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Chinois on Main

2709 Main St. (Hill St.) Send to Phone
Santa MonicaCA 90405
310-392-9025 | Make Restaurant Reservations
Colorful, whimsical setting for a fusion of Asian and French cuisines. Chinois on Main Restaurant is one of our | Top 10 Los Angeles Classic Restaurants |

Cuisine

Open

Lunch Wed.-Fri., Dinner nightly

Features

  • Full bar
  • Reservations required
  • Valet parking
  • Casual

Wine

Great Wine List

* Click here for rating key

Dining room at Chinois on Main, Santa Monica, CAChinois on Main, Wolfgang Puck's second restaurant (after the original Spago), has been a quintessential L.A. classic since the day it opened in 1983. Its once-bold concept of fusing Chinese and French cuisines ushered in a wave of Cal-Asian eateries that has yet to subside. But this restaurant continues to be an enduring favorite and is invariably crowded (and noisy, we might add). The colorfully whimsical design of Puck's then-wife Barbara Lazaroff has been slightly toned down, but it’s still not particularly comfortable, and we would suggest avoiding Chinois if quiet conversation is your mission. Signature appetizers include warm, sweet curried oysters with cucumber sauce and salmon pearls; stir-fried duck spring rolls; tempura ahi sashimi in a fresh, beguiling uni sauce; and, of course, that addictive Chinois chicken salad. As for entrées, try the whole sizzling catfish with ginger and ponzu sauce or the Shanghai lobster in a spicy ginger-curry sauce accompanied by crispy spinach. Don't miss the Chinois dim sum dessert box filled with such exotic goodies as almond and plum teacakes, passion fruit cheesecake, lychee sorbet, ginger crème brûlée and roasted pineapple. All-in-all, with its cheerfully chaotic mixture of Pan-Asian flavors and Hollywood sensibilities, it's not an exaggeration to say that if you haven't been to Chinois, you've not only failed to fully explore the talent of Wolfgang Puck, you've failed to fully explore what it means to dine in Los Angeles.

User Ratings & Reviews for Chinois on Main
Average rating    5
Reviews 1 - 2 of 21
BRAVO!!! AMAZING
by jill on 04/10/2009
 
Yesterday I had dinner at chinois, as always AMAZING!
The atomsphere is pleasant and the tables are close to one another so you may get the opportunity to know your neighbors! yes it's loud. The service is very good and friendly. The wine list is great!
I do not know of anywhere else that I can get this SUPERB food and service always. They've been there for 25 years! wowww
Today we ordered the Tempura Ahi Tuna Sashimi and the sizzling calamari Salad for appetizers. For Entrees we had Duck fried rice (the best in LA), Grilled Szechuan Beef (with spicy shallot cilantro sauce), The short rib (this one is out of the menu, but if you ask for it they have it) that one is the best Rib you ever had and the kurobuta pork chop with wild sticky rice and moo shi pork belly. EVERYTHING AMAZING! there was no more space for dessert, but we can always come back for the Warm Chocolate Fondant Cake with ice cream
 
a "must" if you like SUPERB food
by maco on 03/22/2009
 
The food at Chinois is delicious. Everthing from basic vegetable fried rice to incredibly prepared Whole Sizzling Catfish with Ponzu Dipping Sauce.
Everytime i go to Chinois, everything is amazing. Yeah it is loud, yeah it is busy, sometimes it takes longer than others.......welcome to LA! I am and will always be a loyal customer.
The amazing dessert is the scrumptous peanut butter chocolate dessert. And the best part of the night for us was getting to meet Wolfgang himself.
 
Reviews 1 - 2 of 21
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