Bäco Mercat

– ⁴⁶⁄₁₀₀ reviews for 2016 –
So glad the boyfriend and I decided to make a trip to DTLA to try Baco Mercat one night as one of our casual dinner. This place is pretty fancy looking but we just came here to eat one night after the gym.
Came here on a weekday, parking was free and the restaurant was not packed so we got seated right away. Staffs were nice and service was great!
Toron Sandwich: One. of. the. best. sandwiches. ever! I’m not sure why but the everything went so well with each other in this sandwich. I guess I’m just a really big fan of capers and this made the sandwich so refreshing and delicious.
The Slayer: similar to a calzone but what made me get this dish was because of the fried egg on top of the sandwich. I didn’t really enjoy this as much as I did the Toron because I didn’t like the crunchy corner pieces of the baked pizza-​bread like sandwich.
I can’t wait to come back to get their Toron sandwich again, definitely get your own sandwich because you would not want to share this.

Baco Mercat is the home of the «Baco»
the signature flatbread sandwich. The original bäco had crispy pork belly and beef carnitas but I’d rather have mine with chicken.
Even though Baco is known for their sandwiches, they should be home of the Ricotta Balls. I had my eyes set on them the minute I saw them and knew I had to have them. If your confused on what to order, try the Ricotta fritter balls, you can thank me later. AMAZING! They tasted sweet and salty with a touch of honey. They’re a game changer! They taste absolutely divine.
The Ricotta balls were are hard act to follow but we also ordered:
–The Sugar Snap and Pear Salad which came with grapefruit, burrata dill and walnut.
–The Caramelized Cauliflower which had pinenuts, mint, garlic and Lebni.
–The Baked Crispy Eggplant which had tomato, oregano, and mozzarella.
–The Caesar Brussels Sprouts Salad with pecorino, anchovy, garlic.
All the dishes were delicious and I would order them all again.
I originally came her for my friend Jennifer’s birthday. We were a large group of 12 people so it’s not always easy to accommodate a group that large in a restaurant this size. Baco did a great job accommodating us and working with my friend Sofia to make sure everything worked out perfectly.
Lastly the best tip I can give you is if your looking for street parking, don’t, go park in the lot across the street. It’s $ 10 and no headache. Finding a parking spot in this area is like winning a stuffed animal out of a claw machine, good luck!

If I could give this place 4.5 stars, I would. Because the half star in this case isn’t about the restaurant itself, but about the way I felt dining here tonight.
I basically never write reviews, as is obvious by my review history. But our waitress tonight was so incredibly disappointing that I felt absolutely compelled to vent about it to the Internet.
My fiancé and I love Baco Mercat. The food here is so special and never fails to impress. And generally I don’t have complaints about the waitstaff. The bartender, Peter was wonderful. He was pleasant, informative, and efficient. Our busser was also a great guy, and to be completely honest, he provided most of the service for the evening. Our waitress however, did nothing for the experience. In the beginning, she seemed nice. But after waiting an abnormal amount of time for a beverage that required no cooking, and, as witnessed earlier, relatively little effort– my fiancé kindly asked her if we could please have our vegetable appetizer before our entrée came out, as we were hungry and had already been waiting for a bit at the bar for our table to be ready (even with a reservation). She rolled her eyes after she answered «yeah» in her very matter of fact tone. Perhaps it wasn’t her intention to be rude, but her response to this simple request didn’t make us feel particularly comfortable to vocalize anything thereafter.
After this exchange, we saw her only one time. Our busboy delivered all of our food. He’s also the person I mentioned my MIA drink to, which he brought within minutes of being prompted. The drink wasn’t cloudy with condensation, from which I inferred to mean it wasn’t poured when he asked about it, it was poured when it was ordered and simply forgotten about.
She never asked us once how the meal was, and only showed her face after the table had been cleared to see if we wanted to see a desert menu.
A different waitress even collected and returned our signed check, as we watched ours walk back and forth and schmooze with (and comp) our table neighbors while completely avoiding us as if we weren’t seated (first) right beside them. I love this place, but I’m honestly insulted by her behavior tonight. I won’t write off the restaurant, or call the waitress out by name (because everyone’s capable of having an off night), and like I said, the food is amazing. And generally the staff doesn’t fall quite as short. But tonight was an irregular experience for us.
On a happier note: try the carmelizedcauliflower, the yellowtail collar, the whole Branzino, the pistachio cheesecake, and pretty much everything in between. We’ve never had any disappointments food or drink wise at Baco Mercat.

I came here last night for a double date. I made a reservation for 6:45pm and my friends from NYC were running late but the hostess was very accommodating especially when there were quite a number of tables available on a Thursday night. I think it wasn’t as crowded due to the NBA Finals but it was my first time there so I’m not sure but for the two other times that I have been trying to make a reservation at this place but I never had luck with the time since timing was always limited however this time I got a good time.
We got a couple of dishes:
The Toron
Hamachi crudo
Cavateli with pork belly
Brussel sprouts
Lamb riblets
I have to say out of all the dishes my favorite one was the Hamachi crudo. I have a bland palate so I found the other dishes to be much more powerful in term of flavors. More on the salter side than I would like. We shared everything amongst 4 and we 5 dishes we were full enough. The restaurant sure is cute and good setting for dates. They have outdoor seating and bar seating as well. Not sure if I’ll come here again anytime soon but I’m glad I was able to cross this off my list :)

Impromptu brunch on a rainy Saturday with the girls.
Made reservations but they were running late so I had a seat at the bar and Carmello the bartender was so great that we decided to just sit and hang there for our 2 and a half hour meal.
Coffee and spicy bloody mary to start.
Add in about 7 mimosas and 2 Hamachi crudos as the appetizer. So delicious!
We ordered a slayer with pulled pork and gooey Ness with an egg on top. This is their signature dish. So filling and yummy.
You have to order a baco also so we had 2 different kinds.
Only thing to improve upon was their cheeseboard which was unimpressive. Cute presentation but still visually it lacked compared to other items.
Service was great, host was awesome and bartender was fabulous.
Foodie spot for sure… presentation on point and full of flavors! Mimosas and bloodys are 12 dollars each and entrees roughly 14 $ to 19 $. Hamachi crudo is a starter and so worth the 17 $.
There is a parking lot right before the restaurant that you can pay 8 $ for and not walk or a garage across the street.

Try the Fava Fritter Baco! They are able to make it vegan by not using the sauce, it’s soooo good! So filling, and it’s basically just veggies and chickpeas, with some leafy greens inside a wrap. I can’t emphasize how yummy this was! And fairly healthy too, now they’ve inspired me to learn to make falafel! Great little outdoor seating area too, small but I loved the plants and how they made it more secluded from people passing by on the street.

For my birthday, 11 friends took me here to celebrate and we had an amazing time! Bravo to the restaurant for accommodating a larger party over 8 and not making us order with a preset menu. The food is 3.5 stars rounding up for great customer service and convenience to work with for a larger party without a preset menu.
Baco Mercat is very mellow, easy going vibe. So are the food, very mellow, easy going kind of dishes.
The food was full of flavors, but the Coca (flatbread) and Baco (sandwich) didn’t impress me much as I expected. What did impressed me was the lamb riblets and the Grilled Skirt Steak which was very tasty.
THE SLAYER $ 19– baked baco with fried egg, pork belly, and salmorejo. (3 stars, One of the best Baco choices. Pick this one if you just want to try their Baco sandwiches)
THE TORON $ 16– Oxtail hash, with cheddar tater, and horseradish– yogurt. (3 stars, to me this was just ok.)
SWEET PIGGY $ 16– bacon, gruyère, winter squash, caramelized onion, arugula, and horseradish vinegar. (2 star, bland and its like eating a salad with no dressing on pizza crust.)
CAESAR BRUSSELS SPROUTS $ 13– percorino, anchovy and garlic (3 stars, with Brussels sprouts I think stir fry is the best way to go, having it steam is like eating a small lettuce. Kind of plain.)
PATATAS BRAVAS $ 10– with sunchokes pickles, crispy potatoes, and smoked paparika (Did not try this dish, but my friends were raving about it)
RICOTTA FRITTERS $ 10– battered with honey and lemon. (It was just ok)
SUGAR SNAP PEA & PEAR SALAD $ 12– grapefruit, burrata, dill, and walnut (I love sugar snap so this salad was good but a small portion for $ 12)
LAMB RIBLETS $ 25– with lentils, barley, almond, and jerk sauce (4.5 stars, the best tasting dish I’ve tried here, the riblets was so tender. The meat just slide off the bones. Love the taste. A different kind of jerk sauce that totally compliments the meat)
GRILLED SKIRT STEAK $ 25– with carrot-​sesame hummus, horseradish mint cream (4.5 stars, this was my dish and I loved how they seasoned the meat. Simple but yet tasty. Meat is tender and not dry. Very small portion though 5 or 6 oz. The hummus and horerasish mint sauce really compliments the taste of the meat too.
Valet Parking is available or park or street parking on 4^th Street but read the signs! LA street parking can be pretty tricky! There is a lot after the building of the restaurant for $ 10.

This place is on point! We went here cause the sushi line was long so walked across the street and was really impressed.
We had no idea what to expect just ordered what was popular. Food came out and it looked amazing… It didn’t stop there after taking a bite our mouths just had a party… We started to guess what type of food this was and then continued to stuff our face.
Interior is beautiful nice bar… Out door seating area…
This was a great find! Recommend it to anyone who loves to venture with amazing taste.

I have bookmarked this place for years and not until recently I finally got to go try it out. People working there were nice, so that was a good start. Food wise I just didn’t think they’re anything special. 1. Ricotta fritters– A-​Ok nothing special so for the price I think it’s a little bit of a rip off. 2. The Toron– DISAPPOINTMENT. That sauce totally overpowered the ox tail and they minced it so much that you just couldn’t finger out it’s actually ox tail. It tasted like canned corned beef to me. 3. Duck Confit– Dude, this tasted like Chinese food…
Don’t think I’ll be back, but good that I finally got to try it after so many yrs. in my bookmark.

relatively smaller location, so ensure you have reservations prior to arrival. I personally wasn’t able to make it on my appointment time and was late over 20 minutes. However, the host was very kind and didn’t make a big deal about it. She was able to accommodate me and my date with our table needs with minimal wait. The waiters know the menu very well and are able to provide educated suggestions to satisfy your taste buds. I loved all the dishes we tried. I would like to return and try other items from the menu.

Maybe not a complete five but close enough. They deserve a five based on service and the Ricotta Fritters alone.
But I’m telling you, I can’t do hard chairs anymore. Is that how restaurants get you to not dawdle? It works. They must’ve known when they were talking with the chair salesman what they were doing, right? «Do you have any chairs with some sort of granular concrete surface? Anything with small undetectable spikes? No? OK, give us the hardest wood known to man.» But if you aren’t smart enough to manipulate your friend into the seat that was made from some sort of petrified Brazilian iron-​wood tree, I don’t know why I’m wasting my time talking to you.
But, seriously good food, full bar, nice people, hard seats.

I have been wanting to come to Baco Mercat for a very long time, and this weekend was the perfect opportunity.
The service and staff were great. Attentive without being annoying. The restaurant is not grand in size, but roomy enough to fit a lot of people comfortably.
:FOOD:
Ricotta Fritters ($ 10) — Honey, Lemon Zest, Dill: Amazing, 5 Stars.
Caesar Brussels Sprouts ($ 13) — Pecorino, Anchovy, Garlic: Really Good $ Stars. Nice twist on a classic dish. A great new inventive way to spruce up a salad, or dress brussels sprouts.
Roasted Romanesco ($ 13) — Treviso, White Soy, Garlic: Amazing 5 Stars. I had never had romanesco before, for some reason I assumed it was a tomato sauce. Perfectly seasoned, lovely savory taste. I could eat this all day
Hamachi Crudo (($ 17) — Abkhazian Spice, Avocado, Hash Brown, Crème Fraiche. 4 ½ Stars. Nice mix. I preferred to eat the Hamachi separate, not mixing it with the Avocado. I loved the fresh taste of the fish and the fact that is wasn’t a mushy texture.
Octopus & Crispy Pork Belly ($ 18) — Walnut Vinaigrette, Pear, Paprika. 4 Stars. The mix of the saltiness of the meats and sweetness of the fruit played well.
The Toron (($ 16) — Oxtail Hash, Cheddar Tater, Horseradish Yogurt. 5 Stars. One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Ever.
Pistachio Cheesecake ($ 12) — Crème Fraiche, Sea Salt Aleppo. Order this now, great dessert. 5 Stars.
One of the best meals I’ve had all year. Every bite was delicious. Its hard to believe that everything the served us was this mind blowing, but it was. The food was great, and really affordable. Everything is meant to share, which allows you to try a bunch. And the portions were hearty.

Planning a bday dinner with 12 people, its hard specially when restaurants has some restrictions .
Thanks to Ruby the Manager, she made everything very easy for me to planned and thanks to Joseph for suggesting the restaurant to celebrate our friend Jennifer :) .
I will just talk about part of my experience .
Dora and i shared: The Toron, el Pesco, the Slayer, Patatas bravas (glad we copied Joseph haa.). We finished everything, im still in shock we ate so much, every plate was scrumptious .
Our waiter which i wish i could remember his name, he was very attentive and he gave my dear friend for her bday ice cream with candles even though Ruby told me they dont celebrate bdays so that was very nice of them .
What impressed me the most its how nice this manager was to look for me to introduced herself that says alot how much she cares for this bussiness and treat her customers right so they could come back .
5 stars service
5 stars food

Located in the old bank district of DTLA, this neighborhood spot will heighten (and sharpen) your appreciation of fused dishes. Bäco is Spanish Castilian for «sandwich», and Mercat means «market.» But, don’t confuse this place as a «sandwich shop.» Here you will find a Spanish and Mediterranean fusion of ingredients and flavors.
The «Toron» is basically an oxtail hash burger served with a deep-​fried cheddar tater, and a nasal clearing horseradish wash with fresh greens. This dish was shared by two people, and it was a heavy.
The «Original» combines pork, beef, and deep-​fried carnitas with salbitxada, which is like a thickened romesco sauce.
Craft beers, better-​than-​good wines, and great cocktails kept me going all night until I ended up tapping out. The bar has a good amount of seating and also serves the full menu.
Highly recommend this place. Noise level is on the higher side, and tables are rather close. Parking in DTLA is hit or miss depending on what time you arrive. I was able to find parking at 7pm without a problem, but it was a weeknight.
Enjoy.

Holy shit, this place is freaking good!
It’s been about 1.5 years since I visited this place so this review is long overdue.
Hamachi crudo: ⁵⁄₅ — I’ve never had anything like it and at the time I wasn’t a big fan of raw fish but this was delish + the crudo was so good. It was like an encrusted mashed potato that wasn’t so dense.
Chicken biscuit w/​egg: 4.5÷5 — I thought this was really good. They turned a simple chicken biscuit into a fancy one with whatever or however they made it. I enjoyed it and could eat it probably everyday!
Service was absolutely wonderful! Our waiter always refilled our waters and checked up on us and gave us the perfect recommendations.

Baco’s = wacko… b/​c I couldn’t decide what to order! So many yummy choices~
** GET — The Original (pork, beef carnitas, salbitxada) = SO effin’ good! Flavors were bursting. Baco «bread» is like a chewier, thicker, less-​crispy version of pizza dough… and softer.
* GET — The Toron (oxtail hash, cheddar tater, horseradish-​yogurt) = This was hearty, delicious with that horseradish-​yogurt! So different in taste and texture from the Original.
* YES — Service was fast and friendly
* YES — No wait with no ressies: we went during off-​dining hours.
* FYI — Lots of tables indoors, few on patio right on main street
* FYI — Street metered parking
* FYI — Accepts credit cards
Recommend!

This place is a romantic place to go for a date. The ambience is hip and the room is low light. They don’t play music so it’s a nice place for an intimate dinner. I came here on a sunday night for an early dinner and place wasn’t packed. You can make reservation here and the place started filling up at around 8 pm. The staff was very helpful with the menu and did a good job in checking in with us. But i was’t too happy with the food. Overall, I felt the food couldn’t have been better prepared. I was shocked to see that this placed was highly rated but i didn’t like any of the food. Maybe i ordered the wrong dishes or the main chef was off that day.
The best dish i had was the Hamachi Crudo ($ 17). It was a bit pricy for a small appetizer with only a few pieces. Note it’s not big enough to share with the table. The hamachi was nicely seasoned with salt, petter, and lemon juice. It dish was served with a side of hashbrown and avocado. I would pass on ordering this because it wasn’t worth the price.
Double mushroom flatbread $ 16 was a good dish. The flatbread was crispy and and light. They did add a lot of mushrooms and made sure there was enough cheese sprinkled over the mushroom. It was served fresh and hot from the oven. I would recommend ordering this again.
I ordered the Toron ($ 16) which was a big pita bread sandwich with ground oxtail, lettuce, and horse radish yogurt. I didn’t like how the food was cold by the time i received the food. Also, the pita bread got soggy if you don’t eat it quick. i don’t recommend ordering this.
The worst dish was the slow roasted pork shoulder ($ 28). I expected since the dish came last that the pork shoulder was tender and soft. But i ended up being disappointed because the pork was dry and hard to bite into. The dish was on the salty side too. This dish was not worth trying for the taste or the price.

Have you been to the Historical Core lately? No? Well, it’s time to take a road trip. Sidewalks are filled, restaurants are buzzing, and there’s a certain, hold your breath. New York energy in the air. Don’t roll your gentrification eyes at me, it’s downright exciting. And there, in the middle of it all, sits Barco Mercat.
Baco was first restaurant in what has become the Joseph Centeno Historic Core empire. But as other high-​end, destination restaurants have moved in around it, Baco Mercat has maintained its status as the area’s breezy, casual go-​to hotspot.
Now the first thing to realize is that a BACO is actually a food item. Chef Centeno created it and though it’s technically a sandwich, don’t be fooled. It’s an oversized Spanish sex taco sent personally from the Gods to your plate. There’re at least eight different varieties on the menu, but you are required to get the Toron at least to start.
Items I’ve tried so far ps. Can’t list everything cause it’s gonna be freaking long.
1. Hamachi Crudo ($ 18): Tartar of Hamachi was superb and probably one of the best presentations of the fish that I’ve tasted. The supple, slightly fatty cubes of yellowtail were beautifully accentuated by the use of the Abkhasian condiment, while purée of avocado added further lusciousness and creaminess to things. Taking the course over the top, though was the Harsh Brown, which provided a wonderful touch of salt and savoriness to the fray and augmenting the dish perfectly. Very balanced and integrated overall. (⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀)
2. Toron ($ 14): The story of Baco aka rhymes with Taco actually dates back to Centeno’s Day at Meson G.
It was created almost by the accident, when a chef threw together a bunch of ingredients for a staff meal, making sort of Taco-​gyro flathead hybrid. I had actually tried the original version back in Lazy Ox, so last time I went with Toron Incarnation. It was actually stupendous, flawless mishmash of intersecting tastes and disparate textures, all held together and moderated by the pillow bread. (⁸⁰⁄₁₀₀)
3. Beef Tongue Schnitzel ($ 13): Unusual Offal in the Austrian breaded and fried tradition with Greens, Red onions, Sour Pickles, smoked Aioli and Harissa. Fried breaded tongue was on par in terms of texture, it’s a subtle protein in that relies on the balance of the other ingredients; it predominated when you came across its gelatinous region, the breading complimented it to a degree.
***The harissa smoked aioli dominated the sandwich, I would have liked to have had half the amount so I could tasted all the components as well as it was really a messy sandwich to consume. There were highlights of Red Onions and Pickles here and there which were treasures, but unfortunately, the condiments were overpowering and drenched the entire dish. I deconstructed the sandwich and ate each piece by itself for a balanced taste. Only then, could I appreciate the composition and the work of the kitchen.*** (⁷³⁄₁₀₀)
4. Sugar Snap and Pear Salad ($ 12): It was such a nice presentation of the foods here in BM. Basically, a menu favorite was Sugar snap pea salad with grapefruit, burratta, Dill and walnut. Each ingredient was crisp and sweet and lent a great texture to the creamy burratta that was buried beneath the seasonal veggies. (⁸⁵⁄₁₀₀)
5. Pee-​wee Potato Salad ($ 10): quite sucker for the potato salad, and Baco was the great one. Love how the potatoes were so deftly highlighted here, augmented by the luscious weight of egg white ladons added delectable pin points of saltiness to the mix. I appreciate the lovely, punctuating tang from herb utilized too. (⁹⁰⁄₁₀₀)
6. Caramel upside down cake ($ 12): When it came time for a dessert, I was so happy that I wasn’t too full to partake. A huge fan of caramel, pineapple and hazelnut, I opted for the Caramel upside-​down cake topped with flambeed pineapple and what can only be described as Hazelnut Caviar. The café’s density was perfect, especially when paired with the sticky caramel sauce and crunch nut nuggets. The ice cream’s cool bite was a welcome sensation following the hot, hot centered cake. (⁸⁸⁄₁₀₀)
The atmosphere alone is worth coming to this downtown venue, and I love the interior and admire the way DTLA is evolving to encompass an urban fabric which of course reminds me of another city aka my birthplace. I’ll be back to try other offerings, especially another Baco which I think I could get on board that trend.

Cool restaurant in DTLA with a global vibe and chic décor. It’s difficult to score a reservation and we decided to stop by on a whim and found two spots at the bar and decided to go for it.
Firstly, the portions for the Starters are GENEROUS! Remember that when you’re ordering. We had no idea & ended up with too much food.
From the starters we got the Zaatar, Eggplant and Fava served with flatbread and the Blistered Okra.
For the mains I had to try the original Baco (a kind of flatbread sandwich) — I went with the El Pesco which is crispy shrimp with sriracha. And the husband had the Jumbo Shrimp with cauliflower.
The Zaatar was really the superstar of the meal! It overshadowed everything else on the table. The flavors were incredible and the flat bread accompanying it was fresh & perfectly crisp.
The okra was good, but nothing that I’ve never had before. The flavors were more Indian than Mediterranean and we weren’t swept away by it.
From two mains, the Jumbo shrimp had the edge — it was flavorful and well done. I was a little underwhelmed with my baco and felt that it lacked seasoning and wanted more of the sriracha to give it a kick.
Cons–
Evidently it’s all tapas-​style food and meant for sharing — great idea I say, but some of the dishes like Baco itself is so difficult to share… would be great if they divided the portion so it would be easier to share and not an inelegant struggle at the table/​bar.
Would definitely go back to try some more of their incredible starters and flat breads.

Baco Mercat never seems to disappoint! Any of their trademark sandwich creations; the «baco», are right up there with the best in Los Angeles, IMO. If you’ve never had, it’s a flatbread sandwich reminiscent of a gyro or shawarma wrap. In my mission to try them all (Baco Mercat has roughly 6 different baco choices), I had the delicious pleasure of having the beef tongue schnitzel baco on this visit. Such savory goodness!!! For those not so adventurous, don’t let the beef tongue scare you, hardly gamey or tough, the beef tongue in the sandwich is cooked to perfect softness. And the portion size is pretty big so one baco will fill you up nicely for the $ 15 price tag.
If you’re in a drinking mood, might i suggest pairing your baco with a «Moxie» ($ 12). One of Baco Mercat’s trademark cocktails, it’s their spin on an old fashion.

I used to complain about food in DTLA when I lived there. Unless you have a huge budget for food, you’d have a lot of mediocre bar food or over priced sandwiches… Having escaped from there, now I complain how much I miss Baco! So I take an every chance to come back here!
Baco has wonderful ambience: casual yet romantic. Most importantly they have great food and cocktails too!
You can simply get a Baco (sandwich) for yourself or get a couple of plates to share, but either way, your mouth and tammy will be happy as hell. I love how every plate here is stuffed with lots of flavor. There is no «simple is best» here.
Some dishes I would recommend if you love rich flavors are confit half-​duck, lamb riblets, and carne picada (flatbread). I personally think these are definitely something to share because the amount of flavor you get in each bite is awesomely heavy.
They have a small cute patio with small tables too, but remember, you are still in DTLA. You may be interrupted by a stranger from the street…
I’ve been here with my friends, co-​workers, and a date, and it’s been always great for all occasions!

A solid 3. Ambience was wonderful. Food was very good but far below the hype this place receives.
My main criticism is that the chef’s obsession with pork belly is excessive. I understand how this adulation of pork (and implied revolt against the hippie Californian vegetarianism) is the new «it» thing, but like all good things, there needs to be a balance! The Slayer, for example, was just too much meat, cheese, egg, and heaviness. It really needed an acidic or «fresh» counterpart to balance out the meal; it was just heavy on top of heavy for me.
That said, this is a solid restaurant. I had the oxtail baco – fabulous and very balanced. The soup was also delicious (but please add more fresh noodles).
Thank you for a good meal.

*Please note this review is based on bar experience only*
Before we ventured off to KazuNori across the street, we wanted to visit Baco Mercat because of the great experience we had a while back. We decided that while we wait for our friend to arrive in DTLA, we would have a few drinks (and the SO needed to use the restroom anyway, so it was a great excuse to stop by).
Primrose Folly — yummy! Light and refreshing, a perfect drink to have since I had an empty stomach. I would love to recreate this drink as all the elements within the drink went well with one another. It was composed of vodka, rosemary, lemon, celery bitters, and on the bottom was a port reduction. Definitely going to try to make something similar in the future.
The Little Urban Achiever — one word: balance. There’s a balance between the coffee liqueur and the scotch so that it’s not overly bearing sweet. I love the splash of almond milk, vanilla, and nutmeg as well.
Okay, so this is gonna sound weird but after KazuNori we went back to Baco Mercat again– this time because my friend wanted dessert and she wanted to have a drink too.
Anyway for dessert we got the following:
Yogurt Panna Cotta — I don’t know what they do to this specific panna cotta, but man, it is rich! I love getting this because I don’t feel stuffed and yet I feel like I’m indulging in something so creamy.
Hazelnut Chocolate Crème — usually wouldn’t order this one my own, but my friend was craving chocolate. This tasted like Ferrero Rocher candy and was delicious as well. I liked having both the Yogurt Panna Cotta and this Hazelnut Chocolate Crème as they both went well together.
So why the 4 stars for the bar experience? While the drinks and desserts were fantastic, I was unamused by the not-​so-​enthusiastic bartenders. They did the standard movements you’d expect from a bartender (shake the cocktail shaker thing up and down, blah blah), they looked like they didn’t want to be there and their faces just didn’t look like they didn’t want to serve you. The first time we came in and I saw their blah faces, I thought it was just because it was 6 PM and they were just getting started. Yet when I saw them again a few hours later, there was no redemption; they just had the «I don’t want to be here» face.
Next time I come in I’ll opt for a regular dine-​in experience than sitting at the bar.

Sometimes golden raisins in dish are annoying, but in this case, they were a pleasant surprise! I’m talking about the Ricotta Ravioli with Pork Belly Sugo… So yummy and different! Can’t go wrong with pasta!
Perhaps I ordered that because we started off with a ricotta theme. Our appetizer — Ricotta Fritters with Honey, Lemon Zest, and Dill was also a delicious treat! I like most cheeses and the crispiness of fried items!
My beautiful date had «The Original» Baco which included pork, Beef Carnitas, and a sauce called Salbitxada. I found out that «Baco» is part Bao and part Taco. That’s very clever!
This establishment is worthy of Five Stars not only because of the quality of the food, but also because of the ambiance — trendy, but classy with a hint of edginess — and great service. I felt like Miss Hawaii. I felt pampered — like I had enough attention so that I felt «taken care of» without feeling like I was being pestered.
Luckily, I had a ride there and bypassed the hassles of parking and traffic in Downtown Los Angeles. Thanks to Tim C. for the chauffeur service; and Chel — my precious date who distracted me with Amaretto and BM Ginger flavored soda pop! Because of her, I must return and focus more on my food! The menu was so intriguing — I’d like to return and try more items!

I got food poisoning, and there was bad service on top of that! However, desserts were delicious and my friends didn’t get any food poisoning, so maybe it was just an ingredient in my order (i.e. not a whole restaurant wide issue like sanitation).
This is supposedly a tapas-​like restaurant where entrees are served family style and they recommend you order two dishes per person. I have an issue with this because of the three things we ordered, two of them were not family friendly. A typical restaurant that serves family style plates the food so it’s easily shared. Like it’ll be easily scooped onto someone’s plate, or pre cut for you so you just take one portion. Not at Baco Mercat. The Bacos are like big tacos, & they aren’t precut for you so it makes it difficult to share. And it looks like a sandwich that is not something you intuitively share. Maybe if it was like five little Bacos, I’d understand how that is shareable. Calling it a tapas restaurant just seemed like a cheap way to charge entrée prices without accompanying the entrée with sides (none of our dishes had sides).
Came here with two friends, greeted by a hipster server who gave us hipster service. Described entrees as «big,» or «small.» Not actual helpful descriptions. When we said we weren’t going to eat family style, the server said the food is just going to be brought out as its prepared, and one person who ordered something that took longer to prepare would have to wait. I was a little dumbfounded bc I was like just tell the cooks we don’t want do family style and to time it so that all the food comes out at once! the server was wrong anyhow and all the food came out generally around the same time.
We also asked for descriptions for the desserts and he described the yogurt dessert as frozen but covered in chocolate. It was a Popsicle. Let’s give these employees some adjectives to work with please. Having said that, the frozen yogurt and the upside down cake were delicious. Love the tartness of the frozen yogurt with the the crème fraîche that balanced it out, and the pineapple upside down was so moist and crunchy too. Love that mix of textures.
Onto the rest of my complaints: I ordered the slayer and got horrible food poisoning the next day. Took a half day off work when I couldn’t bear it any longer and stayed the rest of the night in bed fighting off the chills and body aches.
The menu is confusing/​misleading too. There’s an «all you can eat» spaghetti and meatballs for $ 24. but if you wanted to order a second plate, there’s a $ 10 additional charge per person… That wasn’t written on the menu & only explained after we asked about it. That’s just bad business when the whole point is advertising an all you can eat deal for a selected price, then hide what the actual price is.
No server came by asking how our food was. When we were finished, the server just dropped off the receipt real non chalant, no «thanks for choosing us,» etc. And when we presented the server with two cards, he just took them and left, no discussion about how to split the check. The only good service we got was from the people who refilled our waters.
I’m not coming back.

Yey for my Ninong Jojo A. for recommending another new spot for me to try out. He’s becoming the true godfather of dtla, in the most literal Filipino sense.
So anyway, there is an all day parking lot next to the building for $ 8. This was actually ok as long as I didn’t have to walk blocks away especially in dtla. Although, i do live on valet if available.
So as I was walking towards BM, the smell of dtla urine lingers in the air and I prayed that my hongry-​ness will win over that aroma once I make it inside. Hurry up Chel!
Once I walked in, their inviting bar greets me and right away the hostess was kind enough to acknowledge me, then checks my reservation, and quickly seats me at the bar since Miss Hawaii was running a bit late. This was definitely a great start. Then this cute bartender greeted me right away and asked what I wanted to start with. Now that’s what I call customer service at its best!
So I’ve been on a Cabernet Sauvignon kick throughout of 2015. Unfortunately, he only had a Merlot blend with a Cab. So I went with it. It was good. A little sweet but it worked and worked really good with their ricotta fritters I started with which was fused with honey, dill, and zest. Yumm-​o!
Amaretto with BM soda pop was Auntie Nadine S choice to drank. She slurped it like there was no tomorrow. Hahaha. I’m sure she was just thirsty.
I went with their OG Bäca. It was indeed flavorful and amazing in my mouth. Beef carnitas, pork belly, and salbitxada with a kick ass flava! Well Auntie and I pretty much devoured it. Them had no chance at all!
Pork belly with ricotta ravioli was a great choice by Nadine. Very rich and pack with party energy in our mouth! I would definitely order this again.
Glad we made it here tonight to see the numerous eatery establishments that were non existent a decade ago.
Great service with a smile. Love the casual ambiance.
#LA#pride

Fantastic place for brunch sandwiches.
Parking is always a pain in DTLA, but there is a paid lot directly next door.
Pro tip: show up early to avoid the lines or try to make a reservation.
I’d go back more often if it was easier for me to get there from WestLA.

I made my first visit to Baco Mercat on a Friday night around 7pm and was seated right away for a party of 4. Right when we approached the restaurant I had a feeling it was going to be a good experience. We were seated outside which I didn’t mind at all, being in the midst of DTLA I actually preferred being outside surrounded by all the buildings and lights.
Service was impeccable from the hostess to our server. Everyone who works here seems to have the same down-​to-​earth vibe. Our server was very friendly and always checked up on us which contributed to our superb dining experience.
We ordered two cocktails, 2 appetizers, 1 salad, and 2 entrees.
Cocktails:
Primrose Folly, as depicted in the taller glass. Crisp, fresh, sweet. A good pairing with the appetizers we ordered. Urban Achiever, the brown colored cocktail, had coffee liqueur and sounded interesting enough to order. A creamy cocktail with the same amount of sweetness as alcohol. More of a drink to get if your just drinking, but it was good.
Appetizers:
Ricotta fritters, crisp on the outside with the creaminess of ricotta kept inside. These were pretty tasty. Potatas Bravas, a heavier appetizer which paired well with my salad. I mean who doesn’t love potatoes?
Entrees:
We got the sweet piggy, which is one of the flatbread options. I didn’t order it so can’t put much input but the bite I took had a nice balance of saltiness from the bacon and sweetness! My boyfriend ordered the slayer, which is one of the sandwiches, stuffed with meat, cheese, and other things with the wonderful Spanish flavors. I got the snow pea and pear salad which was delicious! Very light and refreshing with a subtle spiciness and served with a soft cheese underneath.
Everything here was enjoyed from the ambiance to the food. It is a must try

Baco Mercat has great food, great service, and a cool interior.
Their flatbreads are pretty much like pizzas, and they make good use of various ingredients to make those flatbreads savory and really tasty. I suggest the flatbreads over the sandwiches, based on my experience. The cocktail we had was pretty good too.
This is one of the more popular restaurants in downtown LA, so I would call ahead to ensure there isn’t an insane wait.

Perfect place for our group of 6 to get brunch (they were offering both the lunch & brunch menu). PLUS no wait at 2pm on a Saturday, i was actually surprised to find it quite empty
the dishes are heavy on the carbs & protein, i definitely did not need the equivalent of a full plate to myself
—Toron Baco (like a pita wrap): YUM, the hash browns in this wrap gave the wrap so much flavor! nice contrast with the bit of salad inside
—The Slayer with an egg (like a calzone): I wasn’t a huge fan of this, i wish the crust was a bit toastier
—i also got to try a piece of my friend’s beef tongue in her baco and it was cooked nice & tender
they also have patio seating but it was quite chilly so we opted for indoor seating
NOTE: 4 credit cards maximum per bill

This place has been on my to go list for quite some time and I finally got to come for lunch. I was not disappointed and there was no wait.
This place has their own line of sodas so you won’t find any Coke or Pepsi brands here.
Started off with a few appetizers:
Yellow beet salad: I love beets so this was an immediate favorite. Perfectly tangy beets and creamy because of the cheese. Definitely order this one.
Caramelized cauliflower: I didn’t know what to expect with this but it was also very good. It’s pretty much like deep fried cauliflower and you can’t go wrong with deep frying. It was perfectly salty and it came with a creamy sauce. Yum!
Caesar Brussel sprouts: This one was not at all like I expected but not necessarily in a bad way. Thinking ‘Caesar’ I expected something creamy and cheesy but instead it was very vinegary and tangy. I liked the dish but it just wasn’t what I expected. Also, it’s Brussel sprouts shaved not whole.
Then the others:
Slayer: This was one of their cocas. This particular one came baked like a calzone. Filled with pork belly and a tomato based sauce. Crispy outside and delicious filling. And the over easy egg on top made it even better.
Toron: this was a baco with oxtail. Really good. I expected a stronger horseradish taste but it was quite mild so don’t shy away from this one if you’re not a horseradish lover. I love horseradish so for me, I wished it was a little stronger. Delicious nevertheless.
Beef tongue schnitzel: fried meet with aioli and pickles. An obvious winner. You can’t go wrong with that combo.
Overall, everything was delicious. Even the items I thought would be too heavy had good pairings of pickled and/​or vinegary ingredients that made it very enjoyable and not sickening.
I’m definitely coming back here to try more items on their menu!