36 Best Mexican Restaurants in Santa Monica

“We went to this place late night after a magic show. I had never heard of it before and it was right next door on 4th Street. They have a small A-frame sign out front which says best tacos in Santa Monica and they are not wrong! The feature a wide variety of tacos with homemade tortillas which were authentic and flavorful. It's a small location but can fit large parties play I strongly suggest going there if you want to satisfy your taco fix.“

“Wandered in from the pier after looking at close restaurants with great Google reviews. Oscar made my meal really enjoyable. He made a delicious Oaxacan Old Fashioned (hint: ask for a Tajin rim) and the tacos were delicious. Highly recommend for friendly staff, delicious tacos (although this is NOT a taco place), and yummy drinks!“

“If you are looking for halal Mexican food, that's the right address. I always take my guests to any of the Papi restaurants if they want to try Mexican cuisine - but I like the Santa Monica vibes more. Definitely recommended! And don't skip their beverages, each of them is an authentic gem.“

“Great food and drinks 🍹 really good 👍🏾“

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

“Best Mexican food on the Westside/ Bestside!“

“Muy rica la comida y excelente servicio“

“No frills, delicious fish tacos. Been there twice - once dining in and once to-go. Had the fish and shrimp tacos both times and they’re so good! I don’t have photos bc I ate them so fast. Handmade tortillas and the salsas are also yum 👌🏽 the time that I ate in the gentleman at the counter was really hospitable and nice.“

“Went to Tu Madre for date night and it did not disappoint. The food was really good, fresh, and full of flavor. Everything came out hot and perfectly made. The service was bomb from start to finish. Super friendly, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. The vibe was fun and perfect for a date night. Definitely will be back“

“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.“

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

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

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

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

“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 ?☺️“

“Extremely clean, well presented, and delicious homemade Oaxacan fare. You can tell they take pride in what they do. Great spread of juices/coffees/healthy beverage options as well. Feels family run. Everyone is kind and knowledgeable, and they are happy to tweak dishes at your request. Small place so best for groups of 4 or less. Probably seats 30 people total, with two outdoor tables (2 and 4-top)“

“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.“

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

“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“

“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 🥵🥵“

“Excellent and authentic! Highly recommend!!“

“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.“

“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.“

“Such an amazing staff and the owner is amazing himself. I moved from virginia to California and I absolutely would eat this over anything over there.“

“I was greeted immediately upon entering the restaurant. Service was friendly & professional. My meal came out promptly and was served at a good temperature! My salmon was a little too done for my taste, but I still enjoyed my meal! I got a to-go box for my leftover veggies. As I departed the restaurant, someone thanked me for my visit. I had a pleasant experience.“

“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.“

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

“The crispy carne asada tacos were outstanding. The meat was seasoned and was extremely tender“

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

“First time here. Enjoy our dinner, super yummy food and the great customer service from the bar manager . She was great at recommending and explaining our drink had an old fashioned with tequila, she even came back to ask how we liked it. We Never had an old fashioned with tequila and it was really good. The ambience of the place, didn’t have to wait to be seated. Highly recommend this place.“

“A delicious dinner in stunning scenery as the sun sets behind the Pacific Ocean. The service was good, too.“

“Excellent afternoon here with a couple of friends. I had just finished a 2.5 hour morning hike so I was ravenous and ordered too much food but there were no regrets honestly. I thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered. Their al pastor and chorizo & cheese tacos were excellent, and I loved the creamy seafood enchiladas. They honored my requests to make the margaritas a little drier for all of us, and they came out perfectly balanced. Definitely would return.“

“Best food And great Customer services.. That's one of my favorite Mexican place to eat.“

“First time going to this tiny spot. It shares the location with a few other businesses in a very trendy outdoor location. The moment you walk inside the quad it smells amazing in there! They have a tent set up and almost a taco stand like feel. The service was very good and the food even better! I ordered the carne asada breakfast burrito and it tasted amazing!! Strongly recommend and will be back the next time I'm in the area!“

“Best duck taco I've ever had. Came in for the Karaage but they were out, so decided to go with duck and it did not disappoint. I also met and talked to the owner, and he was incredibly generous and kind. I didn't eat there but the vibe was cool, would definitely dine in too.“