Sugar Palm Santa Monica — Restaurant in Santa Monica

An Unforgettable Anniversary at Sugar Palm - Five Stars

My partner and I celebrated our anniversary at Sugar Palm in the Viceroy Hotel, and I'm still glowing from the experience. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that this wasn't just dinner – it was a carefully orchestrated celebration of love itself.

The staff didn't just serve us; they became co-conspirators in making our evening magical. When they learned we were celebrating our anniversary, the entire team seemed to take personal investment in our joy. Our server anticipated our needs before we even knew we had them, refilling glasses with perfect timing and offering thoughtful recommendations that showed they'd truly listened to our preferences.

The surprise touches throughout the evening left us speechless. The chef's complimentary amuse-bouche paired perfectly with champagne that appeared "on the house," and the handwritten anniversary card from the team felt genuinely heartfelt, not corporate. When dessert arrived with a delicate sparkler and "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate across the plate, I watched my partner's eyes fill with tears of happiness.

But what moved me most was how the staff created space for intimacy while remaining attentively present. They seemed to understand that great service isn't just about efficiency – it's about reading the room, honoring the moment, and helping create memories that will last a lifetime. The lighting, the pacing, even the way they positioned our table – everything felt intentionally crafted to let us focus on each other while feeling utterly cared for.

The food itself was extraordinary – each dish a perfect balance of innovation and comfort that sparked conversation and delight. But honestly, it was the human touches that transformed a beautiful meal into something transcendent.

Sugar Palm and the Viceroy team didn't just exceed our expectations; they reminded us why celebrating love matters. In a world that often feels hurried and impersonal, they created a pocket of time where we felt seen, valued, and celebrated. That's not just exceptional hospitality – that's artistry.

We'll be back, and we'll be telling everyone about this special place that understands that some meals are about so much...

Let me start by saying that I was very disappointed in our service. The server we were stuck with was an older white man who was very rude to us. I do not know exactly why. Maybe he was tired, maybe he had a long shift, or maybe it was simply the color of our skin. Whatever it was, there was no excuse for it and thus it was reflected within his tip. Several times, my partner and I asked him for recommendations and attempted to make small talk to break the ice, but it was clear this man wanted us in and immediately out.

Besides this disturbing and dissatisfying experience, most of our food was delicious. DO NOT get the ahi tuna tacos if you expect anything remotely Mexican tasting, however. There was no seasoning whatsoever, and the taco shell was extremely too brittle. For the mains we ordered the short rib and the burger along with parm fries and Brussels. Excellent choices. Both meats were exquisitely tender with great flavor. The parm fries were adequately seasoned and the Brussels were cooked to perfection.

We would have had dessert but we were not even offered it by the server so we left, but the ambiance of the restaurant was very nice overall.

Despite the awful service part of the experience we had, I’m interested in trying the brunch. So, we would consider coming...

Booked Saturday brunch for myself and my family to celebrate Mother’s Day as everywhere was booked for Sunday. Upon arrival we turned into the parking lot and parked in a space marked for hotel and restaurant guests. We then made our way to the main entrance where we were advised it was valet parking only and we needed to bring the vehicle to the front. This was fine, but as I entered with my kids one of the valet team made a snarky comment about the sign. It appeared to us it was a left turn for valet parking and right turn for self parking. But as I said we made a mistake, his comment was just unnecessary as we had already been informed to bring the car up. The food was exceptional and the service was great. When it came time to pay I put cash out on the table to pay the bill but after a few minutes someone came over and said they don’t take cash. This is not clear anywhere on the website and was very inconvenient. I made an advance booking and am suggesting you add that the location is valet parking only and you do not take cash payments to the...