Tar & Roses on Santa Monica Boulevard centres its menu on a wood-burning oven and grill, cooking vegetables, meats, and fish with the attention to char and smoke that open-fire cooking demands. The format is small plates designed for sharing, and the kitchen handles roasted and braised things particularly well. The room is warm and not overstyled, the wine list California-focused and reasonably priced.
It is a good option for groups who want to eat well without formality, or for solo diners at the bar. The bar itself is worth sitting at if there is a wait — the bartenders know what they are doing.