32 Best Mexican Restaurants in Santa Monica

“Great food and drinks 🍹 really good 👍🏾“

“One of my absolute favorite places to eat in Los Angeles!“

“Stoked for the new ownership and menu! Ate here once before with old menu and it was decent but now it's beyond fire! Sean and team were great people who took awesome care of us. Insanely good carne asade, chicken and mushroom tacos with a yummy cesar salad. new cocktails were on point as well. this spot is a vibe can't wait to come back. They had some great tunes bumping the whole night too. main street needs this! If you have extra room, definitely try the Tres leches its decadent. Cant wait to go back 🌊“

“Went here for a birthday happy hour and absolutely loved it!

Street tacos are either $1.50 or $2.50 (veggie), and I really enjoyed the Al pastor chicken as well as the brisket. Chicken quesadilla was well cooked and flavorful, served with guac, pico de gallo, and sour cream.

The red salsa was excellent, and I preferred it over the green. Guac was fresh and paired well with the reasonably priced HH beers ($6) and cocktails ($10-12).

Would definitely be back! Happy Hour is from 3-6pm Monday-Friday!“

“I have been following tacos 1986 on Instagram (joy tostada) and have been wanting to try his tacos. we planned a family vacations to California to try their tacos and they did not disappoint. Tacos were DELICIOUS!! and the staff was very friendly. We even came in more than once to eat. Highly recommend it.“

“I came back here for the first time in years. The first time since last decade, and it seems even better than I remember it. The one staff member they had their it seems serving everyone, Elisa, made sure of that. In a world where I'm so accustomed to restaurants declining in quality and cutting corners over time, I had a great experience.

Elisa, one of their workers was taking orders, delivering the food to the tables, clearing and cleaning tables by herself, and was knowledgeable about the menu. The service was excelent despite this place being understaffed. I'd definitely come back here again, and recommend it to lots of people.

I ordered every taco on the menu and more. I was also here with my vegan friend who was satisfied with the selection of vegan friendly options. So if you're vegetarian or vegan this place may also be a great option for you.

Vegetarian options: There's an abundance of vegetarian options with their burritos, bowls, and tacos. And even some vegan options.“

“Great Mexican food!
We love their octopus and sugar cane filets. Very authentic tastes. Only one downside is the kids salmon is a bit too salty. Other than that everything is great with Sol Agave! Recommend this place if visiting Santa Monica!
Tip: REMEMBER to validate your parking ticket to get 90 minutes free parking.

Kid-friendliness: Yes“

“I'm gonna miss LA, but Papi Tacos in Santa Monica made my last day unforgettable! Being conveniently close to the Fairmont, I swung by for a taste of something I just can't get at home. The platter for one was absolute perfection - an assortment of tacos that hit all the right spots. But let's talk about that consommé... it was like a warm hug for my tacos. Dunking each bite into that rich, flavorful broth was pure bliss. If you're ever in LA and craving authentic tacos, Papi Tacos is a must-visit. I'm already planning my next trip back 🤤🌮️.“

“Muy rica la comida y excelente servicio“

“AMAZING food and drinks. Purely fresh and tastes fantastic. I can’t wait to come back. ♥️♥️♥️“

“Hurry for the best Mexican breakfast! So glad I chose Gilbert’s for the delicious everything from the warm, homemade chips with sides, soft tortillas and holy frijoles. Having tried several Mexican restaurants during my visit this was hands down my fav! Loved the outdoor seating, great service- met the founder’s daughter, whose parents from Guadalajara, started it 50 years ago. Good coffee too! Will for sure return when back in Santa Monica! Muchas gracias!“

“Great find in Santa Monica. Stopped here looking for tacos, but they had a great variety. Had tacos, a mulita and a tacazo which was so good. The gentleman taking our order was so nice and we were glad we stoped in after our appointment at UCLA. Great spot“

“My gf and I recently dined at El Portal de Oaxaca, and it was an incredible experience!
We ordered the Molcajete, which was rich and flavorful, featuring a delicious broth and perfectly cooked meats and cheese. Each bite was a delight!

The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the staff was incredibly friendly, making us feel right at home. We also tried their agua frescas--both the maracuya and the Oaxacan horchata, they were refreshing and so delicious.

If you're looking for authentic Oaxacan cuisine, this place is a must-visit! Can't wait to return!“

“Its a nice and a clean place.. My favorite stuff its the Chipotle burrito..They have a burrito named chipotle.“

“Great food! Love my breakfast burrito.“

“Good service and good food�����������“

“Every time I eat here, I wonder why I don't come here more often. It's a little shack on the side of the road, so it's best for takeaway. Dang, the fish tacos are good. The prices have gone up on the e.g. ceviche, but it's still fresh and good food.“

“Me encantó el lugar, excelente comida y un trato muy cordial“

“Food is Amazing and Staff treats you like family. Been goung here since 1996 . My Favorite is the Chicken Enchildas with Hreen Sauce.“

“I stopped by Yagul Cafe and had my first ever Oaxacan latte, it was a very big cup, full of flavor and just the right amount of spice. Such a pleasant surprise! I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was incredibly comforting and delicious.

Everyone at the cafe was so friendly and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. I’ll definitely be coming back to try more of their menu!“

“Friendly atmosphere Delicious meals are tasty, appetizing, scrumptious, yummy, delightful, lovely, wonderful, pleasant, enjoyable, appealing, enchanting, charming and hihgly pleasant to the taste.“

“The best authentic Mexican restaurant at the heart of Santa Monica. We met one of the owner and he explained the origin of the dish. All the food we tasted here were all so delicious full of flavour.“

“Excellent and authentic! Highly recommend!!“

“Awesome food and great service“

“Me encanta la comida y el servicio soy cliente desde hace 12 Años“

“Had a great Mexican dish for dinner, which I enjoyed a lot, a number of Mexican designed cocktails as well. I would recommend this place for dinner and/or lunch.“

“Let me just say...I’ve been living in Santa Monica for awhile now and Los amigos food truck La is BOMB 🔥 FINALLY good, authentic comida Mexicana. It’s been a rough journey trying to find decent Mexican food out here in Santa Monica but they definitely surpassed all these “Mexican” spots out here. 12/10 definitely recommend if y’all are out here 🥵🥵“

“This place is AMAZING!! From the service to how flavorful their salsas were. That spicy green salsa will burn your mouth just the way you like it. Hard to find places that make good salsas. Taco de asada was amazing in flavor and so was my coctel de camaron and pulpo. Muchas gracias por su servicio ?☺️“

“The best authentic Mexican restaurant at the heart of Santa Monica. We met one of the owner and he explained the origin of the dish. All the food we tasted here were all so delicious full of flavour.“

“Delicioso!!!!! Muy recomendado“

“Ordered lunch from here this week - here's my Mas Veggies review. I like that the menu is very simple to order. Choose the flavor & protein you'd like, and get it in a bowl or burrito or as tacos or nachos. We ordered 3 different kinds of burritos. The baja one with the 'fish' was my favorite. The carnitas with jackfruit was not really my taste. The asada with cauliflower was alright. Each burrito was quite filling. Got it thru doordash.“

“muy buena atención al cliente limpio el lugar buen salón amigable el cajero 100 % garantizado“