What’s a good Mexican restaurant for B-day dinner?

[jb55555]

I am looking for a modern-ish Mexican restaurant that would have good vegetarian options. Should be upscale and nice, but not over the top expensive. It will be a Sunday night. Getting on flight after, and coming from Beverly Hills area. Any ideas?

[jb55555]

I am soooo impressed with this area's board and members! Lots of feedback. I ended up going to Loteria in Hollywood, and it was perfect…other then the fact that the host was slow and pretty much the last person who should be working in a restaurant :) The food was great and made up for it! Waitress was friendly and efficient, wine was good! Next time I'm in town I will try some more of the suggestions. Thank you again!

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Loteria Grill Hollywood
6627 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

[Frankie D]

Border Grill in Santa Monica. Nice twist on some Mexican Classics.

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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

[Emme]

Another place maybe worth considering is Lula on Main in SaMo... that's on the way to the airport...ish. and has veggie options and is fun.

Don't know if it's just too unfancy and unfestive, but you can't go wrong with Monte Alban, and there are veggie options there too.

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Monte Alban
11927 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA

[gsw]

Lula's is a nice choice. it's a nice room and they have a patio out back if you need a space that's a little more private than the main room. they definitely have vegetarian offerings, and they are convenient to the airport.

[Jwsel]

Mexico Restaurante y Barra might fit the bill. It's a fun place for a birthday, but I don't know if it is sufficiently upscale for you.
http://www.gogomexico.com/

Rivera downtown is pretty expensive, but it is excellent. I also like Border Grill, but it has its detractors on this board.

Loteria Grill in Hollywood is another option. I haven't been, but you can find plenty of reviews.

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Mexico Restaurante y Barra
8512 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Loteria Grill Hollywood
6627 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028

[Bria Silbert]

Good question Westsidegal, I had to look back to the menu to remember because it was several years ago. He loved the cocktail I remember (you can be vegetarian and still enjoy that!!! :)

I think he had the sampler plate and maybe the enchiladas. I don't remember there being a rule against substitutions at the time and so they substituted potatoes for some of the seafood entrees as well.

As much as people carp (no pescarian pun intended) about Border Grill, that is why he likes to eat there as well - they have vegetarian options - not being a vegetarian myself, my favorite dish at Border Grill is actually the vegetarian platter - great combination of textures and flavors.

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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

[westsidegal]

thanks so much for the info.
(substituting potatos for protein won't fly for my group, so frida is out.)

[Servorg]

It's always been a hallmark of Mexican restaurants that, for vegetarians, protein comes from the cheese and the refried beans (I am pretty certain that Frida does not use lard in their frijoles) available in multiple dishes. At Frida (and I'm not a vegetarian) I have had both their quesadilla and their enchiladas suizas, and they were excellent. They have a salad that has mangos and other non animal flesh products in it that is also quite delicious.

I think for a single dinner one would have plenty of choices that would leave a vegetarian happy and satisfied. If one was going to try to dine there on a weekly basis then they might run into an issue of breadth of choices.

[westsidegal]

enchiladas suizas are normally made with chicken? no?
i'm not confident enough of frida's appeal to my vegetarian friend for me to drag the whole group of 8 people from playa del rey to beverly hills.
i'm looking for a new restaurant to add to our regular rotation, and the new addition needs to have solid choices for everyone in the group.
at this point, our rotation includes:
ayara
26 beach
antica pizzaria
tlapazola (in venice)
the good pizza (for when there is a game on and the men can't be pried away from the tv set)

when our vegetarian member isn't able to attend, we hit Mariscos Chente.

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Mariscos Chente
4532 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066

[Servorg]

Normally just cheese (or at least the ones I've had).

Speaking of newer places (new to me anyway), we went to brunch at the newer Novel Cafe today (the one on Ocean Park) and there was an "organic" pizza place next door doing great business. Now if I could only recall it's name? Looked interesting and they have a nice patio area too.

[Servorg]

Tracked down the pizza place: Pizza Fusion

http://www.pizzafusion.com/ and here is a link to the menu at this particular location: http://www.pizzafusion.com/uploads/documents/franchise/26/SantaMonica_Menu_Inside_web.pdf and their Santa Monica store's location and hours can be found here: http://www.pizzafusion.com/santamonica/

[ElissaInPlaya]

Akasha, Axe, Literati, Pitfire pizza?

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Akasha
9543 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

[westsidegal]

thanks so much for the suggestions.
in particular, you've motivated me to scope out akasha, something i've been meaning to do for a long time.

[ipsedixit]

How about Yxta? http://www.yxta.net/

[Mattapoisett in LA]

Well just be warned if you go with a mexican, the tortillas were not free and the order is small in size and number, so you have to keep ordering them to finish your large plate of wonderful Carnitas estilo Michoacán and the mexican in the group will be offended and you won't be allowed to go again.

[Servorg]

Frida's in Beverly Hills probably fits the criteria you've established.

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Frida
236 South Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

[Bria Silbert]

I second the recommendation for Frida. Our son (mid 20's) is a vegetarian and enjoyed both the ambiance and the food

[westsidegal]

i just looked at the frida's dinner menu online and saw virtually nothing for a vegetarian (just a couple of salads).
what did they make for your son?
(one member of my friday night gang is a vegetarian, and the rest of us won't even consider a place that doesn't really accommodate her needs.)

[mc michael]

Do you want good food, or do you want a lot of folks singing Happy Birthday?

[jb55555]

good food!! bday song not necessary :)
I am looking for something a little interesting. Problem I have with some of the really modern places (IE “El Caminos” where I am from - NYC) is they don't have as many vegetarian options as classic mexi restaurants. Would like something a little different/modern, but with vege options. Thnx!!

[wienermobile]

Maybe Border Grill in Santa Monica or The Gardens of Taxco in West Hollywood.
http://www.bordergrill.com/
http://gardensoftaxco.com/

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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401

Gardens of Taxco
1113 N. Harper Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90046

[Baron]

Check out Casa Sanchez on Centinela in Culver City. They have these extra large booths for large groups, music and great drinks. Very festive place and perfect for birthday parties large and small. Food is good and reasonable. Very well run family establishment.