Tlapazola Grill

Doesn't Recommend

michael escher

Joined 3 years ago

Very disappointing.... A friend and I wanted Oaxacan food for lunch today and after considering going to guelaguetza which has a branch in the same neighborhood, we settled on trying Tlapazola which he heard good things about.

Not to be hyperbolic, but really the only good thing that I can say about the place was the agua frescas were nice and refreshing and the wait staff was attentive. The food was not very good at all though.

I ordered the carnitas which I have had many, many times over the years and pretty much know what I am getting. Perhaps I am unaware of the style of preparation but when they brought the plate to me the pork was steamed or boiled with very little flavor. I have always known carnitas to be roasted pork with nice caramelization, not steamed. The other problem was that the dish had very little seasoning and little flavor. My friend's dish (a combo plate) was likewise very bland.

I very seldom write negative reviews, but my experience was pretty much the complete opposite of most of the people on this site. Perhaps I caught them on an off day or the dishes we ordered were not their best ones, but from this experience I don't think I will be coming back.

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KarenRMarshall

Joined 4 years ago

NOT CLOSED. As of today, citysearch says this restaurant is closed. It is not. Perhaps someone else who loves their food as much as I do is perpetuating a lie to try and keep this gem a secret and avoid overcrowding.

Excellent service and a great selection of tequila (try Don Eduardo) make this restaurant a place I enjoy visiting whenever I have the chance. Love their bay scallop ceviche!

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frenchfoodieLA

Joined 4 years ago

GOOD FOOD. Exelent food and great service!! higly recomended.. you should try this place out if you are craving some good food from Oaxaca

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bleepbloop

Joined 5 years ago

Hidden Mexican gem with great food and service. I went to Tlapazola for the first time this week even though I've lived 1 block from it for a long time. I am so glad I ventured in - the food is great! I had the chicken with mole and it was excellent (I love mole), and my date had the carne asada (also excellent). The margaritas were also good. The service was excellent and the waitstaff couldn't have been more attentive and friendly. At the end of the meal a waiter brought us free dessert and said the chef sent it since we are neighbors! Two of us had margaritas and entrees for under $50 - awesome. I will definitely be going back to Tlapazola frequently!

Doesn't Recommend

squablover

Joined 5 years ago

Terrible management, DO NOT use for pre-arranged events. Impressed over 2 visits by the food and service, I contacted them to organize a retirement party. The most unsatisfying experience followed. After a 10 minute conversation with the manager,Edwin, in which I conveyed my budget, Edwin promised I'd have an e-mail with a proposal within 2 days. 4 days passed before I got an email on the 5th day. He had gone over my budget by 25%. I accepted his proposal. Since I know an excellent bakery, I asked what the adjustment and what any plating fee would be if I provided a cake for dessert instead of using their cake. At that time, Edwin responded with a very unpleasant e-mail pretty much accusing me of being cheap.

All subsequent e-mails were not responded to. Two days before the event, when I sent me an anticipated count, there was no response. I couldn't be sure if we were actually expected. At that point, I was so unhappy with his response that I would have happily moved the event once the guests arrived to another location had they not been expecting us.

During our event, they asked us to keep down the volume. My guests were not especially loud. If they have a problem with large groups having conversations, they should have declined my business.

They implied that we were taking business away from them even though the restaurant was never full (it was a Wednesday night) with at least 6 2 and 4 tops available throughout the evening.

They charged us for 4 dinners more than we had guests. I estimated 28, 21 showed, they actually only had seating set up for 24.

DO NOT use this place for any large events. Edwin does not understand customer service, let alone regular communication etiquette. I am so disgusted with them, I will not dine there again.

If I love a place, I will recommend them to everyone, like Angelini Osteria, Hide Sushi, and Hop Woo, (Jean-George and Gotham B&G in NYC) in the hopes that they will stay open and thrive. Tlapazola, good food, nightmarish management.

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saregamapa

Joined 6 years ago

Underwhelming. I didn't love this place. I'd heard a lot about it, but on a recent visit for dinner, I thought it was a little outdated. Other Oaxacan food in LA seems so much more exciting. The appetizer of the Masa pancake was indeed spectacular, but my swordfish was really fishy, the mole sauce wasn't anything to write home about, and my wine was really acidic. Dessert was fine, though, and overall the place is fine, just not spectacular.

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tchurch1981

Joined 6 years ago

Boy, I have been missing out!. I have lived right down the street from this place and had never been there until about two weeks ago. Now it is my favorite place to go. My boyfriend and I have been there 3 times in the last couple weeks. The food is amazing! It is so fresh and innovative for a mexican restaurant. They have great specails. One of my trips there I tried one of the specials which was the lamb. It was delicious! They have a wide variety of entrees of their regular menu. Great dishes such as many fresh fishes, lobster enchilades, the most flavorful guacamole, and other tradional mexican fare. The drinks are really good too. The house margarita is one of the best I have ever had. My boyfriend liked the Belgium beers. I tried a dessert this last time, the tres leche cake and it was so creamy and decadent (obviously homemade). The service is so kind and deligent. My only complaint is why didn't we discover this wonderful place long ago?

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ravenwoods

Joined 6 years ago

Great food, Nothing like typical Mexican fare. This is a great place to take people who "Don't like Mexican Food" because it tastes nothing like typical Cali or Tex-mex fare. In addition to Oaxacan favorites like mole, the menu includes dishes which have an International flavor and beat some of the best restaurants in LA. The presentation is amazing, with sauces artistically decorating the plates. It's gourmet food at a reasonable price and the service is great.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Hints of California cuisine influence traditional Oaxacan flavors at this affordable foodie spot.. In Short
Hidden away in a strip mall, this spare dining room features framed black-and-white prints and wooden lattices. Knowledgeable servers, primly clad in button-down shirts and formal ties, cater to a mixed crowd of gray-haired professor types and younger culinary thrill-seekers. A lime-caper sauce accents sauteed tilapia, and pumpkin-seed sauce brightens grilled salmon. The few familiar dishes are tweaked with nontraditional ingredients, like a chili relleno stuffed with chicken, zucchini and summer squash.

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eat2drink

Joined 8 years ago

Delicious mexican food. This small gem tucked inside of a shopping center is a must try for those who like sensible mexican food. The appetizers are very good, the masa pancakes with shrimp and the well balanced tortilla soup are two of my favorite. The chile relleno is crispy, the enchiladas with the mole sauce is great. They don't smother the mole sauce onto the entree. The daily specials change but usually you will find lamb with a red mole reduction and fresh seafood. The margaritas are excellant, one of my favorites and the tequila selection is extensive. Make reservations in the weekends because it gets really busy. It's a bargain considering how well the food is prepared. The staff has always been great, friendly and accomodating. One of my favorite aspects of this place is that it is not pretentious and the ambiance is always happy but it does not get overbearingly loud. Give it a try.