Upscale Mexican with a polished feel. It's recognized by the Michelin Guide, and a strong choice when you want Mexican food that feels elevated without losing soul. I remember everything being outstanding, though I'll admit I was there with a very good friend and the chef was giving us free drinks (samples!) with every dish. Good times! read more

The house margarita is solid, the chips and salsa could be a meal in itself, and the tacos are beautiful and taste good too. Service is friendly and professional, the bar is casually elegant, the main dining room is intimate with views of the open kitchen and the covered outdoor patio is good for large groups. We know we are going to have a good experience there each time we return. read more

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Sadly, I was disappointed with my meal at Playa. We came yesterday for lunch and were so excited to try it since every time we wanted to come they were closed. I ordered the Bendictos and my boyfriend got the Al Pastor Chilaquiles. It took 25+ minutes to get our food and they weren't busy. We noticed other tables who arrived quite a bit after us received their food before we got ours. My Benedictos was nothing special. The English muffin was yummy, but was so hard to cut through with the knife. The slice of ham also had a very processed taste. The potatoes weren't crispy at all. My boyfriend's chilaquiles were good but nothing special. The ambiance inside is nice but doesn't make up for the food and prices. I was really hoping to love Playa, but based on my experience I can't understand how it's a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant. read more

Good ambiance and environment. We had a reservation and still had to wait for a table. The staff was friendly but they sat us at a shared table and kept giving our food to the other party. I didn't love that you have to pay for chips and salsa, guac I get, but not just basic chips. The food was solid, we got two orders of the tacos and two spicy margs. For $18 for two tacos you'd think it would come with more meat or a side, so seemed a little pricey for what the portions were. read more

Playa - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Who doesn't love a good Margarita with a yummy taco or 2???! We walked in around 4:30 pm for an early dinner and asked for a table in the back. It wasn't busy so the hostess was able to accommodate us. We ordered: Guacamole & Chips 5/5 The Three Cheese Dip 5/5 Pork & Beef Meatballs 5/5 1 Birria Taco 5/5 1 Baja Cod Taco 5/5 And I got a house margarita, ofc:) 5/5 *Everything was delicious. The service was good. I loved the "conservatory" feeling of the back area but the acoustics were terrible. Very loud even though it wasn't even full yet. *No Happy Hour here *Pricey menu *Street parking read more

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We recently had dinner here and unfortunately the experience was disappointing. The atmosphere was nice and our waiter was pleasant, but the food was very poor. I ordered the chile relleno and it was stuffed mostly with beans and potatoes. The beans tasted like they were a couple of days old, and the potatoes were slightly hard and also had that "old food" taste. Whatever else was inside had almost no flavor. I also ordered a carnitas taco. It arrived with double tortillas but everything -- including the pork -- was ice cold. I sent it back and the second one came with only one tortilla and was slightly better, but still cold. My husband ordered the chicken enchiladas. The chicken was dry, not tender, and had very little flavor. It came with rice but no beans. The margarita was also disappointing -- it tasted very watered down with barely any tequila. Nice atmosphere and friendly service, but the food quality was not good. Unfortunately, we will not be returning. read more

Really great place! We sat in the covered patio and really liked the vibe. Had the chips and guac and the Enchiladas de Mole Negro. Mole was super flavorful. Service was quick and attentive. read more

Playa - Enchiladas de Mole Negro - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Good food. Terrible attitude from the woman who is the hostess. At least on Friday nights. No smile no nothing, just "we need the table by 6:45." Why have that kind of service when you're trying to attract business? read more

TLDR: Great space for large groups and casual eats that are taken up a notch. Nothing blew me away but everything was pretty good. Loved that everything from the perfectly fried tortilla chips to the piping hot cookie platter dessert was made fresh right before being brought out. ------ FOOD: 1. Queso (5/5) - The best thing of the night! Creamy, packed with flavor, and went perfectly with their chips I don't think this dish comes with chips itself) 2. Guac and Chips (5/5) - Guac has a really great acidity. Pairs really well with the tortilla chips (this DOES come with chips). I'd skip the trio of salsas personally and just get this. 3. Tres Leches Cake (4.5/5) - Has great, toasted marshmallow fluff on top the cake slice and I absolutely loved the nuts and large chocolate+toffee bits sprinkled around the plate. I wish the cake had more tres leches. 4. Suadero Taco (Brisket) (4/5) - an order of tacos is just 1 taco, but this taco was loaded up with brisket. The brisket was pretty good but there was so much that I couldn't easily hold the taco to eat. The taste of brisket was also the only thing I could really taste so the flavor was pretty one-note. 5. Enchiladas de Mole Negro (4/5) - just had a bite but this was solid. The mole was great. Corn tortilla was probably thicker than I would have preferred personally. 6. Warm cookies and milk (4/5) - these came out PIPING hot and I loved the concept with a glass of milk. It smelled heavenly but I wasn't the biggest fan of the cookies themselves, though at least more buttery than overly sweet. The milk definitely improved the cookies. Hard to share this dessert with the milk because the glass doesn't allow for dipping. 7. Ahi tostadas (3/5) - comes with three smaller tostadas bs one big one. Somehow these didn't taste like anything, even with large dollops of chili crisp on top 8. Crudo (3/5) - I didn't love it 9. Ceviche (3/5) - too fishy for me ------ SERVICE: We were a large group so hard to say normally. They were a bit slow at first but that's totally understandable. There were quite a few times when we asked for things that never arrived but again, I know it's hard with a bigger group. ------ AMBIANCE / ENVIRONMENT: I loved the space! Cozy and lovely inside, plus a great heated and enclosed area in the back with long tables that can accommodate very large groups. The have lots of powerful space heaters and fire pits back here which help a lot, but beware they have a back door that's open to the outside and still lets in a lot of cold air to be prepared for if you sit by it. read more

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The food quality, taste, presentation, service and ambience were all a 5 star for me. The grilled chicken in the "chef's salad" was the best I've had in recent memory. The aguachile was absolutely devine as was the tortilla soup. Overall, one of the best meals I've had in a long time. read more

Playa - Covered patio with chef's salad. - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Returned again for dinner with friends. Still great food and service. Something about the chips has changed, good but not great like before. read more

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My server was great. She recommended the shrimp app. It smoked. Got the mole enchiladas also very good. Rockin good, great service. read more

My second visit. Great food and an even better atmosphere! Best seating is in the covered. patio in the back. It is where it's happening!

70's and 80's this place was Sonapa Farms Cafe and it was a great place. Now we have $10 tacos, what a joke. Four of us at a table 5pm. drinks and appetizers. A little over an hour later the waiter says he has a reservation for this table at 6:30pm? So he wanted us to leave because we were not ordering enough I guess. If true, then mention it before you seated us. Rudest thing and never going back. read more

Service was great! We actually moved tables twice to find our perfect spot and the staff was super accommodating the whole time. The ambiance was really nice and made for a pleasant evening. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the food was extremely spicy, I could barely get through my fish taco. Just a heads-up if you're sensitive to spice. On the bright side, the ceviche was fresh and delicious, definitely worth trying! read more

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I drive from San Francisco to eat here. That's all you need to know. Food, drinks, service, overall vibe - it's exactly what we deserve as people who love sensational contemporary Mexican food. I will be coming to Playa for as long as it exists (hopefully forever)! read more

This beautiful restaurant is truly a GEM‼‼ I happened upon it on a Sunday morning and enjoyed a delightful breakfast. Why not start with a Hibiscus Mimosa! Good idea! Follow with the Chilaquiles Classico. Perfection! My server, Sergio, was attentive, friendly and professional. This solo diner was well taken care of. I would return often if I didn't live 500 miles away! read more

Playa - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

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Playa in Mill Valley is such a fun spot! The vibe is lively, the margaritas are strong, and the food is super tasty, loved the tacos and ceviche. read more

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I walk past Playa at least twice a day. When it's closed you can see drinking glasses out on the tables overnight, gathering dust -- they don't even bother turning them upside down. Sums the place up. I've been a few times and it just feels like another missed opportunity for a great spot in Mill Valley. The exteriors -- particularly the charming entrance on Throckmorton near the confusingly-kerned sign for either "Salt and Sand" or "Slut and Sand", but also the long path off the town square -- are stylish and inviting. The interior of course maintains the owners' bizarre fixation with giant TVs showing sports, and a lot of deference is given to the enormous, sleek bar that rather looms over the dumpy little kindergarten tables. Covers are densely packed, but the large space and high ceilings mean it's not as deafeningly loud as other places in town from the same group. But, as ever with this crew, it is a totally soulless-feeling space, and both entrances feel as though they ought to lead to a better restaurant. Staff are brisk and attentive, even if they leave your glass out overnight to gather dust. Service at the tables is rapid and reasonably friendly. The hosts seat you promptly if charmlessly. This is a better oiled machine than Bungalow 44, certainly. The drinks are quite good: it's a busy bar but they come quickly, are generous pours, and show a little flair. Someone in there knows what they're doing. (Maybe they could have a word about not leaving glassware out overnight in a restaurant with giant glass windows on a busy thoroughfare?) The food is, at its best, completely unremarkable. I've asked a few different waiters what I should get -- for a restaurant to exist it feels like it should have a standout dish representative of the chef's menu that it is known for -- and get various equivocal answers each time. There just isn't anything truly interesting or good on the menu as far as I can tell. It arrives quickly and looks neat and tidy and tastes fine in a fairly joyless way. Nothing stands out, nothing feels lovingly made or delightful. This joylessness is at the heart of it all, really. The place smacks of, "You know what would get a lot of families through the door? Mexican food!" rather than an authentic love of the cuisine and burning desire to share it with a community. And it transmits through every aspect of the place when it's open--from staff to ambiance to menu--and continues even when Playa is closed all day on Mondays; the 48hr slow-dusted place settings sitting out for all to see, shaving precious minutes of costly prep time for the front of house staff. You can feel the commercial calculation throughout: the giant TV ruining the ambiance so dads can keep half an eye on the game, the vast menu covering all the bases without anything in particular to say. Nobody is here for love or community, it's all aimed at being totally OK enough for nobody to argue too hard when someone says "What about Playa?" Overall, Playa feels like someone who doesn't particularly understand or care about restaurants trying to recreate something they saw in the Mission once a long time ago, from memory, whilst wearing a blindfold. It's the Mexican restaurant you might imagine contestants on The Apprentice opening to show Donald Trump they understand margins and turning around covers and bringing in foot traffic. On that level it appears to succeed: it's packed to the rafters every day, dads uniformly seated so that the TV is over their kids' shoulders, eating food they won't remember the next day and getting buzzed from the talented bartenders' capable work, all the while sipping their dusty water from their dusty glasses. And every day I walk past and long for the Mission, where restaurants need a reason to exist, and pointless minor league joints like this would wither on the vine and be rapidly replaced by a labor of love from somebody who has something to say about food, rather than an excel spreadsheet tracking their margins. But Playa will never change, never close, and we will never know what might have been possible in this very fine space for a restaurant. read more

Playa - Glasses collecting dust. - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

We love Playa and dine there often. The ambiance is wonderful. You can bring your pup and sit in the covered patio that's a bonus The food is great .... Love the tacos and the guacamole is delicious. Service excellent ... Dionne &Charles read more

Playa - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Such delicious tacos! That's all I've tried on the menu, but I'm sure the other items on the menu are great too. And their service is always so friendly and professional. read more

I'm still thinking about the dish I ate....beans and meat served in a small bowl from the appetizer menu. I've been watching a streaming special called "Knife Edge"...chasing a Michelin star, so now I know what a "Bib Gourmand " is. This great little restaurant has one and fully deserved it. I will be coming back. read more

It's time for an update to Playa Mill Valley. We are here regularly because the food, drinks and atmosphere are consistent, so much so that it's become a local favorite for our family. Our go-to orders include their various tacos (shrimp, pastor & veggie are good) chopped salad with vegetables and tortilla strips and steak added and their starters, particularly their ceviche, enchiladas, house made chips and queso fundido. They have a full bar, and their cocktails and food make for a good spot for connecting with friends. If you come Friday through Sunday, or for dinner be sure to make a reservation. read more

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It was a pretty good food, no complaints there. Loved the smokin' mirrors drink. The salsas were very good, we enjoyed it Very loud but fun atmosphere. The one thing that annoyed me was that I ordered a house well vodka club soda. He misheard me, brought me a topo Chico. Then we cleared up the mishap and he brought me a vodka club soda. I realized after leaving the restaurant that he charged me for grey goose vodka, extra for club soda and then additionally charged me for the topo Chico that I didn't drink - I ended up paying $21 for a vodka club soda. Not that big of deal, but suboptimal read more

Playa - As you can see, charged for topo Chico (which I didn't order) as well as grey goose after I ordered just a house well vodka - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

I think that this is good but there is not one item that I crave . Overall good food great ambiance however I always look at the menu and wonder what should I get ? And the process is not a light weight one . I would love it if they added an enchilada dish with green sauce and chicken, I wouid be one happy customer! read more

Absolutely amazing service and food! Great ambience and is a definite "yes" when craving Mexican food in downtown Mill Valley! read more

Playa - Tres Leches Cake - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

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Came for lunch with a friend on a Friday right when they opened. After a hike around Old Mill Park with my dog, we made our way downtown to Playa. Greeted immediately and taken to the covered back patio which was dog friendly. Server came quickly and took our drink orders and answered questions. My friend is mainly a pescatarian so the many fish based options were a plus. We decided to share the himachi starter with habanero ash. There were four small pieces of fresh fish with small pieces of melon, cucumber, some lime juice and olive oil dusted with the ash. Very high quality ingredients made for a tasty dish and the ash gave a nice kick of heat that was subtle at first but creeped up a bit - you need to like heat if you get this. It wasn't crazy hot but was not mild. I mixed two tacos - the yellow tail and the al pastor. The al pastor had big chunks of pineapple that I didn't love, but the meat was tasty. The tortillas are house made so they were fresh and delicious. The yellowtail with salsa and crema was excellent. These are the small size tacos, but delicious and filling. Nice to have such a good quality restaurant that is dog friendly in Mill Valley. Would definitely return. read more

We used to absolutely love Playa. The food and service were always fantastic. The last few times we've gone, though, while the food has continued to be great, the service has really been lacking. Case in point: on our last visit, it took 20 mins for someone to come by with water and take drink orders, then my drink was done incorrectly and had to be sent back 3 times, we had 4 different servers and it seemed none of them actually had any interest in our table. At the end of the night, we got the bill and were charged for all 3 drinks that were prepared incorrectly and had to go through a whole process to remove them from the bill. Playa, we love the food, but you guys have lost your service awesomeness :( read more

The octopus should be called chard octopus. The portion is minuscule. .The ceviche was mediocre at best. Good place for people in heat looking for company who don't pay attention to the food. $150 for 2 appetizers, 3 tacos, beer, margarita and soda, I thought Restoration Hardware was a rip-off. I'll have to go back when I get divorced and am in heat read more

Playa - Chard Octopus - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

Delicious food, drinks, ambience, and attentive staffing. The most delicious Mexican vegan entree I've ever had is the Chile Relleno with tofu chorizo, cashew crema, and puréed black beans -- and that's coming from a meat eater! Highly recommend this dish. read more

Playa - La Tropical (sweet and salty!) - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

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Ambience of the restaurant was nice and we got there at 5:10 which wasn't too busy yet. We decided to sit out as weather was beautiful today. The hostess told offered us a high table which I was quite surprised, cuz I was with my friend who is 90 yrs old, I politely declined as to that wasn't a great idea. Really surprised they would offer a senior a high table?? Anyhow, she gave us a communal table at the end and that was fine but friend was having a hard time getting in due to bench style (picnic table) bench/chair. We ordered chips and salsa and drinks. Chops was very thick which I didn't really care for, prefer the lighter crispy ones. Drinks (Margarita and Bay Fog) was pretty good. It's Tuesday so they have happy hour and taco Tuesday. Steak taco was okay, Baja fish (fried Cod) which I enjoyed and the grilled octopus was disappointing (not sure if I taste much or any octopus in the mini taco) kinda disappointing! Dessert (Tres Leches cake) was pretty good. Not sure I would go back, the vibes was nice, food okay but the tables and chairs wasn't too comfy. read more

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Gorditas $18. Not enough to feed my five year old. This place has some good things and some mediocre. It's overpriced and I never leave satisfied. read more

We've eaten at Playa quite a few times since we moved to Marin in 2018. Always great service, friendly waiters/waitresses, and good food.

On a solo adventure I decided to explore mill valley, and was looking for a good dinner spot. I grabbed a spot at the bar, and the bartenders were very attentive. The interior was colorful and bright with really beautiful light fixtures, and then they had a large semi outdoor seating area that was inviting. I ordered a lager and chips and guac to start. All arrived super quickly. The guac was excellent! I had two tacos for dinner, one Baja fish taco which was super fresh and delicious, and then a birria taco which was also delicious. I wish we had tacos this good where I live! read more

Playa - Chips and guac salsa and lager - Mexican Near Me - Mill Valley, California

It was good and excellent service. The food was tasty. Menu had changed so that was ok but a bit disappointing. Tostadas were small. Tacos are a single one. Bowls/ entrees the biggest Entrees. Desserts are ok but no more a few favorites. read more

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A Michelin-guide recommended Mexican spot... with some really good dishes (a divine tuna tostada) and a lot of dishes that are "Mexican for white people" dishes. The ambiance is incredible; it's exciting and lively and crowded, and in quiet Mill Valley, this is an exciting food destination. But the food was just average. Nothing inspired me too much (the chips were good, but a little crackly, and the salsa flights were jus fine, the brussels sprouts were over-sauced, and the tacos were adequate but a bit bland). I enjoyed my main (scallops) and my partner liked his dish, but it was too much food and not enough flavor overall. We skipped dessert. It's a great neighborhood spot, but it's not a destination. read more

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Mill Valley, Ca. Convivial and vibrant. That's what this place is. We happened to wander through here from the back entrance where we were parked, heading to the Paseo. We asked to hostess if we could get served without a reservation and she offered up two seats at the chefs counter immediately. This is the place to sit and watch the amazing show of their well oiled machine. From the prep to the various cooks and the manager, everyone knew exactly what to do. The manager attended to us personally as well as the waiter, Louis, who was really attentive and informative. He attended to us with alacrity and friendliness. BBQ short rib tacos were not to be had tonight but the birria tacos were to die for. I know $9 for a small taco is a bit much but in this case I wouldn't hesitate. House made blue corn tortillas with tender birria beef and a dipping consume. I had two and that was good enough so I could sample other wares. The mini ahi tostadas are yummy and the grilled poblano's are great. The place is huge and bustling with a party like vibe. read more

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Over cooked rice, boring presentations, uncomfortable seating, extremely loud. Yes, it is fun to meet friends but girl sports team doing cheers in the restaurant? High prices should offer more to patrons and better service. read more

I dropped in for a lunch order of Enchiladas Mole - what I received were two thick corn tortillas with about three ounces of chicken, onions and jalepeno covered on a large plate with just enough mole... no dressing up... no nothing... had hot water nothing else... total price $27..38.. 22.00 plus 4% employee fund for medical and tax . I was stunned how skimpy the plate was. Super expensive - for a small portion very little food Waiter was fine - but other than hot water delivered, no chips, no salsa, no nothing... some one else delivered food. I did tip him $3.00 as they include a 98cent employee surplus that was taxable a convenient surplus charge probaby since COVID...($4.00 tip) A total rip off lacking gracious hospitality around a generous food portion. You know my answer - never again read more

I had the Chile relleno. It tasted like a pile of paste. Tasteless, dry and unidentifiable. Wait staff very good.