Totally stumbled across this gem of a taco and churro shop when we were walking by towards the…read morebeach. Loved how open the space was, saw a bunch of people enjoying tacos out near the sidewalk (plenty of outdoor and indoor seating), and I was like, I wanna try this place! And so we did! Got a churro to share (it was sliced into two pieces), no topping was necessary and it was deliciously crunchy and tasty. Fresh out of the kitchen and definitely did not taste commercial like other churros sometimes taste. The churro came out after a few minutes and the service at the counter was lovely and patient, even though the line started to get long! Will definitely come by to try their tacos next time!

Yum! This is a great place to go if you're looking for some street tacos. The casual dining…read morerestaurant has picnic tables both indoors and outdoors. You order at the cashier and then pick it up when they call your name. The 12-hour slow-braised Birria is a winner and this is also a go-to place for churros. Sometimes when we grab dinner elsewhere, we'll swing by Papi's for dessert. The food and churros might take more than a few minutes to prepare, but you can peruse at the Paper Source next door or enjoy the fresh air of the open-style restaurant. Delicious!

I visited Bennys in Santa Monica last night and had such a great experience! A special shoutout to…read moreSuki, who was terrific and made the visit even better. I ordered the classic burrito with chicken, and it was absolutely delicious. The portion was huge and so satisfying, and it came with chips and salsa on the side--a great addition to the meal. Between the delicious food, generous portions, and wonderful service from Suki, I'd definitely recommend stopping by. Looking forward to coming back!

disgusting service ever very nasty unfriendly front guy…read more totaly dont care about delivery pick up always not ready at pick up time order not started until i arrived 30 min waiting 1 item horrible horrible service

First time in Santa Monica…read more We went to the beach,skateboarded the pier, and had drinks at whatever bar was open. Stumbled (literally) into this place. We were those annoying customers coming in 2 min before they close. The manager, Lilly, and herb team treated us like family. If they turned us away, I wouldn't even be mad. But to give us amazing service with genuine energy, (chef's kiss)

This is the third Tu Madre I've been to. It's quite busy because a party was booked on the day I…read morewent. This caused a delay in service and wait for food. I don't know how many times I had to waive my hand to get their attention. We had Baja surf tacos, ahi tostada, kanpanchi tostada, the original burrito and red velvet churros for dessert. Everything was delicious.

The food is absolutely amazing here, fresh, authentic, and very delicious!! this is the only place…read morethat you really need to go in Santa Monica. It's AFFORDABLE!. The service is excellent and the ambience is very down to earth and welcoming. The people are very warm, inviting and helpful. I love this place. Highly recommend this place and will definitely come back the next time I'm in Santa Monica.

It was ok... I did order 2 combos and got a half side order…read moreof rice and 3 sides of beans! The carne asada was dry, overcooked for sure. The tortillas were not the business, not my taste in tortillas. $30 with tip, it was edible

I can't recommend La Purépecha Cocina Mexicana enough! If you're looking for authentic Mexican…read morefood, this is the place to go. Everything tasted fresh, flavorful, and homemade tortillas you can truly taste the quality in every bite. I highly recommend the Burrito Mojado with Salsa Verde. It was absolutely delicious! The salsa had the perfect balance of flavor, and the burrito was cooked to perfection. They also have freshly made drinks that were incredibly refreshing and the perfect choice for this hot weather. They paired perfectly with the meal and made the whole experience even better. What really stood out was the outstanding customer service. Everyone greeted us with a smile, was incredibly kind and patient, and took the time to help us choose what to order. You can tell they genuinely care about making every customer feel welcome. The restaurant was also spotless, had a fun and inviting atmosphere, and the music created a great vibe. From the food to the service, everything exceeded my expectations. I'll definitely be coming back and will be recommending this place to all my family and friends. If you're craving authentic Mexican food with amazing service, delicious fresh drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere, don't miss this hidden gem!

What an amazing local gem for good Mexican fare! The tacos are big- if you're used to having 3-4…read moreaverage street tacos, you'll only need 2 here. Packed with protein and flavor. The carnitas is so tender and moist, never dried out. The chilaquiles burrito is incredible!! Pro tip- can request them to sub carnitas for asada, if available, and damn if you're not in for a treat!

Tacos Por Favor offers solid food at reasonable prices. It might not be the best taco spot in LA or…read moresomewhere that I show my out-of-town friends first, but I could see it being a good place to have as a regular lunch spot in the Santa Monica area. A good amount of seating inside, and fast service, which makes it great for small groups or to grab a quick bite and hit the road.

Been coming here a ton. Totally reasonable prices. I've had the mahi mahi burrito, shrimp burrito…read more they've got great veggies in there. I've also had both as a breakfast burrito too which are similar and come with potatoes and eggs. I really like their green salsa, red is a little spicy. I actually like the bag of chips, keeps me portion controlled. Nice size menu. I had the huarache the other day, I enjoyed it, but not as much as the burrito and some other places I've had huarache at. Big venue, order at counter and sit. People behind the counter have been super friendly as is the woman who hands out the food.

Food is very good at this food stall. You can load it up with as much of their toppings at a very…read morereasonable price with a good portion size. Parking should not be an issue. There's no seating but there are tables to use to eat. I would go more frequently if it was closer to me. Staff is very kind and helpful.

I've been to this taco stand & never had a problem. But after getting a carne asada quesadilla and…read morecarne asada taco ($16), that I was unable to eat, because the meat tasted like gas. I had ingested several bites of it, (with hot sauce), but I couldn't take another bite. The meat was chemically contaminated & I got sick not long after for the whole night. It was important for me to tell the person that runs the stand. I had the best of intentions to help this business and wanted nothing in return. I walked up to the stand & asked the woman who takes the cash, (with the sharp eyebrows), if I could please speak to the person in charge, (or owner). At first she ignored me & then said, "I don't understand - no speak English." I asked who speaks English and she sent me to the back of the line by the cooks. I stood there for another 10 minutes and no one wanted to talk to me or answer my question. I told them that there was a big problem with their meat the night before & had brought back the entire meal, so they could try the meat. No one did anything except talk to each other in Spanish, (which I understood). The cook graciously offered me a replacement meal & tried to problem solve. The tall man, who spoke English, (as shown next to cashier Karen in the photo), was going to give me a replacement meal. I waited 15-20 minutes. I asked for the chicken quesadilla, and the vitriol that came out of cashier Karen, who said she didn't speak English was unbelievable. She refused to give me any food and said I had to pay $6 for the replacement taco. I tried to tell her that it was a replacement and she kept yelling aggressively at me and said, "no - you pay $6. You're not getting anything " and that I, "never bought any taco." She became angry and verbally abusive because I was getting a replacement meal, as a solution to my getting chemically poisoned. She was a bully and aggressively yelling at me to humiliate me in front of the other customers & personnel. By this time she had no problem speaking English. (A group of young ladies started talking to me, felt bad that I was the focus of cashier Karen's rudeness. They complimented me & wished me a good night.) The guy next to cashier Karen handed me the bag with the quesadilla. I asked cashier Karen for her name and she ignored me. Then I asked the guy next to her what her name was and he put his hands together like duck lips and rudely opened and closed his hand at me, (meaning that I'm talking to much) This was extremely inappropriate & as soon as I left, I threw the food out, because I didn't trust or hold it past any of them to have put something nasty in my food. By the way, there was never a possibility that I would be refunded. By this time I was so upset, I was sorry that I had generously tipped them the night before. Even cashier Karen's response to the tip had been of surprise; but then I remembered she had not even acknowledged it or said thank you, after receiving it. What this staff does not, is that I owned and operated a successful fine dining restaurant & wedding venue for 17 years. I have done consulting for small restaurant businesses, pro bono, in order for the businesses to financially thrive. I know how food is cooked, how it should be stored, when the oil needs to be changed, marketing, accounting, et al., as well as the health dept's requirements, in order to keep the public healthy and well. What I believe happened to the meat and reason I took my food back to the taco stand; is because they had been out of chicken. Since there was a meat shortage, more carne asada needed to be barbecued quickly. An abundance of lighter fluid was used to quicken the process & it possibly got on the grill, where the meat is placed; and the cooking process started well before the coals were ready. It shouldn't matter whether you go to a restaurant, food truck or taco stand, customers should be treated with respect, kindness & consideration - and it's called customer service. A customer shouldn't be lied to, yelled at, insulted and humiliated by any employee of the business. It should be run in a transparent and professional manner. I'm 64 yrs young & have never written one negative comment or review about any restaurant. Nor have I ever been treated with such disrespect, malice and ill intent. I felt it important to tell my story because nobody should experience what I did; in eating compromised food and then being made to feel like I did something bad. This is what bullies do and I've never had a problem in clarifying right from wrong, as well as responsibility and accountability. I didn't have a choice and had to give a star.

Great stand with great food!! The red and green sauces are outstanding!…read moreWaiting for my quesadilla as I type this! Can't wait!!

Convenient location by Santa Monica Pier but that is about it…read more Tacos were dry and while not bad per say, also nothing special and can find better food for much better prices. Came here with native Mexicans who said that the birria did not taste authentic at all. Overpriced, certainly for the quality of food but guess you are paying for the location. Charged $17 for 3 birria tacos. No signage of the pricing on the truck so unsure if this is consistent. They have stools and a small floating bar if you want to grab a quick bite by the truck. Seems that most of the rave reviews were from the years prior, perhaps quality or pricing has changed.

I checked out this place while visiting Santa Monica Beach after a friend recommended it!…read more Since my friend is a big foodie, I had high expectations! The salad in the first photo had an amazing Southeast Asian twist, and I absolutely loved it! Definitely coming back!

I've been coming to Blue Plate Taco for years, and that's what makes this review a little…read moredisappointing to write. I remember coming here and genuinely enjoying the food, especially their filet mignon tacos. Those tacos were fire--full of flavor and one of the things that made this spot stand out to me. At some point, the menu changed, and unfortunately, I don't think the food has been the same since. The tacos I had on my most recent visit just didn't have the same flavor or impact that I remember. It's not that everything was terrible, but when you've been somewhere before and remember how good it used to be, the difference is noticeable. What once felt like a place I would happily recommend now feels much more average. Honestly, based on my most recent experience, you might be better off finding a good taco truck if your priority is flavorful tacos. That's a tough thing for me to say because I genuinely enjoyed Blue Plate Taco in the past. The one thing that absolutely hasn't changed is the location. Being right across from the Santa Monica Pier is a huge plus. You can see the beach from your seat, and the atmosphere and setting make it a great place to sit, relax, and enjoy the Santa Monica scenery. If you're looking for a restaurant with a great location and a beachside experience, it definitely has that going for it. For me, though, the food is the deciding factor, and unfortunately, this visit didn't live up to what I remember. I really hope they consider bringing back some of the flavor and creativity that made the menu special in the first place--especially those filet mignon tacos. I'm always happy to give restaurants credit when they deliver, but I also think it's important to be honest when something has changed. I used to recommend Blue Plate Taco, but based on my most recent experience, it's no longer a place I would go out of my way to recommend for the food.

Had to stop half way though the shrimp burrito to assert this is pretty all time! The rice is spicy…read morewith a pleasant edge,the beans are mellow and the shrimp is slightly citrusy and crunchy while there are tiny bits of fresh mango ... it's like this perfect melange. Get the green salsa which is perfect so fresh and bright. Not expecting to be so happy on a late Monday afternoon!

Oh man never expected such a lovely find on the westside. I had low expectations on my walk over,…read morebut upon stepping inside and seeing how much time they put into everything they cook, I was excited. I got the clasico with extra veggies. You do need the salsa to spice it up and they offered us a mild salsa and a spicier one. I went with the more mild one which handed a perfect tiny kick and some extra punch per bite. It was all so delicious; I wanted to hold off reviewing till I could try a few more items, but I'm not in the area enough for that hahaha. But 100% give this place a try! Oaxacan food without having to drive further east? Honestly amazing ahahah!