Lares

Really good food and a really helpful and kind server. He explained the different dishes to us and even let us try the mole because we didn't know what it tastes like. And the mole was amazing.

We searched online for a cute place with good food to celebrate our teen daughter’s birthday and Lares was one of the top choices and it did not disappoint. With authentic Mexican food and freshly made tortilla chips, plus the aguas frescas. It was all delicious and the staff were very kind and helpful.

We absolutely loved Lares! We didn’t have a reservation but were sat immediately in their upstairs room. The twinkling lights, large windows, and live guitarists were all such a fun experience for our date night. I had the mole chicken and it was DELICIOUS! We also shared the ceviche which was fresh and zesty. The margaritas were amazing and I highly recommend this spot for dinner or lunch!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lares is our absolute favorite spot whenever we stay in Santa Monica, and it never fails to impress! As a pet sitter who loves to explore the best Mexican cuisine in Los Angeles, I can confidently say that Lares is at the top of my list. To start, the chips and salsa are incredible—fresh, flavorful, and the perfect way to kick off our meal. And their margaritas are a highlight! We always order the skinny Cadillac Margarita with Grand Marnier on the side and a tajín rim, and it’s simply delicious. When it comes to food, we can’t get enough of the quesadillas. I go for the carnitas on flour tortillas, served with rice and beans, while my partner enjoys the grilled veggie quesadilla on corn tortillas, topped with guacamole and sour cream. Both options are mouthwatering! We love visiting from Wednesday to Saturday and sitting upstairs at the bar. The bartenders up there are fantastic—so warm and welcoming, and they genuinely look forward to seeing us again. Their exceptional service is a big part of why we keep coming back. To top it all off, the live mariachi band adds a wonderful ambiance to the restaurant, making each visit feel like a festive celebration. If you’re looking for authentic, delicious Mexican food in Santa Monica, Lares is the place to be. Highly recommend!

It‘s a really authentic mexican restaurant, you get directly as a kind of greeting from the kitchen fresh nachos with a salsa verde.. so far so good, we ordered as main dish 2 tacos with beef and guacamole and 2 enchilada with beef. The taco with beef was more or less not spiced and the meet was dry. The enchiladas were not that bad but also this dish was not really spiced. I really recommend this restaurant and when we wouldn’t just travel I would try it for sure again!

What an amazing establishment and experience. Great atmosphere, great food, delicious and well made margaritas, the music, the decor and wow the service, such an amazing attention to detail! The whole experience was wonderful. Thank you so much for the great Margarita night you gave us. 🥳 keep up the great work! 💐🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

Came for lunch to this cool, cozy Mexican restaurant. "Lar" meaning "Hearth" of the medieval era, hence the facade of the building and ambiance of the space. Cool bar in the front, and wooden features throughout to give a historic vibe. Menu selection is decent, food is okay, didn't see anything that set this place apart from others (perhaps I missed it). Parking can be a little tough as there is street parking but fairly limited. Staff was amicable and quick to serve.

One of my favorite Mexican restaurants. The staff has been there since my 1st visit years ago. The food keeps it's Quality. I have had chicken Mole, Asada Plate and always has been good. This time I had Señor Parras Special. Beans were delicious and scrambled eggs had great taste. The Top sirloin was a bit plane. Needed a little bit of salt but overall good

Great experience! Fast service and Very delicious food! Nice homely feel to the restaurant, amazing live music and kind staff. Would 100% recommend to anyone looking for a special evening with mexican delicacies!

This is a good basic Mexican restaurant. It's a small place and has a very traditional ambience. It was on the list of the best places in LA so we decided to give it a try not even realizing it has been around for almost 60 years. We split a chicken enchilada and shrimp fajitas. They were neither the best nor the worst we have had. Chips and salsa were fantastic as was the service.

Service was great all around, we dealt with 3-4 wait staff and all were super helpful and friendly. Sunday night and the place was dead but the food came out quick. The best part is the fresh hot chips brought to the table. I think I went through 2 bowls. The salsa is decent. We ordered some beans to dip and they were so dry and bland. I asked for taquitos but was brought crunchy tacos. Not a big deal, pretty much the same thing. The chicken was dry and bland, but it was hot. The shell was fried well. And lots of cheese on top. The side of rice and beans however were also very bland and dry. At least the beer was cold

Great place for a Mexican Breakfast! After a nice long beach walk my friend have come here to sip margaritas and order breakfast. Martha is always a great server with a smile! She remembered us from last month and already knew we wanted margaritas! Yay! Today I tried their MACUCA, which is a recipe from the owner's Mother's. This is made with 2 eggs, in a special secret sauce with bacon, potatoes, and beans. It arrived piping hot with a spoon. This was sooooooooooooooooo tasty!!!!! This is the only found here at Lares, thanks to the owner's Mother's homemade concoction. My friend ordered the fish tacos and enjoyed hers too! Thank you Lares!!!

Great food and Drinks in a traditional setting. How did I not know about it? Service was excellent.

Overall a pretty solid Mexican restaurant in the quieter part of Santa Monica. However it is overly expensive and not as good as Don Antonio's down the street but still it was a pleasant experience. I am giving it a 4/5 due to the price and taste comparison to other sit down Mexican restaurants around Los Angeles. They don't have parking so it will be metered street parking or neighborhood parking. We found a metered spot near the McDonald's a block away. They have two floors, downstairs is the bar and where most of the tables are and upstairs is usually reserved for parties. There was a work or family meeting upstairs the day we dined. Our server was polite, although it took quite some time for him to come over and take our order and then also bring the check after we had finished. They have a very large menu filled with all the classics that you would expect. Being our first time we wanted to try a few different items. We started with a cup of the Albondigas and it was pretty good, although not my favorite that I have had recently. It tasted more like a vegetable soup versus the traditional Albondigas flavor. Next we got a Fish Taco à la cart and it was actually pretty good. Not like a traditional fish taco that you would get in San Diego sadly, but the fish had some great taste and overall I enjoyed it. For our entrées, we ordered the Carne Asada and the Chicken Flautas. The Carne Asada was good, although the cut had a ton of fat on it so that part I did not enjoy. The Flautas were crispy but overall pretty small. It's not a bad experience, but I would rather go to Don Antonio's, Gilbert's, or El Cholo over Lares.

Oh Lares, you can never disappoint me. Excellent service and lovely interior decoration. We always make sure to come here every so often and every special occasion. Every dish is on point at reasonable price in Santa Monica. It's a historical staple spot where you can come and look at the architecture and is the favorite spot among the locals. They got 2 full wood-finished bars both down and up stairs. As we sit down the freshest best of the best tortilla chips and salsa are served right away even on the busiest day. It is a must to get the house margarita on the rocks with salt rim. My go-to dish here is the dos tamale that I get it 90% of the time. My table also got the chicken chipotle con papas, the 7 mares, the meatball soup and the filet mignon (we dived in so quick, I didn't get a picture of). This place is magical and deserve a big recognition.

Had the lengua en mole and it was excellent. My wife's veggie combo (potato taco, chile relleno and cheese enchilada) was pretty good too. Guac was surprisingly bad; we couldn't finish it. Just tasted old and odd. The reason I am not giving them more than three stars is the poor service we received. We came mid-afternoon and almost no one else was there, so there's no excuse for our super slow and indifferent service. The manager kept calling our server away to discuss stuff at the bar, slowing the guy down even more. Could be an off day--I will return and give them another chance.

Love love love Lares. This is my go to mexican spot on the west side! As a creature of habit, I always get the mole enchiladas. One day I will try something new here, but it is hard to beat the mole. The refried beans where phenomenal as well, but the rice is quite typical. My friends have tried the chicken fajitas and breakfast omletters. All delicious! Chips and salsa are brought out to snack on before you meal too. Street parking was easy. The front of the restaurant is unassuming, but once inside there is beautiful decor and an upstairs section. The waiters are attentive and service is quick.

Loved the cozy vibes of this 2 storey neighborhood restaurant that transports you to a quaint foreign country. The margharitas are fantastic, especially the peach flavor. The food however is pretty disappointing all around. The Carne Asada is pretty flavorless and the ceviche was doused in lemon. I would definitely recommend just coming for some margs, chips and salsa.

By far my favorite Mexican food restaurant! The only thing better then them is my Moms food. The service is always the best! The staff has always been friendly, kind and knowledgeable. The seating area is a great size with inside seating available as well as outside. The food is delicious! Their Fideo reminds me of my Abuelita's which was my favorite. The atmosphere is always wonderful.

Lares on the Rocks with salt and sour. Its been a long time since we've eaten at and old favorite. The Carnitas & Shrimp Diablo set the standard. We went on a rainy Saturday night and wondered what the weather would do for dining. It was pretty empty downstairs & plenty of tables to choose from upstairs. No one sitting at the bar. Started of with Margs, one house $10 one skinny $13. The skinny looked like IT was on a diet. The glass was only partially filled with almost 3/4" of head space, nada mucho. My wife noticed immediately and tried to address, but only got an explanation that it was "the same amount of tequila". Poor way to handle the dissatisfaction. Mine was full OF ICE. These are three sip drinks and all the servers are quick to ask if you'd like another. No Thanks The chips are great, small biwl but good service to refill. The salsa is mild, somewhat watery. OK. We decided to share the Shrimp D, now $28. Yikes, yet these are the time$. The shrimp were dried out, smallish and tasted fishy. My assumption, prepped well in advance and not made to order. The sauce was still spicy and deliciousNot what I remembered. Not worth it. Two ala cart tacos $4.50 were excellent.

Came for lunch to this cool, cozy Mexican restaurant. "Lar" meaning "Hearth" of the medieval era, hence the facade of the building and ambiance of the space. Cool bar in the front, and wooden features throughout to give a historic vibe. Menu selection is decent, food is okay, didn't see anything that set this place apart from others (perhaps I missed it). Parking can be a little tough as there is street parking but fairly limited. Staff was amicable and quick to serve.

I ordered their birria which was pretty good, I was more a fan of their tacos, chips and salsa. The ambience is really what makes me rate this place a 5 start restaurant. The service is great, beautiful ambience, amazing drinks, and on the weekends they have live music! What more could you possibly ask for?

It is with great disappointment that I write this review. I have been going to Lares for 35 years and the food has always been good. My problem is with the clientele as of recently. Lares has always been a family restaurant and that is very important to me. When I went yesterday there was a very drunk patron who wanted to pick a fight with some other patron sitting at the bar. Foul language was used and treats were made. The management did nothing to difuse the situation. This was all happening at 11:00 am for breakfast. The time before that I went there where 3 rowdy drunk women screaming at each other. This was also in the morning. It is so sad that a family restaurant that has been around for 55 years is turning into a dive bar and no one cares.

My family has been going here for almost 20 years and we love it! The food is delicious, I would recommend the Fideo Soup, Chicken Chipotle Con Papas, Steak Picado , and the Potato Tacos, the list goes on and on. The pancakes are also tasty if you come in the morning. The Service is Great the drinks come out fast and so does the food. The staff is super nice and polite. The restaurant is super cute and the lighting is all soft and cozy. They also have live music and sometimes they take song requests! If you like Mexican food you should go here.

The Food was overall good food. The service was great, kind and efficient servers, the ambiance was probably the best thing about the experience, clean and warm environment that is made better with live music. We came in on a Sunday evening, so lighting was nice and the music was enjoyable. I would definitely come back again. The albóndiga soup was not made how I traditionally have had it but the flavors were great in my opinion and great for a chill January evening

It's like a clean version of all the Mexican restaurants in Venice. I'm always scared there was live animals under the table but not here!! Service was kind and attentive. It's pretty inside with little twinkle lights everywhere. The food was really good. We judge a Mexican restaurant by their refried beans. These were just right. I had a tostada and the BigMan had chile rellenos. He said they were done just the way he likes them. No drinks as I overserved myself the night before. Good, thick chips.

This place is so cute, such a perfect neighborhood joint for delicious Mexican breakfast. The servers are very nice and I love the decor. I will probably be back each weekend.

The food and service was great but I'm really writing this review because I'm still eating the chips and salsa I ordered to go..from Wednesday. It's still fresh and bomb AF. They also have an upstairs that I didn't see but people were asking to be seated up there do it was probably a cool vibe up there. I'm definitely going to run that back again

Excellent food and such beautiful architecture and friendly service and reasonable prices.

Food portions are BIG you better be hungry or you can share we take left overs home!!! The service was great, even that it wasn't busy the waitress was on top of all. We been to china town too many times and I can say this place has it all and better easy as that You going to like the ambience, we love everything and I'm sure you will too!!! Enjoy!!!!

What's there to say? Great food, great service, and a local vibe! Ordered the three item combo (taco, enchilada, and burrito you can get beef,chicken or cheese) A++ great flavor and alot of food! Modelo dark beer (with the right glass to pour it in to boot!!) A++ Tres Leche, light, creamy and just the right hint of sweetness with a cherry on top literally!! A++ Finished with a coffee A , could be a tad stronger Overall the service location and prices can't be beat

A hidden gem! My boyfriend and I wanted to try some place new today and found Lares. We're big fans of Mexican food and this place definitely hit the spot. The food was good and the prices were even better! The restaurant and employees were all decked out in Halloween decor. The employees themselves were also so fun and offered great service. We will be back!

The food is great, and the prices!! But, this waiter in the picture below has been incredibly rude every single time. Its obvious multi-tasking as a server is giving her a wicked rotten attitude. She has gotten my order wrong a few times and when I drive back she doesn't believe me and has to talk to the cooks in spanish as if im lying about it. She's chain-smoking cigarettes in the back non-stop. She's the problem, everything else is fine.

This restaurant has seen better days. A recent remodel destroyed all the charm of this old place. All of the staff, especially our waiter had grim looks on their faces. They had absolutely no personality and were no fun. Our waiter was more concerned with hanging out in the bar area rather than taking care of us. My Enchiladas Verdes were cold inside and their chips and salsas are devoid of any flavor and they are the hardest chips we'd ever had in our life. Are they oil free? Weird. Anyway, El Cholo is 1000 times better for old-school Mexican. Go there.

Food was OK. Place was loud and even had live music which prevented conversation. When I asked my server which was the better cut of meat, he said he couldn't answer that question. That surprised me. Other than that, the service was good.

I have been coming here for about 35 years and the place has never disappointed me once. I have no idea how authentic or in authentic the food is, but I love the atmosphere, I love the food, I love the service, and I just love the buzz in this place. Every time I walk or drive by this place I always get a nice warm feeling and think back on all the fond memories I've had here. Many a celebratory dinner, many a first or second date, dinners I've had here with my kids, in the first place my father wanted to go when he got out of prison.

Favorite Mexican food on the west side. Don't skip out on their micheladas! Such a great lunch and dinner spot

Lares has a cute little outside area in the back that's perfect for a warm spring day (or even winter night with their heat lamp). Love the chips and salsa -- the chips are definitely thicker than what you'll typically get at other places, so if you're into that, it's perfect! Most of their dishes are pretty tasty for a good price. We had the carne asada and lengua plates this time, but my favorite is their asada quesadilla...definitely a must-try! Overall, great place for reasonably priced Mexican food.

Perfect spot for a date if you're looking for a traditional Mexican restaurant. Food was delicious and the prices were very reasonable. Micheladas were on point. Definitely going back.

It's too bad that Lauren has gone downhill so badly over the last few years. It used to be great but now the service is so lousy and the food is not as good as it used to be. Yeah It's also too noisy in there when it gets busy Thankfully, there's still Gilbert down. The street is really good.

Lares, Lares, Lares... this is an updated review because my last visit was about 11 years ago! Wowser... I read over my old review, and I decided to visit again, and it's really comforting how things have still stayed the same (delicious food, festive décor, affordable prices--even the whispering servers). Finding parking was a bit rough, but it's LA, and the weather's nice, so I didn't mind walking a couple of blocks to the restaurant. I have YET to try the upstairs part of the restaurant. I'll make that my goal for the next time I visit, but the ground floor was pretty stellar. The restaurant was mellow for a Friday night on the West side, but that was exactly what I was looking for on a chill date night; a nice restaurant, with good food, good vibes, and attentive service. We started off our meal with chips and salsa (complimentary) which we munched on throughout the entire meal. They didn't have a drink menu, but they had a very helpful server/bartender who asked us what kind of bar drink we would like. So I asked for a pina colada (I remember ordering this from my older Yelp review) and I forgot what my partner ordered, but they made both our drinks for us! I tend to be picky about pina coladas but this one was tasty! A little icy, but I finished it all anyway. For the meal, I ordered the Lengua taco entree with a side of guacamole and my partner ordered the Steak Picado. Both the dishes were perfect - the beans and rice were cooked well, and we just devoured our meal. I left a little overstuffed and my partner (who eats a lot btw) also left satisfied and full. The cost of the meal was probably about $70-80 for the both of us, including tip, so no complaints here! I wish there were more places like this around West LA (i.e. not too crowded, affordable, authentic cuisine, good service, nice but not pretentious, and good vibes!!!) Thanks for another good experience Lares! Until next time!

The vibes are great, really cute spot and the waiters are really nice. It's not the best Mexican food I've ever had, but very solid if you don't mind your Mexican food a little Americanized.

I LOVE ALL kinds of Mexican food but sadly Lares does not hit the mark. Never going back again after my 3rd time trying in 20+ years, just seems too heavy, greasy, $$$$ and meh. Mostly the wait staff are too arrogant and just didn't seem to give a sh#t unless you were a regular....all round bad service & food which s*cked & in todays world when prices are so high. WAY TOO MANY other places to go! Sorry I tried agin but did NOY enjoy, again. :(

Amazing carnitas, generous portions, exceptional chips & salsa, lovely atmosphere. Lares is one of the best Mexican food restaurants on the westside. Parking on Pico is AWFUL. Use valet.

Ive eaten here 100+ times. The food is always great, like really good great. But, I don't think I've ever received what I'd call great service. In fact, it's usually mediocre if that. But tonight, I'm done. I have no idea what the man's name is, but his mommy or daddy must own the place because he's historically horrible and beyond rude. He's the big guy. How he still has a job there is only explainable if his parents own the place. This has to be the 10th time he was offensive out of the gate, and the first time I have not left a tip at any place and instead wrote in my thoughts in the gratuity line. If you want great food and shitty service, this is your place. If you want great food and exceptional service, Don Antonio's is the place!!!

My wife and I drove to Lares from UCLA where we were visiting our daughter. Lares turned out to be a great choice. The food was better than the average Mexican restaurant, the menus was more interesting with a combination of the usual plus a number of southern Mexico specialties. The service was great. Everyone was attentive while giving off a family operation vibe. I would go again.

The food, service, and ambiance was excellent. I had a vegetarian meal that consisted of a Chile Rellano, Potatoe taco (very full of potatoes), and cheese enchilada. All three items were very good. The customer service was excellent, MR. Alfredo is a sweetheart and treated us very kindly. The ambiance is very nice, currently a romantic feel with hearts and light streams. I also like to review the restroom and overall cleanliness of places I visit. Very comfortable atmosphere and very clean. *Its a must that you go upstairs*

Lares used to be great. Fell off a cliff. Rude service, heinously overpriced food. It's over.

As a single person, I've been on the hunt for restaurants with bars on the Westside. This has to be one of the BEST and most REASONABLE Mexican restaurants in the area. Their house Margaritas are $11 and their Cadillac Margaritas are $15 - some of the lowest price drinks in the area among Mexican restaurants. And some of the BEST margaritas served. Their chips and salsa are awesome. The Carnitas were extremely tender and delicious. I've dined at MANY nearby Mexican restaurants and this place isn't only the best, but also the best in price for value. So happy to discover old places in my neighborhood that are awesome!

Feels like family, great food and service. Alfredo is so kind, guitar players are wonderful.

In short, the manager was rude to me and my party - so much so that we chose to leave rather than spend money here. I'll never get to review the food since he was such a terrible human being.

Lares Restaurant NEVER disappoints.. I came here with a friend.. I got the taco, enchilada, burrito, with rice and beans combo for only $15..OMG!! It was good. Best Deal in Santa Monica!! Me and my friend combos, plus drinks bill came out to less than $45!! Btw.. Lares Restaurant has been around since like the 1970's.. it's an old school, Santa Monica family owned restaurant!!

The communication at this restaurant is challenging unless you speak Spanish! Furthermore, the quality of the food is subpar. I've never experienced such low-quality Mexican cuisine in LA. We visited for the live music advertised to occur Friday-Sunday. Despite being seated upstairs and being assured that the band would make their way up and to every table, we only heard them briefly downstairs for about 10 minutes and never saw them come upstairs! Save your money and avoid this place. Fajita was too dry and low quality. It cost $33 because we wanted combo. The mole is literally melted chocolate you ask for medium carne, you will get it well done because apparently it's been cooked and warmed up to your order! Good luck communicating issue about your food!

The food is sub par at this restaurant ,service is good ,ambiance not bad ,but the price doesn't equate for the food

A local favorite for Mexican American fare. This westside restaurant is tucked in on Pico Boulevard looking like a tavern from the front facade. Large windows adorn the front with an interesting upstairs view. Open for lunch thru dinner with nice late evening hours for the weekend crowd, this can also be a new drinking hole for some really decent Margarita fixes. Order a Cadillac and sometimes you may find whoever made your drink may have had quite a heavy hand. I just love how the house salsa placed with chips at every table is not made for just the gringos. The kick is how salsa should be, and the rustic thick chips really made scooping quite nice. As for their entrees, everything is traditional Mexican American. The Enchiladas are made well with seasoned stewed chicken and covered with your sauce of choosing served with rice and beans. Everything is seasoned on the lighter side, but I appreciate not getting a salt bomb like some other places. Other usual items of Tacos, Burritos, Asada Plates, and even Ceviche will be the usual standards you may know. Everything is finished well, served on hot thick plates, and hearty. If your visit is for a nice evening, do give the upstairs dining room a try. They have done a good job. There is even a 2nd bar area on the second level. Some evenings are packed and there is a reason because they have a good neighborhood following. Parking is street/meter with a small parking lot in the back alley with stacked parking.

Very disappointed, again.The food is good and for that reason they think the service doesn't matter. We gave this place the benefit of the doubt and came back after a bad experience and the outcome was the same so shame on us. We won't be coming back.

Very nice atmosphere has upstairs and down stairs bars reasonable prices great food never needed a resavation