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!

Great spot for Greek and Mediterranean in Marina Del Rey. I sat at the bar and Vanessa was our bartender. She was super friendly and fun to talk to and more importantly was very knowledgeable about the food and cocktail menu. We got the last word cocktail which was very well balanced and beautifully presented. We also tried the octopus which was super tender and delicious! They have a great happy hour with some cheap bites drinks and 7 dollar beers on draft. Also Vanessa gave us a taste of this Greek spirit that I had never had before that really put the experience over the top! Vanessa gave excellent service and made the experience truly special which will definitely bring me back to taverna.

Amazing service and food very tasty! Great vibes overall beautiful at night. Recommend!

Really quite good. We were 4 for dinner and I. Believe the bill came out to 70 each including tip and drinks. We ordered a lot to share including the grilled octopus, a dips sampler, the moussaka, and lots of pita... countless pita. Everything was good. One of my friends did not love the moussaka. The service was great. We had a smiley waiter...maybe a touch too smiley but otherwise a good time was had by all.

TAVERNA At The Mar Vista located at 12249 Venice Blvd is my only choice for authentic Greek cuisine, culture and atmosphere! I always sit at the bar because Vanessa is a FANTASTIC server and always does a great job! She is a TRUE ambassador for this brand. Tonight I had the Octopus, the Kotosoupa (Lemon Chicken Soup), and a new item on the menu, the Stuffed Peppers (Gemista) which was DELICIOUS and fabulous! Ownership pays attention to every detail and all the help is friendly and service-oriented. They welcome you on the way in, stop by to say hello and thank you on the way out! They want you to enjoy yourself and the food keeps you coming back! Whether you're eating alone, on a date or with your family, TAVERNA offers the perfect setting for an enjoyable night out with a well-rounded menu that makes it memorable! You can dine anywhere, but if you want to have a unique dining experience, TAVERNA offers that extra-special effort! When in Mar Vista, make TAVERNA your place for the best in Greek cuisine. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

As an avid yelper, I am very accustomed to being pleasantly surprised by divine cooking at restaurants -- but Kiara at Taverna was maybe the best service I have ever experienced. To start, we walked into this beautiful breezy restaurant on a Tuesday where there was a large party taking most of the restaurant. Because of that, the wait staff were primarily serving them. Kiara, the hostess, pinch hit by taking our table. Due to the amount of people, I asked to sit outside and she gladly made it happen. Then, when we ordered our Appetizers (the mezza sample and octopus) she kindly helped me understand what each was (as I pulled up a Yelp picture lol!). When my bf asked if they had traditional ouzo (Greek alcohol), she double checked and changed the order with ease. Our food was phenomenal and beautiful. I would highly recommend this place.

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!