Edgemar Restaurant + Lounge — Restaurant in Santa Monica

Nestled within the vibrant heart of Santa Monica, Edgemar is a new culinary gem that seamlessly blends various cuisines within the Frank Gehry designed space off Main street. This fresh addition to the local dining scene is heavy on ambiance with its balance of modern elegance and coastal charm. The interior is minimalist with large windows allow plenty of natural light to flood the dining area during the day, while at night, the soft lighting sets a cozy, intimate mood perfect for a romantic dinner or a gathering with friends.

In that outdoor seating area, they played clips of old Los Angeles and a movie, Island in the Sun, which was amazing! You can’t beat having a fantastic meal, on a cool night while Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte grace the screen high above the dining patio in the background.

The service was amazing, and the staff are some of the most personable people I’ve interacted with while dining on the Westside. We even met the owner who comped our dessert because of the detailed feedback we provided on a few dishes. Which brings me to the food…

Edgemar’s menu is a well-curated selection of dishes that reflect a commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. We tried as much as we could without breaking the bank, which meant we had the Kumiai Oysters, the Halibut crudo, Shrimp Toast, Stracciatella, Lobster Fried Rice and Chocolate Mousse. We liked everything but the Shrimp Toast and Lobster Rice are the must-have items on the menu.

While Edgemar is on the pricier side, the quality of the food and the overall dining experience justify the cost. It offers a sophisticated yet approachable menu, excellent service, and a lovely atmosphere that makes you want to linger just a little longer. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, Edgemar is...

A newly opened restaurant nested in a Gehry-designed complex. A laid-back environ and very friendly staff, with a menu characterized by international eclecticism. The biggest BUT was the service - the kitchen seemed to be too eager, looking at the time stamp of my photos, from the appetizer to the main course, everything was served in literally less than 30 minutes. Waiting to see which restaurant can break this record.

A rundown of the food: Shrimp Toast: our fav of the night, the name might be a bit confusing, in actuality it was mostly fried shrimp patty, but delicious and satisfying, full of umami from the shrimp and ikura, unique as well Kumiai Oysters: not recommended, I had very good oyster tempura before, but here the oysters were too small, and, put bluntly, unpleasantly wrapped in a bag of oil, the dipping didn’t help at all Beet Poke: ingenious idea to cross beet and seaweed, quite harmonious and tasty Stracciatella: fresh, I’m a bit ambivalent about the chili oil, which to me covered rather than enhanced the beautiful flavor of the wildflower honey and creamy and milky essence of the cheese itself Duck Lyonnaise: nice presentation and liked the fresh veggies, the duck itself was okay, probably a bit overcooked and lacking in juiciness P.S. nice plates

The most romantic moment of the night was walking out of the restaurant after nightfall, seeing the black and white film projected above the entrance, and being engulfed by a sweet coconut fragrance in the air (from the donut shop next door, which does have excellent made-to-order donuts, which we opted for dessert rather than the only option of chocolate mousse at the...

We had an 8:30 reservation for a small engagement celebration (party of six), but unfortunately, we were not seated until 9:15. The owner kindly came over, apologized for the delay, and assured us that she would take care of us.

When we placed our order, I requested that all the dishes be served together, a commitment they acknowledged but did not fulfill. The shrimp arrived overcooked, and the entrees were served at different times. In fact, by the time four of our six guests had finished their meals, the remaining two entrees had still not been served.

At that point, I requested to cancel the outstanding orders, but they were brought out regardless. The restaurant did comp those meals, which we appreciated. By this time, it was nearly 11:00 PM. The owner returned to apologize once more and offered to make it right. We were provided with a round of drinks and complimentary desserts.

However, when the bill arrived, the complimentary items were still included. After bringing this to their attention, they adjusted the bill accordingly. Despite the correction, our total was still over $400. Interestingly, as we were settling the check, additional desserts were mistakenly sent to our table.

Overall, the atmosphere was great, the drinks were excellent, and the food was mostly enjoyable. However, the experience was marred by significant delays, leaving us at the restaurant for nearly four hours. Given that the restaurant is still in its early stages (week five), we hope to see improvements...