Ye Olde King's Head
Pico Neighborhood Association, Santa Monica
Bar in Santa Monica, United States
Book with PearlWhy go
Ye Olde King's Head is Santa Monica's most dependable British pub, the right call when you want a low-key date night or casual drinks without the beach-bar noise. Walk-ins are easy, pricing is accessible, the atmosphere is genuinely warm. Not the place for cocktail ambition or occasion dining, but a solid anchor for a relaxed evening on the Westside.
About Ye Olde King's Head
Is Ye Olde King's Head Worth Visiting for a Date Night in Santa Monica?
Yes, if you want a genuinely different evening from the beach-bar circuit that dominates Santa Monica's drinking scene. Ye Olde King's Head at 116 Santa Monica Blvd is a British pub that has been serving this stretch of the Westside long enough to have regulars who treat it like a second living room. For a date, that lived-in quality works in your favor: the atmosphere is warm without being precious, the format (pub food, pints, familiarity) removes the performance anxiety that comes with tasting menus or buzzy newcomers.
The pub sits on Santa Monica Boulevard, walkable from the Third Street Promenade and a short distance from the beach. That location matters on a date because it gives you options before or after: a walk along the water, a stop at one of the city's better wine bars, or an easy Uber back into West Hollywood. Ye Olde King's Head works well as an anchor in a longer evening rather than a destination you build the whole night around.
The crowd skews toward expats, regulars, visitors who have been pointed here by word of mouth. It is not a scene bar. On weekends it fills up, but during the week it is easy to claim a table and settle in. For a first date, that low-pressure environment is a feature. For a celebration or an anniversary where you want polish and presentation, look elsewhere.
From a food-and-drink standpoint, the appeal is consistency over surprise. British pub staples, a reasonable selection of draft beers, the kind of menu that does not demand decision fatigue. Explorers looking for technical cocktail programs or a list that surprises them should note this is not that kind of bar. The value is in the experience of a properly functioning pub, which is rarer in Los Angeles than it should be.
Practical details: Reservations: walk-ins are generally easy to manage, particularly on weeknights. Dress: casual, no dress code. Budget: pub pricing makes this an accessible option without the sticker shock of Santa Monica's waterfront venues. Booking difficulty: easy.
How It Compares
See the comparison section below for how Ye Olde King's Head stacks up against other Santa Monica options.
Pearl Picks Nearby
If you are building an evening around this part of Santa Monica, explore 1 Pico for a waterfront drink with more occasion weight, or Birdie G's for a neighborhood dinner with a stronger culinary profile. Blue Plate Oysterette is the move if seafood is on the agenda, Calabra is worth knowing for a more cocktail-forward room. For broader planning, our full Santa Monica bars guide and Santa Monica restaurants guide are useful starting points. If you want to see how serious cocktail bars operate in other cities, Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston set a useful benchmark. Also worth bookmarking: our Santa Monica hotels guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide.
Planning details
- Location
- 116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- yeoldekingshead.com
- Phone
- +1 310 451 1402
The take
The Take
The Vibe
Ye Olde King's Head presents itself as an old-school British pub transplanted onto Santa Monica Boulevard. Inside, dark wood paneling, British memorabilia, and an audible regulars culture replace the coastal minimalism that dominates the Westside. The piece positions the bar as an expatriate institution—less interested in trend-driven design than in sustained social life—so the mood feels lived-in, warm, and comfortably familiar. It reads like a neighborhood anchor where conversations and pints matter more than curated aesthetics, offering a historic, charming counterpoint to the area's more polished cocktail rooms.
Best For
This is a place built for socializing rather than spectacle. It suits after-work crowds seeking a dependable local pint, groups looking for a convivial night out, and anyone wanting an easy, casual hang with a strong sense of community. The write-up makes clear that the King's Head doesn’t chase the cocktail-forward, design-led scene; instead it thrives as meeting ground for expatriates, anglophiles, and long-time regulars. Expect a friendly, unpretentious environment where the bar’s tenure and character matter more than contemporary trends.
Ordering Tips
The drinks program follows British pub logic: look for cask ales and British imports first. The description specifically contrasts this bar with Santa Monica’s curated, sommelier-driven lists, so prioritize traditional pub pours and draft casks rather than seeking avant-garde cocktails. Ask staff what’s on cask or which imports are rotating—the venue’s strength is its beer and import selection. Above all, come ready to embrace a classic pub experience: straightforward orders, local knowledge from bartenders, and the kinds of drinks that reward repeat visits.
Venue details
Ambiance
Familiar and grounding with a traditional English pub atmosphere rooted in repetition and continuity, featuring Tudor-style design and emotionally steady experience.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Format
At the Bar
- Bar Category
- Pub
- Late Night
- Open Until 2am
- Music
- Live Bands Historically
Planning details
Location
116 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401 · Directions
Also consider
Also Consider
- Sweetfin Poke Santa Monica; Notable alternative
- 1 Pico; Notable alternative
- Birdie G's; Notable alternative
- Blue Plate Oysterette; Notable alternative
- Calabra; Notable alternative
Bar context
Ye Olde King's Head occupies a different category from most of its Santa Monica neighbors, which makes direct comparison a little awkward but also clarifies exactly who should book it. If your evening is about atmosphere and accessibility over culinary ambition, it holds its own against pricier options on the strip. For a date where budget matters and you want a relaxed setting without a reservation, this is an easier proposition than 1 Pico, which carries more occasion weight and a higher price point but rewards the spend with waterfront positioning and a more polished room. Choose 1 Pico when the date warrants the extra effort and cost; choose Ye Olde King's Head when ease and familiarity are the priority.
Birdie G's and Blue Plate Oysterette are both stronger choices if food quality is the deciding factor. Birdie G's has a more considered kitchen, Blue Plate Oysterette wins on seafood specifically. Neither operates as a pub, so if the draw of Ye Olde King's Head is the format itself; pints, familiar food, a room that does not require you to perform; those venues are solving a different problem. Calabra is the better pick for a cocktail-forward date night where the drinks program is the point.
The short version: Ye Olde King's Head is the easiest booking in this peer set, probably the lowest price point. It wins on accessibility and atmosphere for casual evenings. For food quality, go to Birdie G's or Blue Plate Oysterette. For occasion dining with a view, go to 1 Pico. For serious cocktails, go to Calabra. Ye Olde King's Head earns its place in the rotation precisely because it is not trying to be any of those things.
Explore Santa Monica
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full Ye Olde King's Head guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare Ye Olde King's Head
| Venue | Awards |
|---|---|
| Ye Olde King's Head | No published awards |
| Sweetfin Poke Santa Monica | No published awards |
| 1 Pico | No published awards |
| Birdie G's | No published awards |
| Blue Plate Oysterette | No published awards |
| Calabra | No published awards |
Key differences to consider before you reserve.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the crowd like at Ye Olde King's Head?
Expect a mix of British expats, tourists looking for something off the beach-bar circuit, locals who prefer a pub format over Santa Monica's more polished cocktail bars. The atmosphere skews convivial and unpretentious; this is a place where conversation happens, not a scene venue.
Does Ye Olde King's Head have happy hour deals?
Specific happy hour times and pricing aren't confirmed in the venue record. British-style pubs in this category typically run early-evening drink specials, so it's worth calling ahead or checking on arrival at 116 Santa Monica Blvd. For a guaranteed deal structure, Blue Plate Oysterette nearby posts its specials publicly.
Is the food good at Ye Olde King's Head?
The food plays a supporting role to the pub experience; think British pub staples rather than a kitchen competing with Santa Monica's dining heavyweights. If you're coming primarily to eat, Birdie G's nearby is a stronger call. If you want a drink and something substantial to go with it, the kitchen here serves its purpose.
Is Ye Olde King's Head good for a date?
Yes, if you want a low-pressure evening that doesn't feel like every other Santa Monica bar. The pub format makes conversation easy and there's no dress code pressure. For higher-occasion date nights, 1 Pico has more visual weight; Ye Olde King's Head works better for a casual first or second date where the goal is actually talking.
Is Ye Olde King's Head good for groups?
Yes; pub-format venues handle groups better than most Santa Monica spots, where cocktail bars often struggle with parties above four. Ye Olde King's Head at 116 Santa Monica Blvd suits groups of six to ten who want a relaxed evening without a reservation obstacle course. For larger private events, confirm capacity directly with the venue.
