The Rooster - Santa Monica

I wanted to love this place, local spot, beautiful interior, varietal menu. I have never been so disappointed. We walked in with a reso, were sat in a perfect corner table. Waiter brought glasses, no water and because my husband had a drink from the bar, didn't take my order. Came back a few minutes later with water, no wine and asked about specials. We ordered the truffle corn pizza as an appetizer and we were completely underwhelmed. The food was flavorless and left much to be desired. We ordered the ribeye and bolognese for entrees, again disappointing. The steak was not well seasoned and tasted of char from a dirty grill. The pasta was okay, but nothing special. It's actually sad we were told this was the best dish on the menu. When we asked for the check, we were confused when the whiskey prices for the same glass were different. The waiter took it to the bartender, printed a MORE EXPENSIVE receipt and came back asking us to pay. When we questioned this he explained they mis-charged us for one of the drinks, and the new price is correct. Are you kidding me? We were frustrated by the fact that us questioning the charges increased our bill, so the server can't back with yet another check. This time he took off the optional service charge. No resolution for their mistake, we mentioned the poor quality of the food, and then were told we can make it known if we didn't like it. At this point I felt like we were being taken advantage of and I was ready to go. $400 later, we walked out with a mediocre meal and a terrible experience. Don't waste your time here, there are so many better restaurants in town. Now I know why I was able to get a V-day reservation 2 days before. Needless to say we will never return.

Absolutely wonderful experience! Very eclectic menu but something for everyone. Must have is the Crab Cake app.

Do not miss this new gem in Santa Monica. Great small plates, steak, pizza and on and on. GO!

Delicious food! The grilled Caesar is delicious as are the pastas. But the cocktails are wayyyy overpriced (very standard things like a Negroni is over $15! , as are most food items overpriced. A $35 chicken breast?! But the service was great. Very attentive and kind. Recommended for great ambience, service and food. Not for value.

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Rooster on Christmas Eve. Lovely food and great service, on a night that's typically not the best for dining out. And, as a bonus, they had a terrific vegan soup that made my meal.