Gnarwhal Coffee Co.

Gnarwhal Coffee Co.

3101 Main St Unit D, Santa Monica, CA

★★★★4.4(335 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

Gnarwhal Coffee Co. sits in a prime Main Street pocket near Venice Beach, where the walk-in crowd mingles with locals seeking creative drinks like cardamom lattes and cereal milk matcha alongside solid pastries. The vibe here is genuinely welcoming—friendly staff like Shy keep things running smooth, the space is clean with ample seating, and there's a real sense of care in both the service and the menu variety. It's the kind of neighborhood spot that rewards a quick detour or a lingering afternoon, even if the coffee itself is more consistently pleasant than groundbreaking.

What to expect

Espresso-focused, with creative signature drinks, matcha and tea options too. A slow-sit, laptop-friendly, quick-grab, outdoor seating spot, good for meetings. Pastries on the menu.

Specialty drinksPastriesMatcha & teaQuick grabCraft espressoSignature drinksOutdoor seatingTraditional drinksLaptop friendlyMeetingsSlow sit

Google Reviews

YB S
★★★★★2 months ago

Located on the Main Street, just 10-12 minute walk from the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Great location by other eateries and shops on the Main Street. Coffee and service were both top notch. I was rung up by the owner, Nick Monica, and he provided an excellent service. I tried the…

Denise H
★★★★★2 months ago

Great cardamom latte and croissant! Fast service upon my arrival and plenty of seats. Clean restroom was a plus!

Natalia Cruz
★★★★★4 months ago

Nice little coffee shop near Venice Beach. They had a nice menu with a variety it coffee, tea, and treat options. In the shop they had some searing and a nice bathroom. I got a cereal milk matcha, which was very good and not too sweet. The service was also excellent and the…

NICK MENNELL
★★★★4 months ago

Four Stars - Caffeinated Excellence with a Side of Wait Time Gnarwhal Coffee is proof that good things come to those who wait. And wait. And sometimes wait a little more while staring longingly at the espresso machine. But HERE’S THE THING: unlike my Ojai Burger experience…

Arkady Borkovsky
★★★★a year ago

A pleasant place, great location. Nice staff - Shy was very helpful and professional. Average coffee (I had a breve to go) - stop by for one if nearby, but it is not a destination place. The coffee is quite strong — eg much stronger than the one at Intelligentsia I head earlier…

Crema Reviews

No Crema reviews yet

Been here? Be the first to leave a review in the app.

Write a review on iOS