Lula Cocina

4.6

234 Reviews

$30 and under

Mexican

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

Experiences are available.

Neighborhood gem
Charming
Good for groups

Our story begins over 30 years ago in Mexico City and Lula has been a Santa Monica institution ever since. We serve potent cocktails and fare inspired by various regions of Mexico. Check out the outdoor patio - perfect for lunch and dinner or for private events. We have all day Taco Tuesday and Happy Hour 3 to 6pm Tuesday through Sunday.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Beer Garden
Hours of operation
Tue, Wed, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Thu 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm
Phone number
(310) 392-5711
Website
http://www.lulacocinamexicana.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Geraldine Gilliland
Catering
Full service catering, either out house or yours. Every aspect of your event will be handled by our professional and experienced Event planner & service staff.
Private party facilities
We offer an out door patio that can seat 50 comfortably, a dining room that seats 60, and a bar that seats 20 We are also proud to offer Chef Geraldine Gilliland's estate in Malibu for Catered events. www.ranchochiquita.com

Location
2720 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405
Neighborhood
Santa Monica
Cross street
hill & ashland
Parking details
Metered parking offered by the City of Santa Monica directly behind the Restaurant for your convenience. #DontGetATicket!
Public transit
Expo line is now open!
Entertainment
Modern Latin Rock, Pop, Funk, & Salsa
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Happy Hour 3-6pm daily at our bar
Nov 5, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025
Featuring food and drink specials

Offers

Happy Hour 3-6pm daily at our bar
Multiple dates available
Sun - 11:30 AM - 9:00 PM,Tue - Wed - 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM,Thu - 12:00 PM - 9:30 PM,Fri - Sat - 11:45 AM - 10:15 PM
Featuring food and drink specials
Taco Tuesday
Multiple dates available
Tue - 12:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Two tacos and our famous Lula Margarita for $18! Enjoy indoors or outside on our sunny patio, all day.

What 234 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.8Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Lula Cocina offers "fabulous" food and drinks with vibrant, authentic Mexican ambience. While some recent menu changes have been noted, the signature margaritas and lively music, featuring the beloved DB Duo, continue to delight patrons. The staff provides "excellent service," making it a cherished spot for gatherings.

234 Reviews

JG
JonG
VIP
Philadelphia
52 reviews
5.0
52 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Discovered this restaurant after spending the day in Santa Monica. Authentic, delicious and well priced Mexican food in a cozy spot on Main.
Is this helpful?
C
Cindy
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service friendly, food delicious, margararita effective!
Is this helpful?
B
BEN
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Been going here for over 25 years. Always excellent!
Is this helpful?
P
Pamela
VIP
Los Angeles
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on October 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a group of 16 who hadn't been together in almost 40 years! From start to finish, our experience was amazing! We were laughing and distracted, but the staff took it all in stride and gave us excellent service! The food and drinks were wonderful, and we can't wait to return!
Is this helpful?
P
Peter
San Diego
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 3, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Mojito should have sparkling water. If it did, it was flat
Is this helpful?
S
Steve
New York City
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 5, 2024
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We have not been here since pre-pandemic and was surprised that the menu items have been decreased significantly. This is sad because not everyone on our party could find something they could enjoy. The staff and ambience is still what we remembered and the signature Marguerite’s were still great. Unfortunately we will not return because the food choice and quality was not as good as it was.
Is this helpful?
L
Lewis
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 23, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The ambience was colorful, a true Mexico feeling, food was excellent and service was too. It's a place to go.
Is this helpful?
r
rondap
VIP
Los Angeles
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on July 25, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved loved loved the music!!!!! The DB Duo is a favorite and they were wonderful on the patio.
Is this helpful?
l
lordofscotch
Phoenix
23 reviews
2.0
23 reviews
Dined on June 21, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
This used to be one of our favorite places a few years ago, not sure what happened but the food has gone completely downhill since. Lobster taco was chewy and hard, beef fajita was dry, burnt and rubbery with a lot of soy sauce and the only saving grace was good service and margaritas.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 17, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We love Lula’s… it’s our weekly haunt. Highly recommend!
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Lula Cocina is rated 4.6 stars by 234 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 23, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

Experiences are available.

2720 Main St., Santa Monica, CA 90405

Additional information

Cross street
hill & ashland
Neighborhood
Santa Monica
Hours of operation
Tue, Wed, Sun 11:30 am–9:00 pm Thu 11:30 am–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 11:30 am–11:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Mexican, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Beer Garden
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Metered parking offered by the City of Santa Monica directly behind the Restaurant for your convenience. #DontGetATicket!
Public transit
Expo line is now open!
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Geraldine Gilliland
Entertainment
Modern Latin Rock, Pop, Funk, & Salsa
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.lulacocinamexicana.com/
Phone number
(310) 392-5711
Catering
Full service catering, either out house or yours. Every aspect of your event will be handled by our professional and experienced Event planner & service staff.
Private party facilities
We offer an out door patio that can seat 50 comfortably, a dining room that seats 60, and a bar that seats 20 We are also proud to offer Chef Geraldine Gilliland's estate in Malibu for Catered events. www.ranchochiquita.com

Lula Cocina

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Happy Hour 3-6pm daily at our bar

Offers

Happy Hour 3-6pm daily at our bar

Taco Tuesday

Menu

What 234 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Review summary

FAQs

How is Lula Cocina restaurant rated?

Is Lula Cocina currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information