El Carmen

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bmickp

Joined 7 years ago

If you want tequila, this place is cool. Very solid margaritas...huge tequila selection, other than that it is nothing special but I guess it's a fun spot if you are kicking it on third street.

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pumpkinbucket

Joined 7 years ago

best marg, new staff. about every second or third time i come in the bartendars buy me a shot!! recommend eating a taco if your drinking they are strong...the whole place has a better feel, I have been coming to El Carmen for 10 yrs and about a year ago i stopped going. wanted to post something because its such a great place to take friends, GREAT food, AWESOME jukebox, good service, GREAT DRINKS!!! Oh they have a secret happy hour that they dont advertise but u can get 3$ kickass marg

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pennywise1

Joined 7 years ago

Best Freakin' Gaucamole and Bartending in Town. Like I said, when i dipped into the gaucamole with my homemade-style tortilla chips, it was like that moment my chip was created for.. a 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.. All delivered by knowlegeable, friendly Bartenders (ask for Kevin).

Doesn't Recommend

hearnkm

Joined 7 years ago

used to be a great spot. I'm out and about a lot in L.A. Stopped by after a hiatus for a cocktail. not what it used to be. stragglers pre or post little door may enjoy, but this once-hot tequila stop is not so much anymore...

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deanharvey

Joined 8 years ago

Just another tequila sunrise. The decor is very cool but the service is absolute crap. I heard all this "this is where the beautiful people go" stuff and found that there were two beautiful people in the bar...me and the girl I was with. I tried the pineapple infused tequila and would say its "okay". I 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.

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dejadru

Joined 9 years ago

Rest. Mgr about town. Very unique, very fun. First timer, talked finer points of tequila with the very knowledgable and personable bartender. They know what their doin here!!! After wading thru the colossal tequila menu, had the 'tender suggest some new brands I had not tried, all very good. Tried the infused tequila in a big glass jar sittin on the bar, it was awesome!! After being there awhile my girl and I needed some eats. We were pleasently suprised to find that the food was excellent considering this is technically a bar. I went on a weeknight, not too crowded, but could definately feel & see the trendy, tooo cool crowd. If you meet someone you like, slip into the "Little Door" restaurant next door for some quiet time, it is equally as cool in its own way.

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digdoug2001

Joined 11 years ago

Pretty Cool.... This place is worth checking out... I like the decor and feel of the room. I thought the prices and food were decent. They had a DJ on Sunday spinning a good mix of 80's dance tunes. Bartenders seemed pretty cool...no attitude and helpful. I'd say 2.5 out of 4 stars.

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rochers

Joined 9 years ago

Rude Awakening :-(. I must say that El Carmen is one of the strangest experiences I've ever had on the Westside. Ordered a margarita, which was weak, but also tasted watered down (literally). I switched it out for a mexijita which was refreshing. We ordered tacos with beans/rice. When the bill came we were slightly annoyed that it would cost us nearly $20/person for one drink and some less-than-gourmet corn tortilla tacos. Then after all this, the waitress comes running out and accuses us of shorting her. When we went back inside, she counted it in front of us and realized that we paid enough. She then complained that we didn't tip enough and in front of the bar starting yelling at us. I 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.

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duanecobb

Joined 11 years ago

Tequila and Tacos= HEAVEN. Great drinks, wonderful food and a cool crowd. Hurry before it gets played out!

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talldrink

Joined 10 years ago

Still Bueno. I haven't been to El Carmen for a couple of years, but I stopped in last Friday and had a blast! The fresh fruit margaritas were great. The juke box is rocking, the staff is a lot of fun and the croud is pretty sexy. I saw another review saying that El Carmen isn't what it used to be, but as far as I see it's still got it.