Alma

"The Grove seems like an unlikely place to find well-excused modern Mexican food, but Alma is a surprise in all the best ways. Mexico City’s Grupo Hunan took over the former Dominique Ansel space in the heart of one of Los Angeles’s most touristy locations, opening a destinations for pan-regional Mexican dishes like carnitas tacos, queso fundido, flautas, and enchiladas. Head over on the weekends for a brunch offering dishes like huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, and huevos con chorizo. If looking for a quicker bite, Alma also operates a taqueria and marketplace on the ground floor. Book a table through Resy." - Rebecca Roland

"A modern Mexican restaurant located at The Grove in Los Angeles, serving creative dishes in a lively atmosphere." - Matthew Kang

"Another day, another restaurant trying to make the massive, two-story space next to the parking lot elevators work. The latest contender is Alma, a fancy Mexican restaurant run by a successful Mexico City restaurant group. We haven’t eaten anything here that’s truly bad, but nothing is memorable enough to warrant having a full meal here. The free chips and salsa are surprisingly good, however, and the bartenders will pour you a well-made margarita, so we recommend using this place to grab a drink and snack at the bar before meeting a date at the AMC." - brant cox

"Alma is one of the few places in LA that really celebrates authentic Mexican cuisine. The tacos are real tacos from Mexico. It's this two-story concept. On the ground floor, you have a walk-up taqueria and a marketplace that sells all these imported Mexican novelties. They do hand-pressed tortillas. And on the second floor, you can do super fine dining. They serve up more of a fusion, a Southern California twist on Mexican cuisine—kind of the equivalent of what Tex-Mex would be, but Californian. It's just such a fun, easy lunch. I have to go all the time just because they really do have the best tacos." - brennan carley

"Alma is the best restaurant to join the Grove in recent years. The two-story stunner opened in April 2022 and is helmed by Grupo Hunan, which operates some of the biggest restaurants in Mexico City. With a lovely patio that faces the fountain, white-tableclothed tables, cocktails, and upscale dishes (think Ensenada-style lobster plates, grilled octopus, and tomahawk steak), it’s a restaurant that stands out in mall dining." - Cathy Chaplin, Farley Elliott, Jean Trinh