“ I decided to have a late lunch, dinner with a friend at Taverna located in Mar Vista, a truly unique and Greek dining experience that has taken off here on the Westside. Ownership and staff are professional and first rate in everyway and our server today was Jessica who was outstanding. Located at 12249 Venice Blvd, the restaurant has a cozy and rustic vibe that is inviting. We both had the Kotosoupa which is a Chicken Lemon order that is very hearty. Each bowl was $12. I had the Half Chicken with roasted potatoes ($32) and my guest had the one half rack of Lamb Chops, four in all with garlic flavored French Fries ($42). I was comped an Ice Tea, and we were offered on the house some Greek cookies which were fresh and homemade! Two were white powdered while the other two were in a brown nut texture. The total bill was $107.30 and a $20 Tip for great service. Taverna has hit its stride and has become a social media giant of sorts with Sunday evening, live Greek music as well as BBQ lamb on Sundays for lunch. Taverna at Mar Vista should be on everyone's mind if on the Westside and in particular in Venice, Culver City or Mar Vista for a spectacular meal unique from most. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Taverna is one of my Top 5 preferences on the Westside! ”

“ We got attracted before and after farmer's market and decided to try it out before heading back. The grillers are greeting everyone who happens to stop by to look at the skewers. It is hard not to because the look and the smell are just to deadly. We entered without knowing it was right after it was open and we got a nice table. Brianna, who served us, is excellent. She has this kind of calm and peaceful manner that makes us believe everything she recommends. And she is nice enough to remind me the fire show next table is about to start. We took her recommendation to try the juicy octopus and it was really good. The rest of the dishes are as good, but I would like the BBQ to be warmer because it was on the colder side when it was served. When we step out, the line is already long. We are glad we came in at the right time, right before 12pm when it gets busy. The atmosphere is great, the decor is great, the service is great, the food is great, the BBQ machine is impressive and the overall experience is awesome. ”

“ The food and the service it's unbelievable!!! you must try the soups special, the abgolemono!! ”

“ I went a couple Sundays ago and I am so happy I did. Sunday they have their BBQ going and it is DELICIOUS. We didn't know that this place gets so booked on Sundays but we got lucky. We had to leave within an hour and a half but that was plenty of time. The vibe is perfect for a nice Sunday morning lunch with friends. The staff is all so friendly and welcoming. They really are patient and make some amazing recommendations. We had the YOU DIP WE DIP, grilled octopus, and the Sunday bbq pretty much everything except the sausage. The chicken and the pork were so tender and flavorful. The potatoes were AMAZING. The perfect amount of lemon zest. My two year old loved them. The grilled veggies were delicious too. The octopus was cooked perfectly and our friends daughter devoured it. The dips were all so tasty and went so well with everything. If you are in the area definitely give this place a try on Sunday. Totally worth it. But you should make a reservation. ”

“ Overall: my personal experience was that this Greek restaurant was very average. Not sure what the Mediterranean scene is like on the West Side but there wasn't any one dish that stood out. Food: we ordered the flaming cheese dip, the eggplant dip, and the garlic bean dip. The cheese dip was a stronger stinkier cheese so the pungent flavor was enhanced. While very flashy it wasn't worth the hype. The other two dips were very unique with the bean dip being like a garlic hummus. The pita wasn't anything special nor enough. The spanokopita was very flakey as expected of phyllo. However, the filling was very flat in flavor and texture. I still think the dish itself was above average, but for the price I wasn't wowed. Lastly, we ordered the main entree fish that was well cooked but not well salted. Warning there were an exceptional number of bones. The fish itself was incredibly tender. The flavor of the fish was very nonexistent. Maybe the the flavor of the dips were a bit overwhelming such that the fish didn't feel sufficiently flavored. Ambience/Decor/Service: loved the service and the help that the waiter gave us. He was very quick, checked on us regularly, but still gave us enough space to talk. The interior design was incredibly open and spacious as expected of a Greek restaurant. The silverware and plating was indicative of this theme as well! ”

“ Unexpectedly delightful! Met up with friends for happy hour (goes until 6:30), it was bustling on a Friday afternoon/evening and looked trendy. I was expecting slightly elevated Mediterranean staples, instead was wowed with some dishes I'd never had before! We got the dako, which was a kind of a spin on bruschetta with a thick toasted bread soft from olive oil and the tomato and olive tapenade. Liked it so much we got a second order. Also got the taverna dip which was their version of hummus and pita. Finally, we got the atherina, which we expected to be fish eggs/roe fritters from the description of "fried smelt". Instead we got a basket of cute little deep fried fishies. I kept referring to them as protein fries, and will stick to that description - they were crunchy and salty mouthfuls served with a garlicky dip. They had a very mild not overpowering fish flavor, just a tasty tray to accompany your drinks. Definitely would get them again! They have a bunch of other fun things on their menu, including one skillet looking dish that had a big flame for fun theatrics theatrics. We got a few too many drinks, but all the ones I had were tasty. Ranked, liked the mikonos mule most, light and refreshing on a hot day. Then the sirens kiss, which is their spin on a greyhound, and finally the hibiscus margarita, which was good, but sweeter than I wanted in the moment. We also got their digestif drinks from the dessert menu - I recommend trying at least one especially if you haven't had a digestif before. They are sipping alcohols with strong flavors. We got the Klein mastiha which was minty botanicals, and the rakomelo which was heavy with the honey flavor, like a strong mead. Really enjoyed our experience and would recommend especially when looking to try some new dishes and drinks! ”

“ Had an amazing time for Happy Hour at Taverna! Can't believe I had never been here before. The Happy Hour deals were great - we took advantage of the delicious HH hibiscus margaritas... so good!! All of the food we tried was delicious - especially the dips platter. I also brought the lamb dish and octopus dish home with me for my partner and he absolutely loved each dish! The service was incredible - we sat at the bar and had a great time chatting with the bartender and owner. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating. The ambiance was also delightful with a range of seating objects, Greek music playlist, and huge windows lighting up the restaurant. Will absolutely be returning to try more of their delicious menu and maybe hit Happy Hour again! ”

“ Literally one of my favorite restaurants in Mar Vista. I've been here for dinner and also brunch and it's still top tier to me. My latest visit, I came for brunch which I was excited to try. On Sundays, they have three different menu's you can choose from. The brunch menu, the breakfast menu and the barbecue menu. I HAD to try the barbecue menu since it's been a joy seeing the staff cook the meat outside and smelling the food while passing by. My friend and I started off with a mimosa. From the barbecue menu, we ordered the chicken, the tzatziki with pita and the Greek salad. The barbecue chicken was sooo amazing. It was juicy and grilled just right. All the food we had was delicious and everything was reasonably priced. Our waiter at the bar was amazing too and was great in all recommendations he had. The ambiance of the place is fun. I loved the open wall concept of seeing the hustle of the outside area and the restaurant is overall fun. I highly recommend! ”

“ Visited during the happy hour with a friend and we both enjoyed the hibiscus margaritas in addition to an extremely friendly and welcoming waitstaff -- George and a woman behind the bar provided exceptional service! We arrived and had the option of sitting outside or inside and opted to sit at the bar as we were catching up after a workday. The menu was amazing and we ended up ordering a wide variety of items (photos included!) -- my favorites being the pita w/ an assortment of dips in addition to the fried small fish (cannot remember the name of them at the moment). As for the pricing, the happy hour deals were outstanding ($10 margs, food options under $10) and I will definitely be back! ”