Abbot Kinney
Categories: Shopping Fashion Shopping Jewelry Restaurants Fashion, Jewelry, Restaurants [Edit]
Venice, CA 90291
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Kathryn B. said: "I researched several appraisers in the area before finally choosing AIG and I couldn't be happier with my choice. Admittedly, I was nervous about the…" read more »
24 reviews for Abbot Kinney
Review Highlights
-
"...wait to go back and check out all the shops and food trucks." In 5 reviews -
"...architecture around the surrounding streets which is always..." In 4 reviews -
"Venice, especially Venice Beach, is one of my favorite..." In 4 reviews
Loading...
24 reviews in English
-
Review from Matt P.
Santa Monica, CA
5/9/2012
This is my favorite street in any city anywhere. Here is a quick hitter of places to check out:
Coffee Shops:
Abbot's Habit - this is my favorite coffee shop on the block, because it is not pretentious.
Intelligensia - this place is a scene, but worth checking out once. It is pretentious.
Places to Eat:
Lunch -
Local 1407 - next door to the Otherroom, this place has great fresh sandwiches, pastries & organic pastas
GTA - Next door to Gjelina, this place has the best sandwiches on the block, but no good place to sit and eat. GTA stands for Gjelina Take Away
Dinner -
Gjelina - hard to get reservations, but they do take walk ups. This in my opinion is one of the best restaurants in LA. Hard to beat the entire experience, but the service can be a little slow.
Tasting Kitchen - great French food. Awesome atmosphere. But definitely a little over-priced. Good plan B to Gjelina.
Joe's - the tasting menu is amazing. But the atmosphere is a little plain.
Breakfast -
AXE - This place has good food, lunch, dinner or breakfast. But their weekend morning menu is probably the best.
3 Square - usually has a wait, but great lunch/breakfast food. Awesome pastries
Food Trucks -
There are always great food trucks on the block.
Bars:
Otherroom - Great lounge. Only serves beer and wine.
The Brig - Pooltable, DJ, Dancing, Sports on the TVs, this place is a mix between a dive bar and a great 60s style mod lounge. Its busy from 12n until closing.
Hals - I think it is Thursday nights, has live jazz. This place has good food, but the best thing is to great a drink at the bar and listen to the live jazz.
Shopping:
More boutiques & quality shops than any other street but Melrose.
The GQ article is below states that Abbot Kinney is the best street in the country. I agree. Check it out:
http://www.gq.com/styl... -
Review from JENNIFER N.
Redondo Beach, CA
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
I would feel lost without Abbot Kinney in my life.. I don't know why! lol
Driving by the street makes me feel more calmer. :)
I love Abbot Kinney. Although the parking sucks, I love all the mom and pops boutique stores in this neighborhood. They are each unique and have the most authentic stuff. The restaurants is one of the reason this street is so popular. Here's where you'll find me at some of my favorite hang out spots on Abbot Kinney.
The Panini Garden for brunch.
Joe's Restaurant for brunch and dinner. Lilly's for brunch. Lemonade for healthy food, The tasting room and Via Vento for romantic fine dinning.
Jin Pastarrie for great breakfast and brunch.
Abbot's Pizza for one of the best pizza spot in LA.
and, Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea.
On your late nights, we stop over at The Other room to have a few drinks and meet up our buds around the hood, head down to Abbot's pizza for a late night bite.
And the Nite Spa, for late hours pamper me treatments.
Trust me, you'll won't regret the places I mentioned above.
On the first Friday of the month, they have a night filled with food trucks on the road. No need to go pay an entrance fee at those Food Truck festivals, get them all here on Friday night! Love the crowd here. Lots of lay back people just enjoying themselves. I need to make my rounds at least once every two weeks to feel good! :)Listed in: 5 Stars all the way! Best of…, BEST of L.A.
-
Review from Kevin N.
10/24/2011
Lots of food trucks. Lots of people.
A little bit too crowded for my taste. As for food truck, I would recommend going to the LA art walk which has like 4 times as many food trucks. The shops are filled with random overpriced hipster wear.
Overall if you're going for the art and for food trucks, save your time and go to the LA art walk. -
Review from mellisa t.
Monterey, CA
8/8/2011
Mob scene.
Yes, I like that.
Sometimes.
if you're in the low-key mood, choose carefully when you go. -
Review from Shabnam K.
Santa Monica, CA
7/24/2011
wow! Just wow
How lively so late at night
I have been to AK only once to meet couple of friends for dinner, we walked around and checked out few shops
but I need to go back and explore
It was Friday night, streets were full of people, all restaurants full of life and shops open late, and so many tempting food trucks
can't wait to go back and check out all the shops and food trucks :) -
Review from A.B. C.
Los Angeles, CA
2/14/2011
First Fridays-first, this is a great place to meet cute strangers because you'll spend lots of time waiting in line, start up a conversation by asking them about what they think is good to eat. If you click, spend some time looking at shops and stopping by parties, activities you can do alone if you didn't just make a new friend.
Parking is tricky but I usually try looking on Electric first. Food trucks are mostly in the Brig's parking lot because local businesses didn't like the crowding when they are on the street. Bring lots of cash, just because it comes out in a paper box doesn't mean it will be cheap! -
Review from Barry W.
*** I am a big fan of the Abbott Kinney area. ***
Joan S did a great job of chronicaling its history
in her 2005 review, but I only know it 2000-2010.
The gentrification over the last decade has been
rather remarkable ... even better than that of dntn.
Abbott Kinney is now "The Place" to be at night if
you live within the West L.A. beach communities.
And by day ... businesses and restaurants bustle.
Noteable events here are First Friday (open house
to retailers & galleries during the 1st Fri of each mo)
http://www.yelp.com/bi... and http://www.yelp.com/bi...
the Ann'l Fest. Check them out, you won't be sorry.
*** Parking can be hard but that's b/c it's popular. ***Listed in: Hangin' round LA?
-
Review from Melissa B.
Oakland, CA
5/17/2009
I love this part of LA- granted, I haven't been to many spots in LA, so I will not give it a 5 star as I have nothing to compare it to. I think it's changed a lot even in the last 8 months since I was last there.
As far as neighborhoods go in LA, though, I think this is a sweet, funky little spot. I had a great time taking pictures of all the cool shops and the funky little cottages- some of the houses have been turned into businesses, some are art galleries, some are still homes. Great strip of bookstores, bars, coffee shops, restaurants, galleries, boutiques.
I hope the authenticity of the neighborhood can be retained, though that may have already gone out to sea. WESTSIDE whoop whoop. -
Review from Julie L.
6/16/2010
My first impression was, "Can't wait to explore."
It's a street full of individual businesses, fancy cafes and restaurants, and interesting people. My first journey to Abbot Kinney was a good one and as you can already tell by previous reviews, everyone has their own favorite highlight and reason to go back.
My favorite were the little antique stores. Mounts of old antiques to search around. Oh yeah, and this is where we found the Kogi truck parked in a corner. So of course, we dug into some burritos while we were there.
The lasting impression? "Artsy it is...and very suitable for a 'hipster' (reminded me of Eric L. your compliment!" -
Review from Valerie G.
Seattle, WA
5/11/2010
My poor poor lil hood of Venice, what have the hippies and yuppies done to you??!?!!!? I left you for seven years to live in Seattle and I come back and you are all tarted up and infested with "crabs." I was looking forward to moving back to your artsy and eclectic streets and now I will have to forsake you as you have forsaken me. I weep and tears fall down my crestfallen face.
The Venice art walk on Abbot Kinney on May 7, 2010 was light on the art and walking since it was overcrowded the peeps focused more on drinking, eating and shopping than enjoying good art. This used to be my old stomping grounds and I was looking forward to seeing my old neighborhood cleaned up. Urgh....it lost it charm and character in its gentrification. I mean, I am glad that commerce has picked up and Abbott Kinney is lively but it's to the point of obnoxiousness.
Maybe I am biased. I loved my old Venice. Seeing it so so LA just broke my heart. I will definitely not be moving back to this part of the city, as much as I want to be by the beach. I can't believe that I like living in Hollywood more than the thought of moving back to Venice the way I saw it Friday night. Boooo....... -
Review from Joa K.
6/29/2010
i'm in a strange place trying to review a whole street or section of a city. coming from seattle, this type of place is "same ol' same ol'" but having lived in BORING ass irvine for the last couple of years, this place is great.
however, putting my objectivity hat on, i think this place is a tad hyped up. this place reminds me a liiiittle bit of seattle's downtown fremont (where the troll is) except more narrow and way more hipsterish. i can see how some people think abbot kinney is "sooo LA" and how others think it is not.
everything is overpriced and certainly rings an "I AM TRENDY" tone, but apparently the real estate here is high so go figure. this is "sooo LA."
overall, the abbot kinney/venice blvd street feels safe and quite intimate....the vibe i get is a welcoming one which might be considered "sooo not LA."
terrible parking situation but that's to be expected.........drive carefully! there are a ton of bicyclists, skateboarders, kids running around, and slightly unaware (in a daze?) people everywhere.
like many reviews said, this place is "hip," with old vintage shops, trendy restaurants, artists everywhere....to me, it is a bit stuffy and pretentious. though, i appreciate the openness of "herb culture," haha :P that is always entertaining.
if you go down further to the rose street area, you'll see more "beach people" - perhaps a little more friendly and down to earth - not AS concerned with what's hip or not. more families perhaps. there are all kinds of families here - unlike effing boring irvine, there is a plethora of street performers, multi-everything type families, colorful buildings, etc.
it's fun to walk around and window shop along abbot kinney, but at the end of the day, this place must have been just too "awesome" for me. i don't fit in quite well but i don't not fit in. make sense? yeah, it's just that kind of feeling. -
Review from Joleen Q.
2/18/2011
There actually isn't much good shopping or places to eat on this street... I'll give it 3 stars for Intelligencia! Hopefully First Fridays will be cool!
-
Review from Shannon S.
Los Altos, CA
10/10/2010
the best place in LA. Cute boutiques, Cute cafes, young mature beautiful crowd. Nuf said.
-
Review from yuri c.
5/9/2010
i love abbot kinney during the day & at night as well. it starts from the corner of venice blvd & abbot kinney, right where lemonade is.
safe place to be, trendy stores to window-shop, there are multiple food trucks here & there that you see by the brig, there is the yummy n'icecream shop, intellegentsia, r bakery, cute book stores & antique furniture stores, pet grooming shops, stationary store, and list goes on.Listed in: Places to go in LA, Exploring Socal
-
Review from Andrew W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/10/2006
Abbot Kinney is probably the most intersting neighborhood in the area. Also, they have a pretty good amount of nice restaurants in a general area that is rather lacking.
-
Review from Melanie E.
Los Angeles, CA
4/3/2010
mostly a hippie/indie crowd, much more pleasant than the Hollywood douches. I recommend coming here on the first Friday of the month for all the food trucks..really fun date idea :)
-
Review from jocelyn l.
San Francisco, CA
9/9/2010 1 Check-in Here
Cute neighborhood with cool restaurants, cafes, little shops. Great for strolling around for a couple of hours
-
Review from John D.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2005
Excellent review by Joan.
I highly recommend the beginning of "Dogtown and Z-Boys" (documentary) the beginning of which focuses on the West LA/Venice/SanMo of the late 70s, offering a fascinating dystopian glimpse at how run-down Abbot Kinney's European dream for LA used to be. -
Review from Richard J.
West Los Angeles, CA
2/26/2009
This is a great area of Venice. There are great shops and restaurants. Its kind of like a toned down version of 3rd street meets Melrose. Its not a tourist trap like 3rd street, and not quite as "out there" as Melrose can be. You can find some cool prefab architecture around the surrounding streets which is always kind of cool.
-
Review from david a.
Los Angeles, CA
12/2/2009
I really enjoyed the Abbot Kinney festival. There is a really cool bar there called "The Brig". This is a cool area that is worthwhile to check out. Just take Lincoln Ave. to Abbot Kinney to the see the sights.
-
Review from Eva K.
6/16/2008
Glossy. Why is there a Pinkberry here? (Why are there Pinkberry's everywhere!?) The shops and restaurants are pretty expensive. I like the history of this place. It would have been interesting to see what it used to be, but it's pretty sanitized now, steam-cleaned. I'm gonna netflix "Dogtown and Z-Boys".
-
Review from Vanessa D.
Alameda, CA
9/2/2008
this is my favorite place to see a modern-chic prefab 2 story house, a garden that is also an art display, a shitload of distressed salvage home stuff, a sign of obama with an afro for a salon, craftsmen houses and trees of old growth, a heroin deal, wrought iron meets stucco, art galleries and frozen yogurt....
in short, walking around A-K is always an inspiring and eye-opening experience. :) -
Review from Joan S.
4/22/2005 24 photos
Who??? Well, listen up.........Abbot Kinney is a neighborhood in Venice & also a major local street......named after the founder of Venice, CA, who was born in 1850 on the East Coast (Jersey). This well-educated, multi-lingual world traveler discovered So Cal to be an area where his asthma symptoms were alleviated, and so he stayed. Kinney won the marshy land that is now Venice in a coin toss. His ultimate creation of the town of "Venice Of America", unveiled in 1905, was an attempt to re-create Venice, Italy - complete with a network of canals, ornate Venetian style buildings, even gondolas. After Kinney's death in 1920 (the former tobacco-importer died of lung cancer) Venice was annexed to the City of Los Angeles, resulting in the filling-in of the majority of canals to build streets. In the early 60's L.A.'s code enforcement policy (all buildings had to be upgraded to current standards) ensured the demolition of 550 structures. Fortunately, a large section of the canals remains intact in Venice.... a quaint residential area with waterside walking paths & narrow streets adorned with little curved bridges (see the photos). Some of the Venetian buildings remain here and there - you can't miss the ones at the corner of Windward & Pacific, with their columns and murals. Venice, especially Venice Beach, is one of my favorite places on this planet. All that charm puts a high price tag on the real estate, so that's why I don't live there. Some people brand Venice as infested with drugs & crazies. Well...........yeah. But, that's not all there is to be found there. Besides....... old hippie that I am..... that stuff don't scare me.
Listed in: Parks & Scenic Spaces, People, Abbot Kinney, Cities, Towns, Burbs & Hoods
-
Review from Sue Z.
3/25/2009 1 Check-in Here
i used to haunt this join religiously when i lived in venice. that was a bit ago, and i'm not sure about its present quality and prices. but the pizza i did have rivals pizza i had in italy. it's a different, americana take on it for sure, but they've made it their own. the crust is a fresh bagel-like sesame goodness. i a freak for mushrooms, and they satiate my urge with their Wild Mushroom pizza. douse that with red chili peppers, and you will have a mushroom orgy of goodness in your mouth.
