5 Reasons You Should Make a Reservation at Stark’s Today
Written By: Gabriela Mungarro
Photographed By: Jakob Layman Stark’s Restaurant
Walk into your home away from home at Stark’s. The restaurant’s polished, relaxed design and welcoming ambience caters to all who seek to take their taste buds on an unparalleled dining experience, featuring fresh seafood, reinvented cocktails and distinct desserts. In case you’re still not convinced of visiting this Marina del Rey gem, here are five reasons why you should!
1 | A Suave Look Stark’s Restaurant
Distinguished for its casual comforts like spacey leather booths, stylish comfy sofas, draping houseplants and charming fireplaces scattered throughout the dimly lit restaurant, Stark’s boasts modern, warm decor in their lounge, cafe and bar. Stunning art by local artists adorn the interior, adding a vibrant flare of imagery that ranges from auto racing to beautiful floral paintings.
2 | Sweet Dreams Are Made of This Stark’s Restaurant
Your aching sweet tooth is sure to find a cure at Stark’s! Pastry chef Lidia Cancino, the mastermind behind Stark’s delectable desserts, creates daily fresh off-menu mini and individual tall cakes like the milk-soaked chocolate chip cookie cake. Yes, you read that right! It’s a beautiful buttercream-frosted mini-cake with full-sized milk-soaked cookies with giant chocolate chips inside the cake that has just the right amount of sweetness to hit that sweet spot. To see Chef Cancino’s creativity shine, be sure to place a custom order! If sticking to the menu is more your thing, try the popular and scrumptious Malibu Beach Pie, complete with a saltine pie crust and key lime filling, created by none other than Stark’s owner Graham Arnold.
3 | The Rawest Bar Stark’s Restaurant
Housing some of the freshest seafood found in the Pacific and Atlantic and delivered daily to the eatery, Stark’s provides hungry patrons with various selections featured on their famous raw bar menu, such as sashimi and mouthwatering fresh shucked oysters, which are accompanied with a life-changing savory house cocktail sauce that pairs perfectly. You’ll also find a gorgeous selection of jumbo wild shrimp, king crab, lobster tails. For diners looking to eat fresh, look no further than the raw bar!
4 | It’s a Local Thing
Get ready for a rollercoaster of tastes and flavors as taking a bite of any of the finely crafted dishes at Stark’s is an experience in itself. You’ll easily see why the food tastes as good as it looks! “We try to work with as many local sourced vendors as possible,” says Arnold. “It’s important to become part of the neighborhood, be part of the community.” Stark’s classic American menu features stars like the savory, golden crusted pan-seared crab cake served atop a rich housemade remoulade sauce. For diners looking to eat green, go with the roasted vegetable salad that will forever up your salad standards. Served at room temperature to allow the dish to acclimatize, the plate is adorned with charred brussel sprouts, roasted broccoli and cauliflower, and slow-cooked tomatoes drizzled with pomegranate vinaigrette placed on top of little gems with a roasted pepper and cashew romesco base. One thing’s for sure, your palate will never be the same.
5 | Old Becomes New
As if Stark’s isn’t amazing enough, it also has a curated wine list and an innovative cocktail program that reinvents traditional drinks as featured in The New Classic—a twist on the famous old fashioned. Citrus aromas will lift your spirits and comfort you as you sip brown butter washed bourbon with brown sugar and Aztec chocolate bitters near a crackling fire in their lounge.
Stark’s
13181 Mindanao Way
Marina del Rey, CA 90292
310.437.7600
