The Venice Whaler Reviews

So glad we stopped here for lunch with my husband and two daughters while walking the beach last Thursday. It is a great place for good food and good views. The best fish tacos I've ever had! The chips and guac were wonderful too! We had a very enjoyable lunch Highly recommend the tacos!! Pork tacos were great too! The atmosphere is fun and lively. The view is amazing!

Sat outside upstairs. Food was decent; enjoyed my sandwich which was quite filling. They had a nice selection of beer; perfect for a warm beach day. Service was a little slow but server was very friendly. This was a perfect stop for a break from bicycling along the beach.

Service was quick and friendly. The food was very good. Great Whaler burger and good salad. Fries were excellent. For a quick meal with outdoor seating, you can’t go wrong.

Quick beer and meal with work colleagues. Staff very friendly and helpful. Craft or standard types of beer. Food was great, good sharing dishes.

My husband and I ate lunch on the patio. The place was very busy, but service was great. I had the hamburger and my husband had fish and chips. We both enjoyed our meals, but couldn't finish them because we got full. Overall a great place with a nice view.

I was a bit skeptical that the food would be good given that it’s a huge tourist spot but the fried chicken sandwich was ridiculous it was go good and the carnitas bowl was really good. Staff were really friendly and gave good recommendations. I would definitely come here again.

Were in the area for the day and wanted to check out Venice beach, we stopped in for a beer and sandwiches for lunch at the whaler. The food was good and the staff very nice, you definitely pay for the history and atmosphere. Cuban sandwich, fries and a beer 32 dollars is a little stiff anywhere if you ask me, but good none the less.

Stopped here for light lunch on our road trip to Venice beach from Vegas lovely little bar and restaurant with great views of the beach and ocean in the upstairs dining area nice polite staff great service and top notch food will definitely visit again next time we visit LA thx

Great food, excellent service and perfect location. Cocktails are very good and the fish & chips totally recommended.

Food was good and fresh. Staff has an attitude beyond believe. Seems you need to apply to become a guest and they deserve a tip based on the guide on the receipt no matter what.

We have enjoyed two lunches here in one week. Great view and service and super tasty food. Loved the fish tacos and husband the Whale burger!

This is for the Whaler Takeaway next door. We moved to the neighborhood 3 months ago & have tried all the places in this 3 block area at lower Washington at Venice pier. Today we decided to lunch at the take away. Bummer!!! We were so disappointed. The chowder was served scalding, even 10 minutes later it was too hot. But what's worse is the Italian job, various meats, salami, etc. Sandwich. They didn't bother to trim the wax, plastic coating off the meat. WTF?? The Whaler salad was meh but that's an expensive meh. $13 for arugula, cherry tomatoes (unriped) onions, radish, ricotta (very hard, salty, otherwise tasteless.)& capers! It should be named the Salty Whaler. The reason for the two stars is the adorable girl at the window who notified the manager, Joaquin. He did come out to talk to us & offered a 50% discount. He assured us that this had not happened before & appreciated the feedback. There's a free cookie offer when you check in. We may revisit for breakfast.

No one from the beach community goes there anymore. The people at the front door are the worse and every time you go there they have fired the entire staff and gotten new people. Be CAREFUL they scan your ID into a database before you can go into the bar area upstairs. Rich chain ownership has purchased all the bars in the area has pissed everyone off in the area and even their employees.

Who Knew . Seafood place with good breakfasts on the beach . Upstairs patio looking over the beach - Nice!

Great location by Venice beach... Good beer and amazing sliders in many variations, pulled pork was the bomb😃

Another day another search for a TV to watch Women's World Cup. Great place to watch the games as they had two games on the TVs. Good sports bar. Food was good and there was plenty to eat. Sit inside or out upstairs very relaxed.

We were meeting friends here for pre-game NYE drinks. Doorman so rude we turned around and walked off. Our group that was already inside left as well. We took our business across the street and have a very pleasant welcome and drinks.

To enjoy a beautiful sunset we went to drink an aperitif at Venice Whaler and went upstairs on the terrace. They don't take reservations, first come first served. Better to go there at least an hour before sunset to enjoy it in the best position. Since we were there we had dinner with white wine mussels (overcooked) and fairly mediocre fish & chips. With three beers we spent $90 including the tip. As many others have written, only the view is worth, the kitchen is other. Wear a shirt because in one of the hottest summers ever, when the sun went down it was cold.

We called in for a couple of beers and it was just about ok, bar staff not overly interested... beer in plastic cups cheapens the experience. There's better bars in the area.

Enjoyed our last night here of our trip. Staff were super friendly and quick to take our orders. The cheese pizza with onion and rosemary was delicious as was the classic margarita!

Great venue for a casual beverage and catch up with friends when in the area. Drinks good and service quick. Upstairs and downstairs bar areas with different vibe and crowd make for a perfect option when not sure what you're wanting.

Visited twice with family for lunch. Really good food, chicken dishes are great, French toast with berries a winner and good burgers. The only negative was the beet salad needed more than a few token strands of rocket and the fries are really expensive at $7 and should come free with your main!...service is good, atmosphere is bustling in a good way...worth a visit if you are around Venice Beach

Upstairs bar and restaurant seating was a nice start to a weekend visiting the area. Wings were delicious, great salad, beer and wine options. Would return.

The uninterested host almost caused us to leave. But we ended up with a decent experience. Pizza is terrible. The critters are good. The fish and chips very good. Our server was excellent. It’s a great location.

The Venice Whaler is directly opposite Venice Beach with great views of the coastline, beers cold & food is reasonable... I'll be back

Good food and a great view. It's a hard combination to beat. Right on the beach and it's a party on the roof almost every day.

I stopped by this place because it was taco Tuesday. -$4 tacos. I got the hot chicken, carnita and spinach/mushroom one. They were delicious. I also had two glasses of wine which were reasonably priced at $12. Waitress was great- Kalee! Wish I was staying longer in LA so no I could have my husband come down and try the tacos!

They have some great food from the whaler. I recommend their philly cheesesteaks. Lots of their stuff is overpriced.

We went in at 4pm on a Friday as a family, it has a kid menu so we figured we were ok. However I would not consider it a great place to dine out with young kids, mostly high tops and it’s very loud, something for consider for kiddos sensitive to noise. We had great service and the Whaler Sally beer was good, the clam chowder and fries were good too but the fish and chips was sub-par. Overall the food is not worth the price. One time and done, no need to go back.

This place has such an amazing feel to it. Over a 3 day stay in area we ate at least one meal a day here. The food is great and varied. The service is fab. Great place to watch a sunset. Will be back for sure on our next trip

Travelling with family and have visiting this place a number of times during our stay in Los Angeles. Good food, tasty drinks, friendly staff and one of the best fries I have ever tasted.

What could be better than a cold drink and some foot a few steps from the beach. Venice Beach. Near the Venice Pier. The best part is that proves were reasonable!! Draft beers for $7 right on the ocean seemed good to me!! VictorB

The service and food were excellent. It was a good place to watch the sunset. One of our children was ill and the staff were very helpful.

Loved the Venice whales on our visit to Venice California. Really relaxed vibe, DJs playing, sun downers, great service and happy hour! What more could you want??

This place gets crowded upstairs for happy hour and sunset. There is a DJ spinning lounge music from 6 - 9 pm or so. The bartenders are fast and the service on the upstairs patio is pretty good, considering it is wall to wall. Great view of sunset over Venice Beach. Not the place for you if you seek solitude or a glamorous LA crowd. It's pretty down to earth with a younger beach set. Equal mix of 20's/30's tourists and locals. Will return again when in Venice Beach.

We choose the takeaway because we thought it would be quick. It took 5 minutes to get the drinks and 20 (!) minutes to get the food. So when the food finally came, the ice was melted in the drinks. Since it took so long we didn't have time to check that we got everything, when we started eating we noticed that they had forgotten the vinaigrette to the salads.... disappointment. It was alot (!) of red onions, in one salad which was supposed to have goat cheese it was approx 50% red onions and 20 grams of goat cheese. We do not recommend the takeaway.

great food moderately priced, Hostess/waitress Stephanie was absolutely great. Nice ambience. Right beside the water

While walking from Santa Monica to Marina Del Rey we stopped at Venice Whaler for lunch. The food was surprisingly delicious and the staff was very friendly. Try the Cedar Plank Salmon and enjoy a Whaler Blond Ale at a lovely place directly at the beach!

We arrived mid afternoon and found ourselves a seat on the rooftop patio as it is a first come first serve basis. The waitress was friendly and forgetful and chose to come around when the mood hits her. We ordered several appetizers to share including and not limited to chips and salsa that were served in a soup cup. A soup cup full of guacamole requires more than a soup cup full of chips. When requesting more chips we were ignored. We thought we were forgotten about we ordered the chips on more than three occasions to know avail leaving us with a soup cup full of guacamole and a soup cup full of salsa and no chips. Drinks are made with an even shot and took 20 minutes to receive.

We went here on a Wednesday night and it was one of the most buzzing places on Venice Beach. The food is good, they have great sweet potato fries and chicken skewers. Menu is very extensive. They have 14 different types of beer on tap, highly recommend the Wave from Hawai. Overall a must visit in Venice Beach!

We were there at the sunset. They have a very small terrace. The terrace was very crowded but we found a place to seat. It is a cosy bar. The cocktails are good. The food is average. The music was good. The terrace had window railing but the windows were dirty.

We stopped in for lunch and shared a Fish and Chips platter. The fish — fresh tasting but the batter was merely okay. The tartar sauce and fries — both very good. But the best was dessert. A concoction of bread pudding of some sort, a brownie, ice cream, whipped cream and chocolate sauce. If you’re there and they have it, you must save room for this dessert.

This is an awesome spot with a great view to watch a game or meet with friends. Very good location close to the beach with amazing sunset views.

My 18 year old daughter and I visited Venice today and we loved this place. Everyone there, from the host/hostess, bartender and waitress were friendly and the service was great!! We had the Rosemary pizza and sweet potato fries and they were delicious. Also, great Angel City Pilsner on tap. Thank you guys for a enjoyable visit!

Good bar, Perfect Location at the edge of Venice Beach, Not in the middle of everything. Nice staff and relaxed atmosphere.

Took my family here after a day in LA . Great Beach Bar . The waitress was lovely to my kids and made us feel they were welcome . She even knelt down with my 10 year old to help him with the menu ! Food was superb , as was the Beer ! Went back again 3 days later , different waitress but same welcoming service !

The outside seating at the Venice Whaler was nice...being in close proximity to the beach certainly made for a great atmosphere. While there is limited seating outside, if you can score a seat there, it makes for a good experience. I had a nice server here during a weekday dinner, although she was a bit slow to respond...I'm guessing because I was dining solo, and her other tables were much larger. Having said that, she was friendly, and knowledgeable. I ordered the shrimp tacos, which were very good. There is also a decent selection of local beers on tap here, making for good accompaniments to my meal.

We had the Burger and the Fish (shrimp) Tacos, both of which were very average. The tacos were mainly salad and had very few quite bland shrimp in them. The burger was ok, but after you order it with fries it comes to around 22 dollars (15 burger, 7 fries) - when you are paying that much you expect it to be more than your average burger, but it was not - there are better and cheaper burger/food places on the same street. It is a good place for a drink as it has a second floor seating area where you can relax and watch the world go by. Friendly staff, but food was below par, perhaps you are paying in part for the location? I’d go back for a drink, but I’d skip the eating part - quite underwhelming and pricey for what it is.

The restaurant is very close to Venice beach. A good spot to chill, have a few drinks and enjoy the sunset.

This bar and restaurant is located south of the main Venice beach area and we regarded it as a real find after having walked along the main Venice Beach promenade which we were very disappointed with! There are 2 floors, the ground floor having a bar and outside seating while the upstairs had a bar and open terrace. We just sampled the drinks menu which featured around 12 draft craft beers and a range of good cocktails. The ones we had were excellent and the prices were not over the top! Though we did not have any food, the prices looked reasonable and the meals we saw looked quite good. For us, we felt the ambiance was great, as was the service, and it will be on our list to visit again when next in Santa Monica.

close to the beach, good food (way too much sauce in the salad though), nice staff, good service we stop here on our bicycle ride from Santa Monica and enjoyed it

Great find! Stopped in late on Saturday returning from LAX. Was hoping to find a quality spot for dinner but everything was closed. Ended up at the Whaler with guarded expectations. The late night menu featured two cheesesteaks a Philly and a California Philly. I grew up in South Jersey where everyone knew we had the best cheesesteaks in the world. The rolls came from Trenton and our farms raised the best beef. Like soft pretzels - South Jersey had the best but philly got all the acclaim. We would laugh at how people went nuts over Pat's and Gino's. One trip across the river would erase any doubt as to where the best cheesesteaks really were. Unfortunately, that's not the case now. Everyone sold-out and now uses cheap meat and other ingredients. The cheesesteak experience I grew up with became impossible to find and now its true - the best steak sandwiches really are in Philly. They couldn't hold a candle to the originals from South Jersey but at least blow-away the chains and other hacks peddling junk. Our sandwiches were great! A $15.00 sandwich worth every penny! It reminded me of the old days. The California had lettuce, tomato and mayo - we called that a "cheesesteak hoagie" The Philly was just meat, cheese and onions, basic but delicious. Quality meat CHECK Meat chopped/shredded on the grill CHECK Quality cheese CHECK Quality roll CHECK (better if it was toasted) This place gets my vote for best cheesesteak in LA for sure, possibly california.

Food is quite good. Everyone enjoyed the tacos, and the Caesar salad was very good and a generous portion. The clam chowder was disappointing with very few clams. Cocktails were great.

We stopped in at The Venice Whaler after a long walk down the boardwalk. It was a cloudy day, so we didn't get much of a sunset, but this would have been an amazing spot to view it from the second floor deck. Our drinks were all great. The shrimp tacos and tuna poke' were really good. And our server, Stephanie, was arguably among the best servers I have ever encountered. She had a huge number of tables but still made time to stop and answer every question cheerfully. I can't speak highly enough of her! Great little spot for an amazing view of the pier and a good meal.

The fish and chips here were good. Tartar sauce was tasty and for the $3 price tag I think they could give one refill of Coke. With that said, I'd still go back. Maybe try the wings next time.

The fish tacos were great and the outdoor patio was a perfect spot for people watching and just a few feet from the pier and beach for watching sunset.

Absolutely horrendous service. First was asked by the hostess to move tables after being seated for 15 minutes so they could seat a larger group. Waitress came by a total of two times after we got our food. Once to ask if we wanted another cocktail (while our water glasses were empty) and second to clear the table and give us the bill. Not once were we asked how the food was (quite mediocre).

This restaurant has a great view of the Venice Pier and the Pacific ocean. The clientele is a different story. Once night falls the frat boys come out and it is not very tourist or family friendly. It appears they establishment doesn't mind. If you can go in the daytime it is a great place to spend an afternoon. The food is pretty good the price is not great. 4 stars before 4 pm. 2 Stars after 4 pm.

We had fish and chips and the food was nice. Maybe a bit over priced for what it was but I guess it's to do with the location. Overall not a bad experience

There are plenty of other options on venice beach to eat and grab a beer, if u get a good spot in Venice whaler then it's worth it, when I say good spot I mean a spot from where you can see the beach, or else it's jus like any other bar, I had the fish and chips which were alright, nuthin extraordinary ..

Stumbled upon this place, and enjoyed an amazing meal. The grilled chicken sandwich on fresh bread with yummy shoestring fries, Chilaquiles, barbecue chicken pizza was on point, and tuna poke bowl was big w yummy sauces. Bottomless, mimosas special with any brunch item was good, but because they were so busy, it took a while to get refills. Outdoor seating had a covering and plexiglass bears to keep you buffeted from the wind. Highly recommend.

This restaurant looks simple but the food is AMAZING. Get a table on the second floor facing the but......OMG?

Visited here on the last night of a family holiday in California. It was the perfect ending. It was a Friday evening and very busy with quite loud music playing. It looked really full but thought we would see if we could get a table anyway. We’re taken to one straight away!! Sat outside with a view of the pier and the sunset. Service was prompt and friendly, we ordered cocktails that came quickly. We ordered the burger which claims to be in the top 10 in LA!! It was delicious, cooked perfectly. Also had fries on the side which were great. There was a great atmosphere, staff super friendly and perfect location. Would recommend to anyone, was the perfect end to our trip!!

The food was good pub food, the service was quick & we had a great view from an outside table. Can thoroughly recommend the desserts! We also benefited from a patio heater being put on when it got a bit chilly in the evening!

Upstairs is a) a little rowdy b) has brilliant beach views and c) really cool staff to make a cocktail or two, over and above that, the fish taco's are to die for, probably the best I tried in the USA, and trust me, I tried plenty all over SoCal,

We stopped by Venice Whaler after a day of surfing and had a delicious burger and some refreshing beers. The staff were very friendly and the service was great. And we went for burgers because they're supposedly one of the best in LA, and they did not disappoint. A very cool place to hang out by the beach.

Totally chill, dress down, typical beachfront bar. Service was amazing. Vibe was beach chill. There is nothing fancy about this place except it's right on the boardwalk with great view of the water, cool music, it's loud and kinda divey. But that's totally what I expected. If you're looking for something fancy don't come here. Ya want good bites, good service and local Venice feel this is your spot.

There were many places closed, it was 62 and windy, they were open so we stopped in at 10:30am, Bloody Marys were very good wings were great crispy and flavorful. Service was a bit slow but only 1 waitress was working for a packed room.

Not a big fan of Venice Beach per se, but rode our rental bikes down from Santa Monica to check it out. Worked up an appetite, and discovered Venice Whaler so we stopped in. Waitress was pleasant, patient and offered selections. The food portions were huge. Sliders, chicken bites, fish and chips were more than shareable. And delicious too. Best bet is to sit upstairs where you can see the ocean, but our downstairs outside seats were nothing to cry about. Would highly recommend.

I really want to like this place more than I do. The location is great and the view from the open upstairs is wonderful. It can get rowdy which is not a bad thing just a fact. The area has a lot of interesting people and unfortunately quite a large homeless community. We live in the area so we usually just go upstairs for a drink and to see the view. Worth a visit.

Visited the Venice Whaler a couple of times whilst on our honeymoon and fell in love with it. The location is superb, just off the boardwalk and Venice pier. The staff were really friendly, the food we had was great and the drinks certainly did the job! Sitting outside as the sun goes down is a real treat, can't beat that view of palm trees as the sun sets. I would visit every time I go to Venice, just a great place to go. During the day is very chilled out, the evening it certainly steps up in to a much more bar vibe, but mostly only if you are inside and in particular upstairs. But that's your call, up for party, down for chill. Either way, I love this place.

Brunch crowd was lively at the Whaler. I had a few hrs to kill on my way to Australia... worth the 20min lyft ride to enjoy a beach view, lively crowd, fesh oysters, and a rainy day.

Got in late, just flown into LAX & wanted to try here & visit Venuce Beach. Really cold, but the walk around the area is pretty cool. The area was packed due to a football game so lots of people around which added to the atmosphere. Pretty young age demographic which gives it an edgy surfer feel. The food, whaler beer & service is worth going for!

We went here after a nice Venice boardwalk. This must be one of the best hamburger I have tasted. And the french fries was perfectly done. This is far from a fine dining place, but the food is great. A lot of people, music and quite noisy, but we thought it was great! Quite expencive.15$ for det burger. 7$ for the french fries. We thought it was worth it.

The place is always loud, which is great sometimes, otherwise it's just noisy - they took my credit card to start a tab, left the table with it, did not return it, went back the next day to ask for it, the manager said "that's why we don't take them away from the table, we just slide it and return it, is it this one" and showed me a card that was not mine, but clearly indicated mine was not the first one they screwed up and kept; I said it wasn't mine and he had no interest in trying to help me, just said "sorry, don't know what to tell you" - avoid, there are WAY better places to go spend money!!!

Located next to the pier. Plenty of paid for parking space in front of the beach. Bar downstairs is quiet but upstairs is hopping with live DJ playing good atmosphere music.

Visited here for Happy Hour - Taco Tuesday. Food and drinks were delicious and very reasonable. Sat on the patio and had a beautiful view of the ocean.

What more to say. Great bartenders, busy, excellent people place, socialize, have a few pops and enjoy the beach atmosphere. If your an adult and you can’t enjoy the simplicity of this place, then I got nothing for ya!

Had a fantastic lunch at this Venice beach hot spot. The Hawaiian pizza was fantastic. Very cool atmosphere, sat upstairs with a view of the ocean on a beautiful California day.

This is the perfect place to take a break, have a beer & a bite at the far end of Venice beach. If you are not into walking there is a large parking lot just in front. I really liked sitting upstairs which is semi-outdoors, has a bar and four screens tuned into the latest sports events. Perching on a barstool tugging into a plate of crispy brussel sprouts with Parmesan, grapes and chillies and drinking an ice cold IPA it was ideal to watch the weird and wonderful people take their evening strolls on the Venice Pier. Very nice for a sundowner too. Sam, my waitress, made sure I was well watered (make that IPAed) in an unobtrusive, perfectly timed and friendly way. Good thing because the sprouts were nicely salty (thankfully the chillies were the mild kind). It was quiet on a Monday evening with just a few sports enthusiasts watching the game. Actually, not so quiet at all. There was a whole film team recording the antics of enthusiastic American football fans. No idea who those guys were. It was just what you expect, pretty typical for Venice Beach, there is always some kind of show going on.

The place is very well located. You can’t miss it. The food is ok and the drinks are good. The wait to get a table is sometimes long for what you get. We have also been on the terrasse for an afternoon drink and it was nice. But the late dinner atmosphere was totally different I guess that it is a different crowd at night, much more noisy, dark and felt dirty versus sunny umbrellas, happy drinks and looking at people walking by. For a lunch or drink absolutely but late evening dinner not for me.

Because of the name of the restaurant and the location I thought that they offered a variety of seafood choices. Unfortunately, they barely had seafood on the menu. Otherwise the food that I ordered it was good.

Having walked from Santa Monica to Venice Beach we were ready for something to eat and drink and this place had a nice upstairs with an open air (partially) terrace. The staff were really friendly and the service was quick and I have to say that the fish and chips (Cod) were pretty good value. There were three pieces of battered cod and the batter was really crispy. Very nice meal and for LA it was a reasonable price

We were taken here by locals and it did not disappoint! The food is delicious, drinks are great and staff are awesome! It's not too badly priced either which made a nice change. If you sit outside, you can watch the world go by with a great view of the beach still. We spent our last hours there as we had a flight late in the day. They kept our luggage safe for us whilst we enjoyed dinner, which was a great help to us :)

Was walking by and saw this place. Fantastic spot just on the edge of the beach - great views of the ocean and sunsets. Food was excellent, drinks too. 'Happy hour' offers available Just a cool place to hang out

I’ve been to the Whaler many times. Like most people, I come back for the location (right on the beach) and atmosphere (as part of the Venice scene). Unfortunately staff have become increasingly pretentious and several seem to look down on their customers. That’s a shame as the food is good and the beer selection also solid.

Centrally located in Venice beach. Outside seating. Great chips and guacamole. Shrimp quesadillas perfect, especially the house made habenerro sauce.

Had lunch here on the way to go to SF from LA. It is ok - my husband got a burger and I ordered a sandwich (Californian one?). Well, quite fast service and good sandwich. We seated outside in the little terrace as inside was too busy with too many noises. Well for a quick stop it is ok.

Great bar facing the beach at Venice Beach. Friendly welcome, music, roof top. Special mention for happy hour until 6 p.m. on weekdays with very attractive prices. We had a drink and ate some very well cooked tapas. To recommend

There is lot’s of mediocre places along the Venice boardwalk. At first glance, this is another one. But food is very fresh, great service and nice views from the second floor terrace. Enjoy!

My wife and I had lunch while we we killing time before an international flight out of LAX. The food was very overpriced. The stunning thing was I forgot my debit card while leaving and I returned back on about 15 minutes once I recalled I left it behind. Two days later my credit union is alerting us in Europe that my debit card has been compromised and that there were charges made at a Dicks Sporting Goods in nearby LA that were made after we were already in Europe. One of their employees must be responsible for the theft and fraud. DO NOT TRUST THIS ESTABLISHMENT.

Famous Philly cheesesteak was a disappointment, my kids can make better ones then this place can, if you want to feel sick after a meal by all means order this, kids had the pizza they looked pretty flat and plain, nothing special here

Ideally located at the beginning of Venice Beach (which is more confidential than the Venice Beach of tourists) the restaurant welcomes you in on a large terrace where you can enjoy the views of the beach and sunset while enjoying a good pizza or other typical American dish for an affordable price considering the location I recommend

Do not go. Worst breakfast ever. Order came out wrong eggs cold and I don’t even know if the hash browns were made out of potatoes. Just bad. Sorry whaler

Fun restaurant. We went there for happy hour drinks and apps. All of the food was delicious.the Chicken skewers were delicious as were the sweet potato fries and quesadillas. Great service and friendly atmosphere.

The shrimp tacos were amazing!! I highly recommend them. The calamari was lightly breaded and fresh. Our granddaughter had the pizza lol! Who does that at a seafood restaurant? Oh well, she’s only 6. Loved the menu and the catchy names of the drinks.

Great bar to have a good beer watch some sport and maybe even watch the Sun set from the terrace! Food choice looked good too

Great food clam chowder fries best and fish tacos Would recommend this place to anyone nice area to sit also.

It was a busy Sunday in the summer when we visited. We expected a long wait. To our surprise we were immediately seated and served. Quick temperature checks are required to enter and the young lady apologized as she used a no-contact thermometer. The service was prompt and the delivery of our order was quick. While I had the shrimp cocktail, my wife had fish and chips. Rather than several pieces of fish, the plate was served with one large battered piece of fish and enough shoestring fries to share. Despite how busy it was, the place operated like a well oiled machine.

This is a great spot to watch the sunset. I am new to LA, so I don't know much of the hidden gems. This is not hidden, but it is definitely a gem. A few co-workers took me here after work one Friday for happy hour. This is a great spot right on Venice Beach. It does get crowded, but we were able to snag a table on the second level. It gave us a gorgeous view of the beach and the sunset. We didn't order any food, but the drinks were good. I am not much of a beer person, but the whisky and coke definitely had a heavy poor which was great. The prices are steep, but I'm learning LA as a whole is more expensive than Boston (Where I am from). I'd recommend this place for a Happy Hour drink or just to hang out. Definitely has a chill, beach vibe to it.

Well-located beach bar in the heart of Venice. Excellent staff, tasty grinds, beautiful ocean side atmosphere. Perfect for a Saturday beer and burger by the sea. Joaquin was awesome and took great care in making sure we were enjoying our time there. Thanks Whaler staff!

My wife and I stopped by here for a late lunch and a beverage and were lucky enough to get a patio seat. On the patio you are basically right on the beach with a nice view of the area. Service was good and our meal was good.

I'm not 21 and this place was fantastic! The server was a man named "Cash" who really made our night. Being served by someone who cares to make me a margarita just the way I like it speaks volumes. I'll be back if Cash is there. The brussel sprouts and guac apps were delicious. We sat inside and could still see the gorgeous sunset.

Upstairs patio is pretty cool. Def recommend it. There was a little bit of a line so get there early. Cool crowd. It’s a loud place!!! Good music and good fun. Nice view of the beach.

We came here on our last trip to Los Angeles in 2016 and so we decided it would be the perfect spot for a sunset drink on our last night on this trip in 2018, before heading out to stay at an airport hotel. It's a great spot with a commanding view, right opposite the beach and perfectly Venice. We squeezed ourselves onto the crowded balcony, and clapped and cheered and toasted to the sunset along with everyone else. A perfect last night of our trip, and our favourite place in Venice. Bonus points for A+ wings!

I can’t say anything about the food as we were only there for 20 to 30 minutes an had one beer. This one is about the service. Having spent the last 3 weeks traveling around California and loving it and everywhere we have been, we decided to spend our last day around Venice. We were exploring the boardwalk, beaches and canals and decided to stop in somewhere for a pick-me-up. We asked to sit outside by the sun but that was welcomed with a pouty face and mutters under their breath as that required them clearing a couple cups of a table. We sat down asked for some water and ordered some beer. 2 beers in 20mins + $2 tip. I went to the toilet on the way out and my boyfriend waited outside. When I came out of the toilet (obviously they didn’t recognise me) I was greeted by 2 blonde waitresses moaning that “those guys only left a couple dollars” and rolling their eyes, huffing and puffing telling their dramatic story to their colleagues. Seriously? Next time, you want to moan about customers don’t do it in front of them and don’t greet them like they just ruined your day. All in all, feel free to go there if you want to be talked about behind your back by sassy waitresses. Far better service at the other end of the beach and around Abbot Kinney.

Great beer and decent happy hour. Had the fish tacos and the whaler burger and were filled. Service got slower as more customers showed up upstairs, but still a worthwhile visit for the views and the beers.

Great service from the moment I got there to the moment when I left. Everyone was attentive and friendly. I had fish sandwich it was very good. The location is good, if I’m ever back this way I will eat here again. . If you’re reading this review go there and get some food it’s worth it.

The restaurant is at the end of the street, right at the boardwalk. There is a large flat rate parking lot just past the restaurant. It is a 2 story building, with indoor and outdoor seating on both levels. Only the upstairs was open when we arrived, right at noon. I did not see an elevator, so I'm not sure what one does if unable to climb a narrow staircase. The view of the ocean is, of course, spectacular. They serve pub style food: burgers, fish and chips, etc. My dining companions told me that on Friday nights, the place is packed with the young drinker crowd to which I no longer belong. Service was very attentive and the food was excellent (although, obviously, it isn't a steak house). There is limited metered parking on the street leading up to the boardwalk, but it is short term, and my experience in beach towns is that the fines for overtime parking are quite steep. The flat rate lot cost $7 at noon on a weekday, well worth it. I don't know if they charge more at night or on weekends. If you are a resident of the L. A. metro area and want to impress out of town visitors with the beautiful blue Pacific Ocean, this is a great place to go. The restaurant was busy, but not packed, so we did not feel rushed. They have free (password protected) wi fi, for those who need their electronic devices to make it through lunch.

Lunch on a sunny Saturday at the Venice Whaler is a great way to spend the afternoon . Good drinks, lively atmosphere and delicious fish tacos. The wait staff was friendly. The location is great and it is close to the parking lot so that makes is easier.

Had a fun night here! Expect great music with a DJ playing all kind of rhythms! You can dance, have a nice drinks and enjoy Venice Beach vibes! So California!

Cold drinks, locals, lots of atmosphere overlooking the ocean, absolute magic. Can't ask for a better stop, and not overly touristy. It still holds its locals charm. Good drinks selection, service was a bit slow but they are so busy. Could way to pass an hour or so people watching

I’ve got to see if you’re in the Venice area that you have got to stop at the whaler. They have a great selection of beers and the menu is outstanding. My wife had the fish tacos which were so awesome my daughter had the pizza which was incredible another person in our party had the hamburger and I had the fish and chips it was the best I’ve ever had in the atmosphere is unbelievable truly one of the best stops I’ve ever had on vacation in Venice

Super casual beachy vibe with great burger and sweet potato fries. Go upstairs and get a spot overlooking the beach!

Great atmosphere, popular bar. We’d just arrive at Venice, sun was setting and the bar is located by the pier. Happy hour had just finished but still great value food.

We ate here twice on our visit. Breakfast was good as was the coffee. Good omelet and a side of bacon. Good coffee and service too. Monday night special included a variety of inexpensive tacos that were also good and a $6 margarita that was okay. The bar gets very busy.

Came here almost every day during our week stay! The sunsets were great and so was the beer! Loved the clam chowder fries and burgers were delicious !

Stepped in for a quick beer and some fries. Quick and excellent service. Beer was good :-) and fries were tasty. Will be back.

Good location on the beach ,gorgeous day .Upstairs was too busy ,no seating so sat inside .i had fish and chips ,it looked like fish and chips and the piece of fish was large .Just totally tasteless .french fries were good .My wife had fish tacos and said it was decent .Bathrooms were scruffy and smelly .Better places to eat in Venice I think .venice itself is gorgeous and a hidden gem .

We stumbled upon this place by chance after a long travel day, just after arriving in LA. The kitchen was about to close, but the incredibly friendly staff still made it possible for us to place an order—and within no time, we were enjoying an excellent dinner. The rice and chicken bowl was fresh and full of flavor, and the burgers and pizza were just as tasty. Definitely worth a visit!

I arranged for a work group to watch a sunset and have appetizers and drinks here. It was definitely a great idea. Although it was a bit crowded, everyone enjoyed themselves, the food was delicious and the sunset view of the Pacific was stupendous. Definitely order the brussel sprouts appetizer. It was fabulous. It was deep fried with grapes and sprinkled with cheese. We also had the chicken skewers which were large pieces of grilled chicken breast. The white/veggie pizza was better than the regular pizza in my opinion. The vegetable skewers were a bit disappointing since the pieces were cut too big (corn on the cob pieces, onions, etc.). Definitely a place to go for a tourist to see the view and have some good food.

This place has great views in the day and a real buz at night, very bohemian in its clientel at night with a brilliant vibe. The food is great value for money and plenty of it. My tip is try the "clam chouder and chips" We will most definately be visiting this unique bar again, and again.

Very nice place: from the upper floor it would be possible to admire the sunset but finding a place is not easy. However, we had a good time outside, in the open air, where "braziers" and heat mushrooms are set up. Advised.

My wife and I headed down to Venice Beach to kill some time by ourselves, i.e. while her kids were doing something else. We were hungry and decided to give this place a try. It seems like a pretty darn fun place, and I would have no trouble going back. We split an order of fish tacos and, if I recall correctly, some kind of seafood nachos which were very unique and tasty. This isn’t fine dining, all I can say is that we had a good time and good service and wouldn’t mind going back.

My daughter and I had the sliders which were fantastic along with the sweet potato fries. My husband had fish and chips which was mediocre. My son had fish tacos which were just ok. My son in law had the Philly steak and cheese which was good. The worst thing was how loud it was....music was so loud we couldn’t carry on a conversation.

Given we arrived for lunch on Christmas Day, we were just happy to find an open restaurant for lunch. The staff was very friendly and helpful, given the limited menu. We had the tacos and wings and really enjoyed both, while also enjoying views of Venice Beach and the VB pier. I have to assume that the full menu would be equally good on a normal day. Would definitely recommend.

Hadn't been here in a while, but the food is still pretty good. My faves are their grilled shrimp tacos, calamari and their salads. The service however is another story. Missing drinks, missing napkins, missing silverware. We waited for at least 10-15 minutes for all of these AFTER our food was delivered by kitchen staff. Our server was nowhere to be found and clearly annoyed with us when we finally saw her and tried to get her attention and asked for the missing items, not cool. Of course attitudes change when the check comes and the 25% tip is already conveniently highlighted for you. That said, the live music is fun, there's great people watching and a nice breeze sitting outside, we will just avoid that server's section next time.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, great food pizza and wings specifically. The waitress did mess up the bill but we didn’t catch it on time

Our party of four ate out on the upper patio area with great service at a long hightop table for a lunch. We ordered the salmon, a chicken sandwich, mussels, and a burger. Everything was delicious!

Cool place, great for people watching. It's a little rough 'n' ready but that's half the charm, food was pretty reasonable, good beer selection, great music and service was ok. Good place to come and watch people as it's permanently busy

We were staying in a rental on the canals in Venice and after walking the strand we picked up a sandwich to eat at home. The place was busy, however, the "to go" order was ready in about 5 minutes and we were on our way. The sandwich was exellent and the server as very polite and prompt. We'll have to do dinner there next time as the view is incredible.

Went for a couple of drinks, sat outside as we had a backpack so we were not allowed to sit inside. Security at entrance friendly and helpful. Beer well kept. Ideal location close to Venice pier, lovely place to people watch.

Had a great time with friends for drinks after work. Lively bar, and would recommend t the margaritas!

My husband loves this place, he orders the club. It's great but doesn't come with fries. Like overpriced for just the sandwich. Fried fish tacos are great, tons of onions. If you're not an onion person don't order Poke or guacamole with chips. Tons and tons of onions. The fries with chowder is weird. Moscow mole was great but the coconut colada was super fatty (it coats your mouth with coconut oil). Chicken wings were very spicy. Blackberry lemonade is amazing for an non alcoholic drink.

Good good in a fab setting, if a little on the pricey side. Something for everyone and very friendly staff.

We had dinner and drinks here after an early evening stroll down Venice promenade. It was absolutely buzzing and we got one of the last tables outside. On reflection I think an upstairs table on the terrace would have been better for views over the beach. The margaritas were very good as were the coconut shrimps and other dishes we shared, but the service left a bit to be desired, perhaps because they were so busy. We had to wait ages to get served drinks, and again to order food.

Husband and I were visiting from New Hampshire. We were heading to LAX but had some time to kill so stopped in here for a snack. We sat upstairs, at the bar overlooking the beach. We got chips/guacamole/salsa which were delicious. I had a margarita. 😋 And I asked the waiter if I could have a taste of the New England Clam Chowder as I’m picky about my NE Clam Chowder, being a New Englander. Well, it was good! The major difference is there was a lot of vegetables (carrots and peppers) while we put chunks of potato in it. The clams in the chowder I tasted were minced whereas we put whole clams in. I understand not everyone would care for whole clams so the minced clams make sense. The broth was delicious!!! So…if they switched out the veggies with potato chunks…it would get 5 stars from me! The restaurant overall is five stars. The service was wonderful. The view was beautiful. The atmosphere was fun. Will definitely come back!

We went in for a casual lunch. Had no problem getting seated outside. It is a great place for people watching and had seemed to have a good vibe. However, server service was very slow, it wasn't super busy. It's possible they could have been short staffed. Most importantly, the food was disappointing. I know its a bar, but I expected better food. None of our party of 4 enjoyed their meals, it was like overcooked, previous frozen fast food. The drinks were good. It's too bad because its in such a great spot beside the beach.

Spent a nice afternoon at the Whaler. Had good tacos and great beer. Fabulous view over Venice beach. A great place to relax and just watch people.

Ok, let’s begin by saying that I was so sad that when I went for the second time I still couldn’t eat the Vegan Burger. Even though I cannot testify about the vegan burger, I can promise you that the French fried sweet potato is awesome. But still, this restaurant is a Must Go in LA when it comes about eating. It is near the Venice Canals and at the end of the Venice Beach, so it's a great starting or ending point to your tour. Also, it has a upper deck on the second floor that has a great view of the beach. So, do not forget to visit this restaurant.

We stopped in for lunch while walking the boardwalk. We were seated on the rooftop deck, had amazing views of the pier and ocean. I highly recommend the grilled cheese w pulled pork- DELICIOUS! Good margaritas, friendly staff and fun atmosphere

Great spot for lunch by Venice Beach. We had a pizza, lobster Mac and cheese, surfers burrito and chicken burger. All delicious and good service

Fantastic atmosphere, delicious meal, friendly staff and a lovely sunset. The first evening in Los Angeles was great, thanks mostely to this place. Fantastically delicious (I think that the best) French fries I've eaten and a great chicken meat. Thank you so much. :)

We were staying in Marina Del Rey and wandered over to the end of Washington where there are a bunch of restaurants. There was a nice upstairs patio, however, with 3 boys (8, 11, & 13 yrs old) we opted to eat on the main floor outside. It was 6 pm on a Thurs and we were seated right away. The tables were well worn and a bit wobbly. We ordered BBQ Pizza, Calamari, Wings (Dry w/ BBQ sauce on the side), Clam Chowder (w/corn), and Plank Salmon for my 13 yr old. The Salmon was by far the most popular dish and we nearly ordered a 2nd one. We talked to one of the regulars and he said the chef was on Bar Rescue a few times, and the food showed that he know his stuff. We would have gone back in a heartbeat, but our time was short in this area of Cali, and we make it a point not to eat at the same places 2ce while on vacation.

This fun, exuberant restaurant is right near the water and is a great place to have a casual meal with fun music. We were seated right away and ordered both food and drinks, and while we waited, we got to soak in the excitement of an evening near the beach. The fish & chips and the Philly cheesesteak were both good, and my strawberry shaken lemonade was quite good. Our waitress was super friendly and checked in on us. Apparently there's a DJ on the rooftop, so we got to listen to live music as well. This place isn't fancy, so if you're expecting a high-class meal, I suggest you go elsewhere.

I went here solo, I had the most fantastic waitress who made me feel right at home, I believe here name was Krisia...that girl deserves a raise. So friendly and prompt! I had oysters and Cioppino...I have to tell you the Cioppino was incredible! Perfect dish out on the patio on a cool day. Definitely recommend, everything was 5/5.

A great place to stop by Venice beach to people watch and enjoy a drink. Service was good and food was good too. Great for a quick pit stop.

Food is average is this busy beachside place. Two floors upstairs is a loud bar, downstairs an inside (empty) bar and seating outside with food service. Basic fare that was fine but not otherwise noteworthy. Great views.

Food just not good… totally weird pizza, Brussels sprouts no flavor… Service was very good and has a cool atmosphere though

Stopped in for a late dinner after exploring the beach. The menu had something for everyone. My 5 year old ended up eating 2/3 of the smash burger I ordered. Staff were all very helpful and paid extra care to my daughter. Prices seemed very reasonable as well. A great start to our trip.

Went to this restaurant on Tripadvisor reviews and location. Visited 2cd floor which is open seating. Went during HH and that saved a few $. Nice view, decent food and drink selection. Special hamburger was very good, wife had fish tacos,also good. Nice place to catch a view of the beach/ocean. Good beach music as well. Went mid afternoon on weekday and was moderately crowded.

You won’t be disappointed. Perfect local to quench your thirst after a day exploring Venice Beach. Try the mussels.

We went during the lunch hour and was fortunate to get seating on the upper patio. Beautiful views of the ocean. We ordered the Nicky's Philly Cheesesteak, Ahi Tuna Poke and California Chicken Club sandwich with an appetizer of fried pickles. Everything was delicious! Highly recommend and would go back again.

Nice place directly on the Venice Beach promenade and at the end of Washington Blvd. We went late in the evening and we were positively surprised by an excellent live music in the bar. The restaurant in divided in three parts: ground floor has a bar and some places outside covered by a light ceiling; first floor there is a nice terrace and an other good bar. We recommend the "slider beef", three small hamburgers delicious.

Picked up a takeaway from here for lunch and it was very tasty. It is small for American portions and I was a little surprised for the price.

I popped in for lunch and was able to get a seat upstairs facing the beach - so, perfect. The food was OK but I must say the service was acceptable but a bit slow. I was disappointed of their ala carte selections as I really wanted a fish taco but to do so, I would have to opt for the fish taco plate (3 tacos), which was more than I needed. Surprisingly, the waiter didn't offer an accommodation as they are a basic item around the beach.......but I guess they prefer not to have guest deviate from the menu????? I opted for the claim chowder fries which was actually a tasty dish. A couple of notes about the venue. It is immediately east of the sand, thus it is a busy restaurant. Seating is first come, first served upstairs and that is where the bar is located. Upstairs has windows all around so you can see the water/beach.

Service by our waitress was not great. Ex: Had to request water 3 times. Only one meal came out. A gentleman who seemed to be bussing tables noticed and corrected it. He was far more attentive than our waitress. *When the check came, it was a different waitress who brought it. It was interesting that they take your credit card before you order and even pre charge you before you are done. I assume this is because people may walk out on their bill, but yet they are the ones to worry about. Our bill came with $48 worth of drinks we did not order. When I pointed it out, it took another 20 minutes for her to return with the corrected bill. Food was good, but not worth the money, aggravation and attempt to overcharge for items not ordered.

Went here after a day of surfing! Very casual place... went in swim suits and coverups. Sat outside and had super yummy fish tacos. Excellent vibe here! Lots of good people watching.

Great place just to people watch. We sat upstairs and everything we ordered was of good quality. The Brussel Sprouts were AMAZING and a definite order again. Servings were good sized. Our server noticed that our Fries were undercooked and removed them without being asked. Service was fantastic and just a great casual place to sit and watch the sunset and world go by.

Had a great afternoon in here. They have a good selection of beers, and the food menu is fairly good for pub fare. We had the tacos and the fish and chips, both quite good....but do yourself a favour and order the Choc croissant pudding.....it was devine. The outdoor area upstairs is great for kicking back and watching the sun drop behind the pier. Really friendly staff and fast service. Will be coming back here.....hopefully

Had brunch recently here and I must say this is Venice! The food was great/ I had the breakfast sandwich, didn't expect it to be that good. Will definitely be back. Ate upstairs and had a nice view of the beach.

This is a great place with a Venice beach view. We were there for drinks. We loved it there. I recommend it. Definitely worth visiting.

Visited this bar twice whilst holidaying in Santa Monica. Right beside Venice beach, gorgeous views and varied menu, loved the southern fried chicken and dip Loved the little touch they have of serving the coconut juice in its shell and when finished they crack it for you to eat the coconut itself. Lovely sunny location outside also inside upstairs, all windows so open views

You might think this bar & grill is only location, location, location, but it's definitely more. My daughter had a burger, which was huge and I had an equally large, philly cheese steak and we both were very happy. We sat upstairs and the ocean view and people watching were awesome. Will eat there again on our next trip.

Having read some of the previous reviews, I guess it depends on your server. We attended in a a group of 11, all pre-booked on a Monday evening. It was fairly quiet. Asked for a table outside, where we could see the beach. The speaker was next to us and incredibly loud, but our request to turn it down was dealt with promptly. Our waitress (unfortunately, didn't get her name) was very good and interactive. Food and drinks were very good and came out quickly. All in all, we had a good experience so I guess it depends on when you go and who serves you, but I'm cutting slack as well on the other reviews as many restaurants are finding it difficult to ramp up as we come out of COVID both in terms of consistency of staffing and regular trade.