LAReview
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Atla
Included In
Atla is a New York transplant that, like a lot of New York transplants, feels right at home on Abbot Kinney. This minimalist-chic spot shares the same owners as glitzy, upscale Mexican restaurants like Mexico City's Pujol and DTLA's Damian, but it is (by far) the group's most laid-back concept. Maybe that's why it's such a natural fit in Venice.
If you're west of Lincoln Boulevard, consider Alta a can't-miss catch-all for lunch, cocktails, or a high-stakes date night. But beyond that, it's also something else: the undisputed best Mexican restaurant on the Westside.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
While Atla is less formal than its fine-dining siblings, it would be a stretch to call this place casual. Or at least, it's casual in the same way that Abbot Kinney is "casual" (i.e., show up in Lululemon shorts and the hosts won't bat an eye). During the day, the breezy, blue-toned dining room is filled with comfortably employed Westsiders and international tourists looking for a place to rest their shopping bags and eat tacos. Once the sun goes down, the lights dim and the indie rock playlist gets turned up just a smidge, and in short order, first date after first date files through the door. Friday night at Atla is essentially Venice's hottest singles mixer that also happens to serve Mexican food.
That's not to say the food is an afterthought. Quite the opposite: even with something as simple as a quesadilla, the quality of ingredients and attention to detail at Alta is extremely noticeable. Pillowy blue tortillas are made in-house, and the milky, stretchy quesillo cheese is nicely seasoned with epazote. The menu is made up of a half-dozen or so tacos, a couple of salads, various antojitos, and several larger plates like a lobster burrito and an asada-style ribeye. Misses are few and far between. Potato flautas shatter like glass and a neatly folded shrimp taco packs a crunchy cheese crust and a layer of buttery beans. The shareable barbacoa floats in a clear, salty broth that's so light and nourishing it drinks like beefy tea. There's also a sizable list of cocktails and agua frescas, which are just as spot-on as the food.
At a high-end spot like Damian, where most dishes are presented as avant-garde takes on Mexican cuisine, the various levels of deliciousness going on might not surprise you. Here, you'll find that same thoughtfulness and precision—just applied to simpler, homier classics. At this point, though, we should probably mention that a meal here (like everything else on Abbot Kinney) can get expensive fast. That quesadilla? Yeah, it costs $9. But whether you can tolerate spending $17 on a tamal or not, it's pretty clear what your money is going toward.
In a part of town where Mexican food has often been limited to margaritas on the boardwalk and wet burritos, Atla is a long overdue addition. So yes, now we have an easy answer whenever someone asks about the best Mexican food on the Westside. But we'd also send someone here no matter where they're coming from.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Cocktails
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Shrimp Taco
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Quesadilla
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Pork Al Pastor Gringa
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Fish A La Talla
Fish Milanesa
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Barbacoa Blanca
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Tres Leches