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    Tocaya Modern Mexican

    3.8 (687 reviews)
    Closed 10:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Tocaya Modern Mexican Takeout or Delivery

    Tocaya Modern Mexican Photos

    TOCAYA MODERN MEXICAN ATMOSPHERE

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

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    STEAK  group friendly meals

    I come here regularly since I work only a block away for lunch. It hits different when you eat here. I have on occasion decided to enjoy tocaya at home and today was no different, it disappointed me once again. Why is it that when you get food to go your service level, your food experience comes up SHORT. I grabbed the steak combo that feeds 3-5 people and figured this one solve our what's for dinner, black hole. Well it didn't I asked the person at the counter that it seemed to be not a lot of meat in the container. She gave me an underwhelming answer of it should be 18 ounces of steak. Well it wasn't not only was it weighed when I got home I saved and will attach the receipts. Thank you for falling short of expectations yet again tocaya, I don't expect to return for the "to go" options. I am conflicted though I love the tortilla soup the atmosphere and all those points/rewards I have accumulated over the past 3-5 years I have been a patron of theirs. Hoping my review will kick up the consistency a notch and for once, just once they nail the, "to go," business. Be better tocaya

    Manzana Steak Salad
    Angela P.

    Checked out this place out of curiosity. It was chill and peaceful on a Saturday afternoon. Loved the natural lighting and plant decorations. The workers were so kind! Their Manzana Steak Salad looked the most appealing. The steak was well cooked and juicy. Interesting choice of some kind of Indian curry on the side. Salad was well-dressed and refreshing. Would like to come back to try their other dishes!

    Came on Taco Tuesday, which to be fair is probably one of their busiest days, so I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. But I waited over an hour after placing my order, and over an hour after receiving not one, but two texts saying my food was ready and would be brought out shortly. When I finally went up to ask what was going on, the waitress insisted she had already brought me my food. Now, I'm crazy for a lot of reasons, but never would I be crazy enough to lie to a taco establishment as a big guy myself. That's just absurd. After I told her that definitely wasn't true, she begrudgingly put my order through again. About twenty minutes later, a kitchen staff member brought out my food and handed it to me with a comment along the lines of, "Here's the food we already brought out." So apparently even after remaking the order, they were still insisting I had already received it. The tacos were fine, but an hour and twenty minutes, two false "your order is ready" texts, and being repeatedly told I received food that I never got is a pretty wild customer experience. Won't be coming back.

    Seating
    sanjana m.

    Food was great. Service was good. Ambiance was nice, place was decorated well and very spacious. Not your classic tacos but a good spin on it. Baja taco 5/5 Steak taco 5/5

    BURRITO MEXICANO
    Susan L.

    How have I never reviewed Tocaya?! This is such good comfort food when you're in LA after 20 years in Austin, Texas. Consistently delicious. Reliable for high quality ingredients - good flour tortillas, good cilantro lime rice, tangy chicken tinga! I'm not so into the blue corn tortillas (floppy) or the plantain chips (too dry).I love that squash blossom though. I'd happily invest in a dozen of those! The sweet corn tamales are great for dessert or breakfast! The roasted salsa is irresistible. Even the fruit salad is perfect.

    SONORA STEAK BOWL and CUCUMBER MINT LIMEADE and CHIPS & SALSA
    Tara F.

    Pretty decent and filling but a little flavorless. The salsa has no spice. I usually get a bowl but have to add lemon and hot sauce to bring out the flavors. Service is pretty okay too. Good for a quick lunch place or low key dinner.

    Fish TACO COMBO
    Sa'Rah H.

    Tocaya had just the type of fresh and light meal I was looking for. It's a fast casual dining restaurant but the seating area was nice. I really enjoyed my fish tacos, black beans and street corn. I'll admit the tacos could benefit from a mango salsa or something to add a bit more flavor. Otherwise, it was delicious. We ordered at the counter and our food was delivered to our table quickly. We sat at a large booth with plenty room for all of our food and things.

    Meat and cheese quesadillas
    Kathryn Y.

    What a great location with lots of seating. We ordered the quesadilla with mushrooms and it came with salsa that paired perfectly. We also got the en fuego bowl which had kernels of sweet corn that tasted bright and sweet. I added some to the quesadilla which made it taste even better. I barely ate the Turkey part. They have a lot of to go orders. I was hoping it'd be a quick dinner given the meter running. They might be prioritizing the to go orders. Parking is street which can be hard. I really like how they offer some outdoor dining though!

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    Camilla W.

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    4 months ago

    The food is absolutely delicious and so fresh. I feel like I'm treating myself to a healthy and good nutritious meal when I buy from Tocaya.

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    4 months ago

    Delicious-fresh food! Friendly service and restaurant is clean; great vibes. Tuesday specials are good!!

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    Camilla W.

    Thrilled to hear it hit the spot, Adam!

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    10 months ago

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    6 months ago

    Food was delicious and fresh. Service was quick and welcoming. Tried their taco salad and tamarindo agua Fresca, would definitely recommend.

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    1 year ago

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    2 years ago

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    Camilla W.

    Thank you, Jacqueline, we look forward to your next visit!

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    2 years ago

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    Thanks, Noah! We appreciate your support!

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    Page 1 of 18

    Ask the Community - Tocaya Modern Mexican

    Are there some outdoor tables now? Or are you just doing takeout/delivery?

    They have outdoor seating available

    Are there plant based options on happy hour eats?

    Hi, our Happy Hour is Monday through Friday. From 3-6 on our beer, wine and margarita. We also have $2.00 side as followed, Chips & salsa, street corn, black beans and cilantro lime rice. Which is all vegan.… 

    Do they have a nutrition menu?

    Hi Currently we do not, we will have this in the future Thank you.… 

    Hi, what cooking oil you use? Thanks!

    Hi Lina - we use sunflower oil to fry our plantain and tortilla chips.

    Do you go up to order or does a server come to the table?

    Hi Simone, When you walk in you would order at the counter, the cashier would give you a number and… 

    Are there soy-free items?

    Yes there are..... many

    View All 7 Questions

    Chelsea - Best Rib eye I've ever had

    Chelsea

    4.6(212 reviews)
    1.5 mi

    We celebrated my friend's birthday here last night and I'm so glad we decided to come here! I think…read morethe gentleman who seated us might have been the owner, he was very kind and welcoming. Our server, Murray, was so patient with us and was amazing all around. We were very indecisive and he gave us great recommendations, and was attentive, welcoming, and when needed, gave us our space to enjoy the meal. Thank you, Murray! We started with the Rye me a River cocktail and the Mezcal cocktail which were both perfect for our tastes. My mezcal drink was beautiful with a black salt rim and beautiful Smokey flavor (along with the word Chelsea spelled out on my ice cube). My friend loved his Rye me a River cocktail. For food, we started with the oysters and lobster sliders which I don't get a picture of, but they were both great!!! The lobster sliders were actually my favorite bite of the whole meal. My friend devoured the oysters, he loved them so much. We then had the boar ragu tagliatelle which was excellent. It was sweeter than most ragus that I've had, but that was my friend's favorite dish of the whole night. The lamb chops were cooked perfectly, absolutely perfectly, and the pistachio crust was delicious. We ordered steak frites and asked that the fries be truffle fries, which they kindly accommodated. So glad we asked because the truffle fries were delicious, they came with a cilantro dipping sauce that was delectable! The steak itself was cooked perfectly, and the gravy accompaniment was an excellent complement to the steak. We also got the peanut butter and chocolate turnover for my friend's birthday. Yall, it was SO good! It really exceeded my expectations. We will definitely be back! My friend was so happy with his birthday meal!! We found street parking, but they do have valet if you need it as well. The interior of the restaurant is lovely, great for a date night. They have dimmer lighting, and great booths and tables throughout the space. The bar is beautiful and has a small tv screen in case you want to watch something but it's small enough and out of the way that it's not distracting at all if you don't want to watch any sporting event.

    Great space and interesting menu inspired from a diverse amount of sources. It felt like a perfect…read morerepresentation of why LA is such a great melting pot of different cultures. Treated my friend to dinner her for letting us stay at her place for a night. Oysters: With lemon ginger vinaigrette, fresh oysters and beautiful plate. My kids are used to it with only lemon so we ate them and they were great. Yellowtail & Watermelon Sashimi: Chili oil, ponzu, onion, serrano. Wonderful combo with the watermelon, haven't had it like this before and would repeat. Sweet Corn & Ricotta Ravioli: Thai green curry based sauce. It was delicious but deceptively spicy. My kids tried eating some but it was too hot for them and we ate the rest. Seared Tandoori Scallops: Saffron risotto, tarragon beurre blanc. The risotto was so good! New Zealand Seabass: Baby bok choy, white rice, coconut lemongrass broth. Kids destroyed this one, it tasted clean and healthy.

    Photos
    Chelsea - Interior is stunning

    Interior is stunning

    Chelsea - Escargot mushrooms

    Escargot mushrooms

    Chelsea - Steak frites

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    Steak frites

    The Surfing Fox - Fish Tacos

    The Surfing Fox

    4.2(304 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    very unassuming under a hotel, but i almost want to gatekeep this happy hour next to the pier…read morebecause we enjoyed it so much... "sunset hour" is every monday-friday from 3-6 pm and the food is delicious and all vegetarian!! :) drink prices are okay, but i would come back for a snack. the patio is also dog friendly! the crispy brussel sprouts were to die for! they added some nuts on top for a nice crunch, and who doesn't love manchego. the fox fries were also great, and had a nice crunch to them, as well as a good kick of spice! the chips and guac with the togarashi spice was something i didn't know i needed on my tortilla chips, we had to ask for more! the staff was very friendly and accommodating to our dietary preferences!! can't wait to come back

    Dined here on a Wednesday afternoon. Since it was the middle of the day on a weekday, there was no…read morewait...no crowd. It was pretty empty. It's very cute inside with indoor and outdoor seating as well as bar seating. The server was very attentive and seated us right away. Once we placed our order, the food came out pretty quick. I started with the ceviche which was absolutely delicious and full of flavor. The sauce was so yummy! For my main course I kept going back and forth between the Branzino with arugula and the fish tacos. The server told me that the tacos are more popular so I went with the fish tacos. Glad I did! The grilled fish tacos is a must try! My mom ordered the fish and chips... sadly she was disappointed. The first was under cooked and kind of slimy. So she didn't finish her meal. Overall, I would dine here again and next time I will try the branzino and some cocktails!

    Photos
    The Surfing Fox - Foxtails

    Foxtails

    The Surfing Fox - Spacious bar seating

    Spacious bar seating

    The Surfing Fox - Hot Chicken Sandwich

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    Hot Chicken Sandwich

    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

    4.2(4.7k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    We had a very good experience here! Our waitress was friendly, fast, and gave great…read morerecommendations! We split two appetizers, which was plenty due to the portion size. Drinks were delicious and the vibe was fun!

    I finally made it to The Misfit in Santa Monica, and honestly, the interior is giving major…read moreBalthazar-meets-Parisian-speakeasy energy. It's located in the old Clock Tower building, and the Art Deco decor is absolutely stunning--dark enough to hide a bad day but vibrant enough for a girls' night. The Vibe: It's loud, lively, and perfectly "bohemian chic". If you're coming on a weekend, prepare for a crowd, but it's the good kind of crowded where everyone looks like they just came from a gallery opening. The Food: I'm still thinking about the Crispy Chicken Sandwich--it was juicy, perfectly seasoned, and came with a fennel-apple slaw that actually felt fresh. We also shared the Bacon Wrapped Dates (obviously) and the Hand Cut Kennebec Fries, which arrive in a bowl so huge it could basically be its own zip code. The Drinks: Their Happy Hour is arguably the best in the city. I had the Japanese Dream with matcha, and it was expertly crafted--not too sweet, which is my biggest pet peeve. The "Misfit" Moment: The service can be a tiny bit slow when it's "rammed," and there's a 4% kitchen fee that feels a bit unnecessary, but they make up for it with those complimentary sea salt chocolate chip cookies at the end. They are warm, gooey, and life-changing. One major heads-up: I heard a rumor they might be closing their doors on April 18th due to some landlord drama, so get there while you still can.

    Photos
    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar
    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar
    The Misfit Restaurant + Bar

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    Diner Antonette - Burkart organic peaches

    Diner Antonette

    4.4(83 reviews)
    0.5 mi

    What a charmer! Beautiful old school and classic atmosphere gorgeous bar extending the length of…read morethe restaurant, wait staff knowledgeable dressing in formal black and white with suspenders! But lively, family friendly as well -attentive staff that are friendly but formal. The food! Had smoked salmon pizza- weird? NO!Lots of salmon on a very non traditional maybe Asiago cheese with a roasted tomato sauce capers, onions and arugula thrown on top after baking in pizza oven for that smoky flavor.simply amazing with a grownup cocktail. Wanna go back now but have to fly away!

    We went to Diner Antonette last night for diner and had half a good meal…read more First of all, the waiter, Johnny was wonderful, he was so kind, professional and on top of things. The restaurant itself was very cool, it had an old diner feel but with the decor, lighting and music it was hip and trendy. All the tables were full and the menu looked very interesting. They took old diner staples and modernized it. Great concept!! We started off with garlic bread which was two pieces of cibata bread with 3 bulbs of roasted garlic in olive oil. The presentation was beautiful and while it was messy, it was yummy. The ratio of garlic to bread was off. There was so much garlic and only two pieces of bread. It should have been 4 pieces. For dinner, I ordered the crispy chicken (fried chicken) with greens which was very good. The breading was spiced perfectly and the chicken was moist and yummy. My husband went for the cheese burger, cooked medium rare with fries. Unfortunately, the burger came out well done and Johnny immediately took it back to and had another burger made. After a long while and mind you I had to eat by myself kind of killing the experience, the burger came back and again it was more well than medium which was very frustrating. Johnny and the manger of the restaurant stopped by and asked to do it again and he declined. They said they will take it off the bill which was very nice. The bill came and when I reviewed it, we saw the billed included both burgers (original and the replacement) with the two credits, as well as, a 4 percent kitchen charge. However, when it summed up the tip, it based it on everything that came to our table. For example, the original bill if everything was perfect should have been $75 it added the replacement burger and I increased it to $100. So the calculated 20% tip was $20 based on the $100. My check balance with the burger credit was $62 including tax, plus a $19 tip. I knew exactly what was going on but since Johnny was an attentive and good waiter we wanted to make sure he was compensated for his work. I wasn't going to make a big deal about the 4% for the kitchen but in this case, it was there incompetence that caused the problem and that should have never been passed to us. Overall, would we go back to Diner Antoinette on our next holiday to Santa Monica, probably not.

    Photos
    Diner Antonette - Fresh Bar Accoutrements

    Fresh Bar Accoutrements

    Diner Antonette - Radicchio chopped salad

    Radicchio chopped salad

    Diner Antonette - Classic breakfast

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    Classic breakfast

    Tar & Roses

    Tar & Roses

    4.5(2.8k reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$$
    Romantic vibe
    Locally sourced ingredients

    The food and the wine are incredible here. We came here right before we got engaged in 2018, and…read morewhat I wanted for our 6th anniversary was to come back, and we did in September! The mains that are wood-fired are delicate and delicious. I appreciate all the bold wine pairings, especially with meat. Wood-roasted bone marrow was incredible! The duck breast was moist and sweet! My husband got the lamb shank, which was by far the best with bold Middle Eastern flavors like zhoug and labneh. You must try!

    Tar & Roses is a mixed bag with one genuine high point…read more The menu is where it lost me. It swings from Vietnamese small plates to a straightforward steak, and the range never settles into a point of view -- it reads less like a confident eclectic kitchen than a grab bag. The fried red snapper was the standout: crisp, well-cooked, good enough to stand on its own. It came with a fish sauce for dipping that it didn't need -- a wedge of lemon on the side would have suited it far better. The Vietnamese crab cake was a real miss; I couldn't get past it. The dumplings were fine but forgettable. Service ran to extremes. Our server was warm and eager, almost too eager -- he pushed a bottle of wine we weren't sold on, and we ordered it anyway. Then, after all that attentiveness, he disappeared toward the end of the meal and never came back. The wine list was fine, nothing memorable. There's real skill in that kitchen -- the snapper proves it -- but the meal never added up to more than its parts. I left full, not delighted.

    Photos
    Tar & Roses
    Tar & Roses
    Tar & Roses

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    Tocaya Modern Mexican - mexican - Updated September 2026

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