Santa Monica Pizza Kitchen — Restaurant in Santa Monica

If you like cheese (and I sure do), this is your place!

Had a craving for a chicken caesar and had to find the best one. Theirs fit the bill. Generous grilled chicken so every bite of salad gets some. Though I pulled my own caesar dressing from the fridge, theirs was quite good. It's a vinegrette but almost creamy. When I put my uneaten salad into a different container to store, I saw just how generous they are with the parmesan. No wonder it's so so creamy good.

Also picked up the Spaghetti Bolognese with extra meatballs for dinner but of course had to taste test it. They give you very generous portions of pasta, mozzarella (did I mention, if you like cheese, and I do). They're delicate with the sauce ~ just enough to make it taste like down home Italian, not drowning like the Americanized version. I quite like it. Also a sign of more authentic Italian cuisine is not being heavy-handed with garlic. Theirs is perfect on that score too.

Good prices, generous portions, quite tasty, and be ready to love on that cheese too. I'll...

What. Happened. This was our local go-to for eggplant parm and other sandwiches/pizza every week for years. Tonight- no eggplant parm sandwiches anymore. No choice of salad or fries with sandwiches, only fries. Really disappointed but OK... Ordered 3 Caprese sandwiches, large Italian salad to share (because no side salad offered) and Nuovo veggie pizza. What the bloody heck? Received 3 Caprese sandwiches, all different; one no mozzarella, only cold provolone and onion?!? 2 grilled(?) one with mozzarella, only one with tomato, no basil anywhere. My six year old could make a better sandwich. Nuovo pizza had only eggplant and basil, no broccoli or veggies. Idk. Fries were crinkle fries from frozen, just a few, served in paper. Did not even get the Italian salad. I called and after discussion woman said I could get a refund for not receiving $12.95 salad. One in our party couldn't even eat the Caprese sandwich, had a bowl of cereal for dinner. Never...

Boring, lukewarm, uninspired pizza. I lived in Santa Monica for over 25 years. Many years ago I came here and tried their pizza. I know good pizza. Not here.. pretty bad and boring. Fast forward to 2018. I was driving by and decided to try it again. Verdict: nothing has changed! Same lukewarm, mundane, uninspired pizza! How on earth does a place like this stay in business that long? Patrons who don't know pizza from cardboard? Judging from other reviews such as "best pizza in town", "awesome" and "great" methinks so. If you want decent (not great, but) satisfying pizza you're far better off going to Shakey's in Culver City or hitting Trader Joe's and making one of their dozen-plus artisan pies at home. The only reason I didn't give them one star: they were fast, the pie wasn't greasy and the place was relatively clean. But for cardboard taste, who cares? If Santa Monica Pizza Kitchen makes the best in town, pizza in LA is...