RED O CANTINA

Had such a wonderful experience! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warm hospitality and a vibrant atmosphere that immediately set the tone for a great meal. The food was absolutely delicious—everything was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The tacos were perfectly seasoned, the enchiladas were rich and comforting, and the guacamole tasted so fresh it could have been made right at the table. The highlight of my visit was the molcajete—a must-try dish if you’re coming here. It arrives sizzling hot, served in a traditional stone bowl, and is packed with tender meats, shrimp, melted cheese, and perfectly grilled veggies. The flavors blend together so well, and the portion is generous enough to share The service was attentive without being overbearing, and the staff really made us feel welcome. I also loved the drinks—the margaritas were refreshing and well-balanced, the perfect pairing for the meal. Overall, this place is a gem! Whether you’re craving authentic Mexican comfort food or just looking for a fun spot to enjoy with friends and family, I highly recommend it. I’ll definitely be coming back! 🌮🌯🍹

I really wanted to enjoy this spot, but my experience was a bit disappointing. I ordered the Molcajete, which came with only a few small pieces of steak and chicken — the portion felt pretty limited. The Ceviche Negro had a nice flavor profile but could’ve used a bit more salt to really bring it together. The Mangonada mostly tasted like mango juice mixed with liquor and ice — not quite the rich, balanced flavor I expected. Also, the pork rinds were extremely hard to chew, which made that part of the dish unpleasant. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and presentation, but I hope the kitchen pays more attention to texture, portion size, and consistency — there’s definitely potential for improvement.

This beautiful little restaurant off of Santa Monica Beach was a really nice experience on travels. It was the day that I proposed to my beautiful fiancé on her birthday weekend. This is one of the places we stopped to grab a bite to eat. They were very friendly and professional. They were kind enough to congratulate us and show good hospitality. They're Mexican pizza is so amazing. We wanted more of it before we even received our main dish. I highly recommend this place. Thank you Red O Cantina.

We went for dinner without a reservation and were served promptly. The waiters were exceptionally attentive! The dishes arrived quickly and were delicious. The price is reasonable considering the service, the quality of the food, and the location.

Ate here on 4 July 2025. Was very busy, but we had booked a table. The food came relatively fast. Everything was well presented and appetising. The chicken fajitas were steaming hot and the chicken was moist. Had a lovely margarita too.

Good presentation, kind of a miss on Mexican food flavor given the area and options for the price. Close to the pier and didn't need a reservation for brunch on a Saturday.

Food was OK, not the best. Had tacos which didn’t have lots of flavor. the place itself is nice and service is great, close to the pier. They were kind to give us a cake cause it was my friends’ birthday.

As of now I've only been here three times and every single time has been a good experience food is excellent and seems to be very consistent with flavors. Drinks are moderately priced we got to remember it's a very tourist location outdoor seating is very nice too as well I really enjoy this place looking forward to going again.

Nice location right at ocean ave. Good food, nice drinks helpful servers. We had our NYE dinner there and enjoyed it. The only bummer was the patio was leaking when it was pouring outside , so we had to change tables.

Going out of business??? I don't know, but when a place with "cantina" in its name only has two of the wines on its menu in stock, has no sangria, is down two of their virgin menu offerings, claims to have hendricks and then doesn't, one has to wonder: Are they running dry because they plan to close??? Additionally the food was just meh. One might expect some seasoning in the entrees, but the fajitas and carne asada were bland. At least our guacamole was good so the evening was not a total loss Edited to correct my error --- Happy Hour is only week days

I really wanted to enjoy this spot, but my experience was a bit disappointing. I ordered the Molcajete, which came with only a few small pieces of steak and chicken -- the portion felt pretty limited. The Ceviche Negro had a nice flavor profile but could've used a bit more salt to really bring it together. The Mangonada mostly tasted like mango juice mixed with liquor and ice -- not quite the rich, balanced flavor I expected. Also, the pork rinds were extremely hard to chew, which made that part of the dish unpleasant. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and presentation, but I hope the kitchen pays more attention to texture, portion size, and consistency -- there's definitely potential for improvement.

Was at Santa Monica pier and decided to stop here for some Mexican food with the wife & daughter. One thing you need to know is, if you are here before 6pm, ask for the lunch special menu & the happy hour menu. They are two separate menus. We were only given the normal menu, but my daughter had looked online and saw they had lunch specials and happy hour too. So we asked for the happy hour menus. Our waitress brought us the lunch special menu, but no happy hour menu. Again, luckily my daughter was researching. When waitress came back we asked for the happy hour menu again. Then she brought it... All these menus should have been given, but they don't give them hoping customers aren't informed and pay more. Big deals on there. From $26 for 2 tacos with beans and rice, to $10 for two tacos without beans and rice. Yeah, you can keep the beans and rice. $10 is still a lot for two tacos, but they were tasty. Queso fundido, which I got, dropped from $16 to $10 for happy hour. We also got taquitos for $10. And beer $2 off, I got a Pacifico for $6. Our total bill was about $50. If we had ordered off the normal menu, it would have been over $100. And all we didn't get was rice and beans. Overall the food was good. My wife liked the tacos, she actually got a 2nd plate with 2 more. My daughter, for some reason, wasn't a fan of the food. I thought my queso fundido was good. But overall, 2 stars for the shady business practices.

Being the night before Thanksgiving and having walked about 10 miles, we needed dinner and margaritas to end the night. Our server Jenny was great. We had seats semi inside and out but it was perfect weather for alfresco dining. Really great interior decor. Perfect place to share food with family. Definitely enjoyed the molcajete and the queso fundido. The guacamole with plantain chips was a nice remix. Tried a bite of the fish tacos and wouldn't order it again. The tortillas here are very tasty so we made our own style tacos with the meats from the molcajete. I would indeed come back if in the area.

This this location is directly across from the lobster and Santa Monica Pier entrance . Reservations are not required unless you have a group . Service is good and food is Delicious. The drinks are good too ! They have a tequila bar that comes to your table if your into that . They have huge windows so you can see outside and get a glimpse of the Ferris wheel if you're in the right seat . There is a parking lot a few buildings over . Price wise they are more of a special occasion type place than just an average dinner but worth every dollar in my opinion. Service is impeccable here .

Four solid stars for my visit to this Mexican restaurant that I would describe as a great place for people watching if you are seated inside near the sidewalk area or directly outside on the sidewalk area which diagonally faces the start of the Santa Monica pier. Pictured is the Crispy Short Rib Tacos Dorado and the Carne Asada Taco. Good size portions as the tacos are slightly larger than a street taco along with the rice and pinto beans which I substituted for the refried beans which are made with lard. Will definitely return the next time I'm in town.

What's an amazing restaurant with beautiful decor and coastal views. Superb dining and ambient atmosphere. We were happily greeted and seated.Friendly professional service with a smile. We loved their Spanish decor and lively bar. We chose to sit in the patio. Perfect location to people watch and catch the sunset. For starters we shared chips and salsa. Not too spicy and full of flavors. Also tried their red sangria which is strong and not too sweet. Highly recommended by the way. A pleasant surprise was their wagyu smashed burger. Super juicy and delicious. My wife loved her steak wet burrito. Decent size with the right mix of meat and rice. My kids shared a kids cheese quesadilla and chicken tacos. I sampled them and was surprised how good they tasted. This restaurant is a must try if ever in Santa Monica.

I was here back in April.Food was divine!! Highly recommend their steak fajitas! The carne asada used was delicious!! I live in Las Vegas and I've many steak fajitas but this is by far the Best steak fajita I've had! And queso fundido is a must!! Chips were freshly made and crispy and the salsa had great spice to it. One of The managers was very cooperative & attentive to my allergies , and health restrictions. Not only was the food great but the view? We were sat in the back by the windows, and you see the sunset views which made it even a better experience! Views & good food? Best match made! Will make my way back down for the food again soon!

the location and the inkind app brought us here. we were a party of 7 for brunch/lunch. total amount came about $250 including tip. i was only one who got the bottomless mimosa which were good but i wish they had more juice choices. one person didnt get her food i think he didnt put it in but they rushed it out quickly so it was fine. parking garage is closed by but it is $35 (40 for us being a van) but all day parking. so great for us to walk to pier after our lunch.

The drinks, food, and ambiance were great! Ashley took some nice photos of our group as well! Will be coming back!!!

My partner and I both had stomach aches after eating here. The food appears to be low quality. Also slightly overpriced.

This place was terrible. My wife and I were celebrating our anniversary, and despite having a 7:45 reservation, the manager told us we would still have to wait 10 minutes because they were understaffed. To make matters worse, we were served by a busboy who took my order incorrectly and then argued with me about an appetizer. When our main courses arrived, the enchiladas were a huge disappointment. We've eaten at the Newport Beach location many times, and the food there is outstanding--this location doesn't even come close. I've been to Red O numerous times, but after visiting the Newport Fashion Island location, the difference in food quality and service is truly night and day. I will never return to the Santa Monica location. It was a horrible experience. If they are going to carry the Red O name, it needs to meet the same standard as the other locations. Enchiladas were stale Tortillas seemed to be old. The meat on the shortbread enchilada was very chewy. Shrimp was cold this overall and horrible experience.

Great place, friendly staff. Food was a bit pricey but it was delicious. Ambience was great. Love the atmosphere. Big selection of tequila and some mezcal.

The only thing stopping me from giving this place 5 stars was the photographer walking around pressuring you while you eat to purchase one of their pictures you take. Aside from that experience the food was amazing! We ordered the tomahawk special to share between my girlfriend and I. It was cooked perfectly median to our liking. I would definitely revisit however choose to stay away from the photographers taking pictures in the restaurant cause it feels like a car sales when you're trying to enjoy your food.

Express Lunch - We were walking by trying to figure what to eat for lunch and saw a sign in front of Red O with their express weekday lunch for $16, this included a soft drink so it was a great deal for being in a touristy area. I was also pleased that their portions were decent - I had the lunch taco combo and everything tasted very good. Their outdoor seating had a nice view of the pier but surprised it was so empty. The only down side of my experience was the service. They call it "express" lunch but there was nothing quick about any of it. There was only 3-4 tables with patrons and everything from the drinks to the food to getting the check was super slow. Once they finally dropped off the check,then we had to wait again, after 15 minutes there was nobody in site - we got up to find someone and a group of workers were chit chatting around the host area. There was also an error on the check we had to get fixed which also took 10 minutes so it was a bit frustrating. When we were seated, the person mentioned they were short staffed but i saw 5-6 people working... 2 runners, bartender, manager and at least 2 servers for an almost empty restaurant. If I only had an hour lunch, this isn't the place but if you have a day off and want a slow, leisurely lunch - this place is fine - the food is good! Parking in this area is never easy - you can get 90 min parking for free at the mall or it's a 5 minute walk from the metro stop.

Stable Mexican cuisine front of the Santa Monica beach. This place threw us off a little with their interior choices. As we walked it, the decors scream to look like an Indian restaurant. Parts of the dining rooms were closed for the night... We had to wait over 5 minutes to get check-in when we had a reservation on a slow Sunday. The hostess was very slow, looked like they were under staffed. The music was too loud at certain spots and no music at others... Our servers also spilled our sangria on the menu. The food was decent for the price and location. However, nothing was memorable. The grilled plantain was great. Great presentation for the food, good seasoning and cooked well. It was super difficult to find parking.

Very solid option and a stellar blend of quality, flavor, value, and location. Got the wet burrito Xmas style but thought the verde was superior to the rojo. Overall great flavor. Staff is exceptionally friendly and attentive.

Popped in here for a quick drink with some coworkers. Great ambiance inside and I could see it being a cool late night spot too! Loved my margarita and its cute presentation in a skull glass. I'm a spicy margarita lover and his one had a good kick but wasn't too much. I'd definitely come back to get more drinks and try the food when back in the area! It's super close to the pier and easy to walk to.

Ashley takes the best pictures and food is great! Gustavo is the best waitress everything was amazing

As it was a hot day, we popped in for a quick drink after walking the pier at Santa Monica. Located on Ocean very close to the pier, you will find this restaurant across the ocean side. As it was 3pm in afternoon on Sunday the restaurant was fairly empty except for the bar where people were chilling with refreshments. Not a super large bar compared to the restaurant size. The bar has all the staple drinks that you will find at a typical Mexican restaurant. Standard drinks like margaritas cost 17 dollars unless you upgrade the tequila. During the week they have happy hour with diacounted drinks and food. I'd you are thirsty, and you seek a solid drink, worth stopping in.

I came here, October 25, 2025 for dinner. I wasn't feeling very well so the waitress gave me some tea and I believe her name was Christine or Christina. The service was exceptionally well and the food was pretty dang good too. We ordered the ceviche and a tuna tostada, it was excellent. The service really was top-notch from our waitress. The place is also really cute with good lighting and a fun atmosphere. We also ordered a mangorita was excellent. Would not hesitate to come back.

Definitely had high hopes for this place, but I wouldn't try it again. Customer service was non-existent for the girls that worked at the very front. They asked what we were here for so we said "Just two!" and they just stood there and stared at us for a while before telling us (with attitude) that there are two food spots (one Mexican, one Mediterranean) and we had to pick one. Super awkward. We're out of town so we wouldn't really know that, but that being the first interaction was disappointing. The service had already left a sour taste in my mouth, but let me tell you about the first cocktail. Cucumber Margarita (0/5): terribly sour. We did appreciate the fresh cucumber on top, but the drink itself tasted heavily of syrup and straight lime juice. Santa Monica Sunset Margarita (3.8/5): I did like it! I think the sugar on the rim was nice, and you can substitute for salt or tajin depending on your preference. The coconut and pineapple blend together nicely, but I didn't taste much pomegranate! Vegan Tacos (2.5/5): I'm not vegan, but I know a lot of places that make vegan food taste spectacular! Unfortunately, this place is not one of them. Beer battered portobello mushrooms sound like they would have a crunch on the outside (beer batter) but soft on the inside (mushroom). This kinda just had a soggy texture all throughout. I do think the taste of the vegan tacos was there. The guacamole and whatever was added to the bottom was good! The tacos also come with lots of cabbage & pineapple, and a lime on the side. The plate also comes with white rice (doesn't specify on the menu) but I requested Mexican rice instead. The rice was good. Beans were also okay. Asked for the aioli on the side and it wasn't brought out, so we had to ask again. :( I forgot what tacos my boyfriend ordered, but he didn't like his either. On the bright side, our server was super friendly and we loved her! The restaurant is by the pier and has nice big windows to see outside. The lights at night look really nice as well! Would I visit again? Probably not. But it's in a great location and the ambiance is very pretty.

I really enjoyed my time at this place, they had great music all the staff was so attentive and the food was delicious.

Si quieres unos rricos TACOS este es el lugar, los tienen que probar rrico sabor y Rafael los atendera muuuuy bien, se los recomiendo me encanto

Frickin FANTASTIC! EVERYTHING we've ordered. Went there 2 days in a row bc I know when I get back to Texas I'll be craving the best salsa I've ever had. I also came back for the coco verde mocktail! Highly recommend for the sober crowd! We had the ceviche salad, the fajitas and the enchiladas suizas. All EXCELLENT! I imagine everything on the menu is tho! Will be coming back next visit! WONDERFUL staff too!

Man I know its Santa Monica. But my gawd the prices here are literally for the 1% ers , 20 dollars worth of food for ah hundred bucks ?!?! And a weeekk azz cocktail for 18 bucks no need to say that we won't be coming back here ever again!! First red flag Should have been there was literally not another customer in the joint when we cam in ,... chips were stale 99c Wal-Mart teeth breakers , water tasted dirty , banana chips were horrible, waste of hard earned money if you have no desire to serve good food and drinks at your enormously over priced prices than sell the joint to someone who does !!! Would have been one star but the service was actually good and friendly and the avocados were delightful but thats it !

Thank you to Jenny for being such a sweet and attentive waitress! The food was really good too! I got the carne asada and Baja fish tacos with beans and rice which I really enjoyed. It is also such a nice sunny day to be sitting on the patio! Grateful for this experience!

Came here before Kooza. Love the outdoor seating. Got guac, salad, and a fish dish. The rice was very hard/dried out with our fish so they comped it. Not sure what happened there. Aside from that, the food was really good. Excellent customer service. Parking structure RIGHT next door. Would be happy to come back.

If you're seeking an elevated Mexican dining experience with top-tier service and a prime Santa Monica view, RedO Cantina delivers. I'd rate the service a solid 4.5 out of 5 professional, personable, and perfectly paced. Our server struck a perfect balance: friendly, knowledgeable, and eager to offer recommendations without pushing. They checked in at just the right moments, kept our drinks refreshed, and made us feel genuinely cared for--qualities that fellow diners on TripAdvisor also rave about. The photographer was punctual, prepared, and discreet--capturing special moments without ever feeling intrusive. Very great SERVICE!!!

Good: Food was good. We ordered ceviche, carne asada quesadilla and tortilla soup (tortilla soup didn't make it out) Bad: service was okay for our first drink and then almost non existent after that. I would have ordered a second drink, but by the time we were asked I was done with my food and we were over it. And we were sitting at the bar!! Our bar tender was friendly. I think they were just understaffed, but our experience was still impacted. I've been here a few times. Never been blown away, so will probably not return.

I truly appreciated the delicious food and the exceptional service. It made the experience all the more enjoyable. Thank you for creating such a warm and welcoming atmosphere!

Love Red O!! They have such a wide variety of items to choose from the menu. I've come here on numerous occassions for brunch, lunch and dinner and all times have been fantastic. My go to is the chicken fajitas and the elote, the elote is sooo flavorful. The guacamole is a hard pass it's very basic and not worth the money. I love the ambience of the restaurant and like that you have a view of the Santa Monca beach. This place is great for families, dinner, lunch, brunch with friends, happy hour. As stated above they have a lot to choose from. 4 stars for sure, they are pretty pricey.

Food came out cold. Have you ever seen a cold plate of fajitas? Plate was not sizzling...So sad. The taste was ok. I won't be back. Customer service was lacking.

Amazing experience right by the pier! Whole fish is huge, could definitely split between two. Great food and great margaritas. Vlad is the photographer and he took amazing group photos of us!! So fun :)

Service was great. Manny was awesome and very knowledgeable. The portions are ok. Fajitas are enough for 1. The alcohol needed more alcohol, 3 drinks and didn't feel a Buzz at all. Very good location off PCH. Valet parking $35.00 plus 1.00 if you use your debit card. Overall it's a nice place.

Location + good service + delicious food = amazing experience! Santa Monica has the best restaurants....

Came here by accident because I thought it was Sol Agave that's a few blocks down the street. I do like the atmosphere and interior of the restaurant. The service was pretty on point. I don't like that they charge for chips and sals though. I thought the food was pretty tasty, though, on the expensive side. There's underground parking right by the restaurant that charges $15. Just be careful because they charge extra for a larger vehicle. I feel like they are are sneaky with the charges here.

We had reservations for brunch at 11 AM. However, the restaurant was empty so if you're in the area and worried about not being able to get in because you don't have a reservation swing by anyways they had plenty open seating available. We were seated immediately in a place right by the window so that we had a beautiful ocean view. The service was excellent everybody was very kind and checked on us frequently. The place has a nice decor it's very open. We started with drinks a bloody Mary and a Coco Verde. I appreciate that they have mock tails on the menu my coco Verde was excellent. For brunch re-ordered the combo with a chicken, hard taco and a short rib enchilada and then the short rib Benedict. Their food is delicious as far as Mexican food goes. I highly recommend ordering anything with the short rib on the menu. One thing if you do want chips and salsa you'll have to order it. They don't bring it to the table automatically you have to pay for it. I don't mind this as sometimes I eat too many chips and then I'm not hungry for my main dish when it comes which you definitely don't want to happen here because their food is so delectable.

Great happy hour. Nice bar and lovely patio with views of the ocean. Lots of great happy hour options. I had Oysters that were delicious! Service is really friendly and warm!

Forgot to take plate pic but the food was good. Just had some wait in between. Did catch a pic of the potato taquitos behind my margarita. They were ok they potatoes were a little over done. The carne asada tacos were really good! Came with rice and beans. Not my first time here & not my last!

RED O Cantina is the best! The service here is incredible -- shout out to both Tanya (the manager) and Emily (bartender) -- who are personable, attentive, kind, and cool. Ask Tanya to make you 'The Tanya' cocktail (mention that you make it for 'Maxwell' and she'll know what you're talking about), it's delicious. I also highly recommend the tacos. You can't go wrong. Ambiance is great too: music isn't too loud, people are chill, plenty of space, and you've got a great view. I love coming here and I'm sure you will too.

I wish I had take. Pics to share. The restaurant wasn't too busy as it is January 18th and just getting through the LA wildfires but the weather was nice and they have a nice patio seating with a view of the ocean. The hostess/manager was super friendly as was our server. We ordered 2 chicken fajitas plates and they were delicious but we added a chicken nachos for our kids to share afterwards. I did ask for easy onions and I did feel like the veggies were a bit oily for my taste. But...When they brought it out the chicken looked much paler than the fajitas one. I tried it before letting the kids have it and I immediately had to spit it out into my napkin. It had a sour taste and foul smell to it. We notified the waitress and she assured us she will let the chef know. We even asked if they could specifically use the same chicken and grilling style of the fajitas. She came back a few mins later with a new nachos but the chicken was the same and they just had the cheese on the side. She said the chef thought perhaps we didn't like the cheese so he put that on the side. Needless to say, we ended up sending that one back after my hubs tried the chicken and spit it out as well because it just had a weird taste to it. I was hoping it wasn't that they were using a chicken that wasn't fresh. Perhaps it was just a different style of flavoring we weren't fond of. But we sent it back and asked for the check. I wouldn't be able to recommend this place to others based on this experience. But check it out for yourself if you'd like to.

This place is the BOMB!!! Go!! Trust me, just gooooo!! I had my birthday dinner here and I was in awe of everything from the location to the drinks and the food was so tasty. Very expensive depending on what you order but we went more on the expensive side and ordered tomahawk steak with lobster tail and they have a drink cart!!! They bring it by your table and you just get to choose whatever you want, they have drinks on the menu and the server will recommend what they like best... definitely a smooth vibe and it's across the street from the beach and other shops... I can't wait to come back here!

Food is amazing! And they have the best infused tequila. Fajitas are my favorite and the service is always the best 10/10 recommend

We love coming here anytime we are in the area! Fantastic food, drinks service and a very family friendly environment. Can't wait to come back soon!

Great place for a quick lunch. My sandwich was fresh, the iced tea was refreshing, and I was in and out in under 30 minutes

We decided to dine at Red O Cantina during Restaurant Week. We tried the Mexican Pizza, Taco Salad, Chicken enchiladas, and Branzino. We also tried their signature Margaritas. Everything was fantastic. The salad was very fresh. I wasn't expecting the Mexican pizza to be that big but it was so worth it. The Branzino came with a tasty oil sauce. For dessert we tried the churro cake. We could barely breathe but we still managed to finish the cake.

I was so excited to come here being that I've dined at the Newport Beach location so many times and the food at THAT location is great. But the Santa Monica location is completely different ! The service was horrible and our waitress was terrible. The food was not fresh at all and our waitress messed up the entire order but we were too annoyed to even mention anything to her. Long story short I won't be coming back to THIS location it was terrible.