The Tasting Kitchen Reviews

An open plan bar and restaurant that has a light and airy feel. You are greeted with happy bar staff and invited to have a glass of wine or cocktail. Our friends arrived and we were taken to our table given water and had the menu explained to us. This place has a cool buzz to it and all the other diners were smart, hip people. The food was fresh and tasty and served at just the right time. Bottled wine was crisp and cool and came from an excellent wine list. Staff were all friendly and helpful and always there when needed.

While the food is excellent, the service and their hospitality is beyond fantastic. If u want to have great food and great atmospehere with superb service go to Tasting Kitchen.

Good restaurant in Venice. Pros: Lively fun hip scene, good food, good service. Cons: Menu hard to understand, food good not amazing but quite high priced for the quality.

We booked it on opentable. We enjoyed a donut, bacon&eggs and waffle with bacon. Great efficient Service.

We were lucky enough to arrive early on a Sunday evening without a reservation and sit at one of the community tables. The restaurant quickly filled up with a lively crowd. Great menu - I assume it changes often but each of our appetizers, pastas, and entrees were fantastic. The server was knowledgeable and patient in explaining various options. The chef prepared a vegetable plate for one in our party and she said they were among the best veggies she has had at a restaurant. Great and adventurous drink menu as well. So glad we were able to eat at Tasting Kitchen during our visit to LA.

As a group of 7 we were shown to a great table by a smiling host who explained the menu in the briefest terms and confirmed that they could offer wine pairings. Printed menus were whisked away (not that any of us could have read them in the very limited light). Wine choices were run past the person at the end of the table, but with no sight of the list. Amuse bouches were delicious (a pepper soup and scallops), and the 3 course tasting menu was tasty (top marks to the lentil and broccoli dish) but not spectacular. The wine kept coming... We all agreed it was a great venue - buzzing, attractive and with attentive service. The sting in the tail came with the bill, where the wine ran to more than $1000 with several bottles in excess of $250. I've never visited LA before but I find it hard to believe that it's so far adrift from what one would expect in central London where there would be a great choice of wine at £50/bottle. Frankly we came away feeling we'd been subjected to some very sharp practice (easily akin to this week's reports of diners in Venice being fleeced for four plates of pasta) - I assume we were identified as from out of town (UK, Canada, Australia, Italy and Hong Kong) and were unlikely to return. My advice would be to take a torch to read the wine list and on no account devolve the choices to the staff!

I dined at The Tasting Kitchen with a group of 6 friends on the 4th of July holiday. We'd been exploring the Abbott Kinney area and the canals and were absolutely starving, but everywhere we tried to go was closed. Fortunately, TTK was open and welcomed us in, even though we probably looked a big ragged. At that point in time, the kitchen was only serving pizzas, which worked out perfectly for us. We weren't anticipating dining in as nice of a place as this. The pizzas were absolutely delicious! There was one with squash blossoms which was unexpected and exciting and very very good. Beyond the delicious food, the service was really great. Our server greeted our large(ish) group with a big smile and took the time to provide excellent recommendations. He didn't appear irritated at all as some servers might with spontaneous large groups that walk in. He had the familiar confidence and ease that made me think he might also be the chef or owner. He made us feel very welcomed indeed. The only downside was that it was a particularly windy day and we sat in the front of the restaurant where the door was open and the wind came whipping in, blowing menus away and making it quite chilly. When I asked the hostess if she would mind closing the door, she said they could not because they liked to keep it open for guests coming in off the street. Understandable, but at the same time rather irritating that they would prioritize aesthetic over the comfort of existing customers. Still, appreciative of the otherwise good service we received and unexpectedly great food. Would recommend.

Tried this place on a whim and loved it the minute I stepped inside. The atmosphere was hip and upbeat, great background music, nice staff and of course great food and wine list. The menu is pretty vast and we sampled a lot. The wings are great starters along with the spedini, great fish and pastas too! A bit pricey but very good.

My girlfriends and I ordered a few plates here and the food was outstanding but the one item that stood out was the BUTTER. Honestly, it blew my mind. I've never had such deliciously whipped butter. The pastas, mussels and salads were all yummy and the service was attentive. Decor was interesting but the place is loud so don't come here for deep, engrossing conversation. I hear you usually wait hours for a table but we got in within 30min on a Saturday night. Will definitely try to go back.

I LOVE the Tasting Kitchen so much, I have been many times. It is pricey, but worth it. Their portions are not overly large, but just the right size and packed with flavor. Their menu is consistently/seasonally changing and some of the items I have really enjoyed are the mussels in a saffron broth, tagliatelle with morels, and another tagliatelle pasta with a duck ragu. I've enjoyed every dish there and I love their cocktails as well. I actually have never had a reservation there and have only sat at the bar and communal tables, but typically it's only been 2 of us so I really don't mind it. I see some complaints about noise and portions, but I see it as a lively vibrant atmosphere.

Really cute & busy spot on Abbott Kinney. The brunch was great. The short rib hash was definitely the winner and the fried chicken & waffles were good...just basic. Nice brunchy cocktails & lively atmosphere. Definitely look forward to going back.

Beautiful setting and great food. We opted for the tasting menu, which was fantastic, very accommodating to our dietary requirements and delicious. Great wine, lovely service, would highly recommend.

I'd tried to get a reservation several times at this popular restaurant. Based on the reviews I was a bit disappointed. Most of the seating is communal, though we had a small table to ourselves. The tables are crowded in. The dishes are eclectic, with unusual food combinations. There's not much for vegetarians, basically just a couple of pasta dishes and some sides. And there's a very strict no substitution policy. The dishes are fairly large for small plates and nicely plated. The service was excellent. It's an experience and I'm glad that I went - but I wouldn't go back a second time.

When you pay $340 with wine but before tip for a chefs choice tasting menu you would expect lots of variety. Instead we had two courses that were fish on the bone, both with fennel, then meatballs, a pasta and a salad with a sugary dressing. Dessert however was delicious- bread pudding, creme fraiche, peaches and berries. Both fish were good, but disappointing that they were so similar in preparation. It was also really hot, apparently they were having new air con installed the next day, but too late for us! The service was excellent. We had a long wait between one of the courses, but they came to apologize - apparently our ticket had been lost, and offered us a complimentary cheese course which we didn't take, but appreciated the gesture. We had been recommended this place by many friends, so it was even more sad our experience was not great. Given there are so many other amazing restaurants in the area we will not return on our next trip to LA.

Simple place and menu with great food and service. The plates are small and not good to share. Flavors are really good. The one dish I'll come back for is the halibut, delicate and delicious.

I’ve been trying to go here for ages and I finally did it! Wow, what the bleep took me so long! I’m always hesitant of ‘great new finds’ in trendy areas where the people are ALL beautiful, slim, fashionable and tanned nicely. I don’t know, it makes me feel as though I am existing in an alternate universe. Well, I got over all of that the moment I put the first bite of the most heavenly bread and salted (sing choirs of angels!!!!) butter in my mouth. Yes. I eat bread. Yes. I eat salted butter. This was the best stuff I have had since I left the homeland of crusty yumminess and deep yellow creamy butter. You will pay $3.50 for the bread (ok not free) and you will thank me for it. Next, it was a shared butter lettuce salad (generous portions) and mouth watering home made pasta. I needed a drop cloth and bib I was drooling so much! We shared a rather lovely Barolo that the perfectly made up server delivered with a perfect smile (remember, we are in the land of the beautiful people). The service was superb. The meal was OUTSTANDING. The only small negative was the cocktail I had @$18 and served in the world’s smallest cocktail glass. Hell, who cares. This place is a MUST.

Good coffee for a restaurant; average cinnamon bun; inattentive wait staff; would probably be very loud at dinner.

Drove up from San Diego to see friends and eat at The Tasting Kitchen. We had an early reservation for 3 and asked for upstairs (quieter). We ordered the 3-course tasting menu and it was delicious.The bluefish tartare with truffle was excellent, as were both pastas. Mains were scallops done unbelievably well with butter and some almonds, and pork "three ways" (rib, loin, and sausage). The wine list is unbelievable. Really enjoyed our time at The Tasting Kitchen.

We booked for three people and were seated upstairs which was great. The food is Mediterranean style and the wine from France and Italy everything was perfect and delicious we loved it all! Most dishes are to share between the table which is great.

The place was recommended by some of our friends so we decided to give it a try today, we didnt have a reservation so it took about 20 min to get a table. The place is pretty cool and the staff was great The food was amazing but maybe a bit over priced The portions were great and delicious Overall a great experience

My business colleague & I were working though a list of recommendations by a knowledgable local to the Venice Beach area, Drew Kapner. Having sorted the Tasting Kitchen as our 2nd choice on Drew's wonderful list, we soon tied it first equal after the evening. From arriving outside the restaurant, it was apparent that this was a very edgy location [in a good way] A great buzz & nice walk through area, being seated up stairs with a magical floor layout of open balcony style, loads of glass & superb street-scape views. Our waiter was very hip & cool with a fabulous attitude & just kept returning to refresh our beverages or offer advice, as if on cue! Great: His dining recommendations were delectable for both mains & dessert. Even educating us on the local beer. A must do location if you're in the neighbourhood, we will be back. Thank you to the team @ the Tasting Kitchen for making us feel so @ home, whenever we were 5000 miles away!

Went here for the first time for a birthday dinner. I live in the same street, but had never found a time to go as it is rather expensive. But s birthday is a great excuse for a splurge and it was worth it. My boyfriend and I went with the 3 course chefs menu, figuring we would be surprised and have the dishes that the chef suggested. It was awesome. We had an amazing burrata appetizer, shredded pork starter with grille bread, pasta with calamari, hangar steak with sundried tomatoes, and a chocolate coffee dessert. Everything was outstanding. I think the appetizer course as my favorite actually. And I really enjoyed doing the tasting menu. Ever course was a surprise and it paid off. I also had the British tea cocktail. loved it all.

Think of many NYC hot spots without too much pretentious attitudes. You'll enjoy the menu - creative pasta dishes. Best of all is great service! Make reservations far in advance.

Quality ass food (and drinks), but this restaurant doesn’t cater to vegans in any way. I was able to have a vegan meal (Nettle Pesto Riso), but it was not worth the money. The menu excited me but I didn’t think about the fact that the pasta would be freshly-made and therefore have egg in it, which is why I didn’t get a pasta dish.

Very high energy place on a Saturday night and service a bit slow, however the food totally made up for this. Really delicious Italian food served beautifully. We had mussels in tomato sauce to start which were very fresh and tasty. Pasta was perfect and mains excellent. Great cocktail list and house made sodas. Highly recommend.

This restaurant is great!!! Definitely one of the better meals I have had out in a while. The bread is the best bread I have ever had! The menu changes seasonly so not always the same. You must make a reservation because it's always packed. Nice atmosphere definitely a cool spot to go while in Venice.

We have had dinner here before and this was our first time for brunch. This will now be a regular stop each time we visit. They don't miss a beat! The craft cocktail list is so innovative and fresh. Enjoy a Petite Mary and wonder why you have never had something like that before. Do not miss the broiled grapefruit! Simple, yet bursting with flavor. The biscuits and gravy were divine. The patio is the ideal spot for a Venice meal. We love The Tasting Kitchen.

We went for brunch and they had lost our reservation. We quickly got a table, but service was slow and came with SO much attitude! It took 5 requests to get a refill on my ice tea (a new record!) and while the food was pretty good the menu was not very extensive. I had the Short Rib Hash and it was good, but not great. The waiter hit a new low. Definitely Not a fine dining experience. We will Not be back!

We shared a family meal here on a Thursday night and it was lively and hopping. Without a reservation, I’m not sure we would have gotten a table on an “off” night. After ordering our share of cocktails and a bottle of wine to share with dinner, we proceeded to order the tasting menu and told the waiter who was amazingly attentive and always available what are likes and dislikes were. He also asked about any specific allergies that the kitchen could avoid. The tasting menu is not explained as to what foods you will receive but that the chef will prepare an extraordinary meal with what’s on hand from farm to table style cooking. One of the five of us are vegetarian but that did not limit our options. We started with three appetizers including a antipasto plate and there were plenty of meat dishes served with the vegetables. The lentil dish may very well have been the best meal I’ve had in a long time. There were several different fish dishes, a pork loin, multiple vegetables including eggplant and peppers, two pastas and three amazing desserts. Despite the expense, the meal and service were extraordinary.

We came here to share a couple of appetizers and have a drink before a late dinner. Luckily they were able to seat us at a community table. There are private tables. I had wine with a good pour and my daughter had the ginger lemon soda which was so good and fresh. The gnocchi fritto salumi was recommended and it was perfect! Three bread pillows with soft buratta and prosciutto and a spicier salami delicious! The atmosphere is fun the staff is friendly and helpful.

Overpriced Pretentious Avoid Can't substitute pastas Ridiculous menu choices Small portions Go somewhere else!!!!!!

We had a great table outside, needed the heater, but very comfortable. Josh was a fabulous waiter/ sommelier and was very attentive all evening. Our meals were tasty and substantial. Great menu, variety etc. The lighting, blackboard art and decor created a fantastic ambience. This restaurant is a must do and easily one we want to return to. Thankyou

My daughter lives in Venice, and made reservations for us to have dinner at the Tasting Kitchen. It was a great choice. After reviewing the menu, everything looked so good that it was almost impossible to decide what to order. We finally decided to order the three course meal. That was also a wonderful decision. Each dish from pre-appetizer to dessert was explained in detail by the server, but I am still not sure exactly what I ate. I just know that they were all delicious. It seemed like many more than three courses since every time we finished one entree, another would magically appear. There were at least two entrees for each course, and there was plenty of food for all three of us. It was expensive, but food that good should be expensive. I honestly believe it was the best meal I have ever eaten.

The places atmosphere is perfectly suited with the food. Great food quality with some interesting and very successful twists to it. Most of all, we really noticed an impeccable detail for the quality of each ingredient and cooking methods. It was truly an perfect dinner. Only one little detail could be improved and that is the background check on the wines and areas from where they are grown/made, but it wasn't a geography lesson we where there for :) Highly recommended for anyone who wants to treat themselves to a great dinner. Go hungry and enjoy as much as possible!

After asking several locals where to eat in the Venice Beach area, the only answer we got was Tasting Kitchen. Unfortunately, we didn't make reservations because we weren't sure when our meetings would be over. The hostess thought we could sit in about an hour, but it ended up being closer to two. But we enjoyed drinks at the bar and dinner was very good. Our tablemates actually asked to buy the burger one of us ordered because it was the last one and looked so delicious. My pasta was amazing and everyone enjoyed their meals. Just make reservations so you can avoid the wait!

I arrived for an early dinner with some friends, and none of us had been here before. I chose this place based on positive recommendations from others who have eaten here. After perusing the menu, and a brief intro from the waiter, we intrepidly decided to go with the $75 3-course tasting. We had no idea what to expect, and the waiter indicated the meal would be freestyle in the sense that the chef will create whatever he feels like making at that moment. Well, it turned out to be a great choice and an incredible array and variety of dishes! It started out with some clams and shrimp, and then a delicious pasta. Also as part of course #1, a whitefish intermixed with a vegetable. For course #2, a serving of swordfish, and a nice chunk of rib eye. These were ample sizes to share among our group of three. Completing the triumvirate were two fantastic desserts — a chocolate semifreddo, and bread pudding in a custard base. All in all, the "3-Course" was actually much more than that, with multiple items per course. Tip: Make sure to book your table at least a day in advance, as time slots get booked quickly.

So so busy on a Thursday, but staff were excellent. The food was amazing, the cocktails original. A good good night, I would recommend the agnolotti..outstanding

The restaurant has nice ambiance. This is the only positive thing I have to say about our dining experience. We had a 12:15pm reservation, but were seated 20 minutes late (a big pet peeve of mine). I ordered two eggs any style with a biscuit, but apparently egg whites isn’t one of the styles available. Our server told us that the chef wouldn’t modify the way he cooks at all. My husband ordered the French toast and said it was stale. So many restaurants to choose on Abbott Kinney. Disappointed we started with this one.

This restaurant had been recommended and was in my guidebook. The food (brunch) was ok but really nothing special. We had to wait ages for our meals to arrive too so it was a bit disappointing

We found this restaurant by friend's recommendation. The place is not too big and might need to share table for other people. They had good bread and mussels are so tasting. The food proton is not too big, u might need to order two appetizer and two entrees for two people. Overall, all the food are delicious and the flavor are very unique.

Service, service, service. The food was amazing as expected but so many times restaurants fail at what really sets a meal apart from an experience. Amy did a excellent job with our table from start to finish. The service didn't feel rushed but very attentive. We arrived at 6pm and sat upstairs. The second the sun was a millimeter below the palm tree line someone was raising the electronic shade and came over to ask if that was ok. I knew if they put that effort into something as small as that the rest of the night was going to be a treat. Mussels, pastas, even the bread was all at a level one would expect for a dining establishment of this caliber. Can't wait to come back!

We really enjoyed the entrance and the overall aesthetics of this trendy restaurant but the lighting was inadequate and it made it hard to read menus and to tell exactly what you were eating. Our group was highly encouraged to try the tasting menu but we regretted it as some dishes were much better than others (bones found in fish) and overall, it seemed too expensive for the dining experience.

Did the tasting menu. Awesome cheeses, amazing charcuterie, loved the Branzino and enjoyed the tagliatelle. Hope to go again soon with small group and goal of trying many more of the items on the menu.

Our kids took us to dinner here. I believe that reservations are required, especially for the 3 course tasting. Our waiter was great in explaining how the tasting worked. We gave a few things that we didn't like and he relayed that to the chef. The bartender customized our cocktails and 3 out of the 4 were great. Each course was brought out with an explanation and everything was really fabulous. The rib eye was my favorite and the desserts were so perfect. We also had a great wine recommendation. I'm sure the menu selections are great but the tasting was really a great experience and delicious.

We've been experiencing some pretty poor service in LA, from taxi drivers to inattentive bar staff at rooftop bars. Tasting kitchen was a pleasant change, the hostess greeted us with a friendly smile and our main server was very amicable. A couple of other servers were bit more sullen, figure it might just be an LA thing u have to get used to coming from generally really friendly Australia. The antipasto tasting platter was enormous! Generous slices of cured meat, rillette & pickles on toasties, and pickled veg. We thought we wouldn't be able to complete the task but everything was so tasty we found the will to power through, washed down with glasses of wine and ale. Thankfully the mains are not large portions. My tagliatelle was freshly made, punctuated with salty pork belly and softened with chanterelles. Partner's salmon was lovely and pink. The bill came to U$200 before a tip, more as a result of the wines that were around $14-16. Overall slightly pricey but reasonable for the food quality and warm surroundings.

A Friday night here involves as many people as possible crammed into tables. Appears to be the 'in' spot to be seen in. I wouldn't recommend if you want to talk to your friends as the music is REALLY loud! Service was good, flat iron steak was excellent but rabbit leg was disappointing and the pasta was extremely expensive for ... pasta! and a small portion at that! Drinks were also crazy prices - $5 more expensive here for the exact same gin as next door. Go here to be 'cool', not for the restaurant.

Expect a lengthy wait even with reservations, but the food & cocktails are worth it as long as you don't mind hanging-out. Everything at The Tasting Kitchen is creatively prepared and delicious. Quarters here are close and loud, but that's the ambiance, i.e., Good Times & "yes, it's on the high side of expensive", but worth it.

Nice looking place service was average at best , food took a very long time very disorganized food is average also , I would pass

We sat at the bar and were going to have either dinner or a bunch of appetizers. However, we quickly learned the service was aloof and unfriendly. Three males manned the bar for six people and didn't have a conversation with any of us. Talking to any of them was like pulling teeth. We didn't feel the staff was very team oriented. Perhaps that was what they were going for, but we didn't like it. We finished the glasses of wine we ordered and got out of there to find a better place to enjoy ourselves and so, so glad we did!

Chicken wings are very tasty with several ingredients. So is the Octopus. Flat iron steak is very good too. Friendly waiters. We enjoined the dinner.

Good brunch with all classic brunch dishes cooked at perfection. A nice choice for a Sunday’s brunch. The expresso was far from perfection though

Not very friendly. We got there 18 minutes late, and they had already given away our table. We didn't pick up when they called, but called back right after and they never picked up. So we were "lucky" and able to find room at the communal table. This brings me to the meal. I would recommend the drinks, the food was just ok. Two things annoy me and they hit both of them. First, charging for bread is obnoxious. Second, we had a four person tasting menu and they kept bringing out servings for 3. Then charged us an extra $3 for a forth piece of bread with the burrata. We ordered a four person tasting menu, include the fourth piece of bread. Overall, cute place, good drinks, cocky service, ok food. I will not be back.

A birthday present gift certificate for $100 prompted me to go. Reservations were tough but doable. Four of us went and we had a high table with bar stools, plenty of room, but not the comfort level I'm used to when enjoying a nice meal. The noise level made conversation interesting, if not impossible. After studying the menu for about 20 minutes and the four of us trying to decide which particular item we wanted to focus on there was that "aha" moment when we decided to go for the tasting menu, screw the cost and the calories. We never looked back. One of the more memorable meals of my life. Service was perfect; they were there when we needed them and not in our face when we didn't. The food was sublime. Nothing was bad.

A wonderful evening at Tasting Kitchen. We sat at the bar and had a great meal with our expert mixologist Eric. The cocktails are meticulously prepared, and delicious. The bread and butter are freshly made and great. The scallops are beautifully prepared and also delicious. All in all a terrific meal and great experience. Not to be missed!

Awesome food! The scramble with parmesan is delicious! Waffle with chicken also very good. Must try when in Abbot Kinney

I have to say, it's been 2 weeks since we've been in this restaurant and I still have this amazing taste in my mouth when I remember the food. It sure is quite expensive...but totally worth it...

Freaking amazing! I really enjoyed my dinner here. I came here for my bday and it was packed. Making reservations is a must have. The inside decor is soooo cute and pretty. Great ambiance. A great date night place for a romantic occasion. I would def come back here again. And next time, it'll be as a date!

Come with an appetite! My boyfriend and I went for the 3-course "chef's creation" option, and it was amazing and worth every penny! We were absolutely stuffed after. Such a great experience - Items we would have never thought to order turned out to be our favourites. Service was great and the interior was beautiful - great date night.

I’ve been going to this restaurant since it first opened and the food and the service is excellent across the board. It is always busy. I recommend making a reservation and sitting upstairs but it’s also great to eat in the bar. They have wonderful homemade bread and pasta, specialty craft cocktails, a stellar wine list and good dessert. This place works for all occasions: business, social or romantic night out.

This is by far one of the BEST restaurants in Los Angeles. Reservations are required well in advance. We've eaten here a number of times and it never disappoints. Food is fresh and so delectable! Staff is professional and provides great input on the daily menu. It is on Abbot Kinney which is a fun, trendy street to take a stroll and shop! Great job TASTING KITCHEN!

Service: 5 stars Drinks: 5 stars Food: 2 stars Alas, and particularly for the price point, this was by far the worst tasting menu experience I’ve had. Three of the ten dishes my spouse and I were served were great; the rest were ham-handed. I think it would have been a better experience had we gotten items off the menu. The pasta was great, and I’d have that again. Unfortunately the tasting menu revealed the chef’s particularity for overly sweet sauces (was that brown sugar in the lentils? Sure tasted that way) and overly sweet or overly salty flavor profiles. The rabbit was inedible it was so dry, and we ate around the sauces for the remaining dishes. The only thing that saved the evening was our fantastic server, good wine, and lovely house Amaro. The space is also quite lovely. If you give this a try, just go for light nibbles and drinks. Don’t go for a full meal; it’s not worth the $$$.

2 of us dined there last evening, 2nd and 3rd time eating there. We arrived at 6pm for our reservation and were seated right away. The waitress came by and started talking so fast we had a hard time following. We ordered a drink and a glass of the Limoux bubbles. She seemed irritated by our asking questions even though the menu changes often, so she should expect questions. We felt very rushed even before ordering. Her explanations were basically repeating what the menu said. We expressed concern about the "heat" in one of the pasta dishes, she was unhelpful in her description. We ordered two small plates the Fritto Pesce and the Pesce Crudo, bread, and the spicy pasta with squid. The small plates very small. The Fritto had a spicy red sauce ( which after our questions about the heat she should have mentioned), and 3 one bite pieces of fish. The Crudo had grapefruit and greens and 4 very thin 1/2 inch long pieces of fish. They were tasty, but at $18 & $19 each, I would expect a bigger amount of fish. The bread was very good and should be for $3 for 2 pieces. When the waitress returned we told her we thought the red sauce was spicy, no reaction, and asked if we could change the pasta. She said yes, so we asked for descriptions of the other pastas. She said the Siciliana, $19, was olive oil, raisins, nuts and anchovies. We said we didn't want another red sauce so we would get that. She later came by and started to pour me a second glass of the Limoux, I stop her and said it didn't want another. She said she thought I said i did, but since she never asked, I have no idea why she would think that. We didn't see her much after that. A different waiter started to take care of us. He was much more pleasant. They brought the pasta, not listed as a small plate, but should have been, which had a red sauce and tasted like very salty tomatoes. It had sun dried tomatoes, anchovies, no raisins, no nuts. The waitress showed up and asked what we thought so we said we hadn't expected a red sauce. She said it wasn't a red sauce. It was a tomato flavored very salty sauce. She left. The waiter came by and asked and we told him the same thing. He said it wasn't a tomato sauce, just that it had tomatoes in it, that made it red. No one seemed concerned that we didn't like it and that it wasn't as described. We decided we would risk ordering dessert, the chocolate Panna Cotta $12. It was the largest item of the evening and although the quite sweet, interesting and tasty. The bill was $103.00 , plus a less then pleased $15 tip. Dinner was very over priced for what was served, waitress rude and dismissive, food over salted and over sweet. Noise level made it difficult to have a conversation. With all the choices in the area do not waste you time or money here.

Service: Came here on a Tuesday night for dinner alone as a walk in, no reservations. Hostess was extremely helpful and seated me on a high top. Bar area was super crowded. Was happy she found a single seat for me, she had a pleasant attitude which left a nice impression. Waiter was very attentive. They were VERY busy, but he came around several times and made sure my water glass was full and took my drink order. Food: Appetizer - I had muscles as an appetizer, they were under cooked. Not happy. Half of them weren't even open, hoping i don't get sick from jelly muscles. Broth from muscles was okay, I've had better. Entree - Ordered the Halibut, fish was cooked well, sauce was too salty. Overall impression: Pricey for quality of food. They're banking off the fact they're one of about three restaurants open around Abbot Kinney after 8pm. Ambiance: Nothing much to comment on here. Dark, kind of crunched, high top picnic type tables in the bar area made for uncomfortable dining. Nothing remarkable to note here. Three drinks, under cooked muscles and salty halibut for $100. It's LA, I guess you don't get what you pay for. Staff is the only reason to make an appearance here.

Visited late December 2016, Christmas period. For brunch. Place was rather empty. Good points: - nice decoration. - good location on Abbott Kinney. Bad points: - coffees (mocchas) were very ordinary. Burnt after-taste. Not sweet chocolate either. - the panier de pâtisseries only had oversweet and heavy items. Nothing like a nice croissant or Danish pastry. - the "yogurt, granola and fruits" was less than ordinary. You would do better at home without even trying, and for so much cheaper. I was quite shocked that this was offered in a restaurant. The yogurt was ordinary, the granola straight out of the industrial size box and the fruits were a few prunes. - other items ordered were also as ordinary. - service was odd. We had 3 or 4 different people attending the table. All in all, I do not recommend. There are so many better alternatives walking distance from there.

I had a brunch in this beautiful place. This place definitely has a high class vibe. The burger here was very good - it had it without bacon and added fried egg. The meat was very soft. The french fries were the best! Staff was very nice and helpful :)

Food so great. Interesting. Captivating. Varied. Beautifully presented. Still our server managed to overshadow it with such perfectly warm friendly fun attention. Outstanding. Saturday night at the shared table. You know who you are...😊 back tonight

I went with my friend. There were only two seats so we took those. It was the long table that many people eat together. However I was not used to it. Actually It was uncomfortable. The food taste was not bad. But too salty to me.

Wine and great pasta and some small appetizer plates and desserts as well. Beautiful wine list. Beers too. Rabbit ragu over paparadelle was spectacular. Risotto type rice dish with beans and prosciutto was also excellent. Service is spectacular and ambience is lovely. Olive trees grow within. Pricey, but oh well. Worth a visit

We stopped in and sat at the bar. The bartender was super-cute and friendly! They were makiing amazing craft cocktails! The vibe of the place was comfortable and not overdone. Food and menu selections were top notch. Certainly would go back

The restaurant is not very large, tables are crowded and the noise level barely tolerable. The service was excellent and the food imaginative and well executed. The wine list was ridiculous for what was listed. I generally complain that the portions are too large but in this instance the meagerness of the pasta dishes for the price was laughable. For the kind of money the meal cost I expected way better.

Tasting Kitchen has an awesome space on Abbot Kinney in Venice. It has a very laid back vibe with great flow between the bar and the indoor/outdoor patio space. The service was excellent; our waiter knew the menu inside out, had some good suggestions and was a lot of fun. I had the fried chicken and bacon-stuffed waffles, which were perfectly prepared and exceedingly delicious. My wife had the short rib hash, of which I stole a couple of bites, and it, too, was excellent. We had a couple of nice breakfast cocktails on the side and devoured a sticky bun as dessert. Would love to eat there for dinner sometime.

Just landed from a 14 hour flight and wanted a venue with some buzz and flair to keep me awake. This venue had a combination of a nice bar and an out door vibe. Word of advice - stay down rather than upstairs. We were unfortunately placed up in a enclosed smaller room that was a tad too quiet. It depends on what you want though. The mussels were excellent. The wings too had a combination of quite few flavors. The waitress when asked what were the favorites - said everything was great. Only comment would be with her thin frame - it did not seem like she ate that much to really appreciate in our opinion. The pasta with bottarga was very good, not as pungent as you might expect and cooked al dente.The steak was a little dull in flavor - would be my only disappointment. This is a mix between Italian, tapas, and bistro style dishes so be prepared for a wide choice of European flavors. The wine list is extensively European though I did crave a Napa option.

Tasting kitchen is one of the hot spots of Abbott-Kinney, and it deserves to be. The have created something pretty special. Rustic, italian fare served in a modern, minimal dining room by a first-class waitstaff with no shred of pretention. Get the tasting menu. Its a great deal and a perfect way to sample the range of the menu. The cocktails are good, but the wine is wonderful and the sommelier makes you feel like a guest in his home. The food is perfectly prepared but unpretentious and uncomplicated. So many fine-dining restaurants offer inventive food that you'll never crave a second time. Not at the tasting kitchen. You'll want to come back. I promise.

Undeniably cool restaurant and neighborhood. This restaurant has turned over a few times, but now it has found its niche. Pricey and unique food with a very laid back vibe. We started at the bar and then 'tasted' a dinner--meaning we shared everything amongst 4 of us. The bread and butter is crazy good and you have to do it--just throw that no carb thing out the window tonight. We enjoyed a combo charcuterie and cheese plate that had some unique taste pairings. I had an amazing tequila drink with a spicy finish--well, maybe I had two. Groovy Mixologist's were furiously concocting the beverages that change frequently on the adjacent chalk board wall. Standouts were the radicchio salad with parmesan and the pork based pasta. We had a very attentive waitstaff and throughly enjoyed our evening.

The menu stated that "no modifications or substitutions are allowed" and they mean it. For instance, the hamburger comes with garlic bacon, chutney sauce, and cheese. If you are lucky and have a good waiter they might be able to remove one of those 3 things. Another place where the chef knows more about what you want than you do. The height of arrogance.

My boyfriend and I had dinner here during the first night of our trip in LA (visiting from Dallas) during the last week of December 2015. After doing lots of research (nerd + foodie) we were excited to dine here. However, we were ultimately disappointed with our dining experience. When we arrived, the restaurant was packed. This is a very cool, buzzy place to have dinner. Although it was busy, the ambiance was still nice. It felt more energetic than overly loud. We were starving from traveling all day, and the slow service was very disappointing. It took a while to first be greeted upon sitting down, as well as for water, our drinks/wine, food, etc... In fact, it took so long for our entrees, that the server brought out (comped) bowls of tomato soup to apologize for taking so long (we hadn't complained, but it was nice he recognized how long everything was taking and was proactive about trying to do something about it). While that was a nice gesture, what we really wanted was our entrees. But by the time they came, we were so full of bread (the butter is divine) and soup that we weren't as hungry for our meal and couldn't truly enjoy it. The lentils were excellent, as well as the bread/butter and the salad. The pastas were good, but not memorable. Overall, the food was good, but for the price ($$$$) there are a plethora of other cool, hip, delicious restaurants to dine at that provide better service. Next time we're in LA we won't be back to Tasting Kitchen.

This restaurant is recommended in several guide books but it is somewhat disappointing. We were there on a Saturday night. Of course, booking in advance was necessary and worked. Late in the evening, very very noisy, service is okay, but dishes are disappointing (especially the pastas). The crusted sea bass was not crusted at all! Prices are high for the food and the service received.

A late evening birthday celebration We came here for drinks &desserts and did not leave dissapointed

There are lots of restaurants along Abbot Kinney Blvd. I dined at the Tasting Kitchen on my first night at Venice Beach. The restaurant was very busy and they managed to fit my friend and myself in. The atmosphere was good and so was the service. I opted for the Halibut and for $35 dollars (approx.) not including the tax the portion was way too small. yes it was an upmarket restaurant but seriously it was small and there was nothing substantial with it. This compared to another restaurant I dined with 2 days later on the same road and same level served a good portion that one would expect in the UK and that level of restaurant.

Tasting Kitchen food is sometimes good, and sometimes mediocre, but always expensive. Drinks are good, bar gets very crowded and loud, but if you can find a spot it's a good place for a drink.

Great atmosphere and food. Awesome experience. We enjoyed shopping in the area after we ate. Would go back when we are in town again.

Trendy spot in Venice - you'll need a reservation for sure. Tables are tight so expect the possibility of communal dining. Food is solid (squash was excellent), but portions are small and prices are high. Worth a visit but wouldn't go back.

One of the better restaurants on Abbott Kinney. Cozy setup. We were here with a group of 6 people for a business dinner. I live in LA County, so rarely come south for food. They were quick to seat up and give us the menus an got us drinks. But then the waitress sort of disappeared for a while, we had to flag her down to order our food. The menu is Italian inclined and has a la carte or tasting menu. I was told they're known for their pasta. The tasting menu ($75 for 3 course of $95 for 5) is chef's choice, so you don't know what you'll get. For the a la carte, the pasta dishes were $25-27 and waitress told us the portions are small and they were child size at best. For that price for pasta, I expect entree size! Just way overpriced. Most entree was in the $35-40 range and again feel overpriced for what they were (flank steak, beef cheeks etc) or portion (scallop entree had 3 small scallops). The warm bread and spread was excellent but you have to pay for the bread. Also, oddly, while they have a long listing of vodka, no cocktails with vodka on the cocktail menu. The desserts were also just ok. Nothing inspired. It was an ok meal, no bad, but also nothing memorable. Just overpriced for what you actually got. Since company paid, I had no complaints, but I would not come back on my own dime. Lots of much better food in LA and at better prices.

The stories I've heard have bordered on legendary. Friends who have dined have raved about this place whether a la carte or a 3/5 course chef's tasting menu. The reports have always been stellar. On this Sunday evening, the experience was as high as the expectations. Across the board the flavors were deep without being overwhelming. The cheese board was a show stopper, particularly the 12 year aged cheddar. Mussels in white wine disappeared as quickly. The halibut and pasta dishes (ravioli and tagliatelle) all compelled their diners to eat slowly and savor. The only regret: not leaving room for desert. So the descriptions of this experience are not aggrandizement, but true. Already looking forward to a return to sample 5 course menu.

I always get a kick out of reviews for fine dining. If you don't want the experience, then don't go! Tasting kitchen was amazing. We sat in the loft upstairs and had phoenominal service that was very attentive but unobtrusive. Wine recommendations were stellar. My husband had the venison saddle, I had mussels as a main and my daughter had an amazing pasta dish. All were worthy of the praise, price and recommendation. We were there early in the evening and ate at a wonderful pace. Make reservations and go. Italian at its finest!!!

This is one of my favorite restaurants in LA. Very cool vibe, awesome mixed drinks and the food is excellent. Bread is the best I've ever had. Waiter is very helpful with selections. Warning: don't have the affigato dessert if you want to sleep!

Open air LA restaurant with organic menu delights. beet salad was excellent but the fusilli and rigatoni were very ordinary. The service outstanding but the room when filled gets noisy. Would go back for the chicken or branzino-not the pasta.

Just loved the food, the atmosphere and design. Service could be a little better. Will try again. Healthy and delicious

We went on the advice of our local chef friend for a late dinner. We called last minute for a reservation and they helpfully accommodated us. We were seated in the lively, noisy, outdoor dining section. Our server was attentive and helpful in selecting a number of dishes to try/share and made some great wine recommendations. Tasting Kitchen has a hip vibe without being precious or pretentious.

Best place to be is upstairs if you want some quiet, downstairs if you like the vibe. Food is Italian inspired, in a very good way. We ate really well, portions are not very generous, but this allows you to taste more plates. Absolutely recommended.

We shared an appetizer and pasta, both were what I consider small plates. Peach and mozzarella salad was small, but tasty, fresh, and surprisingly satisfying. The Pasta amatriciana was perfectly al dente and had a nice kick to it as well as some nice chewy bits of pancetta. The spice filled your mouth and made you not want to scare it away with any follow up. The new thing around town seems to be bread and butter as a menu side-dish, prices between 3-5 for a few well chose slices.

The food was excellent, but it shouldn't be enjoyed as a tasting menu (why below). I recommend thinking of the Tasking Kitchen as a gastro-pub... not a fine dining restaurant. Pick your own dish or small plates. Don't spend too much money. Then, the quirky service won't stop you from enjoying the food or feeling cheated. We had one hour to eat and the waitress said we could do the 5 item menu in 1 hour. We picked the 3 item menu to be safe. We ended up taking desert to-go because we ran out of time. We didn't realize the 3 menu item for two persons involved 5 separate dishes (still can't figure it out). Because the chef chooses dishes as a surprise for you, food restrictions are important. We gave a number of them to the waitress who didn't repeat them and just said "yes". I asked if she needed to write them down and she said "no". You guessed it, that was ignored. Out of 5 dishes, one of us could eat 3. We asked the buss person to take a dish home. The box never came. Since we were running late, we didn't bother to track it down and left without it.

They have very good bartenders. They make the cocktails on their list well, but even more importantly they did a good job on a drink a bit off the beaten path (a Bobby Burns). Wine list was diverse with good choices. Expensive, but in line with most decent LA restaurants. Food was excellent. Branzino delicious, well prepared. Nice cheese course. Chocolate Panna cotta perfect. Comfortable ambiance. Service was very good as well. Will definitely go back.

Went there on the recommendation of another - food was good and I enjoyed it but I will admit that my service left a little bit to be desired. Also the hot spot refers to the temp I know LA was experiencing a heat wave but it was so hot and the water service (again I know there is a draught) left a little bit to be desired. I would recommend people go when the weather is cooler.

Very lovely restaurant with good service but the great stopped there . We asked for water, just regular, unknowingly cost us $24. For water. Fine. Someone wanted a Diet Coke , no soda served. The wine menu was extremely expensive. Bread cost extra, although tasty. The menu is unusual, with extremely small portions. A pasta dish for almost $30 that was like a sample. The dishes were extremely salty as well. We travel extensively and eat Italian all over , and this wasn’t great . The pastry chef had a dessert menu that was not appealing to anyone in the party so we passed . The good news no one felt full like a typical Italian meal.

Great place. We had a light dinner on a christmas evening here with my wife. The place was semi-crowded but they managed to get us a nice spot without having a reservation. Their mocktailes and wine both delicious, and the menu is quite rich and generous. Highly recommend this place.

I would give this place 5 stars because of how cool the interior is- very LA zen and breezy, or how good the food is, and how inventive their homemade sodas and breakfast cocktails are, but they lost quite a bit for their inflexibility. We were told by our waitress, when we asked if they could leave the egg off of my son's burger, or even just put it on the side, "I doubt it, there are no changes or substitutions and the kitchen does what it wants!" Now that's customer service!! Mind you, they did leave the egg off of his burger, in the end, but it so freaked out my vegan, no gluten husband that he only had a fruit cup and we had to stop somewhere else later for him to eat.

We had just arrived from London and were tired and jet lagged and stumbling around Abbot Kinney Road and got onto trip advisor and ended up at The Tasting Kitchen. This restaurant is divine - lovely decor, beautiful indoor trees, funky but chic and the food was out of this world! best bread with aged $10.00 balsamic (yes, that much but you will understand why when you have it!) Incredible, original pasta and meat dishes, amazing burata and vegetable dishes etc. Wine is not cheap but that applies to most restaurants in LA. Staff were excellent - friendly, helpful and efficient. Loved the whole experience and the dinner was our best meal we had in 5 days in LA.

I have been with my family to this restaurant on a Saturday night. We made a booking and did not wait too long to get our table. The service was good and the waiter warned us to order appetizers while we were waiting for the entrees. The menu is pretty expensive and difficult to understand. What is the appetizer, what is the entree or side...hard to tell. Well when we received the dishes it was easier to understand as all the portions are very small. $23 for a mini plate of pasta with no taste is excessive. $22 for the octopus as an appetizer or $18 for two slices of breds with goat cheese and figs make no sense. $40 for the salt crusted seabass is ok when you actually see or taste the crust and if someone prepare the fish for you after breaking the crust but the plate comes with three vegetables and the whole fish. I am pretty sure it was not cooked as claimed. The restaurant is very noisy and overpriced I don't understant why it is recommended by travel guides. I will not recommend this restaurant.

The manager was rude to us the all time, and when the food came it was one of the worse meals of my life! Like someone just drop the full pack of salt in it! Horrible experience! Never again

Went with a colleague for dinner. We had the three course menu that the chef cooked for that day. Food was tasty except for the ravioli, the pasta was a little hard, the fish was amazing. We had several cocktails and they were very good and the service was friendly, prompt and attentive. Ambiance is nice but gets a little loud. For the menu that we picked it's a little pricey for the portion served. Overall it was a good experience.

It was fun , it was pretty tasty, we enjoyed the whole experience. Menu was intereting Definitely worth a try

I've been to Tasting Kitchen several times, but my latest visit will be my last. It was for a Birthday and given the size of our party we had to choose the tasting menu, which was fine. They asked if we had preferences / allergies, which we shared but it felt like we received an amalgamation of leftovers / needed to be cooked food vs. a well thought out tasting menu. While I can deal with fishy hamachi / crudo the kicker was when one of my friends bit into the chicken dish and found it was not fully cooked. We were pleasant and notified the waiter who quickly removed the dish and sent someone over. However, instead of being apologetic we were told that was how the dish was meant to be prepared. This was not true at all unless the chef intends to serve uncooked food. I was disappointed by how they handled or should I say dismissed this and then refused to acknowledge it further. At a minimum, it would have been a nice gesture to comp one of the additional apps we ordered after it was not included in the tasting menu despite our request. Bottomline, not worth it for the $$. Also, having only 1 working bathroom for an establishment that is on the pricier side seems odd. Will definitely not return, at least not for the food.

Overall, this is a fun and very good restaurant. We had a group of four and were able to try a number of dishes. I'd say that we were thrilled with half, OK with a quarter and disappointed with a quarter. First the good. The charcuterie is vast and really excellent -- tho I wish that we have some bread to enjoy the meats and cheeses. The pasta was good as were the vegetables. Unfortunately the steak was over sauced so that it lost much of it's subtlety and the chicken wings were a complete miss -- too sticky, too many sesame seeds; frankly just an awkward dish that was hard to eat and a disappointing choice. The wine list is great as is the cocktail list. A special call out to the Mai Tai. If you are sick of bartenders who mix all sorts of fruit juices with rum and call it a Mai Tai, you'll be thrilled with this genuine recipe -- Trader Vic would be proud.

Tasting Kitchen is a really nice restaurant on Abbott Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach. Great atmosphere. We went for the tasting menue, although rather pricey, we were not dissapointed. wonderful wine, great service and a all in all a very authentic and interesting experience. We visited With two children, 12 and 15 years old. even they loved the Food and enjoyed the relaxed and ambiant atmosphere.

Based on reviews, this was a place high on my list. We had a 915P reservation on a Sunday, and still had to wait a short while for the table. We shared the Balsamic Fig Bruschetta, Salumi platter with Burrata and Rigatoni with Beef Cheek. All were good, but pricey. I felt like the waiter was not happy with us, as we were not drinking or ordering more food. Overall good, but not outstanding.

This place is a must if you are looking to stay away from the "usual". We tried the home made pork rilletes - amazing. The creste di gallo and the bucatini all'amatriciana were tasteful and the bread pudding al'affogato was the perfect cap to the night. I fully recommend this place.

My Mother, Sister and I had dinner here one evening. The experience started well, we were warmly greeted and brought to our table. The Maître d was initially quite friendly. However, when It came to take our drinks order and we ordered only soft drinks his tone changed entirely. He seemed annoyed that we had not ordered cocktails or wine. Both the cocktail menu and wine list were excellent but due to illness my mother was unable to drink so we decided not to order alcohol. His angry attitude was exacerbated when we ordered only main courses as opposed to the tasting menu which he was pushing hard to sell. From here on, we felt that he was completely disinterested in us and we received a very poor level of service. Furthermore, he continually queried whether we would like more drinks, it really felt as though he was trying to sell as much as possible. He was again annoyed when we did not order desert and swept the menus away. Having said all of that, the food which we had was very good. The kitchen deserves praise. The Maître d has really let down the kitchen staff and the restaurant. I imagine his attitude would have been better had we ordered $100s of food & drink. Overall the service we received was very poor compared to the wonderful service we have come to enjoy elsewhere in the US. This is particularly disappointing for us as tourists in the US.

This place was excellent! I went here with my daughter. We had the 5 course tasting meal. The appetizers were superb... mussels, charcuterie, and roasted chilies. It was so delicious. The chilies were amazing... something I never thought would be so delicious. The second course was pasta, perfectly al dente with an incredible sauce. Third course was fish and beef... again perfectly seasoned and prepared. Fourth course was a fresh salad... very light which was good because we were getting full. The dessert was a custard with fruit... light and tasty. For a cocktail, I had a "celery." It was made with mezcal, celery, and serrano peppers. It was fantastic. Service was prompt but not hovering. Definitely recommend!

SUCH a quaint place in Venice where you can just walk down the street and stop in for a spectacular brunch! Scenery, service and food were all A+++!! VERY unique brunch items! I wish we could have ordered it all! We had to have many fresh squeezed orange juice mimosas before we could make up our minds! Check out the pictures below and if you are near there go and check this place out!

Our dining experience at the Tasting Kitchen was Perfect in every respect. Our server Brian guided us through the menu which Ivan then paired brilliantly with various wines. We started with the hamachi and merengu sausage which had just the right amount of heat and fresh greens. But the pastas were stand out brilliant. My friend at the Truffle pasta dish and I had the pasta with shrimp and serano. Clearly these are homemade pastas cooked perfectly and both dishes were just superb. Save room for the entrees because both the pork shoulder and steak are well aged and delicious. We finished our perfect meal with an Amaro and now can't wait to return.

We were sat upstairs away from all the pretty airy space downstairs despite having booked a week in advance and requesting it. The service was very slow, our coffees arrived luke warm, and by the time brunch was served they were basically cold and undrinkable. Two tables beside us who arrived later were served food much quicker. Toilets were appaling. There are so many great brunch spots in the area, don't waste your time here.

Went there for dinner early and as the meal progressed, it got busier. It's a great place to go with a group and share food. I would recommend the branzino and bolognese. Some other dishes were so so like the gateau basque dessert.

This restaurant (together with Salt Air) is part of the culinary, ingredient-centered wave started by Gjelina that makes Abbot Kinney a true foodie destination. It is modern, cool, with excellent music, friendly staff and deceptively simple sophisticated food. Unlike Gjelina's and Salt Air's food, the food here (Californian Italian?) is very hearty, so you have to show up with an appetite and ample calorie budget. One piece of advice: do not order the bread upfront (even though it is excellent), or you will be full before you finish your food! Everything is tasty and very well crafted.

We were excited to score a reservation as we heard such great things about Tasting Kitchen. Our server was great and did a great job of explaining the menu and the variety of options. He also explained the "chefs choice" menu to us and although there were definitely a few items that sounded like they were my first choice, we agreed to go with this option and leave it in then chefs hands. Clearly, that was a mistake! We indicated that there were items that if we were ordering we were learning towards, however, we were the lucky recipients of two entrees neither of which were good. We are not fussy eaters so when I mentioned that I was not a whole fish person, I was shocked when we were served a fish entree and squab, which was not even on the menu! How would I have known to say that we were not interested in eating squab when I didn't even know that was an option? The waiter asked us if we wanted bread and never brought it. The appetizers were good and the pasta was tasty. They did offer additional entrees but after not liking either of the ones we already had, didn't want to push my luck! The desserts were tasty but still couldn't get the "livery" aftertaste from the one bite of squab out of my mouth. The manager did offer us a dessert wine and we said no thank you. She brought it anyway. Definitely felt as if we were the recipients of entrees that nobody else was going to order if they were ordering ala carte! Was not a very pleasant experience and unfortunate that although everyone seemed to be apologetic, the bottom line is we paid for a good meal and did not get it. So disappointing😞

Very good service matched by excellent food. Really enjoyed t-kitchen and can’t wait to return. A little noisy. We sat at a communal table but had plenty of room. Bread and butter---way tasty Spinach with pinenuts, etc---really good Prosciutto melted in your mouth and the burrata was so flavorful and gentle Gnocci with oxtails---soft and pillowy balanced by the oxtail shreds and sauce. I wanted to go to the kitchen and give the chef a hug our food was soo good! Next time we go to tasting, we’ll do the chef choice and get surprised! Yes, Yes Yes

From the moment we arrived at 5:45 for an early dinner at the Tasting Kitchen, the hostess worked nonstop seating other guests. The hipster music is LOUD and the restaurant is so dimly lit that I saw numerous other diners needing to use their flashlight app to see the print on the small confusing menu. Our waitress explained that we could choose between either (3 courses for $60 or 5 for $80) a Family Style Chef's Choice Tasting or make your picks individually from the avant-garde ala carte dishes. We weren't up for a mystery dinner so went individual. We started with 2 entrées (appetizers): the fritto di pesce, Sicilian lifeguard style which was a lightly battered fried cod floating on a tomato pepper sauce; and the shredded brussel sprouts with candied hazelnuts and date leather. Both dishes were very tasty. For our mains: the chef removed my choice (the Pheasant Romanesco alla Romagna) from the menu so we split the salt roasted Bronzino. For an additional $90 the chef will shave Alba Truffles on the dish. It was good, not great and overly salty. Even though we passed on the truffles, the bill was $150 before tip - including 2 glasses of Chardonnay and a vodka martini. Weather you're the adventurous type and choose a chef's tasting or independent and choose your own dishes the Tasting Kitchen is expensive, but interesting. And make sure you bring your flashlight/torch.

There is no doubt that the Tasting Kitchen is hotter than snot right now. The place is trendy and was packed with stylishly dressed people on Saturday night. The space is both modern and warm with high ceilings, plain wood tables and candles creating a beautiful and chic ambiance. It definitely has the environment for a special night out. It is clear that the brand emphasizes both cuisine and style as evinced by it's inclusion in GQ magazine's top 10 best new restaurants in 2011. We started with a couple craft cocktails from their extensive list. These were excellent and gave us the necessary time to review their peculiar, if not difficult to understand menu. There are cheeses and charcuteries, then a list of items under the heading "entrees" that are really smaller plates or even side items such as french fries. Then there is an unlabeled section with larger print that are the actual "entrees" or main dishes. These rotate frequently. Under that in tiny print is a list of pastas, which we found out are also entree or main dish sized. In keeping with the name Tasting Kitchen, the menu is beyond eclectic. At the top left of the menu is something described as "regular dinner". Our server left this out of her very cursory review of the menu. As it turns out these are 3 and 5-course tasting menus designed on the fly by the chef. This is something I want to return to try but this being our first time in, we designed our own 3-course menu starting with a raddichio salad. The raddichio salad consisted of a rather giant amount of raddichio, about 1/4th of a pear sliced, some toasted and spiced hazelnuts and a Gorgonzola vinaigrette. To me the balance was really off in this salad. Radicchio is a very bitter lettuce (it's the purple stuff that you get a tiny bit of in an Italian mixed green salad) - this dish was 80 or 90% raddichio. That's too much. If you could manage to get a piece of the pear with it and one of the nuts it was a nice combination. The issue is you run out of pears long before you can eat the amount of raddichio. One option would be to grill the raddichio which removes some of the bitterness. We both nibbled at this salad until the pears were gone leaving a ton of radicchio on the plate. This went unnoticed by the staff. (This dish 2 of 5 stars) The second dish we had resembled a seafood bouillabaisse. It was a nice piece of skin-on fish, a giant scallop, a bunch of mussels and a piece of grilled bread with a slather of a spicy and bold tomato paste and some anchovies atop. This dish was truly wonderful. The unique flavor of star anise was infused in the rich broth. (This dish 5 of 5 stars) The last dish was a pasta. The creste di gallo (Calabrian sausage/ breadcrumbs). The pasta itself was wonderful and the rich sauce had a nice spice to it as well as a pork sausage. This was a very nice dish but we both noticed some hints of bitterness in the sauce that we couldn't really identify. It's possible that it came from tomato peels within the sauce. Overall, a very nice dish. (This dish 3 of 5 stars) This menu filled the two of us up. Bigger appetites would want to add one more dish. One thing that bothered both of us was the volume and type of music that was blaring in the dining area. Hip hop just does not lend itself to dining, especially at that volume. Looking around the dining room I would venture a guess that nobody there is regularly listening to rap and hip hop - very odd choice and it really did get in the way of both dining and conversation. People were having to shout over the music in order to converse. The tables are very, very close together which already makes for a rather loud venue. Pros: Stylish and chic ambiance Very good food Creativity within dishes and menu Cons: Confusing menu Spotty service Very uncomfortable chairs that are lower than banquette seating across table making you feel a foot shorter than your date Loud music is a mismatch to chic ambiance If I could leave half stars this place would be a 3.5 based on this visit. I'll return soon and do an update.

The place looks really nice and inviting but we had some issues with the money we paid and the quality we got. The halibut we ordered was super tiny and the hamburger bun was burned (charcoiled) but I guess we got charcoil... You were almost obligated to take a side dish with an already expensive meal. In general not worth the buck.

We had a client dinner, and chose Tasting Kitchen over other recommendations, as we had been here last year, with perfect results. This year was no different, though instead of the tasting menu, we went for a la carte. Our waitress ( can you setill use this word? ) heard what we liked and made a great set of recommends, which we took wholesale. They were all very good. Especially the pasta and meat dishes. Wines were recommended to us, with no issues of overselling, which I noticed another trip advisor user wrote about. The ambiance is so perfect, slightly loud, but not harsh, great lighting, temperature, and vibe. Well worth a visit.

The food is DELICIOUS. The Cocktails are FABULOUS. The waitstaff is GORGEOUS. I recommend the pastas and the cream puffs. But really everything was tasty. What a great spot!

We went for dinner first time in Venice Beach. We had a reservation and were seated right away. The food was good but I found it overpriced for what it was. $20 for a negroni cocktail- really? The staff is a little pretentious and really try to upsell you the "tasting menu". The problem is- they don't tell you what you will get if you order it. We ordered a la carte. The people next to us did get the tasting menu and had almost all the same things we did. It's hard to believe that any kitchen could not tell you with some alternatives what in the world the tasting menu would consist of. I've eaten at Del Posto in NYC and they give you choices for a tasting menu. Also super noisy. Would not recommend.

Kudos to the chef here for a creative menu with innovative execution. The menu is a bit thin on detail, but our server was helpful. I had the short ribs hash, which was “reconstructed,” in that it was chunks of short ribs with carmelized onions and potato chunks with a perfectly baked egg on top. Comes with country toast (which has a good crunch and lots of garlic). I added a biscuit, which was also just excellent, warm and thick with just the right amount of fluffiness served with a nice mini tub of room temp butter. Omelette also excellent. Bloody Marys were good. Service good. We were seated on the top floor, which was fine, smaller and less noisy than main level. Ambiance OK, bistro-ish feel. This was a rare excellent for me. Definitely recommend!

This is fantastic restaurant. Even the basics -- like bread and butter and appetizer olives are exceptional. The mussels and the halibut were the best we've ever had. The cocktails are very imaginative and I believe many are original creations. Our server was very informed about everything on the menu and very attentive. Be aware that prices are commensurate with this level of quality.

I came here with a friend who is a script writer in LA at his suggestion. I was excited to try the tasting menu. It’s in a great spot in Venice and not far from the beach for a post prandial wonder. Sadly I downloaded a mobile scooter app instead and wizzed rather than Wales, post lunch. The space is pleasing and the staff friendly. All those actors jobbing I guess. Sadly it turns out they only do a brunch menu on a Sunday. It was still very good however. I had short ribs with potatoes in a lovely rich sauce. The salad I had to start was really good. A salad is one of those dishes which is so often disappointing but this was fresh, crunchy with tiny radish slices and a delicious dressing. My friend had the burger which he said was excellent. Neither of us was drinking but the wine list looked great with some lovely Northern and Tuscan Italians. All round a relaxed and good brunch.

The place looks really nice and trendy. And then starts the disaster. Service was super bad and the WAITER really unhelpful and RUDE. At first, he asked us if we wanted water and we replied yes, and brought a bottled water (charging us more) while we saw everyone else around having tap water. Then, we went on to order food. My friend asked for the pastrami burger, and we got the reply that we had to wait 30 minutes... I thought pastrami is prepared overnight... in any case, because we were super hungry and couldnt wait, we ordered pasta. The plates that arrived were RIDICULOUSLY SMALL. If you want to have them as tasting menu or first dish, you have to let the customer know, and of course not charge 30 dollars +tip+tax. Moreover, my amatriciana was by far the WORST TASTE ever, the bacon was disgustingly fat. We come from Europe, we ve been to Italy and we know how pasta is meant to be.

We were a party of four and we had the 3 course tasting menu. First of all, let me say I was not at all impressed by the menu. There was nothing that really stood out when I looked at the a'la carte menu so I was happy when we could go for the tasting menu so I didn't have to make any decisions. That turned out to be an excellent choice. I'm not sure how they count the dishes but food just kept on coming. It was more like 3 dishes times three people. The deep fried asparagus was absolutely amazing. The pasta was home made and the only better pasta I have had was in Milan. And the chicken! Oh, I could eat that chicken all day long. The staff was friendly and very efficient. They were also able to accommodate for our dietary restrictions in the tasting menu. Highly recommended!

Wonderful dinner last night with our adult daughter in Venice. You might think this is “just” an Italian restaurant from perusing the menu - you would not be appreciating the range of what they do. Frankly, I couldn’t get a read on the place from the menu. Our server solved the problem by explaining that the tasting menu is the way to go. We told her our food preferences and allergies and were presented with a 3 course meal (with many more dishes than that) to be shared. It turned out to be generous portions with lot’s of great variety. The only negative was that the noise level (normal these days) was quite high. Other than that, highly recommended! (And definitely do a tasting menu - you won’t regret it.

This spot was filled with a young crowd, loud music and very noisy. Difficult to have conversation. Food was good but not special. Bread and butter-salt seems to be back in vogue and sprinkled every where. Cocktail was wonderful with sherry. Charcuterie consisted of two meats and one cheese. Again more salt! Small portion of halibut. Bill over 400 for four and we each had one cocktail and one bottle of wine at 58$. So....been there done that. Unlikely to return.

Had read great things about this place but found it lacking when i visited for brunch. The food was interesting (and tasty) but overall the menu lacked completeness i.e. didnt have enough choice in some areas. Decor is great, but the tables were really squashy, service okay (some good, some not so good) and overall the long wait wasnt worth it. Will give it a 2nd chance at dinner as the food was good (and it might just have been when we went)

My niece took me there. She had heard nice things about the place. Interior is elegant and sophisticated. But, it was the meals that were outstanding. Every dish provided a taste treat that was unique; and, I am someone who loves excellent cooking. The porcini crusted hanger steak was prepared wonderfully, but the bone full of marrow was the piece de resistance. I believe that there were about two tablespoons of wonderful marrow laying it the bone trough. Absolutely, awesome. The John Dory was a bit sparse, however the sauce was made with a blend of pureed corn, that added a touch of unique sweetness. We also enjoyed a delightful endive salad with apples, blue cheese and a mustard dressing. The only thing that would make it better would be to change the blue cheese for a sweet gorgonzola.

I have never actually left a review on TripAdvisor even though I find myself using the app just about every day of my life for the past three years. That opening statement alone should speak to how strongly I felt about my experience at this restaurant. Through my work I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel around the world and as part of those travels I end up eating out at all different types of restaurants for almost every meal and in many different places/countries. While in Los Angeles this week my best friend told me that the Tasting Kitchen was a must try. So after a few hours at the beach we decided to walk to the restaurant and have some dinner. We did not have a reservation but after a short wait we were seated upstairs. The restaurant was very busy and so I was not surprised that our server was curt and to the point. This was to be expected as she was handling numerous tables and seemed to be very busy. We asked for a few recommendations on what to eat for dinner and she obliged with her favorites. We proceeded to put in our drink orders which came back about five minutes later and tasted great. To start we ordered some prosciutto which was served with some fresh bread that was obviously baked in house. As we were eating what had been placed in front of us and enjoying ourselves we were also discussing what we would order for dinner as our server returned. She looked at my friend, his girlfriend, and myself and very impolitely said, "I am not sure what they told you downstairs before they sat you up here but IF you want to STAY here you MUST order dinner." Mind you we had only been sitting down for about 10-12 minutes in total. I ended up asking for the manager which did not help any because, Nadia the manager, did nothing but defend the server (as if they were best friends and we were all back in high school) until the point at which my friend, his girlfriend, and myself decided that we felt so uncomfortable and so out of place that we should leave the restaurant. I am sure the food is delicious, and on any other night our experience might have gone differently, however in our situation it did not. The vibe that was put off by both the waitress and the Nadia felt as though they did not care about customer service nor our experience in general. I'm sure that our seats were filled immediately after we left which gives them positive reinforcement and the feeling that they can act this way. When employees exude the "we're bigger and better than the customer vibe" great restaurants turn to good and if it continues then good restaurants will ultimately become non-existent. Hopefully Nadia and the server can get their acts together and not tarnish the reputation of what is supposedly an Abbot Kinney staple.

Despite being local I had never tried the Tasting Kitchen. I also had no clue it specialized in Italian food or would have come earlier. Service was excellent and Elizabeth advised us honestly. I understand most diners opt for the several course tasting menu but, as we didn’t really want dessert and have dietary preferences, we ordered ala carte. It worked out well and Elizabeth told us if the plates would be small or conversely if the charcuterie we were contemplating was far too large. We got a nice cheese selection and for $10 we got more salami (soppressa) than a human could eat. The rigatoni was the weakest of the dishes we ordered. Everything else was wonderful, even the bread and butter! The wine list is almost exclusively from Italy. If you know your Italian wines there were some finds. If not, just tell them the sommelier what style wine you enjoy and they will find you a nice equivalent. You may even get and education as a bonus. The atmosphere is modern and ideal for the area, as opposed to the typical frescos of the Amalfi coast, columns, etc. The bar scene is active and bars can get loud. There is little to block the noise of the bar from tables adjacent to it and there are no soft surfaces or fabrics to absorb the din. We could still talk but it was early in the evening and I suspect one might get horse by the end of a later dinner. There is valet parking but also metered parking in the back of the building. We will be back for sure.

Yes it is expensive, but I think well worth it. We had a long wait for a table, but as we walked in without a reservation on a Friday night that makes sense. A couple of drinks at the bar passes the time. The food is great and the waiter service was prompt. We'll be returning.

Delicious modern Italian food and excellent wine. Great atmosphere; dimly lit dinner in open courtyard.

Busy friendly long table service - be prepared to share and probably wait a while. Lovely brunch , excellent selection and great coffee to finish it off.

This is a very popular place located on trendy Abbot Kinney Blvd in Venice, so make a reservation! You can order off the menu, but the real treat is the tasting menu, which is selected by the chef, and differs from table to table. Dishes are served family style, so you get to try a lot of different things. Our dinner was a cross of new and traditional and everything we had was spectacular. Good wine list, and interesting selection of cocktails. Helpful and attentive staff. Expensive, but worth it!

Everything about this place is good. The décor is attractive, the food top-notch. The menu can be a bit opaque as little information is given so servers end up having to work pretty hard explaining things to everyone, which may explain why ours seemed a bit distracted and slow. I mean, shouldn't there be a law that you aren't served your appetizer before the drinks you'd previously ordered arrive?! But the food was very good, with an emphasis on seafood and interesting riffs on classic Italian cuisine. Also appealing is this neighborhood, with lots of cute and eclectic stores for window (other otherwise) shopping on a stroll before or after the meal.

Always sure to have a nice evening at TK. Predictably great items on the menu, good bar scene and buzz. Reservations a must.

Very interesting experience. Worth a visit, but be prepared to empty your wallet. However, everything from drinks to desert is made from scratch, innovative, creative, and very savory. The wait staff is professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. Reservations well in advance are a must! The whole, Italian sea bass was delicious, although working thru the bones was a challenge. Good Spot.

My wife and I had brunch at the Tasting Kitchen during a recent trip to Los Angeles. As is fairly standard in the Abbot Kinney section of Venice Beach, the restaurant's decor and overall atmosphere are wonderful and refreshing. The brunch was outstanding. The waffle with fried chicken and french toast with bacon and eggs were well seasoned and artfully prepared. The wait staff could not have been more accommodating. Overall, it was among the best places we have dined at in LA. We are already planning on a return trip, to try their dinner menu.

With entrees and appetizers at the top end of LA prices, this place does not deliver. Good mussels were overwhelmed by a rich, heavy sauce. Vegetable salad at $15 was four ingredients that had no synergy - worst trend in LA cooking. These were poor dishes. Branzino at $40 was nicely prepared with pine nuts but flesh was soft and tasteless (try Drago Centro to learn how it should be). Poached halibut was OK but hardly worth $35. This is trendy and not very discerning Abbot Kinney so they apparently know their market. Service was excellent except for failing to honor a request to turn down the pounding rock music.

The food was ok and service was mediocre but it was way too dark inside. We could hardly see what we were eating. Nothing special.

We went yesterday for brunch, and had some excellent food. Everyone but me ordered the chicken, and got various sides. I got the pastrami. The only caution is if you go on a Sunday, the parking sort of sucks and there are people everywhere!!

Walked in right before they stopped taking folks for brunch (2:30 is the cut-off - they must have turned away 6 parties in 5 minutes - I stopped counting - so set your clock if you want to come). The atmosphere is light, sunny, breezy-even! I felt as if I was at the beach without the sand in my food you get. The service is top-notch. Asking if we needed a minute, help to get through the menu, tough if you are vegetarian - almost impossible if you are vegan. If you are a meat (bacon-lover) you will be in heaven. We chose the Soft Scramble for $11 - soft scrambled eggs/cacio de pepe/fettunta. Cacio de pepe - "cheese and pepper" you cook both while the eggs are hot and it binds to the eggs. Fettunta - "greased slice", is simply grilled bread, rubbed with a garlic clove, drizzled with top grade olive oil and then sprinkled with coarse sea salt. Light, fluffy and heavenly (overused but perfect for here). My husband had the Tomato Eggs for $13 - tomato braised egg over polenta. Slightly fragrant, garlicky but not overly done. At times this can be too crispy, heavy and end up with heartburn. This was again, done with a light touch. The coffee ($4) and latte ($5) were good quality and hot. My husband had the drip coffee and they ensured his cup was full and the coffee always steaming. Just a nice way to decompress.

The Tasting Kitchen was recommended to me by a coworker, after I had asked around the office for ideas on where to take a visiting friend for a nice dinner over the weekend. I made a booking about a week and a half in advance, and highly recommend prior reservations via the website -- this place was incredibly busy, even on a Sunday night. We arrived early and sidled up to the bar for a couple of pre-dinner cocktails: I had the Sloe Gin Fizz and my friend ordered something called 'Moped on the Freeway.' Both were fantastic, and I have to give the bartender props on my drink in particular: probably the frothiest egg whites I've ever seen in a cocktail. We were seated before we'd even finished our first round of drinks, and got a nice run down of the menu by our server. Everything is served family style, thus sharing is encouraged, and they have two 'set' dining options for those who just want a great meal without having to think too much. My friend and I elected to choose our own dishes, but I think the cost worked out to be only slightly more expensive than the set option (5 dishes for $90.) Every single dish we ordered was delicious: perfectly snappy green beans with roast duck and foie gras, prosciutto-wrapped melon, possibly the best roasted chicken I've ever had in my life, and two pasta dishes -- the red wine rigatoni with braised beef cheek was the winner of the two. Between the food, the cocktails, and a bottle of sparkling rose, our bill came out to $190. I felt this was perfectly reasonable given the overall quality of the meal. The service at our table was fabulous; the arrival of the dishes was perfectly paced and my wine glass was never empty. With the exception of the pasta, every dish was very generously portioned and we left feeling full and satisfied. Highly recommended for those who don't mind a bit of a splurge now and then, or anyone looking for a lively, trendy dinner destination for a special occasion.

sorry - i know i will take a lot of heat for this, but i really was not even the slightest bit impressed. everything as average. yes, the burrata was good - didn't blow me away. we ordered a lot of plates looking for the one that would make me be super glad i battled the Hollywood traffic to get here but much to my chagrin, nothing happened. oh well. i might be back to see if it was an off night, or maybe i was off but with all the great spots i am not sure how soon it will be.... sad face

Recommended by another restaurant for after dinner drinks. Sat at the bar and watched the Mixologists doing their thing and happy to come up with something special for individual folks in our group. Nice atmosphere and the food looked/smelled great. Ended up making reservations for dinner later in the week.

We went last night and had the best dinner. We had: - Bread and some cheese (bread was so fresh, and the cheeses amazing!) - Smoked Trout appetizer (with salanova and apple) - AMAZING! - Wagyu Beef Skewers - ALSO AMAZING!!! - Amazing salad with blue cheese - great way to wrap up!! We had reservations, but wound up in the bar at a community table. Very fun evening!!

Is is a pretty restaurant, we were seated upstairs on the mezzanine which is decorated as a library. You're a bit away from the main action downstairs but it was quieter. Food was modern, fresh and service was good on the night. Worth a visit.

Didn't have a reservation but showed up at 10:30 am on a Sunday. Sat upstairs in airy library. Food was really excellent across the board. Everyone was happy with meal and would absolutely go back next time in LA. Staff and setting very well done.

We went in here for brunch and sat at the bar. The food was delicious as were the cocktails. We had the burger and the smoked salmon- both yummy. The bartenders were very knowledgeable about the food and one of them even let my husband do a whiskey sampling. It was a unique experience. Would definitely recommend this place.

At first I wasn’t sure what to make of this place I found the menu confusing. However our server soon cleared this up for us he spoke with such enthusiasm that we both opted for the 3 course tasting menu. We were not disappointed, it was surprisingly impressive and great value for money. We had three starters brought out to us, which were all really nice then we had three main course dishes. Finally dessert, I think was the nicest dessert I have ever had. I would highly recommend visiting here and trying the tasting menu. There was more than enough food for the two of us, both being foodies we absolutely loved the thrill of not knowing what we were going to get until it came to the table. Very exciting!

I’ve been here many times, and it’s never failed. They change the menu constantly, but you can always expect a great mix of LA comfort food. Dinner is awesome, and brunch is heavenly. Definitely make a reservation so you don’t have to sit at the communal table though, which is kind of cramped.

Love the setting on Abbot Kinney, like the bar, and the upstairs seating area is cool (especially when the blinds come up and you can see the Venice sky). That said, the food didn't blow me away. The meat board was typical, the string beans weren't anything special....although the wings were quite good - my our favorite starter. We also had the lamb (pretty good) and the steak (have had better) - note he steak came with bone marrow, which just seemed like a bizarre combination.... The pastas, where they are at their best, were pretty good. The bolognese is awesome and a must, but you can't go wrong with any of them. Overall, it was solid and fun time, but not near the level of it's neighbor, Gjelina.

Great restaurant with a wonderful atmosphere. Loved service and food, very nice and hip ambiance. If you are looking for current restaurant that one is great choice.

Best Amatriciana I’ve had since Rome. Great options for pasta and non-pasta eaters alike. Olive trees add to the ambiance

Very nice setting in a great Los Angeles neighbourhood. Unfortunately the food did not live up to expectations. It wasn't bad, just not as good as expected.

We visited recently and stopped in at this resto for dinner on our first night. Such a joy to be out and about. The food was fabulous and the service also amazing. We had dinner on the patio and enjoyed it immensely. Stop in -- it's a great spot!

I went for a mid-week dinner with 2 friends. By 9pm they had run out of burgers (pretty poor for a place that is advertised to be open until midnight). I ordered a $25 pasta dish that could only be described as kid's size menu. Being Italian, I tend to be horrified at the huge portions served at most restaurant. This, however, was the exact opposite: the dish was so tiny I called the waitress to ask if they gave me the tasting portion by mistake. Nope, apparently it was the regular size. The salads that my friends had were 3 times my dish. On top of that, it took them over 30 minutes to bring our dishes. Perhaps they were running out of pasta too? All in all, a very disappointing experience and I cannot reccommend this restaurant.

Have previously only been at the bar which is crowded and noisy. Last night we treated ourselves to early reservations for the dining room. A weekday night. allows one to enjoy the nice ambience and openness of the room as well as having a conversation. There is a chef's pre fix menu but we chose from the a la carte menu. Started with a radicchio olive salad which was very good. Shared the branzino of the day for our main course. The branzino was excellent! Presented as a whole fish. This fish could sing! Enjoyed a nice red wine - Bourgogne from the Burgundy region of France. The prices are expensive, but this restaurant is a real treat!

As you will find throughout the entire length of Abbott Kinney, the restaurants are all catered at an upmarket clientele. The tasting kitchen was no different and prices reflected such. That being said, the food was of the highest quality and the drinks were the same. The Icelandic porter was possibly the nicest porter I've ever had. We were seated at the large common table In The middle and while the entire venue was loud with conversation, we still managed to have a chat with a few friendly diners sitting around us. Pricey but deservingly so.

Best experience and best food and best service in Los Angeles in the Venice/Santa Monica area so far!!

I went with a group of friends to grab a bite and one of them recommended we all go to Tasting Kitchen. We all ordered different appetizers so we can taste each other's dishes. We got a lot of entrees so that we can all just taste as many different dishes as possible. It was family style so this worked well. The food was surprisingly good. I'm definitely going back when I return to Los Angeles.

My wife and I ate here after done drinks on Abbot Kinney. It's a pretty busy place, so we had booked our 9pm reservation well in advance. The server we had, Amy, was wonderful. She was absolutely perfect in being friendly and talkative, knowledgable on the somewhat hard-to-read menu, and good at taking care of business. Equally good was the food. I can't say it was the best we've eaten in our tour of SoCal, but it was up there. This is real gourmet cuisine. We split the cheese plate and two of the charcuteries, suggested by Amy - they were both great. After some deliberation because of the hefty price tag, we chose to each go with the 3-course tasting menu. What we thought would be three dishes each actually turned out to be three appetizers (after our cheese plate and charcuterie!), two different entrées to share, and a dessert to share. It was quite a meal! All absolutely delicious. The problem that we had with the whole experience was the wait time between courses, which was somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 minutes on average. The whole meal, from sit-down to paying the bill was nearly two hours, and by the end we just wanted to get home, but we had paid for this expensive meal so we had to stay. All in all it was a good experience, but I would think twice about going again because of the price and the wait. If you can, get there early!