And also a burger with champagne
Santa Monica, April 2026
• GAYOT’s Rating: 14/20
• Cuisine: California
• Openings: Breakfast daily 7 a.m.-11 a.m; Lunch Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Dinner nightly 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; Brunch Sat.-Sun. 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; Happy Hour Mon.- Fri. 3 p.m.-5 p.m.; Bar/Lounge Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 11 am-1:30 a.m.
• Live jazz Thurs. at sunset
The Penthouse Restaurant is on GAYOT’s:
• Across the U.S.A.
– Best Burgers Across America
– Best Penthouse Restaurants Across America
• Across Los Angeles County
– Best Burgers in Los Angeles
– Best Restaurants with a View in Los Angeles
– Best Santa Monica & Malibu Romantic Restaurants
– Best Sexy Restaurants in Los Angeles
– Best Santa Monica & Malibu Breakfast Restaurants
– Best Santa Monica & Malibu Brunch Restaurants
The Penthouse Restaurant
Huntley Santa Monica Beach
View map: 1111 Second St. (Wilshire Blvd.) Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-393-8080 | View Website
On February 3rd, 2026, Chris Kempczinski, Chairman and CEO of McDonald’s, released a video introducing what he repeatedly referred as a new “product.” The low-energy reel with a depressing background, for a new limited-time burger named after the company’s logo, quickly went viral, viewed by millions. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Kempczinski admitted that his son told him “You’ve gone viral, and not in a good way.” Why? He took an unusually tiny, hesitant bite—sparking memes, parodies, and commentary across the Internet, including here at GAYOT.com. By the way, Kempczinski blamed his mother for the miniature bite, following her lifelong rule: “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”
• Read the article I wrote about it.•
Let’s eat a burger for real!
In America, the burger isn’t just a meal. It’s the nation’s most enduring cultural export, a symbol of convenience, abundance, and identity. So, I could not let Mr. Kempczinski damage the myth of America’s edible emblem; a simple creation elevated into a national icon.
For the first chapter of my “Burger Series“, I chose a setting where the backdrop cannot be more specular in the City of Angels at large: the 18th floor of the Huntley Hotel Santa Monica Beach, overlooking the Santa Monica Bay, a natural treasure and a cultural icon — a place where Los Angeles meets the Pacific.
Then, a real chef, Jhong Jitsu, presented the menu’s “Dry‑Aged Wagyu Burger” in detail — a creation inspired by French onion soup and crafted with real, fresh ingredients.
After using my champagne saber to “attack” the burger, the bite I took was not microscopic, but it was a full one. How could it be anything less with a premium burger of this caliber?
The quality of the ‘Dry‑Aged Wagyu Burger” put The Penthouse Restaurant on GAYOT’s Best Burgers across America.
NOTE: Unfortunately, the burger is not available at dinner, but that will let you enjoy the grand view of the coastline in daylight.
