The Victorian

I come here often with my daughter as we are close enough to walk. It is very rare to find a happy hour spot in Santa Monica with a great atmosphere and great food and drinks offered at happy hour prices. it is also one of the few happy hour spots that extend happy hour to 8 or 9pm. The servers have always been great and there’s live music. LOVE THIS PLACE.

Fantastic food, great service, very welcoming atmosphere. have recommended to a ton of my friends.

If I could give it 3.5 stars I would. I came here with pretty low expectations and I think it actually ended up being better than expected. We went on a Saturday night and the music on the main floor was actually really good, stuff I listen to on a regular basis. The bar didn’t take a terribly long time to get a drink from, and they had decent beer selections.
There was definitely a line to get downstairs and once we were down there it was pretty jam packed. It didn’t really live up to the hype down there. This is definitely the kind of place that you come with a group of people.

I had my wedding in April there, I give 1 star because the place is beautiful, the food and cocktails were wonderful but the event organizers were a mess, specially Kristi Dippel. She was sending emails asking questions that we already had answered two days before in a meeting with another person. Also she was so rude and so disorganized, one day she came to me on the street, in front of a friend, saying that I had something left to pay and will cancel my wedding if I didn’t pay with cash in that moment. We had a meeting during that week and nobody told us there was a part that was not payed, and those things should be discussed on meetings or a phone call and not on the street in front of other people. Their staff should have basic manners. No body was supervising the event and they kept the top of the cake.
Im reposting this review because Unilocal says this is a review for The Tavern, but its not, is for The Victorian Weddings and Events.

My favorite bar in Santa Monica! Good bar food too! Love the atmosphere. Lights are dim with candles everywhere has an old fashion look. Can’t wait to go back

Id give a negative stars if I could.
A worker bumps into me doesn’t acknowledge me at all so I decide to say excuse me to this «man». My friends and I continue have a general conversation about life and people. In no way was I talking about this worker but he decides to get in my face and starts yelling at me. Because he assumed that I was talking about him.
Topic of me and my friends conversation «why people think that it’s okay to shove and bump people when they can clearly see you.» So yeah maybe it wasn’t a good time to talk about that topic but still freedom of speech. Lol.
Anywho, as this «man» is yelling at me to my face he starts to lay his hands on me and literally is squeezing my arm for no damn reason. I’m sorry who are you to lay a hand on me?.. He continues to yell and push me so I’m like you know what sir I will gladly leave. He goes and follows me as I walk towards the exit. Security is sprinting down the steps and I tell them to calm down because I’m getting out of this horrible place. They calmly walk me and my friends out of the place and we had a nice conversation with them. They felt bad for what had happened to me and offered to let us back in. But obviously we said no.
I just can’t believe this man thinks that it’s okay to lay his hands on a person. Whether It’s a woman or a man nobody should be handled that way unless they really have to. I was 2 beers in… And I’m just enjoying my Saturday night like everybody else in this place. So to those of you coming to this place. Be careful because having a conversation with friends can get you thrown out… lolz
P. s. This man is apparently a «manager». Lol what a joke…

This is the SPOT to be after hours in Santa Monica. I can’t even count how many floors this place has, since half the time I’m lost… In a good way!

We got married and had our wedding party at The Victorian in December 2010 and it was one of the most lovely days of our life. The staff were professional and terrific to deal with and eased our stress for the big day. The food was incredible and many of our guests commented that it was the best wedding food they ever had. The décor and atmosphere really made this day wonderful. My wife and I highly recommend The Victorian.

Very cool space with lots of room but way too pricey. Great bar selection and menu selection. The two girls who run this show and schedule things never returned any of my emails and did not like the fact that I was trying to plan an even about a year and a half out. Will say this though I was able to find better package deals elsewhere though for a much better price.

I held my daughters shower at the Victorian and from start to finish it was a problem. It was very difficult to get a phone call returned. I held the event upstairs (planned it from New York). I asked many times for photos of the space but I never received anything remotely adequate to visualize the space. There was so little air conditioning in the room, the guests were sweating. No amount of asking for it to be adjusted helped. We played music through their system, but there was no way to adjust the volume so we continually had to just turn on and off depending on whether someone was speaking or not. The event was A high tea and the menu was presented and agreed upon, but when the day arrived, integral items were not there (like the clotted cream, for example). It was SO expensive and when many of the guests were unable to come, they were not willing to refund any of the cost. The room was not set up as we agreed. The food was good. The wait staff was very good.
The space is pretty, but I would never have an event there again and definitely never let anyone I know in L.A. sign up for that disappointment and aggravation.

I had my wedding at The Victorian on October 3, 2015 and I have to say… it was perfect!
Holly was my main contact from the beginning and then Kristi took over near the end, closer to my wedding. Both gals are amazing. Sometimes, it takes awhile to get a response from them and it can be frustrating; but if you can remember that they pretty much have a wedding every Friday-​Saturday-​Sunday… you’ll be more forgiving.
Planning your own wedding and doing all the details yourself can be hard and may end up turning you into a crazy person. Holly and Kristi always practiced patience with me when I asked a million questions or called a hundred times or wanted to pop in to meet with them.
Just a head’s up… this place isn’t cheap and does run more than your typical venue but it is definitely worth the money. The food was SUPERB and I got soooo many compliments from my guests even days after about how delicious everything was. (Being the bride, I barely ate but that’s ok, I had so much fun!)
They allowed us to decorate the home our way and my guests said it felt like I was hosting a party at my own home, which I love! We had pictures of us hung everywhere! Everything was beautiful and so inviting. I really felt like that was my home!
It is an unusual set up but if you talk out your ideas with Holly or Kristi, they’ll give you suggestions. For instance, I originally had my dessert table downstairs and Holly gave me perspective as to how she would have it and it flowed so much better. They know what they are doing so if you are stuck on how to decorate or your itinerary, ask and trust them!
If you are looking for a special venue that has a huge «wow» factor, The Victorian is the place to go. It is a class act all the way!
Special thank you to Holly Reid and Kristi Dippel for treating me so well and making sure the day was amazing. (And thank you for being patient with me during my frantic moments.)

My wife and I had our wedding there recently and were completely satisfied with everything. The venue worked with us from beginning to end. The food, space, decorations, merchant referrals, drinks, and whole process was great.
For our food we were invited to tastings and were offered all possible options from cheese plates, walking appetizers, desserts, drinks, and so on. We elected for the poke ahi, cheese plates, ricotta stuffed peppers as appetizers and had no complaints. For dinner we had the filet mignon and seabass and although most elected the filet mignon, I was in love with the fish. Everything was clean, professional, pristine, elegant, and timely. Both my wife and I were looking for something classy, intimate, literary, and vintage and this venue met our every need. The aesthetics and options of rooms was worth it. Overall, our only tidbit was timely responses to communication (which weren’t bad but could’ve been improved) they usually got back to us within 3 – 4 days, but other than that we enjoyed every second :) Thank you to everyone at The Victorian, we will definitely be back whether it is for another occasion or even for the speak easy bar downstairs :)

We had our wedding here 5 years ago and it was incredible! Very well organized and beautiful. Our guests still talk about how great the food was and that it was the best wedding they have ever been to.
The staff were very accommodating & professional which made it an even nicer experience. Ashia was our go to person and we could not have wished for a better venue.
This place was A++

First, I rarely leave low ratings. But after 4 unsuccessful attempts to get a response from Holly Reid (their private-​party booking person) about renting the space for a 50^th birthday party — I’m pretty double-​down-​in-​the-​dumps on this place. We’d envisioned a beautiful event EXCEPT for the fact that no one would call us back… 3 phone messages to the # on her business card 310−392−4956 in the course of 10 days starting on July 21 (including one as a nice but urgent plea to another person answering their phone who PROMISED she’d return our call), plus 1 email specifically to
on July 23, and alas, nada, nothing. Crickets, my friend. Only crickets. Not only is this type of non-​responsiveness totally unprofessional, it’s just plain rude. The only reason I’m not leaving 1 star is because we love the space.

Much better than the basement when it’s not being reserved by a private event.
The décor is great and just a generally good vibe (which is why people rent it out). Gets kind of crowded but always a good time with a good looking crowd.

Holly at The Victorian made my dream wedding come true! Everything was perfect from the planning to the day of the event. Also, Holly is very personable and gets back to you immediately. Along with her, everyone who works here, especially Captain Kelly, is professional and friendly! I could not recommend this event space or Holly enough. Thank you Victorian Team!

Just co-​hosted a charity event for the Movember Foundation on Saturday night! Thank you so much to the kind folks at The Victorian for allowing us to take over the upstairs and rooftop… Who knew there was a gorgeous rooftop??? I’m shocked at how smooth the night went considering there were hundreds and hundreds of people in attendance that night. Not once was I annoyed which is impressive for how jam-​packed the place was. Best thing about this restaurant/​bar/​venue is the outdoor patio. Felt like I was in the South at a party on some family’s gorgeous estate. Love this place!

We just held our Wedding Ceremony and Reception at The Victorian.
Before describing the night, will first say that planning our Wedding at the Victorian, through coordinators Holly and Aisha, was an absolute pleasure every step of the way. And I’m the groom!
Holly and Aisha are pleasant, organized, intuitive, and also insightful about matching what a couple wants, needs, and what the Victorian staff and grounds can offer.
As a groom, I never felt overlooked, never felt that we were being gouged or encouraged to take things we didn’t need, nor did I ever feel that our best interests were the most important. That said, the most important evidence of that is how happy my wife remained throughout the entire process.
Our ceremony was beautiful. Victorian staff (the most professional catering staff I have ever experienced) set our guess’ chairs in the beach sand, and guarded them all day long.
A low-​cost. but high quality shuttle SUV was arranged by our coordinators to transport elderly and encumbered guests — a classy touch that reassured us.
The food at cocktail hour was rich, presented beautifully, and of utmost quality. My wife and I were provided a spread of all hors dourvres and cold, delicious cocktails as soon as we entered. They provided us a separate entrance, complete with security, and a separate room in which to enjoy a quiet moment together before joining our guests. This and the private «groom’s room» downstairs, in which my friends, brother and father-​in-​law were able to share a whiskey toast before the ceremony, were among my favorite memories of the evening.
Dinner was delicious, the sound and dance floor were top-​notch, and the bar staff was wonderful. All of our guests had an outstanding time. The head server, Kelly, kept my martini charged throughout the evening — never forgetting about me, no matter how crazy things got.
I could go on and on, but the point here is that the Victorian Staff puts together an event with their clients and guests in mind. I am so happy we chose to celebrate this moment at the Victorian, and can’t say enough positive things about how this operation runs.
Thank you!

I’ve been here for post-​collegiate bashes as well as weddings. It’s a completely different environ based on the crowd, but The Victorian is consistent in that it’s a unique venue aesthetically and functionally.
There’s a cute patio in the back, there is a smaller reception room upstairs and a really cool, genuine old-​school bar in the front. Also, the front part of the venue — on Main Street — provides some awesome people watching as well as a good place to sit or stand and mingle. Drinks are fairly priced — $ 12 for street standard cocktails, $ 10 for well drinks — and though The Victorian definitely can get overcrowded, if you come on the right night or for the right event it’s definitely a cool spot.
Valet parking in front, or good luck parking on Main Street. Ideally, take a cab or ride-​share.

We have nothing but all great reviews for the Victorian! Planning a destination wedding from NY wasn’t easy, but the moment we met Ashia and Holly, they were so pleasant to work with and very accommodating!!! Excellent communication throughout the year which helped planning my wedding so much easier.
First of all, the Victorian reminded of me of Twilight: Breaking Dawn! You know, the wedding scene with the lights and chandelier hanging from the trees. LOL The venue itself is beautiful which speaks for itself. Perfect for an intimate wedding and the ambiance was incredible. It has this antique /​Victorian vibe to it! All our wedding guests loved this venue and really enjoyed themselves!
Ashia and her staff are so friendly and helpful. Everyone, including ourselves, loved the food and drinks!
So if you’re looking for an intimate place for your wedding in the heart of Santa Monica, I definitely recommend the Victorian!!! =)