A new seafood spot has anchored Ocean Avenue: the West Side Oyster Club opened June 26 in the space formerly occupied by Blue Plate Oysterette. The arrival of the Morenas’ restaurant comes as downtown Santa Monica grapples with a string of long-running dining closures and intensified efforts to address homelessness, making this opening a notable sign of change for the city’s coastal dining scene.
Greg and Yunnie Morena have deep roots in Santa Monica’s waterfront economy. Yunnie’s family launched SM Pier Seafood in 1977, the business that eventually evolved into the Pier’s Albright; the couple later assumed operations. Both bring varied industry experience—Yunnie from retail and hospitality at Fred Segal, Greg from fashion and finance—and have woven sustainability into their projects over the years, from prioritizing local catch to supporting greener practices at the Pier and serving on local environmental boards.
The new restaurant’s design nods to northeastern clam shacks while fitting the Southern California setting: rustic woods, warm neutrals and white tile give the dining room a familiar, coastal feel. The menu mixes casual favorites and shareable seafood plates: fried oysters, garlic shrimp, blackened shrimp tacos, a clam-chowder served in a bread bowl, and classic fish and chips.
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One menu section focuses on rolls and po’boys—highlighting **lobster** served two ways, chilled New England–style or tossed in warm butter—while shrimp and oyster po’boys arrive with Old Bay–seasoned chips. Diners can also order a seafood platter designed for two or four, with standard accompaniments such as cocktail sauce, mignonette and lemon wedges.
Drinks include bottled and draft beers, a selection of wines from California and Europe, and cocktails like the Palisades Sunset, made with lime, pomegranate and chipotle tequila. The restaurant seats about 80 people overall, with roughly 50 seats on a patio facing Palisades Park. Greg Morena has suggested a novel take-away option—a caviar pack with potato chips, crème fraîche and chives—intended for picnics on the park’s lawn.
Blue Plate Oysterette’s owner, Jen Rush, attributed her restaurant’s closure earlier this year to factors many local operators cite: a drop in visitor traffic since 2025, rising operating costs, changes in how people dine, and vacancies in office and retail space. Rush also pointed to safety worries tied to the presence of unhoused encampments near Palisades Park. The Morenas’ opening arrives amid other downtown losses in 2026, including Britannia Pub, Misfit Restaurant and Bar, and Bar Monette.
City leaders have taken the local pressure seriously. In April the Santa Monica City Council declared an emergency to speed up services and solutions aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness, according to reporting in the Santa Monica Mirror. Greg Morena credits recent municipal efforts—citing new housing-first initiatives and targeted cleanup efforts—for a visible reduction in encampments. “Palisades Park is totally different than it was four months ago,” he said, framing the restaurant as both a business and a vote of confidence in the neighborhood’s near-term recovery.
For the Morenas, West Side Oyster Club is personal. They describe the project as a return to the community that shaped their careers and as an opportunity that arrived unexpectedly when Blue Plate closed. “It was a chance to be something that we love,” Greg told local reporters.
- Hours: Monday–Thursday noon–9 p.m.; Friday–Sunday from 11:30 a.m.
- Address: 1355 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401
- Phone: (310) 310-8861
- Website: https://www.westsideoysterclub.com/
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Seating | Approximately 80 seats total; about 50 on the park-facing patio |
| Menu Highlights | Po’boys and rolls, fried oysters, lobster (two preparations), clam chowder bread bowl |
| Focus | Local seafood sourcing and casual, coastal dining |
More for the table:
- The California Wine Festival runs July 17–18 in Santa Barbara, featuring tastings, events and a tri-tip competition.
- Venice’s new Palestinian-owned cafe and tea room, Inara Coffee, is hosting community events including an evening watch party.
- Alex Canter’s planned luxury gas station, Maggie’s Refuel—modeled after upscale convenience concepts abroad—is slated to open in 2027.
- Barbara Gene’s Soul Food will return as a summer pop-up starting July 19, serving items such as $12 wings and soul roll platters with advance pickup options.
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