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    La Playa

    3.2 (423 reviews)
    ModerateMexican, Sports Bars

    La Playa Photos

    LA PLAYA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Loud
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Diablo shrimp, rice and beans
    Charlotte M.

    My fiancé and I had a little get away weekend and were craving Mexican food. Walking in we were greeted and told we can grab a table then return to the counter the order, simple enough! The staff dropped off our chips and salsa + our drinks. The service was quick. The atmosphere was chill even when it was football Sunday which was nice. We absolutely loved the food. Each item we ordered was flavorful!

    Pollo verde
    Clifford W.

    Parking tight today because nicer weather and surfers in wet suits taking many mall parking spots. Beef enchilada was good, sour cream and guacamole on top in bed of tomato sauce. Chile relleno fill with cheeses inside of Anaheim chile, with sour cream guacamole on top in tomato sauce bed. A little doughy but okay. Fish n chips were still crispy, several pieces of cod, sauces (3) tartar, vinegar, catsup was very good. Flautas (3) rice n beans was very good, crisp, sauced well. Pollo Verde was tasty, sauced with tomatillo sauce, rice n beans and flour tortilla on side. Self service ( get table, get menu, make your order at order desk, pay, get number, server will bring order to table). Ambiance is casual, indoor and outdoor seating.

    Chile verde dinner plate
    Sean F.

    La Playa is the best Mexican food joint in the sleepy little beach town of Pacifica. The quality of food and chill atmosphere make for an enjoyable experience on any evening or weekend, and the staff does a decent job of servicing the register and bringing dishes, chips and salsa, and drinks to guests after they're seated. It can be on the expensive side for Mexican food, but the dishes come with all the accoutrements - rice, beans, guacamole, salsa, lettuce, and really fluffy corn or flour tortillas. The restaurant is situated in a small strip of store fronts and food spots off Highway 1, right by the Pacifica state beach. True to its name, and because it's got a fairly large parking lot for the 6-7 businesses that occupy the space, sometimes it can be tough to find parking on a nice day where everyone wants to be by the water. Still, during regular weekday business hours there's no issue finding a spot to park and walk in. Similarly on a Friday or Saturday night the restaurant can be quite busy, especially since it has a bar area where people can stand and order drinks without being seated, but I've not seen this area become so busy that it's a nuisance to guests who are there to dine. I've read some other reviews complaining about the staff, but I haven't experienced any negativity first hand. The handful of times I've been to La Playa, the man at the front register was smiley and friendly. It should be noted that not all the staff speak English, and that might be the source of some of the "service-related issues" that other reviews complain about. But for me this is a good thing, as I like a Mexican restaurant that employs people who truly get the Mexican food experience. Of course, the food is the spotlight. I typically get the chile verde dinner plate and not only is it quite enormous, but it's some of the best chile verde meat I've had in recent times. It's tender and flavorful with just the right amount of kick. Since it comes with all the sides and some delicious tortillas, I end up eating 5+ tacos that I make myself off the plate every time I go. It's delicious and I leave satisfied every time. Pro-tip: chips and salsa are free, so keep asking for more and more and they'll keep bringing it out. Don't feel bad gorging yourself on their tasty chips.

    Chile verde plate
    Alycia D.

    First impressions walking into this place seemed a bit sketchy. It's a bar full of very loud people in a room that echos. Although the walls are painted beautifully, it seemed like there was dirt marks on the walls. The place looked a bit old and dirty. There's no service available here, you buy your drinks from the bar and order food from the cashier. While there they also cleaned the restrooms, which was nice to know they were clean. But the smell of bleach filled the whole restaurant and was very unappetizing while eating dinner. I was pleasantly surprised by the food! It was very delicious! Everything tasted home made and reminded me of authentic Mexican food. The food made up for the lack of appearance. The chips were stale but the food was hot. I got a green chile platter with rice, beans and fresh tortillas on the side. The beer was also served by the pitchers or in bottles and they had a lot of cocktails to choose from.

    This is how the owner deals with constructive criticism.
    Carson S.

    We originally wanted to go to Burger Board but due to the area being so close to the beach, it was extremely busy and there wasn't seating for our large party. So we decided to go to La Playa instead because it was a bit emptier. When you walk up, they tell you to order at the counter and then find whatever table is available. You block the exit as you're standing at the counter looking at the menu so lots of people will be sliding by you to leave, which is okay, but you can't help feeling a bit in the way. As a Type 1 diabetic, I asked if there was nutrition information available so I could count carbohydrates correctly. I was shut down immediately with a "No. We don't do that here." That was a little off-putting to me, especially with the rude delivery of the man standing behind the register, but I shook it off and proceeded to order the Grilled Chicken dinner plate with a salad (which they only charge 1.25 for and it is good!!!) If you're lactose intolerant, beware that they do add cheese to this salad, yet another thing they don't put on the menu that could cause a problem for those with food sensitivity. My family pushed some tables together and we were able to sit comfortably and enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant while we waited. The food came out pretty quickly and the food runner was amazing, dashing around and handing everyone their orders. Those of us who ordered waters did have to wait an additional five minutes after the food was served to get our drinks, even after reminding the food runner, but he was so busy that it was understandable that he forgot. He seemed to be the only person coming out from behind the counter to help guests so shout out to him! Our table ordered a variety of dishes: the nachos, the burgers and fries, and the bean and cheese burrito. I have to admit, the food was pretty good! 7.5/10. However, the service is why I knocked my review down to three stars. I think this restaurant could benefit from a more traditional, sit-down kind of service and it would allow the awesome food runner to become an even more awesome server and receive tips for his hard work. Secondly, the front of house guy who takes orders needs a bit more customer service training because his gruff demeanor and dismissal of me when I asked for help navigating my disability is the thing that I will remember the most from this experience. For those with diabetes, food allergies, or other sensitivities - this might not be the best spot for you as they will not provide any nutritional info about what they're serving. For those who can process food regularly and aren't looking for a dining experience where you have a waiter - you will enjoy yourself! Edit: Based on the other reviews, I knew the owner was rude but wow! Dropping my review to two stars. You clearly took what you wanted from this review rather than reading the facts stated. 1. It was carbohydrate content, not calories, that I needed. 2. There was no line out the door. There were people leaving the restaurant, but my family were the only people coming in to order. We were nothing less than kind and patient, it was your employee who was curt. 3. If you cannot accept constructive criticism about your business without becoming defensive and rude, you are going to continue to lose customers and get horrible reviews. Your explanation about a lack of employees makes sense (especially based on the way you're accused of treating them) and would have sufficed without the "don't tell me how to run my business" tacked on the end. I hope God continues to bless your business and move in your life because the attitude that you have is truly deplorable.

    Shrimp & Fried Fish Super Tacos
    Joanna D.

    When you enter, you pay first then seat yourself. Pay in cash to avoid a 4% charge on your card. There is 2 separate lines, one for the food, the other for the bar in the back. Bring another person with you at the bar if you have more than 2 drinks or the pitcher for help to bring back to the table. As for the food, I thought they would be small but they're actually big which is great but I should have just ordered one super taco. Taste is good & crunchy. The design of this restaurant is cultural & nice.

    Carne Asada Salad with slices tomatoes and avocados on a bed of lettuce with ranch dressing.
    Cid Y.

    This time, unlike the last, I remembered to take out my camera before l dug into eat my meal, and the fellow at the table next to me asked if he could take a picture too, to send to his girlfriend! Once again, l could only finish half, so l'll have more for the next day again.

    nachos in a styrofoam container

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    6 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    La P.

    Awwww! Thank you! Next time ur in town come by and I’ll buy u a soup.

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    4 days ago

    I really miss this place. Im hoping it opens soon! Great food, great barNever disappoints. Love the skirt steak burrito and other things.

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    6 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Giving a 5 to compensate for all the neggos out there. This place deserves to be a 4. Good, authentic food.

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    10 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    Helpful 5
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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    We love this restaurant. The portions are so generous and food is very flavorful and we always have such a great time here watching games

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

    Superb Mexican food. Even the salsa is wonderful. Carne Asad salad. Shrimp tacos, chili colorado,.... all great!!

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    2 years ago

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    7 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Just no. If you're looking for good Mexican food this is not the place sorry. The service could be better.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

    Fun and friendly place. When it's busy, there will be a little bit of a wait to order. Great for game night.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

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    3 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    This place is amazing! Idk what people are talking about them being pricey. Prices are fine and food is great! I highly recommend this spot!

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 11

    Ask the Community - La Playa

    Are they making corned beef and cabbage burritos this year for St. Patrick's Day?

    Yes! If u follow us on Instagram or FB- Laplaya restaurant we post. Thanks!!

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    Maybe my worst restaurant experience in my many years of eating across the world. I waited 15…read moreminutes at a table. No one came. I finally went up to the bar and the young female bartender came over finally and said "so what do you want quote? I said I would like a menu. She rolled her eyes and walked away. I asked her where on the list where the draft beers at this pub She said they were not listed. I said how many do you have she said four I said how many IPAs she said two. Her voice that whole time was abrupt and nasty. Maybe it was because I'm an old man with a ponytail and looking around the restaurant I saw no one black, brown, or dark. The room was blaring loud. Filled with screens of sport activities, and Fox News. The bartender asked me questions and kept asking me to repeat obviously, it was hard to hear. On one occasion she asked a question and I shook my head. She said "please answer my question . Don't just shake your head at me! " when I expressed this pleasure, she said, "I'm not serving you. get out of here!" I spoke to the manager quietly in the corner. She was very nice. She apologized to me and right after she apologized to me a man twice my size covered with tattoos came over and said "get the fuck out of here! "Stop your yelling "I asked the manager if I was yelling and she said no. I left. I could go on, but will not. If this is the type of restaurant with an atmosphere and attitude and environment you want be sure to go here. If not, follow my lead and stay away.

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    Stopped here while walking around the neighborhood on a warm weekday - San Francisco was in the…read moremiddle of a heat wave, so it felt like the perfect excuse to stop for a cold beer (or three). I actually used to live in the neighborhood and the last time I came here was back in the '80s, and it's great to see that it really hasn't changed much at all. The bartender was friendly and they had a good selection of beers on tap and in bottles. I stuck with beer, while my wife ordered a vodka soda and appreciated the generous pour. Overall, a great neighborhood bar to cool off and relax. Nice to see some places in the city stay true to themselves

    La Playa - mexican - Updated May 2026

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