The Full Story
Few restaurants in Los Angeles understand the contract between altitude and atmosphere as instinctively as The Penthouse. On the 18th floor of The Huntley Hotel on 2nd Street, a short walk from the Santa Monica beach path, the restaurant commands one of the most dramatic views in Southern California: a sweeping panorama that stretches from the Pacific coastline south to Palos Verdes, north to Malibu, and west to the open ocean. At sunset, when the sky shifts through amber into indigo, the room earns its name completely.
Chef Manos draws his culinary inspiration from Greece and the Mediterranean islands, weaving seasonal California ingredients through a menu that fuses contemporary Mediterranean flavors with the best of what the Santa Monica Farmers Market provides. The result is a kitchen that feels at once rooted and modern: lamb preparations with herbs that evoke the Aegean, seafood preparations with the simplicity that only Mediterranean cooking at its best can achieve, and cocktails designed to be consumed at the bar while watching the sun descend into the Pacific. Thursday evenings feature live jazz that perfectly complements the rooftop setting; Friday and Saturday nights shift to a live DJ for a more energized atmosphere that suits celebratory groups.
What to Order
The bar at The Penthouse is among the most atmospheric perches in Santa Monica and deserves its own dedicated attention before dinner. The signature cocktails lean into Mediterranean botanicals and California spirits in combinations that feel considered rather than gimmicky. At the table, the seafood preparations are the surest bet: Mediterranean fish presented with the restraint that allows the view to remain the co-star rather than the food stealing the show. The lamb dishes, inspired by the Aegean traditions that inform the kitchen's philosophy, are the most distinctively personal items on the menu and the most revealing of what the chef is attempting.
For large groups, the private dining options — including event spaces that can accommodate celebrations with the full Pacific panorama as backdrop — represent some of the most visually arresting corporate and social dining venues on the westside. Request the chef's selection for the table and allow the kitchen to curate the evening.
Best Occasion Fit: Team Dinner
The Penthouse is one of very few venues in Santa Monica that can make a large group feel genuinely excited about being together. The view does half the work: when you sit eighteen floors above a city and look at the Pacific, hierarchy dissolves and conversation flows naturally. The energy — particularly on Thursday evenings with live jazz, or Friday nights with the DJ — brings a festivity that encourages the bonding that team dinners are supposed to achieve but rarely do. The Mediterranean sharing format of the menu makes it easy for a group to explore together, reinforcing the collaborative dynamic that the best team dinners cultivate.
Good to Know
The Penthouse is located at 1111 2nd Street, Santa Monica, CA 90403, within The Huntley Hotel. Dinner service runs Monday through Thursday and Sunday from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm, and Friday through Saturday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Breakfast and lunch are also served daily. The bar operates on a first-come, first-served basis and is ideal for sunset cocktails. Reservations are recommended for the dining room via OpenTable. Dinner with drinks averages $120–$180 per person. Hotel valet available. Smart casual dress code enforced at dinner.