Bar Ama Reviews

Went for lunch, and discovered I had made a reservation at Bäco Mercat! Luckily they could take the 3 of us at the empty bar, which worked great. The small restaurant was full and noisy but we were able to talk easily. Started with the guacamole. Huge chunks of avocado, slight heat, very good. But served on paper in a molcajete, which was sort of messy & difficult to get out every bit. Good, fresh chips. No complimentary salsa. Husband had taquitos & chili relleno combo. Bite I had was very good. Friend had chicken burrito which looked tasty, and was a good (but not ridiculous) size. Mine didn’t come out, so I told them to go ahead and eat. They were about halfway thru when I finally got my green enchiladas. Very good! Cooked and served in a little cast iron dish. It took another 5 minutes for my rice & beans to come out. Cooked together on some grilled cabbage. Server/bartender was nice and it was very enjoyable. Just strange how my meal took so long. They didn’t seem to have any problem with it so maybe that’s what it is like? I’m willing to try again, because the food was interesting and delicious.

When it comes to DTLA Bar Ama is one of the best Mexican restaurants. Creating a fusion menu, with exciting flavor combinations, some of my favorites are the Conchita Pabil Quesadilla, the Peel and Eat Shrimp, and the Ama Enchiladas. The bar is a great place to eat and the bartenders are quite talented and pour a good cocktail. BTW Happy Hour is not to be missed!

To begin with, Bar Ama is located in a fun area of downtown Los Angeles and easily comes to life every night, especially on weekends. It offers an interesting and tasty menu of options, good wines and spirits, and has a superb service. It is an engaging atmosphere, at times a bit loud and hard to hold conversations, but that's all part of the experience. You might want to go to Bar Ama hungry to really enjoy its venue--lots of delicious appetizers, main courses and of course! Desserts... Consider making a reservation to avoid long waits, and enjoy!

We visited the restaurant at the last minute. It was extremely busy but we were able to sit at the bar. The restaurant and bar were busy and the staff was attentive. We ordered the tex mex chorizo. It was absolutely delicious. I ordered Mom's green enchiladas,,,,,,I loved it, my hubs loved it. It burst with fresh flavors. We both HIGHLY recommend visiting.

Makes us a little sad that we'll never get back here (tourist visit unlikely to be repeated). Great queso, good food, good margarita.

Food was not my style, although it seemed like everyone else in my party loved what they ordered. A little too noisy, even though it was only 3/4 full and a Thursday night. Drinks were great, and the decor is cool but it felt a little more casual than what I was hoping for.

This place fills up fast so I would recommend making a reservation, though there is a communal table if you don't mind dining with strangers, I have tried several things on the menu and all are tasty. I highly recommend the enchiladas, and the guacamole is great. You can also get a flight of tequila shots.

I came here in a large group for a friend's birthday, which is perfect because Bar Ama serves things to be shared. There are still individual entrees, but sharing is always more fun. The lengua was incredible, as were the beef cheek, mole enchiladas, chips & guac, and fried squash blossoms. There were plenty of other good things, but those are the ones I remember well. Then as a group we got one of every dessert and they were all very well done. The only disappointment, which I had thought would be a highlight, was the drinks. I tried one of their sangrias and did not like it at all, and the rest of their cocktail menu just seems like it's trying too hard. Stick with beers and you'll be happy. Ambiance was what you'd expect from a trendy restaurant, in a good way, and the service was pretty good.

On Memorial Day, my husband and I tried Bar Ama for the first time. It is the sister restaurant to Baco Mercat, one of the top ten restaurants in LA. I love Baco Mercat, but it is crowded, noisy, and really hard to get in. Bar Ama is as good or better with less noise and crowds--and it's prettier inside. The beautiful black and white tiled kitchen made me feel like I was in another country. We ate the pork chop with grits which was mind-blowing. Also the chicharron (which was more like really crispy pork belly than the fried skin you get in bags) was amazing. The Tex-Mex Queso with chorizo was yummy. So were the peas and the charred chard--the veggies are really inventive and memorable. If I had a night in LA, this is restaurant would be at the top of my list. FYI: if you don't like cilantro, watch out! Even if you tell them, they sneak it into some of the sauces.

Absolutely love the atmosphere here! The vibe was really lively and the food was great! I had the chipotle baby back ribs and the meat was tender-licious! The drinks we had (margarita)... *thumbs up! You have to try this place!

Taken here by friends who have established a tradition of bringing all their British friends here. Food, beer and service was all excellent but you may have to wait for a table (or do what we did and eat at the bar) Highly recommended!

At long last I finally tried Bar Ama, chef Josef Centeno's Tex-Mex cantina. I have dined at his adjacent Italian-Japanese omakase tasting menu Orsa and Winston; they share restrooms. That was during the pandemic, when both restaurants were serving in the adjacent alley. Bar Ama entwines traditional Tex-Mex offerings with lots of fresh vegetables, plus a selection of off-the-menu puffy tacos (an ode to chef's hometown of San Antonio). The restaurant has a regular menu, while the bar has a Super Nacho Hour menu. Note that during the first 2 hours of service, the bar menu is also available in the dining room, and there are deals to be had. I ordered a medley of dishes off both menus and had lots of leftovers. From the Super Nacho Hour menu: 1) Ama's margarita. Classic, with a chile-salt rim. 2) sweet potato mole dorados. Two crispy empanada-like half circles of deliciousness topped with a pretty complex mole. 3) Squash blossom quesadilla. Although I could see the squash blossoms, there wasn't a lot of flavour. The chile crunch dipping sauce was smoky but not too spicy. Had I not been dining solo, I would have ordered the Super Nachos, which looked nice on an adjacent table. From the regular menu: 4) Grilled baby corn. Delish! Tiny baby corn with the husks still attached perfectly grilled. 5) Mom's green chicken enchiladas. Apparently based on chef's mom's recipe; classic and comforting in the best way, baked and served in a hot cast iron skillet. Definitely has some spice! Off the menu (just ask): 6) shrimp puffy taco. There were several filling options, but the server recommended this one. It was fab. This crunchy dish as well as the crispy dorados were finished here so as not to lose the texture. Dessert was a plate-size bunuelo, a disc of fried dough flavoured with cinnamon sugar and honey. Also finished at the restaurant. Overall a very good and ample meal. So many other things I'd like to try in the future.

Met friends for brunch at Bar Ama. Amazing Latin influenced dishes, great homemade tortillas, and a good variety of breakfast menu choices. Parking downtown can be an issue, but there are several parking lots within walking distance of restaurant, as well as street parking. Cocktails were delicious and our waiter was terrific!

We stayed here and Bar AMA for a while waiting for a show at a nearby theatre. The bartender on duty is amazing!! The margaritas are EXCELLENT We just had bar snacks, guacamole and vegan nachoes as the restaurant doesn’t start serving until 5:30. The nachoes were okay but barely. Chips reaaaaal greasy

Bar Amá, for me, was all about the novel mixtures in Latin fare, both food and drink. For example, I had The Nacho cocktail. It was a margarita with chile pepper, a specialty tequila and other cool ingredients. It was crisp and well balanced for sweet and sour. I almost ordered El Más Chingón cocktail which looked interesting too. To eat, I had a side dish, the Borracho Beans and Rice. It was nice and spicy with not quite enough chunks of smoky pork. It felt a little one dimensional until I added some texture with the crispy homemade chips. It reminded me of chili. I may or may not go back. Although the decor was hip and attractive, the room was also really loud.

Excellent industrial vibe, we had an early dinner so quiet and service was excellent (thanks Evelyn). Unfortunately wines include natural ones and we tasted a small sample of the two reds, albarino and sparkling and none appealed. So we ordered the Kolsch beer which matched the courses well. Even though we are carnivores we love cauliflower and brussel sprouts, so had them, the roasted cauli with coriander pesto, brussel sprouts with blistered peppers along with a persimmon salad and squash blossoms. All the courses were sublime with good presentation with just the right amount of heat/spice. The enamel plates were appropriate. Can thoroughly recommend.

This restaurant recommendation came from someone at another place actually. It was close to my hotel and seemed to have a nice bar/restaurant feel so I gave it a try. I sat at the bar which was really nice, it's a smaller place so I'd recommend reservations if you are more than a solo. I would have like to have saw a few more local beer on the menu, but I did wine with a cheap mexican beer. I had the homemade guoc for starters which was great, everything is made in house even the chips. This was a lot for one person so I asked the bartender what would be something no so heavy to finish my meal. He suggested the fried puffy taco. Very reasonably priced at $7 for a nice sized taco and it was really good. I'd recommend this place to anyone for great tex mex.

I had to try Bar Ama because we love Baco Mercat and we love Tex-Mex. We had an amazing Sunday lunch there - great homemade Pop sodas (I had Chocolate and Root Beer!), stuffed squash blossoms, asparagus and beets, fabulous enchiladas, chile rellenos, ceviche, great queso and chips, and of course, we had dessert. It was a chocolate cake that modeled the best of Texas Sheet Cake! If you are Texan, you know what I mean. The combination of really interesting vegetable dishes with well-done classics hit the spot. I can't wait to go back! The service was friendly and very attentive.

I shop quite often in Los Angeles for my store and it's not often that I stay downtown to eat after the wholesalers have shut down for the day. Sure glad I came here. I think the guacamole was some of the best that I have ever had and I had the fajitas which were fantastic also. I really loved too that the tortillas were made fresh with your order. And you could choose from flour or corn. A great treat for someone like me who chooses to eat gluten free. My companion says the margarita was the best she ever had, but I'll have to take her word for it because that's not my idea of a yummy treat. Our server was Eddie and he was fantastic. Great service and he was very patient with my demanding companion. Great food and I will definitely go back.

We called in here for a late lunch and turns out it was happy hour - the menu was really well priced and although I can't remember the exact price for our lunch and drinks it was easily one of the best meals and the best value we had in LA. If you're in Downtown LA and are looking for something to eat make sure you check Bar Ama out.

Headed to this place with a big group of friends for happy hour before a Dodgers game. I found the bar/drink selection a little limited, but fine if you're not in to anything too out there (or looking to do mixed shots with your friends). The food was really good though. We had taquitos, chicken taco, shrimp chalupa and guacamole. Everything was delicious. One thing to note is that happy hour is only in the bar area so no table service which can be tough with big groups.

Creative Mexican food with good choices even for lunch. In fact, one of the best choices for a Sunday lunch in LA.

We have been to Bar Ama on several occasions and love sitting at the bar and along with the main stays the menu varies with different dishes each time. If you really like hot and spicy, the Nacho Margarita is for you. I had the La Pina with Mezcal, Pineapple and serrano chili and I could barely taste the pineapple. Unfortunately it was all about the heat and not the flavor. The same for the Slow Roasted Pork Molcajete. We love hot and spicy, but when the heat overpowers the flavors you miss out on the entire experience. The Tex Mex Queso and made to order guacamole with fresh chips was very good and the Roasted Sweet Potato was delicious. They do not put the tacos on the menu which is too bad for first timers because they are very tasty. The patrons at the bar and the people crowding behind you were very friendly. Our bartender Jessica was super nice and even though she was busy, she took the time to check back with us.

I picked up some ravenous Australians from the airport who needed to be fed and watered urgently. We headed down to Bar Ama on recommendation of a local. It was glorious. Many margaritas were had and frivolity ensued. There was also a guacamole that has now become the love of my life. It was about 85 avocados, with just some seasoning and lemon... my lord... Just get that.

Bar Ama was lively, probably too lively for the occasion for which we were there (dinner/drinks with a client). I loved the drinks, but the atmosphere was a little loud. I also wasn't a huge fan of the food I ordered (I ordered the chicken tortilla soup and it was red, not clear/brothy. I'm particular about this). All the food was a little too heavy/had too much sauce and competing flavors for my taste. I'd come back for drinks but probably not for dinner.

First dinner in LA! Easy to get to from the Metro, but definitely make a booking because this place was packed, even on a Sunday. What I liked about Bar Ama was that some of the dishes felt wonderfully familiar (the delicious Tex Mex Queso and the made to order guac that we started with, for example), and others were such interesting spins on Mexican food that my husband didn't even recognize it as Mexican food. I particularly enjoyed what they did with vegetables - the brussels sprouts, and the cauliflower with amazing cilantro pesto were greedily passed around the table and shared by all. And while I can't find it on their online menu, I'm quite sure that I ordered fried chicken there for dinner - which was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and delish. And they make a perfect margarita, which I really miss, as they are hard to come by over here. Our bill was pretty high, but I actually found the portions a good size for the cost. We were absolutely stuffed when we left. Fast and friendly service - Meghan made great recommendations! Definitely worth a visit for anyone looking for a great meal in LA.

My wife and I booked a late dinner-post LA Philharmonic concert. Thought the Magueritas were good without being excellent and the food solid without being particularly special...apart from the blistered brussell sprouts which were outstanding. Service too was good without being particularly special. All in all, not disappointing but also not memorable in any way- just a good solid value for money option.

Went to Bar Ama with a group of women , one who was on a restricted diet. Our waiter made her something so special and spent so much time taking care of her needs..it was AWESOME...as was the food and the energy.

Great service. Helpful, friendly wait staff. Prompt service. Very good Tex-Mex food. Mama's green enchiladas and the duck enchiladas were especially good, as was the guacamole with house made chips. The short rib chalupa was way too salty. The only down side was the noise. It was so loud it was impossible to carry on a conversation without raising your voice and even then, only with the person who was sitting right next to you.

Loved Josef Centeno's Japanese & Italian fusion restaurant and I bought his Middle Eastern cookbook at the Last Bookstore, so this San Antonio chef can do more than just try to reproduce Grandmother's recipes. Wanted to try the Tire Store tacos, but they weren't ready, so I stopped by here and had "appetizers". The salsa trio was good, spicy but not too much. The bean and cheese taco was superb. Got the taquittos. Super filling for one person. Not bad, if you're searching for Tex Mex (cheese dip is on the menu). I prefer California style hipster tacos from Silver lake or Guerrilla Tacos downtown.

My best meal of 2015 (April), I absolutely loved everything served that day at Bar Ama. The fresh inspired ceviche, Brussels sprouts was a standout, as was the crunchy topped rapini, modern flavour in a modern Mexican rustic decor. Excellent service and cocktails, excellent value for innovative dishes, would return in a heartbeat.

The trip to Bar Ama was out of convenience after a trip to the roof top bar The Perch. The pork belly dish lacked the typical crunch and taste of properly prepared dishes. Parking, like most downtown locations is a hassle. The vegan queso was reminiscent of velvetta. The chips are fried and dense. The Flan was delicious but the only remarkable thing about the meal.

I tried to eat here last weekend with six friends from Europe and Brazil. We had one drink and left -- without having dinner -- because they don't give customers their wifi code. (We asked for the hostess and bartender, where we ordered our first and last drink, for the wifi code. Neither would give it to us.) So we left without eating dinner there -- because my friends don't have US-based cell phone service and they refuse to eat at any restaurant that doesn't have wifi. (Really -- Bar Ama lost enough business when we walked out to have paid for many months of wifi service. I don't understand why every restaurant doesn't provide wifi. Even Starbuck provides it.)

Love love love the the veggie dishes (I am not a vegetarian), especially the Brussels sprouts (who'd of thought) and the cauliflower. Best guacamole I've ever had. Great place to meet up with friends. Will be back.

The drinks, service and food are always great The high brow Tex Mex menu is solid The guacamole and ceviche are excellent Then the chorizo queso is their spin on queso fundido! I love the pick belly chiharrone as well as the fried oysters and the scallop chevice The fajitas are outstanding as well Do not miss a trip to the bar...all original and fresh!

Full of young people late on sunday night. Served by an affable and accomplished mixologist at the bar. Nice selection of craft brews, world-class selection of tequilas and mezcals with prices to match. A few wines by the glass. The Ribera del Duero spanish red was fine. They were out of the octopus and the lubina so I ate the shrimp ceviche, not bad at all, well seasoned of course. then the chalupa of slow cooked beef rib with lots of arbol chili, very tasty and satisying. All that and a glass of beer came to 70 dollars with tax and a generous tip. The ladies at the entrance were as sweet as can be and comped me a huge guacamole to console me after having been "stood up."

After 15+ meals at Bar Ama, I am ready to declare it a must-eat at gem. I have been here for a business event and numerous times with my wife and the meals are consistently delicious. The entire menu is good, though I recommend choosing a few staples and choosing a cocktail from the menu (the Nacho is a favorite of mine). Menu recommendations including the chips and guacamole and salsa, the ceviche, the chicken and the cauliflower. Those are personal preferences. I have gone through the entire menu and can vouch for almost anything. Enjoy.

This Modern Mexican restaurant in downtown LA has an eclectic vibe with authentic food. The best of both worlds! Must try: Chicken, beef and shrimp tacos (they are not on the menu, you have to ask for it). Also the tex mex queso is incredible with the unlimited nachos they serve.

Omg. My coworker took me here and the guacamole was amazing. My Enchiladas were bomb. I think I licked the skillet when I was done. I want to return and try more items.

Visiting from CT. Great Mexican food ! Had the chicken cilantro chicken fajitas. Also the puffy tacos! They are not on the menu, you have to ask for it special . Great chips and cheese too.

I love your interior design... Good food and good drink. Their Margarita get me crazy!!! Good Mexican food...I love their mole...

I had the best fish and shrimp tacos from a happy hour menu ever! Tequila and sangrita were very good even though I don't usually do silver tequilas I was happy with it. Service was very nice even with a happy hour rush. You must try guacamole! They make it at your taste! I will be back soon!

With a reservation we were seated in such a crowded space we couldn’t move and every time the door opened we froze. The guacamole was served in a basket on paper, fajitas had little meat, fish tacos were two little open faced tapas style. The service was also bad and the prices were high for sure for the food served. I asked for salsa and they didn’t have any just some hot sauce that came from a bottle.

Excellent spin on Mexican from one of L.A.'s most creative chefs with his own mini-empire downtown. Service was exceptional and the server made helpful recommendations on what to order given the time constraints on the meal. I look forward to coming back and trying more of the menu.

One of my favorite downtown Los Angeles restaurants. The restaurant is Latin inspired, but at a elevated quality. The shrimp puffy tacos are amazing. They do not always offer them on the menu, but will make them for you if you ask. I've never had a bad dish and always look forward to see what is new.

During this trip to LA we chose to stay in the downtown, turned out there are not so many places to eat after 8 pm. We occasionally found BARAMA and the food was just great! Even though it is called BAR AMA (so we thought it’s mainly a bar). Highly recommend!

as we entered Bar Ama we were greeted and guided to our table. The resturant is small and one should became friendly with their next tables. We decided to have a few appetizers instead of main dishes. The cauliflower with cilantro pesto and the fried brasselsprouts were delicious. Similarly, the guacamolle was amazing, the tortilla chips not as enchanting . The Margarita and the nacho (tequila blanco, chile-lime shrub, campari, citrus, honey) drinks were flavorful but with a kick ( which I did not appreciate, but my wife liked very much). The pumpkin pie crumble was good, although a bit too sweet. The ambience was energetic, as one could part take in many conversations. The service was friendly, but slow. Cost was on the high side, over $40 pp. For two appetizers and a drink. The experience was worth it

Could it be Bar Ama is better than Baco Merkat? I think so: staff is super friendly and knows their stuff, is there when you need them without hovering over you, drinks are dynamite and the crowd - a little bit hipster but not too much; a little bit artsy but not too much; a little in between but not too much - seems to have an awesome time. Guacamole is a must as are the chiles rellenos and you can't go wrong with the puffy tacos or the slow roasted chile pork. But try it all!

Large party of 8 and no complaints. Food was very flavorful. Had the enchilada w/ chorizo and couldn’t get enough. Don’t let small sizes fool you as it’s comfortable filling. Service was great but can’t split check or make any alterations like no onions on a burger. That’s why I knocked a couple stars.

The food was OK, cost of ablut $15, but on a $150-$200 bill the rest was for sevice charge of 18% suggested tip of 22%, taxes and a $52 bottle of wine which was listed as being French Rhone. The wine came in a clear glass bottle; no red wine ever comes in a clear glass bottle, it is always dark glass. The wine was not from the Rhone valley in France, it was too light and not full bodied enough. It was a cheap immitation and from some other cheaper place. It was a total rip off.

The restaurant is well decorated and staff is nice. The food taste good and price its ok. Try their Ama's favorites, so tasty.

I'm a big fan of Baco Mercat so of course had Bar Ama on my "To Do" list. There's been a lot of buzz about the puffy tacos, but suggest you skip those in favor of uniquely flavored veggie dishes. Sorry to say the ceviche wasn't outstanding the other night either. But that's not going to stop us from going back to try other items on the menu.

The menu isn't long, but there's certainly enough to satisfy both the traditionalists and the adventurous. The atmosphere is very casual, but it still works for business lunches. If you're downtown and craving some creative food, give it a shot.

Run to here! Bar Ama is the perfect marriage of chic atmosphere, exquisite cuisine and dashing cocktails! This is not your momma's Tex-Mex: picture Tex-mex with gourmet flair and much sex appeal! This restaurant experience is a must! Perfect for dates, special occasions, and a good outing with friends. Service staff in knowledgeable and dedicated to the customer experience-- Bar Ama is a non-negotiable MUST!

First time at this great venue. Buzzing and full of atmosphere whether going for a drink or meal. Really enjoyed the whole thing. It may sometimes be a bit too cool for its own good and the service has a brisk feel to it but definitely worth a visit.

The best margarita that I have ever tasted is The Nacho at Bar Ama. The chips and guacamole are excellent. Unfortunately, the food on the dinner menu is bizarre and overthought. I have eaten here twice and felt a little sick both times. The flavors are so overpowering and salty. Service is exactly what you expect from a too-cool-for-school, hipster downtown restaurant. Most waiters are cool and could care less about your experience. A few waiters are really nice. A mixed bag all the way through at Bar Ama.

Found this spot on a Saturday night around 10pm. It was busy but not over crowded. A small restaurant with a bar. We were seating immediately and attended too. Appetizers Roasted Cauliflower with pesto and lemon. Delicious! Chalupa- braised beef with beans and a wonderful tasting cabbage on top. Had a perfect little kick. It come on a tortilla. Pork belly- small plate it was tasty but not a meal. The Margarita was Great. I’d definitely come back to this place for drinks and small plates.

cool place, small bar with bar foods. full menu in dinin room. great food and the vegan options were plenty.

What's not to like about this place? The food is second only to the spicy margaritas. Love to sit at the bar.

Dropped in the sister spot to Ledlow following an amazing brunch for Happy Hour. All the juices are prepared in house! The Mexican influence is beautifully woven into the food, flare and ambiance of this space. Tell Carol your sweet and/or salty pleasure and watch her mix up her magic. The tortilla chips and salsa were the best I've ever had!

The fajitas were amazing (very big portions) but the fact that they don't give you the wifi password although they have a network and also the fact that the service wasn't perfect, results in a 4/5!

When a great chef... classically trained turns to Mexican you can expect something special and that is what you get.. Casual and easy to enjoy. This is new wave Mexican with fresh high quality ingredients...

Medium size, modern open industrial, very hip and downtown city genre. Had weekend brunch/lunch, everything was excellent, from the perfectly coddled eggs to not-too-hot spices on the meats and in the guacamole. Seems expensive ($10 for guacamole!), but I (and the crowd) think it was worth it. NOT your typical mexican food, and they are one of the Baco restaurants, so you wouldn't expect less, and they have their own bottled sodas - chocolate root beer!

But really, I did! I once lived near an authentic Mexican restaurant and took language classes with the chef, who was from Mexico City. I’ve been missing authentic Mexican for 7 years since I moved away. Almost cried over this one. FINALLY had the good stuff again! Also the house-made bus driver sauce is amazing! Great atmosphere, too!

Ate here with a colleague on an overnight trip to LA. Great ambience, friendly service and a fun mexican menu with everything from chile reyero to fajitas. The food was well prepared and delicious, and the cocktails were fantastic. I definitely reccomend.

We were taken here by friends for dinner. We started with a selection of small plates from the happy hour menu which were very tasty then I enjoyed the fish tacos as my main. Nice vibe and reasonably priced

We went here for dinner on a Sunday. The food was OK. The puffy chicken taco was decent and so was the cauliflower. What makes me give it a 3 is the price point. I do not think the price and food match. I would have given it a 3.5

I was a little nervous on how great the food would be when I walked in. Well I was completely in shock to how amazing it all tasted. I do not even like guacamole and it was great. I will for sure return!

Food was fresh and tasty, but to anyone familiar with traditional Latin American cooking the food was a bit on the timid side. "Ceviche" was mostly greens. The overall price to ingredient cost ratio is extremely high. I would rate Good.

Really tasty food and noce atmospher . People who gather here are nice too , some kind of a colorite <3

Hit Bar Ama after a Dodgers game and could not have been happier with our choice. Fabulous margaritas, exceptionally good ceviche salad, and amazing puffy shrimp tacos in a cool, but very welcoming, industrial space. Best late night meal, ever... I wish I lived closer!

Sure... throw a lot of cheese over anything you make and it will taste good. Have been here three times. Sat at bar and had dinner twice and once for lunch. Service was a bit unattentive (typical Los Angeles) and unfocused. He messed up the order twice the last visit. Will not return. Gave them plenty of opportunity and they still failed. Baco Mercat, though different all together, is much better.

The food here is absolutely delicious. Have you ever had Fried Brussels Sprouts? Neither had I until I ate here. They do some mean chicken wings also.The plates are small so everyone ordered what they wanted and then we shared. Makes for a great meal.

A great choice for Sunday lunch. The food is always wonderful, and, unlike most Sunday options, it offers a full menu of various dishes.

Great mezcal cocktails, short rib tacos were amazing, awesome guac, and a decent michelada. Go during the happy hour for good deals.

We needed a place to wait so we could go to an event and stumbled upon this restaurant. We sought up at the bar. We had a margarita and a fried ice cream. The Margarita was good but I did not like the spicy chili salt around it. The fried ice cream was good.

Had lunch at Bar Ama earlier this week with a friend; neither of us had been there before. Everything we ordered (Cilantro Ceasars salad, Ceviche, Green Enchilladas) was really tasty and well presented. We loved every bite of it. Great lunch experience with very attentive service. Will for sure go back there again!

Very nice find in the middle of downtown....Tasty food (tho some of it can be spicy) and excellent drinks. Not a fancy place, but comfortable atmosphere.... friendly service and reasonable noise-level.

I went here after work with some colleagues. The food was amazing. I had one of the beef tongue "lengua" dishes that they are known for and it was incredible. I try to be an adventurous eater but everyone loved this dish. We shared a bunch of other things and we loved it all. We also shared a few pitchers of Margaritas, which were some of the best I've ever had. The restaurant vibe is awesome and I highly recommend it. In fact, I'm going back this week on a double date.

Every dish we tried at Bar Ama was fantastic! The cauliflower was INCREDIBLE! The queso was AMAZING! Don't leave without trying an enchilada. LOVE this place and cannot wait to return!!

A friend recommended this place and I was stoked about having some good Mexican in a cute environment but when I sat down and saw the menu - rose sangria with huckleberry and bourbon...a Mexican negroni made with Mezcal. And then the food! They have an amazing selection of vegetarian and vegan recipes in addition to all the favorites and I had a hard time choosing. Eventually I ended up with the vegan taquitos and the fried squash blossoms with cotija but I felt sad passing up the dried eggplant mole, charred Brussels sprouts with pickled red onion and "bus driver hot sauce" and the pickled nopales with tangerine. The menu is wonderfully innovative without deviating into the weird and was absolutely delicious. As I was about to leave, the gentleman beside me ordered a spicy margarita with Mezcal and so of course I had to try that as well and it was just about the best thing I've had in a while. Highly recommend this place, no misses.

Went with some colleagues for an evening meal and we were seated very quickly. I would recommend a booking as the place filled up quickly and there were several large groups. Menu is detailed with lots of options for all tastes. Would recommend the homemade guacamole to start. Several of us had the enchiladas which were excellent. One of the party had his with chilli beef and was in the bathroom all night, the rest of us had it with beans and rice.

We are big fans of Baco Mercat, their other restaurant. Just tried this one. We had scallops, guac and chips, brussel sprouts, seared tuna, caesar salad, desert and cocktails All but the guac and desert were just too spicy for us. Even the Caesar had jalapeño as did the cocktails. Portions are decent size for a tapas menu, the crowd and vibe was cool. Just too spicy for our palate. Would return to Baco in a heartbeat. More Mediterranean flavors.

Bar Amá is the place to go if you are looking for Mexican/Southwestern food. The staff was friendly and the prices just right. The bar tender told us of an off menu puffy taco dish that was amazing and the short rib dish left you craving for more. Although the area it is situated in is relatively safe, do not venture far at night.

Everything here is delicious. Food and drinks are different and exciting. Seating is slow, worth it.

Amazing ambience, awesome food!! Had the guacamole, queso, shrimp fajita and chicken enchiladas, all of which were very flavorful. Do ask for their spicy sauces, they go really well with the food! We had reserved a table in advance.

I like to choose my restaurants based on past reviews but because of our taxi driver dropping us off 4 blocks from our wanted destination, we find out the restaurant we wanted to try was not at the location posted on Yelp. This Tex mex restaurant was the only one around and me and my wife were "hangry". I guess Tex-mex restaurants don't hand out complimentary chips (strike 1).. Secondly, they don't have soda like Coke or Pepsi but serve their own specialty soda (strike 2).$4 for their soda? Yikesz The food I guess is suppose to be some hip, trendy, and healthy options/status but it just didn't seem to satisfy. They charge $30 for chicken fajita that seems to be a bit on the excess side. Sorry but I prefer Chevy and Chili's fajitas at half the cost and taste "mucho bueno". I've had better beef tacos at a taco truck than their version. I guess if you're desperate and can't find a place and you happen to be where this place is at, it's okay but I would rather have walked several more blocks for more comfort food and tasty eateries.

Every dish surprised us with its originality and delicious flavor. Eight of us celebrated a birthday at BarAma last week. We read reviews, but had no idea what we were getting into. The location had convenient cheap, paid parking nearby. The ambiance and decor felt like "Lucky Brand" designed it. Music was grunge and rock. Food was amazing! Recommended: guacamole! We've never had better, and we think we're connoisseurs. Cauliflower with lime cilantro pesto. Yes, it sounds different, And you must get it. One of us Hated brussel sprouts, and he loved these. The spicing makes all the difference. We also had the eggplant mole, and it rocked. Those were tapas for us. We got Chicken and Meat fajitas. We got corn and huitlacoche taquitos. We got chile relleno. All worth having again. Importantly, their bartender knows how to make excellent pitchers of margaritas on the rocks. Servers were attractive, friendly, unobtrusive, and efficient. A great choice for dates as well.

Not bad, not great, not sure why it can't be better. We've been multiple times and it's been consistently average and underwhelming.

We had a late lunch here. Very nice portions. The pork belly was outstanding - really nicely prepared and didn't have any aftertaste that too many fried foods can have. Very nice, but not remarkable.

Great service and great food. All the staff was knowledgeable and helpful. Everything from cocktails to desert was great.

Great Food, Great Service. Well worth a night out. There food is amazing and great ambiance. Ask for the bartender recommendation as I had one the most amazing Old Fashioned here.

This is Chef Centeno's new place (he, of Baco Mercat fame). This is a great spot for lunch, dinner or drinks. The menu is a Tex-Mex blend, only more creative and inventive. The drinks menus is also creative and fun. Although the food is very different from Baco Mercat, you can almost feel the same Chef/designer hands at work. The venue isn't huge, so reservations are a good idea. This is also a good place for downtown hipsters and people watching.

From Texas and have yet to find good queso in LA but this place has it! Creamy Queso and chips- yum! The chips are little thick but great for dipping. We had Chicken fajitas and I thought they should offer a half order instead of so much going to waste for 2 people. It's a lot of food! Seemed to be quite the romantic place to eat…had to watch several couples making out at their tables! Wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been there w/ my daughter. Oh, and they wanted to charge me $3.00 to bring a combo of flour and corn tortillas. I said just bring me corn then and they ended up bringing flour. So, they took away the flour ones (which was odd b/c if you've already brought them out then just leave them) and brought us the corn. Lesson to restaurant..don't charge people for something so stupid!

I don't write a ton of reviews, but our lunch at Bar Ama yesterday was so outstanding that I couldn't resist. First of all, I am a Texas transplant to LA, and I know good Tex-Mex. What I had yesterday was officially one of the best Tex Mex lunches I've ever had in my life. Started with house margaritas and some fried squash blossoms. I had the chimichanga which was stuffed with a chile relleno and topped with a FRIED EGG which was cooked perfectly. My fiance had the mom's green enchiladas which tasted like they were literally made in someone's home kitchen. For dessert we had the pineapple panna cotta which was out of this world. Go here immediately, your taste buds will thank you!! I know I can't wait to go back. Also, the service was great. Overall completely impressed with Bar Ama.

My husband and i stumbled across Bar Ama while staying DTLA. We wanted something casual but with good food. This place didn’t disappoint. It is small but not so small that it feels crowded. I loved the enchilada i got. It’s not too expensive either.

We dined here after attending a performance of the LA Phil at the Disney Concert Hall. It is an amazing Gehry building and set the stage for the absolutely amazing meal we enjoyed at Bar Ama. But before we address the food, we sat at the bar and sampled some wonderful drinks - I highly recommend the Rose Sangria - which came as a surprise since I ordered the Deep Red Sangria and when the bartender delivered it he apologized saying, we should have changed the menu, it is a rose and if you don't like it, I will give you something you would prefer. I LOVED IT. And the food we ordered was just as inventive and delicious: Cashew Poblano Queso, Crispy Pork Belly, Short Rib Chalupa and Fried Squash Blossoms. Amazing from start to finish. It was very crowded, but not noisy and despite the hustle and bustle of turning tables the service was efficient and pleasant. We went for a lovely stroll in downtown after our amazing dinner. Enjoy

Our family had dinner there 12/23.The Lobster taquitos ,ceviche, fresh chips,homemade root beer with a hint of chocolate were wonderful.One of the family is vegetarian so we had blistered baby squash and fried brussels sprouts.My husband had vowed never to eat brussels sprouts recently; he changed his mind and loved them.Wonderful spot

I have now been to Bar Ama three times and its official I'm in love. I am from San Antonio and my husband and I are in a decades long debate over whether California Mexican food is any good. It is fine and will do in a pinch, but Tex Mex is what I was raised on so for me-- that's what I love. Bar Ama is the closest I've found to what I grew up on -- with improvements. The Mom's Enchilada's are chicken and cheese in green sauce with sour cream. One bite and its like I'm back in SA! And they have incredible vegetable small plates -- fried brussell sprouts, roasted cauliflower -- delicious and almost makes you feel like you're eating healthy. The guacamole is the living end. Its hands down the best guac in Los Angeles. Paired with my favorite drink -- the Nacho -- it is the surefire way to cure a terrible day. I am blessed to work around the corner from this joint, so I am now making it a habit. I

The restaurant food is exceptional! The fusion is a real change in LA food scene! The bar is great! Great fresh cocktails!

Trendy spot in the middle of Historic District in Downtown L.A. Nice, casual ambiance, an energetic crowd -mostly kids in their 20's- fills the place. Great service, lots of smiles and very attentive servers and a very quick service too. Food was served in less than 12min. Stellar dishes we tried: cauliflower pesto, chile relleno and the short rib chalupa. Less than stellar: the vegan escabeche and the albondigas (this last one was certainly not prepared with love). As most "trendy" restaurants nowadays, the place serves food that explodes in bold flavors and hot spices. Sometimes, the real taste of the food gets lost in the use and abuse of spices. Other than that... hm... the Margaritas were exceptionally good.... and exceptionally expensive too.

A friend recommended we visit bar ama and try the nachos and made to order guacamole for happy hour. The cheese on the nachos reminded me of Velveeta...not ideal. The margarita however was very tasty and the puffy tacos were quite yummy. I asked the bartender for some hot sauce twice but it never appeared. Service was ok. Food was pretty good. I wouldn't make a special trip just for the happy hour.

Cheeky praise deserved without hesitation. An evening out for a meal seemingly prepared with love. How else do you describe restaurant food that tastes like your Nana was in the kitchen teaching the young ones how it's done. Seven dishes, all great, six to die for. Small eclectic wine list (looked worth a try), but tequilas to die for too. Warm room, warm service, cool vibe, fair prices. Destination restaurant.

Positives: The Nacho is the best margarita I have ever tasted! Really neat space downtown. Nicely decorated, with a old-school hipness to it. The menu is very eclectic, but tasty. Fantastic chips and guacamole. Negatives: Terrible service. Hipster 20 somethings with attitude in spades. The bartender looked at me with contempt as I tried to order a drink. It was one of those instances where you are trying so hard to be nice because you think it will snap them out of their snot nosed attitude, all for not. I hope that the service improves because I really liked the food and drinks.