Mercado

First time for me at this place so first the food is great really everything we order was really good second I love the design really different from all other restaurants it’s nice to be at a place that is not like most restaurants the music is very nice and the vibe is very chill and kind of happy energies il come back for sure highly recommended

Hate to give a bad review, because I really do like the food here… but I think management could work on customer service!
I’ve been here several times and the service is usually ok– not terrible, but not exceptionally attentive nor friendly. That’s fine, at least the food is good.
When I came a few months ago, we were sat in the corner near the fireplace. We were trying to eat before seeing a movie. The service was kind of slow and we felt like we were forgotten in the corner cuz the server didn’t come by very often to check on us.
Still let that slide. Came back again last night, we were sat in that same corner. Our server didn’t seem terribly friendly and a few people in our party commented separately that it seemed like she didn’t like us for some reason. We are reasonable people and were not rude nor demanding by any standards. So we figured she was maybe having a bad day. Or maybe it was just our imagination.
But the last straw came when we got the bill and she made a comment about us using a few credit cards, her tone of voice sounded like she didn’t really want to bother splitting it for us. After she split the bill for us, we were all signing the receipts. She came up to us, glanced at our receipts, and said, «you know gratuity isn’t included right?» And walked away.
We felt this was extremely rude and we hadn’t even finished signing the receipt yet. We were actually just about to sign her tip in. I don’t know if she freaked out and thought we weren’t tipping her, but it’s still very rude. For the record, we still tipped her more than we could have considering the attitude.
Might not come back for a while until they can get the customer service in check.

I had to try because the skull logo drew me in.
My favorite by far was the Guac and queso.
My husband loved the cucumber salad.
Next time we visit Cali, we will try another location.

Stumbled into Mercado this weekend and I was pleased. Not sure I’d return, as the menu selection was very limited. Small selection of appetizers, small plates and entrees (only one chicken dish was to be found, vegetarian friendly as most appetizers seemed centered around vegetables)
The ambiance: energetic. Décor: warm, rustic but very LA modern (in a good way). If it’s not too busy, ask to be seated by the warm fireplace in the room to the right of the entrace (makes for a romantic setting, so long as you don’t order beans).
Cocktails were pretty standard (think Mas Malo or El Cholo’s variance on pineapple, cilantro, agave, mezcal, cilantro, chile salt). I had «La Pina» which was pineapple muddled with jalapeño, silver tequila and lime juice. The bartender was friendly and explained that the drink is pretty sweet — I asked for it to be less sweet and he graciously obliged.
Started with appetizer of rajas en queso which was generous plate of sliced poblano chiles covered in white queso sauce with sweet corn was served with three small corn tortillas (about the size of my palm). As a shareable appetizer, three small tortillas wouldn’t cut it even for the two of us dining so we had to request more.
Entrée of Chicken Chipotle Mushroom was seriously JUICY! Chipotle and mushroom flavor was hardly pronounced, as the BIG flavor coming through was the simple goodness of a properly roasted chicken. It’s served over mashed potatoes (not quite Mexican here, but neither is the Kale salad) but roll with it. Taters are standard but tasty (could use some more salt) and mixed with queso.
I’d say if you’re in search of a romantic but not cheesy place, this is the way to go. Would probably even make for a great place for a grown and sexy dinner group — just wish there were more options on the menu.

Came here for dinner tonight and it was just aiiiite. We sat at the bar which was pretty empty when we got there but it quickly filled up. Again, I’d recommend making a reservation if you want a table.
Was told their drink of the day was a blood orange margarita so I ordered one and was a bit disappointed. Tasted nothing like a blood orange but just a standard margarita. Sister ordered a michelada which is a mexican version of a bloody mary and it is now my new favorite drink!
We ordered the dos gringos tacos, guac and chips, and the ceviche. My favorite was the ceviche, very refreshing.
The bar manager was friendly and polite but one of the bar back was such a turn off. He had a stink attitude from the moment we sat down and you can smell his negativity from the other side of the bar.
Overall, the food was good and ok service.

Finally a place that lasts in this cursed location… albeit a pricey one.
The Carne Asada was really tasty. Better than most I’ve had in LA.
The queso with chips was good too.
Blood orange margarita (special)? Skip it and try the jalapeño margarita.
The tres leches desert needed some work… A little bland
The food and drinks were timely.
Our server Helena was fine and checked on us plenty. No real interaction with her on a personal level so I have no idea if she is friendly or charming or any of that stuff you usually learn about your servers. It was really busy in there though.
I don’t think that the food is worth the price they charge. You can get comparable food for much less. I think you’re paying because it’s a trendy place. For my taste, a little douchy but not too bad.

I grabbed a quick bite here with friends. The place was packed and full of young, cool-​looking LA people. Our waitress was really friendly and helpful.
The menu had so many options and I had a hard time deciding what I wanted. I landed on the lobster tacos because of my love for seafood and, well, tacos. These tacos were crazy good. They had so much flavor. And although there were only two (on the small plate menu), I was satisfied because of how tasty they were.
My friend shared her slow roasted pork with me. The meat was tender and seasoned perfectly.
I’ve been drinking a lot of mezcal these days and went with their New Fashioned. It had a perfect combo of smokey and sweet.
I’d come back. With friends. With a date. They also had TVs at the bar so sports were also an option.

First time at Mercado, we absolutely loved it! Service and food are great at this place! They have the best guacamole! We loved it so much that we had two orders if it. The micheladas were delicious! We also tried the choriqueso, it was very tasty. My daughter had the breakfast burrito and my niece had the chilaquiles rojos with side of rice and beans. My daughter loved that they serve you bottled soda from Mexico. I had the pozole and it was scrumptious! Our waitress was very attentive and food came out quick! I Will definitely come back to this place!

My family came to Mercado for New Year’s Eve and enjoyed a good meal — but nothing that blew us away.
We were seated in a nice, big, cozy booth — definitely a comfortable area with a nice ambiance, but it was so dimly lit that my parents could not read the menu. Our service was a bit slow — though it took us a little while to decide what to order, we found ourselves waiting on water… our drinks… our meals… the check, etc. I’m sure our waiter may have been busy, but it would’ve been nice if he was a little more attentive.
The food was good and prepared with care, though pricey. I don’t have any major complaints, but our meals lacked the je né sais quoi I expect when I go to a «premium» restaurant. Overall, there were modest portions, normal quality with some nice touches (e.g. pepitas on the guac). The drinks were expertly crafted — not too sweet, well-​balanced flavors, etc.
I was a bit discouraged when there were issues accommodating my dairy allergy and though I tried to ask questions, our waiter seemed incapable of being straightforward about what my options were. I got the feeling that my allergy was an annoyance.
The verdict? Another A-​OK «elevated Mexican» concept, but not my favorite. Considering the less-​than-​optimal handling of my allergies, I won’t return.

This is my 500^th review!!! What a great start for the new year!
I absolutely love this place!!! If you want some good mexican food, this place will definitely satisfy your craving. My friend called this place around 8:30 and they said 9:30pm was the next available reservations for a Saturday night. We took it and off we went. We checked in and waited about 5 minutes to get seated. The place is pretty warm inside so you’re going to start undressing ;)
The ambiance of this place is very dark and romantic, but very loud at the same time. We ordered a few things off the menu and shared
ORDERED:
Elote Callejero — grilled sweet corn, caramelized onions, chile piquin butter, queso cotija. My goodness, this was so amazing!!! One of the best Elotes I’ve had that was not on the cob. Yes, I feel like you get a true experience if you eat off the cob but having them serve it on a plate for you, it’s less messy and you can eat it super fast without having anything stuck in your teeth. Highly recommend getting this! The flavors were mind blowing!
Guacamole — hass avocado, serrano, cilantro, red onions, Yxta salsa brava, spicy pepitas, fresh chips. The guac was pretty good. Had pretty good chunks and was seasoned perfectly.
Tacos de Alambre de Arrachera — grilled steak skewers, rajas, grilled onions, avocado. The meat was super tender and it just marinated so well with their tortilla and avocado. Ask for more lime! They only gave me one.
Carne Asada — marinated skirt steak, guacamole, cebollines, grilled corn. If you get this dish, you get corn! My friend said the steak was awesome! Get medium rare!
Blood Orange Margarita– Super strong and delish!
Overall, I would come to this place again! We had to pack up the leftovers which was awesome because I can make breakfast the next day! Just crack an egg! Sad news… I left the leftovers in the Über Car ! Now I have learned my lesson. Never FORGET amazing food in the car!!!

TLDR: Best. Restaurant. In. Los. Angeles. Yes. The Best. Lower your eyebrow (s).
Everyone else: This review is long overdue. Probably because I’ve been looking for the right words to say. If this place was my wife, I might write it a card that said something like…
«We’ve been through a lot over the last year. When people first told me about how awesome you were, I was reluctant to take their advice seriously. That’s probably the most foolish thing I’ve ever done with my life. By not giving you a chance sooner, I wasted precious time that we could have spent together. Time we could have spent making memories. Time I could have spent loving you. Mark my words that on my death bed, that will be my greatest regret in life. With you, there are no downs. Only ups. There is no bad. Only good. There is no just okay. Only the best. The first day I met you WAS the best day of my life. I can happily say that the new best day of my life, is every day that we’ve come together since then. I love you baby and I look forward to the memories that we’re going to make together in the years to come.»
xoxo
Parking:
Scoring parking off 3^rd is like scoring H off a priest. Likely to happen? no, but when it happens you’re like «fuck yeah! what a surprise!»
Le Ambience:
I saw that some chick who has written, like, over 1000 reviews said this place was «chic.» I guess I agree. I don’t really know what «chic» means, cause I’m a dude, and dude’s don’t use that word. I’ve only seen 1 man-​bun/​jesus-​doppleganger/​cuffed-​jeans-​with-​boots-​guy in all the times I’ve been here, and that’s pretty good for the area this place is located in god damn it.
Service:
Chola at the front could be warmer. Only gripe if you could call it that. All the waiters are friendly and if you ask them for advice on what to get, they won’t steer you wrong. Food comes out fast and is hot as hell. Drinks are amazing. Get a michelada. I hate micheladas and I’m telling you to get one.
Food:
Before I leave this mother, I have to stand in the bathroom with my crotch under the hand-​dryer. Every time.
I have to separate the food into two categories: Happy hour and regular.
Regular:
Chips — Not chili’s thin. Not authentic Mexican restaurant thick. Just right. Salty af. Awesome.
Salsa — gangster as f
Guacamole — Best Guacamole ever. No added milk. Just straight up ripe avocados. Perfect.
Choriqueso — Queso + Chorizo = Heaven. Yes, I will make love to a man for this. #top
Dos Gringas — I h8 al pastor. These are al pastor. This would be my last meal on death row.
Potato taco — Just do it.
Happy Hour:
Carnitas taco — Carnitas here is so so so so so so tender. Flavor is something from Zeus… JeZeus. zing!
Carnitas Nachos — I swear I must have sold my soul to the devil in my sleep for this dish to be available to me in my life. Salty, thick… but not too thick, fresh chips covered in guacamole, choriqueso, pickled peppers, black beans, and carnitas. You should have a woody right now.
Tamales — Smooth masa. Meat is flavorful. Salsa is fresh and amazing.
Prawn thing — Good.
Price:
So damn fair. #1 Happy Hour in Los Angeles too.
Final word:
If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you probably think that I think everything is «the best». Truth is that there is a best in every category whether it be steak, Mexican, sushi, etc. Mercado however, is the best restaurant in Los Angeles. I’ve never had an experience here that was anything less than the happiest moment of my life, and that’s worth something.
My advice:
Go here. Bring a girl or guy here on a first date. Fuck it, if you’re a dude, bring your mom, grandma or auntie here. If you’re a chick, bring your dad, grandpa, or creepy uncle here. Name the child after me.

I came alone for Sunday brunch and sat at the bar for full service. I noticed the ceiling was slightly pulled back for fresh air but there were heaters from the ceiling to compensate. A couple of TVs at the bar to view and art painted on the wall and different pieces along the wall. Very open space. There were also lights lining the bar bottles, I bet a nice touch in the evening.
I ordered a Guayaba mimosa and carne asada con huevos; comes with a choice of corn or flour tortillas. The mimosa was good as well as the steak and over easy eggs. The potatoes were a bit greasy but not bad. Put them all together in a tortilla with guac and salsa and there’s a good breakfast! There wasn’t a lot of guac and salsa that came with the dish, had to use both sparingly.
Three stars because the food is overpriced in my opinion. Also, they have red wine sangria on their menu, yet they were out of it and only offered white wine sangria. Thus, I settled for the mimosa $ 8 for one mimosa, no specials. Lastly, my small plate I was given for my steak knife wasn’t entirely clean neither was the bar area I sat.

The vibe here at Mercado is lively and trendy. They have communal tables in the center room, with booth seating surrounding the area in addition to table seating in a second room (closer to the back of the restaurant). Depending on where you sit, you have a view of the kitchen, which rests behind glass windows.
Undoubtedly, the best guacamole I have ever had. What I appreciate most is that it doesn’t have any crazy ingredients. It’s your standard guacamole but somehow, tastes unique and thereby exceptional. Hass avocados, Serrano, cilantro, red onions, Yxta salsa brava, and spicy pepitas (I asked for no pepitas). The chips that the guacamole comes with are absolutely amazing. Crisp and firm, unlike other chips at Mexican restaurants that come drenched and shining in oil.
I ordered the tacos de pescado as my main entrée. The dish featured skillet-​seared mahi mahi, underneath a bed of Mexican slaw, avocado salsa and chile de arbol aioli. Pair the tacos with the guacamole and… just…YUM! The fish is placed in the center of a fluffy corn tortilla. The dish also has pickled carrot, mango, and jalapeño as a garnish.
My mom ordered the carne asada, which includes marinated skirt steak, guacamole, cebollines with grilled corn. She said the carne asada was flavorful and delicious. The onion atop the meal was cooked to perfection, providing a slightly sweet contrast to the skirt steak. She also loved the grilled corn, further adding more dimension to the components of the dish.
My only critique would be the corn tortillas are far thicker than those at any other Mexican restaurant I’ve been to. Kind of too doughy for my personal preference.
We loved our experience here and will definitely be back to try more delicious food at Mercado!

I really loved their Happy Hour! Everything was really flavorful and tasty. Ordered scallops, potato tacos, carnitas tacos, shrimp taquito, and the guacamole and chips. Wanted to try more but was so full.
Love the ambience and décor.

YUM YUM YUM
The food is delicious and very very fresh. So much flavor. I usually like to drown my food (especially Mexican) in all sorts of sauces to give it good flavor but the food at Mercado needs none of that. The meat is so full of flavor, the fish is so juicy, the corn is on absolute fire, and the guac has the perfect consistency down to a science.
The carne asada plate was probably my favorite thing on the menu, followed by the fish tacos.
Pomegranate margarit was very strong, yet tasty. The ambiance is cute, the a «Dia de los Muerte’ theme. Its a big restruatn with all different types of seating: booths, bar, tables, and couches. Depending on your night, you can pretty much choose what type of ambiance yo prefer. For dessert– you MUST try the Tres Leche Cake!

This was place WAAAAYYYY cooler and trendier than I had imagined it to be! I don’t usually get dressed up for tacos but gunna have to change it up for the next time!
We made reservations. Thank goodness.
We parked at the valet. Thank goodness.
The food was really, really good. It’s not 100% authentic but who cares when it tastes this good?
It all starts with the guacamole. You know a Mexican place is gunna be good when they bring out the gauc and it meets all of your expectations. YUM.
The lovely wine selection is great too.
It’s just a little bit loud in there but it’s great for big groups.

I like this location better than the Santa Monica location. It seems cozier and a better crowd
The service was very good
The menu is exactly the same as the other locations
It is not authentic Mexican food but tasty stuff
The guacamole is very good and the chips are good because they are not over salted
The scallops were delicious and I really liked the sauce
The chicken enchiladas with mole sauce I didn’t have but others at the table liked it
The carne Asada was good, although I have had much better. But we did like the grilled corn it came with
The mahi mahi with tomatillo sauce was also very good
If you want a nice lively environment and are prepared to spend about 55 dollars a person with just a few drinks, then this is a good place to come
I will be back

This review is past due.
I have been to Mercado twice, both times I have been blown away by their food. Whomever is in that kitchen is doing food RIGHT! I had the fish tacos, the corn, I also tried their tamal and its all been real good. The food comes out fresh and very tasty.
The interior is a large open area with seating along the walls plus some high tables in the center. There is plenty of seating and area for even large groups. The ambiance is medium loud, they have a full bar with one TV for games or other events going on. I like the idea they only keep one so that it doesn’t turn or feel like a sports bar either.
The staff here is friendly and helpful. They are very attentive and come by often enough to keep and eye on your drinks and/​or remove your already used plates from the table.
Parking is scarce in the street meters but they also do validation right upfront. Its what I usually go because it is the easiest.

Good Mexican resturant with large open space where the restaurant can been seen, depending on your seating area. They had the football game going on at the bar area. We were sat down right away, chips and guacamole was the 1^st choice, it was delicious. I tried the fish tacos, which were a total of 2, very tasty. The street corn was a lot to eat, cooked just right w plenty of flavor.
I have to admit, the service was eehhh, the waiter needed some coffee or redbull, very dull service. The portions were small and the prices were high for what they were serving, but it was good. It was easy to find parking but I can see how that busy street can fill up street parking quick. There is valet for $ 7, yikes!
Give it a try, very creative menu.

Look for the valet umbrella across from Trader Joes to find this modern Mexican restaurant and bar. Valet is $ 6 but there’s plenty of meter parking around. They have an extensive Happy Hour everyday. The place is trendy and loud so definitely make reservations.
Guacamole and Carnitas nachos were a hit, because their tortilla chips are the authentic thick kind that won’t crumble in your hand. Definitely recommended to share!
Choriqueso and Rajas Poblano are interesting but both quickly lost their appeal as the temperature went lukewarm to cold.
Choriqueso is cheese dip with shredded meat, mushrooms, poblanos, but isn’t the most attractive gobbledy goop. It’s good to share. I love cheese but this didn’t do much for me.
The Poblano strips are great for people avoiding carbs. It looked like a creamy pasta of green chili peppers that came with tortillas for DIY tacos.
The Jumbo Scallop and Shrimp Taquitos were decent too, but only two pieces so maybe share with 1 other person.
The carnitas plate off the regular menu is also my boyfriend’s favorite.
The corn off the regular menu was not impressive, but let’s not kid ourselves.
Mercado is more gringo than authentico. There is no heat or spice to be found here, but still makes for a very delicious meal with drinks.