Chez Jay, Santa Monica
10 people recommendvia r/AskLosAngeles, r/FoodLosAngeles, r/SantaMonica11 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Chez Jay is repeatedly recommended as a Santa Monica bar with character. One patron finds the front bar surprisingly dive-like, another enjoys the backyard for daytime drinks, and a further commenter likes its nautical atmosphere. Caveats include an older crowd and prices that one visitor considers decidedly above cheap-dive territory.
Address
Chez Jay, 1657 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401
At a glance
- Price
- Premium
- Known for
- Dive bar, Day drinking
Nearby on this map
Other places on this map closest to Chez Jay, Santa Monica, as the crow flies.
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Recommendsu/wrinkled_funsack in r/AskLosAngeles · Dec 2023
Names it as a strong dive bar pick.
- Recommendsu/Big___TTT in r/AskLosAngeles · Apr 2024
Names it as a recommended bar.
- Recommendsu/souphead1 in r/FoodLosAngeles · Jan 2025ambience
Votes for it, praising the backyard for day drinking.
- Recommendsu/vinegar_strokes68 in r/SantaMonica · Mar 2026
Strongly agrees with the parent suggestion, calling it the top pick.
- Recommendsu/SilverSurfherder in r/AskLosAngeles · Feb 2026
Adds this to a list of tiki or dive spots the thread may be missing.
- Recommendsu/ydhtfpots in r/AskLosAngeles · Feb 2026
Adds a vote for this bar.
- Recommendsu/Maleficent_Hat_7107 in r/AskLosAngeles · Dec 2023
Calls it the obvious answer to the question.
- Recommendsu/West-Neighborhood-29 in r/SantaMonica · Mar 2026ambience
Agrees and says the bar area is surprisingly dive-like.
Show all 11 cited comments
- Mixedu/UltimateHawk in r/SantaMonica · Mar 2026price
Says it is not cheap, though otherwise solid overall.
- Recommendsu/Chauncey___Gardner in r/AskLosAngeles · Jan 2026ambience
Says it matches the 1940s nautical look exactly and has plenty of that style.
- Recommendsu/Lookin2expat in r/AskLosAngeles · Dec 2023
Lists it as a pick.
Also on
Chez Jay, Santa Monica is on another map too, with what people said about it there.
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Freshness
Details last checked 11 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.