Bar in Santa Monica, United States
1 Pico
100Pearl PointsBook for the view, not the food.
About 1 Pico
1 Pico delivers the best ocean view in Santa Monica dining, anchored at the Shutters on the Beach hotel steps from the Pacific. The California-focused wine list and coastal food program are solid rather than destination-worthy — book here when the setting is the point. Walk-ins are easy; the experience earns its premium on atmosphere alone.
Quick Verdict
1 Pico sits directly on the Santa Monica shoreline at the Shutters on the Beach hotel, which means you are paying a location premium before a single drink arrives. If ocean views with your cocktail or glass of wine is the specific thing you are after in Santa Monica, this is the address. If price-value ratio is your priority, there are sharper options a few blocks inland.
The Experience
The atmosphere here is defined by proximity to the Pacific: the sound of waves, diffused coastal light, and a crowd that skews hotel guests and celebrating couples rather than neighborhood regulars. It is a low-friction, high-setting environment. Noise levels tend to stay manageable enough for conversation, which puts it ahead of livelier spots on the strip when you actually want to talk. Energy is relaxed rather than buzzy, which suits the explorer who wants context and comfort rather than a scene.
On the drinks side, 1 Pico operates as a hotel bar within a full-service restaurant, which means the wine program reads more like a restaurant list than a dedicated wine bar. Expect a by-the-glass selection that covers the California coastal canon — Sta. Rita Hills Pinot, Central Coast Chardonnay — without the depth or adventurousness you would find at a standalone wine bar. For serious by-the-glass exploration, this is not the destination. For a well-executed glass of California wine with an unobstructed ocean view, it delivers. The cocktail program follows a similar pattern: competent, approachable, priced to the hotel context.
Food is available and the kitchen covers California coastal territory , fresh, produce-forward, seafood-leaning. It functions well as a full dinner stop, not just a drinks perch. That flexibility makes it a practical choice when your group has mixed intentions: one person wants a proper meal, another just wants a sunset drink.
Booking is direct. Walk-ins are realistic outside of peak weekend dinner hours, and reservations through the hotel are easy to secure with reasonable lead time. This is not a venue where you need a months-out strategy.
Know Before You Go
- Location: 1 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica , beachfront at Shutters on the Beach
- Leading time to visit: Weekday sunset for the view without weekend crowds; Sunday lunch if you want a relaxed pace
- Booking difficulty: Easy , walk-ins possible, reservations direct
- Dress code: Smart casual; hotel beachfront context means relaxed but not beach attire
- Good for: Dates, hotel guests, sunset drinks, California wine by the glass
- Skip if: You want a serious wine program, a local neighborhood feel, or the leading price-per-glass ratio in Santa Monica
- Explore more: Our full Santa Monica bars guide | Santa Monica restaurants | Santa Monica hotels
How It Compares
Against Santa Monica peers, 1 Pico occupies a clear niche: it is the leading option when the view is non-negotiable. Birdie G's delivers a more interesting food program and a stronger local following, but it has no ocean sightline. If the meal itself matters more than the setting, Birdie G's is the stronger choice. Blue Plate Oysterette wins on seafood focus and neighborhood energy at a price point that is likely more forgiving than a hotel restaurant , book there if a raw bar and casual atmosphere are the goal.
Calabra and Chinois On Main are better calls if you want a more destination-driven dining experience with distinctive culinary identity. Chinois On Main in particular carries genuine historical weight in California cuisine , if you are choosing between a hotel bar dinner and Chinois, the latter is the more memorable meal. For a low-commitment, high-pleasure drinking stop with good California pours and an easy booking window, 1 Pico holds its own. For serious wine exploration by the glass, look toward dedicated wine bar programs , or check Pearl's Santa Monica wineries guide for producers worth visiting directly. If you are comparing cocktail-forward bars nationally, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston all run deeper programs , but they also do not have the Pacific at their doorstep.
More to Explore in Santa Monica
- Our full Santa Monica restaurants guide
- Our full Santa Monica hotels guide
- Our full Santa Monica bars guide
- Our full Santa Monica wineries guide
- Our full Santa Monica experiences guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the signature drink at 1 Pico?
The bar program at 1 Pico leans into the coastal setting, with cocktails designed to match the Pacific-facing atmosphere at Shutters on the Beach. Specific signature drinks are not confirmed in available data, but the bar is a real draw for sunset drinks regardless of what you order. Arrive before golden hour if cocktails with a view are the goal.
Is the food good at 1 Pico?
The food is competent but not the main reason to come. Compared to Santa Monica peers like Birdie G's, which delivers a more interesting plate at a lower location premium, 1 Pico's menu plays it safe for a broad hotel-guest crowd. If eating well is the priority over the view, you have better options on the Westside.
Does 1 Pico have outdoor seating?
Yes. Situated directly on the Santa Monica shoreline at 1 Pico Blvd, the restaurant's outdoor position is its core selling point. The seating area puts you within earshot of the Pacific, which is exactly what justifies the price premium here.
Do I need a reservation at 1 Pico?
For dinner, yes — especially on weekends when hotel guests and walk-ins from the beach path compete for tables. Lunch is more accessible, but the best ocean-facing spots fill early. Book at least a week ahead for a prime table; last-minute walk-ins are more viable at the bar.
Is 1 Pico good for a date?
It works well for a date, specifically because the setting does the heavy lifting. The Pacific views, diffused coastal light, and Shutters on the Beach atmosphere create a strong first impression without requiring much effort from the menu. For a food-focused date night, Chinois on Main or Calabra offer more to talk about on the plate.
Does 1 Pico have happy hour deals?
Happy hour specifics are not confirmed in available data for 1 Pico. Given its position inside Shutters on the Beach, a hotel property at Santa Monica's most premium beachfront address, deep discounting would be out of character. Check directly with the venue before assuming promotional pricing applies.
Location
1 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Santa Monica, United States
Compare 1 Pico
| Venue |
|---|
| 1 Pico |
| Sweetfin Poke Santa Monica |
| Birdie G's |
| Blue Plate Oysterette |
| Calabra |
| Chinois On Main |
How 1 Pico stacks up against the competition.
Also Consider
- Sweetfin Poke Santa Monica, Notable alternative
- Birdie G's, Notable alternative
- Blue Plate Oysterette, Notable alternative
- Calabra, Notable alternative
- Chinois On Main, Notable alternative
1 Pico is the clearest choice in Santa Monica when the view is the deciding factor. No other venue on this list puts you as physically close to the Pacific, and that location premium is baked into the pricing. Birdie G's runs a more inventive, personality-driven food program with a stronger neighborhood crowd, if the meal itself is the priority and you can live without an ocean sightline, Birdie G's is a more interesting dinner. Blue Plate Oysterette is the better call for a raw bar and casual seafood focus at a price point likely kinder to the bill, with a local energy that hotel dining rooms rarely replicate.
Chinois On Main carries the most culinary weight in this peer set, it has genuine significance in California's cooking history and a menu with more distinction than any hotel restaurant in the area. If you are choosing between a landmark dinner and a beautiful-view dinner, Chinois wins on the food side. Calabra offers a different register entirely, with a Mediterranean-inflected focus that suits a crowd looking for something more boutique and less resort-coded.
The decision framework is simple: book 1 Pico when the setting, beachfront, easy, atmospheric, is the specific thing you need. Book anywhere else on this list when the food, the wine depth, or the local character matters more than the view.
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