Marina del Rey Restaurants

Mercedes Grill does Cuban Influenced Californian style food. A typical dish might be grilled sea bass with mango salsa. served with fried plantains. Other dishes include tapas like the ubiquitous calamari, and ahi tuna tartare (which it seems almost every single restaurant in LA serves)

I don't think that the food is outstanding, but it's pretty good, fairly reasonable, and the location is great. Mercedes is an excellent spot to sip a drink, have some tapas during happy hour and watch the sunset just a few yards from the Venice Pier.

Favorite Dish: I recommend that tapas and sangria.

This Kitschy Kampy Italian place peddles that big hearted 'hey eat, you need to put some meat on your bones' Italian schtick. The style is like Buco di Beppo and Pasta Factory except their food is poor. It's bland and unintersting even for a simple American-style pasta place. I was also very annoyed by the So. Cal Dude who was massacring the Italian language like a Disneyland, It's a Small World Employee. This place is packed and for NO GOOD REASON. Go to Pasta Factory or Buco di Beppo. It's the same kind of Italian american red sauce-and-spaghetti type of Italian but they are much better.

Favorite Dish: The ice water.

Shanghai Reds continental restaurant has been in the same spot for 37 years and is still the premium Sunday Brunch, all you can eat, restaurant. To make it even better, the restaurant sits on the waterfront in Marina Del Rey. Ask for a window or outside table to view the passing sail and motor boats that are coming from and going out to sea. The beauty of the restaurant is only enhanced by the view.

So many seafood and breakfast offerings at the brunch, you get full just looking at all the dishes and items available to pile on your plate. The food is top quality and many items are featured that are not found at many "all you can eat" restaurants. Service is first class and the waitstaff jumps to help you. If you are in the area on a Sunday, stop by Shanghai Reds for the brunch. You will not be disappointed.

Favorite Dish: Everything is set out in front of you on sweeping tables in two rooms. Trying to choose the favorite dish is like looking in a box of popcorn and saying which piece looks like it would taste better.

Casual Beach type restaurant on Washington Ave right at the beach. Great place for brunch as the sandwiches, salads, and french toast are very good. (and portions HUGE) This is a perfect spot to sit at a table on the side walk, have a bite, relax, read the paper, chit chat and watch the folks go by on their way to the beach.

Favorite Dish: Toasted Goat Cheese salad. Ham Sandwich. Monte Cristo.

Marguerite is an uncrowded, fairly pleasant and serviceable French Bistro. It's a good place to have a casual dinner after a day at the beach. It's not a Michelin 3 star restaurant, but you can get decent Moules and Frites, a glass of wine, a pastry. It's particularly nice in the summer when you can sit outside and watch the world go by while listening to the Serge Gainsbourg.

Killer Shrimp serves pretty much one thing and you'll get a prize if you can guess. The mystery seafood served in a spicy broth comes in 3 choices. With Bread (for dipping), with Pasta or With Rice. Hey it's not high cuisine, but it aint bad and it's pretty cheap.

Favorite Dish: Uhhhh...Shrimp. I'm choose the bread usually.

With that name, I cringe to even give this recommendation, cause I'm Italian, but...the truth is for most americans this place serves perfectly good pasta with red sauce. And to be honest they do it pretty well for what it is, and it's inexpensive. If you really know real Italian food this isn't the place for you, but if you're in the mood for a good meat sauce and can't tell pecorino from parmigiano, then go, have fun and enjoy the garlic and a glass of wine. You'll be very happy, I promise.

If your in the mood for an early dinner stop by TonyP's for their new special, "Dine at Dusk" three course meals, between 3 and 5pm for under $16. The food here is always fresh, delicious and plentiful -- a big plus for a mom with teenagers. These earlier dinners are a great value; they include a first course -- salad, soup or an appetizer -- one of their signature dishes such Alfredo's Pasta -- my daughter's favorite -- or Stir Fry, or a Southwest Chicken Platter, even a fish dish and of course -- my son and husband's favorite -- the Flat Iron Steak (can you say "BEEF"). And then a personal mini dessert -- perfect for 1-- like their Triple Berry Cobbler with a tiny scoup of Vanilla Ice Cream or a small Hot Fudge Sundae. Yumm!

Favorite Dish: This a favorite of my family's because the food is fresh, delicious and plentiful. Good selection that appeals to grown-ups and kids. Plus, they have an outdoor patio (with heaters) so you can sit next to the water. Waiters are attentive -- even bring by the "kids packs" -- crayons with a few little toys so the little ones can color on the paper table clothes.