The Gaslite is a cocktail bar restaurant in Mid City, Santa Monica.
Editorially verified August 18, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Must order: Cheap well drinks and a turn on the karaoke list
Why locals love it: A 1962 karaoke dive on a corporate stretch of Wilshire; locals guard it, opening at 06:00 for the graveyard-shift crowd.
Tip: It bills itself as Southern California's longest-running karaoke; sign up early because the nightly list fills by 21:00.
Address: 2030 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90403
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.
Order: A rare pour from the 500-bottle whisky wall
Why locals love it: From the street it reads as a sports dive; inside is one of LA's deepest whisky walls, 500 bottles strong.
Tip: Ask the bartender to steer a whisky flight; the beer list turns over constantly and skews serious.
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.
Order: Steak and a martini, peanut shells on the floor
Why locals love it: A sandy-floored 1959 landmark wedged between hotel towers; celebrities and old-timers share the same red booths.
Tip: The sandy-floored front room is the landmark bit, designated by the city in 2012; the Backyard patio opened in 2019.
Le Great Outdoor grills everything outside in the Bergamot Station yard in Santa Monica, lamb chops and tartines off open fire at long picnic tables.
Order: Blistered lamb chops and the goat cheese tartine
Why locals love it: An all-outdoor kitchen in an art-centre parking lot at Bergamot Station; no signage on the street gives it away.
Tip: The kitchen is entirely open-air in the arts-centre parking lot; book Resy for dinner, walk in at lunch.
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.
Order: The Malibu Coast estate flight
Why locals love it: A family Malibu winery's quiet 2nd Street tasting room, missed by nearly everyone marching to the Promenade.
Tip: Happy hour knocks 5 dollars off flights Wednesday to Friday 15:00-18:00; outside food is allowed for a 15 dollar fee.
Lady & Larder builds California cheese boards and stacked deli sandwiches on Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, a sister-run shop with serious wine to go.
Order: Hot Girl Salami sandwich and a picnic cheese board
Why locals love it: A sisters-run cheese and sandwich shop on unglamorous Pico; the Westside's chefs shop here on their days off.
Tip: Sandwiches like the Hot Girl Salami sell out before 14:00; order boards for pickup a day ahead.
Andrew's Cheese Shop has cut artisan wheels to order on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica since 2008, with grilled cheese and monthly pairing nights.
Why locals love it: A Montana Avenue cheese cave, open since 2008, with monthly pairing nights that never make the tourist lists.
Tip: The monthly cheese-and-drink pairing events sell out; sign up in the shop and grab a grab-and-go sandwich meanwhile.
