Mercado

The happy hour ! YES! Community Table is kind of fun, if people weren’t so stand-​offish in Cali!
Ask for the margartia, add jalepenos ! I would LOVE for them to actually bring back the spicy marg for HH, because they still advertise it on their social, but in-​person its no longer served.
$ 10 nachos is THE BEST THING ON THE PLANET.
All food is outstanding here, but definitely go for Happy Hour!

I don’t have time to list everything I liked, it’s too much. Favorite Gourmet Mexican spot (obviously I have my street taco places)

Had the mole enchiladas, chips and salsa. One of the best moles I’ve had, well balanced, not overly sweet yet still flavourful. The amount of chicken in each of the two enchiladas was very generous, making the $ 19 price very reasonable.
Service was prompt and friendly, the bartender was quite nice and attentive, something that is always appreciated!

Came in at the recommendation of a friend and I’m glad I did. We tried to get a table for happy hour, but they only serve it at the bar and a community table, so we got seated in the dining room instead.
Started with what he only guacamole which despite having cilantro and red onions in it, two things I dislike, It was completely delicious. Next We tried the roasted cauliflower which was accompanied by spicy pickled vegetables; they were addicting and I continued to eat them even though my threshold for spicy food is quite low.
The fish tacos were very flavorful and had tasty sauces. The standout dish was the dos gringas, the pork was tender and savory.
Would definitely return, even with menu items on the pricier side, the four dishes we ordered were plenty for two people.

***updated review***
We had a bad first experience at Mercado but we decided to give it a 2^nd chance. Food was well prepared and extremely tasty. Everything we had was just amazing, from the Carne Asade to the cucumber salad, corn, and delicious Guac. Don’t think you can go wrong with anything you get from here. I just hope the quality and preparation stays a little more consistent. Friendly staff, younger crowd and good place for group dining. Deeee-​lious.

I thought this place had good solid Nouveau Mexican dishes. Service was decent, we sat at the bar. Only downside is the high noise volume.
For food we ordered chips and guacamole. Chips were just the right amount of salt and crispness. Guacamole was very fresh with chunks of avocado. For dinner we ordered the scallops, enchiladas and a side of the corn small plate. The scallops were cooked perfectly. Flavored very well and interesting texture with the sides. Enchiladas were also delicious. Right amount of cheese and sauce. The corn was awesome.
Would definitely recommend for 2 – 4 people wanting to grab Mexican.

The food here is solid and the happy hour specials seemed legit although we had dinner.
The carnitas are tasty — very tender and flavorful. Corn tortillas are made in house and delicious. I usually lean flour but will be getting corn here going forward.
Other callouts: carnitas tamale which was a special but honestly nothing we ordered I wouldn’t do again. Other callouts: kale salad, queso and the fish tacos. Yum!

Happy Hour get’s kinda packed in here, and for pretty good reason.
The bar was full, so I shared a high top community table with some strangers. I had the HH house margarita (yum), and the HH carnitas tacos (yummier).
It’s kinda dark, and kinda loud.
My server was pretty attentive considering her crowded burden.
Plenty of parking in the city run structures up and down both 4^th and 2^nd streets.
And, they’re HH prices are a little steep, I’d say on par with other joint’s standard prices.
Check it out, I’m sure you’ll enjoy.

I called for my birthday to reserve a table. The person who answered the phone said «don’t worry you don’t need reservation at this time we have space»
When i walked in, i told the person in front that i need a table for six people and she said :” Do you have a reservation?” I said that i was told i don’t need it. She responded (with attitude) :” we never tell anyone that sir! «
I said that is fine can u put us down for a table and she said there is wait of 45 min!
I don’t how the food is here but i can tell you about service: «shitty»

Came here on a Saturday night for a birthday dinner with a large party. I don’t think this is the best location for a large group, because of stool seating with a long table that didn’t have much room to spread out on. Given the lack of space, the food quality was good. I tried the choriqueso dip, the carne asada, and the steak tacos. The carne asada was delicous and juicy meat. The tacos were nothing to write home about. I also washed it all down with a blood orange margarita. The flan was delightful and the tres leches cake was also very moist. I feel like they don’t have a huge selection for their menu when it comes to Mexican food, but they make a few good quality dishes. Public parking is available in the structure next door for 90 minutes free.

My main gripe is with the service, which was at best indifferent. I had made reservations via Open table at 5:15, hardly rush hour, it would seem even on Cinco de Mayo, however they sat at us at the communal tables, even after requesting to sit at one of the open tables, of which there were 4 available the entire time we were there — they were reserved. They seemed OK to accomodare apparent walk –ins though… for «health» reasons.
Now the food itself had the blandness of half assed midnight attempts at fish tacos one does at home, drunk on a Tuesday night. The sweet corn appetizer tasted like I’d poured a can of Del Monte onto a skillet for 30 seconds. The Cadillac Margherita were acceptable. As was the guacamole.

The place has a trendy atmosphere but the food is a miss!
My entrée was very bland so I asked for a hot sauce and they brought out a habanero one. It was not spicy at all and tasted like mayo, bland hot sauce. Charged extra for the hot sauce and extra for tortillas even though the entrée came with 2 small tortillas.
Drinks were good but very disappointed with the food.
My friend ordered a well done steak but they brought out a rare done. Once she let them know after taking a few bites they said they could take the same plate back and cook it more. Cook the same eaten steak? It was just a very poor experience.

Mercado just does it for me. It’s intimate enough for a late, but equally fun with friends. I’ve been here a few times and always have had a good experience. Items I’ve tried:
Spicy Cucumber Margarita– almost too good, it’s dangerously easy to suck down. There is definitely some spice, but the cucumber flavor mellows things out nicely.
Dips Duo– love their guac and how crispy their chips are. Their salsa has a smokey flavor to it, which some people love and some hate, but I personally love. I’m not a huge queso/​cheese in general fan, but can’t seem to stop eating theirs when someone orders it.
Fish Tacos– great flavor and portion size. It comes with 2, so it’s great for sharing or a nice small meal.
Enchiladas de Pollo en Mole Oaxaqueño– love their mole sauce and this is another great one to share.
Carne Asada– I haven’t tried the meat, but the corn! Oh, the corn is so so good!
The staff encourages sharing of the plates, so the prices may seem high, but typical group of 4 can easily be stuffed with an appetizer, 1 – 2 small plates, and large plate.
The wait staff is VERY on top of clearing plates and cleaning the table, which I know some people are turned off by as they feel rushed, but I appreciate the efficiency. Everyone there is so friendly. Last time I visited I was with my brother with down syndrome and the staff was SO accommodating to his very particular dietary requests.
This is such a lovely spot in the neighborhood tucked away from the Promenade craziness. I’m looking forward to trying their happy hour and brunch soon!

So I have been to Mercado many times and highly recommend it. If you are a tequila snob or curious about repasados and anejos, they have a wide selection and knowledgable staff. The mixed drinks are good, but the tequila is the sweet spot, and a learning experience for all but the most seasoned palates. Expect to purchase a small sifter of tequila for around $ 11-​$ 20. If you like whiskeys and such, speak with the waiter and they will find you the smoothest anejo that will blow your mind.
have never been disappointed by their treats either, some lean to the bland side (fish tacos) but other items are full of spunk. I am a fan of anything with cheese and poblanos, which are done right here. The food is good, as if I am in a nice restaurant in Polanco.
It manages to have an intimate feel, dark but friendly, staff is very hit or miss, I have had some great service and some poor service.
Not to be missed happy hour as well.

We were looking for a good dinner spot on a weeknight in LA near Venice Beach and came across Mercado. When we first entered we noticed that there was a cool vibe to the place and a romantically dim dining area. Our hostess sat us at the back near the kitchen and the bar, so we were able to have more of a private dinner. I ordered the tacos since I was not too hungry and they were decent. My date had the chicken enchiladas, which I had a bite of towards the end of the meal. The chicken in the enchiladas was seasoned well and tasted even better with the enchilada sauce. Our waitress was not the best, but she was as nice as money can pay for. I liked this place, but it definitely is not on the list of best dining that LA has to offer. The food was good, but nothing to write home about and I could say the same of the service.

Came here with some friends on a double-​date with a reservation on a Thursday and we were seated right away. The place has a really nice vibe and ambiance and wasn’t super loud. Let me start off by saying that this place is high end Mexican food so expect a higher price tag. If paying a little more for this type of cuisine, I do prefer Mercado and Yxta over Red O.
We started our meal off with chips and guacamole and some cocktails. For my entrée I ordered the carne asada with corn tortillas. This was a tasty dish. The meat wasn’t overly cooked and it had great flavor. What made this dish really good was all the spicy grilled corn it was served with. Yum! The only downside of the visit was that my second cocktail took way too long to come out. The waitress realized the error and comped the drink which was much appreciated. The other dish I have had here is the carnitas. Again, perfectly cooked and tender. Who doesn’t love slow cooked pork?!
If you’re looking for a nicer dining experience, but craving Mexican food, give this place a try!

I wanted to love Mercado, I should have loved Mercado, but they wouldn’t let me. The food is absolutely 5 stars, but the service is really off. My experience started when I called around 5:30 to ask what the current wait was for 2 to which led to the following conversation:
Hostess: We can’t put your name down unless you’re physically here.
Me: That’s fine, I just want to know the wait
Hostess: We can’t estimate right now, but usually on a Friday night it’s around 45 minutes if we’re busy.
Me: So are you busy?
Hostess: Yes, so it’s about 45 minutes.
I was very confused. I just wanted to know the current wait, why do I have to ask 3 questions just to get the answer? So we decided to take a walk and put our names down and explore the area. When we got to the restaurant there were easily 6 – 8 tables open, probably 50% of capacity, just 5 minutes after I was told on the phone they are busy and there’s a 45 minute wait. We asked for a table, and were told «there’s two seats available at the bar.» After looking around and some confused faces, they decided to seat us at a table, next to three other tables that remained empty most of our visit.
Now that we were sufficiently confused, we got to meet our 4 waiters/​waitresses for the evening. The staff apparently work on a «team» system here where they each work every table. I’m currently debating whether I liked the blonde woman who didn’t even introduce herself before «what would you like to order» or the brunette who leaned over us as we were signing our bill to start wiping the table. There was also a sweet elderly man next to us who kept making corny jokes at the waitresses, all of which were awkwardly met with a forced pity laugh. Needless to say, from hostess to wait staff, the service definitely has room for improvement.
The food, unfortunately, was fantastic. The food makes it so difficult to give this place just 3 stars. We had the dip duo, carne asada and pollo chipotle all of which were really flavorful, fresh and exciting dishes.
I’m a fan of food being about comfort and a meal being an experience. While the food was great, it was hard to feel welcomed here, which leads me to say I wouldn’t go back. In a world and city full of great food, service can definitely set apart one restaurant from another. In the case of Mercado, not in a good way.

Referred here by my best friend Britani who is the duchess of this establishment ;)
Had service at the bar, everyone was super attentive and friendly. The jalapeño & cucumber Margarita is absolutely delicious and so refreshing.
Guacamole was seasoned to perfection, the scallops seared perfectly with a smoky chipotle sauce to really balance the flavors, and the elote was phenomenal, just the right amount of spicy.
Gotta bring my man here next!

I dare anyone to eat at Mercado and tell me they do not love it. Come on! I dare ya!
The décor is cozy and intimate, perfect for a date. The center of the restaurant is lined with communal high tops and stools, and the sides are lined with smaller, individual tables. At the back, there is a large, impressively stocked and decorated bar. Drinks are delicious and artsy. The whole atmosphere was just beautiful, understated, chic. (I can sit here and continue to list all the superlatives that come to mind about this lovely spot, but let’s move on to what’s really important.)
Mercado’s cuisine is what I’d call Mexican with flare. The food is sophisticated, refined, and most importantly, delicious! Everything from the guac to the tamales to the ceviche was UH-​MAY-​ZING. If you like cheese, get the choriqueso; a cheesy dip for nachos that I would’ve drank out of the bowl if only it were socially acceptable.
And I’ll leave the review at that. Bottom line? Go to Mercado.

We couldn’t choose a place to end up for dinner, but so glad we chose this place! We walked right on in and was seated on a Monday night. The seating consists of long communal tables where 10 can be seated. You will be sitting on barstool type seats with no backs if you sit at one of those tables. They do have regular tables which seat less people and you will sit on a regular wooden chair or a booth-​like seat. This is a very rustic place and loud.
There is not so much to look at as in décor, but I did fancy the light fixtures. (
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Our waitress was unable to make requests on our behalf to the chef, so the consensus is that the Chef sets his plates and serves them only that way. No substitutions at all. So, if that doesn’t sit well with you, you probably won’t enjoy dining here. She was not so very efficient and left gaps in her appearance to our table.
We started off with the Dip Duo which has Choriqueso (cheese dip), guacamole, and Yxta Salsa Brava with chips. A little pricey at $ 17, but it was good! I especially enjoyed the guacamole with chunks of avocado in it, and the Yxta Salsa Brava which has a nice kick of spice to it. The chips are thick and hold up well for dipping.
I shared the Lobster Tacos (one for each of us). Oh my, they were great! From the crispy flour tortilla (shell) to the lobster, along with the aioli, pico de gallo, and cheese, it was a delicious masterpiece! I would definitely order this again!
The other item I shared was the Carne Asada which was a marinated piece of skirt steak with guacamole, cebollines, and grilled corn. I really enjoyed the grilled corn! It was a nice marriage of items on the plate. Chef Jose knows his food accompaniments for a great plate.
I did get a tiny taste of the Cilantro Lime Rice and it was good, I might have needed another bite or two to get a better idea (LOL)! Also, one of my friends ordered the Spicy Cucumber Margarita and thought her drink was a little too spicy, so I took a sip and it WAS spicy, but tasty. She sent it back, and ordered the La Pina drink, it was less spicy, but it also didn’t taste as good.
All in all, I do believe we all enjoyed our food. I know I did! We opted out for desserts because we were hoping they’d have churros, but no, none on the menu.
300^th Unilocal Review /​100^th Unilocal Review for 2015