Malo
(323) 664-1011
4326 Sunset Blvd
(at Bates Avenue)
Los Angeles,
CA
90027
34.0949
-118.2832
Neighborhoods: East LA, Silver Lake
Reviews & Ratings for Malo
109 reviews
What users are saying:
Showing 1-10 of 109 reviews
amazing food, mediocre service
by stellarmonoceros
June 01, 2009
I have been coming to Malo for three years now and feel like I have a pretty good handle on it. First of all, let me say that this is hands down my FAVORITE restaurant in LA. The habanero & cream salsa, the guacamole, and the rojo enchiladas are my favorite items on the menu. Their margaritas are delicious and the cucumber water is a perfect compliment to any dish.
That being said, I'd like to point out that the service is HORRIBLE. My complaints are as follows:
1) With a large group they always take WAY too long and are inattentive. I recently waited over 50 minutes for a food order (group of 9 people) and two people from our party even walked out. We even mentioned to the server that we were pressed for time and they completely ignored us. My experiences here with a group have always been negative.
2) The bartenders are RUDE. Every time have sat at the bar or in one of the bar tables (at least 20+ times now) I have noticed that the bartenders are rude. Some of my friends chalk this up to them being too "silverlake" but I dont care. They ignore you until you flag them down and even then you cant get a smile or thank you out of them. I have tried over-tipping, engaging in conversation, etc...they dont budge. I have seen this with several of the bartenders there on a variety of shifts so they must be hiring them on purpose.
3) On at least 3 different occasions I have been sat (with a table of 2-4 persons) and ignored by our server for at least 20 minutes. With a very basic menu and ample staff this is just TOO LONG.
I continue to come to Malo because I love the food. For me, the quality of the food outweighs the fact that I expect poor service. However, I find myself driving across town (from West LA) less and less because I just cant justify spending $$ at a place that doesn't seem to want my business.
- Pros: great salsa, authentic menu, delicioius maragaritas
- Cons: horrible service
Best tequila bar in Los Angeles
by LiveDeliberately
May 05, 2009
With a selection like Malo, you're bound to try some tequila that just makes your stomach churn. But the top shelf stuff like Don Julio 1942, Abondonado Extra Agave, etc. are so smooth and tasty even tequila haters can enjoy them.
First timers must try the chewy chips, the habanero and creme salsa, and the corn tacos with beef and pickles (I know...just try it). The ever changing menu always has a new surprise that's never boring, and the fresh, cold cucumber water is great at assuaging the distress caused by mixing spicy food and four kinds of tequila.
- Pros: Amazing selection of tequila, great food
- Cons: some tequila is awful
Favorite New Tequila Bar
by RogerAustin
April 30, 2009
The tequila selection at Malo is insane!!! I have been trying to go once a week to get a few different tastings under my belt. Every time I visit the bartenders are very helpful with new selections for me to experience. The tacos rule there too, they are dope!!! On taco night I tried 6 different hard shell tacos with 6 different tequilas. They need to have more taco choices on the menu so I can experiment with tequila combinations.
- Pros: Tequila Selection
- Cons: not enough time to taste them all
Great Restaurant
by monchamonkey
April 21, 2009
I cannot believe how well Malo has taken care of me over the years. Malo has been so good to me and my family that I had to write something up about them. From the moment we enter the door Malo's staff kindly greets us all by name and sits us at our favorite table. It seems that even when they are very busy Matt the manager comes to say hello. I have even watched servers who are very busy at this hopping restaurant notice that we are out of chips and promptly bring some to us. Not sure what other reviewers are talking about because the service here is four stars. And that includes the hostesses who are always generous with the crayons for our children. And when our children act up a bit all it takes is some more crayons. As a Silver Lake resident and business owner all I can say is that sometimes I wish other businesses in the neighborhood had as much integrity as them. I guess we are just blessed to live so close to Malo. They have been on our favorite list for years.
- Pros: food / service / comfortable
Holy Guacamole!!!
by DrWesthausner
April 21, 2009
I had dinner at Malo last night (doesn't that mean bad? I am very confused) and it was wonderful. The guacamole was so freakin' fresh and the server that recommended it was the best. She took great care of us and suggested the ground beef and pickle tacos. What a blast, pickles and tacos, together. The margaritas were also very fresh as was everything else. I understand why the place was full, because we both got out of there for under $40 total. Given the current economic climate I hope more places like this sprig up. Great food at a great value.
- Pros: Best Guacamole in town / Great Service
- Cons: nada
Malo is muy mal
by George6837
April 19, 2009
You wonder how in this economic climate restaurants can afford to lose a single customer through neglect. Well, Malo in Silverlake lost me and my wife last weekend. We left after sitting unattended to for about 15 minutes (I take that back – a busboy brought us water). We were the only ones sitting inside except for a family of six with some loud children; there were four tables occupied outside. I watched the entire service staff (I counted three servers) walk by numerous times and stare at us. The tipping point was watching one of the server’s standing in the back filing her nails. Meanwhile, the hostess (standing ten feet from us) stood idly by, occasionally glancing in our direction and answering the phone. Were we not cool enough to be served? I guess the family with the screaming children was cool enough. Does anyone manage this joint? Does the owner(s) know about how their investment is being run? As Silverlake residents and business owners, we’re very loyal to local restaurants and chat up our favorites. Not for our neighbors at Malo. They’ve been crossed off the list – for good.
- Pros: none
- Cons: customer neglect/indifference
Great food, great service, great atmosphere
by aliskogrand
March 02, 2009
Loved the food: soy-rizo tacos and mexican corn on the cob (so much better than on the streets). The habanero and creme salsa was amazinggg.
Fast service and great atmosphere.
Loved it!
- Pros: Habanero and creme salsa; soy-rizo tacos; fast service; good atmosphere
- Cons: some tables are crowded
BRUNCH n'Cocktails
by missgastro
February 19, 2009
Why someone didn't tell me that Malo had brunch is a complete shame. Who doesn't want to wake up on a Saturday and Sunday am and have tequila and breakfast? (BTW most amazing hangover food place) I fixed my Saturday morning by coming in and having a BLOODY MARIA and Eggs Toastada at 9:45am. Two Words: LIFE SAVING. My friend had the Medicina Latina; a drink with fresh ginger in it and I am kind of sorry I didn't order that. The Paloma Fizz was her second drink and I was even more mad that I didn't order cocktails. My Bloody Maria was great but those other drinks were unreal. We got our usual Habanero Salsa and Guacamole...By far this is the greatest discovery of 2009!!!
My friends and I are planning on another girls' brunch next weekend....SO DELICIOUS..I can't wait!!
- Pros: Breakfast and Cocktails
- Cons: No one told me sooner!~
Best QUALITY tequila selection in the city!!! and addicting Ground Beef & Pickle Tacos
by TequilaTrotter07
February 19, 2009
I am an avid tequila drinker who frequents Los Angeles for work. In the past year and a half that I have been traveling back and forth to LA I have had the opportunity to check out all the great Mexican tequila bars in the city. The one I always go back to is Malo!!! The thing that I love about Malo the most is the QUALITY of their tequila selection and the Ground Beef and Pickle Tacos. Also you need to try the Chewy Chips (just make sure you ask for them well done otherwise they can be soggy). Now its nice to see 400 tequilas on a wall but 200+ amazing tequilas with bartenders who love tequila and can speak knowledgeably about it is rare. Even there cocktail server has an amazing amount of knowledge about tequila. She suggested some amazing ones to my friends based on what they drink otherwise. Stephanie ROCKS!! Oh and here is a plus there is NO PATRON!! Sorry Hollywood!! Oh yeah and to add to all of this they have about 30 mezcals and a couple of Sotols.
I had given up drinking the margarita years ago because no one can get it right. HOWEVER Malo has changed that as well. They are consistently good everytime. They aren't overly sweet. What else is amazing is that they embraced MIXOLOGY!!! They have some drink that includes some molecular foam (Its named after a car maybe an Impala??)thing happening and they hired a FEMALE MIXOLOGIST!! She speaks tequila, whiskey, rum, gin and vodka. If you want to learn anything sit in front of her for a bit. You will walk out a changed individual!!! My only complaint is that dirty items tend to be left on tables or bar in front of the customer and even after they leave. They could use a lesson in cleaning as they go.
My last complaint is I have put on about 10 lbs since Malo has come into my life but it is the price I am willing to pay for it...
- Pros: Tequila Selection, Mixology, Ground Beef and Pickle Tacos
- Cons: the 10lbs I have gained
STAY AWAY
by jackie15
February 19, 2009
Went there with my boyfriend one Sunday night a couple of weeks ago and was extremely disappointed with everything in this "so-called" restaurant. Waited a full 15 minutes and NOBODY was there to seat us. Sure there were waitresses inside but there was no host/hostess in sight. And they were not even full!! We then went to the other side of the bar and told the bartender about this and the bartender assured us that somebody will be with us shortly but another FIVE minutes passed and we were still not seated. That's when we decided that we will not wait a minute longer and left this SORRY place in a huff. I'm not a newcomer to this place i've been here once before and ok, it's fine that their prices are actually a rip-off because they charge 7 bucks for guacamole and a few bucks for their salsa! I mean somewhere else they give that for FREE!!! Even if we know that this place charges way too much we still came back because it's very near our place. And now i found out through friends that this place is a total disappointment when it comes to taking care of their guests because the customers usually have to wait for a long period to be seated and there is always NOBODY to take care of them. The service is subpar and the food is so-so. WE WON'T BE BACK AND I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND THIS PLACE TO ANYONE. Go to El Compadre instead they know how to take care of their guests, it's a lot cheaper there and the food is definitely better. Or go to any other mexican restaurants because for sure no place could be worse than this place.
- Pros: CAN'T THINK OF ANY
- Cons: EVERYTHING
