Charcoal
Both neighborhood hangout and special occasion spot, Charcoal is sometimes a bit confusing, but not when it comes to their very tasty food.
The Clutch is a grungy-beachy Venice restaurant serving Cali-Mex cuisine (a.k.a. they do Mexican food but also mac and cheese). The food here is very good, and some days they also have live music. The small-ish space gets crowded during their happy hours, but they do take reservations.
