La Santa Modern Mexican Food

Great Mexican Spot in Raleigh! Ate here last night and had a great experience. We got a table outside—perfect weather for outdoor dining—and there was no wait at all. The service was excellent; our waitress was super attentive. I had the steak and shrimp fajitas and they were absolutely delicious. Chips and salsa were fresh and flavorful too. While they don’t have beers on tap, there’s a solid selection of bottled beers and other drinks. Overall, a great spot for a relaxed and tasty meal!

I really love this place. Have been several times. Different times of day and the service has always been good. Food is always fresh. Also love sitting on the patio. When it’s hot or cold as they have a wonderfully heated patio. Have been back several times and will be back again.

Have been coming here for many years and the experience is better every time! From the delicious food to quick and friendly service its always a 10/10. Also a great place to host birthdays because the drinks are always made fresh! My favorite definitely has to be the pineapple mojitos.

Beautifully decorated restaurant, with an outside dining area that is dog friendly! The margaritas were excellent! I had the flautas, actually, I tasted the flautas but didn’t eat them. To me, the grease tasted dirty, maybe that’s what I get for ordering something fried. I did t leave hungry, the chips, salsa, and queso were great. Everyone who has recommended this place raves about the food, so I’m definitely going to give it another try.

Today, we had a wonderful experience at this restaurant. First of all, we were impressed by the atmosphere, design, interior, and all the small details. Everything was beautifully arranged. On one side, there were stunning murals on the walls, and on the other, we really liked the minimalist gray wall design. Both styles were beautiful and gave the place a modern feel. The food was excellent, the drinks were delicious, and the service was top-notch. Overall, we were absolutely delighted. We’ve been to “La Mala” restaurant many times and have always been impressed by this place.

For our first date night of 2025, my husband and I decided to dine at La Santa. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner! We ordered the 60oz margarita and the taste was amazing and it kept the vibe going for my husband and I all night. I had chicken and shrimp fajitas and the flavors were on point with the warm tortillas. My husband ordered the chicken enchiladas and they were excellent. The only critique my husband stated was the chicken needed a little more seasoning. Overall it was a great experience and we will definitely be back

Great food and drinks! I’ve been here twice now and both times it has been amazing. Their cocktails are soo good and the food is even better! The atmosphere is also really nice.

Ran into this place by accident while walking down Glenwood Ave on Presidents’ Day and noticed it was packed around dinner time. The restaurant interior has a nice ambience with vibrant murals on the walls. The lighting makes it ideal for a nice date night or vibey dinner with friends/family. The food was amazing!! I got the chicken fajitas and it did not disappoint. As you can tell from the picture the food was hot and fresh. So flavorful and the service was relatively quick. Chips and salsa were also tasty. I’d recommend this establishment if you’re looking for great Mexican cuisine in downtown Raleigh. The is may be my favorite Mexican restaurant in Raleigh at the moment. 9/10!

Great food and vibes! Oh and i love horchata, but theirs just okay, got 1 better in mind but it's fine, cause the food was just great!

The inside of this restaurant is absolutely beautiful, perfect date night vibe for sure. Service is great as well, came here twice and we were seated quickly both times and served in a timely manner. Lots of cocktail options so there is definitely something for everyone here! I tried the chicken tinga tacos the first time I came and then I tried one of the shrimp tacos the second time. My only complaint was both times the tacos kind of fell apart on me after the first bite. However, the flavor was great and each order came with 3 tacos. Additionally, parking at the restaurant is a bit tricky since it's on Glenwood, so be ready to either parallel park or park in a nearby paid lot.

This is one of those spots where you walk in and it's a whole entire vibe. The decor, the lighting, like it's really cool inside. To be honest, I've been here twice and I'm just not feeling the food. It's definitely more of a modern flair , you know, with the fake cheese sauce on almost everything. The pozole, in my opinion, is borderline inedible. There's a whole lot of oil and grease and the hominy was not fully cooked, at least when I ordered it. It was very hard. I think the idea of this food is there but maybe the execution is not, that's truly just my opinion. Being from the southwest I prefer more of the authentic stuff. Service is fine but we always seem to get tucked back in a corner where it's impossible for us to get up and pass people and our backs are up against a wall that's in the middle of the restaurant. They are fairly attentive and quick.

Overall this is a solid Mexican restaurant that is worth going to. It is located right one glenwood so going on the weekend parking is a nightmare. The service was a little bit slow which was disappointing, it took us awhile to receive our drinks. The drinks were okay they were not very strong. The food overall was good, nothing stood out but nothing was bad. Overall everything was okay, definitely more expensive than other Mexican places but it is on glenwood so that is expected. Biggest Positive: this place is much nicer than some other places on glenwood!

I tried to find a way to give this four stars but there's just no way to justify it. The food was very good, the service was very good, the prices were totally fair and the ambience was cool. What's interesting is this is a high concept restaurant with authentic home Mexican cooking. My Japanese husband doesn't love Mexican food like I do but he declared "best in my life". I wouldn't go that far but it's great and will be part of our regular rotation when we're in town.

The restaurant has a second location in Durham, but way more options for food and drinks here. The tacos were so tasty! We loved our drinks and our waiter was great! We will be back!

margaritas are excellent, no fake sweet and sour syrup. fun selection . the Elote was abysmal. Canned corn a crumble of cheese and a few dashes of chile powder. The salsa was boring and the mahi mahi fish tacos were just sorry. Dry and the smallest corn tortillas I've ever seen... mind you they come on flour tortillas which is unheard of, we asked for corn. The manager was apathetic, didn't even offer something else.

The low down: Great atmosphere, terrific service, food was delicious and they will even validate parking for you, but like all things downtown, parking sucks!

Nice Mexican spot in RALEIGH NC. It had a cool vibe and good service. The $$+ food and drinks were alright. The highlight for us was the outdoor seating and vibe of the restaurant. Our waiter was friendly and offered good recommendations. We found our meals a bit underseasoned for mexican cuisine, but it was good. We liked the Tinga tacos. The restaurant is located in an area where there's some cool murals to see. The restaurant too has nice artwork. My favorite is added to review

Incredible meal and impecable service! This is the best Mexican food I've had in a long time. I enjoyed every last bite of my Enchiladas con Mole and savored my skinny strawberry margarita.

The food was delicious. Good table service. Our server was so sweet. There is complimentary salsa and it is great, just the right consistency. Good queso too. It's not a hole in the wall so it's nice to see $10 lunch specials. I had the las enchiladas- good portion size and the food was very flavorful. Also great rice and beans.

The fresh guacamole had some sort of additive that made it just kind of gelatinous. I've noticed that more and more South Carolina Mexican restaurants. The drinks were great. The Carne Asada was dried up and the Al Pastor was kindof a sweet hot mess.

We happened to be off Glenwood for an event and decided to drop in. There was a certain buzz coming from this place. The restaurant was clean and inviting. We were quickly seated and looked over the menu. The staff was very helpful and suggested a couple of dishes to try. We ordered some queso for an appetizer and for our main course, ACP(arroz con pollo), yellow rice with grilled chicken and smothered in queso and chicken verde (enchiladas stuffed with chicken and covered with green tomatillo chile sauce and cotija cheese). The food came out quickly and was very flavorful. The servers recommendations were on point for sure. Only downside is it can be a little on the loud side. I'll definitely come back for a round 2 soon.

This was a cool restaurant with a fun vibe. We asked to sit outside, and although were empty tables we were told there was nothing available. That was disappointing since they sat us where we could see outside and the tables that were empty for quite sometime. Nonetheless, our waiter was very friendly and took great care of us. We each had a different margarita, and the food was amazing. The music was just a touch too loud making it hard to hear one another.

My 1st experience here was amazing. My fajitas were well seasoned and flavorful. The chips n guac were also tasty. The restaurant had some interesting art on the walls. The only negative aspect was the parking. They don't have a dedicated parking lot but it is Glenwood so not really shocked by that. Overall, I really enjoyed my food and I will be returning.

Great down town restaurant! When we arrived it wasn't super busy and were seated quickly. The ambiance was nice but a tad bit too dark for me. The servers were fast and able to make suggestions. It wasn't an extensive menu, but it was more than enough. The chips, salsa, guacamole and queso were fantastic. It was a party of 4. Everyone loved everything they ordered. We got the birria tacos, chicken mole, and Asada. For dessert we got flan and churros. The churros came in a mini cart. I will surely be back.

Stopped by for a quick dinner, since i was feeling lazy and really didn't want to leave my hotel room. I sat at the bar since i was alone and I thought it would be quicker. It was surprisingly slow at the bar, but appeared to be busy in the restaurant. Service at the bar was not great. The bartender wasn't there much, and even when she walked by, didn't bother to check in with me. The complimentary chips and salsa are very good. Always judge a place based on their salsa. Not going to lie, I ate the entire basket and definitely wanted more salsa but bartender made it very difficult to ask for anything. My main was the burrito wrapped in bacon, served with a side salad. The bacon was very salty, so the salad helped balance that out. I'd come back again, but sit at a table next time.

Good food, good service. They accommodated our group with a baby by letting us move outside after we were already seated. They didn't come back for drink refills enough. The beef fajitas were tasty, though the meat was overdone. It's hard to get right as the cast iron is so hot. Extra tortillas would've been nice. The churros were great. The centers were still a bit doughy, which is how I like them. The churro cart was fun-both baby and adults loved it. There was sweetened condensed milk, caramel sauce, and chocolate sauce. I would've preferred if the caramel was dulce de leche, or if they'd had a fruit sauce/jam instead. The decorations inside were nice, though it was a bit dark even at lunch time. Outside was preferable, with the Glenwood South pedestrian traffic for people watching.

Quick service, good food, and lovely ambiance! Get the tacos! We got to sit outside on a lovely day - which was definitely a lovely touch!

The food was delicious. The drinks were strong and unique. The service was nice and fairly prompt. The wait was ridiculous. No option for reservations and we waited about an hour and a half on the waitlist, which was huge. Credit to them for moving people through fairly quickly, but wish we would've had the option of making a reservation or just realized how long we'd be waiting before we committed. Again food and drinks were great, but the experience was not worth the time.

If you're from Los Angeles this place makes you breathe a HUGE sigh of relief. Everything is good here, chips are warm and crisp and taste fresh not stale like they've been sitting in a plastic bag. Salsa is fresh and not watery. Menu is fire. They have 8 Mezcal cocktails! Vibe is dope. Staff is great.

I Ive this spot, nice ambiance and the people are always so nice. They stay busy, so keep that in mind. They also have around 5 booths for outside seating and they are always the first gone on a nice day. We went for my birthday, and as much as I love Mexican food I'm not a tequila fan. I saw they had an old fashioned drink, but made with tequila. I asked the server what bourbons they have so I could switch and she said Jameson. I didn't have the heart to tell her that was a scotch. So I ordered a beer. My friend loves tequila and ordered the jalapeño/pineapple margarita and she enjoyed it. She also ordered the pozole which is always good. I had the three steak tacos that comes with beans and ordered a side of rice. It's always a nice place to go!

A very popular & crowded spot for dinner. They complimentary Tortilla Chips are served super fresh and also super filling. We were almost full before we got our entrees. We decided to add a side of Guacamole, and we were very glad we did too, as this was made super fresh too. The entrees were honestly super standard. The quesadillas were a bit too oily for me. We packed some to take home, and they gave us a fresh generously-sized bag of chips, which were still super good on the next day!

It's been a minute since I've dined at La Santa and I can't believe I haven't been back sooner. I certainly will after an incredible meal on a Wednesday evening. We arrived around 6:00pm and were seated immediately. I will say the restaurant filled up quick as the evening went on. This is a great patio option too if you're looking for outdoor seating. They immediately brought fresh chips and salsa to the table, is it weird to think that's a luxury in today's climate? We ordered the Enchiladas Con Mole ($15), which include three chicken Tinga enchiladas, quest fresco, rice and lettuce/tomato and the Burrito Gringo ($15), a chicken/chorizo/steak burrito served with quest, pico, avocado and beans with a side of rice. Both meals were delicious but the burrito really knocked it out of the park for me. Highly recommend, I'd definitely return for that. The atmosphere of the restaurant is modern, with nice lighting, beautiful art, etc. It's perfect for a group of friends or a date night. I did think the music was a little out of place/loud for a Wednesday night, weird club vibes. Also, noticed they didn't serve beans as a side, only rice, which is fine but definitely something I noticed. I love my refried beans. I didn't see that you can make reservations for this restaurant and don't know if they have designated parking. But can vouch for excellent service, good that came out quickly and a meal that hits home. I would even go as far as it being my favorite Mexican food in downtown Raleigh, Centro is a bit fancier but I think La Santa is the better value.

Tonight is no carb night dinner at La Santa Modern Mexican Food .. Una Assada cooked medrare so much delicious and awesome vibe and music .. Service was pretty good also . Love this place

This is a really nice upscale Mexican resturant that is perfect for a date. The queso was average but the guacamole was next level. The chips are made there fresh daily. The flauta were really good and the sauce which I had on the side was amazing. The AL Santos was delicious and had all the meats they offer. The shrimp were to die for but the steak was tough. Homeade chorizo was flavorful. Everything was fresh and the portion size was perfect. I will be back!!

The ambiance was great. The service was good. The food was delicious as well. We will visit again.

Service was great. The drink was so refreshing and flavored extremely well. The waitress gave me wonderful recommendations when I told her I wanted a drink that was refreshing and semi sweet. I love the patio seating, it's covered so it doesn't get ridiculously hot but it still allows you to dine outside in a beautiful day. The waitress was attentive and made sure I was doing well without being overbearing. I came here for ceviche and it was flavored really well, I just wish it had been colder. La santa is still one of my favs and a must try in Raleigh.

This was my first time today and I was not disappointed! I got the De Arrachera tacos and they've ruined me for restaurant tacos forever. Now I'm going to always come here for tacos. The skirt steak was sooo tender and you could tell the tortillas are handmade - they practically melt in your mouth. Well worth the money in my opinion. My husband had the chicken fajitas and was pleased. Service was punctual. We came during lunch on a Friday and it wasn't crowded, so our food came quickly. The ambiance is very cute. Chill spot to get food. Would def bring my girls here for a night out. Will definitely be back!!

Excellent Mexican spot! Came for lunch on a weekday, and was able to order one of the $10 lunch specials. I got the El Cielo cocktail, which was awesome, followed by the huevos a la Mexicana. My boyfriend's mahi mahi tacos were also solid, though the egg dish was the standout. The free chips and salsa are also amazing. Definitely need to try more drinks and tacos!

This place has been on my list for the longest. Still was not able to try out the food but we were able to try out the drinks on Cinco de Mayo by standing at the bar. The drinks were disgusting and I was highly disappointed. The drinks are not made fresh. The drinks were poured out of a premade jug. No telling how long they have been sitting. The 1st drink I order, I can't remember the actual name but it was on the line of Mez de Mango. It was so nasty that I had to give that one back. The bar girl did catch an attitude since I wanted to switch out my drink. The second drink I tried was the spicy watermelon. This one was also nasty. I was unable to scarf it down and just wasted my money as I didn't want to be a burden and return a second drink. There were only like 4 options on the menu for the day. Think I'll be removing this one from my list unfortunately.

Didn't live up to the hype. The drinks were really really bad. I like mezcal but this mezcal margarita I got was straight mezcal with no mixer and tastes cheap. The food was alright. I wouldn't come back. Don't have much to say. Pros: free chips and salsa, got food fast Cons: had to wait for table, not good food or drinks

My friends and I came in here after a day of playing softball. I will say we felt a bit underdressed in our softball clothes on a Saturday night, but the staff didn't judge (at least not verbally, LOL). The aesthetic was great and this would be a perfect spot for date night. They had a large list of mixed drinks and margaritas and my friends and I all ordered a different assortment of margs. I forget which ones I ordered but the two I tried were both delicious! For food, I ordered the fish tacos and they were amazing! It came with 3, but 2 were enough to fill me up.

Delicious! Nice ambiance, super friendly staff and during lunch paid street parking is not that bad.

My family and I came all the way from New York with intentions to visit this restaurant. It surely lived up to its expectations. We were waited on by a lovey woman by the name of Lucia. I will make sure to tell anyone else I know to visit if they want true Mexican food!

Awesome service, amazing mango margarita & the food was the absolute best authentic Mexican we've ever had!

Another great night at La Santa. Wonderful service!! We sat outside and the weather was perfect. Tried the Chile Relleno dish recommended by our server and it was delicious!

Absolutely loved this restaurant! Food was incredible and even good for our kids (ages 8-11). Everyone enjoyed themselves and ate so well. Definitely recommend!

The service was 10/10 everyone was kind from when we entered to when we left even while we were sorted down. The food was also 10/10 I ordered the "burrito momia" and was impressed I definitely recommend it.

La Santa has quickly become one of my favorite Mexican spots in all of Raleigh. It's trendy, with delicious food, solid service and a absolutely phenomenal atmosphere, and a perfect place to go for a night out with family, friends or for a date. My go-to order lately has been the fajitas, and man are they fantastic. If you're someone who gets full easily, you may even consider splitting them, as they can definitely satisfy two people. I'm just not that kinda guy, haha! The drinks here have always been tasty, and last visit I ordered the margarita and really enjoyed it. Their drink selection has something for everyone. Service here can be a mixed bag, but don't let that deter you because ultimately it's more positive than not, and the wait time for food is always solid. It's more that on busy days (which is basically Friday and both weekend days) it can take a while for servers to get to your table. In addition, because La Santa does not take reservations, you're in for a pretty long wait to get a table unless you're there when the place opens. Something to keep in mind. Verdict: La Santa knocks it out of the park in terms of food quality and ambiance, and despite what can feel like a mixed bag in terms of service, provide a top notch, solid experience. You have to be patient though, as the wait time can be long as they do not take reservations. Rating: 4

The music was fire! It started with old school reggaeton but by the time we sat down it was all of Rauw Alejandro's songs. The food was delicious. We sat down at 5:05pm, 5 minutes after opening. Again we had a huge party and they were able to accommodate us. If we had arrived 30 minutes later we would've been screwed. By the time we left it was jammed pack. I had the chicken enchiladas with the salsa verde. My son had the chicken quesadilla.

Amazing food, super kid friendly, but service was a bit lacking for a Monday evening. Took 25mins for drinks to come out so we only had one round due to timing. Great food, fresh and beautiful presentation We didn't expect a kids menu or the generous portions we had. Hoping they were just short staffed and things will get better. They did seat all of the kid families in the back corner so those without kids could be less interrupted.

Yummy Mexican place in the area! We sat outside on a nice day. The tables were very dirty and dusty but I guess it can happen with it being outdoors. The salsa and chips on the house was great. Chips were very crispy and the salsa was delicious. Ordered the chicken quesadilla and the chicken burritos. Both were delicious, bursted with flavors and may I add with more than generous portions. I loved how yummy their yellow rice were. I also tried their regular margaritas on the rocks and that was ok. Service was quick and efficient. Overall a solid spot and I would return if in the area!

This place is unbelievable! The decor is unique and eclectic! I love the outdoor seating gives you the perfect division between the seats with the beautiful planters filled with natural plants, which provide you with a bit of privacy for you and your group! The food is flavorful, fresh, and fantastic The hostess staff are kind and knowledgeable. My favorite was the ceviche! The guacamole and the street corn were delicious! Please go and try this restaurant now!

I LOVED THIS PLACE. The atmosphere was great. Food was very good and lots of variety. Our waiter was very kid and helpful. We will be back.

Celebrated my birthday and I'm so glad I decided to give it a try. Loved the ambiance, decor and food. We had a large party and the food arrived quickly. I ordered una asada and I loved every bite. The meat was nicely seasoned and flavorful. Everyone enjoyed their meals. I ordered a pineapple Margarita and it was delicious, the tajin rim gave it a nice taste. They offer a nice bar area with lots of top shelf alcohol. Overall a nice restaurant with great Mexican food and service. Highly recommend.

Large downtown Raleigh restaurant. Great food, excellent service. We had Chile relleno and shrimp tacos. Excellent. Salsa and chips good too! I lived in Texas for over a decade--so I'm pretty opinionated about Mexican food. Good food and reasonable prices.

Food and drinks are pretty good, inside can get loud. Decent place for Mexican food. We prefer to sit outside to avoid the loud inside.

Everything was great. Good bartender amd the food is very good. Would definitely go back!

This is the best Mexican food in Raleigh. They have an extensive list of margaritas - each one I've tried has been amazing. Chips and salsa are a defect and they kept our basket refilled all night. The taco salad was wonderful and I loved all the avocado on it.