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- Hours:
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 2 am
Sat-Sun 7 pm - 2 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Wed, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
382 reviews for El Carmen
Review Highlights
"With the recommendation of 7 Leguas Plata tequila."
(in 161 reviews)
"Jalapeno margaritas are the best invention ever."
(in 103 reviews)
"This place totally redeemed itself with happy hour."
(in 42 reviews)
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381 reviews in English
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Review from Jordan C.
Culver City, CA
1/31/2012
I can see me and El Carmen becoming fast friends. Went here this past Friday evening and though it was packed I was able to nab 4 stools for my friends. My girlfriend got the spicy margarita and it was perfect blend of pepper and spice. I went for the simple beer, but what captured my heart was the atmosphere. I love a place where I can blend in and come as I am.
Next time I would get reservations-- or just wait -- because the food looked worth it and the cocktails will take surely help nurse the wait time.
But really, a simple dive bar-- that would probably take offense of me calling it that. It is definitely themed-- maybe a massacre at a Mexican Circus? Either way- it's fun and unpretentious and those are two criteria on my list for a good, smooth evening.
Plus parking was easy and the surrounding places looked just as good. -
Review from Jasmin B.
Los Angeles, CA
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
I can't rave enough about this place!
The second you walk into El Carmen your eye keeps moving, from the amazing paintings of luchadores, to the mosaic walls, to the amazing selection of alcohol! The seating is limited, which makes it very intimate.
And the margaritas...Omg...THE BEST MARGARITAS I've ever had!
One of my favorite things about this place is the menu. I have to make MANY choices throughout the day and love El Carmen's small menu. Very few, but AMAZING dishes! Also the portions are PERFECT!
Head to El Carmen and I PROMISE you will love the food, drinks and energy!! -
Review from Rosario C.
Santa Monica, CA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Found this place through yelp. Thought I'd give it a try (based on it's ratings/reviews)
We went to celebrate my sister's 21st birthday....we should've headed to Hollywood.
The place itself gets the first star. It' looks great. Maybe a little dark but I didn't mind.
We only ordered nachos, 4 orders to be exact, and they were pretty tasty! The chips and salsa were good too so food gets the 2nd star. Drinks were average... nothing really stood out.
The music selection was kind of odd. For a Mexican themed restaurant there was no latin music...not to mention that we were the only latinos there...
Service was slow, and they weren't very busy... but what made it worse, was when the waitress told me she would no longer be serving our table because some people were ordering drinks directly at the bar. I consider this bad service because I was the one placing drink orders, and food orders, with her...but apparently it wasn't enough! (bill was about 100$ when she closed us out) and afterwards she was still just hanging around at the bar -_- This has never happened elsewhere before so obviously it left a bad impression!!
Anywho, probably would only go back during happy hour or something...since it's out of my way...it's unlikely. -
Review from Leslie W.
Los Angeles, CA
2/9/2012
Great Happy Hour at this dark cool restaurant on W3rd. The drinks are great, the happy hour food is good and cheap, and the decor is funky mexican cool!
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Review from Rosalie M.
Los Angeles, CA
2/2/2012
I LOVE El Carmen. They have yummy chips, salsa, guac, and AMAZING margaritas. If you get there and the place is packed, you can chill at "the shelf" while drinking your first margarita. Yes I said first, because you know you'll have a second. This is LA, don't be weird. I always get their Spicy Margarita, but last night I decided to get the Cucumber Margarita--it was delish! Very refreshing. The atmosphere is great, the food is great--try the shrimp app. I didn't even like shrimp before I tried it. Now I'll only really eat it here. The salad (minus the chicken for me) is also very good. Go here with a date or a friend or group of friends and you won't be disappointed! Oh and did I mention? I recommend sitting on the mirror side. I mean, duh.
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Review from Esperanza G.
Los Angeles, CA
2/6/2012
I had a great time at a holiday party held here, but it would've been nice to hear the conversation. The drinks were superb!
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Review from Cat N.
1/19/2012
It's easy to miss, and the entrance is a little off-putting, but once we were inside, everyone agreed it was pretty cool. Our waitress made a mistake on our bill, but she was great otherwise, and quick to fix the mistake. There's a strangely strict man who goes table to table to check IDs as soon as you sit down, and he was the only one of the staff that rubbed me the wrong way.
Apparently they have 400+ kinds of tequila here! Their drinks were strong, and happy hour is 4 to 7 pm. The appetizers are incredibly generously portioned, even for happy hour pricing. -
Review from Simon E. B.
Beverly Hills, CA
2/5/2012
This place is pretty awesome. I always order the spicy margarita. I sort of think the menu is a joke though. Unless you are a serious tequila nerd there is no way to distinguish what's what. Is there bad tequila? I dont know. I just cover the names and pick by price and I'm never unhappy.
The fish tacos are kick ass too. I hate how small the tables are but since its not meant to be a restaurant it makes sense. -
Review from Rachael D.
Beverly Hills, CA
1/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
The margaritas are good. But what's a good drink with subpar service. Experience is everything.
IT IS SO LOUD!!! The echo of voices is just a big headache.
Asking for a table when you don't have a reservation is a joke.
The staff really have their heads up their ass. Its a mexican cantina for goodness sake.
Calm the hell down.
I was really put off by the service.
Would not recommend this place and prolly won't be back if I can help it.
I felt like I was at subway with pretty xmas lights and some chips and dip.
The drinks are good and strong though. Too bad it's just not that good for me due to hospitality. Especially girl who runs the reservations for the table. POWER TRIP.
LMFAO.
Girl sorry you have to drive here from Pico Rivera. Gas is expensive ;) -
Review from Kevin T.
Los Angeles, CA
1/19/2012
This place has pretty cool decor inside. It's not the largest place and the tables they do have are very tiny. They do however have a nice bar that spans the length of the dining room. I would recommend picking your dinner time wisely because it probably fills up quick.
The little enchiladas came on a little stainless steel plate and the tortilla chips to start came with salsa and guacamole. Will be heading back again at some point! -
Review from gwen c.
Los Angeles, CA
1/2/2012
LOVE this bar. The bartender actually knows how to make a michelada (good sign) and can make recommendations on tequilas all day.
Happy hour from 5-7 weekdays with a nice little selection of snacks ($4 ceviche? $5 combination plate with 2 tacos rice and beans!).
Great dark little bar that actually feels like a REAL bar, not a bar inside a restaurant.
AND no tvs.
I'm a fan all day. -
Review from Ari V.
Los Angeles, CA
2/7/2012
brilliant hole in the wall (my favorite kind of restaurant) - it's a tequila bar, but the mexican food is tops & authentic (have the ceviche)
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Review from Jason M.
Los Angeles, CA
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have to give EL CARMEN 5 stars. Didn't know what to expect when first entering this tequila bar...but I figured that it couldn't be too bad w/ all the great reviews!
We had a party of 4.....the manager asked if we have reservations....(which we didn't) but he sat us at a reserved table anyway!
We checked out their HAPPY HOUR..and yes....it made me very HAPPY!
Round 1:
Spicy Jalapeno Margarita (awesome!)
Nachos (great but not enough chips)
Guacamole ( great! )
Round 2:
House Margarita ( once again..awesome!)
Chicken flautas.... ( I fell in love w/ these.....I should have ordered 2 orders....next time)
Cheese Quesadilla ( very good !)
Elote ( my friend ordered this and she said it was HELLA good!)
Sweet Corn Tamale ( my other friend ordered this and he liked it so much he ordered a 2nd order....)
Round 3:
House Margarita (see above)
Tequila shot ( Crema de Mezcal) - I just have to tell you..this shot goes down like a smooth tequila but it has a very mesquite bbq taste. It is almost as if you just drank liquid smoke ( if ya'll know what that is! )
Round 4:
House Margarita........
Round 5:
House Margarita.......
By that time we were done!! Happy Hour was coming to an end...and we were HAPPIER than we needed to be!! Good thing I live close enough to walk here and not worry about driving...
This is a tequila bar and they have about 10 pages of different types of tequila ...ranging from $8 to $800+ a shot!!
Yes...$800 and up for a shot!! CRAZY!! Even if I was rich..I wouldn't spend a crazy amount of $$ on a tiny ass shot!!
Our server was sooo cool....and she was very attentive. Even the manager was cool!! He made sure we were always taken care of !!
This may just be my new place for Happy Hour!! You just can't beat it!Listed in: A GREAT EAT on 3rd STREET!
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Review from Aidan B.
Los Angeles, CA
12/25/2011
I came here with a friend to have a few drinks.
The jalapeno margarita was good but not legit. The nachos were good and so was the guac.
For the prices, i feel that its good. Not great. But good.
Happy hour is awesome. Great prices. Its near my job, so its a perfect spot to come have a drink to get rid of my snobby work environment.
I will be back! -
Review from George G.
Los Angeles, CA
12/20/2011
Before I even came on here I knew this place would have a gazillion reviews because anything on 3rd is majorly reviewed.
So here I go.
1) They need more staff. It took forever to get served.
2) The food is horrible. Here is a rule of thumb, if a Mexican wouldn't eat there, it's not a Mexican restaurant.
3) Good selection of tequila but I couldn't get past the small tables that barely give you any room for plates.
4) super super loud.
5) Lousy service. the chick was just bad. For what we spent, it was terrible service.
6) The sangria was the worst I ever had!!!!!! Cilantro and Apples do not go with sangria!!! Why bother serving it if it can't be done the right way. My group of 6 all laughed at the terrible taste and ridiculousness. NEVER order it here!!!!! EVER!!!!!
I would not return here. -
Review from TJ W.
Los Angeles, CA
1/21/2012
Spent $200.00 at the bar and waited for an hour and a half for a table for dinner. As I approached the little short guy at the front door and asked him when our table would be ready he said I have to take care of my reservations first . The guy was a total dick and we went to Little Next door for dinner......100% better then El Carmen. Won't be going back there anymore. Would rather spend my money where it is appreciated.
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Review from Jim B.
Los Angeles, CA
12/20/2011
This place is great! The crowd is so laid back, and it's such a relaxing environment. The staff is great -- Blanca is an excellent bartender!
I came here to take a date to happy hour. We had 4 margaritas total, and it ended up being only $16! The prices are reasonable even when it's not happy hour.
Spicy Jalapeno Margarita is the best! -
Review from Jess D.
Los Angeles, CA
1/18/2012
Best happy hour in town!! $5 combo plates that come with two delicious tacos and rice and beans. The chicken tacos are the best, it comes shredded, mixed in a delicious sauce of sorts. I crave these tacos!!! $4 margaritas, I make mine "skinny," and super cheap nachos, ceviche, and Mexican beer. Great ambiance, great servers. Happy hour goes from 5-7pm.
Only problem is the place can get very loud when it's full. -
Review from Tania D.
Los Angeles, CA
12/5/2011
I am so happy that I found out about the Happy Hour at El Carmen. Cheap cheap cheap, I mean, the most expensive thing all night was the Valet parking...
Margaritas- 4$
Guac- 2$
ceviche- 4$
tacos- 5$ -
Review from George T.
Burbank, CA
11/12/2011
I really enjoyed my night at El Carmen. Great looking dive bar with a very friendly and accommodating staff. There is a real fun atmosphere about the place and the crowd was great.
Drinks: I had the Spicy Margarita (a must have), Ginger Cilantro Margarita (good, but I hardly tasted the Ginger) and a Tequila shot with guava in it (awesome)
Food: You have to get their corn-on-the-cob, I have to admit we ordered a second round. It was too damn good. Order the shrimp too; It's great.
My only problem was that seating was pretty tight. -
Review from Debbie Chiou S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/6/2012
Came for happy hour with some friends. The bar was not too crowded, dark, but still a little loud. The prices were cheap, but the dishes small. Had the chicken tacos, which were okay. The margarita, which I got blended, was heaping and pretty tasty. Nice bar if you're in the neighborhood.
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Review from Marilynn L.
Los Angeles, CA
1/13/2012
Great margaritas (only $4 for happy hour) that are strong and still have the perfect balance of tequila and lime. Combination plates at happy hour recently got smaller but its still my favorite place for happy hour in town because you can make reservations and because of those awesome Margs.
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Review from Bonnie D.
Jensen Beach, FL
11/6/2011
El Carmen!! I haven't been here in a while but this was a spot I used to frequent a lot right after college. This is one of the best places to catch up with friends over some tequila and tacos.
I love the decor and scene - its funky and unpretentious. I don't know if they still have the huge tequila bottle with the worm in it but that was pretty cool!
El Carmen deserves two thumbs up and five stars. -
Review from Khuyen P.
11/9/2011
Don't forget your ID. VIP info.
Best chips, salsa and guac I've had in 6 years since leaving Tejas.
Lovely warm colorful interior.
Get yer ass in here. -
Review from Kyle S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/10/2012
I really want to like this place. It's close to my house, they have a generous happy hour and the food is really good.
However, it's clear they are either short staffed or play favorites. I've let it slide on nights they are super busy (and still clearly under staffed) but nights when they are slow it's impossible for me and my new-to-the-restaurant friends to get good service.
The bartender or bar back would clear your empty drink and without asking if you wanted another and run away. My friends and I were there at the bar for 2 hours tonight and there were at least (2) 30-40 minute intervals without service, even when we had no full drinks or plates.
I'll continue to go here because it's convenient (and good) but service wise, this restaurant would be squeezing a lot more $$ out of me and my friends if the service was better. And because of that, I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone that the location is not convenient. -
Review from Carl C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/3/2012
Kinda hard to rate...as a bar it's worth 4-5 stars. But as a restaurant...it's a bit too loud and small to enjoy a conversation with your meal, which is a big turn off. So...Go with loud friends that you spend enough time with that hearing every word they say isn't as important as enjoying amazing drinks (they truly are AMAZING, the jalapeno margarita is superb and their tequila options will make you louder and more charming as the night goes on).
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Review from Susan P.
Manhattan, NY
11/15/2011
Came into LA from NYC for a long weekend with a friend and El Carmen was recommended to us to try out some local food. We loved the hidden atmosphere (walked through a curtain to get in!) and the decorations on the inside. Probably would have walked right past this place if we weren't told to head here!
Drinks: We both had margaritas, and my blood orange marg was delicious and hit the spot. Definitely not weak either...
Food: The chips, salsa, and guac were absolutely amazing, and we split the ceviche appetizer...between the two of us, we couldn't stop saying, "This is SO amazing!" We top it off, we both got two tacos each (carne asada and carnitas) and they were beyond delicious.
Definitely a great find and we were so happy that this place was recommended to us! Only downside was that our waitress seemed a little aloof, but it didn't take away from the experience at all. -
Review from Brittany B.
Los Angeles, CA
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good place for an inexpensive, decent meal with tasty drinks. I am a fan of the vibe. It's dark, sexy, loud and almost always home to an interesting group of people.
As far as food I go for the fish tacos. They are grilled and come with cabbage and a nice amount of sauce - a dish is not complete in my mind without sauce. You have to order the rice and beans as they are served a la carte, but I'd skip the rice and beans in the future as they were nothing special. People love the tequila shrimp, but I don't think they are worth ordering. I also tasted the guac and the quesadilla. These were both solid. Especially the quesadilla, which was greasy and satisfying.
The cucumber mint margarita was refreshing and went down nice and easy.
Unfortunately, they had messed up the reservation last night and we were there for a birthday party with 15 people and they had to squeeze us into a small spot for 10. It was a little crowded to say the least, but they did bring the birthday boy a few complimentary drinks.Listed in: Mexican food in LA
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Review from Margaret T.
San Jose, CA
12/12/2011
Hands down, the BEST carne asada tacos I have ever had. And guacamole!! My blended mango margarita was quite yummy and and we even ordered a plate of churros for dessert. It was so soft and warm!! I love places that give you the perfect portion (and at a ridiculously good price) so it gives you room for dessert! And to add, the staff was really nice and we got seated immediately after calling in to put our name on the list. Score!
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Review from Ara A.
10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
If you're looking for good food, good service and a whole lot of tequila... You've come to the right place!
I came here last Thursday with bunch of people from work to celebrate the end of an insane project. The place is very dimly lit, which is good for me because the darker it is the better I look. Now throw in all of the wonderful margaritas and tons of tequilas and I may start to look like Brad Pitt. Or at least his younger festively plump brother from another mother.
The fans in this place are awesome, why all ceiling fans are not designed the way these were I have no idea. All of the Mexican wrestling masks and paintings were really cool too. Overall the whole vibe of the place was great.
The service all night was stellar. Our waitress Star was always around to get us drinks and when we were ordering food she recommended I get the chicken enchiladas. Damn, it was delicious!
I actually feel kind of bad I didn't get any margaritas here and I stuck to beer, but I had to drive and I still had work the next morning so I had to take it easy. I did try some of my friends Jalapeño Margarita and that thing was tasty!
Next time I'm coming here on a Friday and I plan on not remembering a thing! -
Review from Lynne H.
Glendale, CA
10/18/2011
Mmm yum! Their roasted corn is everything that everyone has said about it. Pricey for corn (the staple of this country!) but it is so yummy it's worth it. Yums!
And their margaritas are the bomb too. Yummy flavored margaritas! If I wasn't such a light-weight I'd make my poor date buy me 10! plus 10 cobs of corn! -
Review from Katie M.
9/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I stopped over here with a few friends after having dinner up the street, and was instantly taken aback [in a good way] by the atmosphere inside...dark, but not too dark, slow-spinning fans up above, and Mexican wrestling masks galore! Not to mention some of the crazier bottles of tequila they have available [a snake instead of a worm? Not my thing, but cool to look at].
Seating can be a bit of a pain, even on a Wednesday night, but my Mexito [mojito with tequila] was gorgeous! The prices are what you would expect from that area, but I liked the vibe, and the crowd was very separated, but without an unfriendly vibe [again, the seating arrangement].
I would definitely like to go back and try the other cocktails they have to offer, as drinking straight tequila usually ends up being a recipe for disaster; one where you wake up naked in someone else's house in a city you've never heard of before. -
Review from Robbie R.
Los Angeles, CA
12/26/2011
I've been here twice. Had a jalapeno margarita both times. First one was really good (part of the reason I went back) and the second time it just tasted like jalepenos. wasn't horrible, just inconsistent. Different bartenders..oh well. Everyone was really polite and nice and some guy runs around the whole time making sure everythings a-ok which is cool I guess. can't decide if i'm into their forced vibe u-r-here but it fades within a few sips and overall i like the place...
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Review from Vince D.
Los Angeles, CA
Very cool and attentive staff. Great sangria. Excellent thin chips and salsa. Dynamite fish tacos w/ black beans and rice. Amazing watermelon margaritas. For my first time I was very impressed and will be back!
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Review from shawn v.
Los Angeles, CA
8/10/2011 1 photo
A Thursday night out with the girls was a little trip around LA. Went to Cobras & Matadors, they were full. Went to Escuela wanted a little more than they offered. Got back in the car and left are prime parking spot to look for something else.
El Carmen was suggested, ok, let's go. Parking karma was on my side again and found another perfect spot. Walked up and didn't realize Little Door was right next door, poked our head in and looked at the menu. Super pricey and too romantic for girls just catching up.
So onto El Carmen. They were booked as well. What's up Thursday??
We were standing there trying to figure out our next move, and one of the wait staff, Carly J, said there was one table left, but had a reservation on it for 9:15. It was a little after 8, we were hungry and didn't want to get back in the car again, so we decided to give it a shot.
We sat down immediately, and given menus, chips, dip, and waters.
Carly J ended up being our server, very savvy of her, props. I thought wow what a thick menu, but really the food menu is simple, and then pages and pages of types of Tequila! Had no idea there were this many.
Not a big tequila drinker and have a margarita a few times a year, but man this is the place if you happen to be a Tequila connoisseur. My friends chose the Milagro Cadillac and Ketel One.
We all got fish ($11) and chicken ($9) tacos, which came with a good portion of rice and beans. It was perfect amount of food and were they way tacos were supposed to made. Squeeze a little lime and yum!
We enjoyed our night and never felt rushed, it all came at a nice pace, we even had 2 drinks each. By the time we were done it was 9:13, right on time. Thanks Carly J!
Will be back!Listed in: Dinner out with T & V
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Review from sassoun h.
Sherman Oaks, CA
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
Cool place to cap off the night. Cool music, good food, (taco truck style tacos always hit the spot at 1AM, right?) good drinks, friendly service, and a cool and laid back crowd. And it isn't so packed where you feel like a sardine! And the Mexican wrestler paintings and masks (think Nacho Libre) give the place a unique and funny look.
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Review from Maria D.
Los Angeles, CA
8/30/2011
Vibe is perfect for a chill night out. It gets super crowded during prime weekend hours, but happy hour during the week is manageable. The food is slightly pricey for what it is and I'm not a big fan of the desserts...the stars are for the pretty cool lucha libre masks, the ambience, the great happy hour deals and the JALAPENO MARGARITAS - best I've ever tasted.
Definitely great date place...but even better for a small group of friends just wanting some good cocktails and a fun atmosphere. -
Review from Mike V.
Los Angeles, CA
12/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good drinks, lot's of them. And of course, tequila selection was large. It's loud and packed - all the time. But, to counter the negatives, the food is cheap and tastes great.
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Review from Karla R.
Los Angeles, CA
8/13/2011 3 Check-ins Here
It's a Mexican Pop themed bar for White people and Hipsters, Yuppies, and Jewish people.
BUT!!!!!!!!!!! OMG! THE MARGARITAS ARE AMAZING!!!!!! so delicious and the bartender chicks was really sweet. Young, pretty tall African American girl..super duper nice OMG! TIP HER NICELY.
Lots of Luchador stuff. Lots of Mexican Pulp Fiction art all over decorating the place like a Mexican pimp's house.
Oh yes.
I do want to return here, because the ambiance and the service was great.
Great place for birthdays and mingling with friends, but not a place to pick up someone to date or fuck. But you can bring a date here and you'd be fine, just people tend to be more introverted here...but eh, I"ll go back.
The Margaritas were worth it.
CHECK IT! -
Review from Shannon M.
Boston, MA
11/25/2011
The tamales were so freaking good. I know most people don't come here for the tamales, but they should. Or at least come here for a nice drink and order yourself a delicious tamale. That works too.
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