Sweating musclemen lift weights, bikini-clad girls rollerblade on the boardwalk, street musicians toot for tips and cops in short pants patrol on bikes. Along with smiling families shooting sunny selfies on the sand, that’s California’s famed Venice Beach.

The laid-back town, just 18 miles from downtown Los Angeles, overlooks the blue Pacific and has many unique boardwalk restaurants. If you don’t want to take too much time away from sunning, surfing, ogling and other typical Venice Beach activities, these dining places are for you.

On The Waterfront Cafe, 205 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA 90291, waterfrontcafe.com. Features Swiss dishes, including fondues, clam chowder, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, salads and homemade desserts. Outside dining offers views of the sand, surf, Venice Boardwalk and all the activities that happen there. Go with friends in the cool of evening to dip fondue, sip Swiss wine and enjoy the moment.

The Sidewalk Cafe, 1401 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA 90291, thesidewalkcafe.com. Eclectic varieties of Italian, American and Mexican specialties. On the elegant outdoor porch by the boardwalk are tables with the familiar red and white checkered tablecloths.

For beachgoers who don’t go by the clock, breakfast is served throughout the day. After a day at the beach, visit The Sidewalk Cafe at dusk for happy hour and live music.

Poke-Poke, 1827 Ocean-Front Walk, Venice CA 90291, poke-poke.com. Poke is Hawaiian for raw seafood salad, featuring tuna and other native fish. The Poke-Poke version may be served fresh-made with brown rice, seaweed, kale, macadamia nuts and avacado. Enjoy Hawaiian delicacies outside on the restaurant porch while watching the carnival of Venice go by.  

Jody Maroni’s Sausage Kingdom, 2011 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA 90291, jodymaroni.com. Enjoy the great variety of Polish, German and Italian sausages, served with heaps of Jody’s famous sizzling garlic fries.

There’s also the Chicken Andouille, a sandwich of combined sausage and chicken. They’re heaped high with cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, onions, peppers, relish, bacon bits and whatever else Jody decides to toss in that day, inside or out, by the boardwalk. 

Sushi Okiya, 1301 Ocean Front Walk, Venice CA 90291, sushiokiya.com. This is a small stand for those who want to just pick up and eat their sushi on the beach or in their cars. Some favorites are the seared tuna roll, spicy california roll, surf clam sushi and edamame.