Socalo

Brent Hiramoto

We held our pre-wedding reception at SOCALO and we had an amazing time. Extremely kind and attentive staff, with a very private and accommodating room they hosted us in. We hadn’t eaten here before, but our whole group was so impressed with the entrees, strong drinks, generous ceviche, and excellent guava/cheese empanadas! Would recommend to anybody celebrating a special event! 🎉🎉 Many thanks to the team, already looking forward to coming back 🙏

Kara Lewis

Mum and I were staying at the Gateway in Santa Monica and thought we would come here for dinner on our first night in California which was nothing short of amazing! We loved the atmosphere and the food was to die for!! We started out with chips and guac, had some tacos and shared the brownie with ice cream which was beyond anything we could have ever imagined. Coming from Australia, this was the best place we went to in the USA for food! We will definitely be coming here again!

Renny Engbring

We’ve been driving by this spot for ages, and we always notice that it’s hustling and bustling. So finally we stopped in on a Thursday. The restaurant was somewhat full but we were seated immediately. A friendly server was with us promptly, and he provided us with some recommendations. The service was super quick, chips, salsa and apps were out within 8 minutes, mains within 15. The salsas and guac are excellent. Me and my boyfriend both got tacos, I got the grilled fish tacos, which were sensational. I really appreciate healthy options on a menu, they got that dialed here. They have multiple vegan, vegetarian and GF options. We looked at their happy hour menu which looks bomb. The atmosphere was pleasant, all the staff was helpful. Really loved how quick the food came out. We will for sure be back.

Dreamleaf39 L

1st Visit: Dinner here last on the patio was just lovely in every way. First, the service was impeccable. Our server was patient, friendly, knowledgeable, and good humored. Every employee who touched our table was professional and kind. And something I haven't experienced in a long time happened--the manager checked in with us at the end of our meal. The chips are thick and warm. Three very different salsas for whatever your palate prefers. Watch out for the super spicy one! The ceviche was delicious! Texturally on point and the right amount of citrus. Normally I don't like shrimp in my fish ceviche but the shrimp pieces were cut small and I actually enjoyed their addition. The corn dish was also superb. The drinks are good but I recommend starting during happy hour so they're not so expensive. Can't wait to go back and try the tacos. Subsequent visit: 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.

Tyshawn Jenkins

I can’t say enough about this place. It’s so good and the vibe is nice. I would recommend this to anyone. The people were so kind and they created a welcoming space.

eriko p

UPDATE! June 2024 Counter Service Only. You order, pay and then the staff will lead you to your table. I recommend reading the menu ahead of time, since there are a lot of good options, and there is only one line. Weekday Lunch specials are a good deal for $9.95 and add $2 for a soda or ice tea. However,I ordered the Socalo Burrito/ chicken which comes with a beautiful salad, approximately $14. My friend ordered the shishito peppers and a bowl of tortilla soup. She enjoyed the shishito peppers, but the soup was a bit salty. I didn't taste it. The food presentation is beautiful. The service, not so much. The soup and shishito peppers came out within minutes! My burrito took another 15 minutes. I found 2 chicken bones in the first 2 bites. I told my friend to eat and not wait for me, thank goodness. We both only had ice water, and I asked for refills twice before getting my glass refilled. Granted it was lunch time, even when the server acknowledged that I wanted water twice! We both wanted to order the trio of sorbets but when we looked at the line to ORDER.... we decided to leave. Shame. I guess I could of ordered the sorbets when we placed our lunch order, but ..... I am giving 4 stars total because the service and that this is no longer a Full Service restaurant. I almost want to give them 3.5 stars, but .... -------------------------------- This review is for their Happy Hour! ( Wednesday - Saturday) They have Happy Hour Monday-Saturday. The hours differ on Saturday ( 3-5pm). Parking is validated for 90 minutes. Enter the subterranean garage just south of Santa Monica Blvd. We both loved the El Picante margarita for the hot spice kick! I also ordered the Chinola margarita which has passionfruit, mint and lime. The Chinola is smooth and sweet. I chose the Poblano Quesadilla and added chicken for $4 more.II forgot to take a photo, sorry. It was perfect for my meal. I really liked all the flavors. My friend ordered the Nopal Tostada, beautifully presented and tasty. She also ordered a Birria (lamb), and she enjoyed it. We shared the Baked Nachos!!! This was really a wonderful textured tasty dish! Because it was baked, the tortillas were crispy! I loved it! I recommend their Happy Hour Menu for food and drink! I returned to check out their all day and night Taco Tuesday! The Taco Tuesday menu is fantastic! There are seafood, beef, pork, chicken and veggies options! The Taco Tuesday menu has more options than the Happy Hour menu ( Wednesday- Saturday) , and it 's all day and night ( during restaurant hours) so I would choose coming here for Taco Tuesday!

We booked a private room for a group of 35 people for a welcome dinner party the night before our wedding. SOCALO has multiple rooms to fit various group sizes, and the one we were in was private and had a fun design. The food was delicious, abundant, and reasonably priced - all of our guests loved it, especially the ceviche. Additionally, we were so impressed with the hospitality of the staff who truly made our dining experience feel special. Management was also very professional and communicative from the initial planning to the day of. Truly a gem in Santa Monica!

•Guacamole and chips - excellent! •Santa Monica Street Bowl - excellent - perfectly cooked vegetables cooked in something delicious and salsa Verde was the perfect touch. •Crispy Baja Shrimp - excellent! The portions were generous and all the staff are super nice! Forgot to add that the sorbet was unbelievable!

One of our favorite spots in Santa Monica. Easy parking, delicious food and fantastic drinks. Come during happy hour to get the best pricing! Peter the manager is fantastic. All the staff are attentive, nice and create a fantastic vibe. We will keep coming back and highly recommend to others!

Five stars all around. We hosted an event for 34 in a private dining room and everyone enjoyed. Staff is pleasant and great to work with. Would recommend for any event and look forward to trying out again, this time in the main dining room

Sam R

Five stars all around. We hosted an event for 34 in a private dining room and everyone enjoyed. Staff is pleasant and great to work with. Would recommend for any event and look forward to trying out again, this time in the main dining room

Jacob Hastigan

One of our favorite spots in Santa Monica. Easy parking, delicious food and fantastic drinks. Come during happy hour to get the best pricing! Peter the manager is fantastic. All the staff are attentive, nice and create a fantastic vibe. We will keep coming back and highly recommend to others!

Evonne Soon

We booked a private room for a group of 35 people for a welcome dinner party the night before our wedding. SOCALO has multiple rooms to fit various group sizes, and the one we were in was private and had a fun design. The food was delicious, abundant, and reasonably priced - all of our guests loved it, especially the ceviche. Additionally, we were so impressed with the hospitality of the staff who truly made our dining experience feel special. Management was also very professional and communicative from the initial planning to the day of. Truly a gem in Santa Monica!

Sherry Whitsett

•Guacamole and chips - excellent! •Santa Monica Street Bowl - excellent - perfectly cooked vegetables cooked in something delicious and salsa Verde was the perfect touch. •Crispy Baja Shrimp - excellent! The portions were generous and all the staff are super nice! Forgot to add that the sorbet was unbelievable!

My expectations were high based on the reviews, maybe too high. Both of our margaritas were pretty average and the shrimp ceviche appetizer was decent. We ordered the beef short rib and a shrimp dish. The short rib looks beautiful when it comes out and the server pours the sauce/broth over it at the table. The meat fell right of the bone and was cooked nicely, it just didn't have a ton of flavor. I had to dip each bite into the sauce which had great flavor. Similar with the shrimp dish. The flavor was good but nothing special in my opinion. We ended with the churro ice cream dessert which again was ok, but nothing special. Maybe the tacos were amazing and we should have ordered those, perhaps next time if we try it again.

The food is good! But it’s very much a California take on Tex Mex, so you lose a bit of authenticity. I think the burrito was my favorite but a bit odd that it came with such a simple side salad instead of something more interesting or authentic. The esquite corn was well seasoned. Tacos were alright but I would rather be eating them from a street side taco stand. The interior was very comfortable and well decorated. Parking is available underground.

Jason Hoffer

My expectations were high based on the reviews, maybe too high. Both of our margaritas were pretty average and the shrimp ceviche appetizer was decent. We ordered the beef short rib and a shrimp dish. The short rib looks beautiful when it comes out and the server pours the sauce/broth over it at the table. The meat fell right of the bone and was cooked nicely, it just didn't have a ton of flavor. I had to dip each bite into the sauce which had great flavor. Similar with the shrimp dish. The flavor was good but nothing special in my opinion. We ended with the churro ice cream dessert which again was ok, but nothing special. Maybe the tacos were amazing and we should have ordered those, perhaps next time if we try it again.

Andrew

The food is good! But it’s very much a California take on Tex Mex, so you lose a bit of authenticity. I think the burrito was my favorite but a bit odd that it came with such a simple side salad instead of something more interesting or authentic. The esquite corn was well seasoned. Tacos were alright but I would rather be eating them from a street side taco stand. The interior was very comfortable and well decorated. Parking is available underground.

LJT

Nice little establishment. The tacos were good, the baked nachos are awesome. The host was helpful with the menu and recommendations on items. The only thing I didn't care for was the seating arrangement/dining separation.

I really wanted to like this restaurant. The menu looked enticing. We ordered chips and guac; you can't really go wrong with that, and that was fine. My friend and I ordered the Market Vegetable Caldo, and when served, it looked absolutely inviting. The sad part was that it had absolutely no flavor at all. The veggies were all bright and vibrant, but it was as if the flavor had been sucked out of them. The broth, a bright red, stated like a dull beige (if a color could translate to taste). There was no hint of heat, spice, anything, despite what the color suggested. A little bit of salt would have even helped. On the other end of the spectrum for appetizers was the Corn Esquite. The corn's true flavor was allowed to come through; there had been no fussing with the ingredients. Perfect. Likewise, the fingerling potatoes were nice, especially with the impossible chorizo. Overall, a pleasant surprise. My friend ordered the Vampiro Steak and Shrimp tacos. He thought the seasoning was bland and the steak was pretty dry. I ordered the carne asada tacos, and while the seasoning was adequate, the carne was way too dry; that skirt steak was long dead.. It was like I was eating kibbles with fresca. The house margaritas were nice and light, and that helped wash the food down quickly, and I say quickly because there was not much to savor. The bright side to all of this was the wait staff. Our server was very nice, and the bus person (not sure if that was her job description, but we saw her far more than the woman who took our order) was so very sweet and attentive to our needs. They were the sole bright spot to our experience.

Wanted to try this spot out for awhile and why not for Happy Hour. However, will gladly pass on this if I had to go back again. Service: A little odd when first entering based on the non-verbal cues from the lady at the front. Bartender was nice and overall service was average. Food: OAXACAN OLD FASHIONED = Pretty good. SOCALO Burger = Extremely salty with too much brioche bun when you bite, would not order again. AGUACHILE FLAUTAS = Comes cold and hard pass PATO’S SPINACH QUESO DIP = Pass, too watery GOBERNADOR TACO = The most average item tried Mushroom Dobladita = Average but too greasy when biting Ambience: Clean overall, nothing major pop-out.

Place is ok. Food is some kind of fusion mexican style food. I'm mexican grew up on traditional mexican food. So I didn't get it. Food did taste good but I think they are catering to a different crowd. I still would pass this place up it's a change to the normal food around this area.

Let me start off by saying the food is amazing and the vibe of this place is great. Portions are a little small for the price, but the flavor and presentation is top notch. That said, the service was poor. The waiting staff was impatient, and clearly did not want to be there. 🤷‍♂️

John Gravener

I really wanted to like this restaurant. The menu looked enticing. We ordered chips and guac; you can't really go wrong with that, and that was fine. My friend and I ordered the Market Vegetable Caldo, and when served, it looked absolutely inviting. The sad part was that it had absolutely no flavor at all. The veggies were all bright and vibrant, but it was as if the flavor had been sucked out of them. The broth, a bright red, stated like a dull beige (if a color could translate to taste). There was no hint of heat, spice, anything, despite what the color suggested. A little bit of salt would have even helped. On the other end of the spectrum for appetizers was the Corn Esquite. The corn's true flavor was allowed to come through; there had been no fussing with the ingredients. Perfect. Likewise, the fingerling potatoes were nice, especially with the impossible chorizo. Overall, a pleasant surprise. My friend ordered the Vampiro Steak and Shrimp tacos. He thought the seasoning was bland and the steak was pretty dry. I ordered the carne asada tacos, and while the seasoning was adequate, the carne was way too dry; that skirt steak was long dead.. It was like I was eating kibbles with fresca. The house margaritas were nice and light, and that helped wash the food down quickly, and I say quickly because there was not much to savor. The bright side to all of this was the wait staff. Our server was very nice, and the bus person (not sure if that was her job description, but we saw her far more than the woman who took our order) was so very sweet and attentive to our needs. They were the sole bright spot to our experience.

Taka H

Wanted to try this spot out for awhile and why not for Happy Hour. However, will gladly pass on this if I had to go back again. Service: A little odd when first entering based on the non-verbal cues from the lady at the front. Bartender was nice and overall service was average. Food: OAXACAN OLD FASHIONED = Pretty good. SOCALO Burger = Extremely salty with too much brioche bun when you bite, would not order again. AGUACHILE FLAUTAS = Comes cold and hard pass PATO’S SPINACH QUESO DIP = Pass, too watery GOBERNADOR TACO = The most average item tried Mushroom Dobladita = Average but too greasy when biting Ambience: Clean overall, nothing major pop-out.

S S (Pwrserge)

Place is ok. Food is some kind of fusion mexican style food. I'm mexican grew up on traditional mexican food. So I didn't get it. Food did taste good but I think they are catering to a different crowd. I still would pass this place up it's a change to the normal food around this area.

Came for solo dinner at 6pm on a Thursday. Got seated and waited a fair amount of time to be noticed, at which time I placed my full order. The margarita De la Casa and the Crispy Baja Shrimp small plate were pretty solid. I got a good amount of shrimp, which was nice, and it was flavorful. The Carne Asada Taco plate was delicious, especially with the guacamole on it. After turning down dessert and another decent wait, I was presented with the little “toast” machine to pay. I did so immediately, hit the “print receipt” button, and then waited 23 full minutes for it. I had to flag down the waiter to get any attention while he diligently did other tasks for larger tables like fill their water glasses with the carafes left on the tables anyway. Eventually, the host brought me the receipt and wished me a quick good evening without so much as a “sorry about that.” Would have gone 3 stars overall if I had received any acknowledgement about the wait. I feel I spent enough money to deserve that, especially after leaving a tip that I wanted back by the time I walked out. TL;DR: Good enough food, disinterested service

Ian Owen

Came for solo dinner at 6pm on a Thursday. Got seated and waited a fair amount of time to be noticed, at which time I placed my full order. The margarita De la Casa and the Crispy Baja Shrimp small plate were pretty solid. I got a good amount of shrimp, which was nice, and it was flavorful. The Carne Asada Taco plate was delicious, especially with the guacamole on it. After turning down dessert and another decent wait, I was presented with the little “toast” machine to pay. I did so immediately, hit the “print receipt” button, and then waited 23 full minutes for it. I had to flag down the waiter to get any attention while he diligently did other tasks for larger tables like fill their water glasses with the carafes left on the tables anyway. Eventually, the host brought me the receipt and wished me a quick good evening without so much as a “sorry about that.” Would have gone 3 stars overall if I had received any acknowledgement about the wait. I feel I spent enough money to deserve that, especially after leaving a tip that I wanted back by the time I walked out. TL;DR: Good enough food, disinterested service

Monica

Absolutely disgusting service. The serving lady who came first was very nice but a lady named Lily who seems to be a manager was terrible in service. I’ve never felt so unwelcomed at a restaurant like this. She literally dumped my food on the table with the chips falling out and sauce flowing over, no apology. I wasn’t sure if she was serving me or she was just putting it there while she takes care of other things, as she just went over to do other things after dumping them. She noticed the chips falling out but no apology. When I called her to ask if this was my food, and that I don’t feel great about it, she made a very unpleasant face saying the kitchen is extremely busy. Well, I’m sorry but you don’t get to treat your customers like that even if you’re busy. At least you can look apologetic.

SO DISAPPOINTING We arrived approximately 15 minutes early for our 7PM reservation and were asked to wait in the bar and enjoy a cocktail by the host (whose appearance resembled that of an unmade bed). That was the best part of this dining experience. Watching several other couples arrive and being seated immediately was a bit annoying, but we were finally seated at approximately 7:25PM (next to the front door). We placed our orders and waited. And waited. Finally, 20 minutes later our server informed us that that she was trying to get our quesadilla moving but she was sure we would understand that “the priority was the large party seated in the private room in the back”. Actually, I would think that since my money and time are just as valuable, that not only would my table but ANY table in the restaurant be treated as a “priority”. Finally, after another 10 minutes our server returned and stated that “the kitchen lost count on the branzino’s and that we would have to order something else since the party in the private dining room had used all the branzino”. After all, we were in NO WAY a valued patron, much less a “priority”. We were seated for 40 minutes, and were served NOTHING but water, a glass of wine, and a cocktail. We got up and left. We planned this dinner at Socalo to celebrate our 33rd anniversary. I realize that these are the last days of Socalo, since it is closing this month. Perhaps Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger should consider closing the doors on their remaining restaurants if they feel that what we experienced is the correct way to run a business.