Restaurants for Friends and Families

Business #1: Kay 'n Daves
Business #2: Panera
Business #3: Noma's

Why I can't live without these three businesses:  Kay 'n Daves: My family and I love going to Kay 'n Daves. Kay 'n Daves is located right across the street from the Brentwood Country Mart and serves delicious Mexican food. If you get there during the early dinner hour, you can see many families with their energetic kids around, or if you go during the late dinner hour, you will see couples, friends and families eating dinner. When you walk in, you will be greeted by both a friendly staff and a hot bowl of tortilla chips and salsa. Some of my favorite entrees to have for dinner are the Kitchen Burrito or Fajita Quesadilla. They also have the best desserts. My favorites are the Chocolate Molten Lava Cake or the Coconut Fried Ice Cream. This family friendly restaurant is perfect for dinner, lunch with friends or brunch with the entire family. Kay 'n Daves has become a regular eating spot for my family and I for the past decade.

Panera: I love going to Panera, located on Wilshire Blvd near the Third Street Promenade. I go there with my friends for brunch and lunch. They have the most delicious varieties of breads, loafs, rolls, pastries, paninis, sandwiches, smoothies, salads and soups. My favorite bread they sell is the tomato and basil bread because it has a beautiful red orange color and an almost sweet taste to the soft inside and crunchy, hard outside. If my friends and I meet there, I opt for their combination of half a salad and half a soup or sandwich, before we head to Third Street Promenade. The friendly staff and environment makes you want to just stay there for hours with your delicious bread bowl soup or warm panini talking with your friends on a cold day. Panera is the best place to find great food and has welcoming environment that you will want to go back.

Noma's: Noma's is a Japanese restaurant located on Wilshire near Porquito Mas. Noma's is one of my favorite restaurants to eat Japanese food. Its menu ranges from pages of sushi and rolls to bento boxes and seafood entrees. The staff is always friendly, greeting and saying goodbye to customers in Japanese. There is a sushi bar if you want to have front row seats to the sports game that is on and want to see firsthand how the chefs make their rolls. In the adjacent rooms are tables for those who are eating in groups. My favorite dish is the Black Cod entrée that is Black Cod marinated in a sweet sauce. The cod is always cooked to perfection. If I am feeling adventurous, then I pick a new roll to try from their appetizing pictures and descriptions. Noma's is a great place to go with your friends and family.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Best Burgers

Business #1: R+D Kitchen
Business #2: Rite Aid
Business #3: Blockbuster

Why I can't live without these three businesses: 1. R+D Kitchen R+D is a must in Santa Monica. It is located on Montana and is the best burger I have ever had in my life. It is a couple blocks away from my house, and I go there every chance I get. You can also catch celebrities there. It is always crowded, and there is a reason for it. Best burger in Santa Monica, or anywhere hands down.

2. Rite Aid Rite Aid is a go to for every kid growing up in Santa Monica. It has everything you need from candy to household items. Thrifty ice cream is the best, and the whole place is very affordable. Rite Aid is essential in Santa Monica for your every day items.

3. Blockbuster Although Blockbuster is an ailing company, it is my past time and where I always turn to for movies. Ever since I was a kid, Blockbuster has been a timeless tradition. Going to Blockbuster to get a movie is a classic experience that can not be replaced.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Bursting with Flavor

Business #1: Tender Greens 
Business #2: Chipotle
Business #3: Benihana

Why I can't live without these three businesses: Tender Greens on 2nd and Arizona is definitely the place to go to when you feel like eating something healthy and light, but food that is bursting with different flavors and textures. Their food comes from small local farms and grown naturally.  Everything at Tender Greens is so fresh; you can order a variety of salads, make your own, or even choose meats or fish.  Whenever I come here, I usually order the Tuna Nicoise. This salad has all my favorite ingredients, consisting of healthy items, but very filling at the same time.  Tender Greens has incredible menus for lunch and dinner.

Chipotle at 3rd Street Promenade is in a good location because while shopping and hanging out, you can stop by and grab a burrito or a bowl.  Chipotle is a healthy alternative of regular fast food places like McDonald’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., etc.  This Chipotle is clean, and although the wait usually takes a while, it is definitely worth it once you take a bite of that burrito.  The burritos are always filling.  The other thing I get at Chipotle is a vegetable bowl.  This bowl with grilled vegetables and guacamole and hot sauce on top is truly satisfying.

Benihana is a spacious, clean place to eat.  The service here is good, the food is even better, and the performance from the chefs is extraordinary.  The sushi is very fresh, but all aside, the fried rice, beef, and vegetables made/cooked on that huge communal table in front of you is quite the show.  The chefs slice and mix the seafood, steak, chicken, and vegetables with lightening speed, grills your meal right in front of you, and then toss it accurately onto your plate.

Submitted by: Anonymous

Fresh and Elegant

Business #1: California Pizza Kitchen
Business #2: Jamba Juice
Business #3: Pinkberry

Why I can't live without these three businesses: California Pizza Kitchen – I chose CPK because it is truly a business I could not live without.  Growing up I always remembered going out to lunch or dinner to CPK with my family. We always had so much fun there together. Not only is CPK a wonderful restaurant with an enjoyable atmosphere, but the food is amazing too. They have many different types of pizza, which includes their famous, and delicious, BBQ chicken pizza. They also have various pastas, salads, and other dishes that are fresh with elegant flavors. I could not live without this place because it is fun, delicious, and they have fair, affordable prices as well!

Jamba Juice – Another place that I could not live without is Jamba Juice. I love Jamba Juice because they make delicious smoothies. To me, Jamba Juice is a wonder place to stop at in the middle of the day for a quick boost. It is the perfect thing to have in-between lunch and dinner when you need a little bit of fuel to keep you going in the afternoon. It is also a great way to start off your morning. Jamba Juice is not only a filling snack, but it is also a good and healthy way to stay feeling great throughout the day!

Pink Berry – The third business I chose was Pinkberry. I love Pinkberry because it is unlike any other business out there. Other frozen yogurt shops all taste the same to me, but Pinkberry has a specific taste that distinguishes it apart from the other businesses. The yogurt itself is delicious, but once you pick out your flavor, you can choose from a row of toppings. You can go with the tasty and healthy fruit to make it more of a delicious snack, or you can go with the various chocolate toppings to turn it into a decadent dessert. There are thousands of different combinations causing your taste buds to never get bored. Whichever way you have it, it is always amazing!

Submitted by: Amanda Pallett

Cupcake Perfection

Business #1: Yummy Cupcakes
Business #2: Baja Buds 
Business #3: Famima

Why I can't live without these three businesses: Yummy Cupcakes is a truly amazing Place in Santa Monica. Its moist perfection offers the best cupcakes in Santa Monica. From the classic Red Velvet to the Bacon Breakfast Bonanza cupcakes. Its adorable decor and girly feel make this bakery ever so amazing. It offers sugar free and vegan friendly options which makes this place an even more original bakery.

Baja Buds, a chain restaurant located on the Promenade, offers a general essence of a "somewhat" Mexican meal. From its mexican style nachos to its chicken burritos, its simply a place where one goes to satisfy its craving for "mexican food".

Famima is a convenience store, simple as that. It a go to for when i don't want to pay for an overpriced  cup of coffee at Starbucks. It offers breakfast lunch and dinner with its ever so friendly employees, another thing I appreciate, the employees know me by name. It offers its presence being that its open 24 hrs. Its just there and thats what makes it so great.

Submitted by: Anonymous