(310) 450-1429

1429 Abbott Kinney Rd
Venice, CA 90291 33.9905 -118.4653

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Neighborhoods: Venice, West LA

GJELINA.COM

Last updated 3.22.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

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Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Gjelina

Featured Review

Lilian Lee

Contributor

This modest restaurant, named after one of the owner's mother (pronounced "jewelina"), became a local favorite within weeks of opening, and it's easy to see why. The long communal tables and large U-shaped bar immediately create a fun atmosphere in the main dining room, where diners can sit, hover and move around the room. Already a favorite foodie outpost, the menu is all about locally grown food that's simple yet rich with taste. Subject to what's available at the weekly farmers' market, the options change often, but it's roughly divided into vegetables, salads, pizzas and plates. Brunch is…

Editor's Tips

Parking:
There are free parking lots behind the restaurant on Electric Avenue, one block north of Abbot Kinney.
Know Before You Go:
Dishes are quite small, so you might want to go tapas style and order several dishes to share.
Where to Sit:
If you want someplace a little less noisy, request a seat in the patio towards the back of the restaurant.
ambiance
96.66999816894531% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is beautiful and relaxing, the service and recommendations could not have been better - and the food is INCREDIBLE!”
  2. “Yes, great location, great design and ambiance, but decent food and mediocre service.”
  3. “All in all it was a fabulous experience, great service, great food, great atmosphere.”
  4. “Yumtastic food and great atmosphere.”
  5. “Great atmosphere”
  6. “good food , diverse menu , great wines by the glass , and its fun.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “really enjoy the margherita pizza and the butterscotch dessert.”
  2. “We tried some sort of carmel tart that tasted like really good pecan pie.”
drinks
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “good food , diverse menu , great wines by the glass , and its fun.”
  2. “We sat there on a really hot day for 15 minutes after arrival without anyone asking us if we wanted to order a drink.”
  3. “The GM Robert was very friendly and bought us a glass of wine while we waited.”
  4. “great place for good food and wine”
  5. “Especially since it is so close to where we live, and the food and drinks are amazing.”
  6. “The only think I wasn't a big fan of was the wine list.”
food quality
91.19999885559082% positive
  1. “..The owners are Giving there customers a big F U by serving this sad food!”
  2. “have been there once before and the food is good, portions are small, but service still lacked attention and a charming demeanor.”
  3. “good food , diverse menu , great wines by the glass , and its fun.”
  4. “All in all it was a fabulous experience, great service, great food, great atmosphere.”
  5. “seasonal food, creative preparation, great pairings and generally a really good vibe.”
  6. “We then tried the bitter greens pizza as recommended by our waiter.”
  7. “Especially since it is so close to where we live, and the food and drinks are amazing.”
  8. “pricey bird food!”
  9. “Tip: Order a bunch of dishes and share and definitely make a reservation in advance to sit on the patio (only way to go)!”
  10. “The atmosphere is beautiful and relaxing, the service and recommendations could not have been better - and the food is INCREDIBLE!”
  11. “Yumtastic food and great atmosphere.”
  12. “Delicious food, great new restaurant”
  13. “Yes, great location, great design and ambiance, but decent food and mediocre service.”
  14. “The food was good.”
  15. “really enjoy the margherita pizza and the butterscotch dessert.”
  16. “And if I close my eyes, I can still detect a hint of the truffle oil that caressed the small plate of crispy fingerling potatoes.”
  17. “Great prices for high quality food.”
  18. “The food was tasty, but a bit too salty.”
  19. “The pork belly was delicious and the flank steak was good.”
  20. “The thoughtful pizzas with toppings like beet greens and caramelized fennel, fresh salads, and variety of small and large plates dull any pain that (may) result from eating at Gjelina.”
  21. “Mushroom toast is a favorite.”
  22. “great place for good food and wine”
  23. “small plates filled with local fresh food.”
  24. “We shared several dishes between us, and everything we ordered was outstanding.”
  25. “artichoke fennel and trout as the dressing were good the food was meager for the pricing”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “The thoughtful pizzas with toppings like beet greens and caramelized fennel, fresh salads, and variety of small and large plates dull any pain that (may) result from eating at Gjelina.”
  2. “good food , diverse menu , great wines by the glass , and its fun.”
  3. “The menu was so interesting.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place for good food and wine”
  2. “Delicious food, great new restaurant”
service
67.69000053405762% positive
  1. “All in all it was a fabulous experience, great service, great food, great atmosphere.”
  2. “The hostess' (all of them) are incredibly rude.”
  3. “We went to our other favorite up the street AK where the staff is SUPER friendly!”
  4. “The hostess was rude, really had an attitude problem.”
  5. “The atmosphere is beautiful and relaxing, the service and recommendations could not have been better - and the food is INCREDIBLE!”
  6. “The GM Robert was very friendly and bought us a glass of wine while we waited.”
  7. “have been there once before and the food is good, portions are small, but service still lacked attention and a charming demeanor.”
  8. “Our waiter was very helpful and made some suggestions.”
  9. “We then tried the bitter greens pizza as recommended by our waiter.”
  10. “if you run out of your best offering of champagne, have your manager pick up something comparable before you open.”
  11. “Yes, great location, great design and ambiance, but decent food and mediocre service.”
  12. “Good service & fair prices make this a new favorite.”
  13. “But last night, the hostess (black curly hair, kind of tall) was SO RUDE that we are considering never going back just because of her.”
value
78.5699987411499% positive
  1. “Great prices for high quality food.”
  2. “SO worth it - enjoy fellow foodies!”
  3. “artichoke fennel and trout as the dressing were good the food was meager for the pricing”
  4. “pricey bird food!”
  5. “For a place so nice and expensive I expect them to have integrity when honoring reservations made by phone.”
  6. “have been there once before and the food is good, portions are small, but service still lacked attention and a charming demeanor.”
  7. “Good service & fair prices make this a new favorite.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “We sat there on a really hot day for 15 minutes after arrival without anyone asking us if we wanted to order a drink.”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/07/12

Nice, casual, hip vibe. Everything from

by adriannaa

Nice, casual, hip vibe. Everything from the pizzas to the small plates are amazing. Be sure to save room for the butterscotch pudding!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/28/12

The lamb sausage pizza and kale salad

by caitlink

The lamb sausage pizza and kale salad are my go to dishes at Gjelina.

2 Star Rating: Below Average

12/19/11

Not short of being Chichi but very short in service & taste

by East Coast Rob

My Experience with Gjelina was not good. I went there to eat with a date and it had taken at least 40 min to get the pizza and then my pizza was wrong. It had taken 15 min to get another pizza out to me. I understand that it is fresh and made to order. I didn’t like that a manager didn’t come over and apologize and not a common courtesy of a discount, free drink or something. I had given it another try with a group of guys (3) and girls (3) we ordered a variety of pizzas and alcohol. The service was better but the pizza the same and the bill $$$ and I was still hungry!

The overall rating is Gjelina pizza was sort of ok. They use unique fresh ingredients to come up with their fancy pizza so they could charge $$ for them. I love pizza but only if it has a WOW factor! I’m sure there are some Italian Restaurants in CA that do make a good pizza for example Ago( W Hwd), La Vecchia in SM and Pisano’s in Hermosa are pretty decent.

Being Italian from the Northeast and raised in CT and NYC I have been spoiled with the BEST pizza in the US. If you every want to have the best pizza and been on many food network and won many awards go visit The “Original” Frank Pepe’s pizza or “The Spot” in New Haven Ct. You will be convinced that a thin crust with an oven that is Coal heated and Brick that also has been seasoned for 86 years will make your mouth water and crave more! I also love Lombardi’s in NYC and Sally’s Pizza in New Haven CT too!

With that said if you go to Gjelina bring your patients, extra $$ and eat something prior to it if you are a good eater. They do have a good looking crowd!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

11/30/11

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The Details on Gjelina

Place Categories:

  • good food
  • great atmosphere
  • fantastic new place
  • rude hostess
  • mediocre service
  • amazing drinks
  • great fair prices
  • good diverse menu
  • outstanding everything
  • fabulous dinner spot
  • good classy restaurant
  • great wine
  • charming demeanor
  • fresh salads
  • enjoy fellow foodies
  • very helpful waiter
  • perfect gjellma
  • super friendly staff
  • order bunch
  • delicious pork belly
  • best dining
  • big f u
  • great ambiance
  • enough shirmps
  • bitter greens pizza
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