Gjelina Reviews

Had an incredible breakfast here while visiting LA. The food was absolutely fresh and amazing. I highly recommend the duck confit and the smoked trout and mushroom scramble.

The tomato sauce is unique. the best in town, maybe in the US, maybe in the world. The restaurant is cool, and the food is amazing. especially happy to find that kind of pizza in LOS ANGELES

Make a reservation well in advance and if you prefer quieter dining, ask for the back patio. I love Gjelina's food. There is always many vegetable dishes to choose from and their pizza is one of my favorite go-to's and reminds me of really good NY pizza. If you're in a hurry, yet hungry, go next door to their take out kitchen and get pizza by the slice ... delightful for that particular fix.

We booked well in advance and although our table wasn't ready when we arrived we were well looked after for the short wait. The service was very professional and helpful as some items on the menu required explanation. We ordered a few side dishes to share. The roasted fennel dish was a big hit. We all had pizza and every single one was exceptional. We went at night and the atmosphere is great. Its a different experience to the day time in the courtyard but still a great vibe. Loved the food, the atmosphere and the people watching. If it wasn't so far I'd be a regular for sure.

Went with friends to this restaurant. Very noisy, food is full of oil and quiet expensive. The pizza was ok but burnt... The wine is very expensive and not tasty Avoid this place The only meal was the ice cream ( vanilla and almond...)

Horrific experience. The staff are part of a scheme with John. He knows the owner and invites people to this restaurant, be super careful.

We visited the restaurant on a rainy Saturday for brunch. The place was packed with about 30 minutes wait for a couple by the benches (tables were about an hour wait). The service was good relative to the amount of people. The food was amazing, both in look and flavor. Very interesting mix of flavors, we had the Moroccan baked eggs. Very recommend.

The food here was amazing! Everything is served on small plates so we tried several for dinner and each was delicious. It has a great laid-back vibe and the service was excellent. Food, however, took center stage!

Never having been to this restaurant the only time to get a table was in the afternoon. We had a wonderful time sitting on the patio eating amazing salads and pizza. Such unusual flavors in both the pizza and the salads. We topped it off with a crumble. I was a bit upset there were no fries available. It is also expensive.

Avoid exaggerated prices and obligatory tips specified only at the time of the bill. It's not written anywhere and I don't know if it's possible to impose this. Fixed tip of 20%

This is good fun place. The food is great - all try veggie dishes were with really good flavours well balanced so you get the natural flavour with a great twist. The other dishes were like worse fabulous. Good wine list (although would be good to see more local California varieties) and service was friendly and informative. Atmosphere was good and you are on a good space. Really enjoyed it.

The food os worth the wait but the service is slow. They need to hire more people. You have to try the pizza

This place looked busy so we were keen to give it a try. Menu was not displayed outside. Very dark inside -everyone used their mobile phone torch to read the menu. Also quite noisy. Wine was incredibly expensive. - cheapest was $16 per glass and very average. The expensive Pizza was burnt. Now we realise why it was so dark!! You don’t see what you are eating! Staff were not very friendly. But there was a mandatory 20% service charge! Felt well and truly ripped off. No goodbye and thank you when we left, just “that is table 38 leaving now”. When we said we weren’t happy with the meal they didn’t say anything. We have been in USA for nearly three weeks on a great trip but this was definitely the worst meal we had.

This Midwesterner was super impressed by this cool Cali spot. Super fresh fare served in modest yet Uber chic surroundings. Tried an excellent burata appetizer that was light and refreshing served on a mound of celery root. Followed that by a tasty margharita pizza that was a shining example of how that classic pie should be. Opted for the prosciutto and fried egg sandwich that was adorned with an excellently dressed arugula to round out the richness. The artisan country bread it was served on couldn’t have been a better choice to complete this sandwich. Also had the great fries that were served with ketchup and an excellent aioli. Great, memorable lunch for me. Hope to go back soon.

Stopped at Gjelina for lunch. One member of our group has significant dietary restrictions and couldn’t find anything on the menu (esp as there are no substitutions). She ended up going down the street for her meal while we ordered. She came back with her take out box and joined our table. I was expected Gjelina to have a problem with that. Instead they thoughtfully provided her with utensils and salt. Classy.

With a nice atmosphere and delicious food. Unfortunately I was not that hungry so we shared a pomodoro pizza with burrato. It is amongst the best pizza I have ever had. They have long list of other pizzas which I bet are just as good. The people seated to my left had a black cod plate that looked and smelled absolutely delicious as did the steak the person seated to my right devoured. I’ll have to return to try one of those dishes. The wine list is extensive but beware the place is dimly lighted and you could end up with a glass of wine that is more expensive than you intended to spend.

We dined at this place right after it opened its doors after Covid-19 lock down. The staff all wore masks, the tables were adequately apart and the patrons were all adequately respectful of the new normal. The food is very good and humanly portioned. The pizzas are all fine as our table sampled a good selection of them. It is a little pricey, but safety comes at a price. Strongly recommended.

A Venice Beach classic. We start with a spectacular Kampachi and then delight us with the burrata and close with a pizza accompanied by cherry tomatoes. Highly recommended.

Food is generally good, but the attitude of the staff is that you're lucky to eat there, the mandatory 20% tip + asking for more is obnoxious after the attitude you have dealt with, and the ego of the chef to refuse ANY substitutions (seriously, you cant put a sauce on the side) is beyond appalling. It's not worth the attitude.

We visited Gjelina for lunch on Jan 1 to celebrate the New Year. We were on a family trip from London visiting grandparents and at the strong recommendation of a friend we booked this restaurant. We were a party of six including our two children one of whom has allergy to egg, nuts and sesame. As the menu was very limiting for him due to these allergies our eight year old son ordered a steak sandwich which seemed to be the only option available to him. On consultation with the waiter we were told that the steak sandwich also included mayonnaise which contains egg and therefore would be unsuitable for him. We looked at the menu again but as we confirmed this was the only option suitable for him we asked the waiter if the kitchen could prepare the sandwich without spreading the mayonnaise. Imagine our surprise when the waiter refused to do so saying that it was restaurant policy since the establishment of the restaurant to never change a dish even to accommodate allergies. We explained that we were not asking to adapt a dish or remove something but only to NOT ADD the mayonnaise to the dish. They still refused and even the manager who we asked to speak to was equally inflexible and rude, comfortable with the idea that our eight year old son would not eat anything at our celebration lunch. We have travelled extensively with our children but have never experienced such blatant discrimination with the excuse of some arrogant and grandiose rules. Moreover we were embarrassed in front of other diners and forced to leave hungry on New Year’s Day offended with our celebratory lunch in tatters. This was a terrible experience for us and particularly for our son who was made to feel by the restaurant staff that it was his fault that he had an allergy and that the lunch was ruined. We never felt so offended and embarrassed at a restaurant. We urge customers to think twice before booking this place.

Fav dinner we had in LA! delish and good atmosphere. The heirloom tomato salad was amazing- and we both liked our pizzas!

The menu was mind boggling with way too many options & service staff was not too happy to answer your questions about them. For people with dietary concerns, THEY WOULD NOT MODIFY YOUR FOOD FOR YOU. Food took a long time to be served & the portions were miserly. It was also very salty. The meatballs tasted like it was coated in salt & the pizza was very hard. maî·tre d'hô·tell had an attitude. They would not seat you till all the entire party arrives even though the driver took a while to find parking after dropping us off. Even if you were to tell them that you are hungry, they actually asked you to grab a pizza from their deli next door. Horrible Food, Bad Service, Highly Overrated!

The place is new and modern. Food was good, we had grilled artichoke, pizza and juices. Bar and table are well decorated with woods and gives rustic feels. Drinks were ok. A lot of people during lunch eventhough it was weekdays.

1) the service was not good at all , slow and the server wasn’t polite 2) the food was not great , poor portion , the don’t allow to make changes on the menu 3) they charge 20% whiteout your permission

Gjelina is located in a cute area of Venice. Parking is a royal pain and you may have to pay. So consider that. Make a reservation because I have found that even with one you are waiting up to 30 minutes. The place is cute. It has a little back yard with nice seating. Inside is cute and inviting. The place is kept very clean. The food is good, not great, but fine. We were not pleased with the burnt crust of the pizza. I don't consider it rustic, I consider it burnt, because it is. I mean black. Too bad, really, because I could tell the crust would be great. The rest of the pizza was very good. They have a good steak sandwich and their veggies are nice. All in all, the food is fine. We found the service slow and somewhat snappish. I don't care for snappish. We had to wait to be served for quite a bit. That was okay, but please learn your menu. If there is a question I think it would be nice to be able to answer it. Call me crazy. A tip of 20% is added to your bill and you are taxed on that. First, let me know so I don't tip twice and why are you taxing a tip. There are some great places to nice right near here, but this one is fine, no more, no less.

Cool find in Venice Beach. Nice laid back atmosphere with delicious dishes to share. The charcuterie was delicious, as well as the raclette pizza with caramelized onion.

We stumbled on this restaurant while looking for a lunch spot. We did not realize what a gem we chose until we got seated after a 20 minute wait. We were seated outdoors. The atmosphere is vibrant, fun and cool. The had a difficult time deciding what to order as there were so many tempting options. We decided on the kale salad, pizza, skirt steak and nettle pasta. The nettle pasta was excellent. We will definitely go back just for that. The only thing we did not like was the mandatory 20% added on for tips. Although the service was good, I would not rate it excellent. We had to ask for more water and the waiter never came back to check in on us to make sure all was ok.

This is a very popular restaurant and has a fantastic atmosphere, great decor and lovely courtyard for outside dining, but the staff aren't the friendliest or most helpful. Wines are staggeringly expensive - $80.00 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio that you can pay £5.00 for in London. Food is just as expensive and good but not amazing and was $24.00 a pizza! Anyhow, we ordered a bottle of Sauvignon for $95.00 (!!!!) and this arrived just as we had nearly finished our pizza, due to issues with their fridge. Over all expensive and underwhelming. Wont return.

We ate here on a Wednesday night. We had reservations for 9 pm, but we got there early and were seated 50 minutes early! The menu is mainly small plates, which we shared. We had mushroom pizza, lamb sausage pizza, sweet potatoes, passion fruit tart, eggplant, wine. All were delicious. Free parking is available nearby. I recommend and would definitely eat here again.

Gjelina came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. The courtyard where we ate was charming. The vegetables were absolutely fantastic. We had broccolini and romanesco both were outstanding. The pizzas were super thin crust, crispy and delicious. We will be back

Vegetables have never tasted so good. Wish I could have had them all. Try them! Chorizo pizza was a knockout too. Highly recommend!

Fantastic little coffee shop/breakfast/lunch place with and amazing selection of savories and sweet, and a wood fired over blazing in the background to make and warm any of the above. The espresso is also so of the best I’ve had, ever. Make sure to ask for in “for here” so you don’t get it in a paper cup, the ruination of all espresso. Don’t miss out on this place.

I went to eat at the GJAYA restaurant It had been recommended to me in the Santa Monica area and was told that it was very difficult to get a reservation One of my friends came first, they didn't want to give her a table until we were all there Finally after going round and round looking for parking and leaving it in a valet parking that is a couple of blocks away for a price of $ 15 USD, we arrived at the restaurant A modern and casual concept with a terrible service, where they do you the favor of serving you They look at you contemptuously and they love to serve on small plates that are used for coffee or bread It costs the same to wash a small plate than a large cat What is the difference of serving yourself on a large plate so that you are more comfortable if you are going to share? We ordered a salad, a pate, and some other disque dish of organic products The food was good. Nothing exceptional We returned the pate because it was duck and we imagined it would be a Foi Gras, which was far away. The taste was extremely strong and bitter The bill discounting the pate was $ 164 and they also charge you Yes or yes the 20% tip It doesn't matter if the service is bad or lousy It's not a place I would go back to It is necessary I would recommend that they do more training of the team because the waiters or what they say waiters, have no idea what they are selling. They are like robots that only serve and try to sell what was not sold the night before or the most expensive Do not go

Where do I start .. if you sit at the “ bar “ it’s not a bar you stare at a fan or some crap that’s just piled up in front of your face and no line of sight to the restaurant. Chorizo pizza ,( personnel pan size ) is a pepperoni pizza and a $12 canned IPA all for the wonderful price of $44 and let’s not forget the speech on the bill for the 20% mandatory service charge , 🤣 .. the speech tells us how everyone at the restaurant contributed to my dining experience.. ok , you took my order delivered a bill and than when I handed $50 you asked if I needed change ..lol .. I get it it’s Abbott Kinney and $50 is looked at as $5.00 ... but please this place is so overrated I don’t know how people have fell for this trap .. now you want a real dining experience worth every penny ( unfortunately only open for dinner ) FELIX Restaurant is something to brag about ..

The look, service & food was excellent. Love the variety of roasted wood fired vegetables, which were delicious and so healthy. The pizzas are thin crust and just the way I like them. Smashed peas with burrata was something I’ll try making at home i liked it so much. And all the beautiful people of LA were there. I think it is so busy you need a reservation well in advance.

Much fanfare around this place, some rightly so others is misguiding. The venue is great with an industrial feel. Service depends on staff and rather hit and miss. Food- pizza was decent but not massive veg options and they do not allow to amend toppings which is strange. Worth a visit but not worth the hype.

I wondered if the compulsory 20% service charge would affect the service. It does. Ordered a tuna salad, inedible as it tasted only of salt. Changed for a tomato salad, asked for no salt. Visible salt when it came. Then (afterwards for clarity) I asked the waiter and then the manager for the salad without salt. Reply: we don’t alter any part of the menu. Left hungry. Not the usual American service which deserves a 20% tip.

We were a walk-in on a Sunday night and got seated at the long table straight away, the decor and vibe is very cool. Water brought over, drinks order taken, food order placed quite quickly... then we waited. It was busy, we were walk-ins, but that shouldn’t mean your experience is any less. Wine arrived after chasing (yes, it’s pricey but didn’t find that unusual for this area). But everyone around us who arrived and ordered later received their food before us! To the point another two diners actually finished and paid for their meal before we received ours, and they’d arrived later. We were told the pizza oven was stacked out but surely you’d be served in order? The pizzas were great when they arrived, nothing mind-blowing just a good solid proper pizza (I had better in LA). It’s one of these hyped / trendy places and I’m not knocking that as it does have a cool vibe. I do agree with other reviews the 20% service charge should not be mandatory, in our case the service from anyone did absolutely NOT warrant that so it just felt like a kicker.

Called to make a reservation. Asked the "reservationist" if they have vegan and gluten free 'alternatives.' She replied, "We have vegan and gluten free 'options.'" I'd put that in italics if I could. I said, "Thank you for correcting me on the word 'alternatives.'" Luckily nothing was available. Food is good, but always crowded and -- really??? Buy the cookbook and skip the punishment.

First restaurant in LA ... and it was amazing !! The pizzas are to die for 😍 and the dessert ... you have to try the banana pie which is amazing !!! The service is also really good, and waiters were absolutely lovely !

Gjelina has never really slipped as one of the best spots in Venice and having been twice, 6 years apart, I think that they def deserve their great reputation. The pizza is absoutely delicious and the vibe is cool and airy. Service is good and straight forward - not remotely flowery but I like that. You def have to book but if you want to do a walk-in, which we did, recommend going at 6,30pm and you should be fine. Only caveat is that they won't do ANY modifications. Which I totally get if people are complaining about 48 intolerances (which is not unlike Californians!) but is quite annoying if, say, you are intolerant to just one thing and that means all the starters are out.

First of all it was freezing, we were all cold. We were eating inside! The waiter was fine but the overall feeling was cold!! The food was fair Nothing special Go to Felix!! That was amazing

Had a very nice experience at Gjelina for a Sunday Morning Brunch. I was happy to see pizza on the menu, as I have been making pizza in the Chicago area professionally and homemade for over 40 years. The Pomodor with Buratta was a great example of a California pizza, The sauce was seasoned just right, the crust thin and very crispy. Having made this pizza from the cookbook, I wanted to compare to the real thing, It was quite a departure from something like Lou Malnati's, but a great pizza nevertheless. At $20 , I think the price was appropriate.

I bought baked goods from the bakery. Did not dine there. Everything I purchased was fresh but I wasn’t bowled over by anything. Food is solid but not spectacular.

STAY AWAY!! One of the worst service experiences I have ever had by our server, Diana. She was rude, cold, never cracked a smile or checked in on us. And they have the nerve to add a 20% AUTOMTATIC tip and ask for additonal tip on the final receipt. Where is the incentive to provide great service?? We won't be going back although some of the food was decent, who wants to pay these prices and be treated like garbage!

Made 11:30 breakfast/brunch reservations for a Wednesday and were surprised to be given lunch menus. Their website includes a breakfast menu but doesn't state when it's over. When I asked staff to clarify their breakfast and brunch times that's when the attitude started to come out. Then we saw on the menu the mandatory 20% service charge. As a former server myself I know I need to earn my tips, it shouldn't be expected. So far no boxes were being ticked off for even standard service. After about 15 minutes of waiting to place our (lunch) order we were then given another menu. I was half hopeful that they were allowing us to still get breakfast items. Instead we were given a shortened version of their menu, which only seemed to include bar food. "The grill's down, sorry" is all we were told. We spent a total of 20 minutes in Gjulina at which point we decided to head out. The service (or lack of it) and attitude were so appalling that at that point, it didn't matter how good the food was, we would've been left with a bad impression. We decided to take our business to somewhere more deserving. Apparently we weren't the only ones who felt that way, as the table next to us also walked out. FYI we went to the Butcher's Daughter down the street, where we had a great meal, complete with great service (of which we gave an OPTIONAL and well deserved tip of 25%), AND they serve all day breakfast!

Fool me once... Shame on You. Fool me twice... Shame on Me! I admit it, I made the mistake of going back to Gjelina again because friends wanted to try it. If one set out to design a restaurant for pompous masochists willing to pay top dollar for the privilege of being abused by the serving staff in an environment that is impossible to have a conversation, they would rent space on Abbot Kinney and open Gjelina. If you care more about "being seen" than you do about food, service or ambiance, this is the place for you!

Abbott Kinney is a great area for a walk around and lots of choices to eat. This is "the" place to go and the staff certainly act that way. Expect long wait times if you don't have a booking (50 minutes), and queueing along a wall inside the restaurant, like you are in a school canteen (bizarre). The maitre'ds aren't welcoming or friendly. Once seated, the wait staff try a little harder, but service is very slow. For good news- the food is GREAT! As vegetarians we were delighted. The little gem salad was delicious. The fontina and mushroom pizza also. The broiled asparagus also great. The in house soft drinks were really good too.

What can you say, the food was fine, well cooked, but also nothing special. With the queue outside waiting for admission, we thought we were getting into a “pleasure stamp”. But it wasn't.

Great find, super menu for food and wine. The lamb burger was terrific. For a light breakfast, try the labneh toast. Great vibe.

Great location, spectacular breakfast offer. However the lady who served us was beyond rude. We had one person who needs to eat strictly gluten-free. This person ordered the Moroccan egg dish and told the service that she needed it gluten free. The lady from the service informed her that requests for changes were not possible, but the dish is gluten-free. Breakfast then arrived with a piece of toast INSIDE the food (which wasn't gluten-free). Can't you tell the kitchen to put this toast aside? When we ordered the bill, we were told that 20% TIP would be included - we didn't need to count! She didn't get any cent from us!

Excellent location & atmosphere. We shared numerous appetizers, all excellent. The pizzas were the best, with amazing flavors. The salads were large, and we shared. The main courses were also delicious.

Finally, after countless disappointments and all types of overrated places, this restaurants deserve the glory. Elegant and romantic atmosphere without being over the top, staff that clearly takes their work seriously, even if they are not into too much customer ass kissing and truly delicious food. Everything is great, but pasta is unlike any other.

OK food. Overpriced for what it is. 55 dollars is the minimum for a bottle of wine. 20 dollars for a pizza. Also, the kicker, automatically add 20% minimum service charge to the bill despite the fact there was only 2 of us. I've seen this for tables of minimum 8, never for two. They have the nerve to say on the bill that it is because they believe their staff deserve that amount that they charge that. If that was really the case they would just pay them a better wage. Actually a complete joke.

Good enough food, sweet not. Mandatory tipping, but will it be legal? Definitely yes but I find it absurd. Fall in style. I advise against it.

My partner and I visited this restaurant as a recommendation from a friend! It did not disappoint, we got sat straight away on a Friday night, the waiters where attentive and got us water and drinks straight away. They also talked through the menu and wine list very well and helped us pick some fab dishes. The food was great, the wine was great and the waiters where very friendly. Would recommend as a nice date night as it can be quite expensive depending on how hungry you are!!!!

We did not want to sit down for a formal lunch so ordered from next door - we had the barrato and blossom pizza. It was completely the best pizza i have ever eaten. I dont usually eat the base but it was thin and delicious. The salad was also fantastic.

Excellent for a weekend branch....ideally located for a nice walk after with lots of cute boutiques. The pancakes a must!!!

A friend recommended this venue for my family visit to LA. There are a number of unusual slants on dishes and everything we tried was excellent. From memory we had prawns, fries, mushrooms (amazing), black cod and a margarita pizza for the children. There were a few other dishes which I don’t recall as the visit was a couple of weeks ago. I’m not sure what the common thread is between the dishes, it may be that they are wood fired or something. As well as the food, the interior is appealing and there is garden / courtyard style dining at the rear (where we were). We had no trouble getting a booking but we ate early evening. Our server was very good and professional. He was very clear about the 20% mandatory service at the outset and clearly pointed it out on the bill at the end which I thought was a very fair and transparent approach. I was very happy to pay it. I would definitely recommend and certainly visit again. This is a higher price point venue but you can see where the value is added.

Not enough superlatives to describe our dining experiences. The food was sublime, the service exemplary plus a Fabulous wine list to explore all served up in a truly tranquil and laid back atmosphere. After lunch and shopping on Abbot Kinney we returned for a few wines. The place was buzzing. We couldn’t stay away and visited several times during our Venice stay.

The hype for Gjelina is not to be underestimated! The ambiance once you walk in from the hustle and bustle of AKB is unexpected and lovely. The atmosphere is relaxed with its dark tones, floor to ceiling curtains, large tables and smooth music; it’s quite sexy. The maître d’s service was high quality with his personable and welcoming nature - it was such a pleasure! The mandatory 20% service tip was not an issue for us, unlike other reviewers, considering the service was perfect. We even added an additional tip we were that happy with the experience! My husband and I had a pizza, side of fries and a vegetable sandwich. The sandwich was simply the BEST I’ve ever had! It was delicious with the pickled vegetables, butter fried bread and handmade aioli - it could not be faulted! I’ll be returning soon just for that sandwich! With the service, perfect meals and fantastic positioning on AKB Gjelina makes for a great experience. I’d highly recommend and will be happily returning.

Amazingly creative variety of gourmet dishes with a wonderful vibe. We had terrific service. Would love to return!

Wonderful dinner whilst I was travelling on business by myself. Despite not having a booking on a busy evening the staff were incredibly helpful and got me a space at the bar within 20 mins (I had a walk around Tu e surrounding neighbourhood and they sent me a text). Food was great and atmosphere just as good!

I was taken for dinner on my first night in LA and it really set the standard . We sat on one of the two communal tables , although there are plenty of non-communal tables . It is hard to choose what dish to have as every single item is incredible . Luckily they have a tapas-style menu so one can sample many dishes . I opted for the spicy lamb sausage flatbread (one of the few meat options ). Everything was perfect .

The pizza you can find in LA, so good. Also nice spot, recommend to book in advance as it is busy everyday! I got lucky enough to get a table walking in

Was really looking forward to my meal here but to begin they seated us on the terrasse on a cold night which was ridiculous. Secondly, the service was very cold, indifferent . Wine service was nonexistent, which is a shame as they have a nice list. Food was good but seriously overpriced. Big disappointment overall but what really hit me was the compulsory 20% service charge for such lousy service. Considering the price and the result, I’d say look elsewhere for a satisfying meal. They did NOT live up to the hype.

Wanted to go here for ages. Got a table right away for 3 people. They were very welcoming of our 4 year old son and did not mind us bringing him in which I have found some other establishments seem to not like. Came about 4pm and were told table had to be back by 5.15pm, which I guess is fair given we had no reservation. I do not eat cheese and they will not do a cheese free pizza other than the Pomodoro with Prosciutto they offer. I really did want the Chorizo but they said no. The waitress was nice about it and polite but it wasn’t even busy in there so they could have accommodated. The pizza was good when it came as was the side salad. There are tiny flies, people are right in saying that. We had about 4 circling our table throughout the meal. I am pleased we went, but I do think it’s style over substance. Actually think the Pizzas are better at True Food Kitchen at SMP. Also Rose Cafe. Really mixed feelings.

The food was good, but everything else about my experience at Gjelina was terrible. I booked a table a month in advance and when we got there (on time), they made us wait 30 minutes for a table. The hosts were rude about us checking in, not once was there an apology, not once were we offered a drink while we waited or to even look at a menu. When we were eventually lead to a table, they seated us on the street side patio completely away from the restaurant. So not only were we seated 30 minutes after the reservation time that I made a month ago, We didn’t even get to experience the atmosphere of the restaurant. The food was delicious, but it was nowhere near special enough to make everything else worth it.

We had a late afternoon brunch Saturday here. We had a 145pm reservation and arrive early and were quickly seated...that was the last of the good service. First getting a waitress' attention took 15 minutes...then a simple glass of wine another 15 minutes. Finally after sitting down for nearly 35 minutes, we put our orders in. I mentioned that they could bring it out as it was prepared. We order a lamb burger (very good), lemon pancakes (good), cheese pizza (ok) and a lamb sausage pizza (good.) We also ordered a side of fries. I was thinking the pancakes would come out first then pizza than burger and fries. Nope...fries by themselves came out 25 minutes later, then cheese pizza 5 minutes later, followed by a 10 minute wait for the pancakes. I then wait for a full 50 minutes from when I order a pizza to get it. Only apology by the surly staff: our kitchen is very busy. If I hear again from some manager that they do not have enough staff to cook or serve, then hire more or accept less reservations. I would skip this place. Staff has a bad attitude and since it is a 20% automatic tip, they don't give a crap about service.

Every bite was delicious. We stopped here for a birthday lunch after checking out Venice Beach. We had a sweet spot on the roof deck, and enjoyed the sea breeze. Our server made excellent recommendations, and was attentive without overdoing it. The corn-filled pasta with mushrooms and butterscotch pot du crème were highlights–but everything was amazing.

It’s rare that I have been disappointed by a restaurant in America but this one was very poor. We visited on a Monday evening; the restaurant was full but dark, so dark the customers (including us) needed to use their cell phones to read the menu and to see their food. The pizzas we ordered were fairly tasty but very thin and were burnt in several places. The wine is EXTORTIONATELY OVERPRICED at $18 for a small glass of very average wine. On top of this comes the MANDATORY 20% service charge so that you cannot even show your disgust through refusing a tip. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone.

We were in Santa Monica for two days and somehow I ended up getting a slice from GTA both days! Located next to their namesake restaurant GTA is a counter only service place with slices, desserts and a few other options including full pizzas to go. Located on Abbot Kinney GTA is a great place to grab a slice and then people watch on the streets of Venice. The pizza is definitely more like the kind you would find in Italy, firmer crust, softer mozzarella and adorned with basil. The sauce had a nice tang to it and the slice had me wanting to come back again, which I did! They also had a four onion slice which was tempting me; I know I need to buy one of those when dining alone! GTA is only a few short minutes walk from the Venice Canals and if you have not been you must take a walk and see them. Like the slice it is straight out of Italy and a great local “gem.” Please note - slices are a bit costly; I guess this is to be expected when paying $4.00 plus for a gallon of gas in Los Angeles County!

Delicious food and prompt and pleasant service. We had a mix of veggie appetizers (cauliflower, Japanese sweet potatoes, carrots, mushrooms). Muchsrokms and Japanese sweet potatoes were our favorites. My main dish was heirloom squash dish, which was fantastic. I will happily return. It was very busy at 7:30, but empty at 5:30.

This was a hopping place on a rainy weekend lunchtime. Good food and very good service. It is an extensive menu, of maybe 70 items, so it helped to have the server show a few highlights. We were happy with everything we ordered. The pizza got good reviews and the smoked trout salad was a highlight. Lots of great flavor combinations.

Great service. We thoroughly enjoyed the tomato salad, duck confit and eggplant. Our server was wonderful in suggesting the best order for our dishes to arrive. A good dining experience in LA.

We wonder if we are a customer! The cerber of the reception is not only unpleasant but in addition he lies openly!

While the TO GO part of this restaurant upholds very high standards and great food, the actual restaurant was super disappointing. Went there for Sunday lunch with friends from out of town. Not-so-friendly host told us we’d hate the roof because it was too hot but we went up there and it was totally fine. Thanks to a very pleasant bus person, we got extra shade. Waitress rushed us to order drinks, then was slow to return for the food order. Food was average. Arnold Palmer was made with bottled iced tea and lemonade, a bit shocking. Next time I’ll eat my sandwich outside with a nice home made cooler and skip the rest.

Ok that’s a big call I know. But I have a wood fire oven at home and make my own dough and cook pizzas every week. We had Pizzas several times on our 3 week trip across NY Oregon and CA and this place had the best. Salad also was special. Prices were ok, for 5 adults was under $90 for lunch without drinks including the mandatory 20% service charge. Staff casual which may be interpreted by some as being lazy but as we Australians are casual (and lazy?) this style suits us. Server forgot my beer but I just went to the bar and asked for one and the Barman offered me a couple of samplers without me asking, and I ended up with a different beer which I enjoyed more. Server very apologetic and was very attentive the rest of the time. All staff seemed to get on well. Service was fast and quality exceptional. Environment industrial but very cool and relaxed just how we love it. I don’t know how anyone could possibly give this place one star that is absurd. I would definitely come back the pizzas are as good as any in Italy. We were here mid arvo it wasn’t busy and full menu not available so we didn’t try other dishes.

Don't let anyone convince you that this star-studded spot, isnt worth a visit. Yeah, it's pricey if you didnt budget for atleast one nice meal, but that's what Subway is for. Go, and make sure to order the Duck confit. It is ...a revelation!

I have never been disappointed at Gjelina, Fresh pizzas Artichoke Burrata and Pomodoro and don't miss the Butterscotch Pot de creme with salted caramel. Hip restaurant , noisy , cool and very good service. We went to Gjelina two days in a row!

Gjelina is very lively and has a cool vibe. We had an amazing meal of shared plates that our waiter was helpful in selecting the options that were gluten free, as one in our party is celiac. Plenty of options to choose from; some of our favorites were the broccolini, the duck, the lamb and a Japanese sweet potato that was so good we ordered another one. Don't miss this place if you are in the area:)

Just flight...Restaurant we were recommended yet. In the dark, need a headlamp to read the menu in the middle of the hubbub. Nice and smiling staff though. The glasses of wine are coming, 18 dollars each for a glass background not very good and acidic. Meals are coming, 28 bucks a simple pizza to eat but nothing crazy. 28 dollars for a lamb merguez, very good but spiraled on 3 salad leaves without any accompaniment. The image of a dog poop placed on a plate. Total $114 for pizza, sausage and two glasses of wine. TO FLEE,!!! SIMPLY FLIGHT!!! Very, very disappointed.

Great, for a night out, good atmosphere, good food with well-achieved flavors and textures.....if I would have a drawback, it is serving a great tuna tartare, with a good cut and good flavor on a crust of bread, it's how you start bread with tuna and it loses its charm, otherwise very good...the music, the staff and especially the food are very good

Living near New Haven Ct we have some of the worlds best pizza, but Gjelina is as good as any pie I’ve ever had. We did a lot of share plates also that were amazing but I keep thinking about that pizza. I will definitely return on my next LA trip. Service was also top notch. Wine I found was on the expensive side with not any selections below about $45 a bottle.

Really enjoyed our dinner , great food beautifully cooked and presented. Espresso bread pudding recommended to finish the meal! Efficient and knowledgeable service , tip is included in check.

It seems to lack the excitement it probably first had. Been recommended to me for many years but it didn't have the interest I expected. I enjoyd the Moroccan eggs for breakfast but they were no better than I have had countless times at home. The atmosphere is good and the staff professional but you still come for the food, not the hype.

The hostess had the worst attitude. She didn’t even speak to us in a respectful manner. She was unhappy and unpleasant. Not the way to greet ppl. The waiter Forgot our drinks, brought the wrong water, undercooked meat and edgy server. Pre-added 20% gratuity for bad service. Acted like it was no big deal that the meat was essentially raw and then reheated it sliced and gave it back to us. Nothing was comped. Drinks came with the second course. They don’t clear dishes. Have really gone downhill. Avoid avoid avoid. The staff are the biggest issue. What an attitude problem they have. There are tons of better options.

Hugely popular Italian/Californian restaurant on Abbot Kinney. Evening dinner found a noisy darkened dining room full of the beautiful people. A cool vibe. Portions of plates are modest in size and need a carb or veggie added, adding to overall costs. Mostly the dishes are well cooked and simple, using decent ingredients. Wine is very expensive at around $20 a glass. Service is efficient if a little perfunctory. Hard to justify the mandatory 20% service charge. Although we enjoyed our visit, it did feel a bit like the Emperors new clothes. Reservations essential at the weekend.

Ok so I went here on my own (very brave) after meeting a friend for a wick drink. I sat at a communal table with really friendly patrons (one Canadian, 2 French and none of knew each other beforehand). A really fun night and my companions absolutely adored their choices. I had the mussels which we beautifully cooked and a fabulous sauce even with a large crusty toasted piece of baguette. Oh my. My waiter also insisted that I order the frites (cooked in some fandangled oil so as he said they were practically considered carrot sticks they were so healthy). Who was I to say no. Soooo glad. Go there. You’ll have a great night.

We had a quick day in Venice Beach. A young guy in a surf shop suggested we try Gjelina’s for lunch and he got it so right! The service was fantastic, chill and friendly. And the Brussels sprout pizza... absolutely divine! Loved the vibe and fresh locally sourced food. A must!

My friends and I stopped in to this no so well indicated restaurant and was pleasantly surprised! Well decorated restaurant: nice and clean. Nice menu to choose from. Would have liked to try so much more, however one can only eat so much. We started with a heirloom tomato salad with burrata cheese salad. It was a great mix of wonderful tastes! Then on the main even! A chorizo, caramelized onion and pepper pizza with a avocado, sprouts sandwich served with pickled veggies! Both were equally tasty! For dessert we had a butterscotch pudding with salted caramel and crème fraîche! It was just the right to split after all this food! Now where they lost a point, is for our server! The service was really very good for the most part except for our server! Not very welcoming or outgoing. She was never rude or anything, but it was clear that she did not want to be there! Smiling was difficult for her! Had it not been for the sad waitress, this would have been a perfect experience! Would go again in a heartbeat for the food and hope to get get a different waitress, waiter!!!

Wow, so odd. An almost completely black building with no sign, unmarked doors (for the takeout place), and virtually always a line out of the door. I can't address the restaurant, but we got take-out from the adjacent establishment, and it was outrageous. Their tuna melt is out of this world, with dark bread, delicious tuna salad, and sort of a greasy (in a good way) whole that is fantastic. Their turkey sandwich is similarly good, and for something like $15 for a sandwich, it had better be good. The place was always packed, and for good reason. The breakfast burrito, which had been recommended to me by others, turned out to be a disappointment. Lots of veggies and mushrooms? that didn't seem very much like breakfast. I'd stick with the sandwiches.

We were in LA for a conference and did a day at Venice beach. Everyone kept talking about Abbot Kinney restaurants so we walked over during the day and checked them out. Gjelina had been on my radar because I had read articles about it but we couldn't get a reservation. I called and found out they have two communal tables that are first come, first serve. I was warned to get there before 6:30pm or it would be a long long wait. This was true - we arrived at 6pm and we were seated right away but truly just 15 minutes later it was all packed and a long wait. We LOVED everything we ate and since it's seasonal it's hard to give recommendations but truly everything was great. Highly recommend!

A great disappointment. We were recommended this restaurant. The waiters were nonchalant and generally grumpy. Ordered tartare which was served on black toasted bread. Smallest possible portion. Got lukewarm water without ice. Got a bill with a default 20% tip. Completely incomprehensible that they got such good reviews - maybe they have reviewed themselves?

Venice is a bit dodgy, honestly, but this really is a gem and where you want to be. Great food, service and definitely the "it" spot.

That is what our waitress told us when we asked if the bacon could be cooked crispy. It went downhill after that. I tried to order sourdough pancakes and was told that it was a pancake because “Gjtlena is a small plate restaurant,” as if that distinguishes it from most upscale LA restaurants with pretensions of hipness. The food can be good here, but our food that day really underwhelmed. And the service was terrible. Oh and the noise made conversation nearly impossible. Won’t be returning any time soon.

Based on friends' recommendation we tried this contemporary place on a Friday night. The wait was relatively brief at 15 minutes. The assigned table was nice in an outdoor courtyard. The staff almost immediately attentive. That waitstaff is well trained, pleasant and efficient. That's pretty much all the good news. The bar offerings are limited to beer and wine. The wine was overpriced per bottle and the one individual glass ordered was short pour for $20. They don't offer commercially produced soft drinks but rather make their own. Odd. The menu is extensive but not particularly descriptive or comprehendable. They offer "family style" so we ordered several plates for all to share. Unfortunately, the food was not tasty and the servings were small. Frankly, it appears the chef is more interested in preparing oddly paired foods with strangely selected spices. From the pork meat balls to the four onion pizza, no one in our group found something they enjoyed.

They charged us more than $ 300 for 3 pizzas and 3 hamburgers. They impose a 20% tip without giving you the option to choose between 15%, 18% or 20% depending on how you like the service. When you claim and talk to the owner very bad ways, rude and threatens that if you do not pay call the police. RECOMMENDING NOT TO GO !!!!

While Dining in Los Angeles for one only one night. A former LA resident and friend of ours, recommended this establishment. He made reservations and Jocelyn the host was very nice and personable upon entering the restaurant. She told us it would be few minutes for our patio table and was prompt when the table was ready. Janka, our server, was nice at the start. She didn’t offer recommendations but sincerely answered our questions when we posed them. She didn’t make wine recommendations but did name the only 4 beers offered on drought. The wines by the glass are expensive ranging d rom $18-$40. There are two things you should be aware of if you should decide to dine here. 1. They will NOT for any reason modify any menu items. So for example if you don’t like onions and order the duck confit loaded in onions, yet the menu description doesn’t include onions them tuff luck. That was the case when we ordered this item them told Jenka my wife is allergic to onions and he then turned off her “nice” persona to juts order taker. 2. The mandatory 20% service fee ( MSF) as they choose to list it at the bottom of your receipt receipt, is their policy, which is fine, but service should be commensurate with the fee paid. Once we told Jenka about the duck confit issue she rolled her eyes and said I’ll tell a manager. We never saw a manager but in the way out after paying their MSF noticed Jenga drinking wine at the bar. Perhaps their MSF should be offered to those staff members who truly care like the bussers who did a great job of refilling our waters and being HOSPITABLE unlike Jenka. Ambiance was nice but as for service, you have been advised. Bathrooms need attention, see attached photo. Sparky.

We chose this restaurant because it was close to our hotel and because it was recommended to us by good friends that enjoy nice restaurants. The service and ambience are good but for a restaurant classified in the bib gourmand of the Michelin itinerary the food is quite poor. We ordered three dishes to share between the two of us: a steak tartar (classified as a main course) but which comes without any side dish and only on top of toasted bread (…..). The steak was poorly seasoned (it had no flavor) and was missing, for example: egg yolk, mustard and pickles. Mandatory ingredients in a steak tartare. Furthermore, the meat looked like it had been chopped in a machine and was pasty (which is an insult to a tartare steak, tipically chopped by hand). Additionally, we ordered a seasoned bean dish. Although the beans were of good quality, the seasoning was nothing innovative: parsley and onion with olive oil. The dose is tiny. In other words, it was nothing more than a weak adaptation of the typically Mediterranean (namely, Portuguese) black-eyed peas. Finally we ordered a duck confit. This was good and well seasoned. For these three dishes and two beers we paid 140 dollars including a mandatory 20% tip. I repeat, $140 for three dishes, two of which consisted of a small dose of absolutely basic and uninnovative beans and another of poorly seasoned steak tartare with poorly cut meat. This restaurant being part of the bib gourmand is an insult to other cheaper ones with better service and a Michelin star, such as the fantastic State Birds Provisions in San Francisco.

It's designed to be funky - no restaurant name over the door, creative exterior wall paintings, rough wood and old brick floors, recycled furniture. We made a reservation for the back patio, and well worth it. The place filled quickly. Attentive friendly welcome and service. Wine too expensive, so we ordered a cocktail (wine, lime juice, ginger, interesting flavours) and a draft beer. Extensive menu, we ordered the Anchovy Pizza - wood fired, thin crust, lots of anchovies and capers, we loved it - delicious. The clientele looked to be thirty-ish business lunch, ad agency and techy folks. And then there were a couple of characters - a street person in appearance enjoying the scene over a coffee, and a male cross-dresser in extremely colorful clothes, pink hair, and white heart shaped sunglasses. Got to go here!

Love the ambiance of this place. Really laid back and the waiter really let us take our time while ordering and eating. Service is really good as is the food and drinks. The pizzas here are very good as were the salads. Really comfortable atmosphere and overall good experience.

A unique venue with a very quaint back courtyard, the food is superb. I’ve had pizzas, smashed peas on toast, crispy duck confit, and the steak sandwich. The food is uniformly enticing and delicious. Service is good. Recommended.

The food is perfect. I went with a friend and we shared 4 vegetable dishes, two salads and she had fish. Everything was outstanding! The only serve beer and wine but they do some great wine cocktails so you don't really miss vodka or gin. The roasted cauliflower, Japanese sweet potato, fava beans and cucumber salad were my favorite dishes. But the tables and seating. Not comfortable. Our table wobbled and the chairs are wood. Not padding. The worst was the service. I get you are busy and want to turn the table quick. But don't be trying to take our plates when there is at least 4 ounces of food on it and I have a biteful on my fork headed to my mouth. This didn't just happen once, it happened twice.

I went for lunch with my two best friends hoping for the experience everyone raves about, but sadly that was not the case. We ordered the chicken liver pate to share and it was heaped like a can of cat food on a small piece of toast. While there were 3 pieces of pate toast, it was nearly impossible to eat due to the disproportionate amount of pate on the toast. We also had the smoked trout salad. While delicious, the portion was ridiculously small. And speaking of ridiculously small, I ordered their version of an Aperol spritz which filled less then a quarter of the wine glass it was served it (see picture below). We also had two pizzas, one which was great (artichoke and burrata) but the other mixed mushroom pizza was dry and tasteless. The service was slow, inattentive, and disorganized. Perhaps the servers would be more attentive if the restaurant wasn’t automatically tacking a 20% tip onto your bill. How is Gjelina still listed on the LA Times top 100 list?

Great food and service. Their pizza dough is off the charts. Their (REAL) mushroom pizza is outstanding (they do not cheap out on the mushrooms).

Cheese platter had a variety of treats. Cheeses were good but didn't care for some of the sides. Grilled asparagus was excellent.

We came to Gjelina with high hopes and four hungry kids — and left completely stunned by the arrogance and inflexibility of the staff. All we asked for was one simple dish: plain pasta for one of our kids. No sauces, no sides, no special ingredients — just plain pasta. And you would think we asked for something outrageous. The response? A firm no, followed by an attitude that made it crystal clear: this place doesn’t care about accommodating families, let alone children. The staff was rude, dismissive, and completely unwilling to help. No compromise, no basic human decency — and the manager? Somehow worse than the staff. Condescending, cold, and uninterested in solving anything. We weren’t asking for a five-course meal for picky adults — we were trying to feed a child. The fact that Gjelina couldn’t (or wouldn’t) make a basic adjustment says everything about their attitude. This restaurant may have hype, but beneath the trendy exterior is a place with zero heart, no hospitality, and a shocking lack of customer service. Avoid if you value kindness, flexibility, or just treating people like humans. Especially if you have kids — Gjelina clearly doesn’t want you there.

The butterscotch pot de creme beckons me, I dream about it. Be sure to have it whenever you are here. My other favorites here are the duck and chicken.

I had al albacore salad and meat balls. The food tastes really good. The decor is weared. Alternative . The negative side is the service: waiters are arrogant, feel untitled and treat you like you are nothing. The fact the restaurant automatically adds 20p cent to the bill for service might be one of the reasons of the poor service: should the waiters tips depend on the satisfaction of the customer they would probably behave differently….

Food and service was exceptional. Had amazing Alaskan fingerling potato dish. Pizza was perfect. Unfortunately it felt cramped and was too loud to have a conversation. Perhaps go for lunch or a very early dinner.

Visiting from UK we had been recommended to dine here, what a disappointing experience. Dark needed phone to read menu. We ordered dandelion salad very small portion but tasty. Goats cheese pizza and fries the pizza was tasty but fries where ordinary no taste. The service was very poor no one checked how we were doing, we actually had to request a desert menu . We ordered deserts we waited about 40 minutes actually chased them up still nothing, so we cancelled them. Then waiter showed up with deserts we explained we had cancelled them, he then showed his real colours was very rude, and wanted us to have them, when we declined he said well what am I going to do with them put them in the trash !! Furious he took them away. The server them slammed the bill down unfortunately we had to pay 20% service charge for this less than average meal and terrible service. Awful experience!

Excellent restaurant, excellent food, excellent vibe!! Located in the unmissable Abbot Kinney Boulevard.

We came to this restaurant with 2 friends, they ate here 4 years ago and said it was excellent, and hard to get a table in... The waiter was bordering on rude, dressing on the side of my salad wasn't possible 'we don't do that' was the phrase he said most, our pretty expensive pizza was burnt, the knives blunt, the plates just left stacked on the table, we waited an age for our drinks, it may have just been this waiter but the service was genuinely poor. And then we got hit with a 20% mandatory service charge! Shame that decent service wasn't mandatory... Never will we go to this place again. There are much better places, with much better service...

We came for a late lunch on a Friday around 3:00. We had a reservation and seated soon after arrival. We split the chorizo pizza which was perfectly cooked. A small plate with red chili flakes oregano and Parmesan is included and needed as the pizza was average. The arugula salad is baby greens with some arugula. The grilled oyster mushrooms came out after we had finished the pizza and salad. We had thought they forgot. I do not recommend the aperol spritz which was all ice. I expected more for $100

We had lunch here over Thanksgiving weekend and had a great time. We had a table on the patio in a nice, cozy corner. Service was efficient and our server gave us some awesome suggestions. We ordered the poached egg, Oaxacan grits, and oxtail ragu (rich and delicious), frites, (the dipping sauces were great), grilled kabocha squash, (our server said that was her favorite dish). guanciale, mozzarella, Castelvetrano olive, and Fresno chili pizza, butterscotch pot de crème, and my favorite, the passionfruit tart. We had a lovely meal and I look forward to returning.

Unique and delicious. This is a must try restaurant on a very hip street. Moroccan Baked Eggs and Maple Glazed Bacon are both breakfast wows!

Gjelina has been a popular Abbott Kinney spot for many years now and seems to be as popular as ever. I had not been in a few years and wanted to give it a try. Immediately upon entering I remembered why I waited so long to return. First, very snooty staff at the door with lots of attitude. The place is exceedingly loud and very dark. Ok so looked past all that with thoughts to the food. Seated on time for our reservation which was good. Waiter was all business. Cold and modestly efficient. Please note, Gjelina adds a 20% service charge to your tab so that the waiters have no incentive to treat you well. Used to be a tip was commensurate with the service. Unhook the two and this is what you get. With regards to the food, we opted out of the pizzas as I’m a bit of a pizza snob and have previously been unimpressed. We ordered 3 vegetables: celery root with grifter (excellent), broccoli rabe (good), and turnips (like French fries and not very good). Shared the gnocchi which were nice. The food is quite expensive for what you get and I was overall underwhelmed by my experience. At the end of the meal we took a 15 minute break before ordering dessert and had waiters and the manger come over to ask if they could get us anything as they were anxious for us to vacate the table. Had the caramel custard which at $12 was a total waste. When we finally asked for the check the waiter had it in front of me in a half second. I thought they were going to carry us out. Total time at the table 60 minutes. We did not linger.

We were pleasantly surprised by Abbot Kinney Blvd. I don't understand why this nice little street with great shops and restaurants is only mentioned kind of like a side note in tour books. For me, it was one of the highlights of our trip in LA. We went to Gjelina for a late lunch. Everything from start to end has been great! Many food options (all organic they say), great wine list, very good service, nice ambiance. I would surely go again next time I am in LA!

Disappointing and overpriced. I was excited about trying this place after reading the reviews, but I think we just took off on the wrong foot. Snobby staff that don't seem to worry about the way they treat you because the menu makes it clear that there is a mandatory 20% gratuity. The environment is nice, with a modern industrial feel to it and the menu is ok. The food was average at best, and the cheese platter was just below that. I guess it is overpriced because of the location and the reputation, but the quality did not correspond to what we expected. Considering the quality of the service and the food, and the prices of the items in the menu, the mandatory gratuity is completely unnecessary.

It’s an average pizzeria charging Michelin prices for absolute mediocrity. It’s 3x the price for the equivalent in Europe with rushed annoying service. The wine is a total rip off. And they entitle themselves to 20% service charge. The $160 bill for two would be $60 in the real world.

Our waiter was pretentious, not helpful. The chef would not give you more salsa for your breakfast eggs. Note: We didn't ask for more prosciutto or more chicken, we asked for more red salsa. The waiter had a terrible attitude. THERE IS A MANDATORY 20% tip added to your bill. No wonder the waiter made no effort to smile. This was not verbally explained to us, so check your bill first. You do not need to leave extra- they took care of it for you, they assume you would be happy with their bad service. I do not recommend the place. There are many great options in Venice to have a great meal with a better ambiance than here. In fact, we ended up here because it was the only place that had a table available. The good ones were full. Not a surprise. Don't go there.

The music was loud bordering on unpleasant. No one can speak at the table. The food was good. The service was very slow.

Cool, low lit LA restaurant on Abbot Kinney. The wait staff are on point. I remember us trying to shazam some music on their ambiotic playlist and one of the staff came over to show us the track - now that never happens! We were eating lightly that evening as we were under the weather I had the Spicy Chorizo - Calabrian Chili, Red Onion, Mozzarella pizza with Arugula on the side as they don't do substitutions or additions and thats the reason for the 4 stars. My Partner had the steak. Both delicious. Highly recommend the breakfast as well as take away as well as you can sit on the bench outside watching all the beautiful people walk on by :-)

So yeah. It's hyped. It's probably not really good value for money. There's an uptight ambience and... Still, it's soo good! Food is amazing no matter if you're into veggies or if you're a carnivore. Pizza's are a delight but don't be fooled - char grilled broccoli and string beans are equally well executed. Perfect for date nights or business meetings. But, reserve a table.. And, do it well in advance.

Terrible service. As if we weren’t there. And 20% service fee is already on check. Food was decent but I left hungry even after spending $230 for two people

Very nice restaurant located a bit away from the beach in Venice. Great and creative high quality food. Wine menu a bit limited. Service very professional, considerate, and family friendly. Will definitely come back.

We were recommended by a friend and we were blown away by the freshness and flavor of the food. Especially delicious was the Tomato Sauce on the Pizza. The pizza base was thin and tasty and the fresh tomatoes with burrata was sensational. The Sorbets were real fruit and real coconut flavor

This is a very casual restaurant which serves excellent food. Pizza, omelets, sandwiches, drinks, etc. for lunch. Didn't have a chance to try dinner since we were visiting LA. There is indoor and outdoors for seating. Basically a young crowd but everyone is welcome. A real find.

All we got was average fat food, cold red wine, and 20% mandatory tip. Should have red the reviews!!

My husband and I travel a lot to Los Angeles, and we found this restaurant to be our new favorite. The food and service are top notch! You do need reservations for any dining in the evening.

Loved the food, the vibe and the service. I had the black garlic pasta with uni and it was exceptional. My wife went “veggie” and had the escarole salad and the roasted cauliflower. They have joined the trend to add a mandatory service charge to all bills. I have no problem with this policy — just find it unfortunate that it is required. Everyone should know that these servers live off of their tips!

Cute spot for drinks and tapas with friends. We ate in the courtyard, inside did seem a little bit noisy. Excellent pizzas and deserts, and all the veggie tapas we tried were delicious. Would return for sure.

I was really looking forward to trying out Gjelia. We've just moved to the area and so for my birthday we booked a table. The only reservation available for four was 6pm, which was fine. From the moment we sat down we felt that we were getting rushed through everything. All four people at the table had worked in service at some point so we all knew that they were trying to turn over the table, and get us out of there. When we asked for a few more minutes for the fourth time from our server (who was very nice), a rather abrupt man (maybe the manager?)came over and asked us what we wanted to drink. The food was very good, but for that price we wanted to feel welcome and take our time. It felt way too rushed and frankly pretty touristy. Lot's of baseball hats and cargo shorts. The whole meal took and hour and a half and had they back off a bit we would have probably ordered more drinks and dessert.

Fantastic vibe and imaginative menu. Vegetarian friendly. Great wine options & delicious food. Chanterelle mushrooms were sublime and the scallops were succulent & memorable. Even though it was raining we ate on the beautiful back patio, protected from rain by umbrella & warmed by fire pit. If you can nab a table, do so. You will be delighted.

Staff had issues with our large group and refused to seat us even though we said we’d sit apart. We had separate reservations. Just a bunch of hipster attitude that thinks the world revolves around them. Heck, there's no sign on the outside of the restaurant. That being said, if you get past the egotistical hostess staff, the food is actually pretty good. The prices are fairly expensive. I'd go here once then try other alternatives. Clearly there's an attitude problem as others feel the same way on trip advisor. We won't be back. Better luck next time.

I had a very good meal with interesting choices of dishes. The ambiance is quite classy but maintains a young atmosphere. A little bit pricey but the quality of the dishes is superior

We have been in this restaurant years ago. This time, it was at the beggining on March. We ate there and in the moment of the payment they directly charge the tip:20%!!. We ask manager to leave our own tip but She refused. She said that it was houses rules so we ask again because this was not in the menu. They did not let us know about this automatically charged when we order. We did not want to argue more with her so we paid. But definetly, WE WILL NEVER COME BACK TO THIS RESTAURANT.

The decoration is elegant, cozy and intimate, the layout is perfect and the menu looks fabulous. Personally the pizza wasn't great, I´m more used to a non greasy dough but that's ok when you go around and try new places.

Delicious food but very rude staff. Unhelpful. Abrupt. Feels like they are doing you a favour. Add 20% compulsory gratuity with worst service we’ve had in LA.

Restaurant has good food, but overall so LA cliche and arrogant. They put parsley on everything. Parsley is a garnish not an ingredient. Asked waiter to remove parsley on pork meatballs and was told that no changes are allowed. Thank you, Steve Martin for making a movie called “LA Story” in the early ‘90s highlighting the a-holeness of this society. ...And the chef or owner... screw you... you arrogant horrible person!!! DON’T GO HERE! ITS BASIC ITALIAN ON THE EXPENSIVE WITH PARSLEY AND ARROGANCE!

2nd time I ate here, first time with our adult son who lives in LA but never had been. Food is excellent. Had the brocolini, purple potatoes, salami pizza and meatballs. Everything very good to excellent (especially potatoes and brocolini). A tad pricey($60 for the 40 and a not so cheap bottle of wine ($70).Having worked at both ends of a restaurant and having 2 kids who manage them in California, we are very sympathetic to those who work in the industry. That being said, they should tell you in advance vs when you get the check, that they automatically add 20%. Should be on the menu or posted prominently. Also worth noting that it can be group seating- have several large tables so odds are good you could sit next to someone you dont know

Awesome food especially pizza. Great customer service. Very busy at lunch but worth the wait. Lots of choices

We were told to visit this restaurant during our trip to LA as we were staying closeby in Venice beach and I'm so glad we did! It's situated on what is quite possibly the trendiest street on the planet....Abbot Kinney. It has both indoor and outdoor seating and I think that we got lucky by getting a table with no reservation. The server, Dillon (I think) was really helpful and advised on wine and dishes. The menu is quite large and they specialise in fresh local seasonal farmers market vegetables as well as a some lovely Italian style dishes. The quality is amazing and we tried together through as much of the menu as we could and each dish was a winner. Their pizza dough and their amazing tomato sauce was better than any other I have tried anywhere in Italy! I believe they prove the dough for 48 hours! Go and give them a try you won't be disappointed! Don't try to change any dishes, they won't allow it and why should they, they have all been designed, tried and tested their way for you to enjoy! Keep up the good work, we'll hopefully be back one day!

Address a little "plug! «  The c... abstain: you will not appreciate Excellent tartare served on a half lukewarm bread Young and noisy atmosphere certainly But it's the holidays!!! lol

Had lunch a few days ago. Very attentive staff and excellent food. Good atmosphere and lovely setting. Would highly recommend.

Used to love this place. I gave it a shot on tow occasions on last visit to LA and was so taken aback by the poor quality of food and how over-priced it became. What happened to those perfectly cooked vegetable? Soggy and oily at best. The service was always terrible but we put up with it for the food. Do not waste your time and money being treated like they are doing you the best favor in the world to let you in the door, so many other amazing places in LA to enjoy great California cuisine.

Friends and reviews raved, and indeed the food was creative, well prepared and enjoyable. Problem was the place’s attitude. At 9:30 on a Monday morning, they were out of two menu items. Best part came when I ordered a very interesting bagel that featured “everything” - avocado, tomato, ham, and a fried egg. Excellent! But can you scramble the egg? No! We don’t substitute! I don’t want you to substitute. Just take the egg that’s already there and scramble it. Nope. You want scrambled eggs, you have to order them on the side and add them your self. Anybody remember Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces? The toast scene? We lived it.

Barolo Camerano 2011. Great wine. By the glass, amazing choice. They opened a fresh bottle for us (not in front of us so we could not taste it), and.. it was corked. Below zero point. Espexially at 26$ a pop. Totally clueless on wine service basics.

Everyone suggested i should try this fancy and popular restaurant in my visit in LA. The table wait was very long. The table was miserable. I asked to the waitress to suggest to me the best salad and she brought to me a large bowl with lettuce. I remembered from the menu that they had croutons in another salad so i asked her if she could bring me some croutons to add to the large lettuce salad as i didn’t imagine eating just lettuce for dinner. The waitress answered to me in a very arrogant way that they keep their dishes pure and the only extra thing she could bring me to put to my salad was ketchup and mayonnaise :/ nothing else to say.

We sat outdoor for lunch and the vibe was great! Staff were friendly and gave good suggestions! Loved the pizza & burrata! Great location, perfect for shopping at abbot kinney after!

Super tasty food, really great vegetables and salad. Very good service, top wines. Best restaurant on our USA vacation!

As a family of 4, we ordered today on Aug first, 2 times the prawns, pork ribs, a pizza, 2 frites and corns. The pizza was black burned (which restaurant can’t prepare a decent pizza today?), we had to order an additional pork rib for my son of 16 (ridiculous how small that portion was for $32), the prawns were too hot to peel when they were presented on that oven plate, it was really not a pleasant family experience, combined with a too high price.

First time we went to Gjelina, we loved it, we had a great waiter, that steered us well in navigating the menu. So of course we booked a reservation again when we saw that we were again returning to LA. This time, it was a completely different experience. The server was just plain rude, and unfriendly. The food was just mediocre, and the timing was way off in the kitchen. The server had such an attitude. One person in our party was vegan, and in addition has food allergies. The kitchen REFUSES to accommodate allergies. They have a strict policy of no modifications. VERY INFLEXIBLE. For example they refused to leave the sesame seeds off of a dish that they only sprinkle on at the end, or to leave the dressing off of a salad because it has nuts in it, or leave the cheese off of a salad. Not a substitution that we are asking for here. But no, they would not accommodate. The attitude and rudeness of the server and the inflexibility of the kitchen does not lend itself to my wanting to return. It is not a welcoming place. Its very unfortunate.

Absolutely unforgettable meal! If only we lived closer, we'd be here every week! The best breakfast ever!

I have been to this restaurant many times for dinner but this week we went twice for breakfast and were delighted with the experience! There is almost no one there between 8 and 10am and the breakfast offerings are delicious. I am told that it gets more crowded after 1030. We ate outside and were immediately served. After a bowl of perfectly ripened stone fruit consisting of green plums, purple plums, white peaches and figs, we opted to split two pancake dishes. The 9 grain pancake was the winner, a single large cake with grains topped by butter and fresh maple syrup. We liked it so much that we returned later in the week on our way to the airport to have the same thing. On both occasions the outside area had only a few customers. We could have lingered with our coffee for as long as we wanted. On the first visit we also had the lemon ricotta pancakes which were topped with a blueberry compote. Good but not nearly as good as the 9 grain. Orange juice is freshly squeezed and excellent and the coffee is good if not great. The service was perfect. A 20% tip is automatically added to the bill which may not please everyone but makes paying much faster. I preferred breakfast to dinner mainly because you do not have to cope with the crowds.

Excellent choice, very vegetarian friendly, very pricey. Smooth service. Reservations essential. Do not miss the warm pate on baguette.

Amazing, unique flavor combinations. Really great service, awesome atmosphere/ambience, and an overall great foodie experience. We had the roasted fennel, agnolotti, pork chop, and escarole salad. All wonderful! But definitely get the warm date cake for dessert.

Attractive restaurant for the beautiful people of Venice Beach. We sat in the charming terrace outside where could marvel at the good weather and tables of ladies who lunch showing off ample evidence of plastic surgery. Very LA! The food was very good except for one dish: the roast chicken. When my partner told the waiter it was undercooked, he whisked it away only for a kitchen supervisor (not a chef) to return with the dish, saying that the kitchen had looked it over and could assure us the dish was fine. As my partner found out to her cost and embarrassment 90 minutes later, the dish was very much NOT ok. Enough said. We cannot believe that a chef every looked at the dish. Even worse if they did!

From the moment I walked in to the moment I left, I knew it was not going to be a good experience. Host stand was good, I was seated quickly at one of the communal bar tables. Now the 15 minute wait to get acknowledged was the start of my overpriced BS automatically added gratuity meal/experience. Once I got acknowledged I was of course ready to order with three menu items and a glass of rose, I also had to hand my waiter my dirty "clean" silverware for an actual clean set to go with my pipping hot glass and cold water combo! Now it took 15 minutes to get my glass of wine, which had stuff stuck to the inside of the glass and lipstick on the rim, then it took an additional 10 minutes to get a new glass back! Once my first course arrived leeks, burrata and bottarga which was the best dish of the night but still needed some love to be great. Add another 15 minutes to get my second course, waygu heart tartare, pickled mustard and shallots... this heart needed more heart just bland and the tartare was cut inconsistently so some pieces were very hard to chew. Now add 30 minutes for the next course because the waiter actually stopped and asked me if I had gotten my tartare yet, never a good sign. Last course was pork belly which was good, cooking was nice along with the crust but lacked the refinement that would put it on top. Finally after waiting 10 more mintues I flagged my waiter down to pay which had an automatic 20% added... with that bad of serves really! Just remember if friends or family want to go just say no! Be a better person and guide them somewhere better, hell run to In and out burger!

Amazing breakfast. Great spot eating in the courtyard. Very LA. Not far from Venice beach. Great way to start the day.

We so enjoy the fresh fare, attention to detail in each dish & combination of unexpected flavors at Gjelina’s. Very fresh & unexpected wine selection, too. Happily, partook of both at lunch on Wednesday. Unfortunately, we had a surprisingly rude and unpleasant (almost deliberately so) server jerked us up short about just how much power your server has to ruin a lovely meal. Our server had none of the essential server requisites such as a smile, an introduction, recommendations. She also never asked if my girlfriend & I were familiar with Gjelina’s or had any questions. We were both surprised by how rudely (and monosyllabically) she answered our questions. She was almost insulting, & most undoubtedly snide, with her wine comments to us both. When we inquired about your fries, she said their fries were skinny fries. We ordered them “well done, and no salt.” When they arrived, we let her know they were over-salted and not crispy or skinny. She argued with us, then swiped them off the table without a word, and we never saw her at our table again. Everything else was delicious as always, but no inquiring if we liked anything or wanted to order more. We were served by an assortment of random, helpful, unknown staff. When the check came I asked the name of our original server & he said he didn’t know. On the way out, I asked someone else who seemed like a manager of some sort, and he told me her name was Rachel. Paying 20% gratuity for three glasses of wine (worth $60) on top of Rachel’s very unpleasant, unfriendly service cast a lingering & disappointing pall over our celebratory day off.

Breakfast in Gjelina : special dishes. Tasty!!! Good coffee. Way above most places! Try the blueberry lemon pancakes- you have never tasted something tasty like that! I promise

On a recent visit to LA, every single person I asked for tips recommended here so we had to try. But everyone also mentioned how hard it was to get a table (living in London and being used to NYC, this nearly promoted us to give up). We arrived 12.10 Monday lunch, were told of a 15min wait for a table (no wait for the bar seats) and the lovely staff took mobile number so we could go look in some shops. 10mins later a text to say the table was ready. Even if we'd had to wait longer there are so many great shops right on that stretch it wouldn't have been a problem. Drinks and staff both spot on. The food was amazing, very hard to choose from the menu as so many delicious and unusual choices (went for the avocado and tahini sandwich with parsnips and pistachio which were both perfect). Excellent in every way. Thank you!

I have eaten all across the world. Great, good, mediocre and terrible, and I have never given a bad review. I always want to assume that the experience might be a one off, and don’t want to penalize someone’s livelihood because of one bad experience. Here is the first bad review. This place was terrible on every level. The waiter was rude and pretentious. And he could be that way because they include a 20% tip, which is less than we usually tip. The food was not good. I do have to say that the meatballs were good, but everything else Was not at the appropriate temperature and the flavors were just off, and they refused to make any substitutions or leave anything off that a patron might not like. Next time I am in the neighborhood and hungry, I would rather go without, and drive through fast food as a better option. That is how bad it is!