Living and hanging out primarily on the east side of LA (ie: los feliz) I decided I wanted to try something different. I wanted to find a really nice restaurant with an ocean view... somewhere either in Santa Monica or Malibu. When I came across the very good reviews for Ocean & Vine - and after checking out their beautiful website - I thought I had found the perfect place...... boy was I surprised! \r
Here's the thing: Although Ocean & Vine is by no means a terrible place to spend a couple of hours, I felt soooo mislead by all of the reviews and pictures. What I thought was going to be a dark & cozy yet clean & modern setting on the ocean - full of romantic candlelit tables and nooks and a huge selection of great wine - turned out to be a rather cold, poorly designed and almost sterile environment! YES, there is that big lovely fire pit in the middle of the room.... but it is so bright in there it really seems like a complete waste. \r
When you walk into the restaurant from the hotel, you barely notice the difference. It really feels as though you are dining IN the hotel lobby. The gorgeous location/ space is completely wasted. The glaring lights prevent you from even seeing the ocean, despite the huge windows. The bar was not set up well to display any of the wines they claim to have and the service was quite slow (albeit friendly). None of the tables were really set up to be in any way comfy or romantic. It felt much more like eating in a cafeteria than a lovely ocean hideaway. The service was alright, but in no way as professional as I was expecting.\r
And just so you know where I am coming from, I am in my late 20's and have worked in the service industry for about a decade. I am a PT bartender and have been for the past 3 years. I am not quick to judge harshly or throw a fit when it comes to dining out. BUT, I was SO DISAPPOINTED that i felt compelled to write this review to prevent others from expecting too much.\r
I chose this place for a 2nd date, BIG MISTAKE!
Pros: ocean, fire pits
Cons: CAN'T SEE OCEAN from inside, overpriced wine, too bright & sterile
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