Amazing authentic texmex spot, food was absolutely incredible with the brisket and chicken really standing out. The veg option (taco) was also incredible. Seriously some of the nicest people I've met in restaurants, Derek and Jake in particular were so kind, helpful and gave amazing recommendations, will be back. read more

Came here tonight with my friend for the first time. Live music outside, World Cup inside. Got a brisket taco, we split the queso dip. That taco was the bomb, so tasty. I like that the menu is simple, easy to order from. I like the community tables. Next time outdoor dining. My lemonade was just what I wanted after a hard day at work. read more

I tried them at an event and fell in love with their chicken tacos!! The team was very nice as we got served!! Can't wait to go to the restaurant read more

I love this place. The food is really good, the staff is super friendly, it's clean, there's plenty of seating, and parking is easy (street parking out front and more in the back). If you get there before 10am they have free coffee, which is a nice perk. A lot of the menu is pretty cheese heavy, so I usually build my own bowl with egg, a protein and a couple things on top. When they make it right, it's great. My issue is the to-go orders. More often than not something is wrong with mine. I've gotten cheese when I specifically asked for no cheese, and this week I paid for avocado two days in a row and got no avocado either time. It's only Tuesday. At this point I have to open my whole order and check it before I leave, and I shouldn't have to do that. I'll keep coming back because the food is that good, but please tighten up the order accuracy. That's the only thing keeping this from 5 stars. read more

Went here with my family for a Father's Day breakfast. Great service from a happy and friendly staff. Very eclectic taco menu with something for everyone. Loved the Trinity and Guadalupe - full flavored and delicious! A family, friendly, and pet friendly location on Ventura Boulevard. read more

With parking in the back and plenty of space there is no reason not to come here. The food was so delicious and the staff like Jake taking your order was so nice. Free refills on the ice tea too. My only complaint was the food was so good I wanted to eat more!! Ambiance was great I watched Portugal score while enjoying my taco. read more

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This local breakfast/brunch spot is great in this neighborhood. Easily walkable and they have inside and outside seating. The friendly staff greets the patrons as they enter the restaurant. They will help you order your food when you step up to the counter. After you pay, they will bring your food to you and offer to refill your beverage. The service was excellent and the food was very good. I even noticed when their frequent customers entered, they really seemed happy to see them. The breakfast tacos were very good and not as small as you think they would be for the inexpensive price. I loved their salsas too that can be used to dip the tacos into. read more

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Visited HomeState for the first time last weekend with some friends for breakfast. Loved that there's a good amount of seating (both inside and outside), and the decor is homey (and the Texas touches are very nice). The food was solid, albeit a little overpriced for the serving size (though that seems to be nearly all LA restaurants these days). And the service was fair -- from the time we ordered to the time we got our tacos was about 12 minutes. I don't think I'll rush back to HomeState, but I won't avoid it either -- not a bad spot to get a breakfast taco. read more

HomeState - Trinity taco (fork for size comparison) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Finally open!! I've been to other locations of homestate & super excited a location finally opened up closer! They have great texian tacos that I enjoy even with flour tortillas! Bfast tacos: Guadalupe tac & Trinity taco - both enjoyable breakfast tacos, has the egg that is filling ground beef taco - incredibly tasty!!! This honestly was my favorite one out of all of the tacos Vaquero taco- loved the brisket, really enjoyable & juicy! Not dry at all. Enjoyed the picketed veggies also Overall great place to grab a bit with friends & a drink. They have NA options as well as margs. Lots of seating inside & outside The service was fast & servers brought food to you, but remember to clean up after yourself! Ambiance is lively & attracts a younger crowd! read more

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As someone from Texas, I was really happy to finally visit HomeState in Santa Monica off Wilshire. This was my first time, and it definitely lived up to what I was hoping for. Service was amazing as they were able to accommodate my colleagues during our break. I ordered two tacos. The Vaquero with brisket, pickled jalapeños, onions, cilantro, and lime was simple and done right. The Fort Worth by Leon Bridges taco with chicken, bacon, pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, lettuce, and tomatillo ranch had a little heat and a lot of flavor. Both were really good. The main reason I've been wanting to come here though was the loaded queso, and it did not disappoint. After living in L.A. and going to plenty of Mexican spots, it has been surprisingly hard to find chips and queso, especially loaded queso. This hit the spot and honestly felt like a little piece of home. If you're from the great state of Texas and missing those familiar flavors, HomeState is definitely worth a visit. read more

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This is my first time at HomeState, and I'm glad I finally got the chance to try it. HomeState serves Tex-Mex style food. I really like the open space with communal picnic tables inside, and there are several bar seats for solo diners. The patio area is great, too. This would be a good place to relax with cocktails after work with friends. As for the food, I was a bit indecisive about what to order, so I went with two tacos because I was planning on having a donut for dessert nearby. Keep in mind, these tacos are different from street tacos, but they are also pricey. I ordered the Trinity ($5.50) for a breakfast taco and the Tijuana Panthers ($7.00). I got both on flour tortillas because I read online that they are known for them. Trying one from the breakfast menu and one from regular menu allowed me to sample each. The Trinity taco was pretty good, with fluffy scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, making it a solid breakfast taco. I preferred the Tijuana Panthers taco, which had tender brisket, queso, pico de gallo, and crispy potatoes. The pico de gallo and queso complemented the brisket well. However, the potatoes were a bit sad and soggy, which was disappointing. I actually thought they were browned apple slices at first! This is a new location, so hopefully, they can resolve this issue. When I asked for recommendations, the staff member suggested a brisket one, but I went with the Tijuana Panther because it offered better value with all the toppings. Overall, the tacos were on the expensive side, but they didn't really wow me. The brisket was quite good, but $7 for a taco is quite steep even in Santa Monica. That's my two cents! read more

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Great food, reasonable prices, and exceptional service. Have loved coming here since it opened for breakfast or a quick bite to eat. Breakfast tacos are solid; migas are tasty, but a little on the heavier side and personally I prefer sharing them; and the Ranch Salad is a sleeper hit for me! The prices are very fair and portions generous for what you get. I'm really impressed by the service. Everyone is extremely nice and thoughtful about everything, up to giving extra sauce with take out containers. It's surprising to see a fast casual restaurant emanate the warmth of a family-run restaurant, and it's part of the reason I keep coming back! read more

I've been a regular at their Sherman Oaks location ever since they opened across the street from me, so I was excited to check out their new Santa Monica spot while I was in the area. Right away, I noticed this location is way more spacious, which made it easy to find a seat . As usual, the service was super friendly and efficient. Everyone was welcoming and the food came out quickly and was all warm and tasty! I ordered a few of my favorites: *Brazos (veg)-black beans and Monterey Jack *Chicken-spicy chicken, guac, and cabbage *Blanco (veg)-egg whites, mushrooms, and Monterey Jack *Crispy Potatoes *Chips and Guac *Cookie Milk Iced Coffee-chocolate chip cookie steeped oat milk and iced coffee *Hibiscus Limeade-steeped hibiscus flowers, fresh lime juice, agave The only downside is the parking situation as it is mostly metered or pay lots nearby. I don't love paying for parking, so I found a free spot about a 10-minute walk away. Not ideal, but worth it. Overall, great experience. read more

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HomeState may be Tex-Mex, but the vibe is pure California. Light wood, black iron trim, and an absolutely gorgeous patio--heated, covered, and shielded from street noise so you can actually relax and hear the people you're with. Walking inside, I was genuinely gobsmacked by the size and warmth of the space. Community tables so big they reminded me of the Last Supper--built for laughter, sharing food, and lingering way longer than planned. I was immediately greeted with a warm, friendly hello by the male cashier. I asked (half-jokingly) if they used seed oils in the flour--because this isn't Texas, after all. He laughed and said, "Let me ask my manager." Stephanie came over and was fantastic. She explained that the flour tortillas are made simply and cleanly: flour, butter, water, and a touch of baking soda. That's it. I bought a bag on the spot. Food order: * 2 brisket tacos * 2 ground beef tacos (modified, no cheese--no problem at all) * Chips and guac Everything was insanely good. The ground beef was deeply flavorful and comforting, and the brisket was tender, rich, and basically hijacked my taste buds--pure happiness with a dopamine rush to match. The guac was fresh and perfectly balanced, and the chips were addictive in the way only good chips are. Between the communal tables, the welcoming staff, and food that feels both nostalgic and elevated, this place nails the feeling of family dinners and shared laughter. High-quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and a space that actually makes you want to stay. Tex-Mex heart. California soul. I'll be back--often. read more

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Driving by, we were so surprised to see a new HomeState location! We quickly pulled over and decided to stop for breakfast tacos on a Saturday morning around 9:30am. We found out that the location had only opened this past Tuesday - such a pleasant surprise! The building was spacious and clean, with a lot of staff working. The tacos were delicious as always. They weren't consistent in their temperature (one was room temperature while one was hot) and one was overstuffed and falling everywhere. Regardless, I highly recommend this new HomeState location! read more

HomeState - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Absolutely fantastic! Where to start... every single person working there was so lovely! There's lots of parking out back. The inside is spotless and the thick wooden tables... well I love them Now, let's get to the food! Holy moly! The Queso is delicious. They have so many great options. They have a Frito Chili Pie Bag! Omg! I haven't had one of those since I lived in Dallas. And I've never had one as good as their's here. The prices are very reasonable. It was a great experience and I highly recommend it! read more

HomeState - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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BEST BREAKFAST TACOS EVER! Try the Trinity which is eggs, bacon, cheese, and potato. Second-in-command is the Pecos, which is a very generous portion of brisket and egg as well.. Full disclosure (cuz that's how I roll) they are rather rich and a little heavy on the butter and salt but they will HAPPILY modify it for you so that's a super easy fix. The portions are very nice and the prices are fair too. There's also easy parking in back and even though I'm not a drinker I bet the margaritas here are great and they also have DJs once a week and the staff is very very friendly as well. . Seriously these are really great tacos! read more

Great good for decent prices. Tried one of each taco and none of them were disappointing. Staff were quick and responsive and the restaurant has a cool atmosphere. read more

Awesome food and great vibes! This place is spacious and has many options including drinks.

Food is good but takes wayyyy to long to get your food and pick up orders. Sometimes 20 min

there are some parking spots in the back! inside is spacious and has a cool western interior. staff here are all very nice and attentive. they're consistently cleaning and even made sure we were enjoying our food! got an array of tacos. my favorite was the blanco! the mushrooms really do add a great texture and touch. loved their salsas they provide, so fresh and flavorful. trinity was perfect, bacon slightly too salty but the eggs were the star. guadalupe wasn't my fav but still good nonetheless. potatoes and queso were good and the fritos with beef were loaded with flavor! read more

HomeState - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The food is fine, it's nothing special but you get what the label says and it's not like they're trying to sell you on anything extraordinary. All aspects of the two tacos I got were quite salty, meat leans dry but not offensively so, and all the toppings are fine in a standardized way. The website for this place has a strangely long spiel about the development of the queso recipe, I didn't realize there was queso on one of my tacos until I looked closer at a photo, disconcerting. There are some fun textural plays with the harder potato slices in the Tijuana Panther taco but the rest just read as shredded protein with salt. You could've told me the brisket in this was any relatively low fat meat and I'd probably believe you, the dominant flavor is salt, meatiness is second to salt. That being said, it's ok I guess. The salsas are in fun bottles, tortillas are good, filling is generous, water is cold. Maybe I'm too biased for LA tacos but these had a shocking lack of fresh herb or veg. The salsas helped but they were both quite weak and didn't really compliment anything specific, they just added vegetal flavor in an undefined sense. It's a welcome addition but it's not a strong one. Service was good, for two tacos they took a strangely long time to come out (around 15 minutes) but the people working there were exceptionally friendly. No real complaints about service. Atmosphere is slightly office-like. This isn't necessarily a bad thing and it might even be thematically appropriate with the uninventiveness but general palatability of the food. Depending on your taste it's good enough to cozy. I find it uninspired and undefined. Very 2020s restaurant-core, afraid to be too bombastic with the branding to a point of looking like a pop up store that sells 3D printed sunglasses. I'm tired, but not angry. It's fine, it's all fine. read more

HomeState - the Tijuana panther - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

HomeState Santa Monica is consistently excellent every time. The brisket and chicken tacos are always on point. Generous, full of meat, flavorful, and done right. The frozen margarita and spicy Paloma are perfectly balanced and refreshing. Patio seating adds to the laid back vibe, and the staff is helpful, welcoming, and always on point. read more

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FINALLY!! A HomeState in Santa Monica! This place is sooooo nice! It's huge compared to the other locations and the staff is so friendly. The food is quick and very delicious, no difference from other locations! Jack was so kind and offered free cookies to my friends and I. Definitely recommend checking out this new location! I was a frequent visitor to the Playa Vista location in college and I'm happy they opened closer to where I live now. read more

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Came here during grand opening week. The staff were all ready and available to assist and happy to answer questions. The food had a spicy kick pretty much with everything we ordered. There's an outside heated patio and indoor dining area. Very California Tex Mex if that makes sense at all. Our order was delicious but a tad bit needing more sauce. read more

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This new location is super spacious. They have a nice, heated patio as well. I ordered the Comal taco and the vegan taco with soyrizo. The soyrizo taco could have used something else- maybe some pickled onions or sweet potato, or a little different taste. The service was excellent during the soft opening, would definitely come back. read more

So glad to finally see one of my favorite breakfast restaurants open up in downtown Santa Monica! This location is truly special, large patio (heated) seating, a long indoor bar (hopeful for happy hours in the future), and plenty of friendly staff taking care of you every step of the way. Big shoutout to Jack and his team. Being from Texas, nothing beats a good breakfast taco and this spot has it down perfectly. My go to (always on flour) is the Guadalupe w/ potato and the Trinity w/ jalapeños. Today, the portion sizes were very generous and two tacos were perfect for brunch. Can't wait to come back soon!! read more

Everything is so open and inviting! They have a mix of country and Mexican music playing in the background. Everyone is super nice! They make you feel welcomed and super attentive. Always with a smile and a spring in their step. Word of caution, their margaritas are not for the faint. Strong and bold. The food was mouthwatering! read more

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Everything was very delicious and kid friendly too. The staff were very nice and the restaurant was clean.

The tacos were a tad salty but the service was through the roof. I felt like I accidentally arrived in Texas to be treated so kindly and with such strong southern hospitality. The staff could not have been more helpful and nice. The food was pretty decent especially for the price - the chips & guac were the star of the show! Love how do go friendly they are, and my pup did too :) the outdoor seating is stellar here! read more

We got the chicken, trinity, vaquero, and Tijuana panther tacos. They were sooo good!!! Literally writing this review as I'm still in the restaurant. The workers are all super friendly, and the food came out very quick. The place itself is very clean and bright with lots of seating. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Went today for the first time for the $5.12 Ranch Waters margarita available from 5:12 - 6:12 pm. Really yummy and great deal. Also had the mushroom quesadilla. Great red and green salsa to accompany. Can't wait to try more food! read more

Tacos are served here! Breakfast tacos and lunch tacos. So glad they opened here In Santa Monica. The brisket taco is sooo good. You order at the counter, get a # and they bring food to your table. Nice large outdoor patio too--good for a party/gathering. They have a happy hour too. read more

HomeState - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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I had a side of brisket, crispy potato's, and a chocolate chip cookie. Unfortunately the food was just very salty. I also didn't like that they don't sell traditional sodas. That said the service was very kind! read more

So stoked that Homestate is in Santa Monica because I used to have to go all the way to Playa Vista for it As always, Homestate serves some awesome TexMex breakfast tacos. My personal favorites are the Trinity and Blanco. The Blanco is vegetarian with egg white and mushroom and it's soo good! The Trinity is a classic with eggs, bacon, cheese, and potatoes. They have both corn and flour tortillas but highly recommend the flour! This new spot is pretty spacious and super clean. Staff are also really nice! Free parking in the back too! read more

PIXEL, or server today Excellent service !!! FIVE stars ... food was great We will come back, recommend this restaurant to friends and family read more

The service. The two young men were amazing at giving me ideas for ordering since this is my first at HomeState. There is plenty of sitting. There is outside sitting and inside and it's well lit read more

HomeState - My brisket flour tortillas taco, southern ice tea and the two salsa, one is green salsa and the red one is a bit smoky - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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First of all, this new location with free parking in back is a gem. It's very spacious, counter-ordering style with hand delivery to table. They have a huge outdoor area thats like a walled-in patio with cloth covers overhead. The indoor dining has tables and picnic style tables for larger groups. The ambiance is homey and they play a fairly loud mix of classic rock and hits. They often have specials on their drinks and happy hour pricing as well as a loyalty program that pays you 5 cents per dollar spent. The Tacos are the star of course, and the Tijuana Panther is my AT favorite. Brisket is so well cooked, never dry. They bring Fresh Red and Green Salsa in clear glass bottles to the table. The sides of fresh Guac 5 or 10 dollars, beans, and Queso are delicious. With a basket of freshly cooked tortilla chips. Salty and crunchy as they should be. I also like the breakfast tacos. I will try more on this menu although I've been already four or five times. They have DJ's spinning on certain days and weekends. I really like the staff and how attentive and kind they all are. The bathrooms are very clean and modern. This is a great addition to Santa Monica, and while it sits on a busy corner of Lincoln and Wilshire - across from the tennis courts, it's only 8 blocks to the bluff and down to the beach. read more

Wow, I'm so glad I stumbled upon Homestate. From the moment I arrived, I was warmly welcomed and greeted by the staff. After looking over the menu, I placed my order, and everything exceeded my expectations. The drinks were made to perfection, and the food was absolutely delicious melting in my mouth. My kids cleaned their plates, which says a lot. The service was outstanding. As someone who pays attention to details, I noticed how kind and welcoming the staff was to everyone. They made sure every table and bench was cleaned promptly and ready for the next family. This location is truly amazing everything was on point. I honestly can't believe it's not rated five stars. People here don't realize how lucky they are to have food like this. Please come to Vegas! Thank you Carter and Jack :) read more

HomeState - Hot cup of coffee. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Excellent on all fronts! We tried 6 flavors and they were all delicious. Ricki was beyond helpful and hospitable! Thank you!! This is a wonderful addition to our neighborhood. See you again soon!! read more