Chez Jay • 1959

This nautically themed steakhouse and bar on Ocean Avenue serves Butter Steak, Sand Dabs Sauté Almondine, and La Jolla potatoes—a signature dish of mashed potatoes, bananas, and cheese created by Leonard Nimoy and founder Jay Fiondella. The Santa Monica Historic Landmark has welcomed everyone from JFK and Marilyn Monroe to Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack, with peanut shells on the floor and a bar counter still dented by a circus elephant from the 1959 grand opening. The intimate space fits just ten tables where locals, celebrities, and curious visitors sink into red booths beneath nautical portholes, soaking up stories while a vintage jukebox plays and ice-cold martinis flow.