El Texate

I hope they open up elsewhere. Heartbroken that they are permanently closed at this location. Been coming here for nearly 20 years.

Location is closed. We come to soccer practice across the street and we've never seen any lights on. Supposedly it's open till midnight.

PLACE IS CLOSED.
The front of building needs a repair.

Im not sure if the place will reopen.

I had overlooked this restaurant so many times because of the poor reviews. Now I have no idea where those reviews came from because it's sooo good! I almost don't want to post a good review because I love the fact that the outdoor seating isn't packed during lunch.

Hilda is a great waitress and we love her. I'm partial to the fresh made horchata, agua fresca, and chicken burrito with Mole Negro - sooo good.

Only downside is that lately it's been cash only. Still, totally worth it!

Nice nice nice, little spot to hang out and have an authentic Mexican food and margaritas.
Our dishes were very savory, black beans and spongy rice and made with all our authentic herbs like "epazote"
Hands down for the Chefs and owners.
The food was GOOD and they have a huge selection of tequilas from all over Mexico.
Service was very good and we just wished to see the restaurant more clean and sparkles.
Definitely coming back if we are in the area!

Walked over from my hotel, and totally picked this place based on reviews, proximity, and because it is family run and a hole in the wall.

I was not disappointed. I forget which chicken mole I ordered, but for whatever reason, they had run out of it - OK that was a bit weird, but whatever. The lady suggested the mole verde, and it was delicious. The food is very fresh and made from scratch, which is probably why if they run out of something, they don't have it in the back of the fridge.

The service was mellow and it took a little bit to get the food but I didn't mind. The ambiance is very casual but cozy. They have a pond with turtles...

If you're in Santa Monica and want authentic Oaxaca fresh food at reasonable prices, go here.

One of My ALL TIME FAVORITE restaurants in Santa Monica and I am a life long resident of this town. Amazing Margheritas, made from scratch and the Carne Asada is excellent! Everything is on point and the staff is so great. Very cozy atmosphere. Feels like I am at home and eating with my family. Thanks you guys!!! Really and Truly, Thank you

Loved it here !! Great food. My bf is Oaxacan and I love trying his food that he grew up too. The beans and rice are my favorite. Today I tried their mezcal enchiladas, I'm not a fan of mezcal but wanted to give it a try anyways and it was good. Love this new go to spot for great food and buckets of beer

So sad it closed. Great family business with amazing food and service.

This place is a hidden gem that deserves all the recognition it can get. Every time my partner and I have been here the food has been outstanding! My partner always gets a molé dish and I look forward to the day post covid that they have AAAALLLL the molé back but for the time being we will eat what they are offering because it's never been less than spectacular. I generally get the canastitas with carne asada and I always top it with their homemade habanero salsa *chefs kiss*. I've also had the carnitas (it's always my tester dish) and that's great as well. Seriously, if you want consistently great food and margaritas this is the place.

Please be patient with their open hours and availability.Covid has been hard for all of us but particularly on small businesses like this one and seeing people give awful reviews because they aren't always open during their business hours is ludicrous. Haven't you heard places are understaffed or have had to amend business hours in order to ensure survival? Seeing as how this is all supposed to be temporary any changes made should be seen as just that: temporary. Show some patience and understanding and just marvel in the deliciousness when you can.