This Santa Monica Restaurant Is Going Viral For Its Bathroom

One of Santa Monica's most discreet luxury hotels just got a French brasserie, a Top Chef alum in the kitchen and a bathroom that's stealing the show.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 6:36pm

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The Oceana Santa Monica, a luxury boutique hotel in Santa Monica, recently underwent a $30 million renovation and opened a new French brasserie called La Monique. While the restaurant's food and design have received praise, the most talked-about feature is the restaurant's opulent and unexpected bathroom, which has become a draw for diners.

Why it matters

The bathroom's design, which includes a floor-to-ceiling mirror, marble counter, copper sink, and textured walls, has become a focal point for the restaurant, overshadowing even the food and dining room. This highlights how important design and unexpected details can be in creating a memorable dining experience and driving buzz and foot traffic to a new restaurant.

The details

The Oceana Santa Monica is a boutique hotel that recently underwent a $30 million renovation and opened a new French brasserie called La Monique. The 42-seat dining room was designed by Martin Brudnizki and features plush velvet banquettes, a backlit bar, and vintage artwork. The restaurant is helmed by French chef David Fricaud, a Top Chef France semi-finalist, who serves dishes like hand-cut beef tartare and a unique take on escargot. However, the most talked-about feature of the restaurant is its opulent bathroom, which has been described as better-designed than the dining room itself, with a floor-to-ceiling mirror, marble counter, copper sink, and textured walls.

  • The Oceana Santa Monica underwent a $30 million renovation in 2021.
  • La Monique restaurant opened inside the Hotel Oceana in October 2025.

The players

Hotel Oceana

A boutique luxury hotel in Santa Monica that recently underwent a $30 million renovation and opened a new French brasserie called La Monique.

La Monique

A new French brasserie that opened inside the Hotel Oceana in Santa Monica in October 2025.

David Fricaud

The French chef and Top Chef France semi-finalist who is the head chef at La Monique restaurant.

Martin Brudnizki

The London- and New York-based design studio that designed the 42-seat dining room at La Monique.

Olivier Zardoni

The CEO of 34th Floor Hospitality, the F&B group behind La Monique restaurant.

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What they’re saying

“While we were working on the design and creating renderings, I realized, 'Oh, this feels like a woman's home.' I turned to my business partner and said, 'I think a woman lives here.' I pictured her as a madame.”

— Olivier Zardoni, CEO, 34th Floor Hospitality

“A floor-to-ceiling mirror creates the kind of flattering glow that makes you want to linger. A marble counter. A copper sink. Walls with a textured, palm leaf-like surface that nods, quietly, to the Mediterranean mood of the whole room.”

— Observer writer

The takeaway

The unexpected and opulent design of the bathroom at La Monique restaurant has become a major draw for diners, overshadowing even the food and dining room. This highlights how important creative and memorable design can be in creating a unique dining experience that generates buzz and attracts customers.