Superba Snack Bar

I had been meaning to visit this restaurant for a while, and only got here after I read that they are closing! I couldn’t miss a restaurant I’d heard so many great things about.
And while I’m sad to see the place close, I’m happy to say the great things were all well-​founded. Not only was the food great, but so was the service.
I enjoyed crispy brussels sprouts in a dashi broth with a poached egg, and smoked bucatini carbonara. The brussels sprouts were indeed quite crispy, not at all soggy despite being served in a small pool of dashi broth, adding a subtle umami flavor to the mix. The carbonara was a medium-​sized portion of pasta in a rich sauce and again topped with a poached egg — I was completely full by the time I finished this dish.
While waiting for my carbonara, the chef sent out a salad appetizer that was delightful and tangy, and quite the surprise to me. All throughout the meal staff were very attentive, checking how I was enjoying the food, and repeatedly brewing fresh iced tea as I hit the halfway mark on my current glass.
I’ll look forward to any new endeavors to come from the folks at Superba Snack Bar.

I’m giving three stars with some hesitation, because I really believe it’s the kind of place that should merit 5 stars. Here’s the breakdown:
Food:
Phenomenal. For brunch, I tried
— the scrambled eggs — done perfectly, and were so delicious they barely needed salt & pepper
— the Bravas Venice (roasted potatoes) — delicious, and a big portion, though I didn’t expect them to be covered in some kind of creamy red sauce.
— granola /​berries /​yogurt — awesome, with amazing granola, fage greek yogurt, some amazing orange-​scented honey, and covered with berries.
*note – their breakfast menu is updated, so if you go expecting the menu they’ve got on their website, you’re going to be in for a surprise…
Service:
A total mixed bag. Everyone was nice. They brought water right away and kept our water and coffee refilled throughout the meal. However, the timing of the way they brought out the food was insane. Here’s how it went:
There were 7 of us. About 10 minutes after ordering, they brought out an order of eggs and toast that one person ordered. About 10 minutes later, they brought out my potatoes. We sat there, politely waiting for everyone else’s food to come out, and then were informed that «the food is going to come out as it’s ready.» I told our server that it was a little brutal for 80% of the people at the table who were starving and waiting for theirs. And then maybe 5 –10 minutes later, bam! The rest of the food came out. It was really, really, really bizarre, but irritating enough to disrupt our brunch.
Ambiance:
It’s a really cool space – love the minimalist design with the wood tables and great wine rack on the wall. But… it’s not designed for people to sit comfortably and relax and enjoy a meal. Outside on the patio, everyone seemed to be sitting on low stools. Yikes. Inside, we were on cold, hard metal chairs. And as cool as the wooden tables are, they’re held up by a wide piece of vertical wood, which means there’s no where to put your legs if you’re taller than, say, 5’2″. I can’t tell you how many times I kicked my neighbor, trying to readjust my legs in an attempt to find comfort.
Bathroom:
I mean, at 11am, when a restaurant first opens, the bathroom should be well-​stocked with TP. But no – they were almost out, and there seemed to be no hidden stash of it anywhere.
So overall, I loved the food and enjoyed the aesthetics of the space, but wish a few things could be different.

This is the place we always come to when we visit LA. It has the perfect Venice Beach combination; relaxed attractive space with some of it open in good weather, attentive service and inventive delicious food. They are always welcoming and friendly. The wine list is carefully edited and with many choices. On a recent visit, the kitchen substituted coconut sorbet for another flavor without telling our server. When we explained to the server there was a coconut allergy in our group he immediately apologized, brought another desert and did not charge us for either.
Go for brunch or for dinner.

We came here for brunch on Sunday, and it was just fine.
I’d read on several reviews that Superba has the best pasta in Los Angeles, so I came in with high expectations. We ordered the baby kale salad with grapes and Asian pears, the strawberry ricotta pancake, mashed potatoes and gravy, and, of course, the famed bucatini carbonara.
It started off on a weird note, since the server had made it a point to say that the salad had ASIAN pears, but the salad actually had what appeared to be Western pears (likely Bartlett). I’m not a stickler for pears, but why specify that they’re Asian pears, when they’re not? It’s not like confusing 2% milk with 1% milk. It’s like confusing chocolate milk with strawberry milk. Asian pears have a decidedly different flavor and texture than Western pears and also tend to be much more expensive here in the US. It just sounded like the powers that be were trying to exoticize the menu and assumed that patrons wouldn’t know the difference if they subbed them out last minute. Indeed, none of the servers seemed to recognize the difference, as they happily transferred the salad to the table, announcing yet again «baby kale salad with candied walnuts, blue cheese and ASIAN pears, topped with lemon vinaigrette». I didn’t point it out to the server, but it was just bizarre.
Aside from the pear debacle, the rest of the meal was nondescript. The bucatini was, of course, not the best pasta in Los Angeles. It was solidly somewhere in the middle. It was definitely undercooked (not al dente — just undercooked), and the comically meager portion size did not merit the $ 20 pricetag. Go to Locanda Positano, Da Pasquale, or even Pizzicotto for better cooked and more realistically priced pasta. The mashed potatoes and gravy came out alongside the salad (rather than the pasta), and it was creamy to the point of having the consistency of potato soup. I ate it like a soup — by the spoonful, straight from the bowl — as it was too watery to eat with a fork or transfer to individual plates. The flavors were interesting (it almost tasted like a pureed baked potato), but it was in such a strange form, that I had a hard time understanding what it was (soup? appetizer? side?).
There were redeeming factors to balance things out to 3 stars. The strawberry ricotta pancake (a fluffy cake cooked and served in a mini, deep-​dish pan) melted in my mouth. That dish alone would merit a second visit. The mango mimosa was also very good, and the service was attentive and friendly. Overall, the visit was disappointing, though I might return for dinner to give the cacio e pepe a shot.

We moved to Venice a year ago and have been going to this restaurant at least 3x per month… Until they had a kitchen turn over… Then we stepped back for a moment… until last night…
We had not only one of the best meals in la (props to chef Sydney and Richard) but one of the best overall dining experiences.
Talk about customer value we could have not of felt more love for just being fans of everything superba.

We got this to share:
Handmade banana nutella poptart
Blueberry ricotta pancakes with buttered syrup and lemon curd
Short rib benedict with avocado hollandaise
Coffee
Ginger mimosa
First up — parking is a bitch. This is Venice, get used to it.
Second — the ginger mimosa is HIGHLY recommended to everyone and anyone.
Third — Coffee was coffee.
Fourth — Poptart was AWESOME. Perfect way to start the meal. I wanted to try the pastry cream filled donuts but nnooooooooooo!
Fifth — Pancake was hot. Literally hot, like scalding because they cook it directly in the cast iron skillet. Worth every heated bite. The buttered syrup is amazing. The lemon curd is fantastic. The whole experience is perfect.
Sixth — I LOVED the short ribs benedict. Whomever came up with that particular dish should be getting a high five like, all the time.
Seventh — Their service is pretty awesome. Prices are just right. I want to come here all the time now.
And there you have it! Go forth and may the parking gods smile upon you to find a spot less than a mile away.

I used to love this place, but went here last night with my girlfriend and sat at the bar (like we usually do) and had the worst waiter ever. He seemed like he was working in a TGIF and actually spat on my girlfriend’s arm as he was prattling on and on about the dishes — I should have politely asked him to take it back a notch, but I couldn’t get a word in edgewise.
It’s tapas style, and we ordered about 5 plates between us, and the food was about as good as it usually is (which is quite good) but this guy wouldn’t leave us alone. It was really weird — I don’t know if he’s new or what, but I really am going to have second thoughts about going back. I think his name was Haskell, at least that’s what it said on the check. It was kind of a bummer to drop a hundred bucks on dinner and have to listen to some guy who acts like he’s working in a mall in Wisconsin tell me and my girl what it’s like to be in Venice (when we live four blocks away).
Actually this review is me experiencing l’esprit de l’escalier, I’d wish I had said something when I had the chance. Like, «dude, go back to Wisconsin».

Great tiny Italian restaurant in Venice! Finding parking on the street can be an annoyance since they don’t have valet parking. Other than that, the food here is pretty good. Everything is tapas style so order a lot of dishes. My favorite was the bucatini, octopus, and the fried chicken.
Service was superb. I’ll be back again whenever I’m in the area!

Superba is a top contender for best pasta in Los Angeles in my book. The space is casual hipster chic. The smoked bucatini carbonara and daily special cacio e pepe were both the epitome of perfection! Oxtail toast also satisfied.
Fried chicken was disappointing as the texture of the batter was not crisp or crunchy due to being drenched in the sauce and toppings.
Loved the orange creamsicle dessert.
The tables for two are a bit cramped.

Came here with a few GF after a hike. Everything we ordered was delicious.
Dungeness Crab: some crab meat tossed around in potatoes. Not my fav dish.
Veggies and Eggs: had so much flavor I wanted the dish to myself.
Ribeye Benedicts: shredded ribeye on a poach egg
Blueberry pancake: airy fluffly light pancake dutch oven style. The lemon sauce was so good.
Braised Bacon: sweet braised thick cut pork belly with a slight hint of smokiness
Biscuits: Topped with boysenberry. not a dish I would order again.
The all around favorite was the Veggies and Eggs. Sounds boring but was the most tastiest of all.

Been to Superba a couple times for brunch. The atmosphere is very relaxed with a modern vibe. I love sitting on the patio.
I’ve had the brussel sprouts now twice. I loved them the first time. They’re topped with a poached egg and swimming in broth. The second time I had them, however, it was a little salty for my liking and the egg could have been cooked just a bit more.
The carbonara is wonderful… always a crowd pleaser.
My friend always gets the short rib Benedict and loves it. The shredded meat is delicious.
I had a bite of the cauliflower t-​bone, a vegetarian dish with corn succotash and an interesting tasting pesto. This wasn’t my favorite, but it was beautiful in presentation and my friend really enjoyed it.
Overall, always a pleasant dining experience
They also get pastries from Superba Food and Bread, which always look mouth-​watering.

Excellente adresse pour un brunch au calme dans Venice. Un peu cher mais bon et assez copieux !

Came here for dinner the other night. Pretty good overall, some dishes were better than others. Service was very good.
Our favorite was the Oxtail toast — very yummy
We had the octopus, which was very nice.
Fried chicken was popular at the table, but not my thing. Doesn’t really jump out at me.
We didn’t love the squid ink, a little too lemony for us and we all genearlly like a squid ink dish.
Wine and beer only.

En somme, ce fût une bonne expérience. Nous avons commandé le poulet frit ainsi que les pâtes carbonara, les deux plats étaient très bon. Nous avons également pris le s’mores comme dessert (la portion est petite mais c’était délicieux!)
Par contre, c’est un peu dispendieux (15 $ pour un verre de vin et 20 $ pour un plat de pâtes de taille moyenne.)
Le service était bon quoi que un peu lent. Belle ambiance, je recommande pour les petits groupes (2 – 3 personnes)

After three failed attempts in trying to find a reasonable place for lunch, a friend and I decided to head back to Venice and check out Superba. #Hokagawa. We both heard and read so much about this place, so we sort of knew what we were getting into. A reoccurring theme among the Unilocal reviews is how overpriced the food is, and how shitty the service can be…
In response, before I jump into the review, some people are forgetting Superba is located on the Westside. You know, the richer part of town? Naturally you’d expect the cost, of pretty much everything, to be noticeably higher. So Superba, of course, will cost more than any other place in Downtown or anywhere on the Eastside. Last time I remembered it was called, something along the lines of, «Economics» or «Cost/​Standard of living? Right? No?
Also, I mean, yeah I’d be upset too if my waiter didn’t give me my water, but California is pretty much in an alarming dry season. Drought is no joke, so f*ck your thirst! Don’t be selfish. Hydrate your shit before coming to Superba. Anyways, that’s enough of me being an ass and an arrogant d*ckhole. Let’s move onto the review.
We arrived to the spot on a very wet day. There were flashes of heavy rain every 20 minutes, so our dining experience was not the best of what it could have been. Though, at the same time, the sound of rain was soothing and loud enough to mute the neighboring conversations at the table. It was nice to be able to talk without screaming within ear distance. I’m guessing maybe the rain helped me like this place more than I should have, but oh well. I’ll follow up with an updated review next time.
I was expecting a lot more, but I was impressed by the wide range of flavors each item offers. The dishes are intricate combinations of nostalgic foods mixed in with the «fad». In the end, you are left with a playful experience of a «new» modern cuisine. Basically, they take basic b*itch recipes and flip them in cool edible sh*t. I should have just said that in the first place.
Burrata; Blood orange, fennel, raspberry-​walnut crumble, toasted pain au levin.
Gorgeous dish. The Burrata has a creamy saltiness that is countered with the sweetness of the blood orange. The mild crisp texture of the fennel is brought out by the crunchy tartness of the raspberry-​walnut crumble. The flavors are great in this dish because it hits every part of the palate. This one is more invested in exploring the textures of each item than the overall flavor. I recommend. I’d order it again.
Smoked Bucatini Carbonara; poached egg, pancetta, black pepper, parmesan.
The pasta was under al dente, giving it a very hearty bite. I prefer my pasta like that, so I enjoyed this one. The poached egg was beautifully cooked, and it didn’t have any runny egg whites like other places do. The yolk was extra creamy and made the pasta richer than what it already was. The dish was a bit salty, but understandable because of the bacon/​pancetta and parmesan cheese. It’s a good try.
Fried Chicken; jalapeño-​pimento cheese, pickled green tomato, brioche bun
Well…hmm. I guess a shoulder shrug would best describe it. Anything that has something fired in it will mostly likely be greasy and heavy as f*ck. Superba’s Fried Chicken IS greasy and heavy as f*ck.
The crunch of the chicken compliments the texture of the soft and fluffy brioche bun. The pickled green tomato helps cut the richness of the cheese, and lightens the heaviness of the fried chicken. Since the tomato is the only «healthy» portion of the sandwich, it subconsciously makes you NOT feel like a fat ass when you first bite into it. The same goes with the house made potato chips and sweeten pickles that come on the side, because, hell, potatoes are cucumbers are vegetables too! Thanks SuPErBa!
Corn pop; in-​house made corn pop, lemon curd, macerated strawberries.
I really enjoyed this dessert, but I wasn’t too sure if they were trying to mess with me. Their head chef came to our table and told us they ran out of their corn pop. They apologized profusely and said they were working on a new batch. They emphasized that it will take some time for us to get the dessert. Fair enough. I was more excited knowing I was going to get a new fresh batch of their corn pop. Straight ballin.
The strawberries alone have a mouthwatering tartness. I don’t know if I like that, but having it paired with the lemon curd and their corn pop made it pretty damn good. The corn pop has an airy crunch that disintegrates with a single salivating bite. Bits and pieces will definitely get stuck in and on your teeth.
So, with all that said, I can easily understand why people would like this place, and also hate it just as much. It’s probably the price of the food that turns people away. Hence, the average rating the place has received thus far. The items are not anything out of the ordinary, but it is the playfulness of the food that they serve is what has got me and others attracted to Superba.

Have been to this place twice now for dinner — once a couple years ago, and again more recently. Surprisingly, both experience were «meh.»
CAULIFLOWER T-​BONE — Amazing and tasty. I would order this again in a heartbeat. Very clever dish that truly looks and eats like a T-​bone. Garnished with with tangy olives, perfection.
Cacio de Pepe — So we had to send this back the first time — it was WAY over salted and peppery. The second go around was perfect — just the right amount of flavor and butter. I don’t know which was the «right» one (cuz I told the waiter I thought it was too salty), but I dunno if I’m willing to try again.
Crispy Brussels sprouts — not crispy at all, actually on the soggy side. The broth reminded my husband and me of a ramen soup, which would have been yummy if not for the slightly burnt and bitter flavor of the brussel sprouts.
Foie Gras Custard — I’m a HUGE fan of foie gras, HUGE. If it’s on the menu, I have to get it. Unfortunately, this time was a mistake. I have no idea what was going on in this dish — I think the foie was on the bottom, and on top were? chia seeds? And some orange garnish? The flavor and texture were pretty off all around.
I dunno, part of me thinks we ordered wrong? Maybe we should have gotten the Kampachi? Ah well. Too many other great restaurants in LA… Might be back to try the brunch.

We finally ventured out and tried Superba and we are most definitely a fan.
I loved the ambiance and all its trendiness! It’s a perfect place to go with a big group of friends, eat and drink and laugh all night. It’s also a great casual date place, like a first date kinda vibe.
Anyway to the food. I know this may sound ridiculous but I had the best carrots I’ve ever had at Superba. It has coconut, onion, lime, peanut. It’s just so good. So order that.
My date absolutely loved the carbonara with all its pancetta and poached egg. Yeah its worth the $ 20, you’ll leave full and happy.
Cheers!
P. S. if you wanna see pics of the best carrots you’ll ever have, check out my Instagram: @dottie1277

Although not cheap (close to $ 20 per dish), brunch here was great.
I had the eggs and veggies which was a very generous serving size. I was given a large bowl full of veggies (the good ones — brussels sprouts, potatoes, and onions) covered by two two sunny side up eggs. The kale pesto gave it a lot of flavor and it was absolutely delicious. I had been worried it wouldn’t be enough food since I was really hungry, but I ended up not being able to finish it.
My friends had the avocado sandwich (which was beautiful and gave me a moment of envy when it first came out) and the sunchoke ravioli, and both said their meals were also very good. The ravioli, like many ravioli dishes, was very small, however, and my friend ended up getting a piece of pizza on the beach an hour later. I, on the other hand, was stuffed until dinner time.
Cute spot with a beachy vibe, far enough from the water that you can still find street parking, but a quick skip over there after eating.

As far as meatless dinners go… this one was pretty damn good.
Took one of my crazy vegetarian sisters here for her belated birthday dinner one night and had a great time.
Promptly seated before our reservation and had friendly, unhurried service the entire night. On to the food!
BROCCOLINI
I tend to hate all things broccoli with a passion… just because I can be a hateful bastard when meat is not involved. But I quite simply could not hate this… the broccolini was perfectly seasoned and came atop this insane dashi broth and also a perfectly poached egg… the scallions and sweet peppers rounded everything out quite nicely. The only thing I hated after eating this was myself… for liking it so much.
GNOCCHI
Crispy gnocchi, mushrooms, taleggio cheese and crème fraiche. Ridiculously rich and delicious but we both agreed the gnocchi we had previously from Dough out on Sunset blvd was better… but still… really damn good.
CACIO E PEPE
Deceptively simple… absurdly delicious.
pasta. butter. pepper. cheese.
Sometimes in life… that’s all you need my friends. I’ve made this dish a handful of times at home and it is always enjoyable… tonight…it was just a little bit better.
And in an attempt to be useful to any and all Unilocalers with an even mild level of lactose intolerance… enjoy the cacio e pepe in moderation… or you’re gonna end up here sooner than later.
Just sayin’

Come with a few people or plan to revisit often because you will want to try all of the things!
Their handmade pastas are the best. The main attraction is the bocatini carbonara, which is always on the menu. It has a great firm texture and tastes amazing — but beware, it’s ridiculously rich — maybe even too rich to finish off an order solo. Other menu items do change around, but you really can’t go wrong, and if you have any questions definitely ask — the waiters all seem very knowledgeable and honest about each dish.
I recently visited for brunch, and though I really wanted was to eat pasta, I was tempted to give the short rib benedict a try, and was pretty glad I did — perfectly poached egg, tasty short rib, spinach, and an avocado hollandaise — yum! They also sent over some jalapeño corn bread, which had a surprisingly light taste of jalapeño and was great drizzled with honey. The only problem was that afterward I couldn’t possibly eat any pasta. I ordered the bucatini anyway because that’s just how I do, but it was too much. Greedy.

I’d been wanting to try this place for the longest time, but a number of factors conspired against me. Husband came here for dinner for a work event and left raving about their kale salad (he normally despises kale). This past weekend we were able to leave the toddler behind and escape for a brunch date here, and I was not disappointed.
Too bad there were only two of us, as we could only order two dishes. Fortunately, they were both outstanding. The short rib benedict was one of the best benedict dishes I have ever had — the meat was tender and tasty, the eggs were perfectly poached, and the biscuit was flaky and moist — total comfort food. The roasted apples with yogurt and granola were also excellent — every spoonful was a contrast in textures and tastes.
Patio seating fronted Rose, so you could see all the hipsters going by. No complaints about the service. Will look forward to making a return visit.

Overall, not blown away by the food here at Superba but one dish (the spaghetti cacio pepe, one of the simplest and least expensive dishes on the menu) redeemed the evening.
You’ve heard that Scarpetta has the «best spaghetti in Los Angeles»? Had.
The spaghetti cacio pepe rules.
We also tried the BLT (the bacon was incredibly rich and sweet) and the bucatini carbonara (which was too creamy and rich for my taste).
Less is more. Stick with the spaghetti cacio pepe.
Great service!