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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Venice
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You can't really hear yourself talk in this tiny house converted restaurant; it's supercrowded, loud and dark....but I still love it. The flatbread appetizer with all the various dips gets me every time. I like that the Axe menu is small and they take advantage of seasonal produce and simple proteins. It's uncomplicated American food done in a very thoughtful but comforting way.
Oh and the waiters are all disarmingly handsome...
And the brownie pudding swimming in warm milk is to die......
Utterly reeks of pretension despite their best efforts and minimalist, zen-like accoutrements. There's nothing more annoying than someone who pretends to be down to earth whilst secretly hoisting their nose in their air behind your back. I have much more respect when it's made clear just what you're getting into.
And a word to those of you who aren't white. The staff will be happy to pass you up in order to accommodate someone else--halfhearted, disingenuous apology optional. I also noticed that the gay couple in the corner being summarily ignored.
I'd like to assemble an army of minorities and gays and stroll in there for Sunday brunch.
Have you ever walked into a restaurant and noticed that you're the fattest MoFo there? I sat down at the bar and looked around and everyone was thin and beautiful. For a second, I thought I walked onto the set of Melrose Place and was going to get kicked out for sneaking in.
Before perusing the menu, I looked around to see what people were ordering. It was either some kind of salad or the rice bowl.
I couldn't decide which one I was going to order and then I looked at the menu and saw the Grilled Swiss Grueyer and prosciutto sandwich on homemade bread served with a side salad made up of thinly sliced pickled carrots, cucumber, jalapenos and onions.
Being at the bar I had the advantage of watching everything that went down in the open kitchen. "Lotta love and care" went into the food preparation. I was glad to see that the kitchen staff didn't look like the "Heroin induced model looking" waitresses that were serving the food.
My sandwich was delicious.
I have dined in many restaurants, in many cities, and this was by far the WORST dining experience I have ever had.
To begin, we had made a reservation for 3 people, but wanted to increase it to 4. They had originally jammed us at a table fit for two people and so hemmed and hawed when we needed to add our 4th. I asked for a manager, but no one came over. Instead they finally "accommodated" us at a normal sized table. It is worth noting that one of our patrons is 8months pregnant and her husband is extremely tall, there was no way we would have fit.
During the mediocre dinner, the busboys swarmed around us like buzzards waiting to take our plates away before we had hardly picked at them. Clearly rushing us. Seconds after we finished our dessert and paid our overpriced bill, the waiter had the audacity to come over to our
table and asked us to LEAVE so they could seat someone else. They offered us a seat in the tea garden outdoors- again we had an 8 month pregnant person in our party!!!! and it was night time and freezing out.
Finally, as we were leaving we asked if we needed to be validated, and the hostess didn't even look up to say that the valet was complimentary, but it still cost $5.....that just confused me, but capped the evening off perfectly.
I have been in Michelin star restaurants in France that had better service and manners.
I will NEVER step foot in this place again.
Loved the 8-grain pancakes and mimosas. Keep an eye out for celebs.
A go-to spot on Abbott Kinney to take my NYC friends when they visit. The food is terrific, and the vibe is Brooklynesque.
I occasionally get the feeling that the staff would rather I be in a different income bracket or possessed of musical or artistic talent of a marketable nature, but that's a small annoyance to compensate for the delicious fare, hardwood floors, and Abbot Kinney location.
I really enjoyed the space and our service but have a feeling Axe may be more about style than substance.
We arrived early on a Saturday and had no problem grabbing a table for brunch. I ordered the fried egg with mozzarella, chopped basil garlic oil, ricotta, and grilled bread ($12) They also had prosciutto available as an add on to the dish ($3) and of course I had to have it.
Sounds delicious, right? And check out my pic...it looks delicious. Unfortunately, this dish just didn't come together. The grilled bread was cold (I actually asked for a warm piece of bread to replace it which they provided) and the cold ricotta/chopped basil made the egg cold in no time. $15 is kind of outrageous for a brunch dish this mediocre.
While my brunch was disappointing, the people watching was fun!
because you have to eat a healthy home-cooked meal in a Dwell worthy kitchen at least 3x/week. sure wish the neighborhood nazis/saltysalts//life haters wouldn't have shut down the outside area.
This is going to be an easy one. I have been to Axe 4 times now. I have always enjoyed the food but like a lot of other reviewers found the indifferent waitstaff a little off putting. Tonight was totally different to the point where I almost felt like the manager must have read all of the reviews and sent his surly waiters down the street to Gjelina. From the time I called for a reservation I had great service. We did arrive early and the restaurant was not crowded so this may have helped. The food was excellent and tasty. The portions were large enough that my date and I split a salad and a cheese plate then each had an entree. We took home leftovers and we are NOT light eaters. We also had three glasses of wine a large bottle of Pellegrino and huge chocolatey brownie thing. Our total was only 100 bucks. In general it was a really easy night with great food at a good price. I think this place has grown into itself.
I'm rolling my eyes at the name too.
But the food was really interesting, and I had a nice dinner with friends there, and felt like I was at a trendy spot to be. I really liked the ambiance and decor too.
1 less star for the stupid waitors with fake accents... they should pay their bussers more because that's whos really waiting the tables.
Axe is one of those places you either love or hate. There isn't an in between. I happen to love almost everything about Axe. The simplistic decor is relaxing and very modern chic. It's kind of a trendy place, but not so much so that you feel uncomfortable.
The food is very healthy, and it's great for a post yoga meal or snack. My favorite thing is the veggie broth soup with parmesan on top. The salads and sandwiches are also really good. I have yet to try breakfast here, but I've heard that the pancakes are to die for.
The only thing I have to complain about is the service. It's pretty cold and it's hard to get the waitress's attention. But I'm willing to overlook this because it's a really enjoyable experience overall.
First off...to give you a vibe of what this place is like, please note that it is pronounced "Ache" even though it is spelled Axe.
(Rolling my Eyes)
This place is uber - trying to be cool LA, but of course not in a hollywood way, restaurant.
Walls are stark white, super indie staff, weird items on a small menu...i just thought the whole thing was obnoxious.
I ordered the rice bowl, and I cant lie, it was pretty good. but the whole place is otherwise ridiculous...they dont serve ICE!! come on.
Fortunately, for great restaurants in Los Angeles, their stars shine all the brighter among the flashier, overpriced, mediocre restaurants they compete against (See Craft review).
Such is the case for Axe, who came at a high recommendation from a fellow San Franciscan food lover. Coming freshly burned from Craft the night before, I kept my left eyebrow skeptically raised but hopeful and sat down to a fantastic first meal at Axe.
My friend and I were greeted by a cheery, hip hostess and sat at the bar. The wine selection was respectable and reasonably priced. We had pork belly (melt in your mouth ridiculously good), the flat bread, and shared the halibut entree. All of the food was nicely executed, with clean flavors and high quality ingredients. Our bottle of Catherine Grenache was delicious, once it opened up and had some fresh air.
Our seat at the bar gave us a nice view of the kitchen and allowed us to chat a bit with the waitstaff and hostess. One server even answered my love advice question. There was a lot of that during our visit. The entire friendly staff felt more like friends hosting you at their hip Venice home, than a restaurant. This welcoming and nonpretentious atmosphere added a warm feeling to the food and our overall experience.
I will definitely return to Axe to sample more of their delicious and creative food! Quite a nice diamond to find among the many pieces of coal in LA.
This place is simple and contemporary and has very good food. Great for breakfast or lunch - haven't had dinner there yet.
They have fabulous coffee, salads, organic entrees and these great rice bowls with different toppings.
The only bummer is it gets really crowded, they don't take reservations and it is quite loud when it's full- which is 99% of the time.
I came here early on a Friday night with a friend to have a nice quiet adult dinner. The yelp listing says this isn't a good place for kids, and I would have to agree, from the decor to the menu, this place is for the grown ups. Apparently the manager that night didn't have the same opinion as I did on the kids part. Now we were there early, 6:30 reservation. There was a couple there with a 1 year old in high chair and this kid was screaming. My friend said something to the server about the level of the child and he said he wished there was something he could do.
We ordered and were served the best sake soaked fillet. It was tender, juicy and so flavorful. Amazing bite from the little slices of jalapeno on eat piece, the perfect amount of heat.
After that amazing appetizer, a woman came with her 2 kids. One was about 10 and the other about 4. Again I was wondering why all the kids. These ones were running about the place, falling down, crying, whining, the full on kid experience. Mind you that it's also getting more crowded as it is Friday night, so the kids noise escalates all the other talking in the restaurant as well. I then asked for the manager and complained to her. She said they allow children and there's nothing she's going to do. NOTHING?! I told her that I wouldn't be complaining if they were being good. And there was another young girl there who was behaving. But I think people need to be more respectful with their kids in a nice place to eat.
We had a nice fresh Butter Lettuce salad and the potatoes for the day which were so nice and flavorful. The dressing on the salad had a very refreshing up note at the end that really caught me by surprise, but lightened up the meal even more. Very delicious.
When I got my bill, i called the manager back again, because the owner was absent that night. I wanted to give her another chance to apologize for the horrific service, and she said she had called the owner. The owner told her that she should have asked the people with their crazy kids to step outside. Which she still didn't do. But then, she told me that that's the way the place is and she's sorry that I didn't like it. And if I were to comeback next time, to ask for a table not near children. This was ridiculous. I told her that can I have a quieter dinner at Chili's and that I would be writing it up in my review.
Food was good, atmosphere was HORRID! If they had delivery or take out, I'd go for it. Otherwise this oddly named place go to to Venice pretentious hell.
Jeepers, Larry David twice in a row!
That's what Party Girl said when we sat down in this vellum, simple box house room at Axe on Abbot Kinney, and she spotted him with five other diners at the end table, his head sheeny with affluence, perfect health and equipose, that only 500 million solid dollars in the bank and the apercu of comic genius rewarded can bring.
Party Girl had run into Larry David up the street at Ngelina's the previous night...hey, AK is gone, we've got to go out somewhere...
is there anywhere but Venice?
What the freak. I'd thought Axe was vegetarian -- but the pork chops were sizzlingly seared and perfect, with a green bean side that was a simple as it was dazzling, cheesed and chased with oven roasting that crisped the ends to toast oiled perfection.
The entering salad was radicchio and ridiculous, with razor-bladed hazelnut halfs and romano petals under the greens, so you got a mouth-fostered surprise of pleasure when you reached the bottom, a cheese chased bacon buzzed, olive oiled chop salad.
There was also the simplest, beautiful flat bread. It was rolled into a dessert-ish tort swirl that Pig unfolded and dipped into a four part puree and compote --shallot yogurt, red cabbage tahini, egg plant, hummus, beets and a cucumber toss that rendered, with its floor of sour cream flavor, deep deep pleasure., all splashed Technicolor.
PIg split his appetizer plate (the raddichio) with Party Girl, as well as the lone flat bread, one chop entree -- and that was a lot of food for two -- know this, and you will suffer less at billing time.
Two French guys at flanking table were a good portent for eating (you rarely see French people in a bad LA restaraunt), early 20s, and just off the plane and excited to be in LA as only the French can be (the Frenchies love it here, the night jasmine and smog curl up into their nostrils like Gooddardian Gaulloises, they are cinemaste's, they believe the Hollywood myths, and it works for them.) They verbally caressed our honey haired waitress, a waveleted Botticelli Palm Beach cool drink of lovely water ---- well, they were charming and they got drunk on her and ordered two desserts just to show off, and Pig had to be held at gunpoint to stay off their plates -- two glowing apple tartins with irregular wavy borders (all crinkled pastry and bubbling) set with buttery glowing frissettes, roundish yellow crusted pies with a snowy fountain shot of what appeared to be real cream, whipped. Pig didn't get one of the apple pies, and he regrets it like you do an untaken kiss...he recommends you go ahead and order it...next time he will...
Now, Axe is known for its 'attitude' and as for the dreaded glacee 'chic' atmosphere of Axe...well, Larry David had to knock the table hard once,white teeth gleaming with roaring laughter, like the Sun King reminding everybody who's the real star of the room, but other than that he was well behaved, and looks healthier and more vital than Jesus at the temple. Everyone didn't look at him, and didn't look at him a lot for a few minutes and then genuinely nobody gave a shit and that is how it should be and always is in Venice. Yes, I read reviews below that knock Axe for it's name (proncouned 'ache',) for it's 'Hollywood phony snobbery', it's 'too skinny' people ...uhhhh, come on folks, okay? Let's not criticize Axe for not being stuffed with fat folks...I don't think this country is going to run out of fat people anytime soon...and,er, can't there be a few cool places that make LA and Venice echt sooeee generis? This country is chock a block with Outback Steakhouses, there will be no shortage of less than chic, unsnobby bistros in America, okay? However, just to make the "Screw Them Phonies' folks happy, I will deliver my own little Axe pule...over the course of our prandial, it grew as hot and humid inside as a vinyasa class full of window shutting masochists. (Now, to be fair it was one of the beachy humid drippers that Venice can have occasinoally) but also, yes, Axe was too cool for school or AC -- hell, they didn't even open the windows. Pig started sweating like he was holding a 100 breath crescent pose in woolen underwear. It was the Floriditian mugginess that finally drove us out, but it took two and a half hours to drive us out, and as we rolled we were still eating (I picked up hazelnuts halves with my wet finger directly from the table top -- and yes, I have lived to tell about it, unhygienic and horrible as it was -- I could not help myself, the nuts were perfectly roasted, like Axe itself.)
This chef is a blessing to Venice, and we will burp to him tonight -- a post prandial ginger beer to his genius.
Axe is a culinary marvel, based on our single foray. Pig loveth.
Yeah, it's chic. But -- namaste, yes?
Chronic. I always get "the fish"... Always. Never fails. Friendly staff. Food for people who like food.
OH but btw- if you're elitist, and don't like to be in the midst of 30 other loud obnoxious Santa Monicans, try a weeknight just after opening.
Do not expect to be able to carry on a conversation with your date on Saturday night. Its not for that. Its for the food.
There I was on Saturday and my phone rings, and its a gentlemen who says, "Hello this is Ashay, wanting to confirm your reservation." I'm thinking to myself, Ashay, who the hell is that? So I ask him his name, he responds "Bill" (or something). Now I'm even more confused so I ask where he's calling from, to which he responds "Ashay". That's when it hits me, Oh! Axe... Ashay, what the hell is that?
The restaurant itself is pretty nouveau and contemporary. Minimalist to the max. Chairs and tables are of a block and square nature. The colors are very muted and earthy. Lighting is dim but not so dark you won't know what you're eating. My initial impression was trying too hard to send a message. But it wasn't bad, very green friendly.
I went with a date and when we were taken to our table, she asked for another location right next to ours, which the host said he couldn't do because they had a tightly packed schedule. (That table was left unused for at least another 45 min.... so I'm not sure how I feel about that).
The waiter gave us the menus and then promptly left. Being our first time at the restaurant, we had no clue what the menu was like and how it worked. We had to flag him down to get him to explain the various items and recommendations.
We started with the lamb meatballs. I had the lamb, and my date the trout which came recommended from the waiter. The food was very delicious. Excellently flavored, meat was tender, very good overall. The trout however was very very bony, which my date mentioned to the waiter, to which he got defensive about it (???).
After the meals the waiter gave us the dessert menu, and promptly walked off again. The top item on the dessert menu? Dessert of the Day. We again had to flag him down to get him to let us know what was up, and when we asked with the Dessert of the Day was he initially said "Oh that was on the main menu you saw earlier" Yeah... like I remember the details of your menu...
All in all, the food was delicious and excellent. Very flavorful and not heavy. Portions are pretty fair size I would say as well. For dessert we had the butterscotch cream(?) which was very pumpkin pie like but also very tasty. The service... well not so hot, but it was only from our 'waiter' who in all honesty did not do anything except hand us our menus and walk away. Everything else, bringing out the food, clearing the table, refilling water was done by everybody else, which was done very efficiently , quickly, and seamlessly.
If the waiter hadn't been such a douche I'd be more of a fan of this place. But otherwise the food was delicious, ambiance was simple yet cozy. I'd go there again, but probably after trying some other places. Valet parking was very inexpensive.
I went for dinner last Saturday night for a bachelorette party dinner with a group of girls (there were 7 total including me) and we all loved it. The atmosphere was very cool and laid back. The decor very simple yet sophisticated, and the lighting very dim. This led to a nice relaxing dinner. One girl said that the place seemed like a romantic date spot, and I don't think that that's inaccurate as I feel it would be good for that as well. We were going to a spa (Nite Spa on Santa Clara review of that to come) afterward for our girls night, so it was perfect for us too.
I think most of the tables were on the smaller side, but we got a long table with benches in the front part of the restaurant in front of the kitchen. Our server was really nice and attentive. We brought a bottle of pinot noir ($15 corkage fee), which he opened and then he brought the bottle of their grenache blanc (I highly recommend, but I forget the name) to the table right away for the white drinkers. We ordered the flat bread and Mediterranean sampler plate to start and that came out super quick (as it should have). I was not overly impressed, but the bread was warm and it served it's purpose.
We also ordered:
* mussels in coconut curry broth*-these were the highlight of the meal, they came with crusty bread to dip in the broth and we even asked for extra flat bread to sop up the last drops. it was that good.
* Lamb- got it with swiss chard, soooo juicy!!
* Pork chop-shitake mushrooms and some sort of greens on the side, also very delicious!
-my friend and I split the last two entrees because we couldn't decide which one to get. I'm glad we did because I was so into my food that I honestly couldn't tell you ONE thing that was ordered by any of the other girls!
I have no idea what they had for desert because we took our time and then had to run, but I would love to go back and find out...
I will admit that when I called to make the reservation I wasn't sure if I was going to like it. The girl who answered the phone had a bit of a snooty air to her and all I could think was "uh oh..." However, I was pleasantly surprised. I really liked this place and our server was very accommodating, making really great suggestions.
We had an early Friday night reservation which ended up being perfect because this place has a great selection of appetizers and small plates (flat bread and dips-amazing!) and we were able to have a leisurely 2-2 1/2 hour dinner. Since we were a group of four we ordered a bunch of stuff and sample more of a variety of the food. The pork loin chop with Yukon mashed and the big eye tuna with Swiss chard was delightful, but my favorite plate was the lamb merguez. It really was one of the juiciest pieces of sausage I've ever sunk my teeth into!
One tip: Order dessert!!!! Best dessert I've had in a long time. If you order the trio of ice creams, I suggest ordering at least two scoops of the mint. It was like a refreshing icy cold mint leaf melting in your mouth. Also, bread pudding is probably one of my favorite desserts of all time and this place has a unique way of serving it. They serve it cubed in a bowl of sweet, warm milk so that the juices get absorbed like a sponge. You really just want to pick up the bowl and start drinking the milk which a friend of mine practically did. LOL!
With alcohol and several dishes and desserts, our meal came out to around $200. Totally worth it for a great vibe and great eats!
Did I just ordered the wrong dish? I had tuna salad and it was not worth $15 - especially if it came from a can. Sorry for saying that, but it just tasted somewhat unpleasant. : (
Yum, Yum, and Yum!! I really enjoy Axe when i'm on this side of the town. The food is fresh and organic. They always have a tasty item that i'm lookin for either for lunch or dinner. I really like their rice bowl and the chocolate brownie settling in a dish of warm milk of cream for dessert. This is so yummy that I would sometimes drive from Hollywood to Venice just for the dessert.
The decor is very minimal and modern with warm bites of furniture. They also have a great out door space in the back that I wish, they would use for out door seating! It would be amazing with a fire pit. Bring a friend or date it's a great place to be
AXE is not a foreign language spelling of a weapon you use to break a door down with.
It's a solid restaurant with tasty dishes. A tilt on the pricey side, but worth it.
It's also pronounced Ahhhhhhhhhh-Jay. Took me some time to sort that one out.
I wanted to love Axe, but instead I liked a lot. (I wish I could give them a 3.5 because they didn't quite make it to a 4.) What bummed me out was dessert - and I was totally in the mood for a good dessert the night I went. But let me start with the positives. I love the way the food is cooked here - simply and deliciously. Despite the fact it was 6:30 and the place was empty, we were assured that all the tables were reserved (it's not a big place anyway). Normally I hate that crap, but soon the restaurant filled up so I knew they weren't full of shite. My friend and I ate at the counter, which I actually liked. I love being able to watch what goes on in the kitchen...
Ok back to the food. We split the polenta with wild mushrooms to start. Very nice flavor, but not enough wild mushrooms. I then had the mussels in a spicy coconut broth...I could have eaten the broth alone with bread for dinner. It was amazingly delicious. I can't remember what my friend ordered because I'm still thinking about that broth.
So dessert. I ordered the bread pudding and my friend ordered the warm chocolate brownie pudding. They were both served steaming (from the microwave?) sitting in scaldingly hot milk/cream. Maybe they nuked mine too much because it was like eating really dense/extra firm sweet tofu. Where was the bread in the bread pudding? Meanwhile my friend's brownie reminded us of eating coco crispies - where the milk turns into chocolate milk in the end? Neither were really inspired.
I would definitely be up to give Axe another try. Maybe for brunch?
Went here today with two girlfriends for lunch. I like modern but not when it's so minimalistic you want to go to Home Depot, buy some paint and splatter it over their walls to give it some life, it's boring.
Friends had chicken soup and gruyere and prosciutto sandwich, I had the rice bowl. All could have been made in my sad i-don't-cook-but-i-could kitchen. If you just throw fish sauce at the bottom of my rice bowl that doesn't count as cooking.
Overall, felt healthy afterward but 1 hr later i was starving and had to eat pizza. There goes the diet.
Hint: Organic = healthy but no so tasty.
In a nutshell: Great date night place, the food was decent, the service could have been better. I would come back if my date wanted to but I doubt I would suggest it. Just A-OK.
The food was fantastic. Lots of vegetarian choices. Great beer + wine selection. We ate here for lunch, I loved the salad options. I ordered bread pudding for desert --- The bread pudding was a different style than I'm used to --- It's a warm sourdough+raisin+butter bread pudding that comes served to you in a hot bowl of milk, so it looks more like a milky soup and it tasted great, but was a surprise to me. The restaurant loses a star because the hipster staff were not helpful and barely friendly. They never asked what I wanted to drink, didn't ask us if we'd like dessert and had MAJOR attitude problems. A positive attitude would definitely help them get better tips. I should note that the kitchen staff and servers who brought the food were excellent, personable and friendly.
Axe (not pronounced AX, like a hatchet, but rather A-SHAY, like pretentious faux-French nonsense) is a minimalist restaurant. There is nothing on the walls - no art, no mirrors, no nothing - just paint. The tables and chairs are also minimalist in that they are bare, brown, and backless (i.e., you'll be sitting on a wooden stool all night). I guess some people like this kind of decor -- I, on the other hand, couldn't shake the feeling that I was eating in someone's apartment on the day they moved in. "What am I doing eating?", I kept thinking, "I should be helping them unpack."
Decor aside, I may have liked this restaurant had the food had any flavor. The cauliflower soup had a nice color and consistency, but it was flavorless. Same deal for the short rib -- it was stewy, chewy, and bland. We also ordered some sort of rice, pinto bean, and basil salad that almost tasted like something interesting, but alas the three flavors just didn't mesh. I know now that pinto beans and basil are a strange pairing.
My favorite part of the meal was a goat cheese appetizer, probably because it was the only food at my table that tasted like anything. I doubt they made the goat cheese at the restaurant, so I can confidently say that all food I tried that was prepared on the premises left me completely unimpressed.
I used to waitress at this place.
I was fired from this place in a not so nice way.
They make the best damned pancake I've ever had.
I still show up there, because it's just that good.
Yes, I surrender my pride for a pancake.
Damn you, delicious pancake, damn you.
If your looking for a nice intimate place with a very cool and calm atmosphere this is for you. Axe has simple decor but the dishes are quite far from simple in taste. I had the 1/2lb mussels and they were fantastic. The service was great and the vibe felt good in there for a nice Sat night hang out with friends. I will for sure be back. Looks like you really need a reservation though as this place is tiny.
Can't help but love this place. I've only been during breakfast/lunch which it can be packed on the weekends. Made the mistake of coming a Sunday afternoon and waited for an hour, yet I clearly waited because I knew it'd be worth it! I've tasted two things on the menu 1) the pancake and 2) chicken rice bowl. Let it be known I am not a pancake type of person. I like one bite and then get over the pancake. The pancake at Axe is heaven in your mouth. It's almost a banana bread consistency its so think. not to mention it is one massive pancake. It fills the 9inch plate they serve it on. Smoother the pancake with butter and I'm content. Most importantly though the rice bowl. I dream about this rice bowl. I crave this rice bowl. If I could I'd eat this rice bowl every day. You would think I'm being dramatic, but I'm not. If you've yet to taste it go, I mean like NOW. Actually, I just gave myself a great idea. Maybe I'll see you there :)
Insider info: the restaurant is pronounced ah-shea. I refuse to play into LA's silly way of spelling and pronouncing words. Ax it is.
Given, this is only pertaining to brunch:
While the service (meh) and atmosphere (warm, loud, not necessarily the comfiest seating arrangements) leave a little to be desired, it's hard to quarrel with any establishment that makes a pancake THIS good. I'm also mildly obsessed with the ridiculously simple toast with fried egg and pesto, which goes quite well with the chicken sausage.
low key and straighforward restaurant in venice, but you pay a bit more for the minimalist vibe. this place is always packed whenever i'm walking on AK and I'm here a LOT. lots of hipster types - young, old, and families here.
sat at the bench seats by the kitchen. didn't have a reservation and the place filled up quickly.
went here finally for dinner with my bf. i had the farmer's market plate - great for vegetarians and vegans (just ask them to hold the parmesan). you get to choose 4 sides and it comes with an arugula salad. veggies were nicely cooked, but could have used a little bit of seasoning - maybe garlic, herbs? but i felt really healthy for eating most of the generous portions. my bf had the roasted half chicken with root vegetable side. the chicken was perfectly cooked - beautiful crispy skin - and great roasted root vegetables - perfect comfort food meal.
the dessert was bad like shannon m wrote. bread pudding isn't nuked vanilla ice cream with slightly burnt pieces of bread.
good for a simple meal, but for the price....you should head down the street to gjelina for something more impressive food wise.
Stopped by tonight with the usual foodie suspects from the office--we'd selected AXE tonight due to their reputation for having strong options for our meat challenged, vegetarian friends. As always,parking in the Abbot Kinney area was brutal, so big kudos for the complimentary valet service on the weekends.
Multiple appetizers to start off the evening.
Flat bread with multiple spreads was strong, but uneven. Universal acclaim for the sweet, carmalized onion spread, mixed reviews on the shallot and yogurt options.
Seared sake marinated kobe slices with jalepeno was awesome, although we barely had enough to go around for our table.
The sheets of pasta with cheeses and peas I thought was totally forgettable. Others thought more highly of it.
Two orders of the green onion pancakes--in traditional Korean style with seafood and one vegetarian. Big thumbs up all around.
Entrees ranged from the daily fish -- a white fish whose name I won't even attempt to spell, the farmer's market vegetable spread, and lamb chops. I started with a carrot puree soup and followed with the rib eye with roasted yukon potatoes and broccoli spears. Pretty much everything I ate, including a bite of the lamb, was incredible. The portion of the steak was quite generous as well and the potatoes were surprisingly tender and flavorful. I was most satisfied.
Finally my dessert of strawberry shortcake, while it was good, was generally fairly forgettable. The meal had been very strong throughout, so the dessert was a tad of a let down. The mint ice cream that I tried was pretty good though.
All in all, I thought this was quite an excellent meal especially for the amount paid. I'd certainly come again.
-1/2 star for the waitress who was Phoebe from Friends spacey at times and relatively MIA by the end of the meal.
-1/2 star for the heat in the dining room... perhaps my dining companions are just sweaty mongrels putting out 1500 BTUs of heat, but I can't say I'd ever noticed before. Tonight however, I was sweating up a good storm.
-1/2 for the worst bathroom signage EVER.
+1/2 star for the complimentary parking.
I think I will most definitely have to come again for the brunch menu next.
Shoddy service marred a wonderfully organic, fresh, chicken rice bowl, an aromatic concoction of basil, parsley, carrots, alfalfa and tender poultry meshed together sensuously and washed down with a superbly refreshing green iced tea.
The minimalist design can often drain the coziness of a restaurant, but during lunch hours and with the omnipresent Southern Cali sun resplendently penetrating the dining area, one feels a welcome air of domesticity to the proceedings which I'm not sure exists during the cooler evenings and the higher volume of patrons fracturing the feng-shui qualities that Axe offers.
Lovely space, but the wait staff had a hard time delivering brown sugar for my iced tea within a span of fifteen minutes which, upon receiving the check, prompted me to have to get up and approach the waitress to expedite the process. I wanted no risks when it came to speeding up the finality of the meal.
Lunch menu is varied - soups, noodles, sandwiches with prosciutto and gruyere and make-your-own-salads.
The other drawback is the number of flies roaming around the dining area. One loved my glass of green iced tea so much it decided to swim in it.
Mom? Is that you back there? This place makes a chicken soup that rivals the homemade goodness my mom served up with love when I was a kid. It's not made from a bunch of boullion cubes. This is the real thing.
Everything here is organic and extra fresh which translates into doing something great for your body. Their tuna salad is light and hearty at the same time. It's not weighed down with mayo, and the fresh greens, garbanzo beans, and large chunks of tuna certainly won't leave you hungry. Warning: the grilled proscuitto and gruyere sandwich is addictive. You might regret sharing this one. The food here makes my tummy happy in a way only homemade food usually does.
Axe is minimalistically modern and clean. Service is fine. They don't tell me to clean my room or nag about my grades.
In summary, the food is on the creative side, however, the taste and textures of these creative dishes misses that je ne sais quoi.
I've been for both dinner and breakfast (yes, breakfast as I'm one of the few Angelenos up well before at 7:00 on Saturdays and hovering around restaurant doors at 8:45AM and starving). Dinner was monumentally better than breakfast (maybe because I had a couple glasses of wine).
Their breakfast menu included items such as a 9 grain pancake which was different, but not... quite... there. Soba noodles with shiitake mushrooms (LOVE noodles for breakfast - I am quite asian after all) which fell flat. The noodles came in a very large bowl, but it was all broth. It wasn't served steaming hot, and there were very very few mushrooms and a stingy helping of soba noodles.
I must say that being a coffee snoot, their americanos were not bad. At most breakfast joints I have to tolerate their espressos but was able to enjoy their java here.
Another positive is the atmosphere of the restaurant. As most restaurants in Venice, you're immediately welcomed warmly which is nice! Also, the atmosphere is very minimalist and very comfortable.
And, surprisingly, this is a celeb hang out. I saw Alissa Milano and Helen Hunt (love love love her) here chilling for yes, breakfast.
Anyone else notice that celeb restaurant hangouts and the taste of foods served seem to have an inverse relationship?
Food:
Organic seasonal vegetables, delight
Not vegetarian friendly (only 1 entree), can get pricey if you order several side dishes
Nice wine list
Simple food
Atmosphere:
dark, ambient, warm, minimal
can get loud
can fill up quickly
I love this place! I appreciate the local organic ingredients and thoughtfulness of their menu. My first visit here was for lunch and it's absolutely perfect. I had a great Mediterreanean tuna salad (so fresh that the veggies jumped back at you) and my friend had a grilled gruyere cheese & tomato sandwich. Both were out of control.
I recently came here for dinner. It's sort of tapas style for dinner. My friend and I split an arugula salad, braised short ribs (melt in your mouth to die for!) and the shrimp & scallion pancakes with a spicy sauce. Domaine Vacheron Sancerre was the wine of choice for that evening.
I also appreciate the minimalist, no fuss decor with clean lines. The crowd is stylish and unpretentious. Great job, Axe!
It was a cool crisp night and I was still getting over not being able to smoke in the courtyard of my hotel... When you pay upwards of $500 for a hotel room you expect to get some one on one time with your American Spirits.
I wasn't expecting much from this part of town but we rolled up to this simple spot upon the recommendation of a local chef.
to say the least I had a really amazing meal, the shaved radicchio and arugula salad was perfection, since then I have had the chicken, lamb and their fish special... never been let down. Interesting wine selection and attentive staff.... but they need new seating, after a long day of LA you need more than a wooden bench....
the icing on the cake is that..they let me smoke right outside and not 300 yds away
try it out you wont be disappointed
All Day Happy Hour
Neighborhood: Manhattan Beach
Kids Eat Free!
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: Tapas Bars
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: French
Neighborhood: Venice
Category: Sushi Bars
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