07/01/09

Don't expect too much...

by sushitank

This is no 4 or 5 star restaurant. This is not a chef-inspired menu. Atmosphere did not work. Staff was nice, but not true professionals. Space had potential, but not pulled together by a real designer. I'm too tired to be funny right now, but I know I need to get famous for my reviews. This is a fair and honest review with no grudges. One Pico was a fabulous restaurant with fantastic views and phenomenal food. Boa was a great restaurant with a well-informed server. Ocean & Vine did not live up to either of those.

• Pros: Nice view
• Cons: Olive Garden (or slightly better) quality, uninformed staff

05/11/09

A Fall from Grace

by crey01

Where does one begin? This restaurant was one of my favorite date places in all of Los Angeles. The service was personal and attentive, the food was elegant and worth the price tag, and the cocktails were inventive and note-worthy. Somehow in the past few years, the place fell flat on its face like a drunk chick on 5-inch heels. On the return visit, Ocean and Vine managed to drop from my top 5 down to "oh sweet Jesus never again." The service is better at Denny's at 3AM while "Marge" still has the fragrance of cheap whiskey and a cigarette that is dangerously close to your grand slam. The food tasted like the leftovers from an overpriced wedding with its familiar equation of rubbery protein plus vegetable medley equals matrimonial meal. The only redeeming quality to Ocean and Vine is the view of the Santa Monica Pier. However, there are plenty of cheap Douchey restaurants with spectacular views.

• Pros: The decor, the beach
• Cons: Everything else

05/22/07

totally misleading, total disappointment

by kylis79

Living and hanging out primarily on the east side of LA (ie: los feliz) I decided I wanted to try something different. I wanted to find a really nice restaurant with an ocean view... somewhere either in Santa Monica or Malibu. When I came across the very good reviews for Ocean & Vine - and after checking out their beautiful website - I thought I had found the perfect place...... boy was I surprised!

Here's the thing: Although Ocean & Vine is by no means a terrible place to spend a couple of hours, I felt soooo mislead by all of the reviews and pictures. What I thought was going to be a dark & cozy yet clean & modern setting on the ocean - full of romantic candlelit tables and nooks and a huge selection of great wine - turned out to be a rather cold, poorly designed and almost sterile environment! YES, there is that big lovely fire pit in the middle of the room.... but it is so bright in there it really seems like a complete waste.

When you walk into the restaurant from the hotel, you barely notice the difference. It really feels as though you are dining IN the hotel lobby. The gorgeous location/ space is completely wasted. The glaring lights prevent you from even seeing the ocean, despite the huge windows. The bar was not set up well to display any of the wines they claim to have and the service was quite slow (albeit friendly). None of the tables were really set up to be in any way comfy or romantic. It felt much more like eating in a cafeteria than a lovely ocean hideaway. The service was alright, but in no way as professional as I was expecting.

And just so you know where I am coming from, I am in my late 20's and have worked in the service industry for about a decade. I am a PT bartender and have been for the past 3 years. I am not quick to judge harshly or throw a fit when it comes to dining out. BUT, I was SO DISAPPOINTED that i felt compelled to write this review to prevent others from expecting too much.

I chose this place for a 2nd date, BIG MISTAKE!

• Pros: ocean, fire pits
• Cons: CAN'T SEE OCEAN from inside, overpriced wine, too bright & sterile