Water Grill

SO very thankful that I was recommended this restaurant for my birthday dinner with my boyfriend last month! We were instantly greeted with a warm and friendly staff. Our host Jade who was aware I was celebrating, found a the PERFECT spot by the window that overlooked Ocean Blvd. & the ocean :) Jade even came by a few times during our stay with that beautiful smile making sure everything was great! She even took our picture outside at the end of our stay.
Our server was incredible as well! I do forget her name, but I will always remember her tip top service. She was always one step ahead and was there right away whenever we needed her.
Thank you to everyone at Water Grill for making my birthday so much sweeter!

I had what I can best describe as a confusing dinning experience. I sat at the bar and ordered two dishes. The first was the grilled octopus. Not only was it cooked to perfection, the charcoal taste of the grill combined with a tomato purée and olives only served to enhabce the subtle flavours of the octopus.
In contrast, the Chilean sea bass that was so highly recommended by Unilocal users was a shocking disappointment. The cauliflower purée overwhelmed the palate, making it nearly impossible to taste the fish. The flavours that did make it through seemed excessively buttery. In fact, rather than water, this fish was still swimming in a sea of oil. The cooking was uneven, three-​quarters of it was cooked perfectly, but the other quarter was nearly raw.
Last but not least, the service at the bar was nearly non-​existent, compounding my confusion given the prices charged. It took about 10 minutes for me to get a glass of water, the bartenders seemingly uninterested as they went about their business. Forget about refills, I left my empty glass visibly aside, and only the bar-​back offered to refill it after over 15 minutes and dozens of walk-​by from the rest of the staff. The bartender didn’t offer me bread (the people next to me were though), he didn’t ask how any of the dishes were, and he really didn’t seem to care, frequently referring to me as ‘buddy’.
As nice as this place is, I would suggest you take your money and spend it elsewhere.

My experience at Water Grille was nothing far from lovely. The two of us called ahead of time to get a reservation on a Thursday, they were very cordial and sat us in a very favorable area where we were treated to more than exceptional service by our server. Chelsea, who was extremely welcoming, charming and informative told us of the dishes that she enjoyed in which we ordered and enjoyed as well. It also helped that we were both East coasters and talked a lot about seafood and how much we enjoyed appreciating good places on the West coast.
The Oysters from Hood Canal (Puget Sound) were very fresh and enjoyable to say the least. Our dish was removed as soon as we were done and had an appetizer (recommended by Chelsea) of the Clams and Chorizo which was rich and full of flavor.
The Clam Appetizer was a perfect amount of food for two people and only continued to get better by each bite. Since I am an East coaster I have a very strict mentality on seafood, the garlic butter cream sauce was an amazing compliment to the saltiness of the chorizo.
We then shared a large lobster, which we learned shortly after we ordered that they only had a lobster of 2.7 pounds left. I understand prices of lobster being from Boston so, ultimately, I assumed that we were getting only but the best because we were paying more.
The only thing I would change is the fact that the butterflied lobster tail was overcooked. We got the 2.7 lbs. lobster that night which was steamed and buttered. I understand being from Cape cod, Massachusetts I have a mentality toward my seafood, but unfortunately, if I am going to spend 70 dollars for a lobster it should not be tough and hard to cut. I had to use a knife on the tail of the lobster which was the first thing my guest and I noticed and tried of our main course. The claws and legs were extremely tender and pleasant and we had no complaints about that. (4.5 star claws, 2 stars butterflied tail). And no emphasis on not trying because this place has always been consistent.
All in all, we had a great time and enjoyed the food and our service, but in the future, I think I will ask ahead of time how our lobster will be cooked if spending the money .
If i could, I would have put 3.5 stars instead of 3.

I decided to return after years, and it was just as good as I remembered! I walked in with a few friends, and were able to be seated immediately. After reviewing the menu, we ordered razor clams to share, chilean sea bass, fish and chips, a filet mignon, and mac and cheese.
The razor clams were so juicy, and the soup was nice and light. I love how they offer razor clams as most restaurants dont usually have this! We also did order uni to start, but our server did not catch it so we ended up just sharing one appetizer.
For entrees, I was pretty impressed at what we got. The chilean sea bass was melt in your mouth, while the fish and chips was actually one giant piece of fish. They used black cod which was super tender and soft, and the fries were yummy! For a seafood restaurant, the filet was actually really good! We got a mac & cheese to share as well which was tasty– creamy and baked on top.
Service was fantastic, and our guy checked up on us often. We ended up paying about $ 50 per person which is more on the pricey side, but you pay for what you get! Glad I returned, and I’m happy to know that they are still consistent in their food!

Wow wow wow! Order the Chilean Sea Bass… you won’t be sorry. It literally melts in your mouth like butter. I ordered a side of roasted brussel sprouts with chestnuts which complemented my fish very well.
Ask for a table by the window and enjoy the people watching and more importantly, ocean sunset view.
Will definitely be back to try other dishes as their menu was quite extensive. The service is also great!

Keeping this short and sweet:
— great ambience
— valet was really convenient in the zoo of parking that is Santa Monica
— The wild raw scallops were superb
Everything we tried was great (oysters, mussels, clams, raw bar).
Had the Chilean sea bass entrée and it was perfect. Cooked to perfection.
Huge shout out to the bar. I ordered 3 dirty vodka martinis and they were excellent. No ice cubes, didn’t taste watered down, perfect amount of olive juice.
I will be back with the clan.

I had walked by this restaurant so many times while strolling down Ocean Ave., but hadn’t stopped by until just recently, when we came here for a surprise birthday dinner for my boyfriend. I made a reservation through Open Table and requested them to seat us at a table with a view and to bring out a dessert for my boyfriend.
To my surprise, they actually granted my wishes (sadly, it doesn’t always happen at other restaurants)! We were seated at a table with a fantastic view of the ocean and great people-​watching. I ordered the Wild Alaskan Black Cod «Miso» (Sablefish), while my boyfriend had the Wild Ross Sea Chilean Sea Bass. Both fish were incredibly light and flaky and perfectly-​cooked. The sea bass smelled and tasted like buttered popcorn, which was definitely unique. We both really enjoyed our fish, however we wished that there had been more substantial side dishes that were included with the dishes, especially given the prices. The complimentary dessert we chose — the Caramel Bread Pudding — was sooo good! I basically ate 90% of it myself and couldn’t stop talking about it for days afterwards.
Due to the high prices, I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but this is definitely a solid option for seafood in Santa Monica if you’re looking for somewhere to celebrate a special occasion.

My family and I had a decent dinner here. The lobster is SO fresh! The soft-​shell crab was nice too and the cucumber-​watermelon was such a nice deduction to the crab.
Views are nice and valet is right at the door. Loved this place!

Great space, dim lights, both outside and inside seating.
Lovely rustic décor. I love coming here to get my oyster fix and devour on some good seafood.
Cocktails are tasty and servers are always very helpful and hospitable.
Love their fresh bread and butter.

Went here with another couple as a splurge night without kids. Michelle was our server – energetic, well-​educated on the menu, and very friendly! We enjoyed the deluxe iced seafood platter, which was amazing! We were offered hot towels with lemon slices to freshen up before our entrees, which were equally magnificent. Chilean sea bass, soft-​shell crab, cioppino, halibut… all cooked perfectly! Drinks were on point, desserts delicious! The caramel bread pudding was the star of the dessert menu, while the rice pudding was underwhelming compared to the rest of our experience.
We are so excited to visit again!

One of the more higher end restaurants by the pier, but depending on what you order it is worth the price. In my case we went with several different types of oyster, which were fresh and delicious. I will say on your visit the mussels tasted a bit funny and so we sent them back just to be safe, but the server swapped them out for clams, which were great.
Seating can be a bit difficult if you just wander in with no reservations on a weekend night. We were able to squeeze on to a table in the bar (open seating). The bar had several TV’s which we could watch the game on, and the servers were great as expected with a high end restaurant.
At the end of our meal we were given hot towels to help clean off the seafood feast we had all put away. The restrooms at the Water Grill are shared and so you will need a code to get in to the facilities, which can be found on the door as you exit to the common hallway.

Located on the beautiful Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica. The Watergrill has a large selection of seafood platter options that are fresh and affordable. Always a great spot to enjoy a glass of beer or champagne on a summer day near the ocean.
They have a large variety of options from filets to Salads. Full bar with lots of specialty cocktails too. Awesome place for dates and families.

I quite enjoyed my time here. Came on a Saturday afternoon, the weather couldn’t have been better. The doors were opened, found a great spot at the bar (beware the chairs are HEAVY).
Ended up getting a few drinks, Oysters (fanny bays) and…
WILD SPANISH OCTOPUS … 19
charcoal grilled with tomato, feta and niçoise olives
Loved the Octopus, it was cooked perfectly, fresh and the perfect portion!
I definitely appreciated the service we received, attentive and quick (even though it was very busy). I would love to come back here again, hands down!

Water Grill consistently serves up some of the best fish in LA. I’ve been to this location a few times over the span of a year and always leave impressed with the food.
One of my favorite parts of dining here is the complimentary cheese bread. They’re usually really good with refilling this so don’t fill up too much on the bread!
While I hear that the lobster roll is tasty, come here for the fish. I’ve probably tried half a dozen of their fish dishes but their Santa Barbara black cod miso continues to be my favorite. The fish is cooked perfectly, flaky, and falls apart in your mouth. My bf prefers the mahi mahi, which is slightly less tender but still amazing.
The views here of the beach are unbeatable but the restaurant’s proximity to the ocean can make dining here pretty chilly. Bring a jacket if you plan to sit by the windows!

I’m normally not a fan of these massive, blockbuster restaurant types, but there’s a time and place for them and well, it was my birthday and it’s across the street from the beach, so voilà!
They have an extensive menu, but we saved our energy and just ordered a monstrous mountain of raw and chilled seafood. I believe they called it the «Deluxe Iced Shellfish Platter.» It provided us with a bi-​costal tour of sea life, but with the freshness you’d expect from a place that’s strategically overlooking the ocean. I can’t endorse this seafood tower enough — excellent oysters, scallops (in a to-​die-​for pistachio/​citrus sauce), clams, mussels, lobster, crab, shrimp, prawns and some mysterious sea snails. We were three and unanimously thought it was enough for a light lunch of delicious chilled decadence.
The restaurant, as virtually all seafood establishments go, is not cheap, so while pricey, you can be assured of the quality of the food you’re given.

Reliable and consistent, so much so I’ve been there over a dozen times and will continue to be a regular so long as their quality remains at this level.
Water Grill always has a wide variety of oysters, a dozen or so daily varieties from diverse areas and species. Besides the variety, what is amazing is that, unlike other places with variety, each type, each piece served, manages to maintain its unique flavors, texture, je né se quoi that makes oyster species from particular areas unique and identifiable. Each piece reliably exhibits its terroir.
Isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be? Yes of course. Do most places deliver? No.
Water Grill does.
I usually go mainly for the oysters and clam, but when I order the cooked dishes, I am usually happy as well.
Tonight the halibut cheeks and grilled sea scallops were spot on.
The grilled spotted Santa Barbara prawns? Simple perfection.
They smelled great, they tasted great.
Service, as always, was friendly yet professional.
Solid four stars.

3.5 stars. We enjoyed our dinner here. Great location and service. They have kumamoto oysters so we had a ½ dozen, yum. Also the crudo platter was very good, especially the spicy scallops. We enjoyed the mixed green salad with fresh ingredients and delicious viniagrette. The chilean sea bass was good and the spaghetti squash that came with the swordfish was enjoyable too. Overall I preferred the appetizers to the main course, but I find that often happens. Good cocktails too.

Came in here last weekend for date night. Great and easily accessible location right next to the pier. Open windows for people watching and a very relaxed atmosphere. It’s a combination of romantic, intimate and trendy. Servers were attentive and respectful!
Onto the food — I had the blackened chicken and my date had the sea bass. Both were absolutely amazing. The blackened chicken was possibly the best I’ve ever had. Served with mango cous cous. Divine. I wish I would have tired he Brussel sprouts though. Perhaps next time — I know I’ll be returning! The menu is about 90% seafood, so beware if that’s not your (or your date’s) «thing»!
Also — margarita verde. Try it!
Check this place out if you’re looking for a fun, romantic date night spot in the area.

Water Grill serves seafood right next to the beach, with a plush, upscale, and masculine steakhouse kind of feel. The service is impeccable, friendly and charming, while also informative. The menu is diverse for beverages as well as small plates and entrees. The prices are on the higher end, so think nice dates, small anniversaries, taking your parents out, and business meals. Me, I was here because I was on a solo business trip and this is one of those places where people watching is great. Yay corporate cards.
As a solo diner, I was seated immediately at a two top by the door, overlooking the twilight sky and the joggers along the promenade. It was quieter here than the back of the restaurant with the big tables, so I was very thankful for my good fortune. The server was very charming, and happy to suggest items that were fresh. He checked in on me often and was very accommodating.
I ordered:
Uni toast — three excellent quality uni, each prepared in a different Asian fusion style (so do not share this appetizer since each one is uni-​que. haha. pun). I thought the uni to toast ratio was low and I could have used less bread. I did enjoy the various preparations though, one with a sweet eel sauce, one mildly spicy, and one with scallion.
Chilean sea bass with gnocchi — nice dense and fresh white fish, fluffy gnocchi. Good sized portion and more generous with the fish than with the pasta. The sizable fish portion does give one flavor fatigue, however, so perhaps I would recommend splitting two entrees if you’re not dining solo.
Roasted squash — a large portion, probably to be shared among three or four, and deliciously dressed with pumpkin seeds and a creamy sauce.
Tea — two leaves organic chamomile was super fragrant and I was refilled with hot water through the evening.
All around, a good meal, excellent service, an amazing location and view. All worth it for a special meal.

Wow I just really had high hopes for this place and they fell super short of what I really was expecting it to be. So I stumbled upon this restaurant on Unilocal because my girlfriends and I were in the mood for seafood in the Santa Monica. I bounced on over to opentable and reserved us a spot for 9:30 PM and boy am I glad I did that because they were extremely busy! And not to mention running behind on even seating people who had reservations like myself. We were so hungry we asked for the menu so we could already know what we’d like to eat prior to even being seated. They did their best to get us seated on time which I appreciate! Now our waitress was very pleasant to work with she made from what we understood «strong recommendations» and yeah hmm that «signature lobster roll» they have to offer was trash. I tasted my friends and there was absolutely no flavor and it was like a weird luke warm instead of being just warm. They give you an option of it either being hot or cold and they both chose warm. For $ 30 it wasn’t worth not one penny. Anyways I was going back and forth between this Tuna burger and the swordfish dish and I decided on that burger. Again for $ 20 it was offered by a choice of either the tuna being well or medium rare I went with well since the waitress said its better tasting that way. The burger itself was so underwhelming and the bun was just ugh too much bread with this tiny patty of tuna I was over it once I lifted the bun up and saw that my lettuce was brown and wilted smh. Brought it to our waitress attention and instead of replacing it or offering to make another one they gave us some desert lol at this point I didn’t care I just paid and left. No thanks, super sorry I didn’t have a better experience!

OMG I HAVE JUST FOUND MY NEW LOVE!
I have Monday’s off from work which sucks, but a few nights ago I came in for their delicious glass (3 glasses) of white burgundy première cru thanks to my colleagues suggestion.
Fast forward to today, Monday, February 22, I was craving oysters. I ordered a dozen Fanny Bay Oysters which were fresh, briny, pillowy in texture — pure heaven.
And then, I ordered the crudo sampler which was nicely mixed with different tastes and textures.
There is another delicious white wine which we are currently enjoying ~ 3 carafes of Muscadet from Loire Valley — refreshing and slightly sweet with hints of citrus fruit.
Most importantly, the service was exceptional. I had to ask her name because I she really made us feel welcome and great energy and friendly and engaging! Melissa is very attentive and even made my oyster bucket into an ice bucket for our ½ bottles of wine to stay cool. I am only going to come back each Monday because Melissa and also other staff we have encountered have all been truly welcoming and wonderful!
This is definitely a 5-​star experience!

I loved the ambiance and our waitress was great I just didn’t like the food. It was extremely mediocre. I order the lobster roll it came with fries. It had absolutely no flavor. Just plain lobster thrown on a bun for 30 bucks? My friend got the tuna burger and that wasnt great either. The lettuce on it was brown and wilted, unacceptable. He brought it to our servers attention and she apologized. She gave us a complementary dessert for the burger being gross. I appreciated that. She made the experience really good the stars are for her definitely not the bland food!

In short, their food is simply decent, but just not worth the price.
I figured that some of the other negative reviews might have been from food snobs, but I think I’m now in agreement (as a non-​snob). 1 out of the 4 dishes we tried was really great, but the other 3 were just nothing special, and my main dish was rather bland. I’m actually easily impressed by any good meal, but this just left lackluster for the coin dropped.
I just expected more quality for my money. It has a nice location, and cool inside, but I feel like you’re basically paying a premium just for that. I don’t think I’d go here again.

This was truly a wonderful birthday dinner! Made reservations for 5:00 and we were seated right away at a nice booth. Our server was Cameron, he was simply wonderful!
Ordered 2 glasses of Cloudy Bay wine, Crab Cake for appetizer and I got the Crab Legs and birthday boy got the Sea Bass. It was so great, everything was delicious. We also added a side of mashed potato, just cause!
Nice view, great service and wonderful food! The manager, Kelly was wonderful and I just cant say enough about this restaurant. It was perfect!

Probably the biggest disappointment in Santa Monica, and not just because I left in the middle of my meal violently ill. Our reservation was delayed by over a half hour, even though we were told they were seating on time when we arrived. The hostess said she would come find us at the bar when our table opened – and of course, she did not. After the most lemonade-​y Pimms punch I’ve ever had (without even the slightest hint of Pimms!), we were finally seated by a very frazzled waitress who pressed us for orders straightaway. Four of five of us got the Chilean sea bass at her insistence (she cut all questions about the menu short by continually stating «everyone gets the sea bass. I would go with the sea bass»), and when asking about the sides, she said there were no vegetables available that night and could not describe the polenta but we decided to give it a try. Terrible mistakes all around– none of us even could bring ourselves to finish the $ 42 a plate sea bass, which was tiny and sad and flavorless atop the uninteresting cauliflower purée (ours did not look ANYTHING like the dish other Unilocalers rave about– sad that they don’t have any consistency in the preparation of this dish), and the polenta was just a plain brick with a dollop of marinara sauce (why???) atop. I fell ill after an hour of picking at my sad, sad sea bass, and it took my husband 15 minutes to get our bill from the very unconcerned waitress so we could run home. $ 100 dinner wasted– we would have gotten more satisfaction (and less sick!) at Mcdonalds.

I have been here before and it was great to be back. A great experience again, despite a 35 minute wait because our table was lingering… Eventually we were seated in a comfortable booth which gave us room for the seafood feast that ensued.
Appetizers were the oyster sampler with half pound of shrimp. Great combo. The oysters that were a hit were the Chesapeake, British Columbia and Carlsbad, with rich flavor and a freshness that spoke of the oceans they each came from. The least favorites were Mexico and salty Virginia… Shrimp were firm and the half pound of about 9 shrimp was just right
The entrée was the whole fish of loup de mer (Mediterranean sea bass) which was deboned and served with the head. I chose without the capers as the salt becomes excessive for my palate. The lemon was sufficient to draw out the taste of the fish and the grilling process works well for this fish. The accompaniment were the Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts. — decadent.
We brought a bottle of Spring Mountain Cab 2008 and the wine was magnificent. The ripe dark fruit texture and classic cab taste may be frowned upon by some but it worked well with the entrée as the fish was very complex in texture and certainly the acidity of the lemon and the grilled fish (including the skin) made for a perfect marriage. The no corkage fee made it even better.
Our waitress, Tara was super. Very attentive and not overwhelming. Thanks.
Will be back, and hope not to have to wait as long next time.

I’d like to give this place another try (with a reservation). My boyfriend and I sat at the bar since the restaurant was booked solid with reservations. We ordered a few different things to try out the menu, but there wasn’t anything I’d have to go back and have…
The good:
— The location. Right on Ocean, you can watch the sun set over the Pacific.
— Friendly staff (at the bar)
— Great Old Fashioned. The one I ordered was perfection!
The eh:
— I wasn’t terribly impressed by the food, which I’d heard so many great things about. Our oysters were good but came with a sauce dish of pickled onions. I thought it was garlic butter! It would have been more fun if the sampler had been labeled in some way (how do you know which ones you like otherwise?). My crab cake was good but you get one — with an odd pickle salad. The best food we had were the hand-​cut fries.
The bad:
— Not very personable. We had questions about the raw oysters on the sampler menu but our bartender/waiter’s only response was «that’s what you get». And it’s not like you could tell one variety of oyster from another once they’re shucked and served on ice.
— No walk-​ins. On a Saturday night, the restaurant was «fully committed» to reservations. So our only option was to sit at the bar or bar high-​tops (all full).

I think we might have came on an «off» night. The place was packed to the gills, so that was a good sign. However, that’s what made our experience lackluster. It was so crowded and I think the staff was overwhelmed.
Our waiter was very polite but everything seemed to take forever including the check. I think he was doing the very best he could under the circumstances so this review is not at all about the personal service from our waiter.
The food just wasn’t very good for a $ 140 meal for 2 people. The salads were delicious and so was my cocktail and dessert but everything else just okay. We had the seafood platter and the shrimp were overcooked. I didn’t like the flavor of the oysters. The lobster was pretty good .The scallops were stellar. The rest of the platter was good enough.
The french fries weren’t cooked all the way and were flavorless. They just didn’t taste fresh to me. We regretted ordering them immediately. There was no need to send them back because the food seemed to take a long time anyway.
It’s a nice looking space and the staff is great but I wasn’t impressed with my meal.

We had a wonderful dinner here last night. Brett, the awesome was our server. He guided us through our culinary experience on busy Christmas Eve with ease and skill.
We had the campfire sling for drinks, they were delicious with chocolate bitters. The we had a fruit de mer platter with several additions that Brett suggested. That was an insanely fun and yummy experience. Loved the uni and the something cowboy oysters. not a fan of the clam. They replaced it with oysters!
They were sooo busy, but we still had 5 star service. It was my Birthday and I felt like that, even though Christmas Eve can be tricky.
We then had a delicious bitter lettuce and Cesar salad with a tasty white anchovy. Then we had the special Brittany Dover Sole which was butter in our mouths. We made happy noises. It was so good my boyfriend proposed.
No. really. it was that good. Well, I am not all bad either. It was an amazing night. Food is outrageously delicious, service delightful. Management incredible. Décor oceany elegant and casual. Love this place.

Very solid 4-​star experience.
We were in Santa Monica for the day and decided to stop in to the Water Grill because we had never tried it before. Right off the bat I loved the ambiance of the place, it has such a beachy open feel. Right on Ocean Ave. they have these huge windows in the front that open the place right up to the outside, so you get the best of both inside and outside dining.
Our waiter was on top of his game all night! From the moment we sat down he was ready! He made us feel like we were his only table (though we very clearly were not!). Great service!
All of the food was exceptional, but unfortunately my husband did not enjoy his fish and chips :(he said it was bland and totally not worth the $$. The fish was a good quality, but he said the batter didn’t have any flavor to it.
The clam chowder was to die for! I am a huge soup fan and it was fantastic. We also had the fresh ricotta with sea salt, which was also super fresh and yummy. The homemade ravioli were not my favorite, just so so. The cioppino was very good and flavored well.
We will definitely be back.

Best seafood restaurant in town! I’ve been to this restaurant twice and each time has grown my love for this establishment. The service is top notch and the seafood is really done well.
This most recent trip, we ordered the raw oyster sampler, clam chowder, shrimp salad, and a dozen shrimp. My friend’s dad couldn’t stop raving about how milky and fresh the oysters were. They were so good that we ended up getting 18 oysters in total! For entrée, we decided to all share the King Crab. The crab was a total of 7 lbs at about $ 55 a pound. Holy cow! The crab came out and was the biggest shellfish I have ever seen! They grill the crab after cooking to create this sweetness in the meat. Absolutely perfect! Seriously the best crab I’ve ever had! For dessert, we shared a slice of cheesecake, the bread pudding topped with salted caramel ice cream and the peanut butter ice cream. The cheesecake was very creamy but not overly sweet. Overall a solid piece of cake. The bread pudding was AMAZING. Nice warm, gooey caramel bread pudding. The salted caramel ice cream is hands down the best salted caramel ice cream you’ll ever have. It’s not too salty, yet has that kick that brings out the salty sweet sensation on your tongue. I didn’t get a chance to try the peanut butter ice cream, but it looked creamy.
I will always come back to Water Grill for those times when seafood is calling my name! Well-​worth the pricey menu because everything is fresh and delicious!

We came here for a family celebration! We order the sea-​food tower and we all enjoyed it abundantly. The display was perfect. The sea food had a good assortment of quality sea food.
The food was timely and well seasoned.
The customer service was polite, prompt and informative.
The valet was nice and quick.
We have recommended this place to friends and they have thoroughly enjoyed it as well and they are now recommending it to their friends.

The food here was beyond delicious.
My #1 recommendation is the clam chowder. It’s unlike any clam chowder I have had before.
The octopus starter came highly recommended but I would pass on that next time. Three pieces, a little chewy, not very exciting.
The whole lobster was very tasty and memorable. Sweet, succulent, finger licking good.
I felt the same way about the Chilean sea bass. The crisped butter on top was just ridiculously good. The fish melted in your mouth. All that being said they are heavy handed with the butter and it was a little too buttery for me and upset my stomach but husband was fine and commented that it felt light for him.
For sides we had polenta, kale, and Mac and cheese. From the three sides I would only reorder the kale. The polenta was not memorable and the Mac and cheese was good but nothing special.
The food was delicious. My Husband and sister in law were blown away.
I really enjoyed the food but the butter was a big much and after the meal I didn’t feel so great.
For future meals I will split a dish and wash it down with a salad.

Good food, nice location.
Visited with a friend on a Saturday night. It was busy but the service team seemed to do well keeping up. We were sat right near the windows, which made for good people-​watching. Except when one of the people included a guy at the sushi bar who doesn’t understand that low-​ride jeans require a belt. Dude, no one wants to see that. Can’t you feel the breeze? I’m eating here.. . But I digress.
Anyway, upon being seated our server came by quickly enough. I ordered a glass of wine while we looked over the menu options. A couple of oysters to start, then scallops for me, swordfish for my friend. But first, the bread. I had seen the photos on Unilocal and was very much looking forward to this indulgence. There was a sourdough option and one other (I forget the type). Both were good, especially once the butter warmed up enough to spread. Sigh.. . cold butter is such a peeve of mine. But let’s move on to those entrees. I enjoyed my seared scallops and found the cauliflower purée delicious. My friend’s swordfish was cooked fairly plain but was served over squash and tapenade. I prefer swordfish with a sauce but this was decent. For dessert, we decided to split the dark chocolate pot de crème. It was not good. A bit too thick and the flavor was just off. I’ll stick to ordering pot de crème at higher end restaurants instead.
All of that being said, I was really impressed that they had a tank for live lobster. Cheers to not using frozen stuff. We had several items of seafood during our visit and they all tasted fresh. Good job, WG. One thing that did hinder the enjoyment of our experience though was our server. He was inattentive but worse, he barely spoke to us when he was at our table. No smile, no banter or engagement. It was clear that he just wanted to be done with his shift. I can understand that but his lack of friendliness (like dropping off the check without saying one word) put a damper on the evening.
Will I give WG another chance? Yeah, I probably will. But the bar needs to be raised a bit in order to increase my Unilocal rating.

Water Grill is a fancy yet casual restaurant that sits perfectly across from the beach. You can enjoy fresh quality seafood and catch the beautiful sunset. The staff here is extremely friendly and attentive. There is open seating at the high tables and it’s best to rsvp before you go. Valet parking is $ 8 at the front entry. There are also plenty of parking in the nearby parking structures.
Some highlights:
The Clam Chowder here is very unique, the texture of the soup is not thick or starchy like most places. Its smooth and creamy with fresh chunks of veggies and clam. It’s definitely worth trying!
Some great appetizers would be the Stone crab claws and oysters. The crab claws were huge and were already cracked open, ready to eat! Oysters are a must when you are at the beach. The selections were fairly priced and both were very fresh!
The Chilean Sea Bass is always my go to dish. The texture of the Chilean Sea Bass is super buttery. The meat is juicy and perfectly cooked. They have a similar consistency as scallops. They are paired with fried polenta in a creamy squash sauce.

This was an expensive meal for lunch. I would say this is a special occasion restaurant.
I came here on a Saturday lunch to celebrate a birthday. We made reservations and wanted an ocean view, so we were seated by the window, which overlooks Ocean Ave and the park across the street. It was a warm day and all the windows are open, no screens, and a few flies kept flying in and around our food. Next time, if the weather is warm, I would recommend to be seated in a booth, in the back wall by the entrance to the restrooms, one can still have an ocean view from this vantage point, and it is much cooler. The manager came to draw the shade down a bit, but my back was quite warm. I kept asking for more ice and ice tea to keep cool. It was 90 °F outside.
Ok, now the food, bread, and bubbly! 5 stars! The bread was brought immediately and it was fresh.(the butter melted in the heat, but made it easier to spread). We ordered a bottle of bubbly Schramsberg Blanc de noirs. It was perfect for the 4 of us. We each got a glass and a half.
Here is my review of everything we ate:
Clam Chowder.
The clams are still in their shell, so they bring a bucket to put the shells in. I only got 2 clams in my chowder, but the flavor of the soup was perfection. The $ 10 soup was filling, and I would of been content with just that for lunch. This would be a perfect cheap meal, but I didn’t stop eating.
Chilean Sea Bass:
chilean sea bass, which was grilled nicely. The fish flaked off and was buttery. The gnudi was tasty too. They look like potatoes, but they are a type of gnocchi made from ricotta cheese.
LIGHTLY SMOKED FARMED JAPANESE HAMACHI
yellow pepper and jalapeño cream, pickled bean sprouts. These melted in my mouth! I am used to having this dish with ponzu sauce in Japanese restaurants, and I think that was what was missing. It was tasty, but I would not order this dish again, only because I wanted the ponzu sauce.
JUMBO LUMP BLUE CRAB CAKE
celery root
:
Lots of crab and big portion. Nicely presented.
FARMED PENN COVE MUSSELS with GARBANZO Beans
pancetta, harissa, parsley & lemon, with crispy french baguette
This was delicious! My friend who ordered this said she prefers clams over mussels, but this dish rocked! I could of had this as my main course after my bowl of clam chowder.
WILD JUMBO MEXICAN BROWN SHRIMP, 17 – 18 per pound. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 2.90each or 20.50 per pound. chilled on ice with dipping sauces. My friend loved this!
LIVE SANTA BARBARA SPOT PRAWNS. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .…$ 46/​pound
charcoal grilled with our homemade coleslaw and garlic herb butter
My friend was in heaven with these prawn. The prawns come in the shell with the eyes, and you have to eat these with your hands, pulling the shell apart, which my friend did not mind. The only tip I would recommend for the Water Grill is to provide a towelette afterwards to clean up your hands. I gave my friend Hand Sanitizer and it helped.
BIGEYE TUNA BURGER. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .…
with spiced mayonnaise and cripy onion rings
This was huge burger. My friend took off the top of the bun. I tasted the orange spiced mayo, but it was pretty bland. The onion rings were thick and huge. This is a definite fork and knife burger.
Dessert:
Chocolate cookie with ice cream
The cookie was baked in the pan. Half of the cookie was chocolate chip, and the other half, ¼ oatmeal and ¼ macadamia nut cookie. Delicious and perfect for sharing.
Banana split sundae:
Delicious banana ice cream with layers of real banana, whip cream and chocolate covered frosted flakes cereal! It was easy to share this dessert too!
Overall, The Water Grill is a nice place for special seafood meal. We were there for 3 hours. However, I could also go back for a simple clam chowder, or the mussels and one drink, and it would be more affordable.
We parked in the Santa Monica city parking lot on 2^nd Street and walked a block, which was easy, instead of valet parking.

This used to be the location of Ocean Ave Seafood. .. yeah, Ocean Ave had to go bc of the dated décor. So we came here for a birthday celebration the other Saturday. Here’s my review:
DÉCOR
Semi-​industrial and a bit of a nautical look (it has ropes). Here’s one of my photos.
CHARDONNAY
Excellent! We had the Rombauer Chardonnay — They offered it as a half bottle – our server called it a carafe but it wasn’t. It was just a small bottle – and she said it was like a half bottle of a regular bottle of wine. Anyway so that’s like two glasses and a half. $ 37 for the order.
FREE BREAD
Huge servings and very comforting.
MAIN ENTREES
1) Chilean Sea Bass –this would have been outstanding except it had a hint of fishiness.
2) Swordfish — our celebrant had this and she liked it a lot.
DESSERT
Free birthday dessert called Deep-​Dish Cookie à la mode. Delicious — thank you, Water Grill!
SERVICE
Very good. Our server was very nice yet professional.
NAPKIN
Their cloth napkin has lint. So if you are wearing black or something dark, they will stick. Ocean Ave Seafood had that same problem and they made me a lint remover. Nice! But that’ was Ocean Ave. I don’t know if Water Grill would do the same. .. the one in our group who had that lint problem did not notice it until we were outside waiting for our car.
DINING TABLE
It was quite spacious. There were four of us and we were seated in a round table – it was handsome to boot. (I added this item because nowadays tables are tiny.)
PARKING
1) Validated Valet — $ 8 for about two hours. Yes, ouch. But this is Santa Monica overlooking the ocean.
2) Parking Structure — an alternative is a parking structure on 2^nd Street that is a decent walking distance. I don’t know how much though. But just to give you an idea, we parked there after dinner to go to the movies then after the movie, we hang out some more. And parking cost us $ 8.
So why 3 Stars only? It’s because of the hint of fishiness in the Chilean Sea Bass. And it was a $ 39 fish too! But overall, we had a good time. .. and I really loved that Chardonnay.

Seafood with a view? Yes, please!
We arrived ahead of our reservation time and were fortunate enough to be seated at the window with a breathtaking ocean view. The restaurant is furnished with wood, but still feels modern and upscale. Overall, the Water Grill strikes the perfect balance between casual and classy.
Beginning with the bread, the Water Grill sets itself apart. I oftentimes just skip the complimentary bread at restaurants, but no, not here. The freshly baked rolls come in two varieties: sourdough and cheese. We loved it so much that we had to request a second basket.
We ordered the lobster roll and cioppino. The lobster roll comes one of two ways: Connecticut-​style (warm, tossed in butter) or Maine-​style (cold, tossed in mayo). We opted for the Connecticut-​style lobster roll, which came with a side of fries. That lobster in its toasty and buttery roll are hard to beat, especially when you look out into the horizon and see the blue waters.
San Francisco is credited for creating the cioppino, which is a fish/​seafood stew. The Water Grill’s cioppino consisted of crab legs, shrimp, clams, mussels, and salmon. It also came with bread, with which to sop up the tomato-​based broth. If you’re looking for a seafood variety, then the cioppino is the dish for you. However, beware if you are averse to using your hands to peel the seafood, as the cioppino will require some work.
Service was spectacular. Our waitress was prompt and continually followed up with us throughout the evening to make sure we were still doing great.
Having dined at the Downtown LA location as well, I think the Santa Monica restaurant is the way to go, particularly because of the view. If you’re looking for delicious meal in Santa Monica, don’t hesitate to try Water Grill.

Came in on a Tuesday afternoon. I was seated at a table which had a view of Ocean Blvd. Talk about a great location and no worries about parking since I was staying within walking distance.
Ordered the cold seadood platter which had a variety — periwinkle, scallops, two different types of shrimp, mussels, clams, oysters and a half of lobster.
I was impressed with the quality, taste and freshness of the entire platter of seafood. My waitress was spot on and checked in with us several times to make sure we were good with cold beers which went great with the platter.
Overall, a great experience just like I had at their sister location in downtown Los Angeles.