The Penthouse
Wilshire/Montana Neighborhood Coalition, Santa Monica
Restaurant in Santa Monica, United States
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
The Penthouse is a room-first Santa Monica pick: better for ambiance, flexible timing, and visitor-friendly plans than for a chef-led or awards-driven meal. Book it for a polished coastal setting; cross-shop FIG Santa Monica for clearer farm-to-table focus or Michael's for a more established dining-room choice.
About The Penthouse
The Penthouse is a Santa Monica venue with daily hours from 7 AM, extending until 11 PM Sunday through Thursday and until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday. The dress code is smart casual.
The Penthouse is best evaluated around its practical fit: Santa Monica location, long operating hours, and a smart-casual expectation. It is not a cuisine-specific, chef-led, tasting-menu, or awards-driven venue.
A Santa Monica pick for flexible timing
The clearest advantage is timing. The Penthouse opens at 7 AM daily, stays open until 11 PM on Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and remains open until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday. For readers building a broader day, Our full Santa Monica restaurants guide, Our full Santa Monica hotels guide, Our full Santa Monica bars guide, Our full Santa Monica wineries guide, and Our full Santa Monica experiences guide are better for mapping Santa Monica than judging this venue in isolation.
Timing is the smarter lever here. Earlier hours may suit daytime Santa Monica plans; later Friday and Saturday hours make it more useful for plans that run late. If you want to compare other relevant options, consider FIG Santa Monica or Michael's as separate cross-shops.
Who it suits, and who should cross-shop
Consider The Penthouse if the basics fit your plan: Santa Monica, smart-casual dress, and hours that cover morning through late evening, with later closing on Friday and Saturday. Cross-shop if your priority is a documented cuisine, named chef, signature dish, tasting menu, awards validation, or other specifics. In that case, compare The Penthouse with FIG Santa Monica, Michael's, or Dogtown Coffee based on your own current preferences and the venues' latest official details.
For browsing beyond The Penthouse, use other dining resources and current venue listings. For wider browsing, focus on the current guides and venue pages that match your destination and plans.
Located inside
HotelHuntley Santa Monica BeachFull hotel guidePlanning details
- Location
- 1111 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
- Reservations
- Book on OpenTable
- Website
- penthouserestaurant.com
- Phone
- +13103938080
The take
The Take
The Vibe
The Penthouse trades on elevation: its rooftop perch frames the Pacific horizon and the Santa Monica pier, making the view an equal partner to the cuisine. Light and sightlines are integral to the experience, so the room reads as much like a lookout as it does a dining room. The atmosphere shifts with the sun—daytime feels breezy and visually driven, while evenings tighten into a more intentional, image-conscious service. Expect a fashionable crowd that cares as much about the panorama as the plates, and an overall mood that balances curated polish with coastal ease.
Best For
This is a venue that plays differently across the day. Midday service leans toward a lighter, more accessible pace—ideal for a relaxed lunch where the view is the primary draw. As daylight fades, operations tilt toward a more ceremonial dinner rhythm: guests linger longer, attention is more dining-focused, and the setting becomes distinctly evening-forward. The Penthouse is therefore well suited to date-night dinners and special-occasion evenings that benefit from sunset-to-night transitions, while also providing a breezy, view-first option for daytime visitors.
Ordering Tips
Given the restaurant’s split personality between lunch and dinner, tailor your choices to the hour: keep midday selections lighter and shareable, and opt for more composed dishes after sunset. The menu’s signature items—Crispy Rice, Duck Duo à l’Orange, and Oysters of the Day—offer a straightforward roadmap: crispy small plates and fresh bivalves perform well against a bright midday backdrop, while richer preparations like the duck suit the more ceremonial dinner slot. Book with timing in mind to catch the sunset if the view is a priority.
Venue details
Ambiance
Sophisticated rooftop atmosphere with breathtaking ocean vistas, open sky enclaves, and elegant lighting enhancing the panoramic scenery.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
View
Accessibility
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Large
Signature Dishes
- Crispy Rice
- Duck Duo à l’Orange
- Oysters of the Day
Know before you go
Know Before You Go
- Getting there
- 1111 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Planning details
Location
1111 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90403 · Directions
Also consider
Where to go if this is not the right fit
Choose FIG Santa Monica if the group wants a clearer farm-to-table identity and a more food-led dinner. Choose Michael's if the priority is a more established Santa Monica restaurant experience.
For a casual daytime alternative, Dogtown Coffee is the better fit. It is not a like-for-like substitute, but it makes more sense for coffee, quick meetups, and lower-commitment Santa Monica plans.
Restaurant context
How it compares in Santa Monica
Michael's is the stronger choice if the goal is a classic Santa Monica dining-room feel, while The Penthouse makes more sense when setting and flexible timing matter. For a date, hotel-adjacent dinner, or visitor itinerary, The Penthouse is easier to justify; for a meal where the restaurant itself is the main plan, Michael's is the more serious cross-shop.
FIG Santa Monica is the better pick for diners who want a clearer food identity, especially around its farm-to-table positioning. The Penthouse should win when the group wants a polished room and less pressure around format. FIG Restaurant sits in the same comparison lane for readers prioritizing cuisine clarity over view-driven ambiance.
Dogtown Coffee is not a direct dinner substitute, but it is the smarter casual choice for daytime Santa Monica plans, coffee, and lower-commitment meetups. If the occasion needs drinks, a view-oriented room, or a longer evening, choose The Penthouse. If the plan is quick, casual, and daytime, Dogtown Coffee is the cleaner fit.
Explore Santa Monica
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full The Penthouse guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare The Penthouse
| Venue | Location | Cuisine | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Penthouse | Santa Monica | , | No published awards |
| Michael's | Santa Monica | , | No published awards |
| Dogtown Coffee | Santa Monica | , | No published awards |
| Dogtown Coffee | Los Angeles | , | No published awards |
| FIG Santa Monica | Los Angeles | Farm-to-Table | No published awards |
| FIG Restaurant | Los Angeles | , | No published awards |
How The Penthouse Santa Monica compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear to The Penthouse?
The dress code is smart casual. The Penthouse is open until 11 PM Sunday through Thursday and until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday, so dress in a way that fits a smart-casual Santa Monica plan.
Is The Penthouse good for a special occasion?
It may fit if the basics match your occasion: Santa Monica, smart-casual dress, and long hours. It does not feature a named tasting menu, awards-driven dining, or a specific cuisine. For comparison, you can also review FIG Santa Monica or FIG Restaurant and decide based on their latest official details.
What should I order at The Penthouse?
No specific dish, drink, or menu recommendation is available. Review the venue's official channels before deciding what to order. If you want to compare another relevant option, Michael's is a relevant cross-shop.
What are alternatives to The Penthouse?
For other options, compare The Penthouse with FIG Santa Monica, FIG Restaurant, Michael's, or Dogtown Coffee based on your timing, dress expectations, and the latest official information from each venue.
