Border Grill
(310) 451-1655
1445 4th St
Santa Monica,
CA
90401
34.0159
-118.4943
Neighborhoods: Downtown, West LA
What People Are Saying About Border Grill
The Editor
Allison Austin
Citysearch
In Short
Set on Fourth Street's busy stretch, this splashy Santa Monica mainstay has been serving up mid-priced Cal-Mexican cuisine since 1985. Keith Haring-esque murals bounce off the multi-colored walls (think terra-cotta, yellow, red, blue and black). Owned by celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, the "Two Hot Tamales," the space is a loud, quirky and eclectic. Those looking for Mexican street food will be satisfied with the guacamole and charred carnitas on fresh corn tortillas that are made at the front of the restaurant (passersby can see her through the window). But those who step away from the well-worn taco path will enjoy creations like the Mexican chopped salad with cumin vinaigrette and a cilantro-spiked skirt steak or achiote-marinated pork, braised in banana leaves.
User Reviews
eastbayfunk
May 05, 2009
I love alcohol. I love happy hours. Shoot, I sound like Asher Roth. Let's start this one over. Who doesn't love happy hour? Exactly. So on Friday, me and some friends got off of work early on the Westside in Los Angeles and wanted to find a good happy hour to get the weekend started off on the right foot. You would think that the only reason most of us don't make happy hour is because we have jobs but in reality, at least in Santa Monica, CA, happy hour is not so easy to find at 3:30. Most of the happy hours we knew of started at 5 and we just didn't want to wait. (Sushi Roku is a good one of those 5 o clock happy hours.) So we drove around and made some calls and ended up at Border Grill in Santa Monica. We thought, "This is perfect: margaritas and tacos." Well, we were wrong. In retrospect, we should have just paid full price somewhere (or stabbed each other in the legs with pencils and just gone home). I wasn't even sure it was open until I pushed in the door and saw that it was actually pretty crowded. The place seemed dirty, almost unhygienic. I don't get how place like this can legally stay open. For starters, the lights weren't even on. The place was pitch black and dead silent. The people already there looked like they were frozen in time in that exact location and dust had been building up on them and the restaurant for about twenty years. A bar is a bar though, so we sat down at some empty bar stools and ordered drinks. $5 a drink. Happy hour. Whoopdie doo. The drinks were fine and all but not that cheap and definitely not cheap enough to warrant the ambiance in that dump. Then we made the mistake of trying some tacos. These were no $1 tacos. These were $3 each on the happy hour menu. Honestly, they looked like they had been delivered from the cafeteria in my old UCLA dorm circa 2002 and had sat around in Border Grill's dirty kitchen since then waiting for my arrival. These were so bad they were inedible. We asked for the check and went to El Cholo on Wilshire in Santa Monica. They didn't have a happy hour. That place is actually weird too but that's neither here nor there. At least it was clean and outside of the twilight zone. Avoid Border Grill in Santa Monica at all costs and if you are thinking to yourself right now, "I like that place," take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror and recognize that your taste stinks and no one gives a darn what you think. Happy Hour from Hell. wwwblankfromhellcom
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differentplaces
November 30, 2008
After wandering around the promenade for a bit for something new, we found the Border Grille a block away. The Carnitas Nortenas were good, with the full complement of sides- guacamole, serranos, house-made tortillas, and other stuff. I would not say they were better than carnitas I've had other places, but they were $5-$6 more expensive than other places I've been too. I'd also agree with other reviewers that the drinks were quite pricey. The margaritas and mojitos were around $12. The atmosphere was nice - the interesting paintings on the walls and bright colors. On the service issue, it was a bit strange. We were told there would be a half hour wait because we hadn't made reservations - yet half the tables appeared empty. Perhaps there weren't enough waiters. In any case, we were seated immediately at the family/communal table when we said that was alright. There were already ten people sitting around the table. That made it interesting - in a good way. Our waiter took our order quick enough, but then there were periods when we didn't see him for a bit too long. He did suggest the perfect entree for my wife. And the speed with which the food was delivered after being ordered was impressive. I'd say we were served in about five minutes. It was the follow up for other items that had us looking for our waiter. A decent experience overall. The below average rating is based on value.
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moneymoney
September 26, 2008
Just went to this restaurant for the first time even though I have walked past it countless times. What a gem! My party tried 3 different appetizers and 1 entree dish and everything was both unique and delicious. The shrimp ceviche was sauced differently than I've ever had it with more of a tomato base but it was delicious. Enjoyed the endive and pear salad...the blue cheese added a great touch. The entree was a slow-cooked pork dish (don't remember the name) that was super-flavorful. The highlight of the evening was their Moroccan Eggplant appetizer, which was one of the specials. SOO delicious, very highly recommended. It came with a curry cream sauce that had so many distinct flavors that all compliment each other and the eggplant wonderfully. The waiters were amazing and basically standing around waiting to serve us. The Maitre d' came over to make sure all was well with the meal and even chatted with us for a few minutes. Great experience! I was thrilled to see that in touristy Santa Monica, a restaurant still knew how to treat its customers.
read full reviewThe Details on Border Grill
The Extras:
Let the Grill do the cooking for your next shindig; call the general manager and ask about catering.
Happy Hour:
Weekdays from 4pm to 7pm, drinks like margaritas, mojitos and imported beers are $4, and munchies such as quesadillas and green corn tamales are all $3.
Where to Sit:
Book a private mural-accented room that holds up to 40 people. It's upstairs, but has elevator access. A seasoned manager will help you plan a perfect bash.
Happy Hour:
Weekdays from 4pm to 7pm, the bar and cantina area is where patrons can enjoy drinks like margaritas, mojitos and imported beers for $4, and munchies such as quesadillas and green corn tamales for $3.
The Extras:
There is another Border Grill location in Las Vegas.
Where to Sit:
Book a private mural-accented room that holds up to 40 people. It's upstairs, but has elevator access.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Lunch Spot, Late Night Dining, Happy Hour, Notable Chef
Cuisine:
Notable Chef:
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
