Service, and setting was perfect!! Happy hour food was exquisite!!! Came with my family and had an amazing time!! Def will be returning!

Shrimp taco was amazing. Would for sure get it again. ‼WARNING: I'm gluten free and ordered the spinach queso. The queso is marked "gluten free available" so I asked the waiter about it before ordering. He made it sound like the only issue was the chips since they are fried in a cross contaminated fryer. I said that was fine as I have a sensitivity, not an allergy. We had eaten 99% of the queso when he came over and very causally said he his chef told him there's actually flour in the queso. There wasn't much I could do since I had already eaten all of it. Absolutely wrecked my stomach for the next two days ‼ read more

The manager was rude to our table and didn't set the right tone for the meal. She through her staff under the bus -- honestly, good service is learned through proper training via management. The waitstaff took a long time to process lunch checks. Overall, would not go again. read more

We have loved Socalo ever since it opened, which is why we thought of it for our informal wedding reception in August of 2024. It was a special moment for us, and the team (especially Brianna) worked with us every step of the way to ensure that the event was everything we wanted it to be. The food and cocktails were fantastic, and we got rave reviews from all of our guests. The service was another standout -- everything was served to a large group in a timely fashion and the GM was present to make sure everything ran smoothly. He even offered to arrange a special meal for our 2-year-old niece, with no advance prep. With that level of attention to detail, we knew every person at our event would be well taken care of and we could relax and enjoy our evening. Whether visiting for a casual meal, a special celebration, or a larger event, would always recommend Socalo for an amazing dining experience with superior service! read more

This restaurant was recommended to me by doctor, believe it or not! We were seated immediately, and I tried the PRIDE month special cocktail, the Rainbow Sangria. It was gorgeous! And so delicious that I had a second! The Chips and Salsa flight were superb. The salsas were too spicy, but smoky and wonderful. I had the enchilada duo and my husband had the carnitas. The presentation was gorgeous and the flavors were perfect! The service was super friendly and helpful and the ambience festive yet relaxing. Would definitely come again! read more

Socalo - The PRIDE special cocktail, a rainbow sangria. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

The food was fantastic! Shared the corn esquite and would get it again, 100%! Jackfruit Tinga tacos and fish tacos were delicious. The rice and beans were flavorful. Cocktails fantastic. The zucchini on the side - bleh, if you're gonna cook a soggy mess of zucchini throw it away and take it off the menu. The service was great! Validated parking (I think for 90 minutes). Tip, sit outside on the patio on the other side of the hotel. It was sooooo loud on Santa Monica blvd it kinda ruined the meal. When we left we noticed a large patio on the other side of the restaurant and it's much more shielded from noise. Oh, buy the sauce they sell at the front register. It's soooo good, I use it all the time! read more

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Highly recommend. A delightful surprise. The food was fresh, health-conscious, creative and delicious, served up fast. Full disclosure, I arrived by myself for dinner Valentine's Day with thirty minutes before a meeting, realizing only then that I had walked into the biggest date night of the year! The bar was packed and it was clear the hostess was expecting reservations. She made room for me at the barand the lovely bar tender put my order in quickly, urging me to take as much time as I needed but that she knew I was in a rush. It was my idea of perfection! I will return for a more civilized and romantic meal with my husband (although this also a great spot for families). I ordered a a cup of chicken popzole soup, which the menu describes as guajillo broth, cabbage, radish, hominy and hominy. Fresh and delicious and loaded with veggies. Not too spicy, so if you're looking for hot and spicy you'll want to add it in. Also ordered the smoky roasted cauliflower with chipotle garlic mojo and cotija cheese. Fantatstic, unlike anything I've had elsewhere and something I wouldn't know how to prepare myself. This was served with an ice cold bottle of Top Chico with lime. I didn't have time for cocktails, but all looked scrumptious, and the diners I spoke to also raved about the brownie sundae. Extra bonus, the restaurant offers complimentary 90-minute parking, which is difficult find in this area of Santa Monica. I was treated very well, the food was delicious, and I can't wait to go back! read more

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Came in for the DineLA dinner. Everything was delicious! I wasn't aware that SOCALO is a Susan Feninger and Sue Millekin restaurant until we got into the elevator and saw the poster. We had the salad, scallops, enchiladas, rice/veggies bowl w salmon, apple tart w raspberry ice cream and plantain donuts with chocolate syrup. Excellent service. Best part too was the 90 min free validated parking in the Gateway Hotel, but parking spaces were cramped for our SUV. We sat outside in the small patio in front of the restaurant. Our conversation was interrupted by occasional sirens from ambulances and throttles from motorcycles roaring by. Near St. John's Hospital. read more

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The chefs behind Border Grill, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, opened Socalo in a former IHOP, serving seasonal Mexican fare, using local, sustainable ingredients and antibiotic/hormone-free meats. The interior has been beautifully redone (though not current open). There is, however, an outdoor patio available for dining.  I came during Dine LA to take advantage of their $15 three-course lunch - starter, entree and dessert. The price is about the same as a lunchtime entree, so it's like getting a free appetizer and dessert. We had two starters - the shrimp campechana and baby gem TJ Caesar. The campechana was a shrimp cocktail, consisting of one large shrimp, avocado, cucumber and tomato. At least it was one really tasty shrimp. The Caesar salad was a departure for the norm, nicely executed with roasted tomatoes, pickled chiles, queso enchilada and croutons in a creamy garlic dressing. The tomatoes were incredibly sweet, offseting the spiciness of the pickled chiles.  For those who don't eat meat, there are several entrees to choose from like the Impossible chorizo Socalo Burrito. The burrito was generously filled with chorizo, along with beans, cheese, coleslaw, potatoes and avocado salsa, and came with a side green salad. I opted for the Vampiro steak and shrimp tacos, that had griddled cheese and salsa macha on blue corn tortillas. They were slightly spicy and had so much steak and shrimp, that the filling kept falling out when I picked them up. My clothes were a mess afterwards, but it was worth it. The tacos were served with your standard rice and beans and some farmers' market vegetables - mostly tomatoes and cucumbers, though there was a mint leaf and pomegranate seeds, which were a nice surprise. For dessert, there was a mini guava empanada.   With Feniger and Milliken at the helm, you're guaranteed that the Mexican food will be high quality. I had feared that the food might be a little bland, but it wasn't, leaning more to slightly spicy. I definitely felt that a lot of effort had been put into my meal to make it special. If the goal of Dine LA was to introduce diners to new restaurants, they succeeded. Socalo will now be on my list of restaurants to definitely revisit. Parking available on the premises. Online ordering available for delivery and takeout for contactless pickup. read more

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Well my Paloma was tasty but otherwise ... the roasted cauliflower was served lukewarm and couldn't decide if it was Mexican or Asian. The gloopy sauce was vaguely Chinese. My grilled fish tacos were passable but the fish was tasteless and tough. The tortillas were a nice, soft organic corn but again, served lukewarm at best. Pretty disappointed in this place. read more

I literally past by this cute restaurant every single day and today was my first time ever stopping by! I wish I found it sooner! I got the shrimp and steak tacos and it was delicious! Every bite was so something else. Such a friendly staff! Cute decor! DELICIOUS food! Yummy ice coffee! And affordable prices. Definitely stop by if you're in Santa Monica. They also have WiFi, clean bathrooms and free parking! read more

Socalo - Shrimp and steak tacos - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Food was so awesome. We ordered the pork tomahawk and it was so flavorful and juicy. Outdoor patio is so nice and warm. It enabled us to bring our puppy with us. But most of all, the staff is so lovely. Special thanks to Renata and Donald. They were marvelous. Will definitely come back. read more

Socalo - Pork tomahawk - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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tale of two visits...breakfast good (4 stars) ..dinner not so much (2 stars)..we were in town for the LA Marathon and Socalo was a stroll away from our hotel. Socalo ambiance & service: Contemporary, industrial minimalist vibe with plenty of seating makes for a pleasant dining area. Breakfast: You order from the bar and they brought our food to the table. The kitchen was quick with getting the dishes to us. Coffee and water is self service and I did a pretty good job keeping my drinks fresh. Dinner: We had to wave someone down to get seated. 12 minutes to get a menu another 10 minutes to get our order in. Again the kitchen did a pretty good job with getting the dishes to the table quickly. We had to wave down servers to get our drinks. Overall the servers and cashiers were friendly. Dogtown Breakfast Plate: Fresh ingredients across the board: eggs, toast, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes and the vegan chorizo. The vegan chorizo was especially impressive as it tasted nearly identical to it's meat counter part. Prepped perfectly and very tasty. I definitely recommend this dish. Lamb Birria: Very oily but pretty tasty overall. The tortillas were fresh and worked well with the lamb. Small portion plate and I'm not sure If I'd order again if given the chance. Our first visit was for breakfast and we had a great experience which brought us back the next day for an early dinner. I think Socalo is understaffed or scheduled incorrectly during full service hours as the service was a complete 180 of the evening. I'd definitely swing by for breakfast next time I'm in the area given the opportunity. Good Luck! read more

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This place had been on my "to try" list for a while. It was okay. The plating is very photogenic, and that's primarily what you're paying for. You order up front and then find a seat. I tried the michelada, machaca hash, and lamb birria. The michelada was mostly watered down beer. The machaca hash was good. It arrived piping hot and was spicier than I expected. The lamb birria was wonderful. Parking was decent. There are plenty of spaces, but you may have to pay (what else is new in Santa Monica). Can't say I'd go out of my way to come back. read more

Arriving for our reservation, we were seated promptly. A card on the table with our reservation name was a welcome sight. Loved it! The menu is regular and vegan selections. We settled on the chips with guacamole and the Aguachile Flautas, a potato filled flautas with cabbage slaw, cucumber salad and avocado. A great starter. Next the Carne Asada Tacos which was a grilled hanger steak that was so tender. Simply an amazing creation by chefs Mary Sue Millikan and Susan Feniger's Border Grill. Free 90 minute parking in a connected parking garage. read more

Socalo - Corn Esquire, chipotle aioli,Socalo Spice Mix and Corona Cheese. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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We came here for DineLA on for lunch. I'm a huge fan of DineLA, every time I do my analysis based on the value of the menu and my preference for food to narrow down a couple of new restaurants to try. Based on my analysis, the DineLa menu for this place is a decent deal. Luckily I came here on a Tuesday, and they also had Taco Tuesday! Value The food here is slightly overpriced if it's for the normal menu. 2 tacos for $15 is very expensive. However, the DineLA menu was only $25 for a 3-course meal. Food I really like the ceviche! I got the burrito to maximize my $$ for DineLA. It was not my favorite. That's because it had a lot of beans and I'm not a big fan of having beans in my burrito. And the dessert is Churro. I definitely had much better churros. It really didn't live up to my expectation, but it wasn't a deal breaker. We also ordered a pork belly and baja taco. They were okay, I think street tacos and other taco places have better tacos. read more

I often wonder how my dear Yelp friends/followers can enjoy so many delicious calories when a wimp like me is full on an app and a cocktail? Now I get it, I've been eating at all the wrong places, including the stuff I make at home. Enter Socalo https://www.socalo.com/about-us/ A former charter member of my elementary school's/fat kid's clean plate club, at Socalo I renewed my status but not with overly mayo'd tuna on white bread and carrot sticks! Oh NO! Think eclectic, modern California Mexican/Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milken inspired raise your plate and ask for more fare. Zero chance of expanding the waistline!!! My two GFs and I ordered to share first from the LUNCH SMALL PLATES (available Monday - Friday 11AM to 4PM https://www.socalo.com/menus/#lunch ): GUACAMOLE & CHIPS - macha and quemada salsas - 1/2 order Having enjoyed guac at The Border Grill Pre-Yelp years ago, I knew cilantro hating me could tolerate the discreet level in Chef Feniger's interpretation. Totally delicious as were the varying heat from the salsas. Hot crisp salty chips the perfect delivery vehicle of aforementioned. SMOKEY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER - chipotle garlic mayo, mojo, cotija cheese Just get this! If I didn't have to share, this would have been mine, ALL mine. What a seriously delicious culling of ingredients! CHILES TOREADOS - blistered shishito peppers, salsa macha My GFs were not fans, but I was especially when paired with the SMOKEY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER, I was in veggie heaven! CORN ESQUITE - chipotle aioli, Socalo spice mix, lime, cotija cheese When ordering at the counter as all must do, we inquired if this dish was "dusted" with cilantro and requested that if so, it not be; it arrived "naked" of my least fave herb on the planet. OK, add that to the cauliflower and shishito peppers and I nearly forgot I'd ordered more food. Then from the lunch menu's SALADS two to share, well not exactly, read on: ENSALADA DEL CAMPO - market field greens, shaved vegetables, oregano vinaigrette, crunchy quinoa Veggies at their best, appropriately dressed, totally healthy. A must order for a complete meal of your very own (or to share or not, I'd rather not, you know, mine all mine...) CITRUS CHICORIES SALAD - pickled jalapeno, chipotle vinaigrette, blue cheese, candied pistachio plus a seasonal treat, blood orange slices and traces of slightly bitter radicchio to balance the mix This salad was mine, ALL mine! Loved every crunchy, sweet, savory forkful! Clean plate! From the lunch menu's TACOS: CARNE ASADA - grilled hanger steak, guacamole, fresca, quemada salsa served with organic corn tortillas, organic red rice and farmers market vegetables Being "ladies who lunch" (regularly) this was our least fave cuz we'd rather eat raw or cooked veggies. Dish went home for number one GF's hubby and he was in absolute HEAVEN even though when enjoyed fare was way past lunchtime. If it wasn't lunch and we had yet to drive to explore Otis Parson's Ben Maltz Gallery, we'd have had an adult beverage https://www.socalo.com/menus/#cocktails-and-drinks but if you have nothing beckoning post repast do indulge in the libations. As previously stated, order at the counter from a staffer who knows her/his stuff, take a number and grab a seat at either one of the communal tables or a booth in this "I can't believe previous real estate used to be an I Hop" environs. Staff regularly circulates to be sure all is well at your table and brings to-go containers upon request. Park in The Gateway Hotel's lot (enter on your right just south of Santa Monica Boulevard & 20th), Socalo validates for 90-minutes with a $15 minimum purchase, plenty of time to kick your elementary school's fat kid's clean plate club's membership to the curb and eat real healthy, really good, like the grown up you are knows you should. read more

Socalo - Chiles Toreados, Corn Esquite, Smoky Roasted Cauliflower, Citrus Chicores Salad, Ensalada Del Campo, Chips & Salsa, Carne Asada... - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I was pleasantly surprised on their COVID policies. There is a bunch of hand sanitizer around the restaurant and before you enter they take your temperature. They also wear masks and face shields. Kudos to you Socalo! Now.. to the food. We initially came for drinks, but could not resist some Mexican food.. We got chips and guac (the salsa was very good and flavorful, and not just spicy for the heck of it), 2 lamb tacos (a tad spicy) and 2 carne asada. Everything was delicious, however I would recommend asking for the tacos to be double packed (double tortilla), the structural integrity of it was not really there due to it being runny. Had (a bunch) of Bobby's punch, which was good, a mix of run, pineapple, lime juice, coconut water, whole milk (did not really taste it) and nutmeg. Did not resist and got the Strawberry Tres Leches cake. I prefer it sans strawberry, so you can taste the milk(s) better, but that's just me. Service was also very nice, waiters friendly, and I really liked that the payment was contact free via ToastTab. read more

Socalo - Strawberry Tres Leches Cake - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

This was a great place to go but lately the staff turnover and management has taken a turn. We have noticed the atmosphere isn't as warm and welcoming as when Donald was there. Last time we were there our waiter forgot about 10 times what we had asked for and they are not attentive. read more

We went to Socalo for Happy Hour today at 4pm and were seated promptly with no wait. Woohoo! For 2 people we left paying around $75 including tip. Their prices on the happy hour range from $7-$8 for cocktails and $5-$7.50 food. Everything came out quickly which was great because we were huuungry. We ordered the Birria Tacos, Jackfruit Tinga Tacos, Ceviche Tostado, Chips + Salsa, a side of rice and beans, 1 cocktail and 1 mocktail. My boyfriend loved the Birria tacos and I loved the Ceviche Tostado. The jackfruit tinga was just Ok in our opinion but it's a nice vegetarian option. We will definitely be back for lunch or dinner to try things off of their regular menu! read more

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Ordered online for curbside pick up during covid and process was easy and straightforward. Simply called from alley and they put everything in the trunk. Food was fabulous! The still hot chips and fresh Guacamole could have been a meal even for the half order size! Corn elote was still warm and cheesy after 15 minute ride home. The blue corn tacos vampiro filled with steak and shrimp were so full of complex textures and flavora that they made my mouth dance! I added a bit of the sauces to them but they didn't need anything other than a napkin to catch whatever didn't fit in your hand! Be careful with the habenero salsa that looks like tomato sauce - I realized what it was only after eating a huge spoon of it! The ceviche was fresh, and citrusy, and a big enough portion that it could be the entire meal by itself! read more

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Three of us had lunch here today, and delicious - but portions are small. One had tortilla soup and a quesadilla (very good), one had the taco salad (vegan) (very good, but raw onions should be noted), and I had the 2 tacos with jackfruit ($10) and added beans & rice (2.50). The tacos were delicious but tiny, especially for $10, and the beans & rice were approximately 1/4 of a cup. Staff friendly and restaurant very pleasant. You order at the bar as you walk in, and then sit down. I wish there was a daily special that was more inclusive. Rushing back....no. read more

Finally made the stop here after work with a coworker. Even without a reservation we were greeted and seated right away. Staff was fantastic and even the owner came by to see how the meal was going!! Food: We got the Steak and shrimp taco, lamb birria, and the corn starter. All three tasted really good! The tacos (2 per order) were delicious with the right amount of heat. The lamb dish had very tender meat but wasn't a huge fan of the tortillas it was served with on the side. The corn starter was delicious but wasn't more than just corn and cheese with some spices on top. Service: Amazing Parking: free for 90 minutes with validation. Definitely would come back but would probably come back for breakfast or lunch this time! read more

Socalo - Lamb Birria, Corn Esquite, and Vampiro Steak and Shrimp Taco - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I came for lunch, the Ceviche was fabulous as were the jackfruit tacos. I LOVE this style of Mexican food, it's clean and bright. The guacamole looked fantastic. The ambiance is fun and lively. I would love to come back when they are at full capacity as I'm certain the vibe / energy here will be festive. read more

I'm liking this new restaurant that opened on Santa monica & 20th! Prices a bit high (especially for the drinks) but at least the food is good. I got the chicken tacos and my husband got the carne asada tacos and both were good. The asada tacos were much better than the chicken tacos. The meat was so juicy and tender. So well seasoned! I prefer soft tacos and the chicken tacos were a crispy tortilla. Came with a side of zucchini and small plate of rice and beans. The Guac & chips are insanely expensive (12 dollars) but has such good flavor. I would come back for their dinner menu to try it out. They have a brunch menu that's weekends only and they have a lunch menu during the week and a dinner menu as well. Parking is free for 90 minutes read more

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With the DineLA lunch special, I knew that this would be a good chance to try this place out. I put in my order through their website ahead of time and drove to Santa Monica. The restaurant has free 90 minute parking according to the sign, but when I parked, there was no attendant so I didn't need validation of any sort. (Maybe they are there later in the day though.) I'm not sure if I'm wanting to eat at restaurants quite yet, but they do have patio dining open for anyone interested. I got to the restaurant and was a little confused - there was no host stand or host directing the action. It wasn't until I saw the small writing on a pillar that said "Order at the bar" that I figured out who I needed to check in with. As I waited for my food to be packed up, the chef Susan Feniger was walking around and asked me if I had been helped. Internally, I was excited as I have watched the Food Network since childhood and remember her on Too Hot Tamales, then cheered her on for Top Chef Masters. Food in hand, I headed to a park near my house to eat my lunch. The DineLA menu came with an appetizer and an entree. For my appetizer, I chose the Baby Gem TJ Salad. This was absolutely delicious - a very good salad. I loved the flavor of their dressing with the croutons, cheese, and lettuce. There were also thin slices of peppers (tasted like pepperoncini) that were a nice slightly spicy surprise. For the entree, I got a Socalo Burrito. This was good, but not amazing. It comes with slaw inside, and sort of reminded me of a slightly upgraded Qdoba/Rubio'a type burrito. The meal was finished off with a delicious guava empanada. All in all, a tasty deal and tasty meal read more

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Socalo continues to delight me. The chips and salsa are mouth watering good. Great drinks. I always enjoy the ceviche. The carne asada tacos are good, though I did think the tortilla was chewy in a weird way--hard to bite off. The service was just wonderful as usual. read more

Socalo - Margarita with Tajin rim--delicious. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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The service was superior the drinks and food were great. All in all a great place. Convenient and clean.

Checked out this place for happy hour on a Friday night with a friend. There's 90min free parking at the hotel it's connected to but if you miss the entrance like I did there's ample street parking. We got there a little after 5 since happy hour goes still 6 and if wasn't that busy when we got there so we were seated right away. It was nice out so we opted for sitting outdoor on the patio. Drinks are $8 which you really can't beat when nowadays an average drink is $16. I tried the el picante & chinola Margarita. I really liked the picante marg just the right amount of spicy ness and not the point that you'd get heartburn lol. The chinola was also good not too sweet. Food wise we got the chips and salsa, the birria taco, chicken taco and yellow tail ceviche. The food came out almost immediately after ordering. I loved the uniqueness of the salsa trio. There was one that was almost like chili oil that really stood out to me. The ceviche was loaded for the price and the birria taco was excellent. Overall solid spot for happy hour!! read more

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A nice new restaurant in the neighborhood that seems to be doing an extraordinarily healthy weekday lunch takeout business. Pros: Light and bright space, tasty food Cons: You have to stand in line to order at the counter, then find your own seat. Food is overpriced for what it is and tends to run on the salty side. We ordered the salmon poke (a special for the week) and ceviche. Both seriously skimped on the fish. The poke was served over a bed of Mexican rice, which was a fun twist, but the dish overall was very salty. Flavors for both were good. The ceviche was served on a tostada and covered with another tostada, which made it a little challenging to eat. Would be willing to come back and try more dishes. Though we didn't get an opportunity to chat with her, it was exciting to see Susan Feniger make an appearance in person. I really miss her restaurant Street - still have dreams of that Kaya toast.... read more

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Bloody Mary - 5/5 - perfect amount of spice and flavor! It's honestly one of the best ones I've had in a while. It's not over garnished and it' goes smooth. I personally loved it! Chilaquiles - 4/5 - it wasn't drowned in sauce which I absolutely appreciate but the eggs were not cooked right! They weren't hire scrambled and they were t quite runny, so something in between? But I asked for over easy! Customer Service - 3/5 - I'm not sure who the lady was working on Sunday but my cousin ordered something on their menu which stated it was vegan. It came out with cheese and when he brought it up her attention she said "next time tell us" they shouldn't label something for vegans if they're going to have to ask to make it vegan -__- Would I come back? Yes, for their Bloody Mary read more

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We had a great dinner here with some friends! We were flying into LA and my local friend chose this place as it was relatively close to the airport and had outdoor heated seating. We ran a little late though, and our friends had ordered some appetizers already. The staff was very welcoming, patient, and accommodating. I ordered the grilled steak arrachera, and my boyfriend ordered the lamb birria tacos. Both of these were good, although the portion sizes were a bit small. My boyfriend even added an extra taco to his order and he still came out hungry. My steak was really nicely prepared, and all the accompaniments were delicious, especially the griddled cheese. The bite of his taco that I stole was great too! Overall good experience. A little pricey for what you get, but the food is quality! read more

Met a friend for lunch here. You order at the counter, grab a number and then a table, and they bring the food to you when it's ready. The skinny margarita hit the spot. We shared a half order of chips & guac, the ceviche, chicory salad, carne asada tacos and fish tacos. Loved the salsa and chili oil salsa that came with the guac for some heat and the chips are addictive. The chicory salad was a little bitter for me and my friend thought it was a little salty - I did like the fried quinoa though. Tacos were legit, I liked the fish better than the carne asada but nothing were flavorful. The side of rice & beans and sautéed veggies were a nice touch. It was pretty busy for a Friday afternoon. The tables were all taken but there was plenty of space at the communal tables and there is a good amount of bar space. I would def come back, maybe for happy hour to enjoy some more margs! There's parking at the hotel (which the restaurant is in), but make sure to get validation. read more

Socalo - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

My wife and I tried this place when it first opened and it's really good. Upscale Mexican food with really good drinks. It's on the pricey side, but what isn't in Santa Monica. Their menu had a wide variety of things and I can't wait to go back and try more. Make sure you get the guac. It was really tasty Public transportation or walking is best for this restaurant. read more

The takeout order I placed today was prepared incorrectly and this wasn't the first time. I will say, the staff was nice and gracious enough to have the food remade and delivered but today's "replacement" dishes were still incorrect. Thee cheese was left off however, they also left all the sauces and seasonings off too . . . just grilled corn & cauliflower drowning in oil (paper containers were completely saturated through & through) and bland. The other items I ordered were fine (no preparation adjustments were needed). If a customer has to open every container of food to see if an order was prepared correctly before leaving the establishment, something is amiss. Super conflicted . . . I like the food (when it's prepared properly) but getting a meal (as ordered) shouldn't be the challenge that it's become. read more

Socalo - Base of containers soaked in oil - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Service was absolutely incredible and the food was sooo good! Our server, whose name I didn't get, was helpful, friendly, and full of confidence. The chicken tacos were extra tasty, and the homemade tortilla chips were a great starter. My friend had shrimp tacos (fish is the only meat not marinated in cilantro - they were happy to accommodate her special request!) read more

Socalo - Chicken tacos at the top, shrimp tacos at the bottom, chips and salsa in the middle. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Ate here for dinner and really enjoyed it. They have their own version of garlic crunchy hot oil, which they also sell. It comes with the salsa, guac, chips app. Also got the fish, tacos, and dessert. Would def come here again if in the area. Really enjoyed the atmosphere here for my first post COVID dinner! read more

Recently my friends and I visited Socalo with high expectations, but unfortunately, my experience was not pleasant and I will not return. With this "restaurant" you order at the bar and pay for your food. There is a person walking around but his role is not clear. He is not the waiter nor server. One issue was the wait time--despite having a reservation, my party sat at the table for at least 10 - 15 minutes before we found out that we had to order at the bar's cashier. The food, sadly, was the biggest disappointment. I ordered the LAMB Barbacoa burrito with avocado salsa, radish, onions and cilantro and a CHINOLA MARGARITA. The margarita was good. However, the LAMB Barbacoa burrito arrived without the avocado salsa, radish, onions or cilantro. It was clear that minimal effort was put into preparing the dish. My friend's meal was also disappointing--her GRILLED BARBACOA TACOS were so tiny she finished both of them in two bites. Overall, my experience at Socalo was disappointing. read more

The food and service were both great! The pork loin was amazing. We will definitely go back.

First off " GO DAWGS ". Ambiance is perfection. Service 5 stars , but it's the food that knocks it out of the park. Each bite is a moment delectable moment!! Also before leaving pick up a couple jars of " Salsa Macha" or as we Collett Mexican caviar absolutely amazing. read more

Socalo - Amazing salsa . But in a paste . Recall list of Mexican caviar. - Mexican Near Me - Santa Monica, California