ATLA Venice

"Casual all-day restaurant by Enrique Olvera in Venice, closed on September 21, 2024." - Eater Staff

"Major restaurant openings are sparse on Abbot Kinney, which is why Atla’s arrival feels like a big deal. This NYC import is from the Damian and Pujol team, but the Mexican food and the breezy dining experience skew much more casual here. With an all-day menu, a zen baby-blue space, and people in loose-fit jeans ordering tequila cocktails at lunch, Atla makes complete sense for the neighborhood. Expect well-executed staples like stringy quesadillas on soft blue tortillas, adobo-marinated fish, and potato flautas that shatter when you cut into them. " - brant cox, sylvio martins

"When: Wed-Sun, 5pm-6pm The Deal: $10 Margaritas; $5 Tacos & Quesadillas; $10 Guacamole & Chips Abbot Kinney isn't known for being cheap, but for a one-hour window at this upscale Mexican spot in Venice from the Damian people, you'll find some relief. Select cocktails are $6 off, while tacos and quesadillas are $3 off—our picks are the spicy Tommy's Margarita kicked up with serrano, and the gooey, tender shrimp taco lined with crispy cheese. " - nikko duren, garrett snyder, brant cox

"This NYC-based Mexican restaurant from the team behind Damian and Pujol opened a Venice location. Atla may not be reinventing the wheel but they do the classics thoughtfully, like potato and cheese flautas that shatter like glass and a delicate quesadilla with epazote in every bite. Despite its casual lunch and dinner service, Atla ain’t cheap. (We're talking a $16 quesadilla.) The fact that everything is sincerely enjoyable makes a meal here worth the splurge. " - brant cox, arden shore, sylvio martins, nikko duren

"Atla is a big-deal Mexican restaurant just by the nature of its name. The transplant from NYC—operated by the team behind Damian, Cosme, and Pujol—makes a lot of sense on Abbot Kinney. It’s laid-back, breezy, and full of attractive people wearing linen pants. It’s also the undisputable best Mexican restaurant on the Westside, with a menu of homie, simple classics, like quesadillas with epazote and an open-face al pastor gringa with sweet pineapple butter that drips down your forearm. Simple doesn’t mean cheap, though. If you’re prepared to spend an all-day restaurant that’s the most relaxed member of a fine-dining restaurant group, Atla is perfect for a leisurely lunch or dinner and a few drinks." - sylvio martins, brant cox, garrett snyder