I called to make a reservation and the auto voice said go to the website. Well there is not a place to make a reservation!!

Chaz was a doll! Very tentative, intentional, and a very clean type of person. Hot sauce was mf fire! Tortilla soup was the BEST soup I have ever ate! 10 of 10! Hope this tender of the bar gets a raise! I wish you all the health and the wealth! Love from San Diego! -Richelle read more

Food Service Atmosphere Rough night and all I could think about was a bomb Albóndigas soup. This spot never disappoints. The soup tasted a little different this time (almost like a minestrone vibe), but still bmb. Shoutout to the bartender; super friendly, easy on the eyes, and great service. I originally tried to order takeout online but the soup wasn't listed, so I just went in. Sat at the bar, ordered my food, had a recommended tequila, and it completely fixed my day. Saludos read more

El Compadre - Street view near restaurant entrance - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Service. Phucking. SUCKS. Very rude waiter - I went with my wife and the waiter tried rushing us out after an hour, came by several times requesting payment, and literally tapped the receipt on the table saying that theres tables waiting. WILL NEVER RETURN HERE. not an isolated incident either as the first time we went we waited 20 minutes before the waiter returned to take our order. PHUCK THIS PLACE. read more

Great authentic. Mexican food. The albondigas soup tastes like your grandmas homemade recipe. Andrew the server was friendly, helpful and cordial. Had a great smile, attitude and we appreciated his outstanding service. The margaritas were great also. read more

El Compadre - Flamin margarita - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hostess was completely rude. When I asked for table for one she rolled her eyes. "I don't have anything". Not worth it

Est. 1975- What is there for me to say - everything that can be said about El Compadre, has been said. For 50 years, It has been one LA's favorite Mexican restaurants. A favorite for its design, its location, its clientele and its food. If it's good enough for Bosch, it's good enough for me. El Compadre's 'Old World Hacienda' feel is a major part of its charm. The lively atmosphere, often includes live music. It's an easy spot to drink too much, stuff yourself with chips & salsa, and lose hours of the afternoon and evening. What's not to like! On this particular visit, we had the Chili Colorado, the #18 (Beef Tamale and Beef Enchilada), a couple of Crunchy Tacos, Bloody Mary's, and some flaming Margaritas. It's all good. El Compadre is not just about the menu, it's about the experience. I hope this family owned and operated Hollywood Gem, never looses its charm. If you haven't been to El Compadre, then you haven't fully experienced LA restaurant culture. read more

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In the conversation for best 'wet burrito' . À very good deal at $17 in 2026z here is what you receive: Side grilled tortilla chips, salsa and small serve Guac . I ordered the steak wet burrito soaked in both red and green sauce. Might be viewed as atypical, but the river of flavors blended quite well. The green river had a more citrus taste, while the red was more tomato spiced. Floating in the river I believe were pieces of queso fresco Mexican cheese. À nice touch that really worked. The we burrito itself was hearty , the meat spiced and almost cut thick like stew shaped. Wasn't expecting that. Burrito held all the contents incredibly well. Slathering the red/green sauce energized my taste buds and I enjoyed this meal a lot. Woukd definitely come back to try the chicken fajitas when my appetite is larger ! read more

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Stopped in to snack on appetizers with a large group of colleagues after a weekend workshop nearby. It took a while for them to open the outdoor back patio for us, but the atmosphere was nice, especially as the sun started to set and the string lights turned on. The food and service was mediocre unfortunately: servers are overworked and plates are greasy with too much cheese on everything, but you may spot a celebrity or two sneak in through the back door like we did during our visit. I was told the cocktails were nicely balanced and not too strong. *Delayed post from May '25 read more

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First time here. Walking in it is dark coming in from the bright sunlight. One my eyed adjusted, it was a nice hacienda decor. We quickly ordered. I got theeEl Grande combo. It came out fairly quickly. All was fine except the taco was cold. Not just the lettuce, but also the meat! My friends was the same. We told the waiter and he promptly got it corrected. The food itself was a notch above what I was expecting. I was expecting average but it was good. The portions were generous as well. I'll probably cone back again one day. I hope next time it will impress me more. read more

El Compadre - El Grande Combo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A Fiery, Flavorful Time at El Compadre! We had such a great time again at El Compadre Hollywood! The food lineup was amazing--starting with the Chicken Quesadilla Guacamole (yes, it's as good as it sounds), followed by Enchiladas de Mole, Enchiladas Verdes de Pollo, Two Crispy Tacos, and Enchiladas de Queso. Every bite hit the spot. The real showstopper? The flaming margaritas! Literally on fire--and totally unforgettable. We love that this place sticks to its roots with authentic Mexican dishes (not Tex-Mex!), which we've really been craving. It's been around since 1975 and has such a cool, old-school vibe--plus it's just 10 minutes from the Walk of Fame. We even made the trip from Newport just to mix things up--and it was so worth it. Highly recommend for anyone looking for solid food, a bit of history, and a fiery drink or two! IG: @thefoodie.99 El Compadre Hollywood 7408 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90046 (323) 874-7924 read more

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I went here last night with my Foodie Road Dog ... we sat at the bar and I ordered the beef fajitas and a Cadillac Margarita ....the fajitas sucked because they were salty and overcooked .... strips felt like rubber .....my drink tasted awful too ....no balance in the flavor .....sorry but I will not come back to this place read more

Delicious food! Favorites are their enchiladas, quesadillas, and tacos. Friendly and great service, highly recommend!

The ambiance and the service were good, but not great! The drinks were done right and were really good! However, the food was not the best!! I had the chicken molé with rice and beans! I was not impressed! The beans tasted like they were really processed, the rice was too bland without any flavor! They missed the mark here! read more

My husband and I love the food here. We've never had a bad dish. With that being said...I would have loved to give 5 stars, however each time we have eaten here the food always comes out luke warm. Delicious but not hot. The service is always 10/10! In fact, when we mentioned that the food wasn't hot our server happily took it back to heat it up. Next time we'll just ask to make sure the food comes out hot. The ambiance is classic old school Mexican Restaurant. Super dark inside. Parking as mentioned in all the other posts are either the street or a couple in the back. read more

El Compadre - Shrimp soft taco a la carte with flour tortillas. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Well damn. If you look at my profile, I'm not a negative reviewer. In fact, I usually don't say anything if I don't like a place. However, El Compadre was such a disappointment, I'd be remiss if I don't point this out to the restaurant. And direct people in the neighborhood away from it and on to Toi or Electric Owl which are both great. I was pretty excited to go back to El Compadre. It's been around forever and I remember it being a regular spot in my 20's. I had directed a show in the neighborhood and first tried going on Friday night with my cast for drinks while we waited on our turn at the theatre. We were told we couldn't get a table for just drinks and the bar was crowded so we made our way back to Electric Owl. They were pretty brusque, but I figured they were busy. Then I had arranged dinner with friends there pre-show on Saturday. I arrived early at 4:30 because I wanted to write thank you cards before my friends showed at 5. I figured a margarita would be a nice way to get the ole penmanship going. The restaurant was fairly empty with plenty of open tables. I asked for a table for 3. She told me I couldn't be seated until my whole party arrived. I explained that I wanted to write some cards real quick before they arrived which would be in 20 minutes. She flat out told me no. Not apologetic. Not friendly. Zero warmth. It made me feel like I wasn't cool enough to be seated there. I turned around and walked out and went back to Electric Owl. Redirected my friends there. No way was I spending my $, in this economy, with a place that doesn't value its customers one bit. Oh did I mention the waiter who came up behind me while I was walking to the hostess stand and told me to move out of his way? What the hell El Compadre? You were a nostalgic memory and now you are just a place I will redirect my friends in their 20s away from. The extra star? That was a thank you from my 20's. read more

It's Hollywood - there's no parking. Maybe five spaces in the back, but I couldn't tell. We got stuck between a car backing up towards us and a car blocking the alley in front of us. Recommend using public parking nearby if you can find it. We were fairly early on a Saturday (5:30) and it was fairly busy. We were seated pretty quickly though. Corner booth in the very back of the restaurant. Service was horrible. Unacceptably bad. But several of my friends had been here before and said it hadn't happened before. The food was decent. The flaming drinks are fun. read more

El Compadre - Flaming something or other - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

It's gone downhill. Greasy chips... chewy, inedible carne asada in the taco... and an overcooked, crispy churro dessert! I loved this place back in the day, but Meh. Pass. read more

A fun good old fashioned Mexican restaurant with large flaming margaritas. I got the steak picado, a classic favorite of mine, and it was done really well with lots of flavor to the sauce. Will definitely be stopping in again. read more

El Compadre - Steak Picado Michoacan Style - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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The food had good flavor but was cold. The chips and salsa were the best part of the meal. The service was great but the restaurant was so load it was hard to even have a conversation at our table. read more

El Compadre - Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I love El Compadre! Family was in town and the first night they got in we went here as a "Welcome to LA" dinner to set the vibe for the trip. It was amazing. Service is great, margaritas are amazing, the booth for 7 people was such a nice experience and the food was really delicious - it's always consistent. We went on Sunday when they have mariachis, extra fun. They're there at least twice a week. Chips and salsa come for free and it's one of my favorite salsas in town. Plus, the guac and queso were amazing. The portions they serve are really big, so some people shared a dish, but most just had great leftovers. Everyone loved the ambiance, music, food, service. It's a great place to celebrate. read more

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Across the street from The Guitar Store on Sunset. A few handicapped and a few spots behind the building, otherwise all street parking. We had a party of 15. The server was not happy with the large party. That was a downer. The flaming margarita was cool visual. It's the lemon that's on fire. The drink was good. I had a virgin margarita and it was very refreshing. Very impressed the food came out so fast for our party of 15. The beef tongue was super tender, not gamy, very flavorful. Some of the food was a bit overpriced. Beautiful space, I think I even saw an CW actor. read more

El Compadre - Beef tongue in Spanish sauce - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

So disappointed. Food cold and tasteless and wait time to have a waiter to even take our drink order was ridiculous. We usually love this place but will not be returning anytime soon. The only thing that was decent was the churros with ice cream! Too many other great Mexican restaurants that have great food!!! read more

A Hollywood classic!! If you like authentic Mexican food, great ambiance, and good margaritas, you have to try El Compadre Hollywood! It's our favorite spot to meet for dinner. I am high maintenance lol, so I order my margaritas with grey goose vodka instead of tequila. Our server didn't even flinch, just kept taking our orders. He was great! The food was delicious as always. I had two beef tamales with rice and beans, amazing. They have even added a little patio in the back. I will continue to come here every time I'm in LA! read more

El Compadre - Here we all are, after enjoying our delicious meal! We love it here so much. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Came in on a weeknight and waited around 10 minutes for a table. Servers were nice and friendly and attentive as well. The decor inside is really nice and there's quite a lot of space inside. Their menu is huge so there's lots of options to choose from. The tacos and enchiladas were really tasty. The portions are pretty big too so I'd say the prices are very reasonable. Good options for drinks as well. read more

El Compadre - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Food was great, service very good. Margarita also good. No complaints and will be back in a less busy day.

Unfortunately, I have to write this review as this is the last time I will be frequenting this establishment. After almost 10 years of coming here and getting the same entree. I've always gotten the burrito with chicken and steak. I was informed by the waiter that they could not do a chicken and steak burrito. The irony of this is that I recently came and got my exact order with no problems. I literally had to remind the waiter (Andrew) about customer service and that as a server they should ask these questions to management before responding No. Especially if it is an entree that I in fact have gotten for almost 10 years here at their establishment. First it went from they don't offer that and then the story changed to the new Chef won't allow that. Pick a story! Every other Mexican restaurant, Javier's, El Coyote and even CHIPOTLE can prepare a chicken and steak burrito! I asked him to speak with his manager. The GM, Violet, came to my table and said they can't prepare a burrito with both and that i should never compare restaurants. I kindly reminded her that she doesn't get to tell me what sentiments I get to express. Terrible service and I'll make sure that me and ALL of my colleagues (American Medical Association) never frequent this place AGAIN! I'd give 0 stars to this place if I could. This place has gone to trash. BEWARE and STAY AWAY-- spend your money at places that actually want to cater to customers. Too bad your restaurant is culinarily incompetent and remedial and can't make one of the most basic Mexican dish requests. EVERYONE DONT GO TO THIS RESTAURANT. Go to a better restaurant. At this point even Chipotle is more superior to El Compadre! read more

El Compadre - THIS IS WHAT A CHICKEN AND STEAK BURRITO LOOKS LIKE FROM JAVIERS. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I wish i could say horrible service but we never received any!!!. I bought 7 Cadillacs at the bar and waited in the outside area with my family. They told us 30 minute wait time but it was an hour and a half before any attention and we still didn't get at table. We ended up leaving for my mom's birthday. They should've told us from the beginning they were not capable of hosting us. I come here once or twice a week with my wife but we were with kids this time. Seems like the manager is trying to save money and is not hiring enough staff. This is going to cost the business a lot of money in the long run. If you guys would like I can work there for a week and show you guys how it's done. DM ME read more

The vibe is so on point, I tried going back the next day for dinner and they were closed for a film shoot. Skip the lame eateries, eat here

Great vibe plenty of beautiful vampire booths came here a handful of times, nice wait staff Come for the flaming margaritas & pretty good Mexican food haven't found another Cali alternative that's better, so this restaurant is great choice for Mex food drinks read more

El Compadre - Pineapple Jalapeños Margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Haven't been here like in 20 yrs! Stopped by on Friday with a friend because she wanted a Margarita $20!!! She said it was the best Margarita she ever had. It better be for that price. We ate chips and salsa while waiting for our food which took a good 45 min .. Our food was delicious definitely worth the wait. Their prices are on the high side but once in a while if you want to eat good Mexican food i recommend going to El Compadre. Decor is beautiful, nice vibe and ambience the only draw back is the parking depending on what time you go. read more

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I popped in here for a quick dinner before a nearby appointment. I ordered chicken tacos and the were fine, but definitely lacking in some flavor and the tortillas were a bit dry. Customer service was pretty good and the bartender was very friendly and offered me a water while I waited for my food even though I wasn't drinking. It's very dark inside so it took my eyes a while to adjust after walking inside from a bright day outside. The booths/general aesthetic is cute but the floors looked like they could use a deep clean. read more

El Compadre - Inside seating - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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This was our second time at this location. We really love this spot for many reasons: Ambiance- love the red seats and feel of a traditional old town Mexico restaurant. Always very lively, mariachi playing at the center, just a good all around vibe. Service- not sure about some of these reviews but we are always greeted with warm smiles. Food comes out surprisingly fast. And there's always someone there asking if we need refills or how we're doing? Food- Last but not least, the food! Sooo good! Every thing we get has always been piping hot and aesthetically plated and pleasing. Chips and salsa great! Guacamole fresh and chunky! Mole is absolutely amazing!! Milanessa hands down best! Lobster enchilada's are stuffed, no skimp. And there's always someone the margaritas are a whole different paragraph. I'm really shocked by the reviews. My guess is there's a lot of pretentious and annoying people in Hollywood. Gotta see for yourself! This place fucks. read more

We've been coming to El Compadre for about a year now & I decided to switch up my order and I tried the filete de pescado al mojo de ajo, and I must say this was really good and worth the price. The fish filet was tender and flavorful and all the sides were perfect. They also gave me the option to choose between fries and papas rancheras, and I don't regret choosing the papas rancheras. The potatoes were tender and flavorful. We usually get the queso fundido as an appetizer , and I have no complaints. It's one of my favorite things to get every time we visit. We went in yesterday and I will say it was pretty packed for a Monday. We waited for about 20 min but we were attended nicely by the servers, despite the busy business. As for the place, it's always clean, and the environment was very nice. It's perfect for any family dinner, a nice place to catch up or to simply get quality Mexican food for a reasonable price. read more

El Compadre - Filete De Pescado Al Mojo De Ajo - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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It was time to visit one of our favorite restaurants on a rainy Thursday evening. We came in around 7:30 and had to wait about 30 minutes for our booth. It was great to see that on a rainy night, people will come out to this place to get some awesome food. I ordered the shrimp quesadilla and it is so good, full of shrimp in every bite. Really enjoy that food item. The menu is large and it can be overwhelming in deciding what to get. Our server was Leopoldo and he was very nice and provided excellent customer service. The food and restaurant is great and they had live music last night. Fun place to visit. read more

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We were looking for a Mexican restaurant and it was Monday night; therefor we discovered El Coyote was closed (boo-hoo) - so we were trying to find another nearby Mexican restaurant I've seen this restaurant, forever, and never thought to go there; boy, were we in for a surprise. We would pass it frequently when we went to Bonhams on Sunset (yes, yes, before that: Butterfield & Butterfield. The ambience is old school (fabulous deep red Naugahyde booths) along with a truly festive atmosphere, the wait staff were so friendly and attentive, rates were typical (not super expensive but not cheap-cheap), AND last but not least: the food was delicious. We ordered the taco plate with rice and beans and also the sliced brisket dinner (sorry, there's probably a Spanish name for it but it escapes me). The margaritas were better than at El Cholo. Trust me. It was flaming: how cool is that! It happened to be my Birthday and what did I receive? My favorite: flan We can't wait to go back on read more

Great place overall. They offer a lot of drink options and margarita flavors on the rocks or frozen. They also have a ton of menu items. It was very packed for a Saturday night so it felt like a good sign that it was popular. Our servers were super nice and had great customer service. Our drinks were just okay, they did the job and were sweet but not the best. I also thought the food was a little bland and mediocre overall. I felt like seasoning was missing. It didn't feel as authentic as I thought it was going to be so I was a little disappointed in the food. They play music and the atmosphere is great so I will probably try it again, maybe a different dish would be better. I had the two tamales plate and was not as much of a fan of the tamales but the rice and beans were good. We also got complimentary chips and salsa. The salsa was great, but the chips tasted stale. May give it another chance on our next visit to see if other menu items are better. read more

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Love the food, but after driving over an hour to be here at opening, with a reservation, to find them closed and not opening for another 30 minutes. Totally ruined our bday plans as we coordinated to have lunch and get to the spa. They have to do better with communication and having a website that reflects honest operating hours. If they don't open til 11:30, why not call your reserved customer to let them know. read more

unsure why this place has 3.6 stars. i've been there a lot recently, usually on Sundays, and service has been nothing but spectacular. as have the bloody marys, fajitas, albondigas. and carne asada fries. also love the ambiance, too. idk what kind of high maintenance, uppity narcissists go here, but this place rules. read more

Located on the Sunset Blvd corridor, El Compadre Restaurant is just wonderful. Romantic mood lighting is very nice and although this prices are more mid range, I think of it as fine dinning. The service is just so wonderful and the food is amazing. We have been many times, but this is the first time I have gotten to a review. It has arts and crafts of Mexico on the walls. The hand carved wood, with wrought iron chandelier lighting and rustic tiled roofs make for a lovely place to have dinner anytime. There is a dedicated bar area serving full liquor drinks, there is open space seating areas or spacious booth style dining or you can enjoy the patio. All of their food is great. Sometimes we just get a ton of starters to share, but al the full meals are great. We love the guacamole, always made fresh. The quesco Fundido is out of this world with melted mozzarella, quesco oaxaca and chorizo. We also love their fresh shrimp cocktail, with chopped avocado, cilantro, tomatoes and onions in their Special homemade cocktail sauce. If you like nachos, you must try theirs's. It is corn chips covered with cheese, chorizo, and their special sauce, topped with sour cream and guacamole. You can also add steak or chicken if you want. Everyone loves their quesadillas. You can have corn or flour tortilla with melted Monterey Jack cheese with sour cream and guacamole on the side , always on the side. The lobster enchiladas are flour tortillas stuffed with lobster and sautéed vegetables covered in a cream sauce served with white rice, and whole beans and guacamole. I get the sauce on the side. The crabmeat enchiladas, you get two, have ranchera salsa with rice and beans and a side of sour cream and guacamole. it does not matter what you get. It is all great. read more

El Compadre - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California