The Tasting Kitchen is back on Abbot Kinney, and this is not a nostalgic pop-up. Founding chef Casey Lane has returned to the Venice address with a rebuilt dining room, a live-fire element, and two ways to eat: a chef-led progression or an à la carte dinner.
The July 2026 reopening follows a fire that closed the restaurant in March 2023. Eater LA reported the return, while Time Out Los Angeles placed it in the context of a restaurant that helped shape modern Abbot Kinney dining.
Why the return matters
When The Tasting Kitchen first emerged in 2009, Venice had not yet become today's luxury retail corridor. The restaurant earned attention for ingredient-driven cooking, a serious bar, and a dining room that felt refined without cutting itself off from the neighborhood.
Lane's return gives the reopening credibility. This is the chef associated with the restaurant's most important period, not a brand revival with an unrelated kitchen. The Los Angeles Times archive documents his role in the original transition, and its 2009 review captures the early ambition.
The new version preserves that ingredient-first identity while adding live-fire cooking. It also acknowledges how people want to dine now. Guests can commit to the chef's choices, or build a shorter meal from individual dishes.
Casey Lane's path back to Venice
Lane became closely identified with The Tasting Kitchen after taking over the former AK space. His cooking linked California produce with an Italian and New American vocabulary, leaving room for handmade pasta, whole fish, rich braises, and bar food with real kitchen discipline.
After his original run, Lane developed projects in Los Angeles and beyond, including Casa Apicii in New York and Viale dei Romani in West Hollywood. The important point for this reopening is not a list of old addresses. It is that Lane understands how to make a large, stylish room feel like a restaurant rather than a showroom.
The comeback also arrives in a different Venice. Abbot Kinney is busier, more expensive, and more nationally recognizable than it was in 2009. A restaurant with local history has an advantage, but it also has to prove that the food deserves attention beyond the sentimental pull.
What to order
Opening coverage has described a chef's-choice menu alongside à la carte service. Eater LA reported a five-dish experience at $150, while another early report described four- and five-course options at lower prices. Treat $150 as the safer planning figure and confirm the current format when booking.
Several dishes indicate where the kitchen is heading:
- Kona kampachi with melon mostarda, serrano, and sorrel brings sweetness, heat, and acidity to a clean piece of fish.
- Corn ravioli with corn jus, basil, and Pecorino is the seasonal pasta order, built around summer rather than heaviness.
- Roasted turbot with toasted garlic and pil pil verde shows the live-fire and seafood sides of the menu working together.
- Milk-braised veal cheek with bone marrow and horseradish is the richest choice, best shared if you are also ordering pasta.
- Mackerel and changing pastas connect the new menu to the original restaurant's flexible, market-responsive style.
For a first visit, the chef's menu is the clearest way to understand the relaunch. It removes the pressure of balancing fish, pasta, and meat, and it should reveal what Lane considers essential right now.
À la carte makes more sense for a return visit, a bar dinner, or anyone who wants to control the pace and total. A strong two-person order would combine one raw or lightly cooked fish dish, a pasta, a larger plate, and a vegetable or side if available.
The room and the right occasion
The restaurant remains at 1633 Abbot Kinney Boulevard. Reopening reports describe a refreshed facade and dining room, a large central bar, and the familiar olive tree retained as a visual anchor.
That central bar matters. The Tasting Kitchen has always made more sense as a full evening than as a ceremonial tasting counter. Cocktails, wine, and the movement of a large room are part of the experience.
This is best for a serious date, an anniversary without rigid fine-dining theater, or dinner with another couple who genuinely cares about food. It can work for business dinner, though the room's energy may be better suited to conversation that does not require total quiet.
Smart casual is the practical dress standard even though no formal code is currently published. Venice allows flexibility, but the price and room reward a little effort. You do not need a jacket, and beachwear will probably feel underdressed at dinner.
Price and value
Plan around the reported $150 chef's-choice menu before drinks, tax, and tip. A full dinner for two with cocktails or wine can therefore move well beyond $400.
The à la carte route may cost less, but it can also climb quickly if you order across every part of the menu. Ask about portion sizes, especially for pastas and larger plates, before assuming that fewer dishes will produce a cheaper meal.
Value here is not about finding the lowest cost per course. It comes from Lane's return, the flexible format, and the chance to experience a historically important Venice restaurant in its first new chapter. Diners seeking maximum formality for the same money may prefer a traditional tasting room. Diners who want serious cooking with a lively bar should find the proposition more convincing.
Reservation strategy
Use The Tasting Kitchen's official website as the first source for live reservations and current service days. Early reopening reports listed dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., initially Thursday through Sunday and then Wednesday through Sunday, with expansion planned.
Opening-month inventory is naturally tight because former regulars and curious first-timers are chasing the same tables. Search weekday times first. A Wednesday or Thursday reservation near opening is likely to be calmer than prime Saturday dinner and gives the kitchen fewer large-party pressures.
If your preferred date is unavailable, check again 24 to 48 hours before dinner when cancellations often return. Call the restaurant for bar policy and same-day availability. A large central bar can create flexibility, but do not assume every seat is held for walk-ins.
For a special occasion, book the room you want rather than relying on an unconfirmed walk-in plan. Mention dietary restrictions before arrival, particularly if choosing the chef's menu, so the kitchen can say whether substitutions are possible.
Practical details
- Address: 1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
- Cuisine: Contemporary Italian and New American, with California produce and live-fire cooking
- Price: High-end, with a five-dish chef's menu reported at $150
- Best for: Date night, anniversaries, food-focused groups, and a polished Venice dinner
- Atmosphere: Lively, design-conscious, and centered on a substantial bar
- Reservations: Start with the official website
- Current hours: Confirm directly, since the reopening schedule is expanding
One caution is worth repeating: early reports disagree on exact tasting-menu prices and service cadence. The restaurant's own booking page should overrule any static article, including this one, when details change.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Tasting Kitchen in Venice open again?
Yes. July 2026 coverage confirms that the restaurant reopened after a three-year closure following a 2023 fire.
Who is the chef?
Founding chef Casey Lane is back at the helm. His return connects the new restaurant directly to the version that earned acclaim beginning in 2009.
How much does dinner cost?
Eater LA reported a five-dish chef's-choice menu at $150. Prices were inconsistent across early reports, so verify the current amount through the restaurant before booking.
Can I order à la carte?
Yes. Reopening coverage describes both a chef's-choice progression and à la carte service, which makes the restaurant workable for a shorter bar dinner.
What should I order?
The corn ravioli, roasted turbot, Kona kampachi, and milk-braised veal cheek show the menu's range. First-time guests who want the full story should consider the chef's menu.
Is there a dress code?
No formal dress code was published in the sources reviewed. Smart casual is the safest choice for the room and price point.
Is it hard to get a reservation?
Demand is likely strongest during the reopening period. Try early weekday dinners, monitor cancellations one or two days ahead, and ask directly about bar seating.
