Anniversary Party
Celebrate your wedding anniversary at Upper West, from your 1st anniversary to your 70th year together, don’t let this special day pass with out a celebration.
Birthday Party
Celebrate your Birthday Party with friends and family at Upper West, full bar, craft cocktail, and chef-inspired menu.
Baby Shower
Gather your friends and celebrate the mom-to-be at Upper West Santa Monica. Our team will take care of all the details, from decorations to small bites plus a full bar with wines and craft cocktails and beers.
Bar or Bat Mitzvah
Mazel Tov! No matter the size of your bar or bat mitzvah celebration, Upper West Santa Monica can take of every detail, from specialty menus to decoration.
What People Are Saying
Hello Fred,
I wanted to thank you and your staff for such an amazing evening.
We got texts all day yesterday thanking us for such a beautiful night.
The food was so good, the drinks were plentiful and your staff was outstanding.
We can’t thank you enough for helping to make it a special night.
Thanks again!
D P
Dear Fred,
I can’t thank you enough for making our son’s first birthday party so beautiful. Everyone was raving about how delicious the food was. All of the staff were so friendly and helpful, and we feel lucky to have been in your beautiful space. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being so easy to work with and for taking care of every detail so thoughtfully. Looking forward to seeing you when we come by for dinner.
Warmly,
N & M
Dear Fred,
Thank you so much for a wonderful rehearsal dinner! it far exceeded our expectations! Everyone talked about how delicious the food was and how nice and welcoming your restaurant is. You made everything so easy and we were able to relax and have an outstanding time for our pre-wedding celebration! We will definitely recommend you and use you again for parties.
DS
Dear Fred,
I could not have asked for a better party or evening for my birthday!
I appreciate how easy going and hands on you were all night.
I will remember that night for the rest of my life, thank you so much for giving me such a lovely and beautiful experience.
L N
haven’t wrote a yelp review but needed to give this place the recognition it deserves! we were a large birthday dinner party which is always a bit nerve-racking but we were so well taken care of by friendly staff & the food & atmosphere was delicious. such a lovely experience. definitely recommend the bread pudding!
A B
Dined here for a private event. They executed the event perfectly, the private event room was spacious and at the same time able to mingle with everyone. The bartenders and servers were very kind and efficient. The food was great as well, the steak and tuna rice dishes especially were superb. High recommend, great restaurant and venue.
Raphael P.
We did a 40 person dinner at this restaurant and truly couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. EVERYTHING was delicious. Service was great, drinks were great, we had the restaurant to ourselves, and people raved about the food. Highly recommend this venue for any large group parties!
Margarita M / Amazon
Thank you again for making my birthday so special. Everything was fantastic. Huge thanks to your staff – all went smoothly and we really appreciate them. The menu was so nice on the tables – we look forward to coming for dinner another time soon!
Fondly,
D A
Hi Fred,
I’ve received so many wonderful compliments on the event space for our Bat Mitzvah Celebration this past Saturday. I’m very grateful I found you and Upper West.
Daniel
I had my daughter’s sweet 16 dinner at Upper West. Fred and the entire Upper West team made her day perfect! We were able to celebrate with approximately 20-25 friends ages 11-75 . ALL enjoyed their meal. Setting is also great for feeling safe during Covid with open-air environment.
An B.
Hi Fred,
Wow – just wow! We can’t thank you enough for the incredible evening we had celebrating my husband’s birthday at The Upper West on Sunday! It far exceeded our expectations, and we’re so grateful for your generosity and the warmth of your hospitality.
The restaurant looked amazing, and everyone was absolutely raving about the food! You went above and beyond with every detail, from the beautiful table setting to the film – it was such a fun and special touch that made the night enjoyable for everyone.
Thank you again for creating such a fantastic experience. We’re already looking forward to our next visit!
With all our appreciation,
T & S
Good Morning Fred:
Just wanted to say thank you to you and all the wonderful staff at The Upper West. It exceeded my expectations and everything from decor, drinks, food and staff were simply the best. A special shoutout to Aldo.
Thank you for everything. I know some of my guests will be coming back. They loved everything and so did I.
With gratitude,
DD H
Hi Fred,
I just wanted to thank you again for a wonderful evening last Saturday night. My sister’s 60th birthday dinner party was absolutely wonderful! Our family (including the picky vegans) was thrilled with everything — the personalized menu, cuisine, wine, ambiance, service — everything was perfect!
Thank you and best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2024!
Kind regards,
L G
Dear Fred
I don’t know how to thank you for all your kindness and attention last Saturday night!
We truly had an amazing time and the food and service was exceptional as always.
Thank you for all you did and your generosity. Wishing you joy, light and love always and hope your life will always be filled with celebrations as you help so many people achieve theirs???
All the best,
M R
Hi Fred.
Thank so much for making my party so special. Everyone loved the food, the space and the enthusiasm of your whole team. We all had a blast!
A M
We don’t come here often but it is so good every single time we do. It’s a perfect place for birthdays and group dinners (have done a date night also but usually come with a group); good ambiance inside and great quality food.
K D
Hi Fred,
Thank you so much for Saturday night. You and your team did such an amazing job.
The food and drinks were great.
I can’t thank you enough.
My Best,
S B
Sheryl C
Fred
Everybody had a great time and raved about the food, and how attentive and helpful the servers were- I agree.
Everyone was so nice and made it so easy. Pleas let everyone know they were appreciated.
I really didn’t want to do anything for my 50th next month but after yesterday, I am reconsidering
D-G
Hello Fred,
My family and I thank you most gratefully for the care and generous attention you gave our daughter’s birthday party Friday evening. It was absolutely perfect.
See you soon,
Wendy P and Scott P
Lee Ann B
Thank you for such a lovely party!! They said the food, drink, atmosphere, and service were all fabulous. The complimentary dessert tray was gorgeous. Zoe was over the moon. She also said you were so kind and really attentive. That means the world to me.
Thank you, again Fred, from the bottom of my heart for making sure this was a birthday party for the books. (Lots of great photos were uploaded to Instagram!)
You are a fantastic event planner!
Nancy Lee
I just wanted to thank the two of you for helping organize a wonderful
event for us. I’m finally catching up after the busy weekend so
apologies for the late message. Everyone enjoyed the food, drinks, and service from your staff. Sorry, I had to rush out early to organize for the party afterward, but it just
illustrates how I trusted your team to put on an amazing birthday
dinner! We look forward to coming back many more times.
Adam
Rewards Network
Enjoyed a private dinner for 20 people and the food, as well as the service, was outstanding! Highly recommend
Amy Elizabeth
Rewards Network
Our party last night was WONDERFUL. The movie, photos, food, microphone, drinks, cakes. Amazing. Please thank Jack and Max.
I think many of our friends will be planning more parties there in the future!
Thank you!
Gavin
Mal H
Michael M
Bridgette J.
Michael M
Thank you guys and sorry for the late post
Toktam R.
Jaclyn
Jaclyn
My sister and I had shared the Blackened Salmon and it was amazing! It had tons of flavor and it was perfectly cooked. They were so kind to have split the dish for us before having it bought to the table. We had also tried the roasted sweet corn as well and that was delicious. The corn had the perfect balance of sweetness and savory taste.
As we came near to the end of our dinner, the owner came over with a giant plate of dessert for the Birthday boy! Enough for the whole party to share! We were so pleased with the food and service. I will definitely be back with my family soon to try all the other delicious item their men
Megan L
I had been searching for the perfect venue to host a big birthday party. I’m pretty much a regular so I’ve gotten to know all of the owners, chef and some of the other staff as well.
Pretty much, the Chicken Curry salad is on the menu because of me. Well, ok, actually because of Elad. He was eating it once and it wasn’t on the menu. I asked what it was and after trying it one time, it’s what I ordered (and still order) every time I visit. Then my friends who would visit with me ordered it also and it wasn’t too much longer before it was on the menu. I also always enjoy the Chicken Tawook, hummus and cocktails also, but everything is great.
Thank you for always taking great care of us, providing excellent service and yummy food! Thank you to Nick, Fred, Elad, Eyal, Asaf, Cameron and Stephanie! (Sorry if I’m missing anyone else)
Joan A
Jan C
Orly S.
Susie Shore
Spencer R
Customer My Rewards Member
Bill and I plan to go back one day for a date night. You were awesome!
Could you be so kind as to furnish me a copy of the menu pdf you made which had the wine listing included so I can add it to my photo album?
Many thanks
Sean
Paul
Monica S
Everything was amazing! When we walked in, The staff was right there for us, so we ordered drinks, which were delicious. I especially enjoyed my vesper martini, with its touch of orange!
Our coordinator, Fred Eli, had already made sure that the beautiful front room was done to perfection, with lovely personal touches on the menus at each place, the lovely linens and candles on the table, and the fun addition of “Singin’ In The Rain” on the wall (silently) as we enjoyed our time at the restaurant. Of course, we added our own touches with flowers, which just added to the upscale, welcoming ambiance. The incredible attention to detail and service by the staff, in particular the fabulous and indefatigable Maria, saw to every need promptly, and with great smiles.
And then the food…Wow! Every guest was blown away by the flavors and expertise in our meals.The appetizers were beautifully passed by the staff, and included a flatbread, crab cakes, and small ahi tuna tacos stacks. After sitting down, our entree choices were Blackened Salmon, Flat-Iron Steak, or a chicken dish called Tawook, which seemed to include an Eastern Indian flair. All were perfectly prepared with lovely sides, and tasted amazing.
All-in-all it was a perfect party, and the Upper West made me, my sister-in-law, and my brother look like the best hostesses and host ever!
Thank you Fred, and your great team.
Vickie H
“Had a party for 36 people and the food, service, etc. was excellent So happy”
Rewards Network
Jaclyn
Leo R.
Haich Nottle
Laura K
Julie
I read all the reviews and communicated with him for about 21 days prior to the event. They had 2 times to rent out the front room so we opted for the 815 pm to 2 am time frame. He was so accommodating with my menu changes and offering more variety. I was thrilled with the pricing. I also wanted to select a few wines to pair with the food. He responded to all 50 or more emails and even when I wanted to add a salad, told me to save my money as he has bigger portions. We opted on adding some family style sides and more wine. The menu was magnificent.
*appetizer trio of ahi taco (amazing! I could eat 10!) Crab cake (also scrumptious) and burrata caprese (so cute, came in a spoon with caviar)
Then choice of entree…
*salmon
*sea bass
*flank steak
*chicken tawook
*coffee crusted pork
Sides of amazing corn with avocado butter and herb cauliflower. Dessert was bread pudding. I had lyric pinot and a maldonado cabernet as well as a malbec. I think we went through about 20 bottles and they were well priced! When we got there early at 735, I was a bit panicked cause the front room had people still dining in it but fred accommodated with a table in the back and even helped bring in the enormous balloon bouquet that got delivered. They set up super fast and the service from our server was impeccable. Don’t know how he managed to handle all of us with just a couple helpers. My wine glass stayed full, food came out timely. Just the corn was a little late but it was a great last minute treat before dessert. They sang happy birthday to me twice with the bread pudding and with our cronut cake. Fred even had menus printed with my pictures which turned out to be a great keepsake. The private room in front has windows that open to the sidewalk and is all glass stating into and out of the restaurant. We didn’t even realize other people were dining in the restaurant cause it seemed so private. Could not have asked for a better venue or better foodie food to show off and treat my guests. For the location, it didn’t break the bank and everything was magnificent. Thank you fred and all of upper west! I highly recommend for drinks or dinner!
Diana P.
Since we came as a large group, our food was served throughout four courses and we were able to choose our own entrees! Keep in mind that the photos I post might not be representative of actual portion sizes since we were a large party with a semi-predetermined menu, but I will list the prices according to their regular dinner menu.
We started off with some delicious red wine and a trio of appetizers: Burrata, Ahi Tuna Crispy Tacos, and a Pan-Seared Crab Cake. The burrata sampler was very fresh and simple, with a nice hint of flavor from the basil, black chai salt, and dill-mustard vinaigrette. The ahi tuna taco was delicious as well and it had a nice citrusy flavor to it. The crab cake was served at the perfect temperature and it really balanced out the tangy and zesty flavors of the other appetizers.
The vegetables were served family style, and I enjoyed every single one of them! My favorite was the Roasted Sweet Corn, which was absolutely amazing! It was seasoned with smoked paprika, cotija cheese and avocado butter, and it really complimented my entree nicely. My next favorites were the Wild Mushrooms, which were sautéed with garlic, leeks, farro, and fig. I usually hate mushrooms but I couldn’t stop getting seconds of this! I also enjoyed the Fried Sweet Potatoes, which tasted like yummy plantains!
As for my entree, I chose the Prime Flatiron Steak, and this was seriously one of the best flatiron steaks I’ve had in a while! I asked for medium rare, and they cooked it perfectly. The meat was so juicy, tender, rich, and flavorful! It was served on top of a bed of smoked bacon, gorgonzola slaw, and some addicting balsamic sauce, which I enjoyed thoroughly. Whoever decided to mix steak and bacon is a genius and they deserve full credit because my taste buds were blown away!
Now for the finale, we were served a slice of their famous Brioche Bread Pudding, and it was just a perfect end to our meal. The bread pudding was soaking in rye whiskey caramel and créme anglaise, but not to the point where it was overwhelming. It was the perfect amount of sauce that gave the bread pudding a mildly sweet taste with fantastic texture.
Overall, everyone in my party seemed to enjoy their dinner and we were all very impressed with the quality, taste, and the presentation of our food. The great service was the cherry on top, and even the valet guy was super friendly and had the nicest smile! There is plenty of street parking but if you decide to valet. I am definitely coming back to The Upper West, and I am very glad I discovered this gem sooner than later! It is an absolutely perfect restaurant for a dinner date, a group of friends, or for large parties
Juliet P.
J.K.
Joann H.
Aaron K
Bennett & Sy