Frommer's Review
Before Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger spiced up cable TV with Too Hot Tamales, they started this hugely popular haute Mexican restaurant in West Hollywood. Since then the Border Grill has moved to a vibrantly painted, cavernous, and muy loud space in Santa Monica that's packed every night with locals and tourists.
Let's get one thing straight: This is not your Combo #7 kind of place. The duck tamale appetizer I ordered the last time I was here was the most flavorful and unique Mexican dish I've ever had: freshly made corn masa filled with tender roast duck, guajillo chile sauce, and roasted sweet peppers, then topped with an exquisite cranberry salsa (I could have eaten 10). Another favorite are the plantain empanadas with chipotle salsa and Mexican crema, and the über-tender roasted lamb tacos with strips of poblano chiles and manchego cheese. If it's on the specials menu, you must order the grilled chicken enchiladas verdes simmered in green mole sauce with Oaxacan cheese and hand-rolled corn tortillas. The best meatless dish is the mulitas, a layering of portobello mushrooms, roasted peppers, and pickled onions. For dessert, you have to try Tres Leches (a melt-in-your-mouth milk cake with passion fruit and prickly pear sauces) and -- what the hell -- a slice of the Aztec chocolate cake as well. To join in on the nonstop fiesta, start with one of their superb margaritas or mojitos. Tip: The happy hour menu (Mon-Fri 4-7pm, Fri-Sat after 10pm) has tasty $3 treats such as tacos, empanadas, and tostadas; and margaritas are only $3.50.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
