Chinois on Main

As once introduced in the Michelin guide California, they have awesome Asian-French fusion cuisine. Thanks to their lovely embience and tasteful food, we're utterly satisfied with bringing our guests to this beautiful restaurant to spend our Friday night. Cantonese duck, one of their signiture items, amazingly went well with its plum sauce. On top of that, my best choice was the sizzling calamari salad - deliciously seasoned with hot chili paste and presented in a wonton cup over crisp vegetables. The vegetable fried rice and the salmon with noodles were above par. Their plating was beautiful as well. All the plates came out with a large portion, big enough for 2-3 people to share. Highly recommend this place!

K Nag

We had a really good dinner at this my favorite Chinese restaurant in santa monica. I think this is the best Chinese in LA . You can get best service and highest quality food . I love Chinese Chicken Salad and fried rice. Sweets are also good

Jennifer Pierdant

What an amazing first post-pandemic dining experience! The DineLA menu provided a great sampling with enough to take home. Service was great, even while dining out on the sidewalk. Thank you for making the end of the pandemic a true celebration Wolfgang Puck and team! The entire experience, down to the friendly other guests in the patio like PorkChopra (featured) were amazing.

Bohyun Yang

As once introduced in the Michelin guide California, they have awesome Asian-French fusion cuisine. Thanks to their lovely embience and tasteful food, we're utterly satisfied with bringing our guests to this beautiful restaurant to spend our Friday night. Cantonese duck, one of their signiture items, amazingly went well with its plum sauce. On top of that, my best choice was the sizzling calamari salad - deliciously seasoned with hot chili paste and presented in a wonton cup over crisp vegetables. The vegetable fried rice and the salmon with noodles were above par. Their plating was beautiful as well. All the plates came out with a large portion, big enough for 2-3 people to share. Highly recommend this place!

Devin Geis

I recently arranged a group dinner at Chinois on Main in Santa Monica, and it turned out to be one of the most memorable dining experiences I have had. From the moment we walked in, the manager and owner greeted us warmly and continued to check in throughout the evening with such genuine kindness that it really set the tone for the night. We ordered a bit of everything for the table, and every dish truly impressed. The crispy calamari salad had the perfect balance of crunch and bright, refreshing flavors. The Shanghai lobster with curry sauce was rich, aromatic, and absolutely decadent, a standout that had everyone at the table talking. The catfish filet with sizzling ginger was light, flaky, and bursting with flavor, while the roast duck with plum sauce had the perfect combination of tender meat and crisp skin. The spicy lamb with cilantro was bold and savory, perfectly seasoned and beautifully presented. It is rare to have a group meal where every single dish shines, but Chinois managed to deliver across the board. The food, service, and atmosphere came together seamlessly for an unforgettable evening. I would highly recommend Chinois on Main to anyone visiting or local to the Santa Monica area. It is a gem worth experiencing.

Claudia Diaz

This Asian-French fusion restaurant is one I’ve been wanting to come to for years and it was worth the wait! Amazing service. Still closed indoors but they made a cozy out door area with live music. I went on a Thursday. Fun area to be in overall. We order the soup that was Devine. The catfish was perfect with a little squeeze of lime and we got 2 sides. Veggies and stir fried rice. I was in food heaven! Their servings are all shareable sizes if you like to share with someone on a date. Perfect spot for a cute date. LARGE wine selection and cocktails were yummy.

Tatiana Pavlova-Coleman

I cannot thank enough Bella and the whole Chinois on Main team for the amazing surprise 60th birthday they helped me organize for my husband! Bella worked me over few months to finalize menu, help me find enterntainment, set up the room for the event... they did everything. All we had to do is invite our guests and show up. Everyone loved the food - 7 dfferent appetizers, each one done to perfection; main course my favorite short rib and the fried fish with bunch of sides and of course the best Chinese chicken salad in LA. They ended everything with the most beautiful platters of various desserts! We will remember this day forever and it will not have been what it was without the care and professionalism of Bella, Krassi and the whole Chinois team - from the cook that we had, to the bartender, waiters. etc. THANK YOU!

Shail Lakhani

Given it is a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, we had to try it. This was our experience- Ambience- great, looks like a typical Chinese diner with an open kitchen concept - overall great ambience. Food- highlights were the Shanghai lobster (even though expensive, it’s a must try), the duck fried rice and the yellow tail sashimi (I think this was a special). Drinks- ordered a Kirin Ichiban, a Japanese beer, if you like lagers, this is crisp and nice. They do also offer a wide array of cocktails. Service- one of the best service I have experienced in a while- constant check ins, food came out great, great recommendations, frequent cleaning of table. Would I go back? Absolutely.

Dora K.

Unbelievable extremely delicious and highest quality food and great service. Can’t go wrong no matter what you order. Our waiters and the GM were very sweet. They give their customers a lot of attention and care.

Paulin

I love Chinois On Main! This place is trendy, immaculately located at the heart of Santa Monica, and the food is authentic yet elevated. It’s great for celebrating birthday and/or date night out with your loved ones. The drinks are neat, but my absolute favorite item on the menu is the Shanghai lobster 🦞 and the catfish! Incredible flavors, perfectly seasoned, gorgeous presentation and well-balanced. I’m so pleased with this dish, as well as the desserts. The staff are kind, polite and efficient. It was a delightful dinner and I will definitely come back for Shanghai lobster 🦞 the sauce is sublime, crispy spinach is fantastic. An extraordinary Chinese cuisine that has met globally recognized fine dining standards, totally worth the trip! 🥢😋🍹💯

SethK -

Fantastic! Best scallops and tuna that I could eat every night. We were lucky enough to there on their 40 th and I can't wait to go back. Great food and service. I can't say enough about the restaurant!

It’s very rare that a restaurant can maintain its excellence for so many years, but Chinios On Main is one of those rare places. I actually forgot how amazing their food is, everything is fresh and even though this restaurant has been around a long time, the food still feels inventive and new. Always get the Chinese chicken salad and the whole catfish. Absolutely delicious and very special.

An oldie but a goodie. Menu doesn't change much but are always some specials. Excellent Chinese fusion cuisine. This visit we had soft shell crab appetizer, whole fried fish and fried rice with trio of creme brulees for dessert.

Howard Reinstein

An oldie but a goodie. Menu doesn't change much but are always some specials. Excellent Chinese fusion cuisine. This visit we had soft shell crab appetizer, whole fried fish and fried rice with trio of creme brulees for dessert.

Annie Sanderson

It’s very rare that a restaurant can maintain its excellence for so many years, but Chinios On Main is one of those rare places. I actually forgot how amazing their food is, everything is fresh and even though this restaurant has been around a long time, the food still feels inventive and new. Always get the Chinese chicken salad and the whole catfish. Absolutely delicious and very special.

Katherine Khaloo

Wow! Our dinner at Chinois On Main was one of the best experiences my family adn I have every had. From the moment you walk in the staff makes you feel special — looking around, I could tell that many guests were regulars. In particular, Leonardo really went above and beyond in making our experience special. The food was also wonderful — we got the chinese chicken salad, sea bass, catfish, and their daily special of short rib along with some drinks. All flavorful and big portions, definitely more of a family style! We will definitely be back!

Diana Poulos

This spot feels like walking into a warm welcoming home. A gem in the neighborhood and a staple, one of those places where you're always greeted with a smile and the food tastes like it was made with love. The chicken salad is so fresh and flavorful, with the perfect crunch. I also had the chicken potstickers and the Maine lobster spring rolls. Absolutely delicious and everything had just the perfect amount of spice. The service/staff here are so kind and amazing. I felt like I'd been going there for ages. The ambiance is very cozy and romantic. The artwork and tile work everywhere adds a lot of character as well. Great place to go for family style meals and you will be sure to leave satisfied. Can't wait to come back! Special thank you to Bella for her warm hospitality.

Great food! Super old school decor. Could use an update. It felt like you were in a time warp back in the 90s or something. The food was really great though! Definitely worth a go. It used to be packed with celebs back in the day.

Masha Krakovskaya

Great food! Super old school decor. Could use an update. It felt like you were in a time warp back in the 90s or something. The food was really great though! Definitely worth a go. It used to be packed with celebs back in the day.

Restaurant seems to be frozen in time since the year 2000. The interior and exterior retain their vintage charm and the menu features simple dishes made with quality ingredients. While the food was excellent, the service could use some improvement. Although the staff was friendly, it seemed a bit chaotic and disorganized at times, which made the dining experience a little less enjoyable. However, I was happy to be back at Chiona on main after a long time and would definitely recommend it for the tasty food and vintage charm.

Tony Y.

Restaurant seems to be frozen in time since the year 2000. The interior and exterior retain their vintage charm and the menu features simple dishes made with quality ingredients. While the food was excellent, the service could use some improvement. Although the staff was friendly, it seemed a bit chaotic and disorganized at times, which made the dining experience a little less enjoyable. However, I was happy to be back at Chiona on main after a long time and would definitely recommend it for the tasty food and vintage charm.

Went for lunar new year last night. The only great thing was the entertainment. Food was absolutely terrible. It was a 5 course menu. Should be easy for kitchen to execute. I'll never come back here. Btw you guys have a major gnat infestation.

I don't know if it was because I went with very high expectations, it was an experience that I was sadly not satisfied with. First of all, we were far from such an experience, considering that a restaurant with Michelin explains its dishes to its customers. We persistently asked ourselves what we would eat and how we would eat it. There was no narration. The presentation part was also poor unfortunately. There was nothing that surprised me in terms of taste. Was it bad, it wasn't. Was it good or not. The fusion side was successful. The capacity of the restaurant was tried to be fully utilized so it was very noisy. Tables were very close to each other. As an entry, we tried Tempura Ahi Tuna Sashimi. This was my favorite dish. We tried Sizzling Calamari and Rock Shrimp Salad as a salad. Its presentation was successful but tasteless. We had Shanghai Lobster as main course. Lobster was delicious. The rice was also good but the spinach was really greasy and not crunchy. It was a place I would not choose again. How did you find it when you left the restaurant and no one even said goodbye :)

We were greetly warmly by the sweet older lady but after that it went all downhill. The following are my notes that unfortunately had to be taken during my birthday!!! No greeting upon arrival by Hector Few drink refills.. had to ask 3x Manager(male) was on the phone and did not visit the table, but lovely lady in green wished happy birthday and was very sincere (she was great!) Lobster was forgotten or poorly coursed Dessert menu was brought before the lobster arrived Birthday was forgotten despite prior mention but later remembered No check-back after the main meal was served (catfish and lobster) Lobster came far after only after we had finished the fish and what appeared the be the expo had to clear the plates Manager never came by to address the issue; was instead on the phone Server hector did not check back on the late lobster — it was either not rung in or misfired General lack of attentiveness in the dining room Manager fails to visit or "touch" tables Excessive texting by male manager during shift, as seen in photos Male mgr focused on texting, to go order issues and pictures of food rather tha guest interaction JOEL!!!! He made my birthday special, he remembered my name, sliced my catfish with personality and even said bye to us BY NAME when we left!!!!! WHAT A GAME CHANGER!! The rest of the team I had interaction with (not other servers or support) seemed to lack the fundamentals of service: Greet,smile, refill, upsell, check back, fire, course items, etc. Really unfortunate for first Wolfgang experience. Ive served at Per Se, Jean Georges, and 11 Madison and this experience was definitely not Michelin worthy. For $300, I'd expect much higher standards. See picture of manager on phone with foot on wall!!!!!!!! ...while my drink is empty Then support staff on the phone! Then Joel being a rockstar! And then my lovely girlfriend Im really sorry to have to publish this review... :(

Yaz zo

If you're looking for Chinese food or just good food, please stop and do not come here. This has been here for 39 years, and this is the first time I've decided to try it. It's overrated, overpriced, and just not good. Why would you want mediocre duck fried rice or mushu disguised as Szechuan duck pancakes or mayo monopolized Chinese chicken salad when you can have the classic americanized refreshing Chinese chicken salad from Chin Chin? I don't frequent chin chin but it's way better than here! The only good thing on the menu was the pork dumplings and nobody can really eff that up. Too bad I ate it so fast and didn't take a photo. I'm very interested in talking in here with a different girl I know I They were out of the lobster rolls which is the only reason I went there. Don't get me started on the lamb. For one, it's described as sauteed lamb on garlic and mint but The server described it as lettuce wraps. it is actually minimal lamb in cabbage wraps and was bitter and not tasty. Basically why would you want Chinese food from an Austrian chef?

Emin Kursat Dogray

I don't know if it was because I went with very high expectations, it was an experience that I was sadly not satisfied with. First of all, we were far from such an experience, considering that a restaurant with Michelin explains its dishes to its customers. We persistently asked ourselves what we would eat and how we would eat it. There was no narration. The presentation part was also poor unfortunately. There was nothing that surprised me in terms of taste. Was it bad, it wasn't. Was it good or not. The fusion side was successful. The capacity of the restaurant was tried to be fully utilized so it was very noisy. Tables were very close to each other. As an entry, we tried Tempura Ahi Tuna Sashimi. This was my favorite dish. We tried Sizzling Calamari and Rock Shrimp Salad as a salad. Its presentation was successful but tasteless. We had Shanghai Lobster as main course. Lobster was delicious. The rice was also good but the spinach was really greasy and not crunchy. It was a place I would not choose again. How did you find it when you left the restaurant and no one even said goodbye :)

Jason Gerald

We were greetly warmly by the sweet older lady but after that it went all downhill. The following are my notes that unfortunately had to be taken during my birthday!!! No greeting upon arrival by Hector Few drink refills.. had to ask 3x Manager(male) was on the phone and did not visit the table, but lovely lady in green wished happy birthday and was very sincere (she was great!) Lobster was forgotten or poorly coursed Dessert menu was brought before the lobster arrived Birthday was forgotten despite prior mention but later remembered No check-back after the main meal was served (catfish and lobster) Lobster came far after only after we had finished the fish and what appeared the be the expo had to clear the plates Manager never came by to address the issue; was instead on the phone Server hector did not check back on the late lobster — it was either not rung in or misfired General lack of attentiveness in the dining room Manager fails to visit or "touch" tables Excessive texting by male manager during shift, as seen in photos Male mgr focused on texting, to go order issues and pictures of food rather tha guest interaction JOEL!!!! He made my birthday special, he remembered my name, sliced my catfish with personality and even said bye to us BY NAME when we left!!!!! WHAT A GAME CHANGER!! The rest of the team I had interaction with (not other servers or support) seemed to lack the fundamentals of service: Greet,smile, refill, upsell, check back, fire, course items, etc. Really unfortunate for first Wolfgang experience. Ive served at Per Se, Jean Georges, and 11 Madison and this experience was definitely not Michelin worthy. For $300, I'd expect much higher standards. See picture of manager on phone with foot on wall!!!!!!!! ...while my drink is empty Then support staff on the phone! Then Joel being a rockstar! And then my lovely girlfriend Im really sorry to have to publish this review... :(

Really disappointed been past here many times and we thought we would try it out... the service was good but the food and drinks what a let down.... we had oriental asian salad which had plenty of chicken lack of lettuce , and not much dressing or taste for that matter and it was piled high, large portions does not mean value etc if it does not taste good... the duck in plum sauce was greasy and not enough plum sauce at all, i really wanted to like this place but the taste was bland, we had 3 cocktails not really strong, one tasted like it was watered down... we had creme brulee for desert which was separated into 3 different bowls that was okay. for $250 with tip and i am not a foodee at all , i will eat anything pretty much, i could gone to PF changs for better taste... paying $250 is fine if the food is good but it was a real bland and feel that giving you large portions makes up for it... this place has been here for years at least 20 years and we both wont be going back, way over priced for something for so poorly made.... my wife is a better food connoisseur than me even she didnt like it! which says alot.. take me to johnny pastramis any day i say!

The food was unenjoyable, especially considering this is a branded restaurant. Appetizers were reminiscent of Panda Express. One of them was identical to Beijing beef. However, we were randomly served a calamari arugula salad on the house, which was possibly the best part of the dinner. For our main course, the duck was gamey and was dressed with an equally unseasoned and bitter cranberry sauce. Our final total as charged was also significantly more than what we signed off on at the restaurant. Maybe the calamari salad wasn’t on the house after all? We aren’t sure. Cannot recommend, and very regrettably will be wary of other Wolfgang Puck restaurants if the reviews and actual experience are going to be so misaligned.

Jerry

The food was unenjoyable, especially considering this is a branded restaurant. Appetizers were reminiscent of Panda Express. One of them was identical to Beijing beef. However, we were randomly served a calamari arugula salad on the house, which was possibly the best part of the dinner. For our main course, the duck was gamey and was dressed with an equally unseasoned and bitter cranberry sauce. Our final total as charged was also significantly more than what we signed off on at the restaurant. Maybe the calamari salad wasn’t on the house after all? We aren’t sure. Cannot recommend, and very regrettably will be wary of other Wolfgang Puck restaurants if the reviews and actual experience are going to be so misaligned.