El Carmen

BEST TACOS IN LOS ANGELES! I absolutely love this place, the ambiance is perfect, the drinks are good, ceviche is fresh & the tacos are to die for!
El Carmen is small but don’t let the size fool you, they jam pack that place all the time & it’s because everyone loves it! I’d recommend getting their early or call & find out how busy they are because they are always busy. Their happy hour is amazing & priced really well, even if you don’t go at happy hour their prices are still very fair as opposed to most chain restaurants. The décor & general vibe of the place is really fun & party-​like. The staff are all very friendly & helpful, I’ve been dozens of times & never had an issue. I will continue to come back again & again because I love this place, their staff, quality of food & general atmosphere!

Came here for happy hour and was glad I did. $ 5 house margaritas! $ 2 guac $ 5 nachos and $ 4 ceviche. Yeah! Major deal alert. And everything was good. The guacamole was creamy with just the right about in chunckiness to it. My margarita was strong and not overly sweet.
Happy hour is at the bar and tables which is nice since the place is pretty small. There’s probably 15 tables and 20 bar stools.
The dinner menu has a variety of tacos. I had the fish and chicken. The fish was really good. Well seasoned and had a nice sauce on it. My only complaint is portion size. My fish has to be like 1 oz which compared to my corn tortilla looked even smaller. The chicken taco wasn’t as good. There was a little spice to it but the wasn’t seasons that well.
I’ll definitely be back when I am in the area.

Delicious food and margaritas! They have a low light hip setting. Reserve a booth in advance for a large party. We had a great time!

Nice décor. Margarita too salty (what am i drinking sea water?). A lot of natives aka the locals were all over the scene. Service was servicable. A bit on the pricy side. Check almost fell off the table, but it just balanced right on the edge. Nice!
Enchiladas were actually more like wet flautas if ya know what i mean.
Also the plates were a bit too small
3.7÷5

BEST MARGARITAS… EVER!
Cool, funky little place with a super nice staff and friendly and welcoming Bartenders. This bar has the most extensive tequila menu I’ve ever seen.
If I weren’t already «beyond» hungry when I arrived (thinking it was a full on Mexican restaurant), I would probably have given this spot 5 Stars. If you think of El Carmen as a BAR (with some tasty food choices) you will be more satisfied.
I was hungry for Mexican food, and the food options were quite limited, very small plates (almost tapas style), and not very filling. To add black beans (no pintos or refried here), it bumped up the cost of our small «al a carte» selections substantially.
The Enchilada Trio was tasty (‘baby’ enchiladas with no sides), the soft taco was more «street taco» size, but tasty. The chips were warm, crisp and fantastic, and the salsa and guacamole were really fresh and great too.
Come here for fabulous drinks and apps on your way to any number of heavy duty Mexican Restaurants down the street. You know, the kind where you can get all the unhealthy, heavy, greasy, but DELICIOUS food you crave. If you don’t crave that kind of Mexican food, then this may be the the place for you.

Went here on Memorial day for late night margaritas with my husband and we loved it! We ordered enchiladas that were super tasty. I’m vegetarian and I hate when restaurants use cheap oily cheese. One bite of that cheese enchilada and I knew super fresh ingredients went into making it. And the busser kept coming to make sure we were straight. He was very friendly and super fast. We will have to come here more often! The door guy was also cool and said he would hook us up when we ce back. And yall know Black people love free shit! Lol

Five stars for the drinks, three stars for the food.
We went for a late dinner because this is one of a handful of places in LA that offers mezcal flights. We ordered guacamole to go along with the complimentary chips and salsa, ceviche, two tacos, and chicken enchiladas with spicy roja sauce. The food was standard California-​Mexican fare. Along with our mezcal flight, we got a margarita with the Unilocal check-​in deal and two of their beer + tequila/​mezcal shot combos. Our waitress instructed us to start on one end of the flight and work our way towards the sangrita and lime at the end. It was fun to try the three types of mezcals, which got progressively smokier but also smoother. The ambience was laidback, and it was a good place to eat and pregame before heading out to other bars.

Sometimes you want to go someplace gaudy and loud and intentionally ridiculous. This is a great spot for it. Wonderful bartenders, decent tacos, and strong drinks.

What a great find for happy hour! We came on a Tuesday around 6 and were sat right away. At first we sat at a table but decided to move to the bar for a change of scenery. The bartender was a little standoffish at first which rubbed us the wrong way but we decided to stick around and enjoy.
The drinks are great. If you are a fan of micheladas they make one of the best. My friend enjoyed the margarita and the guacamole was great. The tacos were good but I would chose mushroom over the meat. It was very flavorful.
I would come back for happy hour.

This is one of my favorite bars on 3^rd street. The people working here are cool and friendly, no snooty behavior found here. I like the crowd as well.
It’s a pretty small space but there are enough tables and seats around the bar as well. The bartenders are friendly, one of them gave me a free drink last time I was here. One of my favorite things to order are their flavored margaritas, particularly the guava one. I tried the pomegranate last time and it was tasty as well. They are strong too so I think it’s worth the price. Their tacos are delicious but I wish it wasn’t almost $ 2 for one. Nevertheless, I like the Papas with chorizo (potato taco), the Carne Asada, and the Calbaza (squash taco). I also order their nachos with carnitas when I’m feeling really hungry :) It’s a huge portion and I usually share it among 2 other people.
This is 3^rd street so it can be hard to find parking at times but I’ve never really had a problem because there is a lot of metered parking around here.

Definitely would come back for happy hour! Came here with a few friends for my bday this Saturday and had a great time! However, for a Saturday night the place cleared out pretty early, I thought it’d be more poppin. Anyway, love the décor and the vibe — not super divey but far from pretentious — and fun eclectic mix of music! The drinks were great, I’m not a big tequila fan but those margaritas could make anyone a believer. But what really made my night was our bartender Vanessa who was super sweet! I told her it was my birthday and she hooked it up!
Overall a good time, probably a better happy hour spot to catch up with friends or coworkers than a weekend fiesta destination, but still a solid chill place to escape the douchebaggery of other westside bars.

I just love this place especially for happy hour. Everybody is very friendly and accommodating. We were short a bar stool and they brought one from the back. Bartender is very attentive and makes great drinks.
This place has the best salsa. I could probably drink it. Lol.
Food:
Love the nachos. Lots of cheese melted with bean guacamole, sour cream and I like that they put jalapeños on it before they cook it.
Guacamole is yummy and only $ 2 during happy hour. Salsa is free.
Tacos are yummy.
Ceviche has shrimp and white fish.
Try the spicy margarita
Can’t wait to go back.

Came to El Carmen for drinks tonight, not really knowing what to expect, and was so pleasantly surprised by this super cute restaurant/​bar! It is very well decorated with a luchador theme that I absolutely loved. Vanessa is very knowledgeable on mezcal and gave my husband a recommendation that he loved. She also made me a mean margarita!
I can’t wait to come back to El Carmen for drinks, because the friend that we met here said that the food is also great. It’s the perfect dinner and drinks spot.

Pretty standard Mexican restaurant. The place is tiny and we had to wait around 30 minutes for a table, but were able to get margaritas at the bar to pass the time. We ordered a second round of margaritas once seated, and they were ridiculously strong and hard to drink (I couldn’t finish it). If you check-​in on Unilocal after 9, you can get a house margarita for $ 5. Guac and salsa were delish. the enchiladas were just ok. Not the best Mexican food I’ve ever had, but a decent option if you’re in the area.

This was my first time checking out El Carmen located on the hip side of town, West LA. Judging by the crowd I don’t know how I’ve missed this place. I was invited to meet up with some friends and to think I almost didn’t show up. House margarita’s were $ 5 when check in on Unilocal so do that Unilocal thang and save some money. Vanessa makes the best house margarita and jalapeño margarita in west LA. Super friendly, fast, attentive and always smiling. Thanks Vanessa for making my wait for a table pass by so smoothly.
Once seated I ordered this amazing shrimp dish with a spicy dipping sauce on the side and nachos. Now normally I am spice adverse but there just so much great flavor I couldn’t stop dipping. The great service at the bar didn’t stop once we were seated. Our dining host was amazing and I feel that I don’t remember her name. But what I can say is that the entire staff moves very quickly and visited my table often for water refills, more drinks, and simply to check in… super attentive.
I will definitely make myself a regular at El Carmen and so should you. Make sure to ask for Vanessa and order your margarita.

Two words: Tequila flights.
I enjoyed learning about tequila instead of chugging it down. I sat with friends at the bar and the bartender was very knowledgable, making us really reboot the experience. This place is great for friends or couples, great vibes either way. Also got the salsa/​chips/​guac and the guac was great, chips nice and salty (great with some lime), and not a fan of the salsa (watery and weird after taste). Friends got margaritas that looked yum! Margs are around $ 10.
I definitely see myself coming back here. We came on a Tuesday around 10 and there weren’t any tables (place is small) so I suggest making a reservation (assuming they take them).
Security guy was also dope so shout out!

I absolutely love this place! The vibe, the food, the pomegranate margaritas, their sporadic tequila tastings, the bartenders, the music, the staff! They have a nice selection of tequilas and mezcals. I typically order the chicken quesadilla or carne asada quesadilla, Que Rico! I also like the enchiladas, especially the mole. The chips and salsa I enjoy mucho as well. I don’t think I have yet to have anything I didn’t like. I ordered the corn once and never ordered again. It was good though, just not my thing, I prefer my corn on the cob. Swing by and check it out, you won’t be disappointed and we may just run into each other. :)

Vanessa is the absolute best waitress ever. We go back just to see her. 10. The food is fantastic and the drinks are great. Try the margaritas. They’re oh so good!!!

This place would’ve had a full 5 stars if it wasn’t for the waitress and the bouncer that tried to scam us…
This is a 21+ over Tequila bar! I am not a fan of tequila at all but my friend wanted mexican and Toca Madera only took reservation. So we walked third street and ended up here! It took a while for the waitress to come along and grab our orders and drinks but she got it.
We started off with the nachos with no meat which surprisingly delicious. Followed up with a Fresh Fruit Margherita and I got myself an Elote! All together the bill ended up coming out higher than expected. The drinks we ordered were higher than what we saw on the menu and decided to confront the waitress and told us that they change the prices all the time and that they don’t have time to change the menu??? Excuse me? At least have the common courtesy to let us know before hand that these drink prices have changed but instead she grabbed the bouncer and he told us the same thing… Which led us to cause a scene so the bouncer gave us 10% off… Thanks for the no tax meal!
Anyways, overall the food was delicious but the service wasn’t really up to par. I hate giving out low stars but the service really makes the experience so much better and amazing.
2 Stars for crap service!
Have Fun and Good Luck!

Delicious tacos and guacamole! My husband and I were fortunate enough to get some despite having our toddler in tow, since the bouncer and hostess at the door were incredibly nice and helpful enough to bring out menus and place an order for take out after we learned that it was a 21-​and-​over establishment. YAY FOR TACOS!!!

Came here during happy hour and was very pleased overall. The menu is available from 5 – 7 on weeknights, and gives you really good deals on margaritas and small bites. I ordered a few of the fresh fruit cadillac margaritas, including the blood orange and pomegranate, which were amazing. Be warned that they can get pretty sweet (especially when you make them a cadillac), but it’s nice that they actually live up to being «fresh.» For food, I ordered the pollo and pescado tacos which were your basic street tacos, but they were pretty darn good.
The atmosphere inside makes for a nice ambiance as well. The lights are pretty dim, and it’s a very intimate space, without feeling too crowded. Service was pretty good as well, so I definitely recommend coming for a few drinks and some food if you’re looking for a fun time!

BEST MARGARITA’s for 10 BUCKS! But my friend said to stay away from food — but it was a place where everyone was getting drinks. A small bar with tables all close to each other and Nacho Libre posters everywhere — great and friendly bartenders. We had a fun night in a semi loud and chatty environment with people mostly in small groups sitting at the bar or the table. Met the manager who was super friendly and got a round of shots on him — which were fantastic. A fun place to hang at night if you’re just looking to gather in a group!

Great food. Fish tacos are super fresh and tasty. Salsa is free and some of the best in town. Highly recommended!

My go to spot for my jalapeño margaritas. Loud music, really dark lighting and a little dive bar-​ish. Good for friends and comfortable couples. Not ideal for a first or second date. But then again, what is an ideal location for a first or second date?

So very disappointed showed up here last night with a bday group large group and we purchased balloons and a cake for the birthday girl but was told it had to be left outside it was not allowed
So not okay if we knew this we would have celebrated else where

The food is delicioso! Awesome gauc. Good and strong margs. Speedy service and awesome bartender! Great experience

This place was on my happy hour radar, and I went twice; my two experiences were quite different though.
Upon arriving, they ID prior to entering. It’s not a large restaurant, so it can fill up quickly. It also has very low lighting and a medium noise level-​mostly chatter from convos.
My first time here, I came pretty much at the start of happy hour and easily found a seat at the bar. Vanessa mixed me up a great regular margarita, which was $ 5. It was cool that she remembered my name and addressed me by name each time she spoke to me. A lot of bartenders can’t remember names. I also ordered $ 2 chips and guacamole, street corn off the cob, and chicken nachos. The street corn was a fav, the chicken nachos were decent. I tried the guava margarita as well. It was good; however, for $ 10, I should have just gotten the happy hour margarita for $ 5, which was just as good.
Second time, I came more so in the middle of happy hour. After walking in and discovering there weren’t any open seats, an employee made great effort to clear a space for me. It happened to be near the register and a pile of dishes. I squeezed a seat between the register and another happy hour goer. I had to flag the bartender to place an order because there weren’t waiters in the area I sat. Didn’t have a lot of space, and I felt like I was in the way of the employees even though I made conscious effort not to be. I also felt like I got a side eye from an employee; it wasn’t my decision to clear the space, the employee working there was just trying to be helpful since I came to grab a bite to eat. I got the cheese quesadillas, and those were pretty good.
If I go here again, I’d go early to get a seat and most likely just order drinks.

12 empty tables but empty-​headed bouncer tells us there is no availability and that we have to eat standing up. Awesome service!
In any case, attempting to create artificial demand is unreasonable on Thursday night at 7 o’clock when your restaurant is otherwise empty.
We weren’t the only ones who left because of the situation. Too bad.
2 stars for décor & ambience. I may have given more or less than two stars if we had the opportunity to try food or drinks. Unfortunately have to scratch this one off my list only because of an unreasonable employee.

If you like anything with tequila this is a the place wrapped in a great old school environment. Their tequila bottles number in the hundreds. They have a bottle with shots prices at 650.00 per shot. Not for me.
Had two margaritas and ceviche. Excellent. Love the cool atmosphere. Bartender Caitlyn was awesome.

Really cool, cute dim lit spot that’s fine and has a lot of different styled margaritas. The place doesn’t have convenient parking which is a bummer but there is public valet for all the restaurants on this street for $ 8.
To start, there were ample amounts of chips and salsa (YAY) and GUAC! But beware there is a charge for this but considering how yummy it was, totally worth the price. The portions here are pretty small and the food list is limited to tacos, quesadillas, and some plates but the drink menu is EXTENSIVE and has about 4 — 5 pages of different margaritas, cocktails, etc.
Margaritas were $ 12 for a small portion but some are really unique — personally tried the classic margarita, blood orange, and the spicy. My favorite has to be the spicy which has a unique kick and aftertaste to your drink.
For food, ordered two chicken tacos which were small but wow, the meat and the generous portions of salsa made the food satisfying and juicy. Really cool spot to hit up if you’re going out with your gals or with a significant other!

This has to be one of the coolest Mexican Bar/​Restaurants in Hollywood! Hidden behind an unassuming façade on 3^rd Street, El Carmen is home to a ridiculous array of Tequila, Mexican Wrestler Themed Art and delicious food.
Dropped in here with my partner for a few cocktails the other evening and the drinks were strong and delicious and the staff were absolutely delightful!
I definitely want to come back and have a meal here next time.

I LOVE El Carmen! I don’t agree with Unilocal reviewers labeling this as a dive bar, I think this is almost a LA institution. 3^rd street is getting built up with all these trendy and pricey restaurants and El Carmen has stayed the same. I love the décor, it’s really kitschy and quirky. It can get verrryyyy dark and dim at night, maybe a good first date spot ha?
They offer an amazing happy hour from 5−7ish, great margaritas, tacos and ceviche. Their regular menu is also priced well. Last night I ordered a ceviche and corona for a total of $ 11.50. They provide unlimited chips and salsa too.
***I’m not sure if it’s on the menu, but I tasted my friend’s strawberry almond margarita and OMG that was hands down one of the best drinks I’ve ever tasted. I would be double fisting that.
Service is good although the first time I went for happy hour I found the waitress a little annoying and pushy, trying to push more drinks on us. But other times its been fine.

Bottom line: This place was a really nice surprise!
Having grown up in Southern California, believe it or not I have had some Mexican food. Thats why when my buddy suggested that we come here I was like — really dood, Mexican food in West Hollywood?
But what happened is that I spoke too soon! I ordered the enchiladas which were awesome! The perfect blend of quality ingredients and greasy, down home style.
I was really satisfied — perfect portion size, tons of flavor. If there was a drawback to this place is that there is deafening music that you have to yell over and while you’re doing that you have to try and pretend you’re not listening to the persons conversation next to you, as they are so close you’re actually touching the entire time…
Good little spot!

Love this place!
It’s a small bar that serves really good Mexican food. My date and I didn’t feel like drinking so we only ordered food. Right when we were seated we were served a large basket of chips and guacamole. My date and I decided to order a bunch of plates and share (the price is super reasonable And the portions Are perfect for sharing) out of all the dishes we ordered my favorite were the enchiladas and the elote!
I really enjoyed my dinner here and loved the vibe as well. I will definitely be returning!

Came here on a random late Monday night and ordered a few different things. Drinks: the guava margarita was very tasty, and the blood-​orange margarita was also good but tasted like the juice was from concentrate.
Food: their chips and salsa and guacamole are all on point, definitely should order this! What stole the night though were the potato floutas, served with salsa and guacamole. They were soooo good! Must order! The tequila shrimp was also really tasty, just squeeze some lime on it!
Skip: the ensalada
–1 star because the service was basically non-​existent. The bartender was also the one taking food orders at tables. There was a slight mix-​up when we ordered carnitas floutas but received potato floutas, but it was a happy mistake because we loved it and ordered another round of it.
Parking: valet and plenty of metered street parking
Pros: open late in the middle of the week!

I miss this place and can’t believe I never reviewed this place before. This was my neighborhood bar when I lived in this neighborhood years ago. The theme there is Mexican wrestlers. Paintings and wrestler mask looking above with 80’s tunes both new wave and early R&B. It’s a chill place to be.
The food and drinks aren’t bad either. Carne asada and fish tacos are tasty along with the piping hot tortilla chips that go well with the rice and beans.
Worth a visit if you’re in this neck of the woods.