Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Miramar

Love love love this place for relaxing with a coffee and a good book, a sparkling water and my laptop or a mimosa and some people watching. It’s seriously my new go-​to spot on weekend days. Great open space with various seating, both inside and out, and a small food menu from the same kitchen as Fig. The tomato soup is amazing!

So cute, so quaint… Next to a waterfall and a fire pit. Cute little bungalows everywhere and twinkle lights. So fun to sit and chat with friends and sip on a beverage.

Not sure if I’m posting in the right Unilocal page, but the chili is AMAZING. Who would’ve thought… it’s mainly meat, but it’s seasoned perfectly and it comes with a potato haystack. It’s almost like dried ramen consistency. Surprisingly delicious.
Service is a bit slow here, but they are friendly and are willing to give endless refills on chips and olives.

I stayed at the Fairmont hotel for a work trip, and decided to grab a quick bite (and cocktail, of course) at the bar. My drink of choice that day: Rum Old Fashioned made with Mt gay rum, honey syrup, and bitters. It was a nice twist on a classic cocktail.
I ordered the smoked salmon flatbread with bagel spice and dill crema at the suggestion of the bartender. I’m so glad I did, it was awesome. I miss it so much right now. My colleague made fun of me for ordering it again, but whatever. It was scrumptious!

Excellent place for lunch, a drink or some afternoon tea. Came here for lunch today, sitting outdoor on the patio by the small waterfall. Had a super nice kale and tabouli salad with tofu. Super tasty together with a bottle (large) of San Pellegrino. Cordial and professional service! Will return!

We love this place! The waiters are amazing, it was super cold and they brought us blankets! The seating is wondering by the koi fish pond and there’s a fire pit table if it’s available. The food is great as well and the cocktails help keep you nice and warm.

If you’re judging this place against all other lounges, it’s nothing special. If you are comparing it to other hotel lobby lounges, it’s pretty awesome. Skip the indoor seating and go straight outdoors. There’s a pretty koi pond and little waterfalls, couch seating, and mini firepits. If you’re in the mood to get away from all the hustle and bustle in the surrounding area, this is the perfect place to go. Not a lot of people know about it, so it’s not usually too crowded. The food and drinks are enjoyable, especially for a hotel lounge, but not exactly fine dining. Prices are on the higher side (you are in the Fairmont hotel after all). We lingered over a plate of fries and a cocktail for hours without any pressure to get up. Laid back and relaxing. Just the way I like my afternoons.

What could have been a terrible experience ended up being very good thanks to the staff.
I came here with one person for some drinks and sat on the patio near the pond. Nice cocktails and bar snacks.
As we were relaxing, a lit cigarette fell onto our table and bounced to the ground. We looked above and saw a man on the balcony of his room staring down! What a jerk. Our server was alerted who then told management who then told hotel security. We did not intend to start Fairmontgate but was glad to see the hotel being proactive. The staff was beyond apologetic and management comped our $ 70 bill. We left a $ 20 in appreciation and will definitely be back, just not seated under the hotel guest room balconies.

–Review just for service and coffee–
Came here to kill time because I messed up my work out times and showed up for one 30 minutes before it started over at exhale. Figured I’d grab a coffee.
As soon as I walked in several people came to help me get a table, etc. Thought I might get a little worse service or dirty looks because I looked pretty haggard just in my workout clothes, but everyone was very friendly.
Ordered coffee and it came as a cup with a small carafe. When I tried to pour a little more it came spilling out (like when all the ice in your water comes crashing down on your unsuspecting face, but hot coffee), it was really embarrassing, but the staff was really nice. A couple waiters jumped up right away to help me and after apologizing profusely, they just insisted they were glad I was okay.
Coffee — The coffee itself was okay, nothing amazing, but not burnt or acidy.
Lounge — Nice. It’s half indoors, half outdoors next to a waterfall and koi pond. It’s directly ahead when you enter the lobby, but it’s not too loud considering. Super close to the beach so you can’t beat that.
Service — Very friendly and accommodating as mentioned above, not pretentious.
Overall — I’m a local so I can’t imagine coming to a hotel on a regular basis, but would recommend it if you’re visiting.
Parking — Free two hours with validation. I think it’s $ 6/​hr after that!

Obsessed with the fish tacos! I love going to the lobby lounge… The ambiance is great and feels like you are on vacation. Great drinks, food and atmosphere.

I came here with my friend because she had a groupon. It was a great deal and nice selection of drinks to order from. We sat on the patio at the fire pit. It was a nice atmosphere to sit outside. The food was just okay. We ordered the kale flatbread and charred octopus. Overall it was a nice atmosphere a bit of an older crowd for meIt looked like many business people meeting and having drinks. It was a good place to catch up with a friend. Next time I’ll try bungalow as it seems that is more of a fun vibe for drinks.

place was clean
drinks were enjoyable
food was decent
service…blah.
I can go any where for that… nothing motivating to come back
was brought by a groupon that was purchased…
simply nothing special. Maybe if the servers smiled and became a bit more friendly, just a thought

Pretty chill spot have some cocktails after Sunday brunch. Or choose from their food options and make it an afternoon out.
Food: the carnivore flatbread is very good, with 6 slices, it’s enough for a meal or to share. You can also order a side of fresh cut fries that come slightly seasoned and piping hot to snack on with your drinks.
Drinks: $ 36 rose was okay, I’ve had better. NapaValley Cab full bodied, Gordon’s cup is very refreshing, LeRoi is super sweet, ElDiablo is smoky by the tequila.
3 ladies came for a few cocktails after being at the beach, total damage $ 235 plus tip.

Groupon brought me and my family here. I believe it was 4 drinks for $ 30? GREAT deal. We ordered the kale salad and meatballs as well.
So for drinks, of course we got the most expensive champagne to make it worth our bucks. I forgot what it was called, but it was around $ 36? We also got a Cabernet and my mom got a cocktail.
The sparking champagne was pretty good. It wasn’t too dry. Honestly, I’m not sure it was me, but I could not tell it was a $ 36 glass. I mean, I guess it wasn’t going to taste like gold but it was good. The cabernet was good, not much to say there. I tried my mother’s cocktail which I don’t remember which one it was, but it tasted like cherry medicine. Bleck.
As for the food, the meatballs were decent. There were three pretty large ones. It was lightly seasoned and not to saucey. For $ 15? I don’t know. $ 5 dollars a meatball, not that worth it. The kale salad was pretty good. Lightly dressed and it had pomegranates.
Would I recommend this place? Only if you have a groupon. Otherwise, not so worth it for the price. For a fancy hotel you’d think this place would be amazing.

Inconsistent service and drinks for too much money ($ 70+ for 2 drinks & 2 orders of fish tacos).
I’ve been there a few times for weekend-​afternoon drinks & snacks. That’s when I like to visit: sitting outside in the sun, enjoying the koi pond, wishing they’d turn on the waterfall more often, and overhearing minor chit-​chat that’s not overly fake or pretentious, despite the location.
Like many Westside places, the non-​servers here give the best service. I’ve always experienced solid help from the food-​delivery & bus-​people. The well-​dressed manager often clears tables. Other primary servers have been solid-​to-​good, which is about all I’ve been trained to expect in the Westside.
However today’s server (L_​_​_​) gave especially poor service to multiple tables: taking the wrong drink orders, rude to friendly guests, only taking dessert orders from ½ of the table before walking off, not checking on multiple customers for vast periods of time, not refilling water in the hot sun, and never apologizing for her mistakes.
On top of the poor service, the mixed drinks today were terrible, not at all like previous visits (don’t know if that was the server or today’s bartender).
For the high prices at this bar/​lounge, the manager should evaluate if the staff are really the right choices. Y’know, or lower the prices.

I have enjoyed getting a snack or a cocktail at the Lobby Lounge at the Miramar from time to time. As many reviews indicate, the service can be a bit hit or miss. Sometimes, they are simply understaffed. Other times, the service is quick and attentive.
My favorite aspects of this place are the cocktails and the atmosphere. On a nice day they throw the doors and windows open and you have a pleasant indoor-​outdoor feel. Even on cooler days, they have outdoor heating, so it remains pleasant. What I like about the cocktails is they offer a few that you don’t see everywhere, and they do them well. I’m particularly a fan of the sidecar, which they make with cognac and Grand Marnier. It’s a stiff drink, but tasty.
I have had good food here as well, though I don’t stop in just to dine very frequently. For vegetarians, the veggie burger is one of the better ones you will find. There are also generally good soup and salad options.

Had a nice lunch here after my workout and spa.
I ordered the fish tacos which came highly recommended and it was light and tasty.
I sat outside on the lounge chairs and felt the warmth of the sun on my back. I was able to breath fresh clean air and contemplate on my productive day.
It fuels me to be better and more better at what I do.
Off to do what I do best!

There appetizers are AMAZING! One of the best menus I’ve seen. Had the Salmon Carpaccio w/​a ponzu sauce… HEAVEN! Also had the corn flat bread, also perfection! The service was great as well, waitress was really friendly. They also had great wines by the glass. Nice outdoor seating area next to their tranquil waterfall… made for a perfect summer afternoon in Santa Monica!

Lovely, classy, casual lounge. We’ve been 3 – 5 times as a before or after main destination stop. Service has always been good. Prices are not cheap but they have occasional Travelzoo deals that rock and a special happy hour menu. Everyone should experience the Fairmont once if only to watch all the tourists and be reminded how lucky we are to live here.

I stopped in for drinks here with some friends the other night and was wildly disappointed. They had some kind of coupon for champagne so that was their reason for choosing it.
The service from Susan was sub par. I had to ask 3 times for water after I enjoyed my jalapeño and cilantro mango tequila drink. She was not super busy and my other friend had to ask for a beer twice also. It seemed like we were speaking in tongues when she asked if we were all together (check wise) and I said we would like 3 different checks.
The flatbread looked delicious (a patron further down on the bar had some) but I did not even want to order any and linger with the mediocre service.
One drink is $ 16 plus change. The ambiance is nice with the heat lamps in the open air and some indoor seats (which were filled) but I doubt I’d go back because of the service.
Perhaps it’s the age of the waitstaff they all seem to be better suited for a Boniva commercial than to be serving drinks.