This might be my new favorite place. My friend brought me here for an early weeknight dinner. First of all, the flaming margaritas are so fun. They have a lot of flavors and you can choose if you want it frozen or on the rocks. Both come on fire!! You can easily blow it out like a birthday candle. Get your cameras ready. I had the veggie enchiladas which were perfect. It says sour cream on the side but I don't like sour cream at all so I told them to hold it and it appeared without sour cream. Perfect. Rice and beans came with the enchiladas and the plate was a good blend of everything. I loved the atmosphere from the moment we walked in. Our eyes had to adjust to how dark it was compared to the sun outside. They had live mariachi. There is a sign that says they don't allow the check to be split so be prepared for that. read more

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This is the second time I've been there. And the food was the same quality as the first time. Excellent excellent excellent! It's really hard to find a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles. NOT! If you trip, you will fall over an excellent Mexican restaurant without trying. So for me to give a Mexican restaurant this mini stars means that it's exceptional. And I can tell you that when I walked in at 3:30 the place was packed. There were no inside tables at all we were relegated to the patio because that's the only place to sit. Even the bar was full. El compadre reminds me of an old Vegas casino. When you walk in, you have no idea what time of day it is. It is a classic dark, red booth environment that only a good restaurant can get away with. Most of the patrons look like they've been coming there forever, which tells you that it's a favorite for people in the neighborhood. But the reason they keep coming back is because of the food and the service. The minute you sit down, they bring you a bowl full of chips and salsa. You have to try one of their flaming margaritas which they're known for. How I judge every single Mexican restaurant is by their fajitas. And not just any fajitas shrimp fajitas. That is my favorite dish. In order for me to give a restaurant five stars the shrimp has to be fresh with that snap that only good fresh shrimp has. The vegetables have to be firm but flavorful and the meal has to come piping hot. El compadre scored well on all of those points. If you order the shrimp cocktail, you need to understand that that will be your meal. Because they're huge. Chalk full of avocado and shrimp. It's more like a ceviche than a shrimp cocktail. It's delicious. The staff is wonderful and very attentive. I cannot encourage you enough to go there. It's wonderful. read more

El Compadre - Jumbo Shrimp Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Chaz was a doll! Very tentative, intentional, and a very clean type of person. Hot sauce was mf fire! Tortilla soup was the BEST soup I have ever ate! 10 of 10! Hope this tender of the bar gets a raise! I wish you all the health and the wealth! Love from San Diego! -Richelle read more

Average experience for lunch; not the best and not the worst. Service was fine and our waiter checked on us often. I ordered the two crispy taco combo and my husband ordered their chicken burrito. We enjoyed our food, but it just felt very average. Their chips and salsa are good as is their guacamole. I'm happy to have them in the neighborhood, but I don't see the value in coming back again anytime soon. read more

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Both the food and service were equally bad. Our waiter mentioned multiple times that he was counting down the minutes until closing, which made us feel unwelcome throughout the meal. Unfortunately, the food didn't make up for the experience. The chips arrived cold and stale, and the entrees were cold and lacking any flavor or authenticity. The restaurant has a cool atmosphere, but beyond the vibe, the experience fell short. Luckily LA has plenty of other great Mexican restaurants. read more

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Didn't take pics because I was here with clients. They requested classic Mexican food. The food was amazing! I got the steak flautas delish! We also had the guacamole (spicy), steak fajita & the enchiladas. Everything was great. We were sat right in front of the entertainment, they had a 3 person band, not loud at all it was a great vibe. But the service was impecable! Our server Jose & Mario our busser were tentative & checked in to make sure everything was going well. read more

I watched the USA vs Turkey game here and it was very lively. Lots of space and TVs. My friend and I had dinner as well. We're a big fan of the free chips and salsa. Service was attentive and the food came out within a reasonable amount of time. I need to come back and try the fajitas but they smelled and looked divine from what I could tell. read more

Food Service Atmosphere Rough night and all I could think about was a bomb Albóndigas soup. This spot never disappoints. The soup tasted a little different this time (almost like a minestrone vibe), but still bmb. Shoutout to the bartender; super friendly, easy on the eyes, and great service. I originally tried to order takeout online but the soup wasn't listed, so I just went in. Sat at the bar, ordered my food, had a recommended tequila, and it completely fixed my day. Saludos read more

El Compadre - Street view near restaurant entrance - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Yesterday, I had the privilege of lunching at this location while watching the Mexico/UK soccer match. The drinks were fun and the food was fantastic. I love their ceviche especially. We had a wonderful experience on the back patio where the service was exceptional. The ambiance was classic Mexican read more

Est. 1975- What is there for me to say - everything that can be said about El Compadre, has been said. For 50 years, It has been one LA's favorite Mexican restaurants. A favorite for its design, its location, its clientele and its food. If it's good enough for Bosch, it's good enough for me. El Compadre's 'Old World Hacienda' feel is a major part of its charm. The lively atmosphere, often includes live music. It's an easy spot to drink too much, stuff yourself with chips & salsa, and lose hours of the afternoon and evening. What's not to like! On this particular visit, we had the Chili Colorado, the #18 (Beef Tamale and Beef Enchilada), a couple of Crunchy Tacos, Bloody Mary's, and some flaming Margaritas. It's all good. El Compadre is not just about the menu, it's about the experience. I hope this family owned and operated Hollywood Gem, never looses its charm. If you haven't been to El Compadre, then you haven't fully experienced LA restaurant culture. read more

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Great authentic. Mexican food. The albondigas soup tastes like your grandmas homemade recipe. Andrew the server was friendly, helpful and cordial. Had a great smile, attitude and we appreciated his outstanding service. The margaritas were great also. read more

El Compadre - Flamin margarita - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The fat old hostess lady was so rude. Shaped like that she should've been nicer. Assumed that we didn't speak English and told us to leave the table another host sat us at. read more

Our server Jacob was amazing! Very friendly and kind! Very quick, and efficient! Definitely will be coming back here again.

Stopped in to snack on appetizers with a large group of colleagues after a weekend workshop nearby. It took a while for them to open the outdoor back patio for us, but the atmosphere was nice, especially as the sun started to set and the string lights turned on. The food and service was mediocre unfortunately: servers are overworked and plates are greasy with too much cheese on everything, but you may spot a celebrity or two sneak in through the back door like we did during our visit. I was told the cocktails were nicely balanced and not too strong. *Delayed post from May '25 read more

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First time here. Walking in it is dark coming in from the bright sunlight. One my eyed adjusted, it was a nice hacienda decor. We quickly ordered. I got theeEl Grande combo. It came out fairly quickly. All was fine except the taco was cold. Not just the lettuce, but also the meat! My friends was the same. We told the waiter and he promptly got it corrected. The food itself was a notch above what I was expecting. I was expecting average but it was good. The portions were generous as well. I'll probably cone back again one day. I hope next time it will impress me more. read more

El Compadre - El Grande Combo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A Fiery, Flavorful Time at El Compadre! We had such a great time again at El Compadre Hollywood! The food lineup was amazing--starting with the Chicken Quesadilla Guacamole (yes, it's as good as it sounds), followed by Enchiladas de Mole, Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo, Two Crispy Tacos, and Enchiladas de Queso. Every bite hit the spot. The real showstopper? The flaming margaritas! Literally on fire--and totally unforgettable. We love that this place sticks to its roots with authentic Mexican dishes (not Tex-Mex!), which we've really been craving. It's been around since 1975 and has such a cool, old-school vibe--plus it's just 10 minutes from the Walk of Fame. We even made the trip from Newport just to mix things up--and it was so worth it. Highly recommend for anyone looking for solid food, a bit of history, and a fiery drink or two! IG: @thefoodie.99 El Compadre Hollywood 7408 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046 (323) 874-7924 read more

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As a native that used to come to this restaurant with my WHITE-mother...I'm done. This establishment has too many racist employees and I don't even have the energy or wherewithal to reiterate the traumatic experience from last night and their clueless and rude host & waiters. This is Los Angeles and there are too many OTHER MEXICAN SPOTS to keep giving El Compadre my money. Adios management here couldn't care less and I should've been done a long time ago. LAUGHABLE read more

In the conversation for best 'wet burrito' . À very good deal at $17 in 2026z here is what you receive: Side grilled tortilla chips, salsa and small serve Guac . I ordered the steak wet burrito soaked in both red and green sauce. Might be viewed as atypical, but the river of flavors blended quite well. The green river had a more citrus taste, while the red was more tomato spiced. Floating in the river I believe were pieces of queso fresco Mexican cheese. À nice touch that really worked. The we burrito itself was hearty , the meat spiced and almost cut thick like stew shaped. Wasn't expecting that. Burrito held all the contents incredibly well. Slathering the red/green sauce energized my taste buds and I enjoyed this meal a lot. Woukd definitely come back to try the chicken fajitas when my appetite is larger ! read more

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My husband and I love the food here. We've never had a bad dish. With that being said...I would have loved to give 5 stars, however each time we have eaten here the food always comes out luke warm. Delicious but not hot. The service is always 10/10! In fact, when we mentioned that the food wasn't hot our server happily took it back to heat it up. Next time we'll just ask to make sure the food comes out hot. The ambiance is classic old school Mexican Restaurant. Super dark inside. Parking as mentioned in all the other posts are either the street or a couple in the back. read more

El Compadre - Shrimp soft taco a la carte with flour tortillas. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It's Hollywood - there's no parking. Maybe five spaces in the back, but I couldn't tell. We got stuck between a car backing up towards us and a car blocking the alley in front of us. Recommend using public parking nearby if you can find it. We were fairly early on a Saturday (5:30) and it was fairly busy. We were seated pretty quickly though. Corner booth in the very back of the restaurant. Service was horrible. Unacceptably bad. But several of my friends had been here before and said it hadn't happened before. The food was decent. The flaming drinks are fun. read more

El Compadre - Flaming something or other - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A fun good old fashioned Mexican restaurant with large flaming margaritas. I got the steak picado, a classic favorite of mine, and it was done really well with lots of flavor to the sauce. Will definitely be stopping in again. read more

El Compadre - Steak Picado Michoacan Style - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Delicious food! Favorites are their enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos. Friendly and great service, highly recommend!

The ambiance and the service were good, but not great! The drinks were done right and were really good! However, the food was not the best!! I had the chicken molé with rice and beans! I was not impressed! The beans tasted like they were really processed, the rice was too bland without any flavor! They missed the mark here! read more

The food had good flavor but was cold. The chips and salsa were the best part of the meal. The service was great but the restaurant was so load it was hard to even have a conversation at our table. read more

El Compadre - Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Across the street from The Guitar Store on Sunset. A few handicapped and a few spots behind the building, otherwise all street parking. We had a party of 15. The server was not happy with the large party. That was a downer. The flaming margarita was cool visual. It's the lemon that's on fire. The drink was good. I had a virgin margarita and it was very refreshing. Very impressed the food came out so fast for our party of 15. The beef tongue was super tender, not gamy, very flavorful. Some of the food was a bit overpriced. Beautiful space, I think I even saw an CW actor. read more

El Compadre - Beef tongue in Spanish sauce - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Horrible experience. Waited for 20 minutes could not even get a menu! Waitress kept looking at us, but never even acknowledged us. No drinks, no nothing. We got up to leave and nothing was said. Will never go back. This was at the new place in Hildebran that just opened. I could understand if they were busy, but only 4 other tables being used. read more

We had a yunmmy lunch with excellent margaritas on El Comadre's beautiful patio. Service with Chaz was great too! Portions are generous and prices are reasonable for this economy. If you have not yet experienced El Compodre I highly recommend that you try it. read more

I love El Compadre! Family was in town and the first night they got in we went here as a "Welcome to LA" dinner to set the vibe for the trip. It was amazing. Service is great, margaritas are amazing, the booth for 7 people was such a nice experience and the food was really delicious - it's always consistent. We went on Sunday when they have mariachis, extra fun. They're there at least twice a week. Chips and salsa come for free and it's one of my favorite salsas in town. Plus, the guac and queso were amazing. The portions they serve are really big, so some people shared a dish, but most just had great leftovers. Everyone loved the ambiance, music, food, service. It's a great place to celebrate. read more

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Hostess was completely rude. When I asked for table for one she rolled her eyes. "I don't have anything". Not worth it

A Hollywood classic!! If you like authentic Mexican food, great ambiance, and good margaritas, you have to try El Compadre Hollywood! It's our favorite spot to meet for dinner. I am high maintenance lol, so I order my margaritas with grey goose vodka instead of tequila. Our server didn't even flinch, just kept taking our orders. He was great! The food was delicious as always. I had two beef tamales with rice and beans, amazing. They have even added a little patio in the back. I will continue to come here every time I'm in LA! read more

El Compadre - Here we all are, after enjoying our delicious meal! We love it here so much. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came in on a weeknight and waited around 10 minutes for a table. Servers were nice and friendly and attentive as well. The decor inside is really nice and there's quite a lot of space inside. Their menu is huge so there's lots of options to choose from. The tacos and enchiladas were really tasty. The portions are pretty big too so I'd say the prices are very reasonable. Good options for drinks as well. read more

El Compadre - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Well damn. If you look at my profile, I'm not a negative reviewer. In fact, I usually don't say anything if I don't like a place. However, El Compadre was such a disappointment, I'd be remiss if I don't point this out to the restaurant. And direct people in the neighborhood away from it and on to Toi or Electric Owl which are both great. I was pretty excited to go back to El Compadre. It's been around forever and I remember it being a regular spot in my 20's. I had directed a show in the neighborhood and first tried going on Friday night with my cast for drinks while we waited on our turn at the theatre. We were told we couldn't get a table for just drinks and the bar was crowded so we made our way back to Electric Owl. They were pretty brusque, but I figured they were busy. Then I had arranged dinner with friends there pre-show on Saturday. I arrived early at 4:30 because I wanted to write thank you cards before my friends showed at 5. I figured a margarita would be a nice way to get the ole penmanship going. The restaurant was fairly empty with plenty of open tables. I asked for a table for 3. She told me I couldn't be seated until my whole party arrived. I explained that I wanted to write some cards real quick before they arrived which would be in 20 minutes. She flat out told me no. Not apologetic. Not friendly. Zero warmth. It made me feel like I wasn't cool enough to be seated there. I turned around and walked out and went back to Electric Owl. Redirected my friends there. No way was I spending my $, in this economy, with a place that doesn't value its customers one bit. Oh did I mention the waiter who came up behind me while I was walking to the hostess stand and told me to move out of his way? What the hell El Compadre? You were a nostalgic memory and now you are just a place I will redirect my friends in their 20s away from. The extra star? That was a thank you from my 20's. read more

I went here last night with my Foodie Road Dog ... we sat at the bar and I ordered the beef fajitas and a Cadillac Margarita ....the fajitas sucked because they were salty and overcooked .... strips felt like rubber .....my drink tasted awful too ....no balance in the flavor .....sorry but I will not come back to this place read more

So disappointed. Food cold and tasteless and wait time to have a waiter to even take our drink order was ridiculous. We usually love this place but will not be returning anytime soon. The only thing that was decent was the churros with ice cream! Too many other great Mexican restaurants that have great food!!! read more

Service. Phucking. SUCKS. Very rude waiter - I went with my wife and the waiter tried rushing us out after an hour, came by several times requesting payment, and literally tapped the receipt on the table saying that theres tables waiting. WILL NEVER RETURN HERE. not an isolated incident either as the first time we went we waited 20 minutes before the waiter returned to take our order. PHUCK THIS PLACE. read more

Unfortunately, I have to write this review as this is the last time I will be frequenting this establishment. After almost 10 years of coming here and getting the same entree. I've always gotten the burrito with chicken and steak. I was informed by the waiter that they could not do a chicken and steak burrito. The irony of this is that I recently came and got my exact order with no problems. I literally had to remind the waiter (Andrew) about customer service and that as a server they should ask these questions to management before responding No. Especially if it is an entree that I in fact have gotten for almost 10 years here at their establishment. First it went from they don't offer that and then the story changed to the new Chef won't allow that. Pick a story! Every other Mexican restaurant, Javier's, El Coyote and even CHIPOTLE can prepare a chicken and steak burrito! I asked him to speak with his manager. The GM, Violet, came to my table and said they can't prepare a burrito with both and that i should never compare restaurants. I kindly reminded her that she doesn't get to tell me what sentiments I get to express. Terrible service and I'll make sure that me and ALL of my colleagues (American Medical Association) never frequent this place AGAIN! I'd give 0 stars to this place if I could. This place has gone to trash. BEWARE and STAY AWAY-- spend your money at places that actually want to cater to customers. Too bad your restaurant is culinarily incompetent and remedial and can't make one of the most basic Mexican dish requests. EVERYONE DONT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT. Go to a better restaurant. At this point even Chipotle is more superior to El Compadre! read more

El Compadre - THIS IS WHAT A CHICKEN AND STEAK BURRITO LOOKS LIKE FROM JAVIERS. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

It's gone downhill. Greasy chips... chewy, inedible carne asada in the taco... and an overcooked, crispy churro dessert! I loved this place back in the day, but Meh. Pass. read more

Stopped by pretty late on a Monday and was still able to get a seat, which was nice. They had live music going, though it ended shortly after I arrived. The staff was friendly and attentive--they even let me sample the mole before I ordered. This isn't your traditional Mexican cuisine; it leans more toward Tex-Mex, or what I like to call "sloppy Mexican." The food overall had great flavor, though I wouldn't recommend the mole--it tasted a bit watered down. Aside from that, it's a solid spot, and I'll definitely be back. read more

El Compadre - 2 3. Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Haven't been here like in 20 yrs! Stopped by on Friday with a friend because she wanted a Margarita $20!!! She said it was the best Margarita she ever had. It better be for that price. We ate chips and salsa while waiting for our food which took a good 45 min .. Our food was delicious definitely worth the wait. Their prices are on the high side but once in a while if you want to eat good Mexican food i recommend going to El Compadre. Decor is beautiful, nice vibe and ambience the only draw back is the parking depending on what time you go. read more

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I popped in here for a quick dinner before a nearby appointment. I ordered chicken tacos and the were fine, but definitely lacking in some flavor and the tortillas were a bit dry. Customer service was pretty good and the bartender was very friendly and offered me a water while I waited for my food even though I wasn't drinking. It's very dark inside so it took my eyes a while to adjust after walking inside from a bright day outside. The booths/general aesthetic is cute but the floors looked like they could use a deep clean. read more

El Compadre - Inside seating - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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