La Serenata de Garibaldi (Reported Closed)

Doesn't Recommend

lonyklein

Joined 5 years ago

The worst service ever...................HORRIBLE. I would not suggest this place for diinner if you are a large dinner party or going when this place is busy as they just cannot handle it. On saturday night the service was absolutly horrible at Santa Monica , they were under staffed and slow. Our party of ten sat in the outisde down area and it Took about 45 minutes to get our first round of drinks and the waitress forgot a couple of them. Dinner was ordered about two hours into our visit only after asking the waitress to take our order. We recieved about half of our dinner entrees and the rest never came out. UNBELIEVABLE!!! Since service was so bad at our table I decided to take myself to the bar to see if I could get a cocktail faster......same story. Bar was filled with dirty glasses and empty plates....absolutly disgusting!!! I heard the bartender ask a customer to point to the bootle of booze because he did not know of it. I think what looked like the manager was behind the bar with only one other bartender. Bottle Line...this place will not survive in SM with this kind of service. How can management invest so much into a place and have service that is just a disgrace.

Doesn't Recommend

pjorosco

Joined 6 years ago

Old Favorite no more. We used to eat there once a week, mostly becuase of our favorite waitress Coco and her great recomendations. The owners apparently let her go, and now we are gone with here. Our latest visit was not the same, and the service seems to be declining. BIG MISTAKE.

Recommends

chance071905

Joined 7 years ago

Underwhelming dinner experience. We dined here recently upon the recommendation of a friend, and were disappointed. For a Saturday night, it seemed quite slow, and the service moved at a fairly slow pace as well. The seafood focused menu had some tasty-sounding options, but some of the dishes we ordered were underseasoned. One high-point was the soup of the day--a carrot soup with wonderfully deep flavor, and the grilled scallop appetizer had a nice smoky flavor. I ordered fish tacos, and was underwhelmed by the blandness that even a good dose of salsa didn't remedy. The chile rellenos that my husband ordered were a bit more flavorful, if a little on the mushy side. We'll try La Serenata again sometime and give it a second chance, but if asked today, I probably would not recommend it to a friend.

Recommends

georgeghiz

Joined 6 years ago

extraordinary mexican seafood. we eat here all the time as it's a neighborhood place for us. food is amazing, as is the service staff. gormet mexican seafood is what they are known for, exotic sauces are explained by wait staff and you choose the fish you desire. all sauces do deliver flavor. saying that, don't pass up on the chicken parrilla, pork medallions or the shredded beef w/ colorado sauce. beautiful flavors abound and enjoy the full bar as well. la serenata is a local independent treasure...

Doesn't Recommend

spicyfoto

Joined 6 years ago

Going down the tubes fast...Service is TERRIBLE. We used to love this place, but after our recent visit we'll never EVER go back. We waited 1/2 hour to flag somebody down to place our order, then our waiter finally scribbled our order hastily then ran off without asking what we wanted to drink. After finally getting our wine, we were not refilled on water, chips, or drinks throughout the meal. We sat parched and ignored. The meals were dumped off and the waiter went back to the bar to watch whatever big soccer game was on. This is not Barney's Beanery, its supposed to be a nice restaurant. We shouldn't have to jump up and down in front of the plasma tv for attention. And at $20+ per entree and $10 for a glass of wine, the service should be up to par. Absolutely horrible!! When the $80 check was dropped off (with a flounce, and without a pen to sign the bill, and then he was back to the soccer game) I felt violated. Not even an "adios" as we sulked out the door. Go elsewhere.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

A mixture of seafood, killer margaritas and a comfortable dining room.. In Short
The look is pure Mexican seaside filtered through the bright pastels of SoCal. And good food knows no boundaries: Extended Mexican families and parties of gringos dine side by side, charmed by the convivial atmosphere and friendly service. Standbys like enchiladas and tamales are in abundance, but the focus is on seafood like halibut Veracruz in a tangy olive- and caper-sparked sauce or fat shrimp served with crisp cornmeal cakes.

Recommends

susan32

Joined 8 years ago

La Noche De Garibaldi. A group of us came here for a friend's birthday. We had a large party, which may have contributed to the less-than-stellar service. But surprisingly, the lack of refills, slow waitstaff and relatively no attention to detail didn't matter - we still had a great time and sampled many items on the menu, which were delicious. First up: the carne asada - tender slices of beef served with fresh guacamole - was probably the table favorite. We also ordered the grilled sea bass in chili sauce. Very flavorful, tender and delicious. Also a favorite: the empenadas and cheese enchiladas -- you really can't go wrong. the margaritas were fine - nothing I'd go out of my way for. Then again, I may have been singing a different tune if I had more than one...

Recommends

luckycat

Joined 10 years ago

I love fish. Fish lovers--this place is a real treat for you. You can choose one of the featured fish of the day & select a sauce & preparation for it. Mmmmmm.... The margaritas are quite tasty, and I had a fine time in the lively atmosphere. However, it is a little acoustically challenging when full...so if you're in the mood for quiet conversation, this is probably not be the place for you.

Recommends

b_sharp

Joined 11 years ago

Quite Simply Excellent. Being from Ft. Worth, we first stuck our heads in the corner bar north of the shopping center, asked if they had good Marguertas, waited too long for the answer and when we followed with where were the good ones - they had good martinis - were told to come here. They were right. These are some of the best. Get to know the bartender from Chiapas and try the salmon with the hot sauce. Sit upstairs and enjoy the entire place. The staff is the sauce on the flan.

Recommends

linz34

Joined 11 years ago

smallest portions in la. Food was good, upstairs room was noisy. Must have the smallest portions in Los Angeles. don't know if I'll be back