where are the "cool" restaurants/cafes/bars in santa monica located? (apartments, mattress)

[Aldous9]

Originally Posted by Cinema Cat

I've lived in Santa Monica since the late 1980s. I hate trendy and cool. I avoid such places. I suppose you can find them on the Promenade, if you're into that. Plenty of pretentious places there. The kind with teensy-tiny tables and outdoor dining, where people go not to eat, but to impress and be seen.

Back in the late 1980s, before the Promenade (which I hate), there were plenty of honest, down-to-earth eateries in Santa Monica. Diners such as Biff's and Zucky's. Now they're gone. So too Norm's. And soon Denny's will close.

Right now, one of the last decent diners in SM is Izzy's on 15th and Wilshire. I like Izzy's. It's 24/7, with simple, basic diner food.

As for coffee shops, plenty of Starbucks in SM. I love Starbucks, though I wish they wouldn't offer wifi. Too many people camping out at Starbucks, pretending to work on their screenplays. I've actually looked at their laptop screens, and see the screenplay format.

Real, working TV writers have told me they never write in public. It's too distracting. Only poseurs write in public. Men with goatees or dreadlocks, hoping to impress aspiring actresses who might be passing by.

But if you like pretentious coffee shops, I hear the Unurban Cafe on Pico Blvd. is extremely pretentious. I've read reviews that the waiters there act like customers are a bother. And yes, they have poetry readings, and open mic nights where anyone can sing or play (or fumble through) a guitar.

Do you remember what 3rd st was like before the Promenade? I have some memories of it but they are a bit fuzzy. I remember there was a movie theater and an Orange Julius. Everyone called the mall "birds mall" because of all the birds.

[yby1]

Originally Posted by Aldous9

Do you remember what 3rd st was like before the Promenade? I have some memories of it but they are a bit fuzzy. I remember there was a movie theater and an Orange Julius. Everyone called the mall "birds mall" because of all the birds.

I remember it quite well. I liked the Woolworth coffee shop.

[disgruntled la native]

Originally Posted by Cinema Cat

I've lived in Santa Monica since the late 1980s. I hate trendy and cool. I avoid such places. I suppose you can find them on the Promenade, if you're into that. Plenty of pretentious places there. The kind with teensy-tiny tables and outdoor dining, where people go not to eat, but to impress and be seen.

Back in the late 1980s, before the Promenade (which I hate), there were plenty of honest, down-to-earth eateries in Santa Monica. Diners such as Biff's and Zucky's. Now they're gone. So too Norm's. And soon Denny's will close.

Right now, one of the last decent diners in SM is Izzy's on 15th and Wilshire. I like Izzy's. It's 24/7, with simple, basic diner food.

As for coffee shops, plenty of Starbucks in SM. I love Starbucks, though I wish they wouldn't offer wifi. Too many people camping out at Starbucks, pretending to work on their screenplays. I've actually looked at their laptop screens, and see the screenplay format.

Real, working TV writers have told me they never write in public. It's too distracting. Only poseurs write in public. Men with goatees or dreadlocks, hoping to impress aspiring actresses who might be passing by.

But if you like pretentious coffee shops, I hear the Unurban Cafe on Pico Blvd. is extremely pretentious. I've read reviews that the waiters there act like customers are a bother. And yes, they have poetry readings, and open mic nights where anyone can sing or play (or fumble through) a guitar.

Really? Dennys is going to close? If so, the only 24 hour eatery will be izzys (minus fast food). thats awful.

Izzy's may be simple basic food but the prices are astronomical now.

[yby1]

I used to love going to Norm's for breakfast with friends after a fun night out. I used to go there with the family all the time. Zucky's too.

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by yby1

I used to love going to Norm's for breakfast with friends after a fun night out.

I still do, except nowadays I'm sober when I go there. I love a Norm's.

[yby1]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

I still do, except nowadays I'm sober when I go there. I love a Norm's.

lol. I meant the Norm's in Santa Monica. I actually went to the one in Lomita not too long ago near our old house. That was fun.

Love that the South Bay still has Norms. Love the San Franciscan too.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by yby1

lol. I meant the Norm's in Santa Monica. I actually went to the one in Lomita not too long ago near our old house. That was fun.

Love that the South Bay still has Norms. Love the San Franciscan too.

I used to live pretty close to the one on Pico in West L.A (not too far from Westside Pavillion).. It's still there I believe..but I never thought the quality of the food was that good. I remember getting a beef sandwich once that tastes like leather.. Maybe quality varies depending on location.

[disgruntled la native]

Originally Posted by jm1982

I used to live pretty close to the one on Pico in West L.A (not too far from Westside Pavillion).. It's still there I believe..but I never thought the quality of the food was that good. I remember getting a beef sandwich once that tastes like leather.. Maybe quality varies depending on location.

Yeah that one is still there. I think all Norms are about the same. Their dinners are pretty awful, like the chicken or the "steak", but their breakfasts and burgers are great.

[Aldous9]

Originally Posted by yby1

I remember it quite well. I liked the Woolworth coffee shop.

yeah, it had a lot more character back then. Now SM is all chain stores and restaurants. Gone are Bifs, Bob Burns, Hensheys etc

I remember the outdoor mall (was that the name of it, the Mall?) had some bakeries and a lot of mom and pop shops.

[jm1982]

Originally Posted by disgruntled la native

Yeah that one is still there. I think all Norms are about the same. Their dinners are pretty awful, like the chicken or the "steak", but their breakfasts and burgers are great.

Yeah I was probably ordering the wrong things! There is something about those old school coffee shops.

I saw that dolores finally closed. I know they had done a remodel , but I guess couldn't stay in business.
I always thought it was pretty cool, and a rare type of place in West L.A...or L.A in general these days.