Dim lighting, cool vibes, Portuguese small plates and a 13th anniversary (aww my relationship is a teenager now!). The steak tartare was bright, acidic, perfectly balanced and it's paired with sweet potato chips.. I had to take a moment! SO. GEWD. The bacalhau fritters was another favorite of mine. Crisp outside, soft inside, salty in the best way. Ask for extra lemons to brighten it further and thank me later. The head on prawns were so well seasoned and beautifully cooked and the sauce? Divine. I would bathe in it. The french fries were perfect but the lemon parsley aioli they came with is the real main character and I will not hear otherwise. Aioli of my dreams. Literally. Caipirinha with port float and Rosa margarita were both giving. Bolo do caco and boquerones also ate. Service was a little cold to start but warmed up as the night went on, and they ended the meal by surprising us with bubbles for our anniversary which was the sweetest thing. Pricey but worth every single penny. Date night, anniversary, or some other special occasion, this is your spot. read more

See all

A friend and I went to Barra Santos for dinner on a Wednesday night and grabbed seats at the bar. Our server was fantastic and gave us such great recommendations on the appetizers that we decided to skip the traditional main-course route and make an entire dinner out of small plates. Barra Santos is a small space, and it was packed when we were there. Sitting at the bar put us right in the middle of the action, and the close quarters gave the room a lively, cozy feel. They also have outdoor seating in front of the restaurant if you prefer a little more space. We started with Maria's Bacalhau Fritters, made with salt cod, potato, and caramelized onion. They came out crisp on the outside and tender inside with lemon on the side. We also tried one of the specials that night, the croquetes, which was a fun addition to the meal. The Summer Melon Salad was easily one of my favorites of the night. The sweetness of the melon was such a good complement to all of the savory dishes we were ordering. With hazelnuts, charred halloumi, and a basil-cilantro vinaigrette, it was refreshing without feeling like an afterthought. We also tried the Endive Salad with oranges, almonds, cheese, cilantro, and a sherry and smoked paprika vinaigrette. The Linguiça Spiced Meatballs had plenty of flavor, although the meatballs themselves were smaller than I expected when the dish arrived. The Sautéed Calamari Toast was another favorite. The squid tasted fresh, was cooked really well, and had a great texture. Between the chili oil sofrito and the charred bread underneath, the whole dish was packed with flavor. I really enjoyed trying Barra Santos this way because ordering several appetizers gave us a chance to experience a good portion of the menu. One thing worth keeping in mind is the portion size relative to the price. Most of the appetizers we ordered were around $20 or more, and the plates lean smaller, which can add up quickly when you're building an entire dinner out of them. I enjoyed what we ordered, but it's something I'd keep in mind when deciding how many dishes to get. Parking in the neighborhood can also take a little patience. I ended up finding a spot a couple of blocks away (definitely give yourself a few extra minutes rather than expecting to park right in front). I'd definitely be up for coming back and trying some of the mains next time. The Piri Piri Chicken already has my attention. read more

See all

Tbh food is very mid, I was very excited to try this but the portion sizes are extremely small. They suggest 6-7 items - 2 mains with some starters and apps combined. I really wanted to love the place, but I won't be back. There are so many similiar options that has better food options. Happy hour includes $10 margaritas and tinis, I ordered a margarita first 10/10 and then a dirty martini . We were seated close to the bar and saw my glass was set aside with olive juice and the bartender just poured the vodka over it - not shaken, disappointed because their olives were delicious; 4/10 on the tini. The fries were one of my faves other than that if YOU live nearby yeah worth it for HH but not for a 2 hr dinner. It's such a cute restaurant; great decor and vibes. Parking is a bit difficult we parked 2 blocks away. Staff was attentive, food was served quickly. Try it for yourselves see what you think ‍ read more

See all

Love portuguese food and the culture is so welcoming, the ambiance and vibe did not miss the mark at all. Not sure the ethnicity of the team but they were also very welcoming and kind. We sat at the bar and recieved great service. They also remember my brother from visiting so often. We tried the Piri Piri Chicken, it was half a chicken, perfect for sharing. The seasonal snap pea salad with tarragon and mint leaves was refreshing and a great start. They do run out of pastel de natas, I believe it was once only served on the weekend but now weekly, They offer ginja and green wine, and they def didn't forget the iconic tiles you see everywhere in portugal. Shrimp was my favorite ! read more

See all

Almost perfect. The winter melon salad and the bachalau fritters. But the chicken piri needs to be roasted more. read more

See all

came here last night and thought it was pretty delightful. I forgot to take a few pictures but overall I enjoyed my time here. I thought the service was pretty on point and they would always come around to check on us and always come over to fill our water and wine when it was empty. We ordered the special of the day steak, charred cabbage, head on prawns, starter(all four) with olives, cheese, cured meats and bread, calamari toast, and fritters and another bread dish to dip it into the prawns sauce. I would say that the fritters were a bit disappointing, it really could use an aioli sauce to go with it to really enhance this dish. It was just missing something and I think an aioli sauce could really help. My personal favorite was the calamari toast. Something about the way they cooked the calamari was really good on the taste and the how tender it was to eat. The toast soaked it in all the sauce too and I just really loved this dish. The head on prawns had a good sauce to go along with it and as recommended by the waiter that it is nice to eat bread with their sauce. Prawns were good as well. Surprisingly my 2nd favorite dish was their charred cabbage. It doesn't actually sound that special but the beans and the cabbage were really nice. I just think you have to try it as I can't even describe why it was so good to me haha. The special of the day steak was pretty good as well. If I have to complain, it be nice if they asked us how we would like it to be cooked because it did feel like it was a bit well done on our end but taste wise we thought it was good. The dessert: Didn't care for the Portuguese egg tart all but there's a very high standard for the egg tart but I did really enjoy my passion fruit sorbet that they provided and it was a huge scoop. Overall, I wouldn't mind coming back and really did enjoy my time here. read more

See all

Still a great meal and service! Parking has gotten a little tougher but not horrible. We always make a reservation even the morning of. We loved the bar area when they used to be the smaller restaurant but now that they've expanded it seems like less action on the grill. It's fine tho! Happy for their growing business! read more

Barra Santos - Prawns - Portuguese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

Been wanting to try this place for a while and I have to say the ambience did not disappoint. The art, the ceramics, the cutlery and glassware was all very appropriate and appealing... Our waitress was an extremely engaged or seemingly interested in conversing with us but I believe she made an attempt. The wine was great. I had the pet nat. Broccoli was ok but to me it wasn't very interesting. The food was mostly good although quite simple. The french fries were nothing too exciting and the chicken was fine. The olives were insanely good - seemingly very young and the Iberico ham was fantastic. I would like to try the pork sandwich next time. Oh and the desserts were phenomenal. I was shocked they didn't have a splash of milk for my espresso but according to the waitress they have no milk in house. Cute little neighborhood spot. I might go back and try some other things on the menu but not dying to return. read more

See all

What a fantastic neighborhood wine bar and restaurant! This is the kind of spot that makes me miss NYC. Excellent dishes, fantastic atmosphere, charming setting. I wish the South Bay has places like this. We came here for date night and had such a great time! Highly recommended! Make sure to order the bifana and reserve your natas! The wine list complemented their food menu very well and we capped off the night with some 20 yr old port! read more

See all

Updating my review due to Barra renovating and dropping a new menu. Already loved this joint before hand, the updates they have done are fantastic. The expanded inside is dope, they really make you feel like you aren't in LA and you are at a tapas bar in Portugal. The calamari was fantastic, the bread soaked up the sauces. I prefer grilled calamari over fried, which is what they do. The crudo is always a hitter. Head on shrimp is delicious, sauce is amazing. The peri peri sauce is not overpowering and provides a subtle kick, fries are well seasoned. Not pictured are the Negroni and the ginga. The drinks are solid. Overall a must try in LA. One of my favorite spots in LA. Servers are attentive and provide solid recommendations. Make a reservation in advance this spot is getting popular for all the right reasons. read more

See all

Stumbled upon this place by accident and was glad that I did. It seemed very busy but there was seating at the bar for my fiancé and me. The server was very knowledgeable and gave great recommendations. The food was delicious! I loved the ambiance and the vibe of the whole place - very hole in the wall, but reminds me of a restaurant I'd find in Portugal. Would definitely come back! read more

Barra Santos - Portuguese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

See all

I pass by Barra Santos all the time and finally had the chance to try it! The space has bar or outdoor patio seating, with a rustic casual feel as if you're dining at a European cafe. I love tapas, but I've never had Portuguese tapas and I'd definitely have it again! I would say there are more seafood options on the menu but they also have chicken and pork dishes. They also have an extensive wine list and my porto tonico was super refreshing! I really enjoyed the bluefin tuna crudo, so melt in your mouth, buttery and fresh. Their piri piri chicken is one of the best I've had and pairs well with their citrus endive salad. The piri piri sauce was the perfect spice and the chicken was fall off the bone good! read more

See all

Cozy casual and intimate Portuguese restaurant , with tapas and main dishes to share! The wine selection was lovely , and every dish was creative and delicious. We ordered the recommended tuna crudo (buttery, flavors of creamy and light lemon and peppercorn), prawns , endive salad and potatoes. Favs were the tuna crudo and endive salad (delightful vinaigrette with crunch of almonds and herbs), and the prawns! A small restaurant so recommend making reservations for patio, and parking is residential! Sad they were out of egg tarts , but will need to come back for lunch or order earlier on during dinner! Heard amazing things about their egg tarts. read more

See all

I came here with a group of 4 people and sat inside. It was busy inside and outside. To start we ordered the Bluefin Tuna Crudo & Scallop Crudo Special - they were both fresh/flavorful and perfect shareable starter bites. The Maria's Bacalhau Fritters are salt cod, potato & caramelized onion- they are fried crispy and come with lemon to squeeze on top. The Bifana is a pork coppa sandwich which is a decent size- big enough to share or to eat on your own. The bread was toasted and the pork was juicy. The Arroz de Pato was one of my favorites- it is made with confit duck leg, bomba rice, sofrito, chorizo & duck cracklings. The Piri Piri Chicken is confit Mary's whole leg, spicy Piri Piri sauce, & frisée- it has a crispy outside while still juicy. For sides we ordered the Honey gold potatoes & Charred sprouting Broccolini. I love a charred veggie and the potatoes with their dipping sauce is addicting. For dessert we ordered the Spiced Almond Cake & Passionfruit Sorbet + manzanilla sherry float. It was a fantastic sweet finish to the meal- light and citrusy. Parking- there's a lot across the street or street parking read more

See all

Tapas style restaurant with pretty okay food. I really wanted to love this place, but left kinda underwhelmed. The food was really just fine, but nothing that was outstanding. The location is more of an outdoor seating space with very limited indoor seats/ standing tables. We ended up in an outdoor table with a heatlamp. The tables are tiny and just barely fits 1-2ish dishes depending on what the dish size was which is kinda not great for tapas where I want to sample a number of little things all at once. The pacing of the dishes also was inconsistent, it took forever to get our entrees to the point we thought it was forgotten. The service was a bit understaffed; that or we were really poor at flagging their attention. The staff themselves were hit and miss, there were a couple of ultra friendly chill vibed ones and and another felt like she had a bad day and really maybe needed a break. I think my biggest problem were the littlest things: the damned flies. The restaurant is next to a pet store that also keeps their animals/ birds hanging out on the street. Whether the flies are related to the pet store or just... usual street flies (?) there were A LOT and we were constantly swatting away at the annoying, unsanitary buggers. read more

See all

Came for dinner with a couple of friends and had a great meal. First starting off though the service was generally really good. They asked for drinks and came by asking how things were, taking away dishes that were finished and even comped us a dessert. The food timing was a bit slow, making the meal service a bit disjointed cuz it's tapas -ish style and so you finished small dishes relatively quickly and then you have to wait for the next. That said, the food was good. Small and large dishes alike. Hits: charred cabbage, whole branzino, prawns. The commonality across these is the charred flavor and it really brought out the intensity of each dish. Others that we had were good as well but not as great: tuna crudo, sardines, and broccoli. Again they were good but didn't shine like the others. Would recommend checking it out. Grabbing a cute dinner. Also, parking was pretty simple on a Monday with street parking a couple blocks down. read more

The drinks here are amazing!!! The food is small but so tasty! I loved the tuna crudo! We did wait almost an hour for a table but the manager squeezed us in, which was very considerate! The vibes are probably the best part -- I felt like I was in Europe, tucked away in a little coastal town with great food and wine. Good for girls nights and date nights. read more

See all

Tiny little spot with a lot of outdoor seating, it's cute but not extremely comfortable. It does, however, create a pretty nice experience with great service, good music and delicious food! The menu is a Portuguese theme with spins on Portuguese classics and the dishes we tried were excellent! A number of Portuguese wines are offered, too. We had the Cheese of the Day, Bluefin Tuna Crudo, peri Peri Chicken and the Arroz de Pato (duck) we finished with a tasty almond cake, passiofruit sorbet, and a perfect madeira. Loved everything! We will definitely be back! read more

See all

Came here for an early dinner on a Friday. They seemed to have some logistical difficulty getting people seated as we waited maybe 15-20 minutes until we could get seated. Food wise we tried the Lisbon sampler, tuna crudo, bifana, peri peri chicken, and frise salad. The bifana is a can't miss, best thing we ate all night especially for the price. The chicken was also good but 30 bucks for a half is a bit steep. read more

Ambiance is super cute with mood lighting and absolutely adorable decor, and even cute tableware! The service was awesome, our wait staff answered all our questions about the menu and made great suggestions based on our table's preferences. Lastly the food was SO AMAZING! Everything was 10/10, but in my opinion, the Birfana (pork sandwich) and flatbread were my favorites. Really tempted to gatekeep this place, but that would be an injustice to the foodie community. Will be coming here again!! read more

See all

Super cute atmosphere both inside and out. There were 5 of us, we almost ordered the entire menu! ENDIVE SALAD - toasty almonds, malvarosa cheese, oranges, cilantro, sherry & smoked paprika vinaigrette - really nice and light salad, the vinaigrette was PERFECT! MARIA'S BACALHAU FRITTERS- salt cod, potato & caramelized onion - I LOVE bacalhau, these fritters were good, I could have used a good dipping sauce. HEAD ON PRAWNS - butter, cracked chile, marjoram, lime leaf - this was the BEST dish of the night, we even ordered extra bread to sop up all the sauce. BIFANA - pork sandwich, marinated w. urfa chili, paprika & coriander, piso herb sauce - in my opinion, the second best dish of the night. It was filling, really great flavors from a very simple sandwich. PIRI PIRI CHICKEN- confit whole leg, spicy piri piri sauce, frisée - I wasn't super impressed with this particular dish, it didn't stand out as good as it sounded. HONEY GOLD POTATOES- lemon parsley aioli, crunchy salt - these came to the table a little later in the line up. They were crunchy and soft all at the same time. I would probably have enjoyed it more if I had a bite of this with every other dish wee ordered. SPICED ALMOND CAKE - citrus zest, crème fraîche - great dessert to follow the meal. It was a very light cake, the crème fraiche added good moisture to the dessert. PASSIONFRUIT SORBET - I enjoyed this but I love passion fruit. Parking is across the street in the after hours otherwise, you have a fair shot at finding street parking. read more

See all

Great food, great staff, great place, and great vibes. Chicken is a MUST (just TRUST because I did from a reviewer and wow Im a fan), calamari is a must, almond cake is definitely a must as well. and don't forget the Porto Tonico! Overall, I think this is the best place for some juicy tender chicken in LA. read more

Barra Santos - chicken - Portuguese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Stopping by all the local spots in my new hood. Curated craft food may come at a price but it's worth the refreshing tastes. Service is friendly, casual, and attentiveness is not overlooked. Vibey spot tucked away in the folds of the park neighborhoods. On par with the niche, exquisite flavors. read more

See all

The food here is good. The only thing is the service. It's not that it's bad but it's pretty standard. They add a 4% fee so they can pay their staff fair wages while simultaneously charging $98 for steak. Laughable. On top of that their minimum tip percentage is 20%. With the two fees totaling above 24% for service you'd figure they'd go above and beyond. Nope just standard. When I asked for a to go container they just handed it to me. LMAO. The menu prices are comparable to Camphor, and they have a star. The atmosphere is dark and loud, and the staff seem frantic cause they look short staffed. I'm sure it's by design to maximize profits. I would say this is a good place to drink. read more

Very hipster conept in NELA. You're really here to enjoy some light food and maybe a glass of wine. I've never had branzino until I came here and it was so good that I had to learn how to make it on my own. Parking is really bad considering how there's no lot and you might have to park all the way up the street or a few blocks away in residential. The wait can be a bit crazy considering. However, the service was pretty good once you've already been seated. Ambiance is preferred indoors. Outdoor seating is chill on a summer evening, but I still prefer indoor seating. read more

Loved this spot the first time that I returned again with girlfriends for a light bite in the evening at the bar and it still was a wonderful experience! First time was packed, but lively in the daytime but even though the evening was slower, still chilled out with some excellent service at the bar as well as wine suggestions. Definitely recommended a half(?) carafe if you're going to get two glasses of the same wine! First and foremost comes the food however! The octopus was crisp but still tender and came with the most delicious romesco. The charred cabbage is a cult favorite for a reason! We already enjoy cabbage but the creamy beans with ham bits basically tasted like a luxurious mashed potato. Then, of course some potatoes to fill us up for the rest of our wine night! The dishes were bigger than I expected actually and quite filling. I'll always recommend Barra Santos for a good time (and good Portuguese/Euro style fare) and will be back! read more

Another jewel, a Portuguese one, in the close neighbourhood, not a free walk-in but due to its success requiring a reservation. The evening was warm and the outdoor seating perfect. The staff was wonderful and made very valuable recommendations. The cheese with bread was a great starter, followed by tuna crudo, persimmon and fennel salad, a tender branzino, marble potatoes and charred broccoli. Obviously we could not resist the pastel de nata for dessert. read more

See all

A small place in Cypress Park Got there and definitely the service is not the greatest but we were there for the food since it's a restaurant that multiple colleagues have recommended I love the ambience it's small, cozy and have that look of a small restaurant from overseas The cooks are more welcoming and friendly than the front of the house and that win me again We got to try multiple dishes and see what this beautiful place was about. Food is good,product quality excellent, flavor is there The only thing I wouldn't pay is $25 for an 1/6 of cabbage Other than that i would go back if I'm in the area again read more

See all

A tiny Portuguese restaurant in cypress park owned by a really nice guy, Mike Santos. Now it is small, but it is great. It is always super clean and they have great Portuguese food. We just love it. Whenever we are near there we stop for dinner. You can make reservations or just walk in. It is not usually too long a wait. There is a lot of comfortable outdoor seating which is great. They play great music and now and again they have live music. Their bread is the best. I could just have that and be happy, but I always get their pork because it is just perfect. Start with their WEISER FARMS SUGAR CUBE MELON. It is so tasty. Their ARROZ DE PATO CONFIT DUCK LEG, with BOMBA RICE, SOFRITO, CHORIZO, and DUCK CRACKLINGS are so good and they give you a large portion. You can share or take extra home. Their SUMMER EGGPLANT, with SCALLOP VINAIGRETTE, AGED CHEESE and PEPITAS, SUNGOLD TOMATO is so good. There is nothing you will not like. They have nice selection of beer and port as well. Have fun. read more

Our group of 5 had a reservation with this restaurant for a few weeks. We originally had a party of 6, but the restaurant was accommodating when we didn't have one person come. The servers were friendly and welcoming. Our orders quickly went out and they were constantly checking in to remove used plates/cutlery because our table was smaller. We ordered pretty much everything on the menu besides the prawns, branzino, and calamari. Everything was delicious but we really liked the Asian pear salad, endive salad, and the charred cabbage. The pork sandwich was very good too. Everything was pretty reasonable and we were all happy with the experience. Would definitely come back! read more

See all

The food was incredibly tasty, and the service provided by our server was superbly friendly. Additionally, the place has a very cozy and charming setting, making it a must-visit for different culinary experiences!! read more

See all

Tapas on tapas. This place is so delish. The cocktails were a perfect pair. I will definitely be coming back! read more

See all

A fun addition to my old neighborhood of Cypress Park... Born and bred in the barrio but travel to 6 continents and over 50 countries makes me yearn for my overseas travels... Barra Santos fills that wanderlust need and the good does not disappoint. They have taken over the next door business and have more space but I prefer the bar top. The Portuguese influence is very evident and does reflect in the food and wine list. Definitely worth a visit if you are missing the small neighborhood spots you can find in Spain and Portugal.. I will be back... read more

One of if not my favorite restaurant in LA. Solid. Intimate. Get the tuna, endive salad and piri piri. Always have off menu specials always hits. I'm a fan of chef Melissa! read more

WOW! Barra Santos was the highlight of my weekend. The al fresco dining experience was perfect. The service was kind and attentive. You order the food all at once & they space it out accordingly however we never once felt rushed which was great. Every dish was delicious. My favorite was the tuna, the piri piri chicken and the shrimp. The chicken was so tender it fell off the bone. We tried the house wine, both red & white and they paired well with all plates. The almond cake was a great dessert and not too sweet. Would love to dine inside next time. Also highly recommend making reservations. Can't wait to come back. read more

See all

Had the opportunity to enjoy this lovely portugués restaurant. Everything was lovely. I enjoyed a Porto,gin and tonic refresher, The Lisbon special which consist of bread and cheese, Serrano ham, chorizo ibérico and olives. Of course you can go wrong with a side of French fries well seasoned. Definitely coming back read more

See all

Omg where to start! We tried a lot. Olives: get them! So tasty with a background flavor of orange. Salad: so fresh, the most interesting mix of flavors but so delicious! Calamari: must get! The breading and flavor is amazing- the sauces chefs kiss. Ahi Ceviche: OUT of this world. So good, so fresh. So buttery. Wow! Must get. The citrus. Everything. Piri piri: it's like a bigger chicken with hot sauce/buffalo sauce mix type of flavor (peri peri) and amazing dish it can be shared or for one person. Amazing flavors amazing vibe! Such a cute little bar with ledges to grab a drink. Perfect spot for a little date night or to grab a drink with a friend. read more

See all

4++ small cafe in Cypress park that specializes in Portuguese food. They serve their food by shareable small plates or tapas style (?). Because of this, I think this place is best when going in small groups and obviously with at least another person so you can try more things on the menu. The menu feels pretty streamlined, but definitely a lot of delicious sounding options available. There were specials as well that weren't on the printed menu. The service was very friendly and helpful when we were deciding what we wanted. A group of four of us came here before heading to a concert nearby. It was perfect since we could order slowly and not get super full then having to stand for hours. We ordered: - Braised endive hearts - Honey gold potatoes, lemon parsley aioli, crunchy salt - Maria's bacalhau fritters - Broiled prawn heads in butter - Bluefin tuna crudo - Endive salad - Whole branzino I think we ordered well, because I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. Lots of great flavors and textures. I was surprised at how much I loved the endive salad. Just a great meal all around. Street parking felt plentiful around the area in that neighborhood. read more

See all

Came in around 8:30pm on a Saturday night and scored a couple seats at the bar within 10 minutes. The food was even better (if that's possible?!) than my last visit! We LOVED the bluefin tuna crudo, scallop crudo, and duck rice. The potatoes are so simple and good. The prawns are packed with flavor. And the octopus was perfectly cooked. Even their salad is delicious! read more

See all

Great appetizers, fine bar with drinks , patio and indoor seating, cool sounds/music. The people are very personable. We enjoyed the service and happy to have came here for this special day read more

Barra Santos - Cocktails etc... - Portuguese Near Me - Los Angeles, California