Went here after work for Tuesday Happy Hour & had a great time! The street tacos were soo good ($3 each), I got pastor, chicken & asada & all of them were really good & the spicy salsa on the side omg best!! Also got guava margarita the first round, 2x1 the second & nachos. Service was also amazing, very attentive & super nice, will definitely be back again soon! read more

Stopped by for Taco Tuesday and the $3 tacos. The tacos were just okay--mid. The size, flavor, and value didn't really add up, and nothing stood out enough to bring me back. Any savings on tacos felt offset by the high drink prices. The ambience was fine: a festive, open-air cantina vibe, though it wasn't very busy. Service was also okay. Overall, everything was just okay--nothing bad, but nothing memorable either. read more

King and Queen Cantina - 3 tacos (carne asada, shrimp and fish) - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Came here for lunch and it was about half full with 1 waiter but surprisingly the waiter was very fast and efficient. We ordered a Pina colada. I was wondering why it was $22 but when it came out in a huge glass, i understood the price. Although there wasn't much rum in it. We also ordered the birria tacos which is more fried than I'm used to but still tasted good. My favorite was the chicken dish I ordered. It was well presented with the sauces in the Mexican flag colors and the chicken was so tender and juicy. The rice and potato mix was a good complement to the chicken. Prices were decent. read more

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Another nice experience. Andrea was our server again. Always good, quick and friendly service. The Rams were playing the Bears and they have several screens to watch which is nice. Wasn't too crowded as the game had only just started. Always enjoy coming here! read more

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Really enjoyed this spot. The food was way better than I expected, especially the tacos and the shrimp dish, both packed with flavor and super fresh. The service was warm and quick, the kind where you actually feel taken care of. The vibe is the best part. Colorful lights, loud music, people having fun, it is the kind of place where you settle in and end up staying longer than planned. Being right on Ocean Ave also gives it that extra energy. Overall a fun dinner and somewhere I would gladly come back to try more. read more

King and Queen Cantina - Tacos Gobernador - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Me and my friends arrived for happy hour on a very empty, Monday afternoon. Half of us ordered from the happy hour menu, which has deals like three tacos or a burrito for $10. Despite the vacancy of the restaurant, our waitress took unreasonably long to reach our table. We felt rushed, and our waters were rarely refilled. The tacos were okay, the asada was not very flavorful, the chicken was completely dry, and the pastor was the only decent choice, but the tacos were small for the price. My friend who ordered the burrito received a burger instead and we had to send it back to the kitchen. My other friend who asked for an enchilada with red sauce instead got green sauce, because apparently green was the only choice, despite it saying red on the menu. Everything else was good, like the birria tacos and buffalo loaded fries, but this restaurant was probably empty around happy hour for good reason. read more

King and Queen Cantina - street tacos for happy hour - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Service was great on weekday nights! Not that busy and employees are nice and friendly! Drinks for solid prices and Monday has all day happy hour so that's a bonus. I got the bean and cheese burrito and you just can't go wrong with ordering it here. Decent prices for happy hour and nice cool vibes. Meal came with fries and also ordered the chips and guac from HH menu. read more

King and Queen Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Sister restaurant to Mr Tempo cantinas. Great beachside location with outdoor and indoor seating. Staff very welcoming. Stopped for a drink since I had finished lunch. El Peligroso margarita was small but flavorful. No skimping on the alcohol. Great place to grab a bite and relax and enjoy the view read more

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Tried this place for the first time and the food was really good. It's a half outdoor half indoor restaurant so it was nice to be able to sit outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. Our reservation was at 8:30pm on a Friday evening and we were seated immediately. Our waiter Jose was very nice! He kept the drinks flowing for our table and checked up on us several times. The food we had was really good, a lot better than most cantinas in my opinion. The Bone Marrow Tacos are super delicious!!! Will definitely try that again next time and the Agua frescas was so refreshing! It wasn't super sweet and tasted just right. The only thing I could suggest is to play better music!!! We loved all the scenery and the cooo paintings on the walls but wished there was better playing music like Pit Bull or some reggaeton!!! It would have definitely been a vibe but overall we would definitely be visiting again! read more

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Babbbyyyy this meal was everything, my tacos ... literally didn't want them to end. My husband's nachos... " can I get the recipe?", and the drinks.." can I get a refiiiiiiillll" The team was friendly and fast the restaurant clean and spunky read more

King and Queen Cantina - Happy Hour cocktails and beer - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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They have deals all through the week. I went on a Friday for happy hour in the afternoon. Great prices, hands down one of the best birria tacos I've tried in a long time, so much so I ordered another round. The bone marrow tacos were their own creation and something new for me. The pork belly bites were good for that they were but I took most of it home and made then into a different meal which was great. Many different salsas and most have a nice kick. Drinks definitely were not the go to. Food yes drinks no. I'll be back for those birria tacos and to try their burgers next. read more

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We stumbled on this place for date night. We wanted Mexican food and to watch Dodgers World Series. The food and drinks just ok. The service was just ok. Wouldn't be my first choice for date night or Mexican food. read more

This place used to be a favorite, but not anymore. I'm not sure if Mr. Tempo still owns it, but the quality has definitely gone downhill. Food portions have gotten much smaller -- I even took a photo to show how tiny the grilled octopus is now. It used to be a full plate, now it's just two tentacles. There were no waiters in sight, and even some employees were openly complaining about how slow business is. I'm not writing this based on one bad visit either -- I've noticed poor service on multiple occasions. If you look at my past reviews, you'll see I used to enjoy coming here, but sadly I can't recommend it anymore. read more

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This place is such a vibe! Its by the 3rd street and santa monica pier so you have many options for before and after. Great music and ambiance. Very casual. The food was great the two times Ive been. Even the oyster is different and good! They have good margaritas and the Tamarindo one is one of my favorites! Friendly staff, they might not check on you as much as you hope since it is busy. Usually has a wait! read more

One of my favorite experiences in San Diego!! Couldn't believe how delicious the food was! Never had bone marrow tacos and it was definitely an experience! The music was and vibe of the place plus the location are SO much fun! And our server was so great in trying to make an exception and bringing back the 3 tacos dish to allow us to experience more flavors, even though it's no longer on the menu. Highly highly recommend read more

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The concierge at my hotel recommended this place when I asked for a Mexican restaurant to go to in Santa Monica. I had the tacos dorados de birria and ginger mocktail, and they were both DELISH! I also loved the fun and colorful interior of the restaurant, the humongous menu, and nearby walk to the beach. read more

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King & Queen Cantina is less of a restaurant and more of a full-sensory takeover, a vibrant, technicolor experience from the moment you walk through the door. The Santa Monica area is crowded with options, but few command a presence quite like this. For those who demand more than a quiet, stuffy dinner, this is your kingdom. The ambiance is an art piece in itself--a riot of neon, street art, and pulsating energy that sets the stage for a seriously good time. And the drinks? Each one a perfectly balanced concoction designed for maximum enjoyment. Service was excellent and well-paced, especially for a spot that gets this packed. This is not your low-key dinner spot, but a high-energy, fun-loving cantina where the food, drinks, and decor all come to play. Thank you so much for the birthday love! read more

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I have been to this restaurant multiple time and it never fails. They have good breakfast and dinner options. The plate portions are worth the price and always feel you up. The service is good as well, never had a bad experience with staff. I highly recommend this spot to all my family and friends. read more

They have a happy hour menu and specials menu until 6pm so you are not short of finding good deals here. Tip: for veg folks, know that the beans are made in meat broth. That said, I did not get beans in my tacos. Instead the kitchen substituted it with soy chorizo. I appreciated that. The ambience was like a brunch party, with reggaeton music playing. There was a photographer on site who went around each table taking photos and directing some poses. *Tip: Pass on this opportunity if you do not want to purchase the framed print out photos. The intention was not made clear to us when asked if we'd like a photo so it left an awkward impression when she showed us the hard copy print outs in plastic frames. This could be a nice add on if you are there for a special occasion though! The service quality can definitely be improved by being attentive and checking in here and there; this would probably help to bring more customers back. read more

King and Queen Cantina - Vegetarian tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I've come to this location & the location in San Diego and it's AMAZING!! I love the ambiance of playing Spanish music & the graffiti design. The service was fast & attentive! We brought a dog with us and we were able to sit outside without a reservation around 4pm on a Saturday. This place does get busy so I recommend making a reservation if possible before hand. Great seating for small to medium parties! Bone marrow tacos 7/10: although I really enjoy bone marrow, the tortillas tasted a bit stale and I was not a huge fan of the seasoning on the bone marrow. It did have a decent amount of bone marrow Birria fries 10/10: these were amazing! I've tried these and the hot Cheetos fries & these were more worth the price! Very tasty Birria tacos 8.5/10: these were very tasty! Wish had some more cheese in the tacos, the consume was very tasty! The tacos could have been a little bit more crispier & the birria was a tad bit dry, but overall great tacos! I definitely recommend this place to people who want a variety of Mexican- American food options for a good price! They have many types of different margs and lots of deals for happy hour!! Highly recommend this restaurant & it has a great location near the beach read more

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Absolutely loved the bone marrow tacos from here. It was so juicy and definitely worth it as they are super filling! I would come back just for this. read more

King and Queen Cantina - Bone Marrow Taco - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Has a cool vide inside this place. Right by the ocean/strip Great happy hour We got asada quesadilla and it was delicious Also, chicken enchiladas and the meat was good , but sauce so so Customer Service was really great Seating inside and o read more

The food had good flavor, the ambience was okay the music was a little backward because you would expect them to have Spanish music but not sure what they were playing. The service was okay it was hard for us to get the waiters attention. read more

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. From the moment I walked in, the staff was dismissive and unwelcoming--a real disappointment, especially considering the warmth typically associated with Latino hospitality. I arrived today at 1 PM during my lunch break and was the only customer seated in the restaurant. I politely asked to switch to another table, and the server with platinum hair responded to her coworkers in Spanish, saying, "el niño quiere sentarse en la mesa 18." - - the kid wants to sit at table 18 - - As a darker-skinned Hispanic, I've grown used to being underestimated when it comes to speaking Spanish--but to have four or more staff members openly gossiping about me in Spanish, assuming I couldn't understand, was incredibly unprofessional and offensive. I sat there listening, increasingly uncomfortable and disappointed. By the time my food arrived, my appetite was gone. I paid and left without eating. It's disheartening to have such an experience in a place that should make people feel welcomed and respected--especially fellow Latinos. read more

King & Queen Cantina for the Aguachiles and the great vibes. The Aguachiles are my absolute favorite dish on the menu. They're flavorful and just the right spice level. Also, the garlic aioli is addicting! The Birria tacos melt in your mouth and pair well with the pickled onion. Don't forget the lime juice! The oysters are always fresh. They're always playing great music. Have seating available inside and outdoors. The staff were accommodating and friendly. One thing I would like to note is that they only serve bottled water. I will definitely be coming back! read more

King and Queen Cantina - Aguachiles - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Came to this popping spot thanks to yelp!! My friend was visiting from Miami and she wanted a drinking place AND MAN did King and Queen Cantina make sure of that haha! Delicious food and drinks!! And of course... the ambiance is spectacular (you're in santa monica duhh). They were playing reggaeton which made me feel at home. Servers were just as incredible as the quality of food was. Will most definitely come by again!!! :) read more

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The Surf & Turf Burrito is big, bold, and packed with flavor. Juicy steak, shrimp, and all the fixings come together really well, with just the right amount of spice. It's hearty, satisfying, and definitely a fork-and-knife situation. Great choice if you're hungry and craving something indulgent. read more

Bar service was very attentive kind and knowledgeable of their menu. The setting was very lively and thrilling. Food had a deep depth of flavor that was addicting and intriguing with every bite. read more

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Went here for brunch on the weekend - honestly it was super empty! Lots of options for food but the quality was pretty mid. My burrito was falling apart. Good place to party since it's very loud. Even though the restaurant was almost empty, the service was extremely slow. read more

King and Queen Cantina - California Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Went here with my boyfriend and his family and they were super awesome to us. Service and food were great! I cannot remember our server's name but he had his hair tied back and said was from Oaxaca but he was super great and understanding that we had a baby with us that was a little fussy and him and everyone was super accommodating too. The baby really liked the neon graffiti too it was really cute. However, the neon and black light make it hard to read the menu and is kind of a pain but I'm not going to let that retract from my star rating. It just kind of hurt my eyes but I got over it eventually. They have HUGE margaritas and they were delicious and so were my shrimp tacos. I've never seen such a generous size of shrimp on tacos ever and just by the first one I felt full! There was also a photographer and we got photos of the family and it was awesome (for privacy not gonna share them). Overall, great place and I would highly recommend! read more

Parking is easy at a lot right across the Street. The place is loud and vibrant, stopped by this weekend for late bite. Had a few drinks and ordered the Poke Nachos. Good decision btw because they were delicious. Server wasn't too happy but I understood why It was late almost at closing hour or 45mins till. I would not recommend this spot for a first date because its loud and the ambiance is more vibrant party style. read more

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Let's start off with I'm not a big fan of Mexican food. I find it very rich. My husband has digestion problems too but he had been wanting to try out this place tonight. I have to say we both enjoyed it very much. Usually I just stick with Fajitas. I was not willing to try something else so I got Chicken Wings something somewhat simple. My husband had Birria Taquitos. I tried it and ended eating a whole one. It was very tasty indeed. The wings were delicious too. We also had chips and salsa. My husband had a margarita and I had something refreshing - watermelon juice. The table in front ordered an enormous Margarita. I just had to take a picture. We had a wonderful server name Elser. He was very patient and pleasant. He helped us decide what to have. Thank you. The interior of the restaurant was warm and inviting and yet open. We walk by this restaurant every time we head towards Ye Olde King's Head for all the British things I can never find. read more

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Just walked into this place to get drinks! What a wonderful surprise! The best sea food I have had in a minute! read more

King and Queen Cantina - The fish on chips! Oh yes! - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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The decor and atmosphere give it a trendy feel, but it's really cute and at a great location. It's located right by the pier, so coming here for lunch / early dinner then watching the sunset after or hanging out at the pier is so ideal. We went on a Saturday at 4pm and it was pretty busy so luckily my date made a reservation. It did seem like people that walked up didn't have to wait long though. For seating it's pretty tight and packed, so don't expect privacy here. The service wasn't bad but we did have to grab our server eventually. Again, it was very busy so I wasn't too shocked. The food and drinks were absolutely delicious! A true 5/5 stars for me! The only thing I didn't like was how my burrito was cut up. It was a bit messy and the fillings pretty much kept spilling out everywhere. I got Mia's Margarita & the surf & turf burrito; He got a cucumber/pineapple infused margarita (I don't remember the name) and a birria burrito. Both came with fries. Presentation was great for everything! You might find street parking.. but there are parking garages in the area. The closest one I noticed closed at 5pm and was kind of a small lot, but there is a larger one in walking distance that was pretty inexpensive. I'm giving it 4/5 stars because they bring everything out sporadically instead of drinks at one time, then entrees together. Whenever something is ready they just being it out. We received our drinks very quickly. But his food came out first and mine came a bit later. Also like I mentioned earlier, cutting the burrito the way they did was a mess. Also, the menu is so excessive! It's like 16 pages of the same items??! They just keep repeating them. And it's a lot. I would love to come back here though or try to San Diego location. read more

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The food was decent but grossly overpriced. We got 3 birria tacos for $20 and 3 Korean tacos for $18. The portions were regular and the flavors were good, but not exceptional. We were told at the front door that they had happy hours but when we sat down the waitress said they don't do happy hours anymore. I asked for water but they only offered bottled water for $4. It did come in a reusable container. The food wasn't interesting enough for me to want to go back. Service was fine. The ambiance was cool and loud with 2 TV screens blasting Latin American singers and music. I would skip this place because of the lackluster food, price tag and the loud music. read more

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My boyfriend and I arrived at the last hour til close and the server was nice enough to seat us. I had the enfrijoladas with beef and they were delicious. The ambience was good, we sat outside , it was nice. read more

It was my first time coming to Kings & Queens and i was extremely disappointed. If i had the option to rate this zero stars I would, the only thing saving them was their music playlist. Let me start off by pointing out their mistakes because the service was horrible the second we walked in. 1. We waited 15 minutes after being seated to order our beverages. Mind you, they were not busy at all. It was half empty. 2. We were not offered any waters to begin with... especially during a hot day. 3. We were not offered complimentary chips. 4. We were not give any utensils or napkins for our food. We had to get up and ask someone. Food was okay besides the fact that it was overly salty & cold. I ordered the birria fries & it was cold by the time it came to me. read more

Came here for for the first time to see how it was, since I have tried Tempo Cantina before. I was surprised how small it was and more so bar atmosphere than anything. It was more so loud and good for the bar area. The service was good, very nice sweet lady who served us. We only ordered guacamole and chips, sangria, and margarita. We wanted more types of food but we decided to just eat the guacamole and chips and go else where to eat, and with less music. The guacamole was just decent could of been better with less tomatoes. The decor is cute and the bar area is really poppin. I think this would be a place to go for drinks and appetizers. Also, after you already ate somewhere and wanted to go grab some drinks. The parking is limited but it's a parking lot right across the street that you have to pay that is open 24/7. We payed $11.00 and was there for less than an hour. Overall, not sure if I'll go back, but maybe for some margaritas for sure and tacos. read more

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I'm so torn. On one hand, the decor is godawful. Everything looks like someone saw a blacklight poster at Spencer Gifts in the early 90's and said... yes... let's put this in a bar/restaurant in an upscale section of West Hollywood in 2023...? I don't quite get it. So the aesthetic is gaudy, the music is loud, the vibe is a bit, I don't know, brash...? But then... the food is tasty. The drinks are really good. The servers tend to be friendly. I don't think I'd want to be there when it's busy, it's more a place I'd hit when it's quiet and maybe earlier... but... the food and drinks are good. Very very torn. Honestly, if the aesthetic weren't so harsh I'd probably be there 2-3 times per week. read more

King and Queen Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

A go to spot in Santa Monica! Great brunch deals and mimosa flights. Shout out to Oscar for amazing service. We we're taking care of. The vibes were there today. Will definitely be back :) read more

King and Queen Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California