Omg, this place has the best chicken tacos on a flour tortilla! I got 2 chicken tacos and one brisket taco. You have the option to choose flour or corn tortillas. I choose flour for all of my tacos. I was undecided whether to get the brisket taco or not, however im so glad i did choose it because it did not disappoint! The brisket was very tender and juicy. It tasted like birria. The chicken was very juicy and delicious. The employees are very helpful. 10/10 service. There a lot of seating available inside and outside. The restroom is very clean. They also have a baby changing station. Parking is available in the back. I am definitely going back for the breakfast tacos. read more

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Came here for dinner in the evening hours, both times the restaurant was kind of empty on a Friday night, but it made it an easy, quick, casual dinner. I think two tacos each plus a side dish to share is probably perfect for a meal. Food: Chicken: I like this one. The chicken is very moist. The taco itself has a lot of wet things in it so it's prone to dripping. Brisket tacos: I prefer Tijuana Panther over Vaquero, but both are excellent. Trinity: Egg, bacon, potatoes, and cheese is perfection. Chips and __: salsa is good choice, guac is better, queso is amazing. Ask for the fried potatoes instead of chips especially with the queso. Free refills on the chips though. They have an app now and their own rewards program. Sign up, scan your QR code, collect some points, and come back for freebies in the future. Indoor table choices and outdoor patio space. Lots of seating. Keep it casual, keep it easy, and I'll keep coming back. read more

This is my first time at the Santa Monica Home State and the quality was just as good as the other locations I've been to. The employees were so nice and helpful. They have great energy here. They have lots of big community style tables and a nice patio when it's not too hot. Love love love the breakfast taco! The POTATO tacos are my favorite. Home style potato's packed with fresh crunchy veggies. I am obsessed. The CHICKEN tacos were delish too. Chicken isn't usually my first choice but they're really good! read more

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Back at the Santa Monica location today, and there is just so much good food that I feel like I have to try something new every time. I went with the Guadalupe, a chorizo breakfast taco, and the brisket taco on a corn tortilla. both were so good. And of course, I had to grab an iced coffee. I need to remember to come back on Tuesdays for the Dj, free queso and deals on Ranch Water! The staff here are always so kind, welcoming, and helpful, which makes the whole experience even better. Definitely becoming one of my favorite spots to come back to. read more

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Hit up HomeState for a taco lunch with my family and we all enjoyed the food! They have a parking lot / garage in the back of the restaurant, so parking was super easy. The restaurant is large with both indoor and outdoor seating. For indoors there are individual tables as well as long communal tables in the middle of the restaurant. You order at the counter first, get a number, and then find a spot to sit. HomeState specializes in all sorts of tacos, including a large selection of breakfast tacos which I've never seen before. There a lot of vegetarian options available as well. Most tacos run in the range of $5-7 and are quite large. Two tacos were enough to fill me up. One thing I noticed is that their main meat offerings are chicken and beef; they don't have the usual carnitas / al pastor that a lot of other Mexican places offer. Just something to keep in mind. We shared a large guacamole for $10 and then each got two tacos, which was plenty of food. I had the chicken and brisket. Both were good, but I liked the chicken more as I found the brisket a bit dry. What was interesting to me is that all tacos come wrapped in aluminum like a burrito, even though we were dining in. Not used to seeing tacos served this way. The guacamole was good as well and was plenty to share among the 4 of us. I saw they have happy hour with $10 margaritas, will definitely need to come back for that!! read more

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We came by this location after trying one of their tacos at a Yelp event, and we're so glad we did! First, parking is available behind the building, which was super helpful. Ordering was quick, even with a bit of a line. It took about 10 minutes for our order to come out, which wasn't bad at all. Now, for the food/drink: -iced coffee: you have a few sweetener options and milk options (including oat milk), and I went with sugar in the raw and oat milk. Honestly, I wish there were a syrup option because sugar just doesn't melt well in iced coffee. -vaquero: a GENEROUS amount of juicy, flavorful brisket! There's some pickled jalapeno, onion, and cilantro on there, and it's just a really solid texmex taco. -tijuana panther: this was heavy on the brisket, light on the pico, with a few tasty coins of crispy potato layered between the brisket and tortilla. The queso was present, but more like a thin layer over everything. -pecos: soft, fluffy eggs with brisket! Actually really good... Overall, really tasty, and I'd definitely get their breakfast tacos again. The bottles of salsa on the side were a great complement to the tacos, and the brisket was really flavorful. read more

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I found out about this lovely restaurant through a yelp event that they catered. They gave us a free coupon to use to redeem for two tacos and either a coffee or tea. I was thrilled to see they had a few vegan/veganizable options on their menu. I ordered the Chicano Batman and was told that the flour tortilla had dairy but the corn tortilla was vegan, so I opted to have it served on that. I also got some iced coffee with oat milk and raw sugar. The food and drink were brought to my table and I was told the coffee had free refills, which was great because I was tired and really needed more than one cup! The coffee was bold and flavorful and they put just the right amount of milk and sugar in. The tacos were so flavorful and the soyrizo was so hearty and savory and had just the right amount of spice. The potatoes were soft and well seasoned. The guacamole was creamy while the salsa added some nice heat. The staff were all so friendly and accommodating and helpful checked on me multiple times to ensure I was happy with everything and to see if I needed anything. The restaurant had a great vibe and a lovely ambiance. It's very spacious with plenty of seating both inside and on their quaint patio. It's also very clean with no trash or leftover food in sight. Parking was pretty easy either in their parking lot, at a meter or in the surrounding neighborhood. I will definitely return the next time I'm in the area! read more

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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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Enjoyed a solo lunch break fiesta at HomeState. I was already excited about the tacos but the staff told me the margaritas were strong today...let's do it! Ordered Chicano Batman, Ground Beef, Potato and Tijuana Panther tacos with a Frozen Margarita. Very good! The pickled jalapeños make the difference. Lots of natural light, about 75 degrees, semi crowded and my feet up. Well done HomeState read more

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This is a gem for groups! It's actually pretty hard to find a place with communal seating where folks can come and go as they please without reservations. You order at the front cashier and there are both indoor and outdoor tables with TVs. This made it super easy for us as everyone could order their own drinks and food without dealing with the dreaded bill split. The tacos are legit - make sure to use the sauce! Free parking is in the back as well. Shoutout to the incredibly hospitable staff too! read more

First time here with our family. The food and service were very tasty. Our table of 5 enjoyed tacos in flour and corn tortillas both satisfying. One person ordered the chicken and cheese quesadillas. We also had a big guacamole for the table. read more

This place deserves all the hype! Their burritos are delicious, especially their breakfast options. You cannot go wrong with the Guadalupe burrito or the brisket burrito. Their tacos are packed with flavor as well! They even have great options for catering, thank you for the delicious Tex mex! read more

HomeState - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

We stayed at the Proper and got a bunch of breakfast items for takeout. The tacos are generously sized and delicious! Good options for toddlers too. 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

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

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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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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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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very nice stuff, great vibes! the tacos were very tasty, especially the potato taco. got a nice buzz from the large margarita, although it's too sweet, I suggested less sugar. the tea was great! 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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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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Andy was really kind and hospitable. This place makes you feel at home. The corn tortillas are homemade. It's a very clean spot. The food is really good. We got the ranking #1 blanco , #2 comal, the brisket was good would've been better with a squeeze of lime for me personally, the Guadalupe was not my fav but I'm not a big fan of soyrizo anyways. Clean after yourself when done eating. I'm for sure coming back again! Great egg breakfast! read more

HomeState - Blanco (vegetarian) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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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I came into the restaurant around 4 PM and I was speaking to the cashier. His name was Carter and he was very accommodating and he asked me if I needed any recommendations because it was my first time here ?which I was very happy about because I needed a little guidance).He recommended the chicken BLT taco, the vaquero taco (which is the home made brisket taco),and a side. I ordered his recommendations and added of a Margarita and that completed my order. The food was flavorful and delicious and the margarita was authentic. You could tell that the juices in it were fresh. The restaurant was clean, and overall I was very happy with the quality of service and the food i received. I will definitely be back. read more

HomeState - Happy hour large margarita! Woohoo! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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 ordered food from the Santa Monica location multiple times, I'm currently in a rehabilitation center. So I don't have easy access to utensils. So I always ask for them. AND THEY NEVER INCLUDE THEM!!! Seems like a small thing, but it isn't, if you're not mobile.BTW the reason I frequently order is I truly enjoy the food. It's frustrating that such simple requests are never followed. Do better HomeState. read more

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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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

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

It's the little things!!!! I love HomeState. I frequently order at the Sherman Oaks location bc I work in that area but today I decided to go eat the SaMo location since it's less than a mile away from home. I wanted to eat my feelings today and when I arrived to order, Andy helped me out with my order. Today is a bittersweet let's eat our feelings kind of day and I gotta give a proper thank you to Andy for being a spectacular human. Thank you for just being the good human you are and for making my dining experience today something I won't forget. And also their spicy Paloma is next level Wowweeeewow! read more

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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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

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

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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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