Lobalita is a new Mexican spot in the Marina that took over the old Tipsy Pig space, so the interior is naturally very spacious and comes with the added bonus of a large, sunny back patio. Seating is self-serve, so we grabbed a table outside to enjoy the nice weather, and our server was prompt with menus, water, and service throughout the meal. Overall this is more of a 3.5 out of 5 but rounding up for the friendly staff and ambience provided by the lovely back patio.
Their cocktail menu looked pretty interesting, and the drinks we ordered were all tasty, clean, and beautifully presented with really vibrant colors. We also started with the seven layer dip, which had a good overall combination of flavors, though I found the bottom layer of pimiento cheese a little strange and not very easy to scoop from the bottom. The chips were crunchy and tasty, but the ratio of chips to dip felt a bit off.
We also shared a couple appetizers. The shrimp aguachile was a big miss for me since it had none of the acidity or spice I associate with aguachile and was instead drowning in an overly sweet mango salsa. The cochinita cakes were more interesting, though I was surprised by the texture since the menu made it sound like a crispy rice patty, but it was actually more like an arancini with its soft, creamy rice center fried into a cake shape. The flavors were pretty good though likewise not something I would order again.
For mains, our table ordered a variety of tacos and enchiladas. The shells in the crispy tacos had an excellent crunch, and the halibut in the Baja taco was flaky, moist, and encased in a really flavorful, well-seasoned batter. The duck carnitas in the patito was tasty and slightly smoky, though I did not enjoy the fig jam pairing since it pushed the dish too far into sweet territory for my taste. It definitely needed to dial down the sweetness and add some acid to better balance the flavors.
We finished with the churros, which were absolutely a highlight. They were fried to perfection with a great balance of salt and sugar, and the coffee crema and caramel dipping sauces were absolutely delicious.
Overall, this is a fun place to hang out, enjoy the weather, and have a few drinks and bites with friends. I would not necessarily seek it out for a serious meal, since the execution is a bit hit or miss and the menu leans pretty heavily into sweetness with very little spice or acid, which was a little disappointing given how those are hallmark flavors to Mexican food. read more