Élephante

I stopped by for the first time on February 10th for an early Valentine's treat, and we had an exceptional dinner. Élephante is located on the top floor of a small, almost hidden building in downtown Santa Monica. Upon arrival, we were greeted at a podium, where they checked us in. A bouncer at the front door managed entry to the elevator, and once we reached the top, another set of hostesses welcomed us and confirmed our reservation.Élephante offers an extensive menu of Italian dishes and a full bar in the Sunset Room. The view was magical, especially around 5 PM when the sun was setting. There were various seating options, both on the balcony and inside. However, the lighting was dimmer than I preferred, making it difficult to see our food. Despite this, our server was incredibly polite and knowledgeable, offering great recommendations for wine pairings with our pasta dishes.For our meal, we started with the Whipped Eggplant, served with the fluffiest bread--it was honestly amazing. We all loved the bread, and I think it was the softest I've ever had. Next, we shared the Wild Mushroom Pizza, which led to our discovery of the pizza oil--the highlight of the night! We ended up putting it on everything and couldn't get enough. High praise to the chef for making it!For our main courses, we ordered the Spaghetti Alle Vongole, Ragu Bianco, and Gemelli Scampi. The first two pasta dishes were savory and perfectly al dente. From where we were seated, we could see the kitchen, and it was fascinating to watch the chefs hard at work.For drinks, we tried the Élephante (rum-based), Japanese Penicillin, GLS Fortune 1621 Cabernet, and Grand Marnier. The Élephante cocktail didn't stand out to me, and I'd say it's skippable. However, I really enjoyed the Japanese Penicillin and would gladly return for more.Finally, for dessert, we ordered the Pavlova since it had glowing reviews on Yelp. Unfortunately, we didn't enjoy it as much as expected--it was overly sweet, and the passion fruit sauce didn't quite hit the spot. I'd recommend trying a different dessert instead.Overall, this was a special and memorable dining experience. Élephante is a great spot for a date night, a night out with friends, or a family dinner. If you're in Santa Monica, it's definitely worth a visit!

Stopped in for my first time this past weekend and we had a really nice dinner. Located on the top floor of a small building in downtown Santa Monica Élephante specializes in Italian cuisine in a very lively atmosphere. It reminded me a lot of the experience I had at Catch LA in that there is a bouncer at the front door that lets you in to the elevator that has limited capacity where you ride up with a group of other people and check in with them as well. Also, the music is very loud and it kind of feels more like a lounge type of vibe than a dinner restaurant. We had a great meal but I would not recommend this place for a business dinner due to the noise. Inside is designed really beautifully, there is a small standing bar and many different seating options. It's outside but with covered roofs, but you still get a breeze, which was really nice. Also, the lighting is low and we were sat right next to the fireplace, which is a really nice touch. Our server was very polite and everything that we ordered arrived out fairly quickly. They offer valet parking out front but honestly, there are pay garages and pay lots right across from and right next to the restaurant. I paid $24 for a two hour dinner Saturday night so I would expect to spend around the same.For our meal, the first dish was the Whipped Stracchino Cheese and it was probably my favorite dish of the night. It was honestly terrific, and we both loved the bread and honey addition. Next we split the Gem Lettuce salad and both really enjoyed it. It's basically a Caesar salad but elevated. Finally for the entrées we chose the Prosciutto Pizza and the Truffle Pasta. The pizza was really great and I loved the hot honey on top of the prosciutto and I did really enjoy the pasta, tagliatelle is one of my favorite types of pasta, but I wish it would've had more truffles on top. Especially for the price I think it could've had a bigger amount, but I still really enjoyed it overall.I would say this is one of the better dinners in Santa Monica, but would be best suited for a date or dinner with friends or family. It's extremely lively and many people will be taking photos and drinking around you so I would not suggest it for a work function or any overly formal setting.

Elephante was truly an amazing experience. They were able to see us during brunch hours, even though we had no reservation, which was nice. They were very clear about how we only had an hour and a half to dine because they did need the table back, which didn't seem like an issue for us and it wasn't. They were more than accommodating. My friend and I ordered the breakfast sandwich, the prosciutto scramble, and the whipped burrata cheese thing. The name escapes me. Everything was absolutely flavorful and came out in a timely manner. The server was very nice. We were sat in the cactus room which is their interior room. Overall great experience.

This has quickly become one of my favorite restaurant in Santa Monica!I had a reservation but still had to wait about 15 mins. They were really, really busy. I now understand why.The food is delicious! Service was great!Requested a table on the "outside" and they were able to give me one. Table was tiny though. We still made it work!

Visited on Feb 13, 2024Best thing I had was the tuna tartare. The whipped eggplant was pretty good. The aesthetic of the place is good. Some dishes were a bit salty.Cons: literally the whole thing.Every 2-5 mins someone (literally multiple people) were either asking how the food was or immediately clearing every dish and utensil they could get their hands on even if there was still food on the plate. Also being around the table so often just ruins the meal and enjoyment of my company. The waiters and busboys actually made us uncomfortable with the amount of times they came. Also their attitudes were not welcoming at all. ONE waitress came and you can tell she was friendly. Never saw her again. My companions also felt uncomfortable. Also the dreading checkout... why is the waiter hovering above my head while I'm selecting the tip and signing. He should have taken a step back to give space. Now before we left, my friend noticed how the host was taking in-coming guests umbrellas and putting it behind the hosts counter. However this host did not take our umbrellas, didn't even ask. Even if she forgot to ask, the host should have came to our table to ask. Every person that has interacted with us seemed to be uninterested.The whole experience was rushed, unwelcomed, and lacked the etiquette of any good restaurant. Also why are the waiters wearing crewneck sweaters.. at a restaurant that has black caviar on the menu, I would have expected their outfits to fit the aesthetic of the place that Elephante is.

Such a great view, but it gets cold at night.Got the prickly pear mocktail but doesn't taste great.Got the whipped eggplant and it was delicious.also got the cacio e pepe pizza and it was delicious. Also tried the maltagliati pasta, really good.Definitely make a reservation for the sunset room for a beautiful view.

Great Ambience, Great Service, Great Food! Things I've tried: 1) Butternut Squash Agnolotti: Very good! Sweet and Salty, I ordered this a couple times.2) Cacio E Pepe: Actually really good, I get this when I don't want sweet dish. It's peppery, creamy, delicious.3) Gemelli Squid Ink Pasta: Quite disappointing, this one is a skip for me.4) Meatball: Pretty Salty but still acceptable 6/10. Decent amount (7pc) and the meat taste is there.5) Whipped Eggplant: Mild taste for the dip, quite salty bread. For me, this one is too overhyped. I won't order again. 6) Tiramisu: A little dense for my liking. It's not too sweet either so its okay. However I wouldn't get it again too.The place transports you to a tropical bar, very nicely executed. 8.5/10, love this pla

The restaurant is very beautiful on the inside and the view is great. My favorite thing that was ordered had to be the whipped eggplant with pita? bread. The rest of the food was just okay for the pricing it's nothing special. As an la native I was open to trying this place that many rave about, however I don't really see the appeal besides the aesthetics. The service was very rushed as if the waitstaff could not wait for us to finish eating and it felt like they were constantly hovering. I've never sat in a restaurant and had staff coming to my table literally like every 5 minutes. It's a shame I wanted to enjoy it here

Love love love Elephante. This may seem like a typical "LA" spot but the good is truly amazing. Sit in the sunset room if you want to see the ocean or sunset. The garden room has a good ambiance but you can't see the view. The spicy vodka pasta and pesto pasta are my GO TO. Both have amazing sauce. You have to start with the whipped eggplant as well. And for dessert, the sorbet is so fresh and they put a candle on it for my birthday. We don't always get pizza, cause it's heavier but I love the sopresatta one. Skip the salads honestly, they're nothing out of this world, but good if you want something fresh.

Beautiful seating. Valet is available for parking. Friendly hostess :)Food was delicious and there's a way to avoid carb heavy foods too so loved that there was variety.