Nalu Vida Venice Beach — Restaurant in Los Angeles

Nalu Vida nailed it with their renovation project resulting in a polished and detailed finished product yet laid back surf atmosphere that reminded me of the famous Duke's. Its tropical and vibrant jewel toned interiors coupled with a creative, and fresh seafood menu and innovative drink offerings, made it the perfect place to have a sunset birthday dinner with my family.

I was happy to discover that their fish comes from Tangaroa one of my favorite fish markets on Washington. Fresh, simple food creatively crafted with quality ingredients and a good ambiance is my jam so I was happy with my decision.

Walking in gives you that staycation or vacation vibe whether you're a local or a tourist. Ideally located in front of the Venice fishing pier and parking lot where the bike path detours inland so it's a great pit stop when on a bike ride or beach walk. Perfect place to meet up post beach volleyball games or beach/surf day for a bite and drink from their unique menu made from scratch.

I love the name which is a spin off of the local Costa Rican phrase "Pura Vida" which translates into "pure life" symbolizing a happy, and simple outlook combined with "Nalu" which means "wave" in Hawaiian . So it's essentially "beach life" fusing two languages and cultural references encapsulating their offerings and inspiration. Well thought out and executed and was definitely drawn to them since we have ties to Central America and Oahu.

Our server Dominique was on it, super sweet, professional, patient and accommodating as we had 4 kids in our party. The mural behind the tables in between the couch nook and bar is a perfect backdrop to take fun photos and gives it a semi private feel to enjoy time with a larger party.

Thank you to Justin for the fun trucker hat and allowing us to bring in a cake. Christian, I appreciate you sharing your excitement for the menu and concept last week when I came in for the first time, choosing it as a meet up spot with a friend after seeing a sponsored ad on fb. They were busy getting ready for a grand opening the following Tuesday but were still super welcoming and kind to us!

It was great to be able to just walk out onto the pier to take pics at sunset and let the kids play in the sand after dinner. They really are all things to all people and kid friendly from early day to late night options. Brunch, lunch, happy hour, dinner, drinks or a celebration, they got you!

They just opened so I'm sure it will continue to get even better as they fine tune everything. How does it get better than this!

Food I’ve tried and love: Caesar, fish tacos, garlic noodles, juicy side of shrimp, cones, bacon wrapped plantains, Italian spritz mocktail all...

Where to begin!? We were immediately greeted by Justin, our server, who was pleasant and attentive thoughout our evening dinner. I initially ordered the only bourbon cocktail on the menu, Blackberry Julep, which had great presence but tasted like nothing... literally there was no flavor, definitely no taste of bourbon. Without hesitation Justin offered to replace it, so I decided to order a grapefruit gin and tonic despite being informed their grapefruit juice was not fresh squeezed. When the drink arrived it again was awful. It was apparent that mezcal was used instead of gin though Justin and the bartender insisted that it was gin. I finally settled on an Old Fashioned which was very good, but the glass was delivered half empty. Might I also add that my wife's PH Margarita was incredibly lackluster at best. When the food arrived my NY Strip steak had a cold center despite being over cooked; I ordered medium rare and it came medium well. At this point, I was beyond frustrated so I kindly asked Justin to send his manager. When Patrick, the manager, got to the table he seemed quite bothered; his demeanor lacked poise, professionalism, and empathy required by management in the service industry. Without ever apologizing he agreed to cook another steak to my desired temperature, which was better but still cold. On a slightly higher note, the mussels were tasty and the brussel sprouts were good, but sitting in a overly sweet soupy maple sauce with chunks of ham. The fish and chips were nothing special, and the asparagus was quite petite for the price. For what it's worth the french fries were fantastic! Finally, we finished with a slice of chocolate cake (since it was my birthday)...it was decent, good flavor and density, but they didn't have any ice cream. The only other option was key lime pie. Overall, it was a poor experience with very average food. Though we provided constructive feedback to the manager no concession or discount was provided, not even a free slice of birthday cake. I don't think we will be returning, which isn't a major loss because I don't see the establishment being...

Nalu Vida is a great new addition to the Venice food scene! Perfectly situated right on Venice Beach, you can watch the sunset while enjoying an interesting and creative menu with Polynesian and Latin vibes. Their menu has a nice selection of small plates, dinner items and drink options. I ordered the vegan Garlic Nalu Noodles which was light and flavorful. The dish was filled with garlic chips and trumpet mushrooms along side a healthy portion of perfectly grilled bok choy in an unami sauce. Sooo good!! Can't wait to try it with the wild or salmon protein added!! My daughter went with their signature Panko/Corn Flake Crusted Adobo Chicken sandwich with a tropical jjcama slaw, Maui sweet onion chutney & cheese on a brioche bun. HEAVEN!! The crunch from the fresh jicama, the chutney's caramelized sweetness and the perfectly prepared, tender chicken - it was the stuff of dreams!! Although we didn't sample, any cocktails, it was a fresh and exciting menu and will definitely be back to investigate. The service was delightful-friendly, laid-back, and efficient. Price point is good for the quality of food and the serving sizes were perfect. Parking is available for five dollars in the public lot on the beach next-door, making this an easily accessed, accessible restaurant in every way. I can see Nalu Vida becoming a Venice...