(323) 852-1552

8138 W Third St (Crescent Heights Boulevard)
Los Angeles, CA 90048 34.0722 -118.3671

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Neighborhoods: Beverly Center, Central LA

Hours:

Mon-Fri 5pm-2am

Sat-Sun 7pm-2am

Last updated 5.03.12

Category:

Bars & Pubs, Bars & Clubs, Restaurants, Singles Bars, Lounges

Payment Methods:

Visa, MasterCard

Bar & Pub Special Features:

Happy Hour

Cuisine:

Mexican

Minimum Age:

21

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About El Carmen

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – If "Twin Peaks" director David Lynch designed a south-of-the-border bar, this is what it would be like. Mounted bull heads watch over tequila drinkers, while black velvet paintings of Mexican wrestlers survey the room. The theme carries over to the wrestler masks hanging from the ceiling and the Pulp-style art covering the walls. The surreal mood is locked in when the jukebox jams its fourth Michael Jackson song in the last hour and no one even notices. – – The Draw – The kitsch factor draws its share of hipsters, but El Carmen also gets its fair share of…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Don't put that ID away once you get past the door guy--the bartender will card you again.
When to Go:
Get there early to snag a seat, because who knows how long you can stay vertical after you've had a few shots of tequila.
What to Eat:
Curb your drunkenness with some tacos off the small bar menu, and you might not forget where you are.
ambiance
94.44000244140625% positive
  1. “Great atmosphere and a fine selection of tequilas (300 or so).”
  2. “Overall this place was a great spot, with people to mingle with and fun atmosphere.”
  3. “The decor is very cool but the service is absolute crap.”
  4. “like the decor and feel of the room.”
  5. “el carmen has a great atmosphere, great margaritas, but very expensive.”
  6. “The decor is awesome and it's very dark and sultry.”
  7. “With both horrible down falls, the place is still so much fun and I always meet great people there.”
  8. “really liked it, although it's a cozy place with no outdoor, you quickly warm up to the place because of its pros.”
  9. “The color, decor, and the atmosphere throws off a warm vibe.”
  10. “That was the main reason why I chose El Carmens, but all in all it was still a fun atmosphere and the drinks were good.”
  11. “Wrestlers are looking over you in this hot spot, with great ambience.”
  12. “Not only is the atmosphere and decor awesome (good music, slightly trendy but still laid-back crowd, and you've got to love all the lucha libre decor) but the drinks and food are very good.”
drinks
95.45000076293945% positive
  1. “Friendly, competent bartenders make a strong drink - all of which are very good.”
  2. “would stick to the male bartender, he is a really cool guy plus he makes the drinks really good.”
  3. “Great drinks, wonderful food and a cool crowd.”
  4. “Great bar!”
  5. “The food is horrible and it is NOT authentic like the person below me stated, but after a couple of drinks you won't know if it is authentic or not.”
  6. “the tables are little uncomfy, but look to be the best option since the bar area is lacking.”
  7. “the crowd is always great, the drinks are great.”
  8. “The drinks were very tasty "watermelon margarita" on the rocks my fave as recommended by our cool waitress Idalia.”
  9. “heard all this "this is where the beautiful people go" stuff and found that there were two beautiful people in the bar.”
  10. “My personal favorite bar in LA”
  11. “They have the best drinks!”
  12. “highly recommend the potato flautas -- or the nachos, if you're sharing -- and grab a spicy margarita or a pineapple infused tequila to drink.”
  13. “That was the main reason why I chose El Carmens, but all in all it was still a fun atmosphere and the drinks were good.”
  14. “Not only is the atmosphere and decor awesome (good music, slightly trendy but still laid-back crowd, and you've got to love all the lucha libre decor) but the drinks and food are very good.”
  15. “Small, laid-back vibe, like you're in Mexico, not on West 3rd street in the middle of L.A. Wide wide selection of tequilas (although I just stick with the house margs) and a cool drink called the Mexican Painkiller, which is basically a combination of a m”
  16. “Mexican theme, great service - even though it was crowded, she was there whenever we looked up, and the food and drinks kept coming.”
  17. “Tried the infused tequila in a big glass jar sittin on the bar, it was awesome!”
  18. “If you are looking for great drinks, food and service this is the place to go.”
  19. “the food at El Carmen is some of the best (if not the best) bar food in all of Los Angeles.”
  20. “Bottom line we had a wonderful time the food and drinks were "Fabulous”
  21. “Great drinks and the Food is amazing”
  22. “We were pleasently suprised to find that the food was excellent considering this is technically a bar.”
food quality
93.33000183105469% positive
  1. “The chips and salsa with guacamole was the best I've had in years.”
  2. “The fresh fruit margaritas were great.”
  3. “wanted to post something because its such a great place to take friends, GREAT food, AWESOME jukebox, good service, GREAT DRINKS!”
  4. “Good small bites too, vege tacos, enchiladas with a great spicy ranchero sauce, warm chips and”
  5. “Bottom line we had a wonderful time the food and drinks were "Fabulous”
  6. “The place looks nice and my tacos was fantastic, but you can really run up a tab fast in this place.”
  7. “the potato and mushroom tacos, respectively, are quite delish, as are the black beans and rice (authentico!)”
  8. “Although it's frequented by the Hollywood-type, I like El Carmen for it's 'authentic tendencies.'”
  9. “The food to me is authentic.”
  10. “Their margaritas don't give me headache the next day, the staff is genuinely friendly and the food is authentic Mexican at a great price.”
  11. “The asada tacos are tasty and so are the flautas.”
  12. “The guava is yummy too.”
  13. “The red sauce on the enchiladas is really good; it's not a salty wanna-be Mexican sauce.”
  14. “The drinks were very tasty "watermelon margarita" on the rocks my fave as recommended by our cool waitress Idalia.”
  15. “thought the prices and food were decent.”
  16. “Mexican theme, great service - even though it was crowded, she was there whenever we looked up, and the food and drinks kept coming.”
  17. “Not only do they have the best margaritas, but the food is AWESOME!”
  18. “If you are looking for great drinks, food and service this is the place to go.”
  19. “Not only is the atmosphere and decor awesome (good music, slightly trendy but still laid-back crowd, and you've got to love all the lucha libre decor) but the drinks and food are very good.”
  20. “Notably the fish tacos and the potato flautas will make you regret eating that stupid lean cuisine you had 2 hours ago.”
  21. “The food is horrible and it is NOT authentic like the person below me stated, but after a couple of drinks you won't know if it is authentic or not.”
  22. “Great drinks, wonderful food and a cool crowd.”
  23. “(That's partly due to our amazing boss though) We couldn't stop raving about the food, we kept saying, "OMG, this is sooooo good!”
  24. “We were pleasently suprised to find that the food was excellent considering this is technically a bar.”
  25. “Be sure to order a margarita and I highly recommend that you try one of their veggie tacos.”
  26. “kitchy little Tequila Bar, (that does'nt mind if you order a shot of Jack), with "Mexican Pulp Film" reminiscent walls and ceilings, it a great place to throw back a few premium shots and munch on exceptional drunken mexican dishes.”
  27. “the food at El Carmen is some of the best (if not the best) bar food in all of Los Angeles.”
  28. “and the fish tacos are my fav.”
  29. “highly recommend the potato flautas -- or the nachos, if you're sharing -- and grab a spicy margarita or a pineapple infused tequila to drink.”
  30. “The food is delish.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “After wading thru the colossal tequila menu, had the 'tender suggest some new brands I had not tried, all very good.”
  2. “Great atmosphere and a fine selection of tequilas (300 or so).”
  3. “Small, laid-back vibe, like you're in Mexico, not on West 3rd street in the middle of L.A. Wide wide selection of tequilas (although I just stick with the house margs) and a cool drink called the Mexican Painkiller, which is basically a combination of a m”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “Bonus, a few blocks from The Grove, so nice place to head after a movie.”
  2. “El Carmen is a great place to start an evening, presuming you get there early.”
  3. “The place looks nice and my tacos was fantastic, but you can really run up a tab fast in this place.”
  4. “but it's a great place to start or end an evening w/ friends”
  5. “wanted to post something because its such a great place to take friends, GREAT food, AWESOME jukebox, good service, GREAT DRINKS!”
  6. “If you are looking for great drinks, food and service this is the place to go.”
  7. “kitchy little Tequila Bar, (that does'nt mind if you order a shot of Jack), with "Mexican Pulp Film" reminiscent walls and ceilings, it a great place to throw back a few premium shots and munch on exceptional drunken mexican dishes.”
service
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “Idalia the cool waitress told me to try a watermelon margarita it was grrrreat.”
  2. “Friendly, competent bartenders make a strong drink - all of which are very good.”
  3. “The bartender is wonderfully surly and more than happy to make you a great margarita in a minute (or 10).”
  4. “With both horrible down falls, the place is still so much fun and I always meet great people there.”
  5. “Their margaritas don't give me headache the next day, the staff is genuinely friendly and the food is authentic Mexican at a great price.”
  6. “Food is good and affordable and just a little attitude served on the side from the servers.”
  7. “Overall this place was a great spot, with people to mingle with and fun atmosphere.”
  8. “would stick to the male bartender, he is a really cool guy plus he makes the drinks really good.”
  9. “heard all this "this is where the beautiful people go" stuff and found that there were two beautiful people in the bar.”
  10. “wanted to post something because its such a great place to take friends, GREAT food, AWESOME jukebox, good service, GREAT DRINKS!”
  11. “Mexican theme, great service - even though it was crowded, she was there whenever we looked up, and the food and drinks kept coming.”
  12. “fyi - service is consistently mediocre.”
  13. “They have many different types of tequilas and friendly service.”
  14. “If you are looking for great drinks, food and service this is the place to go.”
  15. “The decor is very cool but the service is absolute crap.”
  16. “The drinks were very tasty "watermelon margarita" on the rocks my fave as recommended by our cool waitress Idalia.”
  17. “This place can get crowded (it's a small place), but at least the people here are good looking and without the attitude.”
  18. “As bad as the horrible smell is, the female, blonde bartender is actually worse to handle.”
  19. “All delivered by knowlegeable, friendly Bartenders (ask for Kevin).”
  20. “BUT the older blonde female bartender seems unhappy all the time and has the worst attitude, she kind of ruins the vibe which is terrible.”
value
70.83000183105469% positive
  1. “el carmen has a great atmosphere, great margaritas, but very expensive.”
  2. “wouldn't recommend this place yet, as is usually the case I'll try it a second time before I tell you that this place is a waste of time and money.”
  3. “The cheese enchiladas were excellent as well, and inexpensive.”
  4. “thought the prices and food were decent.”
  5. “Great value anywhere, especially on 3rd St.”
  6. “don't recommend this place if you're human -- if you're a trendy LA wanna-be who likes to spend lots of money, go for it -- it's your dream spot.”
  7. “Their margaritas don't give me headache the next day, the staff is genuinely friendly and the food is authentic Mexican at a great price.”
  8. “Food is good and affordable and just a little attitude served on the side from the servers.”
wait time
100.0% positive
  1. “The bartender is wonderfully surly and more than happy to make you a great margarita in a minute (or 10).”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

05/11/11

Nothing beats the tequila and tacos at El Carmen!

by One Delish Dish

See the full El Carmen review at One Delish Dish.co:

This place is one of my favorite spots in LA. El Carmen is an unassuming tequila bar/restaurant tucked away on 3rd st. in the Mid-City West area. The entrance is just a plain door with a small awning and an old neon sign above it, but the tacos, insane tequila selection and Mexican wrestler decor make El Carmen stand out above the rest.

Their bar has every kind of tequila imaginable, complete with a tequila sampler and a novel-size list of margaritas. My personal faves are the jalapeno and the cilantro-ginger margaritas, but the pomegranate and blood orange margaritas are also really tasty and popular.

This place is great for happy hour, a light dinner or also for drunken munchies (since the kitchen is open late). The menu has a variety of options like nachos, ceviche and flautas, but I have a soft spot for their carnitas taco, the chicken enchiladas, and the sweet corn tamale. At $4.25 for one carne asada taco, I wouldn’t classify this place as the absolute cheapest in town, but they use quality meat and the unique art and music filled ambiance is a lot of fun and definitely can’t be found elsewhere.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

03/20/11

tequila- to kill ya!

by CalvinBrenner

if you're looking for tequila, look no further. this place has got it. i like the red vibe in this place- it's kinda sexy. i've taken a lot of dates here cuz its easy to get romantic at the bar (if you can get a spot). actually the place is small so you can eat dinner here so that you make sure you have a place for your lady to sit. get the taquitos. and of course, plenty of tequila.

3 Star Rating: Average

11/26/09

Great Vibe that the female bartender tries to ruin

by Alice Jane

I love the place....the crowd is always great, the drinks are great....BUT the older blonde female bartender seems unhappy all the time and has the worst attitude, she kind of ruins the vibe which is terrible. I still go there often since it's so close to where I live and I just hope that she isn't the one working the bar.

Another problem is the sewage smell in the hall and both bathrooms, I have never been to a bar or place that serves food and had to smell raw sewage, the smell is so strong and it's right next to the kitchen. I can't imagine why the owner or landlord does not fix the problem, it has been months. You would think the problem is in violation of a health code or something. It is hard to figure out why they refuse to close and repair the pipes.

As bad as the horrible smell is, the female, blonde bartender is actually worse to handle.

With both horrible down falls, the place is still so much fun and I always meet great people there.

Advice- hold your nose when you walk towards the back/bathroom area and ask for someone else to wait on you if the unhappy blonde tries to take your oder....otherwise you should have a great time.

  • Pros: Great crowd and atmosphere
  • Cons: The blonde female bartender/raw sewage
2 Star Rating: Below Average

06/28/09

Overpriced

by tonymoore

Had a drink here on Friday night. $10 for a margarita on the rocks. It was mostly rocks with very little tequila. And it comes in a small glass. The bartender chick was pretty worthless when it came to service. Stick with the beer and the food.

  • Pros: Location
  • Cons: Service with an attitude
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/27/09

How great is this place!

by thechasela

Dug this place for years, never fails to deliver on food, ambiance and of course, drinks. Great crowd too.

Happy hour has some nice offerings and attracted a good size crowd, even on a weekday. Bonus, a few blocks from The Grove, so nice place to head after a movie.

  • Pros: Kinda loving all of it
  • Cons: Parking

The Details on El Carmen

Place Categories:

  • great bar food
  • great drinks
  • great place
  • awesome lucha libre decor
  • great atmosphere
  • great service
  • beautiful people
  • cool jukebox crowd
  • fantastic asada tacos
  • great drinking spot
  • warm vibe
  • inexpensive cheese enchiladas
  • pretty cool bartenders
  • warm chips
  • great fresh fruit margaritas
  • favorite bar
  • love el carmen
  • enjoy post little door
  • nice few blocks
  • great salsaguacamole
  • best option
  • full dinner
  • stupid cuisine
  • best cactus fruit margarita
  • great price
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