Food + Drink Guide to LA

Historical Hot-Spot in Santa Monica: The Victorian

It’s iconic, a staple of the city, a spot that truly has it all. The Victorian, located on 2640 Main Street in Santa Monica, is a bar, restaurant, and nightlife venue all in one! Having 9 lives and being remodeled all the back from the 1970s, it once served as an event space alongside a historical museum located just across the way. Both The Victorian and the museum are historic buildings owned by the city of Santa Monica. Whether you’re into grabbing cocktails with friends and enjoying some music or dream of a casual Sunday brunch with your family, The Victorian knows how to give everyone a good time. With a newly remodeled interior space, menus, and event programming, we knew we had to stop in to experience this extreme transformation. They are open weekly from Wednesday-Sunday (closed on Monday and Tuesdays), so be sure to swing on by one of these days to enjoy a drink or small bite at The Victorian.

Our Editor-in-Chief, Erika De La Cruz, enjoyed a midday Brunch at The Victorian with her family this past Sunday. From the moment she walked in, she noticed the revamped interior and unique design of this long-lived Santa Monica hotspot. She was introduced to the General Manager, Kyle, who was fabulous and filled her with nothing but interesting facts and history about The Victorian. Erika was beyond thrilled to meet Kyle, who is originally from Iowa and has an intricate history in founding concept cocktail bars, and the rest of the staff, who was kind as can be and wore a uniform composed of white beach shorts and tan crop tops (How fit for the Cali vibes?!). Her group was sat comfortably under cascading twinkle lights on the corner of the main street where you can spot the passer-bys in Santa Monica. When it came time for the main event, ordering yummy food and drinks, the newly revamped food and beverage menu had Erika and her guests excited to try it all. With drinks ranging from Whiskey Cocktails, Cadillac Margaritas, to buttery Chardonnays (which they got to try!), it’ll be hard for you to choose just one. The Breakfast Burrito and Smash Burger were out of this world and have since been added to our LA Girl favorites!

Not only are the food and drinks delicious, but The Victorian is also home to weekly programmed events and activities. The entire venue turns into a club Friday and Saturday nights, with music playing, drinks flowing, and people mingling. Wednesdays are home to food trucks and wine night, then Thursday comes around, and the venue does a complete 360 switch to host full-fledged salsa dancing on the first floor. If you have been looking for a fun way to get together with friends and pick up a new hobby, this is your calling. They offer Open level Salsa classes, Bachata lessons, and then Salsa and Bachata dancing for the rest of the night. Brunch begins at 2 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, and the new and improved menu has options like Avocado Toast, Santorini Salad, and even a Breakfast Pizza. When we said there was something for everyone at The Victorian, we truly meant it.

Find out more about their weekly happenings here!