Delaney Weiland

Elephante is that kind of restaurant you can go to with so many kinds of groups and it works for every situation. Between the views, the food, drinks, and service, the experience is a 10/10. I was traveling for work and decided to go based on a colleagues recommendation. I went alone and sat at the bar. It was pretty crowded for 5:30 on a Tuesday but didn't feel too packed in and the service was still super quick. At the bar, I had Daniel and Dorian as my bartenders. They definitely made the solo experience lots more fun. They recommended my dinner and drinks, all of which were delicious and fun! I even got a little taste test of one of their frozen drinks which was a bonus. They definitely knew their menu and bar well. I had a dirty martini as well as a margarita and would say the margaritas are the way to go there!! It was so delicious and I am still thinking about it. As for the food, I had whipped eggplant to start and for my main, the Ragu Bianco. Whipped eggplant was incredible, I had never had anything like it and was super obsessed. And the Ragu was perfect, not too heavy and a good portion of food. Overall, it was a great dinner and I ended up chatting with another solo diner for the majority of the evening as well. Would recommend to anyone looking for a good date spot or just a place to grab dinner on a work trip! And if you're at the bar, ask for Daniel or Dorian for a great experience!!!

Miguel Sanchez (Mich)

Élephante in Santa Monica is an absolute gem! Perched on the rooftop with breathtaking ocean views, this Italian restaurant is the perfect spot to watch the sunset. As the sky transforms into hues of orange and pink, the atmosphere becomes truly magical. Élephante's rooftop setting offers an unobstructed view of the Pacific Ocean, making it an ideal spot to witness the sunset. From wood-fired pizzas to handmade pastas, the menu features a range of traditional Italian dishes crafted with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The staff at Élephante are knowledgeable and attentive, ensuring a seamless dining experience. The combination of chic decor, lush greenery, and stunning views creates a lively yet intimate ambiance, perfect for special occasions or casual gatherings. Reservations are highly recommended, especially if you want to secure a table with sunset views. The restaurant's rooftop setting is particularly stunning during sunset, making it a perfect spot for romantic dinners or special occasions. Overall, Élephante is a must-visit destination in Santa Monica, offering an unforgettable dining experience with its stunning sunset views, delicious Italian cuisine, and vibrant atmosphere

+4

Alan Ritchie

We had an excellent meal at Elephante. The ambiance is next level and will be extremely hard to beat given its proximity to the water in Santa Monica. During our meal, we had a nice view of the water yet enjoyed the dark and moody atmosphere of the restaurant. The service was very kind and attentive despite being busy. We got the whipped egg plant dip which was solid (the bread is next level). We then got the vodka pasta and sopressata pizza. I really enjoyed the combination of the honey and hot soppressata on the pizza and felt that the vodka pasta was extremely well balanced. This was a great meal and I am glad we were able to make it in. 

Note- I would definitely recommend making a reservation multiple weeks in advance as it was quite busy.

great food but service could be better. takes time to get a table. food is good xcellent!!!

This place is quite cute and the ocean view is great if you are sitting outdoor. We got an interior space which is warmer with heater but the general ambience is nicely designed. \n\nServer was ver…

great food but service could be better. takes time to get a table. food is good xcellent!!!

great food but service could be better. takes time to get a table. food is good xcellent!!!

This place is quite cute and the ocean view is great if you are sitting outdoor. We got an interior space which is warmer with heater but the general ambience is nicely designed. \n\nServer was v…

Yes delicious went for my birthday. It was amazing. The food was delicious. It's easy to get to the seating was fabulous. Had one of everything and it wasn't outrageously expensive. Would go back i…

Yes delicious went for my birthday. It was amazing. The food was delicious. It's easy to get to the seating was fabulous. Had one of everything and it wasn't outrageously expensive. Would go back…

Great spot for a weekend lunch. Took some clients here and enjoyed the atmosphere. Will come back again

late night, date in front of ocean View best of espresso, Martinez pizza and variety of delicious. We got the best service from Sam. Thank you for a really nice evening.

late night, date in front of ocean view best of espresso, Martinez pizza and variety of delicious. We got the best service from Sam. Thank you for a really nice evening.

Really love this place. We have come multiple times with and without a reservation. Great ambiance for date night or dinner with friends. Whipped eggplant dip is the best starter everytime. We came…

Elephante never disappoints. The whipped eggplant is a must. The vibe is everything, drinks are great. Super cute rooftop vibe

This restaurant definitely exceeded my expectations! The service was incredible and my favorite was the pork pizza it was like sweet and so good and the vodka pasta was one of the best i had and th…

Went to Élephante in Santa Monica with some friends and it was such a fun spot. The rooftop location has amazing views and the atmosphere is lively but still relaxed. We tried the truffle fries and …

Went to Élephante in Santa Monica with some friends and it was such a fun spot. The rooftop location has amazing views and the atmosphere is lively but still relaxed. We tried the truffle fries an…

Went to Élephante in Santa Monica with some friends and it was such a fun spot. The rooftop location has amazing views and the atmosphere is lively but still relaxed. We tried the truffle fries an…

This evening's dinner was a continuation of our 21st Anniversary trip and did not disappoint. We came in from TX for a few days and Nick and Josh were our wait persons and took very good care of. T…

This is a great place to eat, drink, and enjoy the views of the Santa Monica Beach and Pier. staff at the local hotel recommend this restaurant and it was divine. The bread is delicious, it was sof…

Had a last minute reservation here on 12/09/2023 with a friend who lives in SM. With the reservation there was no wait so I was already happy since I was starving. It was crowded, even at 1530 on…

Hungry J

Surprisingly not hard to get a booking on a friday night. Overall the experience was positive but for the price, the food overall fall a bit short of expectation. Salad was good, meatballs can be better, calamari was decent but the sauce does not seem match. The bread and dip was good too but the eggplant was hard to taste. Cavatelli pasta was good but i think the balance was off due too much cheese. And the sausage was a bit too mushy. The vodka pasta was solid, the the Squash Agnolotti was the best pasta I had in a while. Steak is crowd favorite but the special duck dish is not there. The duck smelled a bit off but unfortunately it happens once in a while. Not much a restaurant can do. Sides was good too. Service is nice an chill. Its worth a try for sure.

+7

Cindy W

Our meal was delicious, and the service overall was pleasant, but the hostess was not well trained and thus ruined the overall experience for us. The cocktails were decent, but nothing out of the ordinary. Some must-get food items are “whipped eggplant”, “octopus salad” (even though I have been avoiding eating octopus given the Netflix show), and the various pasta dishes (gemelli and ragu). Reservation is a must here. We were here to catch up with friends, so it didn’t bother us that we were seated in the garden section (no exterior view) of the restaurant rather than the lounge area that gets packed with patrons there for the sunset views. The restaurant is in partnership with GreenPlaces to reduce carbon footprints by charging a 0.5% fee per check. It was a relatively small amount but goes a long way to make the guests feel good that we get to participate in something positive.

+3

Dana Diab

Elephante’ is such a vibe. We went for lunch and the place was fully booked, we luckily found a table. The food is delicious and the staff were friendly. The restaurant is located on the rooftop with a beautiful view of Santa Monica beach.

Shanru

Beautiful restaurant with great views of the ocean from the windows. We were able to be seated before sunset — highly recommend getting a reservation. The whipped eggplant was unique and delicious as well, and the service was friendly. It felt a bit crowded inside the restaurant, with the seats and tables crammed next to each other, and it was harder to talk as it was very loud inside. The food also took longer than expected to come out, but it was nice to sit and enjoy the views.

Thu-Nga Ortega, DDS, MAGD

This rooftop restaurant is pretty cute. It has a nice ambience and overlooks the beach from afar. We came here for brunch. The food is decent, dessert is pretty good. We got the steak and eggs and it was tasty. This scrambled egg with prosciutto and cheese bread was delicious. The pepper pasta ( cacio e pepe ) is also pretty tasty. The mango and pineapple sorbet was delicious. Tiramisu was also delicious. This restaurant is worth going to if you are in LA

+2

Such a beautiful restaurant! The vodka pasta was amazing!!! I had a really great experience here.

Such a beautiful restaurant! The vodka pasta was amazing!!! I had a really great experience here.

We had a reservation at 7:45pm for 7 people. The place was packed and extremely noisy with pounding music and loud conversation from diners who needed to raise their voices above the din. Our table…

We had a reservation at 7:45pm for 7 people. The place was packed and extremely noisy with pounding music and loud conversation from diners who needed to raise their voices above the din. Our table…

Great view, great vibe and good food. This is a fun place to go with friends; yes it can be a bit noisy but actually it’s just the sound of lots of people having fun. We were seated at a table wit…

Excellent service. Very busy and very loud. Just so you know, reservations are required. Could you ask for a table outside for the best dining experience. Appetizers were excellent, with a great va…

overrated!!! I reserved a table asking to be on the patio 1 MONTH before but once I arrived at the restaurant they said tables on the patio weren’t available. (Very disappointing especially becaus…

Ehh. It’s a try hard scene-y spot that only cares who you are. I have been there numerous times and tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but the last time I was there it became abundantly clear. Friends from out of town always want to go here, and I have been happy to oblige as I enjoy the sunset views and their famous eggplant dip. But every time I’ve been here, I’ve been treated like an imposition for simply being there, shoved at a table with barely enough space, crammed between 4 other parties and a server trying to rush to get their next cover. The last time I was there, they were “setting up for a private party” which literally included tables being carried OVER my party. It was stressful and chaotic. When asking our server, she was immediately rude about the situation. There were at least 10 open tables in the front (near the railing) but I was told those were all booked. Then some influencers in sweatpants came in, were given those tables and I watched the staff members discuss their needs and serve them right away; while I’ve been waiting 10 minutes for a drink and am having tables carried over me. I follow another Bachelor contestant on Instagram that is always perched in the front. This is a see and be scene spot more than anything, and if you’re an everyday person trying to enjoy the sunset with your mom, you’re better off elsewhere.

Portia Freeman

Positives: Service was fairly good, they were attentive, they let us switch our table to the lounge seats when we asked at a quiet time. The ambiance is very nice, and the view is to die for! It’s perfect to go at sunset so you can watch it over the ocean on this rooftop restaurant. I got the Oaxacan old fashioned, it was strong and delicious. Negatives: I heard so much about this whipped eggplant dip. It’s just a very small plate of velvety spread, and it mildly tastes of eggplant. It came with a huge plate of puffed up pita, which looked cool and was nice to rip into as a table. The spread and the pita as a whole just didn’t seem worth the hype? It wasn’t bad, but it was kind of nothing. My main gripe is that you realistically go through the entire spread before you get even halfway through the pita. We also ordered the ragu, pesto, polenta and mushrooms, and a vodka pasta. All of it, ESPECIALLY the ragu, was unbelievably salty. I am not shy about salt, and unfortunately, I am known to oversalt when I cook at home because I know how much the right amount of salt can elevate a dish, but it was so salty, it made my mouth hurt slightly. It was a bummer that the over salting showed up in every single pasta dish. I also didn’t appreciate the undercooked egg white in the polenta. It was pretty gooey… Lastly, this is more of a pet peeve of mine, but they took one of the plates of pasta away when approx a quarter of the dish was left. The server didn’t ask if we wanted it boxed. Usually, I’d say something or stop them before they whisked it away, but it was so mediocre and salty that I didn’t really care to not have it again. Go for the ambiance and a nice cocktail, not the food. It may be disappointing, at least given how much hype this restaurant has received in LA.

Reto K

After all, apparently this is one of Santa Monicas best (italian) restaurants. As an almost Italian I have to say this place is not living up to its promises. In my opinion their only advantage are those tables at the front site facing the sea. Watching sunset from there is really nice. As a walk-in, they just put you on a waiting list that allows you to sit on the bar. Totally unclear whether at one point you will actually get a table. Luckily we got a table after 1 hour wait. The food menu is pretty strange as neither dish seems to be a full dish. You order the chicken, you will only get the chicken (in a chinese chili sauce - this is supposed to be an italian place, no?). Pasta is just the pasta. So I ordered both. The bucatini were nice but ordering them alone would be like ordering a burger without buns. The bottle of wine I ordered… yeah I definitely had nicer Primitivos with more flavor. The service at the bar was pretty good, the one at the table not so inspiring. It seems like a place you go for the reputation and to be seen but not for the rest.

Always sit at the bar. Bartenders are good. ambiance is busy and popular. The food is hit or miss. Sometimes very good and sometimes more recently, it has been way too salty!!!

The food was fine but this place is so packed and loud(we go to rave and clubs and was still loud for us). They have a rushed service but don't show up when we actually needed. view is great so if …

Great pizza, the pasta was perfectly cooked, and the dessert was phenomenal. Unfortunately, the drinks were very disappointing. I had two gin and tonics that were poorly made, and the prosecco I tr…

Great pizza, the pasta was perfectly cooked, and the dessert was phenomenal. Unfortunately, the drinks were very disappointing. I had two gin and tonics that were poorly made, and the prosecco I tr…

The burrata was amazing all the pastas mid! Drinks mid and overpriced, environment way too loud

Good view. Food overpriced but you pay for the view, so don't go when it's dark, otherwise you'll see nothing. You should go there once as the vibe is cool, but you pay for the view. Not that the foo…

Good view. food overpriced but you pay for the view, so don't go when it's dark, otherwise you'll see nothing. You should go there once as the vibe is cool, but you pay for the view. Not that the …

Good view. Food overpriced but you pay for the view, so don't go when it's dark, otherwise you'll see nothing. You should go there once as the vibe is cool, but you pay for the view. Not that t…

Good view. Food overpriced but you pay for the view, so don't go when it's dark, otherwise you'll see nothing. You should go there once as the vibe is cool, but you pay for the view. Not that the f…

The quality of the food has gone downhill since I last visited but the ambiance remains just as trendy. My boyfriend and I had a reservation for 8:45pm on a Thursday evening and the place was bustl…

over rated TikTok hype. Crazy loud, mediocre food, hustled us through in a big hurry! ~ drinks appetizers and dinner in 40 minutes to get the next table in?! On a Thursday evening. Got our appeti…

maybe a tad deceptive menu pricing for the vodka sauce pasta. You just don't expect an up-charge for lobster to be mote than the entree price. Cleverly worded as supplement $30 to the $27 price t…

Absolutely horrible. Total meat market that gets by on the view.. Had a reservation at 6 PM… Was told to wait by the bar. At 6:45 had to complain to get seated at a table next to the kitchen. Was s…

Absolutely horrible. Total meat market that gets by on the view.. Had a reservation at 6 PM… Was told to wait by the bar. At 6:45 had to complain to get seated at a table next to the kitchen. Was…

Absolutely horrible. Total meat market that gets by on the view.. Had a reservation at 6 PM… Was told to wait by the bar. At 6:45 had to complain to get seated at a table next to the kitchen. Was…

Absolutely horrible. Total meat market that gets by on the view.. Had a reservation at 6 PM… Was told to wait by the bar. At 6:45 had to complain to get seated at a table next to the kitchen. Was…

Absolutely horrible. Total meat market that gets by on the view.. Had a reservation at 6 PM… Was told to wait by the bar. At 6:45 had to complain to get seated at a table next to the kitchen. Was…

Bad service rude standoffish staff members, food came out after an hour and made me very sick after consumption, wouldn’t attend again unless i have to

From the hostess at the entrance of the building was rude and unprofessional reservation that we made was not respected and they made us rush for the next turn over, food was salty ( pasta alle von…

Wendy French

VERY DISAPPOINTED. I rarely leave reviews but since it was so bad, here goes. We had a reservation for a group of 4 here last night, Tuesday, 1/20/26. We made the reservation on Monday, 1/19/26. Our group RARELY gets together, maybe once a year, we've known each other 35 years and its VERY tough to coordinate schedules & 1 person lives out of state! We all drove pretty far to get here, I drove the furthest (1.5 hours). We show up 15 min early to the sign in photo attached and a lot of upset guests like us. NO CALL, NO TEXT, NO PERSON OUTSIDE to explain or let us know what was happening. Come on, Elephante!!! At least have a person posted up outside if you're going to unexpectedly close and not notify guests! The person in our group that made the res somehow got ahold of someone who offered to send us to another place in Santa Monica, called Kassi. Unsure how they are affiliated but they did give us some discount there. It was meh. 3/10. Since I'm taking my time to give a review - I suppose I'll review Kassi here since Elephante endorsed it! We had to sit fully outside in the very chilly January night, they gave us blankets but we were pretty uncomfortable the whole time. It was a foggy/wet night last night & our heater kept turning off. It was dark, we had the low lounge tables that were hard to eat at - we expected/dressed for the atmospere/tables/food at Elephante. Food was 4/10. 1 example: we have onion allergy/sensitivity in our group. We ordered cucumber salad, no mention of onion on the menu, came riddled with onions, took forever to get a replacement. Portions were EXTREMELY small. Drinks were good 6/10. We asked for a water refill 4 times at the end of our "meal", never got it! The ONLY bright spot was the Watermelon Salad - 10/10. As I was saying...VERY DISAPPOINTED in Élephante!

Lily Zhang

Horrible experience. Everything was bad, especially the service and the food. First, we asked for iced lattes and they gave us all hot lattes. When we pointed this out they dumped the hot lattes into another glass with 3 ice cubes; the lattes were still warm and now, watered down. Our waiter was SUPER un-attentive. It took us forever to order our main dishes. To give the restaurant credit, the food came out fast and looked tasty. However, looks can be deceiving...the food was horrible too. The ocean view was nice, but it was hard to even look at it because the pasta tasted like it had been dunked in the salty ocean water. Our cacio e pepe and ragu tasted so salty we thought the whole salt canister was dumped onto the dishes. Since the waiter was no where to be seen, we only had one measly cup of water that was finished and our whole table was extremely parched. The waiter didn't check up on us once and was sitting at the bar chatting with her co-workers. We had to waive the waiter over to ask about alternative options with the food, she was dismissive and spoke so quietly we could not hear her over the chatter in the restaurant. The best part of this experience was leaving the establishment.... unless you are handicapped then good luck leaving because the exit points down to three flights of stairs.