Loreto

“Over the years I've grown to become more and more wary when it comes to high end dining. When I was younger I didn't have the finances to be able to eat at these places so when I did I always wanted to maximize what I ate for the price I paid. As I've gotten older and my finances better that mentality hasn't changed much and it's proven to be the right way to think. I've been to many fine dining restaurants and I've always felt a high price and prestige doesn't mean small bites are justified. With my brother's birthday coming we decided to give Loreto a chance to wow us with high quality coastal Mexican cuisine and it delivered. Design/Vibe - Coastal California indeed Loreto is located in a strange amalgamation of industrial buildings and residential homes. With no parking lot of its own, instead relying on valet parking to move vehicles to a different area, you'll either have to valet park or find parking somewhere on the streets around it. When you walk towards the building the façade of the industrial building slowly starts to fade. As you walk through the entrance and past the inside dining room to the outdoor area you feel like you're in a coastal desert. With plenty of desert flora, low hanging trees, and seating with the same material that would breathe in such climates you feel like you're escaping from the busy city into a Baja vacation. Prices - $17 - $29 This price range is true for pretty much all food and drinks with some food like the Toda la Bahía (Tower) and Langosta Zarandeados being $95 & $82 respectively. But, is the price worth it? Food - Yes, the price is worth (most of) it As I mentioned before, prestige and high price doesn't justify small bites. Luckily, Loreto is easily growing its reputation for being a high quality and well executed menu while giving satisfying size dishes. The dishes are what they should be for what the price is. No small spoons of fancy presentation with little substance found on these plates. Instead, you find innovative techniques with familiar flavors. One of my favorite items is the Toda la Bahía. This is a two tiered tower of oysters, ceviche, aguachiles, and poached shrimp. Though the price is high everything feels worth it. It was so good I was tempted to get another one. The Empanadas de Camarón is fried perfectly and dressed with a sumptuous creamy sauce. Biting into one feels like comfort food and it'll be hard to take your attention away from it. If you do plan on getting a pasta I'd recommend getting the Tortellini. It is meaty, chewy in the best way, and the flavors melt into each other creating a nicely spiced, savory bite with the freshness of its ingredients highlighted harmoniously. If there is an item I would say isn't worth trying it would be the Mar-Esquites. I do love me delicious, creamy corn with fresh shrimp but for the price I would say this isn't worth trying. Conclusion - Special Occasions and Celebrations Loreto is a wonderful restaurant where the cuisine satisfies, the vibes are vibing, the diners are so LA, and the flavors slap. Though the bill was high we had a full dinner for 3 people and left completely satiated and satisfied. If you're celebrating anything, from birthdays to promotions, Loreto is a phenomenal restaurant to rejoice in your own revelry.”

“ya ya ya ! had a great lil b day dinner here. food was all stunning. highlight for me was the ceviche. everything was bright and flavorful and light and full of spice and energy. branzino was phenomenal. we had 3 people and got oysters and a few raw dishes as well as the whole fish (plus desert) and that was perfect. cocktails were amazing. altogether a wonderful meal, will return.”

“All the food was outstanding. The raw fish and seafood was unbelievably fresh and aptly paired with elevated fresh flavors. The tostadas reminded me of Contramar in Cdmx, but even better (dare i say). The atmosphere is beautiful, has a massive garden space, scattered lighting, copious succulents. It feels like an escape right in LA. The service is warm, personable, efficient. Definitely worth the trip and such a great find.”

“We had a romantic dinner at Loreto, and it was perfect for date night. The atmosphere is beautiful, both the indoor and outdoor spaces have warm, dim lighting and a really nice vibe. Our waiter was attentive, he took the time to explain each dish and offer recommendations. We enjoyed everything we ordered, my favorite was the ceviche and the cocktails were delicious. Valet Parking available.”

“On a lazy weekend afternoon, Loreto popped up as a recommendation on my feed and the beautifully decorated picture of the Branzino caught my eye. Dinner plan got hitched and I was excited to try this modern Mexican Latin fusion restaurant. Ambience feels like a craftsman house converted into a restaurant - it's nicely done but found it a bit too dark to my liking. Menu is not very extensive - We were there by 7 pm and they were already sold out of Fillet Mignon which was disappointing ! Drinks menu was well laid out. Mezcal based cocktail hit the spot ! I let the server pick top 5 recommendations for us. She got us the empanadas (Good), Cripsy Tuna (good) , Ceviche (Not bad), Soft Shell Crab (V Good !) and Branzino as the main entree (the highlight). They charged 3% credit card fee (that's so lame !) Overall a good dining experience for a date night but I am on the fence if I will be back again !”