El Compadre
Mexican restaurant · Greater Echo Park Elysian ·
Flaming margaritas, enchiladas, and fajitas in a fun vibe
Flaming margaritas, enchiladas, and fajitas in a fun vibe
"You will not find a stronger margarita in Los Angeles than the one they light on fire at El Compadre. This isn’t some finessed, modern cocktail with cactus root and a dollop of Himalayan crystal foam on top. This is a classic sweet and sour-doused margarita with a floating lemon peel full of 151 that they light on fire. Tip: Don’t let it burn out on its own. Push it immediately down into the drink with your straw, mixing it all together for a sweet and smoky effect that will put you under the table in a half hour." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"Sometimes you just want to drink a flaming margarita with your roommate after a long day at work. When the urge hits, head to El Compadre. The Mexican spot on Sunset has expanded their back patio into their parking lot, meaning you won’t have to wait nearly as long to get a table. They aren’t taking reservations, but if you come early on a weekday, you’ll be able to walk right in. One of their massive enchilada combo platters is always a good idea after a few rounds." - brant cox
"If the Hollywood El Compadre is where you go for a night you probably won't remember, the Echo Park location of this classic Mexican restaurant is where you go to prep for a ballgame. You'll find TVs tuned in to catch up on all the Dodgers news you haven't been paying attention to, plenty of loud men wearing Mookie Betts jerseys, and flaming margaritas strong enough that you'll find the game enjoyable whether you're a baseball person or not." - sylvio martins
"Whenever we have visitors from out of town, our knee-jerk reaction is to take them to the El Compadre in Hollywood. Is this dark, windowless cavern across the street from Guitar Center where you’ll find the best Mexican food in LA? Absolutely not. But taking down a combo plate and a flaming margarita while shouting over the mariachis and spying on the table over is a signature LA experience. Pile a crew into a big red booth and feed everyone chile rellenos and enchiladas for a guaranteed great time." - brant cox, garrett snyder, arden shore
"El Compadre, another classic spot right in Hollywood with a second location in Echo Park, is where you go for massive enchilada platters and margaritas that arrive at the table literally on fire. The expanded back patio is still somewhat limited on seats, and given that it’s walk-ins only right now, definitely plan to wait a bit on the weekends." - brant cox
