The Cliffdiver Santa Monica
Sawtelle, Los Angeles
Restaurant in Los Angeles, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Casual
Why go
Book The Cliffdiver Santa Monica when ease matters more than ceremony. It is a practical Westside choice for a casual date, birthday, or group meal, but diners looking for a defined sushi format or a more technical dinner should compare Echigo or Yamakase first.
About The Cliffdiver Santa Monica
The Cliffdiver Santa Monica is a Los Angeles venue with a casual dress code and hours that vary by day.
The schedule is Monday and Tuesday 3–11 PM, Wednesday 7:30 AM–11 PM, Thursday 11 AM–11 PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM–12 AM, and Sunday 1–8 PM.
Book this for a simple Los Angeles plan
The strongest planning details are the hours and casual dress code.
For broader planning, use the Los Angeles restaurants guide before committing, especially if the meal is tied to a larger night out. Visitors building a full stay can also pair the decision with Los Angeles hotels, Los Angeles bars, and Los Angeles experiences.
Where the service question matters
There is not enough detail here to make a strong claim about service style, pacing, group handling, or a particular food-led reason to choose The Cliffdiver Santa Monica.
Consider The Cliffdiver Santa Monica when its Los Angeles location and casual dress code fit your plans.
Planning details
- Hours
- Monday: 3–11 PM · Tuesday: 3–11 PM
- Location
- 12311 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- cliffdiversm.com
- Phone
- +14242480502
The take
The Take
The Vibe
The Cliffdiver Santa Monica positions itself within Los Angeles's Westside fine-dining ecosystem, marrying a modern, sophisticated tone with a relaxed Westside temperament. The restaurant has a structural commitment to sustainability and seasonality, with menus rooted in nearby sources such as the Santa Monica Farmers Market and the Pacific coastline. That provenance-minded approach gives the room a purposeful, contemporary seriousness rather than decorative trendiness. Expect an upscale but approachable dining environment where ingredient rigor and a coastal context shape the overall mood.
Best For
This is a dinner destination for diners who prioritize ingredient provenance and thoughtful seasonal cooking. Framed as mid-to-upper-tier fine dining on the Westside, the restaurant suits special-occasion meals and evenings when people want a more considered, polished experience. Its proximity to the Santa Monica Farmers Market signals a menu that leans on market availability, so it works well for guests who appreciate craft, sustainability and a modern coastal sensibility rather than purely casual or late-night outings.
Ordering Tips
The menus are seasonal and market-driven, so prioritize dishes that reflect availability and local produce. Given the venue’s coastal context and the signature seafood offerings (including lobster tacos and shrimp ceviche), seafood and market specials are sensible anchors for an order. Ask servers about the day's market-driven plates and any sustainability notes: the kitchen emphasizes provenance and shorter, seasonal menus, so specials often showcase the best ingredients available that day.
Venue details
Ambiance
Relaxed, beachy atmosphere with a stylish bar and sit-down dining area.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Standard
- Capacity
- Medium
- Kitchen
- Modern
- Menu Format
- A la carte
- Drinks Focus
- Margaritas
Signature Dishes
- lobster tacos
- shrimp ceviche
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 12311 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Planning details
Hours
- Monday
- 3–11 PM
- Tuesday
- 3–11 PM
- Wednesday
- 7:30 AM–11 PM
- Thursday
- 11 AM–11 PM
- Friday
- 11 AM–12 AM
- Saturday
- 11 AM–12 AM
- Sunday
- 1–8 PM
Location
12311 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 · Directions
Restaurant context
How it compares on the Westside
Echigo is the stronger pick for diners who want sushi to be the point of the night. The Cliffdiver Santa Monica is easier to position as a relaxed, flexible plan; Echigo gives the meal a clearer category focus, which matters more for a special occasion built around food rather than convenience.
Yamakase should be the cross-shop for a higher-commitment sushi experience. Choose The Cliffdiver Santa Monica when the group wants less structure and a simpler booking decision; choose Yamakase when the format itself is the occasion. U-Zen sits closer to the Japanese-dining comparison set and is worth checking if the group is specifically leaning that way.
For lower-key alternatives, Monte Alban and Literati Cafe are better backup options when ambiance and convenience matter more than a formal dining arc. The Cliffdiver Santa Monica makes sense as the easy Westside choice; the peers are better when the meal needs a clearer cuisine lane.
Explore Los Angeles
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full The Cliffdiver Santa Monica guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare The Cliffdiver Santa Monica
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cliffdiver Santa Monica | Los Angeles | No published awards | |
| Echigo | Los Angeles | Sushi | 2026 OAD Casual in North America Recommended2025 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #6582024 OAD Casual in North America Ranked · #6952023 OAD Casual in North America Recommended |
| U-Zen | Los Angeles | No published awards | |
| Yamakase | Los Angeles | Sushi | 2026 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #792025 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #622024 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #662023 OAD Top Restaurants in North America Ranked · #42 |
| Monte Alban | Los Angeles | No published awards | |
| Literati Cafe | Los Angeles | No published awards |
How The Cliffdiver Santa Monica compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lunch or dinner better at The Cliffdiver Santa Monica?
The hours vary by day: Monday and Tuesday 3–11 PM, Wednesday 7:30 AM–11 PM, Thursday 11 AM–11 PM, Friday and Saturday 11 AM–12 AM, and Sunday 1–8 PM.
What should a first-timer know about The Cliffdiver Santa Monica?
Treat it as a Los Angeles venue with a casual dress code and a schedule that changes by day.
Can The Cliffdiver Santa Monica accommodate groups?
Group accommodation details, seating capacity, and reservation policies are not in the supplied information.
