Cobras & Matadors

Cobras & Matadors - Review - Fairfax - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"If the name Cobras & Matadors sounds familiar, it’s because this casual Spanish spot in Beverly Grove has appeared and disappeared more times than Brigadoon. First came the 2010s heyday, when Cobras had three locations and seemed destined for a full-on tapas takeover. Things didn’t work out. A decade later, the restaurant quietly reopened at its cozy original space on Beverly with a lax BYOB policy and unfussy small plates that tasted incredible. We named it one of LA’s Best New Restaurants of 2022. That version also didn’t work out. Which brings us to Cobras & Matadors 3.0—a restaurant that uses the same blueprint as past iterations, only now in a much bigger space on Melrose. In this case, the third time is…just fine. photo credit: Brant Cox If you’re doing some shopping in the area and want solid food in a cutesy environment, Cobras & Matadors gets the job done. There’s a colorful dining room with live music on Thursdays, a big patio with string lights, and a separate bar area. Even on weekends, we’ve never had an issue walking in last minute with a group and finding a table. But compared to the old space—which felt like a boozy, neighborhood dinner party—the new Cobras is fairly generic, luring in hungry tourists like a venus fly trap. The current menu is more or less the same as it was before the move, made up of shareable small plates like garlic butter shrimp and cod croquettes, plus a few larger dishes such as a half-roast chicken and steak frites for two. The biggest change is an entirely Spanish wine list and cocktails like a nopal-laced vodka martini and the Cobra Cola with Mexican coke and red wine. RIP to the BYOB policy, but if you’re looking for a quick drink and some tapas after spending the day buying distressed jeans, Cobras is a convenient way to end the night. Food Rundown Chicken For Two Ordering roast chicken at a restaurant is usually for the risk-averse. At Cobras & Matadors, it’s the pro move. The bird comes with a rich, tangy jus that the waitstaff pours over its tableside, plus a side salad that packs a herbaceous punch. photo credit: Jakob Layman Socca Cakes This was one of our favorite dishes at the last Cobras iteration. But here, it’s a flop. The cakes are flimsy, charred to the point of being burnt, and so oily they fall apart on your fork. photo credit: Jakob Layman Gambas Al Ajillo Butter, garlic, and shrimp. This simple dish has remained one of the best tapas here over the years, and those three words sum up why. photo credit: Jakob Layman Crispy Green Lentils On their own, these fried lentils are good. The issue is they’re swimming in a sherry vinegar reduction that ends up being the only thing you taste. Churros These churros with chocolate sauce were famous during Cobras & Matadors’ original run, and for good reason. The churros are warm and fluffy with an audible crunch. The generous dusting of cinnamon sugar means a fair amount will end up on your shirt, and you will be fine with it. photo credit: Jakob Layman" - Brant Cox