MercadoI love everything about Mercado.
TI love everything about Mercado.
The decor is warm, modern minimalist.
The service was prompt, with the right balance of friendliness and professionalism.
Cocktails are to die for:
- Tamarind Margarita
- Pineapple & Jalapeno Margarita (sweet with a spicy kick)
- Blood Orange Margarita
The food is excellent:
- Guacamole & Chips are great and have a fantastic homemade feel - but presentation is simple and chic on a wooden board
- Baja fish taco is good but was overshadowed by the Carnitas
- Best Carnitas I've ever had in the US. 2 chunks of flavorsome pork, nicely browned on the outside, super tender when pulled apart. Served with 3 warm tacos (we chose the home made corn tacos), and accompanied by grilled veggies and a sauce. So good!!5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMNew fave!I've eaten at Mercado twice now: once at the bar and once upstairs. The ambience is great...lively downstairs and perfect for conversations upstairs. The food is fab. Love love the tamales and Dos Gringas tacos--along with everything else! I will keep going back as often as possible! YUM.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food & fun spotThis was my first time to Mercado and I'll definitely be back. The food was great and the service outstanding. Thanks!5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMMexican meets Market Fresh....Loved the twist of fresh with Mexican flavors...ordered the cream of corn soup, market fresh vegetables enchilada, guac, fish tacos (big group!) and a couple more dishes - flavorful, perfect size, fresh and nice twists...would definetly go back for the blood orange margharitas!!! Great rec from Yelp:)5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMModern MexicanThis was my second time to Mercado. We were seated promptly and the were lucky enough to sit by the window and people watch. Our waiter was fabulous, making recommendations when we got stuck and didn't know what to order. My boyfriend wasn't a fan f the first drink he ordered, so the gave him when he liked better, no questions asked. The food is to delicious to describe. If you go order the dip duo, and the mexican kale salad. The fish tacos were delightful as were the sea scallops.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMFANTASTIC CULINARY EXPERIENCEI eat here once a week and the food is consistently DELICIOUS, service is friendly and attentive and it is a must for those looking for genius mexican food! LOVE Mercado's.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a lovely time at Mercado.Had a lovely time at Mercado. Myself, my husband, and another couple went for dinner on a Saturday night. We had the Blood Orange Margaritas, the Hibiscus Margaritas, and their skinny version, all were excellent! They have delish guac and chips, although the chips were a bit too salty. The menu was the perfect size. Just enough options, but not too many to make your head spin or make you question the quality of the food. The fish ceviche on the small plates menu was superb, and the salmon entree was great, despite coming out under cooked the first time. The most amazing tres leches and flan we have ever had!!! All in all Mercado deserves its Top 10 new restaurants standing in LA Magazine for 2012!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMYummy and original combinationsYummy and original combinations of food; great for vegetarians.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMTerrific food and excellentTerrific food and excellent service. We sat upstairs so it would be less noisy & it was.,4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMMust go!We are total "foodies".
The tuna tostito appetizer special was fantastic. The halibut and rib eye entrees, as well as all the vegetables (including cauliflower side), were outstanding, tasted extremely fresh and absolutely delicious. I love when chefs are able to do the most simple things to their dishes and still yield the most flavor. Nothing was overdone, everything was prepared and cooked to perfection, and tasted so fresh and delicious. I wouldn't even consider halibut and rib eye necessarily mexican style dishes and yet we would totally return for these based on taste and freshness alone. Part of dining out is service and Katie was one of the best servers I've ever had.
Place is a tad loud, but food and service made up for it.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMGood urban feel. Bit noisyGood urban feel. Bit noisy but energetic...great vegtable choices.4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Mole I have ever had,Best Mole I have ever had, good specials and the staff were very friendly.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMLove this restaurant!This restaurant is the best dining experience in Santa Monica.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was outstanding.The food was outstanding. Very unique dishes with familiar flavors.
The chair we sat in was a stool which was very uncomfortable.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMQue deliciosa!Mercado is a buzzing spot for yummy cocktails and a delicious, fresh twist on Mexican / South American dining for every palate. You can get naughty with, say, pork tacos; or keep it clean with fresh fish. Either way the spices, ingredients and preparation do not disappoint. Guacamole, and the seared ahi appetizer were awesome; the chopped salad and scallops as was their interpretation of the skinny margarita. This is a place I will definitely come back to. One note - don't expect an intimate conversation over dinner. It's loud, so bring your fun, raucous friends for the best experience.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOffering coffee, but not de-cafOffering coffee, but not de-caf is curious. Overall a good choice. Great dessert.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently delicious dishes. AmaConsistently delicious dishes.
Amazing flavors.
Always a culinary delight!3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food experience. TryGreat food experience. Try the "best flan in the universe."3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMAs out of town visitors weAs out of town visitors we were so pleases to find such a great restaurant The food was excellent as well as the service. Bar staff friendly and explained drink prep and knowledgable about food. Greeted by owner and thanked us when we returned for the second time during our short visit.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed the small plates.Really enjoyed the small plates. This is such a fun way to dine. The service was much better than you would expect for a casual, lively place. It was first rate. The food was carefully prepared, seasoned to perfection, with lively complex flavors. I will definitely go back. Most likely, often!3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for my husband's 30th...everyoWent for my husband's 30th...everyone had a great time and enjoyed the food - very organized!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMCrystal RoseAuthentic modern Mexican food. Drinks, food, service and ambiance were excellent! I'm so happy I finally tried this restaurant, it's perfect for 2 or group! Reservations are a must, as this place is busy on a weekend night. Mercado is our new gem!3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious vegetable plate,Delicious vegetable plate, tortillas, guacamole, and black beans. Not a lot of vegan options, but the ones they offer are fantastic!3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecially prepared dishesSpecially prepared dishes with incredible flavor.
Can't go wrong on the grilled corn.
Guacamole was perfect3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMVisited twice in one week,Visited twice in one week, with two different groups. Carnitas, scallops and most other dishes we tried were great. Tres leches and flan both terrific.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was very good, mostlyFood was very good, mostly moderate spicy. Very noisy downstairs, but they said they have a quieter upstairs1/1/0001 4:00:00 PM