Getty Center, restaurants

Old Aug 6th, 2001, 07:50 PM
  #1  
DD
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Getty Center, restaurants

The Getty Center website says that parking reservations are not required on Saturday and Sunday. Does the parking lot fill up or is it easy to get a parking spot? We will be there in August.

Also, do you have any restaurant recommendations for dinner in either Marina del Ray or Santa Monica? Looking for a mid price restaurant that will take reservations, casual dress, seafood, steakhouse or Mexican.

Thanks for your help!
 
Old Aug 7th, 2001, 05:25 AM
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getty
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to top
 
Old Aug 7th, 2001, 06:54 AM
  #3  
L
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You may not believe this, but your best bet for an easy visit to Getty is to make a reservation for Monday-Friday, and by doing this, you have a specific time in the morning to arrive and you avoid crowds. It's $5 to park and you then take the tram to the top. In Santa Monica, I can suggest a place to avoid like the plague - Border Grill. It is in the guidebooks, but it is the dirtiest and more horrible I've even seen. We had a perfectly awful time at this one in March (they have two places). So, do get that reservation at Getty, and avoid waiting to park on Saturday and Sunday. If you do some research, there was a big debate about this question in April or May, but take my word for it: get the reservation M-F and do it the easy way. It is spectacular, and take the tours, by all means. And it tends to get cool up there, so a light sweater is not a bad idea. And take plenty of film ... the building and gardens are the main attractions, not the exhibits ... in my opinion ... so give yourself plenty of time to walk around. Ciao
 
Old Aug 7th, 2001, 10:01 AM
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Tina
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There's actually a wonderful restaurant right up there at the Getty Center. On both of my visits, I've found the food to be very good, great service and you can't beat the view. Just be sure to make an advance reservation for the restaurant.
 
Old Aug 8th, 2001, 05:58 AM
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DD
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Thanks for the advice so far, unfortunately we will only be there on the weekend so we must go on a Sat/Sun. Does anyone have a recommendation for a restaurant in either Santa Monica or Marina Del Ray? We will be picking up another person after the Getty Museum so that will not be an option.
 
Old Aug 8th, 2001, 07:14 AM
  #6  
L
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If you're willing to make a 10-minute drive west, out the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, there is a terrific italian place (Allegro) on the right about 100 yds. past the Casa Malibu (22752 PCH). We ate there in late March, and loved it. After leaving Getty, turn west onto Sunset Blvd. and you'll see PCH in a few minutes. Then turn right and go west to Malibu. Ciao
 
Old Aug 9th, 2001, 11:18 AM
  #7  
anna
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in marina del rey try the cafe del rey. if you go to fodor restaurant overview there are tons of choices.
 
Old Aug 9th, 2001, 03:59 PM
  #8  
paula
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In Marina del Rey you can do the Chart House - just off of Admiralty Way -great seafood and prime rib. You can check them out on line. There is also a Benihana right there, and my personal favorite - The Cheesecake Factory. In Santa Monica, try The Lobster....old place rebuilt, great food, right on the pier.
 
Old Aug 9th, 2001, 04:00 PM
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jake
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For Mexican try the Acapulco - Ocean Park Drive (or is it Blvd??) It's actually in Mar Vista - right next to marina del Rey.
 
Old Aug 9th, 2001, 09:17 PM
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Nan
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Try the Ritz Carlton in Marina Del Rey.
Good seafood on a terrace overlooking the yacht harbor.
 
Old Aug 11th, 2001, 12:37 AM
  #11  
George
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I SECOND the Ritz in Marina del Rey. Also, in Santa Monica, Wolfgang Puck's Chinois on Main. Exellent!
 
Old Aug 13th, 2001, 09:28 AM
  #12  
Sandra
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DD,

We went to the Getty on a Saturday last May and had no trouble. We arrived early -maybe around 10, parked in the parking garage, rode the tram to the top and had a wonderful visit. It's all very well run and efficient.

If the weather is nice - I recommend the 1 hour architecture tour - very interesting tour of the building and gardens.

We had a nice time and enjoyed the views.


 
Old Aug 13th, 2001, 10:15 AM
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kam
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A second vote for Cafe del Rey--try the crabcakes with pink grapefruit sauce. There's a Mexican restaurant at the far end of Santa Monica Pier---pretty good food and nice location (name?). Drago used to be very good in Sta. Monica as well as Ocean Ave. Seafood and Jiraffe. The classic old LA Mexican is El Cholo on Western Ave, just off the 10 freeway. For the Getty, you could also take a cab from Santa Monica.
 
Old Aug 13th, 2001, 11:54 AM
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Lara
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mexican--if you are going to be in california...don't go for the chains (other than Cheesecake Factory---YUMMY---and don't forget there are 3 in the area...MDR, Brentwood (closest to the Getty, on San Vicente)), especially not Acapulco (it's good for a quick sunday nite dinner, but vacation quality...nah). For mexican, i second the suggestion for El Cholo, but don't go to the one on western....it's not in a good area!! There is a second one on Wilshire and 11th in Santa Monica. MUCH better area, same authenticity. My favorite Mexican, though, is a little mom and pop place on main street called Lula's. Great place!! As for steakhouses, it's hard to find a "midpriced" one that is any good. Pacific dining car is supposedly great (there is one downtown, and one on Wilshire in Santa Monica---somewhere around 26th...I pass it all the time, but have never been), as is Lawry's steakhouse (this one is in Beverly Hills, on La Cienega, in beween Wilshire and Beverly Blvd.)

Seafood---there are seafood places everywhere! Chart house on PCH north of Santa Monica is good (ooooo, and has steaks as well!), and if you want to treat yourself, go to a place in Malibu (in a residential area on PCH just before the town of Malibu) called Moonshadows. There is a little deck area where you can sit and have the waves crash literally under your feet. I have always wanted to try the Lobster there on the pier as well!

One more recommendation: PF Chang's on the corner of Wilshire and 4th...I like to call it the Cheesecake factory of Chinese restaurants...another chain that is worth it. ALWAYS crowded and no reservations, but also next to 3rd street promenade, so you can entedrtain yourself for a long time there! Also very "L.A."...I just love it!

I live in Santa Monica, so if you need any more help---email me at [email protected]


 
Old Aug 13th, 2001, 03:17 PM
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Patrick
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Just finished a big lunch at El Cholo half an hour ago, and it is always wonderful for Mexican. But the news is that there is now a second one (not sure how long it has been there) on Wishire Blvd. in Santa Monica. If you like Mexican, I'd go for that. Happen to have their business card in my pocket -- their number in Santa Monica is 310-899-1106. Go for the blue corn chicken enchiladas! They (as well as everything else) are great.
 
Old Aug 13th, 2001, 03:19 PM
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Patrick
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Duh, yes I did mean Wilshire Blvd. Sorry.
 
Old Aug 13th, 2001, 03:42 PM
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kam
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True, the original El Cholo is not in the nicest area of L.A., but to get to it you exit the 10 freeway and there is valet parking in about 1 1/2 blocks. Nothing to be worried about. We used to take the grandmas. It's really an L.A. institution--I would go to the original rather than the new one in Santa Monica. BTW, isn't Chart House a chain? We have one in Los Gatos and another in Half Moon Bay or Moss Beach (don't know where the border is). There's another in Dana Point if I recall correctly. Anyone know? Doesn't really matter as the food is good and consistent. Another "mini chain" that I highly recommend is Il Fornaio.
 

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