipAfternoon tea is served Monday to Saturday until 16:00 in the tea room; the gift shop bakery sells sausage rolls to go.
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Cocktail barDive barPico
The Daily Pint stocks more than 500 whiskies behind a Pico Boulevard dive-bar front in Santa Monica, with sharp rotating taps, pool and shuffleboard.
DrinkWhisky flight from 500-plus bottles
FoodBar menu
TipAsk the bartender to steer a whisky flight; the beer list turns over constantly and skews serious.