Lares Restaurant

id: 26879405
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2909 Pico Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405

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(310) 496-7598
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Reviews
( 19 )
( 8 )
( 7 )
( 3 )
( 5 )

Best

This place is highly recommended if you want a great meal with great service. There is an upstairs and a downstairs area (both are great), but no matter where you sit you get grea...

Worst

I've been here twice...sort of. A friend and I called on Cinco de Mayo to ask how long the wait was. We were shocked when they said there wasn't one, so we headed straight over (f...

Old world charm and good food, too 11/12/2006

Ambience is key at this hidden treasure of a Mexican restaurant, tucked away on Pico. From the old, world, rustic dining rooms to the roving mariachi bands on weekends, the place welcomes you into an inviting atmospehere of elegance and charm. And the food is good, too! Warm, fresh tortilla chips start off the meal followed by expertly prepared entrees that seem less touched by Americanism than at some of the other more well-known Mexican restaurants. For example, the fajitas come sans guacamole and sour cream, but they feature the most divine combination of ingredients! Parking can be tricky, though, so it's a good thing they offer valet service. Pros: ambience, food Cons: crowded, long waits, lack of street parking more

Never disappointed 12/20/2005

I've been to Lares quite a few times for lunch with coworkers. It's a great little place, with a nice, friendly, atmosphere. I'd like to try it for dinner, as well, as the ambience seems to lend itself to a cozy evening with friends, or a date. The margaritas are excellent, as are the tacos...and you can't go wrong with the carnitas burrito! I've always had friendly, gracious service, and an overall good experience. I will continue to go back! Pros: margaritas, friendly service, nice atmosphere Cons: can be a little noisy more

A Little Disappointed 12/17/2005

After reading the reviews, thought I had found a great new place to try for our weekly Sunday dinner. I had the carnitas enchiladas, their ""recommended"" meat, and wasn't really very impressed. It was ok, but tasted like average greasy Mexican food. Cool hidden-away atmosphere, great service, and an excellent margarita round out the meal, deceide for yourself... Pros: Great margarita, Cool atmosphere, Good service Cons: Average food more

Amazing Mexican Food! 11/23/2005

Decided to go here for lunch recently. After reading the reviews, I was pumped up. I was definitely not disappointed. I am a huge fan of Mexican food; I've been to El Chollo, Casa Vega, Border Grille, etc., and the bottom line is that Lares is one of the best Mexican restaurants in L.A. The carnitas were excellent, and all of the entrees seemed to be reasonably priced. If you want down home Mexican food in a casual setting, then this is the place to go. more

Best of LA 11/11/2005

Without question the best Mexican restaurant in L.A.--food, drinks, staff, and the rest. Pros: family-owned, fresh salsa, fast service Cons: limited seating more

Veggie Fajitas 11/5/2005

Try the vegetable fajitas...they are the best...even if you are meat eater! more

Everything is good! 9/30/2005

We love going to Lares. It is definitely our favorite mexican food in LA. We have tried many things on the menu and they have all been wonderful. some of our favorites are mole, carnitas and carne asada. The margaritas are wonderful as well. Go there, you won't be sorry. Pros: food, margaritas more

We Love Lares! 6/7/2005

Lares is a really fantastic Mexican restaurant. Tastes like my mom's homemade Mexican food. The mole is amazing, the enchiladas are incredible. I just can't say enough great things about Lares. Go! You won't be disappointed. They also have amazing breakfast! Pros: Food, Margaritas!, Ambience more

Carnitas were ok. 5/4/2005

We just finished eating there for cinco de mayo. The atmosphere was beautiful and rustic with a band playing songs on their acoustic guitars. We started off with the shrimp cocktail. The shrimp still had the poop vein on them, and the dipping sauce was too watery-- it would have been more appetizing had the sauce been more chuncky. I then ordered the carnitas en chile verde, and it was over the top salty. We were pretty disappointed with the food, but the people and venue were fantastic! Pros: ambiance, service, valet Cons: salty food, cramped seating, very loud more

If you like carnitas, you'll love Lare's 4/19/2005

All the food we've tried here is good. What really stands out and makes me consider them one of my favorite places to dine, howver, is their carnitas. It's consistently been cooked perfectly to be crunchy on the outer pieces and tender on the inside. If you like chorizo, be sure to substitute the rice for their chorizo beans. The service can be a little slow at times, but not intolerable. The carne asada and the tacos are pretty good, but what keeps me keep coming back is the carnitas. Definitely one of my favorite Mexican restaurants. Highly recommended. Pros: Best carnitas in town, Consistent, Generous portions more

Best Mexican Food on the Westside 3/11/2005

This is the best Mexican restaurant I have been to in Los Angeles. It has a very nice atmosphere with live music. Great margaritas and the food is phenomenal. Excellent service with a very friendly waiting staff. No other Mexican restaurant even come close!! Pros: Good Food, Live music, Excellent margaritas more

GREAT MEXICAN!!!! 1/8/2005

I have been to tons of Mexican restaurants all over the country and this is by far the best one. Not only is the food out of this world, but the ambience is great and the service is fantastic. The only problem is that it gets a little loud, especially once the mariachi guys start rocking, but just a few sips from one of their fantastic margaritas and you'll be rocking with them. more

where to bring people who know 9/16/2004

I brought a few out of town friends of mine here the other night, including one friend whose family is Mexican and was rather skeptical about going out for Mexican food, and everyone was thrilled with their meals. The menu had a good range of American favorites (quesadillas, fajitas) and some more serious mexican food (good seafood, great mole). On top of that, the margaritas were the strongest I have ever had at a restaurant, and the entrees were priced right. Pros: great margaritas Cons: , noisy more

Great Food! 5/16/2004

Lares is a small, discreet looking restaurant almost hidden away on Pico Boulevard. The food is delicious, the staff is unfailingly courteous and the ambience is lovely and mellow. On weekends, a mariachi band will walk around and serenade the diners. If you ever get a chance to eat at Lares in the evenings, ask to be seated upstairs. It feels much cozier and at Christmas, the Christmas lights they drape everywhere make you feel as if you've been transported elsewhere! Pros: Inexpensive, Great food, Great staff Cons: , Sometimes crowded more

The Worst Mexican 5/14/2004

Background...I grew up in San Antonio and have traveled extensively throughout Mexico. I love both down-and-dirty and haute... This place is one of (if not the) the worst places for mexican food I have ever been... The margarita was sweet and nasty. How hard is to mix only fresh lime juice, orange liquer, and tequila? The chips were good but the salsa had so much garlic that i'm still scraping my tongue a day later. The service was friendly. The entres were awful. The menu had some nice selections, but I was in the mood for something simple. I had enchiladas rancheras & wife had enchiladas asada. Both lacked depth and flavor. Hell, they just tasted bad. The carnitas at the next table were sereved like fajitas? so far my LA favs are: down-and-dirty Paco's Tacos (great margarita, solid food).. haute seranta de garibaldi (sp?)... Pros: Service is friendly, Menu Cons: , Food Food Food more

Veggie combo was average 3/19/2004

The decor and the waitress dresses are Mexican style. I tried the vegetarian combo which includes chilli relleno, rice, and beans. It didn't taste any better than the average fare found in most mexican restaurants. May be the seafood and meat here are exceptionally better. Otherwise, I can't understand how people have rated this place so highly. Pros: Mexican decor more

You Overlooked............ 11/10/2003

It's hard to believe that you did not include Lare's in at least the top 3 best Mexican restaurants! I've been eating there for 25 years(+-), and have tried virtually everything on their menu with not one disappointing meal. Pros: inexpensive, short waits, great staff more

Hard to beat! 7/18/2003

I've been going to Lares for over 15 years now, and overall, it's pretty much the best Mexican food in the immediate area. And I should know, since I've been to dozens of places in LA. I highly recommend the pork ""Manny Layne"" chile verde burrito. It is truly an exquisite taste experience. If I had one complaint, it would be their margaritas -- they're OK, but not great. Other than that, you'll have a hard time finding better Mexican than this. Try and not eat downstairs if you can, it's like a dungeon. Pros: great food, good sevice Cons: Ok margaritas, Crowded at night more

Finally! 3/2/2003

After many ""hit-and-misses"" at other so called Mexican restaurants, we finally found one with a good variety of authentic Mexican Food equaled by taste. The staff was friendly and quick - ready with a fresh, cold cerveza by the time the last gulp was hitting your lips. This is not your typical Cal-Mex cuisine that runs rampant here in SoCal. Try the chiles rellenos or the enchiladas. For the price, you won't be disappointed. Pros: Wait Staff, Portions, Variety Cons: Street parking more

Not up to the hype... 11/13/2002

Based on what I've read here, we went to check this place out. The decor & atmosphere are very nice, and the wait staff is excellent. But, the fish tacos were overly salty, the $8 nachos didn't even have any meat in them, and the 'camarones al diablo' the the ciysearch reviewer raved about were nothing special. With this atmosphere and prices you would expect much better food. I don't plan on returning. Pros: great service Cons: sub-par food, overpriced more
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Owner Message
  • Lares Restaurant, nestled in the heart of Santa Monica, CA, has been delighting customers since 1968. Specializing in convenient and delicious take-out meals, Lares offers a timeless taste of tradition and quality, ensuring every dish is crafted with care. Whether you're a long-time local or just passing through, Lares provides a reliable and flavorful dining experience.

Editorial
  • In Short
    Stepping into this dimly lit space is like walking into a rustic Mexican adobe. Framed prints of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo artwork hover near the sunken bar made of heavy...

  • 2/5/2008 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: monday: 08:00-22:00, tuesday: 08:00-22:00, wednesday: 08:00-22:00, thursday: 08:00-22:00, friday: 08:00-23:00, saturday: 08:00-23:00, sunday: 08:00-22:00
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