Don't underestimate La Barca. Modest-looking from the street, this cozy spot comes across as a hidden "Cheers" to locals. The flavorful salsa offered a good forecast of what was to come--the omelet was delicious, they are not stingy with the rice and beans, and the staff was so lovely. I look forward to a return visit. read more

Dark uninviting exterior which makes the place look closed but which opens up into a traditional looking cantina. I like the booths and promptly served chips and salsa. The beef tacos were good but not especially distinctive. Back in the back but there is no entrance. Plenty of spaces though. read more

1st things my wife ordered a ice tea that she new it was made from tap water and the lime wedge was dried. She ordered an enchiladas plate the Mexican rice that was old reheated up by adding water so was the enchiladas. The only good was the refried beans. I had a taco salad that when I got to the middle it was a big glop of shredded chicken.. the chips were stale. My diet Pepsi did taste funny. My wife is Hispanic and knows what excellent Mexican food is. We arent coming back to this place. And we are close to the neighborhood. We will go farther for better food read more

Super bummed! I actually came here because it was an old school Mexican joint. Most of the place looks pretty authentic with some old charm, but I was seated in the far booths and they have 100W light bulbs shining down so it's super bright and not cozy at all. My Enchiladas Suizas were super small. They are very short enchiladas and you only get two so it's maybe four bites and you're done. The sauce is not tangy like most amazing Suizas. And like I said, I love old-school Mexican spots but the preparations here with the cold lettuce on the plate, the tomato sauce-ike salsa... straight out of 1940s. Sometimes recipes need a little bit of updating. No way I'd come back. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Salsa old-fashioned like tomato sauce. Not good. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food and customer service is top tier! La Barca has been part of my life experiences from celebrating going to college to receiving my doctorate. Today wasn't a celebration, I needed a hearty meal after a surgery. Mil gracias to Alberto and the staff that provided excellent service, and a tasty caldo de res. Just what I needed for my recovery. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Great food in a dive location. If you drive up and are hesitant, don't be, go inside and you will instantly be at ease. This is an old USC favorite, and there always seems to be police inside eating. The best margaritas! read more

Food 8/10 Service 6/10 Ambiance 10/10 We went to celebrate a birthday and it was good because they sang to the birthday girl. The food portions were a good size and very filling. They have a long happy hour with large drinks. Unfortunately They were unable to put the Dodger game on the tv but other games were being televised. Also the service staff forgot a few things. read more

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A little hidden gem with enchiladas, margaritas, and the nicest staff. Wooden tables, booths, and great staff. Lunch specials and happy hour are such a great deal. Will be back when in the area! read more

La Barca Restaurant - Shrimp - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Was near the University Park area looking for a Mexican food restaurant for mothers day. Parking is off a major street, you would miss it if you drove fast. Bumped into this hidden place, LA Barca. Never heard of it but saw some reviews and decided to try with family. The menu is classic, prices range $20 and up. The inside is dim with some colors throughout and has a low ceiling, so the place looks packed. You could not bring a stroller or wheel chair inside to your seat without bumping into other customers. Not the safest space if an emergency occurred we would be falling over each other! Service was polite and to the point, no extras. The food was tasty, I ordered the 3 combo plate with chile releno, taco and enchilada. The rice, beans, salsa and guacamole were lightly seasoned so we added a bit of salt and pepper for taste. My guests ordered chicken enchiladas and said it was good. Drinks were OK. The tequila they used was an interesting well but had minimal impact. The frozen margaritas tasted like a slushie. It's just so small inside and the booths cant fit a group of plus size people! We all looked liked sardines in a can! read more

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Another old friend we had not seen in some time. We had the Pechanga which offers a variety of appetizers of sorts. Flautas, taquitos, quesadilla and wings. The cliche Colorado burrito (wet) and of course chips and salsa. Nothing skipped a beat! Had last visited pre covid. Anyhow, clean as always, wait staff were more than fantastic and the prices did go up, but are still very fair. We recommend this place especially before a USC football game. Or after a good win! read more

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Delicious food in a cute little old-style restaurant. Kid-friendly. Great margaritas. Quick, friendly service, cute decor.

Just came here earlier today and the carne asada was great. The service was good. Didn't' have time to check the place out. Got takeout and took it back to the office and ate it up. Great food and that salsa was the heat! read more

I remember when I used to come here as a child. Their hard shell tacos were my favorite. Like no other hard shell tacos. This place has a special place in my heart. It has been around forever. I came here over 40 years ago the first time. The hostess was a little delayed. Once I was sat down I had two servers. Both were super nice and attentive. I had a virgin piña colada. It was delish and a nice size. Of course I had my childhood favorite hard shell chicken and beef tacos. They didn't disappoint. Had a few flashbacks, lol. The place is still fairly dark with large chair/table and booth seating. read more

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Love this place. Hadn't been here in a few years. I used to come daily when I worked nearby. Food is still amazing and the margaritas are perfection. Service is top notch. Can't wait to go back. read more

Some things never change... this food has been good since I was a kid definitely the best burritos in town and the service is top notch I love it here will continue to come read more

La Barca Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

La Barca been around for decades and they never miss. This has always been one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. The service is always good. The food is top tier and it's a really cute ambiance. read more

I have been put on to this place by my friend and Cousin. So now I'm sharing it with the world. This place has the best drinks (adult drinks.) Marginatas with Mexican food is life! The food is hot and good whether your dining in or taking it to go. If your ordering to go, call it in because parking it is terrible and you might have to double park, run in and grab N go. It's a little hole in the wall, I past it every time if I'm not paying attention. I've never had problems with the staff and have never had problems with my food. I have tried the chicken enchilada plate, seasoned to perfection. I'm a foodie so I always get two enchiladas instead of one. The plate comes with rice, beans, a little salad and chips and salsa for 23.00 I believe. When my cousin and I go, she usually get the El Coloso Burrtio. This can last a person 2 to 3 days if they are not sharing. The El Coloso doesn't come with rice and beans but it does come with chips and salas. read more

Decent neighborhood eating spot. Its hard for me to give it 5 stars even though I love supporting local because the food didn't give me the excitement Inused to have for this place. As all places a big negative impact on this place is inflation. The price for the quality of food don't match. I get it. They are trying to be a dine in restaurant, but really its a neighborhood spot and it should match the vibe they used to have. Decently priced food with a slightly higher feel. Now its a overly high priced spot with lower quality food. For the money spent for 2 drinks two entrees and fries over 70 bucks, I'd eat elsewhere most of the time. Still the same pleasant service, and the service really nice. I have to say they are attentive, fast, and smile a lot. So thats still awesome. A seafood bowl, a burrito with meat and lettuce (which i did not expect) and fries, two iced teas. Overall decent. A slight downgrade in quality, but still the same effort so brownie points for that. I used to love this place, now I just like it. read more

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I ordered caldo de res (beef) I got 4 carrots I hate carrots and I piece of potato the worst part is I got a nasty piece of meat with so much fat and what looks like leather (disgusting). read more

La Barca Restaurant - Caldo de res - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

An LA Staple" I grew up watching my elders frequent this place. As soon as I became of age to drink I ordered my own margarita. And that was in 2003 and that's how long I have been coming to LaBarca. The servers are always lit and have the best answers for any item you might have in mind. I order the same items and switch back and forth from. They are the crunchy hard shell taco or the camarones Al mojo de ajo. If I'm sharing its the coloso burrito which is very tasty. They have expanded the parking in the back and it fits way more cars than it did in the past. More convenient that way. Thank you guys for always being so graceful. Miss you always and Thank you for all the great memories. Xo-Salud. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Paloma - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I've been viewing this place on instagram for over a year it looked so good. This year for my birthday I decided to make a reservation and I must say it did not disappoint at all it's above five stars and is a hidden gem. All of the food was served hot and fresh , and it was very well seasoned. The mangonada was perfect and also aesthetic which you usually only get one or the other it was both. The service was excellent the waiters were very attentive and we had a party of eight . The restaurant wasn't very big inside , but i wouldn't worry about the food delivered so you won't pay attention to that at all. I highly recommend this restaurant it was excellent it did not just look good it also tasted good as well. Thank you so much for an excellent birthday with amazing food I will be back very soon. read more

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I took a friend to La Barca for happy hour. I chose this place because I have been there before for dinner, and it's in the neighborhood. They had margaritas, beer, and well drinks for half price. However, I didn't realize that they didn't offer any food selections for happy hour, only alcohol. I was disappointed with that. As many happy hours that I've been to, they always offer happy hour food selections. Anyway, we sat at a table and waited almost 20 minutes for someone to come and take our order. Mind you, they were not packed, and I guess they had maybe six tables occupied. We waited about 15 minutes until we finally had to flag someone to come and take our order for drinks. The drinks came very quickly, but then we had to wait longer for someone else to come and take our food order. After we got our food, which was very good, one person came to check on us to see if everything was all right. I assume he was a manager, I'm not sure. However, it was 30 minutes after we got our food that he came. When we were ready to leave, and after they picked up our plates, we had not received our bill. We waited 30 minutes for someone to bring our bill. At this time, there were at least five waiters in the whole restaurant. We finally had to flag someone to bring our bill. In all, as much as I like the food, it was very disappointing as far as the service and happy hour. What's really crazy, is that it was a Tuesday which a lot of Mexican restaurants will offer Taco Tuesday specials. Not this place. My friend who is an older woman Commented that this place used to be packed. It was incredibly sparse. I know that I won't be going back, and I will find another place for a really good happy hour. read more

This restaurant is really pretty and delicious to eat at! The service was great! I loved it! The food at first didn't seem so Mexican BUT the food was actually surprisingly good!! It has alot of flavor! So i recommend this place!!! The place inside look so nice and cool! So aesthetic! I like how dark it's inside! I'll definitely come again! read more

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I love La Barca Very good food cooked to order and the customer service is outstanding.. their drinks are great and the complimentary chips and salsa is like no others. Very affordable This place gets crowded at times but the wait is worthy.. this place beats El cholos anyday read more

My first time here I got the Enchiladas Suizas they were pretty good 9/10 ( gave it a 9 because I like my food HOT , but flavors were there) with a Shirley temple :) food came out very quick and service is exceptional would definitely come back! Oh and the chips and salsa were great you know if the salsa is good the food has to be amazing! read more

La Barca Restaurant - Enchiladas Suizas - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I have gone to La Barca for over 35 years and to say that the quality and taste of the food has gotten considerably worse over the last 10 years is an understatement. Today I ordered a Burrito de Chile Colorado via Door Dash and it had absolutely no favor at all! It was tasteless and cold. Ten years ago you could taste the cumin and other spices but now I couldn't even taste salt. It saddens me because I know the owners took pride in their food and their service but now I'm sure no one is tasting the food to ensure its quality. read more

Colossal, more like CONossal. We got the colossal carne asada burrito to share. It was gigantic, the sauce was good, it came with sour cream, guacamole, and chips. However, it was stuffed with beans, rice, and lettuce. There was barely any carne asada. I can count how many bites we had with meat in it. For $25 it's ridiculous that we basically ate rice, beans, and mad tortilla. An all carb burrito. I wouldn't go back. read more

5 Stars Don't Let the Location Fool You--This Place Is a Gem Don't let the location or unassuming storefront deter you. La Barca is so worth it. The food is delicious, the margaritas are strong and tasty, and the prices are super reasonable. We had a great experience from start to finish. The service was friendly and fast, and the vibe inside is way more charming than you'd expect. Definitely adding this to our list of go-to spots in LA. Can't wait to come back! read more

DELICIOUS! I will definitely be going back because the food was so good. I also ordered a gin & and tonic, and that was made well. The service was very good, and the server was polite. The decor has a sort of dark, old-world Mexican feel. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Front signs - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The food is ok, service is good the team are so nice, the ambiance is so loud you cannot even have a good conversation there.

Order a colossal burrito with everything on it...once it got delivered..didn't think to much of it...The dam burrito was dry... No beans , lettuce or red sauce inside of it... So I Called and explained about This Low Quality food I paid for $32... Was told to bring it Back the little girl "host"took it too the cook and told me the cook said it looks like someone scraped everything out of it..... I said no there was only dry beef inside and some rice..So they gave me a regular burrito but I was already charged $32 for a dry ass burrito instead of a colossal burrito I paid for before... You will not get any of my business for 2026.. I can make my own chunky beef better than that dry peace of nothing I paid $32.....y'all folks enjoy read more

Wifey & I were in the area & we figure we'd try this place since we ate @ La Barca in El Monte. But NOT related :/. This place is PRI$EY! Service was good. We were served chips/salsa, but salsa it's me :(. Wifey had a Mojarra Frita, which she liked! & I had I carne asada plate. I too like it. Nice serving size meat. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Fried fish is my favorite! Good drinks especially happy hours! Not a great area and they should keep the front of the restaurant washed down. Not appealing on the outside. read more

Small restaurant with good food and a small parking lot in the back. The staff is always very friendly and the drinks are always delicious

The chicken taco is crispy and solid w little bland and dry but still rlly good Steak taco is fire it's all tender and flavorful Rice and beans are good. Chips are ok they do the job read more

Customer service needs serious improvement. I placed a take-out order for a Chicken Vegetable Soup with extra vegetables, but when I got home on the other side of town, I discovered the soup had two huge pieces of chicken and almost no vegetables. I called the restaurant to let them know, and they told me I could return the next day to have the soup redone. When I went back, Mario (the manager on duty) told me that Sergio had instructed that I would only receive vegetables--no chicken. I asked how that made sense since the original order was for one soup with chicken and extra vegetables, not two separate items. Mario admitted they made a mistake but insisted that I would only be given vegetables to "make up" for it. He even compared it to ordering two different combo plates, which was completely irrelevant to my situation. Stating if someone ordered a Chicken Taco Combo and an Enchilada Combo, would I have to replace them both? I was honestly shocked by how dismissive and illogical the response was. This was one simple order, and instead of taking responsibility and correcting it properly, I was left frustrated and unheard. Very disappointing experience. read more

Some of the best Carnitas I've had in awhile. Beans and rice are off the chains too. Service is spot on. Keep up the great work! Just right up the street from USC. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Carnitas Specialty Plato. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

SERVICE - located very close to USC campus - mostly geared towards college students - lots of indoor seating on large tables - street parking only - servers are nice and try to crack jokes - free unlimited chips and salsa - food served as it is made but not super quickly MENU - Mexican food - no vegan options, some vegetarian options - average price ($17 per large entree) FOOD - veggie fajitas plate (4/10): this was not listed on the menu so when I asked the server what they could make vegan he said he can do grilled vegetables, rice, beans, tortillas, salsa, and guacamole. It was not a terrible option but there was not anything that stood out as spectacular. The portion is quite large so I had enough to take home leftovers. WOULD I COME BACK? probably not I was extremely underwhelmed. read more

La Barca Restaurant - Veggie fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

PROS: - Good GOD their chips and salsa is amazing! - The employees are awesome and friendly. - The food here is darn good as well. Try their garlic shrimp dish! It's amazing. - The tortillas are good as well. - Refillable soft drinks! CONS: - Parking can be a b**ch. - Not in the nicest neighborhood. - Why is it so dark inside though? lol read more

Can't complain about the customer service, which they were polite, but unfortunately, the meal that we got was not good. We had ordered something from the Antojitos and honestly, the beef in the flautas were not good at all. It tastes like the meat had gone bad and I even had two other people tasted, and they said the same thing. When we asked the server about it, he simply said he doesn't understand why it would taste bad if everything is made fresh. Honestly, that's also questionable when your food is coming out right away that is not prepared fresh. He just kept saying the food is fresh. It's all prepared in the morning so he doesn't understand why.. when asked if we could have chicken fill out instead of beef. He just said it would probably taste the same because of the oil. At that point, I just didn't want anything else. But my boyfriend suggested we just get something different. That is not beef, so the server recommended. Some chicken fajitas still was a bit disappointed. Didn't have much flavor, but it was edible.. read more