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    Mony's Mexican Food

    4.6 (973 reviews)
    Open 10:30 am - 3:30 pm

    Mony's Mexican Food Photos

    MONY'S MEXICAN FOOD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Jessica H.

    Seeing how crazy this place was on social media, I decided to give it a shot. My family and I were in SB for the fourth and went early just in case there was a long line. We got there around 11:00 before the lunch rush. There was about 3 people in line so we got excited it wasn't crazy. We ordered the chips and guacamole, tripas burrito, adobado tacos, carne asada tacos, and a quesadilla. The guacamole and chips were good but it was a bit salty. The food took awhile to come out and it caught our attention because it wasn't that busy. The tacos came out and honestly I couldn't even tell if the meats were different. They looked exactly the same. It was SUPER salty too. The quesadilla was also salty so this seems to be a theme for Mony's. The tripas burrito was falling apart and not a lot of meat. It was a little difficult for my husband to eat it. Overall the food was not all that social media hyped it up to be. There is very limited seating and you feel like people are rushing you while they are standing in line. So it would be better to go if you are checking this place out. I have my go-to taco spots in Santa Barbara and will be sticking to those. This was pretty disappointing.

    Reyna M.

    So while this is not technically a review for Mony's on Anacapa in Santa Barbara, I still wanted to give a shout out. Unfortunately, the Mony's at UCSB does not have a Yelp page yet for some reason. I typically do not eat on campus at UCSB, but this place is the exception. I come here once a week for a cheap meal. The burritos are huge. They're always so warm and delicious. The people who work there are so nice and friendly and eventually even remembered my name! I am pretty sure this is also the only place on campus to get beer if you want to! Everything is also so reasonably priced. Mony's is in the UCEN and is the absolute BEST! I know so many people on campus who love this spot and come here frequently!

    Menu ordering area
    Kt R.

    Such a cute spot!!!! This was really close to my hotel and I was starving- so I picked the closest spot. It worked out well because it's super affordable, especially for the area. I got 2 tacos, one asada and one barbacoa with tomatillo salsa of course. Both were tasty, I preferred the asada personally! The staff was friendly and the service was super fast, which was exactly what I needed. They have a couple of tables outside but it's a tiny little spot that's more for grab and go. Overall, I highly recommend it! This spot is one I'm sure I'll be back to!

    Monica V.

    Since my nickname is Mony, I had to try Monys tacos. I've been coming here every time I come to Santa Barbara for vacation which has been ever year since 2019. I have not had anything bad from their menu. I think my husband and I have tried almost all of their various meats. I think pastor is my favorite. They have limited hours so I usually plan our try based on when they are open. They are conveniently located in the funk zone and are close so some of the best wine bars and breweries. Add Monys tacos to your itinerary, it may be a little hole in the wall spot but it so worth a try.

    Torta de carne asada
    Adanari Z.

    It had been a while since I've been to Mony's and while their look has changed a bit from my last visit, their food is just as delicious as I remember. I used to come a lot when I lived in SB and it became one of my favorite places to frequent. Great options, great flavor, and great salsas; the trifecta you're looking for in a Mexican restaurant. My go to became the hard shell barbacoa tacos. This was recommended to me years ago by one of the señores that works there as a cook and I've never gone back since. The perfect crisp wrapping succulent barbacoa meat. Simply perfection! You really can't go wrong with any meat options offered for their dishes. One major change from their remodel was the removal of indoor seating and the self-serve salsa bar which is a bummer but they're still there for you to request them. Love their green salsa, guacamole salsa, and peanut salsa. Service has always been great and friendly. My only issue with them is I wish they'd be open longer hours. Closing at 3:30pm should be criminal!

    Chilaquiles
    Jessica G.

    First time in Santa Barbara! This was a good spot for Mexican food. Small and very casual with seating right outside. My whole party got chilaquiles (selecting between verdes o rojas). I accompanied this with iced coffee from across the street. Great vibe here.

    Chicken Quesadillas
    Lea L.

    The first time we came here, I really enjoyed their tacos -- they were flavorful enough to make me want to come back and try more. This time, we ordered burritos, guacamole, chicken quesadilla, and a torta. The quesadilla was okay with a good serving size, and the torta was just alright. The burrito was decent too, but it had a lot of rice and the beans could use a little more seasoning. Our favorite is definitely still the tacos! I'll come back for their tacos, chips, and guacamole -- those are worth it. The jamaica drink was really good too -- it tastes freshly brewed from dried hibiscus flowers, not artificial at all. The place is clean, has water available outside, and there's usually a line, which says a lot about how popular it is.

    Tacos
    Jenny K.

    First time in Santa Barbara and we were wanting some casual Mexican food so we decided to check Monys out! Located in a cute district, everything is done outdoors. you wait in line outside to order and then you get a table right outside and they bring the food to you. We got their carne asada burrito and chicken bowl and two tacos. One carnitas and one chorizo. The burrito was pretty good. Nice and toasty on the outside. The bowl seemed like there weren't a lot of chicken in it. Our least favorite were the tacos... we did not finish those. Overall it's a decent place but eat and hang when the weather is nice out

    Burritos (cabeza, tripas), tacos, guava Jarritos
    Grace L.

    Mony's was one of my favorite Mexican food spots while I attended UCSB, so I had to take my friends here while visiting the area. Even on a Friday at 2:30 pm, a line formed after we arrived. We ordered inside and sat outside (no indoor seating). I loved that they had the Jarritos soda in the guava flavor, something that you don't see often. I ordered the Mony's burrito, which comes with tortilla chips and your choice of 3 salsas. I chose the mango, roasted tomato, and avocado salsas. The toasted tortilla wrapped everything together well, and the ratio of all the fillings was perfect. The cabeza was so tender, flavorful, and definitely worth the extra $3. Sadly, I'm deducting a star because of the tripas, which used to be my favorite. In the past, it was deliciously fatty and crispy, but this time around, the tripe was chewy, rubbery, tough, and not fried. I'm not sure if this was a one-off or if they changed the recipe, but it was not the same nor as good as it used to be. I'd still recommend this spot though!

    Adrienne O.

    The salsa bar is one of the best in town much less anywhere I've been. The pistachio salsa is to die for as is the avocado salsa. The carnitas tacos , chorizo tacos, lengua tacos are our favorites here, but pretty much anything on the menu is delicious! The service is warm & friendly, the ambiance is that of a classic taco joint with a little more style. The close early and sell out of some of their best so get there early and enjoy. We've been coming here for over 6 years now, enjoy!

    Outside
    Elizabeth G.

    Chill casual spot. Ordered 2 burritos (asada and barbacoa), guacamole and chips and a Mexican coke. $48. Great quality food. Clean and satisfying. Our food came out fairly quick and the staff was friendly and helpful. We sat on the patio with the pup. We ordered her an asada taco minus the tortilla. She was staring at us eat lol.

    Outside

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    4 months ago

    Favorite tacos. I love the beans. We like to take the tacos to West Beach and eat them. Recipe for a perfect day.

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    3 months ago

    Great food, staff very friendly. I'd return for another meal when in town. Parking was difficult and almost left.

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    Mony's Mexican Food Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mony's Mexican Food

    Is this place still open? We drove by at 2 pm yesterday and it had a closed sign and it was dark?!

    Yes, still open and offering the Best food in the Funk Zone

    View All 3 Questions

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    Flor De Maiz - Scallops chiltepin

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    We came in as a group of 14 for a reservation and the food itself was genuinely delicious -- the…read morefresh corn tortillas and ceviche were my favorites, and overall the flavors were great. That said, the service experience really brought things down. We arrived at 3:00 for our reservation but weren't seated until 3:20. Once we were seated, it took a while to get settled -- some guests in our own party were slow to get moving and had clearly had a lot to drink, so there was a strong smell of alcohol at our table for a bit, which added to the chaos of getting everyone situated. On top of that, the staff seemed overwhelmed the whole time. There was a fiesta event going on, so the whole restaurant was using plastic cups instead of glassware, which felt a little unfestive for a place at this price point. The music was also very loud, which made it even harder to flag anyone down for service. Despite it being clear the staff were short-staffed and stretched thin, no one offered any acknowledgment, apology, or gesture of care for the wait or the overall experience. The food quality (minus the steak) makes me want to come back, but the service needs real improvement, especially during busy events. The steak in particular didn't match its price -- it tasted more like a $35 steak than what we were charged.

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    Flor De Maiz - Romantic lit candles along steps

    Romantic lit candles along steps

    Flor De Maiz - MOLE NEGRO   Jidori chicken| black mole | rice | fried plantains | sesame seeds | tortillas

    MOLE NEGRO Jidori chicken| black mole | rice | fried plantains | sesame seeds | tortillas

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    Loquita - Broccolini

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    4.4(1.8k reviews)
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    My husband and I were visiting Santa Barbara for the first time and celebrating a special occasion,…read moreso I made a reservation here for a special dinner- and I'm so glad I did! We had such a wonderful experience from the moment we walked in to the moment we left. Our waiter was attentive and checked in on us regularly while still giving us plenty of space to enjoy our food and conversation. We sat outside, which I highly recommend if the weather is nice. Even though the restaurant was busy, the atmosphere felt intimate and romantic. We ordered two tapas, two cocktails, and the paella, and we were completely stuffed! We ended up taking quite a bit of the paella home, and thankfully, it was just as delicious reheated the next day. We actually wanted to come back again the following night, but decided to save it for another special celebration when we visit Santa Barbara again. One of the sweetest touches was that they gave us a postcard with a handwritten message- it was such a thoughtful little detail that made the experience feel even more special. Definitely recommend for a date night, but I could also see this being such a fun spot to experience with a group of friends. We'll absolutely be back next time we're in Santa Barbara!

    Popular, over hyped just ok restaurant. Service was soooo slow and the paella just ok. Tomato…read morespread appetizer and artichoke appetizer were solid. I love a good sangria - this was not. My dining partner didn't finish hers. I ordered a second and had two sips. Expensive night out with mediocre food in a lovely space.

    Photos
    Loquita - Cake table set up by staffers.

    Cake table set up by staffers.

    Loquita - Gambas Al Ajillo

    Gambas Al Ajillo

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    We stopped by about 20 minutes before closing because of all the great reviews, but unfortunately…read morethe customer service was really disappointing. As soon as we walked in, the woman working the register seemed visibly annoyed that we had come in before closing and rolled her eyes at us. She immediately said, "Umm, we're closing, so you want to take it to go?" We were already planning on taking our food to go, so the attitude felt completely unnecessary. While we were waiting for our order, another customer walked up to ask her a question, and she continued staring down at her phone and completely ignored her. The woman actually had to say, "Excuse me?" just to get her attention. I completely understand wanting to wrap things up at the end of a shift, but if a business is still open, customers shouldn't be made to feel unwelcome for coming in during posted business hours. We specifically chose this place because of the great reviews, so this was a really disappointing first impression.

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    Inside seating and ordering counter

    Maíz Picante - Great service and delicious tacos. I highly recommend the steak with potatoes taco.

    Great service and delicious tacos. I highly recommend the steak with potatoes taco.

    Maíz Picante - Volcanes de bistec

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    Volcanes de bistec

    Mony's Mexican Food - mexican - Updated September 2026

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