THE WATERFRONT
VENICE WATERING HOLE SHINES

They say to never judge a book by its cover and in the case of The Waterfront, a Venice Beach boardwalk watering hole (at least you’d think so from the outside), truer words have never been said. From the outside, The Waterfront looks like any other Venice destination to drink, but step inside and you’ll be wowed by its space and décor.

The Waterfront Venice is a full-service restaurant celebrating California cuisine offering carefully selected seasonal produce from local farms. The look inside is posh and beach chic.  It’s the perfect place to getaway for 90 minutes as that’s how long you can sit at a table. FYI, reservations are highly recommended and this place gets packed, albeit socially distant.

While there is no full bar (that hopefully will come sometime this summer), there is beer, wine and sake to choose from. Meanwhile, the cocktails are light and easy and low ABV as they’re mostly wine-based. Booze at brunch options include a mimosa on draft as well as an Adobo Michelada.

Frozen drinks are perfect in this beachy environment and the Froze with watermelon, rosé, coconut water, lime, lavender and Lillet is tops, along with the Tropic made with coconut, pineapple and orange. Think frozen island drinking fun.

If you’re looking for carbonated drinks, the Paloma Spritz, which substitutes tequila for grapefruit and sparkling water with ube, lime and agave wine gets the job done. Likewise, the Baller #2 with watermelon and sparkling water with orange, green grapes and Italian Aperitivo is a good time in a glass.

Drinks served over crushed ice include The Heat made with pineapple and habanero with red pepper, lime and hibiscus Apéritif. Think of this one as bright and spicy. Fans of more traditional cocktails may opt for The Ginger with passionfruit, ginger, lime and fortified wines. This one comes across as a tropical mule.

With freedom on the horizon (we hope), The Waterfront is the perfect beach destination for summer fun in the sun.

The Waterfront is located at 205 Ocean Front Walk on the Venice Beach boardwalk. Open Thurs and Fri from 5pm to 9:30pm; Saturday from 12pm to 9:30pm; and Sunday from 12pm to 9pm.  Reservations are highly recommended.

Story By: Jose Martinez

Photography Courtesy Of: The Waterfront