Palmilla Cocina Y Tequila

You Manhattan Beach yuppies need to calm down with your Unilocal reviews! I created a Unilocal just to talk about my favorite places that I go too and this is definitely number one on my list! The service is absolutely impeccable. Beginning with the hostesses, they are so nice and sweet! The servers are always so attentive and well-​informed. The food comes out quickly and is the best Mexican food I’ve ever had! The place is always cleaned up in a rapid manner and did I mention EYE CANDY. I would eat here everyday if I could but unfortunately I don’t have thousands of dollars to blow out of my ass like you Unilocalers who think you have the right to give this amazing place 1 star!!! Good job guys the service and food is hands down the best I’ve ever experienced!

The atmosphere is fun, the waitstaff were engaging, friendly and attentive, and the margaritas were awesome! The food was very good, too. I’d say that it’s a fun place to go with a friend or for a date.
Why did I give it three stars, then? When I go to a place that has two $$ listed in Unilocal,I expect, as Unilocal says, to be able to have a meal and a drink for less than $ 30. Not the most expensive meal, mind you, nor the most expensive drink, nor more than one drink — just a meal and a drink. However, you cannot order a meal and a drink and settle your bill for $ 30.
This is definitely a three $$$ place.

Holy shit. What do I say. I have been eating Palmilla for 2 years now and can’t believe I haven’t written a review. This dawned on me today while telling my table Palmilla completely destroys most restaurants in the South Bay. Let me tell you, when you leave you will want to walk back to the kitchen and give a standing ovation and give the bartenders a hard thumbs up and enthusiastic high five. This restaurant, the food, the drinks, the service is absolutely fantastic. THANK YOU.

My girls and I were looking for a place to have some good drinks without having to wait in a long line to do so. After waiting in line for American Junkie for about 5 minutes we decided to walk and see what else the pier had in store. We walk up to this cute bar/​restaurant and immediately feel comfortable as we walk in and we are greeted by bartenders and servers. There was hip hop music blaring (definitely a plus) and good vibes everywhere. I will most definitely be returning soon. Thank you to everyone who was so sweet to us last night during our visit.

This is an awesome place right on the pier on Hermosa Beach. They start by bringing you complimentary warm homemade tortillas with different salsas and butters. The tortillas are thin but chewy and a perfect start to the meal. We got margaritas which were top notch (only wish it was a bigger serving). Speaking of servings, the food servings were large. Pretty much every dish comes with a giant glob of avocado which made me happy. I got the short rib nachos which were smothered in melted cheese, tons of meat and a mound of chips. All of our food was delicious.
It is a small spot with both indoor and outdoor seating so big groups may not work too well without a reservation. Oh also they have $ 15 bottomless champagne on Saturdays and Sundays during summer. Check this spot out especially on a beautiful Cali day!

I’d like to begin by saying that I am only in this area for the weekend, visiting one of my best Friends who happened to just move to the area and lives super close to the pier. We discovered this place as of yesterday and decided to come for a few drinks tonight as I leave tomorrow. Somehow a while male walked up to us and made a joke (that wasn’t funny) for being there 2 nights in a row. The joke was pretty discriminatory since we were probably one of the few Latinas there. And on top that, we were clueless as to who this person was. Don’t recall ever seeing him or talking to him. We noticed the bartenders knew who he was, but all in all it is very unfortunate how one customer easily ruin this place for us. I will never be coming back here and if you’re not white, don’t bother coming here (even though the name of this place portrays to be a Latin quinine).

I’ve been here multiple times with both my wife and work colleagues and have similarly consistent experiences…
First, let’s start with the «bad» from my experienced:
1. The last two times I’ve made reservations online. Both times were for a Sunday dinner around 630. Both times, someone from Palmilla called to confirm the reservation, but I wasn’t able to answer. When trying to call back, they NEVER, NEVER, NEVER answer their phones. They’re always «too busy» according to the hostess. So, both times, after calling multiple times, I finally left a message detailing changes or updates (once I added one person to the party, the other time, I asked for an outdoor table). Both times, upon arriving, they, of course, didn’t get the message and were not prepared… I know they want to project the impression that they’re a new, high-​end, trendy, «important» restaurant, so answering phones or checking messages just wouldn’t fit the «we’re too trendy and busy to do that work» perception. For the long-​term, they need to fix this. Relying on tourists for the summer is a fine plan, but the locals are what will feed this place (pun intended) the rest of the year.
2. Picky, but just so others aren’t surprised, you will wait, even with a reservation, especially if you’re wanting to sit outside. Last time was a 20 minute wait because the tables just wouldn’t leave. One table, we were told, had been there for almost 3 hours. I understand that this isn’t fully in the restaurant’s control, but maybe they should consider a time limit or gently reminding people that the tables might be reserved.
Ok, now with that out of the way and off my chest, let’s go into the good:
1. The food… It’s excellent. From the fresh tortillas to the tacos and on, it’s just great. If you’re a fan of rellenos, the ones they make are fantastic. They’re crisp and not soggy, and the inside is perfectly cooked with a great stream of cheese. The tacos are, without question, the best around. The braised beef tastes great, and there’s an ample supply inside, they the tacos are topped with a generous amount of shredded cheese. They’re incredible. I could go on about the menu, but suffice it to say, the food is what you’re coming for, and you won’t be disappointed.
2. The service… It’s very good. There are some lapses when it’s busy, but few restaurants lack this challenge. The staff work extremely well together. They constantly seem to be supporting one another for drink refills and general checkins. The hostesses even chip in to help make sure things get covered on the patio area. I’ve had a couple of really good servers who were very attentive and on top of things. Alex (?) served us on the patio one of the evenings and did a terrific job.
3. The ambiance… I like the patio better than inside, but both are fine. It’s not too loud and the restaurant always appears to be clean and well maintained. There are plenty of heat lamps on the patio to keep you comfortable even on chilly evenings, but I would still recommend a jacket or pull-​over.
Finally, a couple of general comments… I wouldn’t recommend you try to come here without a reservation. It just seems too busy. I have not tried the tequila (not really my thing), but they do have an excellent list. The drink list also looks good with lots of options and the full bar should serve everyone’s needs. Lastly, the portion size is quite large. If you’re not very hungry, you may want to consider sharing, especially if you’re after one of the bigger meals (like the 3 item combo). You can always add an additional taco or something if you need to.
Overall, definitely worth a visit!

I swear Palmilla makes the very best cucumber jalapeño margaritas in Los Angeles. Not to mention, you can relax and casually sip these fabulous cocktails in a location near the pier and strand in Hermosa Beach. Cocktails are not the only thing that makes this a popular place with locals and tourists. All food entrees, even down to their basic tortilla chips and guacamole are excellent, tasty and very well done. Cool indoor and outdoor seating makes this a very happening place for great people watching and if you are a single woman and score a seat at the bar, Palmilla’s bartenders are such great eye candy you won’t need a buzz from the jalapeño margaritas to have a good time :-). Seriously, Palmilla is a great choice when wanting excellent Mexican food, cocktails and when hanging by yourself, on a date or with a group of friends. Even with the casualness down by the beach, this place emits a fun, funky, energetic vibe and brings out the coolness of Hermosa Beach.

First time here and I can say without doubt, I WILL BE BACK! The flavors are incredible with all the food that we had.
I have read a lot about the flour tortillas and honey butter, it might read better «crack butter» very addicting.
The salsa was excellent as was the guacamole. The food was very fresh and served well. The meat (steak) was cooked over an open flame instead of on a griddle and you can most definitely taste the flavor. (I’m a big fan of cooking over fire anyways)
The drinks were very good as well. They are known for the tequila. The booth was a little tight but I’m 6’3, so that might not be the case for the average size person.
Wait staff was very friendly and attentive. They knew the menu and were very happy to explain all parts of any dish you had questions about.
Some of the best Mexican food I have had.

My boyfriend and I came here on a whim since we had never been to Hermosa Beach and were hungry and saw all the positive reviews. We were immediately seated which was great and the aesthetic was nice. That’s were the positives seemed to stop. It was freezing inside but we were seated under an AC vent.
Our waiter had absolutely no personality and brought out a trio of dips for the homemade tortillas without explaining what any of them were. Thankfully another table had a nicer server and we over heard him explaining what they were. I ordered the cheese quesadilla and my boyfriend a taco trio (2 carne asada and 1 chicken). My quesadilla was basically just a glob of greasy cheese that coagulated if you didn’t get to it fast enough. The tacos were fine but nothing to write home about. The bill came or should I say flopped on our table and we were more than ready to leave.
All in all we were disappointed especially with the high ratings it seemed to have received. I’ll chalk it up to an off day and a less than enthused waiter.

This spot has really good Mexican seafood dishes and drinks right on the beach. I came in with no reservation on a Thursday night and we were immediately seated on the patio. Prompt drink and dinner service, complemented by a really extensive menu with lots of delicious-​sounding options.
I decided on the Burrito La Playa and my friend got the Fajitas del Mar. Both were amazing. I would definitely come back here to try more of the menu as I read through about ten other entrée options that sounded great.

What a great change of atmosphere for bar/​lounge in Hermosa Beach. I was at dinner with a friend (slash ex) in Manhattan Beach and we got into a little argument so I left. Luckily for me I know plenty of hotties all over this area.
So I sent out some bat signals for a «never go to dinner with an obsessed ex» rescue mission and my friend swooped me up and brought me here.
Right when I walked in I saw the black guy from TMZ sitting there. I said «Hey aren’t you that guy on that show? TMZ?» And he said «yes». So that was kind of cool to see a piece of Hollywood in Hermosa Beach.
I guess this place is known for their homemade tortillas. I would have to say, yes they’re homemade, however they were a little thick because they weren’t all the way cooked and felt like chewy thin pancakes in the middle. A plate with three types of sauces came out with the hot tortillas. Green, red, and their specialty honey butter was delish! Can’t really complain about the uncooked tortillas when you have great salsa to drench it in and you’re actually there just for drinks :)
Indoor table and lots of comfy lounge seats, there’s outdoor patio dining facing the main walkway to all restaurants and shops, and a bar table which is tucked away by the frontier door which opens to the patio area, where you’ll have privacy, and can enjoy the outdoors without being outdoors. Unfortunately I didn’t get to try the food because I had to head to Santa Monica to meet other friends.
If I were in Hermosa Beach again, I would definitely revisit this place and try out the food. I love the atmosphere and ambience and it’s a little more upper scale than anything I’ve seen in Hermosa Beach which is a breath of fresh air. I was told that Hermosa restauranteurs are looking to open more upscale bars/​lounges, so that’s a plus. Hopefully they keep the menu price a little bit higher to keep all of the drunk college students from Sharkeez out of this place LOL
There was free parking at the structure just a hop away, m & cool crowd to mingle with. Everyone is super friendly, great energy (not drunk college energy), and service was on point with a smile.

My first time here was for a week night dinner w friends, we had reservations & no fuss getting seated.
Staff: Rocky, our server, was stellar; he was patient, had great recommendations and accommodated us by splitting our checks.
Décor: Exterior patio seating available, perfect for enjoying the local charm. The interior is long & narrow, has beautiful details which gave it had a trendy feel.
Food: The menu had lots to choose from and made it tough select just one thing. Overall I was impressed with nearly all the food I tried. Surprisingly, there were limited vegetarian selections so I had to default to pescatarian for the evening. Guacamole was delicious, as was the salmon salad, but the black beans were excessively salty for some odd reason. Be forewarned, if you have a sensitive palate there are some spicy items on the menu.
Location: The restaurant was steps from the strand (walk/​bike path along the beach) and the Hermosa Pier, find it on the north side of the Hermosa Beach pier plaza.
Parking: Metered street, paid private lots as well as pre-​paid public lots. The closest city lot is a block north on 13^th Court.
WC: Ladies room had two small stalls.

Strictly based on nightlife. No dinner involved. We came here after the Irish bar across the way.
The outside seating was all full so we try to squeeze our way through inside. Really nice décor, dim romantic lighting, open table seating inside, DJ at the bar…
I had a Rico suave, if you can’t handle heat. Do not get it. It def has a kick at the end. It has jalapeños throughout. It was delish… it wasn’t too sweet … I think it was a good balance.

We had our last meal in California at this gem in Hermosa Beach before we reluctantly headed back to LAX to catch our redeye flight back to Ohio. I’ve had my fair share of «fancy» Mexican food before (including in actual Mexico, Riviera Maya to be precise), and have never been impressed. For whatever reasons, I’d always preferred the cheaper cantina style Mexican food… until I ate at Palmilla. Oh. My. Goodness. Everything here was soooooo good! My wife & I shared their nachos de palmilla (with the braised shortrib) and their playa las brisas (combination of lobster & bacon relleno, lobster & shrimp flauta, and shrimp & crab enchilada). Everything was amazing. The homemade soft tortilla (?) with the home made salsa and honey butter was incredible as well.
Seriously, I would travel to Hermosa Beach again just to eat here again. Two thumbs up.

Review ⁴⁸⁄₃₆₆
I have to admit, it’s been a bit of a strange day. This was Food Stop #4 today. All afternoon long, I’ve been talking about going getting some churros… so when we were at Food Stop #3 (Dia De Campo… ref Review ⁴⁷⁄₃₆₆), my friend pulled out her phone and found Palmilla Cocina Y Tequila. Then my friend saw that Palmilla makes their tortillas in house… served w/​honey butter… it was a done deal. We HAD to come! Of course, I then told said that I wanted to eat churros like they do in Spain, w/​some coffee, so we had to double check and make sure they serve coffee here… they do (whoohoo!)
Palmilla is located right at the pier and looks like any other restaurant by the pier on the outside, however, when you walk in, you’re transported into a semi-​upscale restaurant. I’ll admit, the waiters must’ve thought we were such a weird group, but they were totally cool w/​us and just rolled with it. At our table, we ordered coffee, beer, mojito, and green mint tea. We got our free serving of homemade fresh tortillas w/​the honey butter (this satisfied one friend), I ordered my churros (yay), and our other friend ordered a side of guacamole. We covered all portions of the meal, minus the entrée :)
The tortillas were thick and warm. They reminded me of Taiwanese Shao Bin and all I needed was some Taiwanese Doughnut (crueller) and some soy milk :). The honey butter was good, but I think if they added some cinnamon, it’d be kicked up a notch (hint hint).
Churros were crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside. It comes w/​3 sauces, a chocolate/​coffee liquor sauce, a caramel sauce, and a strawberry sauce. The churros were great by themselves, but even better w/​the caramel and strawberry sauce. I wasn’t a big fan of the chocolate sauce, and I don’t think my friends were either.
The guacamole came w/​a giant basket of fresh chips. Apparently they had several different guacs on the menu, but the server recommended the plain guac. sometimes, simple is more, I guess :)
My coffee was great too btw. They serve Lavazzo coffee– and it was the first time I’ve been able to drink my coffee plain and black.
Great place. Great location. Good food. Good service. No complaints here.

Yes, very cool spot to hang, fur shurr. The thing that also makes this tiny lil’ hub fabulous — and, really, it just has to be said — is that all the other joints surrounding it are nasty fraternity bars. (There are good fraternity bars and bad fraternity bars, you see.)
‘Twas my first time to Hermosa Beach and while the whole aesthetic is a bit too new-money-let’s-move-to-a-cute-beach-town pour moi, if you happen to be in the area, then this is where you’ll want to dine.
First and foremost, make reservations. And when you do, you’ll speak with one Miss Bianca who is an absolute delight… even when I called back three times to switch things up.
As you’re making your reservation, keep in mind that if you’re thinking about sitting outside but are a bit worried about it being too chilly ‘cuz you’ll be so close to the water #StonesThrow, don’t be: They’ve got it heated to the nth degree out there. And it’s way more fun outside. (Fun inside, too, but more so out.)
Upon arrival, I was met by a delightful hostess and quickly discovered that the rest of the staff are just as wonderful. At first glance, you may think, «Ok, so it looks like a big group from Chippendales decided to leave Vegas and head for brighter pastures in the form of strip malls and sand,» but trust me, these guys are all cool as fuck.
Moving onto the food, looks like everyone who’s been raving about the warm flour tortillas are on a different plane than me ‘cuz I didn’t love them. The salsa duo and honey-​butter that comes with is scrumptious, but I used to watch my adopted Mexican stepmum make these back when I was imprisoned behind the Orange Curtain and 65 sticks of butter with heaps of flour… it’s just not my fave. Either way, they’re complimentary so doesn’t hurt to try them. If you find that you’re more on my side of the fence, then get an order of guac and have a go at Palmilla’s warm tortilla chips — now these salty triangular shards are to die for, dear Unilocalers.
My mates had already eaten, so it was just me testing everything here and I decided to go with the tri-​tip enchiladas — they were scrumptious. For dessert we grabbed the cinnamon-​sugar hunks of love. When dipped in the strawberry compote, they were on point but I didn’t like the chocolate or caramel sauce. I may have to speak with Ghirardelli HQs to see if we can’t get something shipped down and bring a new vendor on board.
Finally, Espolon and Tito’s are served at Palmilla’s full bar. Obvs this owner appreciates supporting spirits that sponsor motorsports so what more could you want. Yeeeeeeee!

One of Hermosa Beach’s nicer eating establishments, and watering holes. They start you out with tortillas and 3 different dip/​salsas to choose from. A spin on traditional chips/​salsa I’m guessing, but a welcomed upgrade. During this visit I had a combination which came with a taco, relleno, and enchilada. You can choose between chicken or short rib for the taco and enchi. I went short rib for both and definitely made the correct choice. You also have a choice of sides. For me… refried beans and rice. Another twist on tradition, the beans were white beans and had a much nicer flavor. I would recommend this combination if you’re torn on what to order.
Will I return? Again and again.

EXCELLENT SERVICE!
My husband and I came here for a second time for dinner. This time, it was in response to an email to celebrate our anniversary. Although we had a reservation, there was a slight problem with seating because the prior party at our table would literally NOT leave. They were done eating, paid their bill, and were just sitting there for 45 MORE minutes! So rude! (I totally understand the restaurant staff can not kick them out so we were just waiting at the bar patiently). Still, it was pretty upsetting as the night went on and they still hadn’t left! But thankfully, the staff more than made up for it, gave us free drinks, constantly checked up on us and apologized, and they sat us at a smaller table in the meantime until that rude party left. We really felt taken care of. (Shoutout to John, you da man)!
Words can not express how AMAZING the service is here! The entire staff from the hostess to the bartenders to the servers are incredibly well trained and SO nice. I’ve been to fancy high-​end restaurants and this place actually takes the cake in terms of service. Seriously 10 stars for the service alone. It really made our experience here.
As for the food, everything we had was good! But what definitely stood out were the LOBSTER TACOS! SO flavorful and delicious! It was on the seasonal menu so hopefully they keep this around! Overall the food here is on the pricey side for Mexican food, but I think it’s worth it for the service and whole experience, especially if you’re celebrating!

Ok, so my girlfriend and I had been craving Mexican food. We couldn’t decide where to go, so to help us with our decision, we randomly said «Let’s find somewhere in Hermosa/​Manhattan Beach. «Yelp to the rescue and Palmilla was our choice.» We get there around 11:30p and they tell us the kitchen was closed. «Doggone it!» Not a problem, we go across the way to Project Taco to get our Mexican food fix. The best part about Mexican restaurants are the margaritas. So after eating our tacos, we went back for drinks. Man oh man! Me oh my! That Cadillac Margarita with Grand Marnier had your girl feeling right!
Fast forward, 2 days later, we are back to taste the food. Our waiter comes over and asks us if we wanted tortillas and salsa. I don’t think realized what he asked us, because when he brought the tortillas, we looked at each other and said, «what the… Tortillas?!» Naw, we weren’t feeling the idea of eating tortillas and salsa. So we asked for chips. Now, we’re talking. The chips were fresh. So good!
The menu had me wanting to taste everything– so many great choices. I went ahead and ordered the shrimp and crab enchilada. My meal was wonderful. Nice size portion and everything. We were so excited about our Margarita the night before that we knew our drink was going to be slamming. This time I ordered the watermelon Margarita. I like the fact that they crush fresh watermelon in the margarita, but it wasn’t all that great. We then realized it wasn’t the same bartender from the night before.
The foood here is well prepared, fresh, and not too expensive. The décor is very modern– not your traditional Mexican restaurant. I will definitely be back again!