Dining

Dining

Dinner and the ArcLight

Dinner and the ArcLight
Featured Listings
Ocean and Vine
Experience our new restaurant and lounge located at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. With its beachfront setting, sleek furnishings, and fire-pit bar area, it promises to become "the hottest place on the beach."
> Click here for info!

Dinner and a movie: It's the oldest date in the book for a reason. Since parking is a hassle we don't like to navigate more than once per evening, we prefer to pair a flick with a meal that's within walking distance. (Holding hands on the walk is a bit smoother than either the yawn-and-reach in the theater or the frantic smooch-lunge from driver's seat to passenger seat.) Read on for several of our favorite ArcLight-adjacent options, and stay tuned for other movie-and-mastication guides soon. —Lonny Pugh

 

1.

Magnolia

The rare restaurant that opened huge without a subsequent nosedive, Magnolia quickly established itself as a Hollywood favorite. The black-and-white uniforms call to mind the color-free films of yesteryear, but the bedhead conjures visions of a more modern evening. Snacks, drinks or a full meal are all accommodated here.

2.

The Bowery

Next door to Magnolia, the Bowery manages to be both complementary to and different from its neighbor. Tables can be hard to come by in the small space, but the burger is worth the effort.

3.

the hungry cat

Easier to find by foot than by car, this industrial-looking haven is at the back of the courtyard behind Borders on Vine. Inside: a classy, minimalist seafood bistro.

4.

Honey

Even after a particularly late showing, Honey will still be open—and the surrounding clubs will still bring enough foot traffic to the area to ensure the walk up Vine isn't too scary.

5.

Zen Zoo Tea Cafe

Aside from an endearing selection of tea drinks, the dumplings or the ginger chicken salad are excellent choices if any of the above restaurants are too hectic. Besides, we like to sneak upstairs...