"Phil Rubino's coastal-Italian rooftop over Santa Monica beach, $26 cacio e pepe and Michelin recognition. Book the sunset for a first date."
About Élephante
Élephante is a rooftop, and the rooftop is the point. It sits above 2nd Street in downtown Santa Monica with the ocean in the windows, part of Nick Mathers' Wish You Were Here Group, and it draws its coastal-Italian idea from the islands off Sicily.
The MICHELIN Guide recognises the room for combining serious design with real kitchen talent, which is why it sits in our Los Angeles dining guide as a scene-and-view pick rather than a quiet gastronomic one. Come for sunset; the light over the Pacific is the table everyone wants.
The Kitchen
Executive chef Phil Rubino runs a Southern-Mediterranean small-plates menu built for sharing. The cacio e pepe, bucatini with pecorino romano and black pepper at about $26, is the dish to measure the kitchen by, alongside the whipped eggplant dip with pita that opens most tables. Wood-fired pizzas and seafood round out the order.
This is contemporary coastal Italian rather than a regional purist's table, so order to share and lean on the pastas. For the world's best of the genre, see our best Italian restaurants worldwide guide, or read our Bestia review for a more cooking-led LA Italian.
The Room
The room is several rooms: an ocean-facing Sunset Room patio, a garden and cactus space, and a busy front bar. After dark the energy is loud and social rather than hushed, the lighting is warm and low, and the seating mixes banquettes with patio tables. Dress is stylish-casual, the LA rooftop register. It runs late, to midnight or 1am at the weekend.
Best for First Date
Book this room for a first date because the sunset does the work for you. A Sunset Room table over the Pacific gives you something to look at when conversation lulls, the shared plates keep the meal informal, and the $26 cacio e pepe is a low-risk crowd-pleaser. Go early for the light, before the bar crowd builds. More picks in Best Restaurants for a First Date 2026.
Not For
Skip it for a quiet, intimate conversation. The rooftop runs loud and scene-driven after dark, and the small plates are built for sharing, not a private dinner.
Featured in
Best First-Date Restaurants in Los Angeles 2026
Élephante's sunset rooftop lands on our LA first-date list. See where it ranks and the full lineup.
LA First-Date 2026 →
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Élephante worth it?
Yes, if you go for the setting. Élephante is recognised in the MICHELIN Guide and pairs a genuine ocean-view rooftop with a capable coastal-Italian kitchen. You are paying for the design, the Santa Monica sunset and the scene as much as the food, so it shines as an occasion or date destination rather than a quiet gastronomic dinner. Book the Sunset Room and the value makes sense.
How hard is it to book Élephante?
Prime times are competitive. Reservations run through OpenTable and the restaurant's own site, and sunset slots in the ocean-facing Sunset Room are the hardest to get, especially on weekends. Book a week or more ahead for golden hour, or take an earlier or later table to get in more easily. Walk-ins can sometimes find space at the bar on quieter weeknights.
What is the dress code at Élephante?
Stylish-casual, the Los Angeles rooftop register. Think a nice shirt, a dress or smart separates rather than a jacket and tie; the room is fashionable but not formal. Footwear suited to a rooftop and a little wind off the ocean helps. Aim to look put-together, since the crowd dresses for the scene and the photographs as much as for dinner.
What should I order at Élephante?
Order to share. Start with the whipped eggplant dip and pita, add the cacio e pepe at around $26, and split a wood-fired pizza and a seafood plate across the table. The menu is built around Southern-Mediterranean small plates, so a spread suits it better than a single main. Pair it with a Sunset Room table at golden hour for the full Élephante experience.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Élephante →
Book via OpenTable · request the Sunset Room at golden hour
Affiliate disclosure: RFK may earn a commission on reservations booked through partner links. This never affects our scores, which are earned editorially, never paid.
Practical Information
Address1332 2nd Street, Rooftop, Santa Monica, CA 90401
NeighbourhoodDowntown Santa Monica
CuisineCoastal Italian
SignatureCacio e pepe (~$26) · whipped eggplant dip
Dress CodeStylish-casual
RecognitionMICHELIN Guide
Best SeatSunset Room (ocean-facing patio)
ReservationOpenTable / direct
