Ashland Hill

I must be getting older, because I’m starting to follow my friends to beer gardens and bars and whatnot.
My friend told me that Ashland Hill was turning one year old and would be having a little one-​year anniversary celebration with $ 1 beers. Pretty cool, so I decided to tag along, and we got a group of four together to Über over and check out AH.
The line was decently long, but it didn’t take too long before we got to order: I went with the $ 1 house lager and some shishito mac and cheese, while my buddies went with some avocado toast, the burgers, and some of their discounted beers.
We sat down – seating is self-​serve – near the line, and I have to say the atmosphere is definitely unique. With interesting wooden features and neat benches, it’s pretty modern overall. The little walkway to the back seating area is pretty cramped, especially with bathrooms right there that inevitably create lines of people checking out their phones.
Also, the heat lamps can get intensely hot. Which might be good if you’re like intensely cold, but don’t be afraid to ask someone to cool it down a little.
The shishito mac and cheese was quite flavorful in the sense that you could taste the peppers inside very distinctly; it packed a punch spice-​wise for sure. It was tasty but I was sad that it was relatively small; in fact, most dishes are pretty small and not really designed to fill you up – except for maybe the huge burger and fries.
The house lager was light – 4.8% – and not too bad, but it was somewhat flat because I noticed they were pouring it into pitchers and then pouring the pitchers into the glasses to speed up the process.
Seems like quite the hangout for young adults and even middle-​aged adults; I thought it was cool how the age distribution was.
Overall, I wasn’t blown away by any aspect, but AH is a pretty neat place. I guess I’ll have time to grow into it.

I went here in their 1 year anniversary where they had $ 1 beer. Great deal, but adjusting introduced me to their other items on the menu. I tried their whitbier and brown ale. Both locals I believe, and they were pretty amazing. Food wise, I guess I didn’t get the best dishes there (I ordered the Mac and cheese and the avocado toast). They didn’t really stand out and make me want to get it next time. I was kinda disappointed too because they were giving those as free samples… But my friends said their burgers were extremely good so if I go back again, I’ll definitely do that.
The place is self seating, so try to get there early or else you’ll end up standing for the night.

One of the best little places in Downtown Main street. We happened to walk by and saw their 1 year anniversary. Their menu looked awesome. As soon as they opened we went in, had a couple $ 1 beers and everyone was real friendly. Their food is delicious and presentation is on point. I started talking to a very attentive gentlement (Greg) who turned out to be the manager, he made sure everything was perfect and invited us back soon.
Needless to say, we came back 5 hours later for their evening celebration, it was super packed but Greg and Luke still had time to make sure we felt welcomed and greeted us personally. Santa Monica, there are not a lot of places like this in the US. Support your local business and support their other locations.

It took me a while to review this place, but only because I’m a stickler for consistency, which is more telling of a restaurant’s quality than anything else, in my opinion. It’s like that first date with your new crush– everything is done up to the 9’s for the first few dates, but then it gets comfortable, and eventually someone stops bathing and doing laundry, and the cheese really starts to crumble.
Happy to report that after a few months of regularly dining here, Ashland Hill is a winner, consistently on all counts: service, taste, innovation, ambience, and variety.
That avocado toast… sex in a bite.
The breakfast burrito… morning porn.
Red curry deviled eggs… foreplay.
Chicken shawarma wrap… Caligula.
House chips… cuddling.
Yep… simply good. Simply happy.
If you’re lucky, you’ll be served by Chris from Wisconsin. He knows beer like Gates knows software. Super nice guy, knowledgeable, and one of the best reasons to keep coming back as he always knows how to pair up the right dish with your mood.

Nice atmosphere. Decent food.
Really good deviled eggs with a spicy kick. I also ordered the lamb hash with eggs. That was OK.
I’ve a feeling that a majority of the food looks better than it tastes.
Will likely go back and give it another shot somewhere down the line.

Attempted brunch at Ashland Hill, arrived and greeted by a nice lady that showed us to the counter to order. Small room, tall counter and to the right side is the kitchen. There was a small bar area on the left side for all your adult beverages. The guy taking my order was nice and told me if I was pretty hungry that I should go for the Croissandwich. So I did, not really having a craving for anything in particular, and a sandwich is always a good neutral choice. My guy had the hash, supposively loaded with meat, potatoes and topped with two eggs. We grabbed our number, some glasses of water a self serve area and walked to the back outdoor, but covered, patio. It was pretty busy for a weekend, people enjoying their booze and eggs. Our food came out quickly and we dug in.
I wasn’t very happy with the sandwich and the overall flavor and taste was subpar. I pushed at my food with my fork after a few bites and then went to try his dish. I noticed how spicy it was, in certain areas, and way too overpowering for my palate anyway. I gave it a «side smile» and we were on our way. Its possible that we went on an off day and maybe should have tried something more gastropub like their mac and cheese or deviled eggs. I don’t think I will be going back for a while, but maybe give it a second try in the future.

The food isn’t that special. Typical breakfast spot in Santa Monica. Actually the seasoned potatoes suck. Just give me home fries regular style. But that’s not what gives this restaurant 2 stars; it’s the ordering process and overall concept of Ashland & Hill itself that makes me sick.
You wait on line to order your food up front, then sit in the back and wait for it to arrive. You don’t have a server wait on you. If you want water or coffee, get up and get it yourself. If you want butter, go up to the front, awkwardly cut the line, and ask for it yourself.
This place is pretty much a restauranteur’s idea of the self-​checkout line at your local grocery store: do it yourself, but give me your money in the process. Sorry, but your food isn’t special enough for me to do all the work.

My new favorite spot on Main ST! The place is really cool and trendy. It’s dog friendly too which is always a plus. Their food is excellent! My favorite is the beets toast with burrata, the crispy cauliflower, and the burger which is to DIE for!!! Everything I had here was good but those are th best I’ve had .
I used to live around the area before I moved to the east coast. I spent around a couple of weeks in LA for the holidays and I came here 4 times ! I only discovered the place a about a week in, or else I would’ve went there every other day… It’s THAT good!!! Finger lickin’ good !

I don’t often write bad reviews but I had to.
The food is decent but not worth the awful service. The food came out cold. The kitchen must be easily overwhelmed.
We waited longer than every single table around us despite being here 40 minutes earlier than the others.
Everyone around us was being served while the management was completely clueless.
If you’re going to have counter service then you better deliver the food on time and to the right people.
A successful restaurant is one where the management does everything correct to make the customers happy. These people did nothing except smile.

Ashland Hill always has great dishes, great employees, and great décor/​a great ambience.
On occasion, I’ve encountered various employees who’ve always made my experience at Ashland Hill nothing short of amazing. They don’t mind chatting with you for a bit and they don’t mind leaving you to your own business. They’re always on it with service and greeting you with a smile.
I have yet to try their brunchy menu but the avocado & roasted tomato toast, loco moco, crispy cauliflower, and crispy roasted brussels sprouts are some of my favorites. Normally not a fan of brussels sprouts, but this place turned me!
The crispy cauliflower had just the right amount of crispness and the addition of the pickled vegetables espelette does wonders for the flavor.
Ashland Hill is a great date spot; the hanging lights in the seating area definitely give it a nice little romantic touch. But don’t get me wrong, it’s also a great lunch/​dinner spot to hangout at.

First, get a real coffee machine to grind proper espresso or cappuccino. You’re offering brunch so decent coffee is an essential part of the menu. The typical American slush is fine for classic 50s restaurants, but it’s 2015 — real coffee is not too much too ask for.
The eggs Benedict were drained in sauce. It completely ruined the eggs. The beet salad had so much sour dressing thrown on it, it was impossible to taste anything except the dressing.
I don’t understand the 4.5 star average for this joint, especially considering the price. It was really bad and will never return here. Nice ambiance though.

My friend volunteers for this homeless shelter and they were having a fundraiser at Ashland Hill. 10% of the proceeds went to a homeless shelter, which was really cool. I had never been here before and it was a nice little discovery. This place is a little pricey — kale salad and a cider with tax and tip was $ 26, but it was for a good cause. The salad was delicious and came out fairly quickly. Ooh the best part of this place was that they had alcoholic root beer! It was delicious and it was 5.9% alcohol!

Guys, I’m not gonna lie… I’ve only been here once but I’m kind of obsessed with this place.
They are KILLIN’ the brunch game here. Why?
1. It’s casual. And they’ve got a bitchin’ outdoor patio. In fact, they don’t even really have any indoor seating.
2. The presentation. Why is every dish so pretty and photogenic?
3. It’s delicious. Thankfully their food tastes as good as it looks.
Why did I try? The Main St. Hash, Avocado toast, Grilled Asparagus and Prosciutto, Mac & Cheese, and the Deviled Eggs. If you haven’t been, you’ve gotta come try it. Or actually maybe you shouldn’t… I would hate to wait in line next time I go back.

Just came here with some coworkers. Definitely impressed. Great little place with delicious food and good service.
We ordered for four of us:
Shishito Mac and Cheese (to share)
Chicken Shawarma Wrap
Coconut curry bowl with chicken
Loco Moco
Main St Hash
No one was disappointed! And none of us left hungry!
The mac and cheese was creamy and had a good little kick to it from the peppers. Definitely a big hit at the table!
I had the chicken shawarma wrap. It was delicious and so flavorful. Perfectly cooked chicken. It was served with tzaziki sauce and two little buckets of homemade chips. I shared one bucket with the table, so much food! My only request next time would be more tzaziki!
The coconut curry bowl was so fresh and full of flavor. And definitely a filling portion!
The other two at our table were extremely happy with their dishes too. Will definitely be back here! I hear the patio may be dog friendly too.

Came to Santa Monica for a day trip during my vacation to LA. I fell in love. Ashland hill is trendy and low key. I love how you order in the front and then pick your own seating. Really lets you eat at your own pace without having a waiter checking in (or not checking in). Makes for a much faster dining in experience especially if you are on the go. The cauliflower dish is so interesting, in a good way of course! Mimosas are nice and strong as they should be. Just an FYI mimosas and bloody Mary’s aren’t on the menu but they do serve! I wasn’t a huge fan of the eggs Benedict plate, just wasn’t as flavorful as I hoped for. Def worth the time to stop by this place before or after catching some sun

I was craving hipster bar food one random Monday night, and luckily my friend had this place bookmarked. They had everything I was looking for: small dishes to share, craft beer, spacious patio (which was very well heated since I consider 60 degrees to be freezing). They also have cute quotes written on the walls. You order at the counter first and then they bring out the food to you.
Avocado & Tomato Toast: Comes with 4 pieces. The avocado got a little lost since the goat cheese was a bit too overpowering, but the bread was toasted nicely and the tomato gave a good acidity.
Cauliflower: Huge portion and really tasty, especially with the dots of aioli on top.
Loco Moco: The egg was slightly overcooked, and the rice didn’t have much kimchi flavor, but I’m not too picky when it comes to egg, meat, and rice all mixed together.
Shishito Mac & Cheese: All the Unilocal reviews rave about this, and yes it is good mac and cheese. I thought it was too cheesy at first, but it later grew on me. Really enjoyed the small kick you get from the shishito pepper.
Monkish Beer: Yummm. It had one of the higher percentages of alcohol content but it tasted really light. Would come back for this local brew.
Parking can be difficult on a weekend, but there’s plenty of street parking on the block over on weeknights. It is a bit pricey for a casual Monday night dinner, but well worth checking out!

I tried Ashland Hill for the first time last weekend and really enjoyed the food here. The set up is very casual with a partial service set up. It’s pretty straight forward, you grab a menu, order and pay at the counter, and then grab a seat with you order number. Most of the seating is on the patio, but there is a small indoor section up front as well.
They bring the food out and clear the tables for you, but getting things like water is self serve at two water coolers. If you want to be pampered while you dine, this is not the place for you. If you want a low key, efficient and delicious meal, this place is right up your alley. I actually liked the option to just pay up front when I order and not having to flag people down for more water and the check.
Now on to the food. Both of the below dishes were delicious. If you force me to choose one, I would go with the Loco Moco. In the end, it comes down to your palate and what you are in the mood for:
1) Leo’s Loco Moco– lemongrass pork sausage, kimchi rice sunny egg, kecap manis
2) Ashland Hill Benedict– egg avocado tomatoes garlic potatoes paprika hollindaise
I can’t wait to come back and try more!

Searched «brunch» in Santa Monica and was totally sold by the good Unilocal reviews and cute website! When we arrived we were greeted by a very friendly hostess /​greeter who gave us menus and directed us to the cashier to order. Cashier was also friendly.
We seated ourselves on the patio, and our food arrived quickly. I had the lox & whipped chive cream cheese, which was good, but a little measly for $ 14. My boyfriend had the loco moco, which was definitely an interesting take on loco moco. It, however, was a little on the salty side (I realize loco moco is salty, but I just mean salty, not flavorful).
Overall, a cute space, friendly fast service, okay food.
Sidenote: everyone who works here has an accent! What’s up with that? Are they all real? or faking it for fun?

I finally got to try this place after seeing it open up a couple months ago. I ate here with a few friends on Saturday around 6pm. They don’t currently have any happy hour deals but the place was packed when we came around that time. The seating is mainly in the back patio area and they have one bar table inside. The place was smaller than I expected but nonetheless I really liked the setup.
So, pretty much you order at the front and find seats after. They give you a number so the server will come out with the food. Also, I didn’t realize that everything was self serve. They have waters in a few spots that you have to get yourself as well as plates (unique concept).
Food came out quickly which was a plus. I want to say most of the dishes are small plates, kind of like tapas style. They probably have some big plates in the menu but we didn’t order any of those. We ordered a few plates and shared it:
–Avocado & Roasted Tomato Toast ³⁄₅: it was alright for my taste. Not as fresh as I would like it.
–Lamb Meatballs 3.5÷5: they were moist and come in 6 meatballs. Flavor was just ok.
–Crispy Cauliflower 4.5÷5: Probably one of my favorite. It has some saffron aioli which really made the dish pop and the crispiness of the cauliflower was perfect.
–Shishito Mac & Cheese ⁴⁄₅: this had really good flavor and it wasn’t too spicy.
–Raw Tuna on Crispy Sesame Rice 4.5÷5: My favorite because the flavors worked well. It had the nice citrus taste against the crunchy texture of the rice.
–Brussel Sprouts 3.5÷5: Thought it was just ok, I’ve had better.
–Cast Iron Blonde Brownie ⁴⁄₅: Nice small dessert. Similar to a pizookie but better!
Also, they have a good beer selection that will go well with you meal :)

I don’t go to Santa Monica a lot, but now that my sister lives out here I went to visit her and we ended up grabbing brunch here.
Love the ambience and and the outdoor patio is really nice so I’d recommend eating out there. The way it works is that you order at the counter inside and then grab a number and table.
Here’s what we got:
{CHORIZO SCRAMBLED EGGS & CHEESE} $ 15
Pretty solid dish– comes with eggs, chorizo, potatoes, tortillas, avocado, aged white cheddar, warm tortillas, and mole and sambal sour cream. Not too salty either!
{MAIN ST. HASH} $ 13
Eh wasn’t that impressed by this one even though it was the dish I was the most excited about. It’s a lamb and pork potato hash with two eggs, 8-​hour tomato sauce, and grilled ciabatta with a chimichurri sauce on top. Just didn’t have a lot of flavor.
{CHARRED SHISHITO MAC & CHEESE} $ 12
We were skeptical about this since it’s the most popular item on the menu, but damn this was pretty fcking good. Creamy, cheesy, not too salty, and the shishito peppers go so well with it, giving it that kick of heat. Lives up to its hype!
{GRILLED ASPARAGUS & PROSCIUTTO SALAD} $ 13
We wanted to order one more dish so we just decided on this real quick, but wow this was probably my favorite after the mac and cheese! The asparagus was cooked perfectly, the prosciutto gives the perfect salty element, and the roasted tomato and garlic really brings all the flavors together. So simple, yet so good!
Prices are pretty standard here and we also brought my sister’s friend’s dog with us and they had no problem with that. Chill environment, yummy food, and good beer– would definitely come back!

Mucha onda, la comida exquisita, buena carta y una muy agradable terraza atrás para días cálidos! Estupendo lugar!