la boca

supports local food movement!. la boca buys fresh, local ingredients for their meals through farm to table's farm to restaurant program. the farm to restaurant program promotes a viable food system in northern new mexico by helping small to mid-sized farmers sell their products to santa fe restaurants, and by helping these restaurants source the highest quality, most nutritious and flavorful ingredients for customers like you! we thank you for supporting the local food movement by dining at a conscious restaurant like la boca. we know you will love the dishes that incorporate local ingredients; supporting local restaurants and farmers is one way to preserve santa fe’s unique culture!

mediocre at best. maybe we ordered the wrong dishes, maybe the chef was ill, maybe the waitress was just too busy in the short-staffed restaurant to offer anything that recalls good service. i don’t know. i only know that la boca – one of the highest recommended restaurants in santa fe – was overwhelmingly mediocre.

sure, the shrimp was fresh enough, but paired with a forgettable sauce and avocado. even worse, the aubergine strips in centimeters of batter. all very uninspiring.

we ordered a fish special, which sold out, and the waitress encouraged us to try the paella: “it will fill you up”. so does a bowl of oatmeal, which, incidentally, might have been more interesting than what was served up. burnt chorizo. mussels cooked into oblivion. possibly even frozen peas.

wouldn’t return.

hot crowded noisy restaurant where the staff is rude with an attitude. the food is good but there are other places just as good for tapas. try azur for tapas if you prefer staff who care about you.

tasty food near the plaza. had dinner there on memorial day & was pleasantly surprised. trio was good, but the stars were the shrimp dish and the flat iron steak. blood orange sangria was awesome. expensive, but well worth the trip.

bad service; below average food.. may 2013. dinner at la boca was disappointing. food was not so good. service was bad, even by santa fe standards. hummus and romesco were nearly flavorless. fortunately the flatbread was crisp, warm and buttery. the calamari was good; it gets a "b." lightly fried, crisp, bright olive oil and lemon. watch the sauce; the pimenton dominates and nothing else comes through. paella was not good; below average. not fresh; reheated; pastey, texture; very little taste other than the spanish paprika. the chorizo had a good al dente texture but little flavor. the shrimp were good. the chicken flavorless. no fish stock flavor or garlic, and again too heavy on the pimenton. not a traditional paella and not a memorable variation. sat at the bar where there was much too concern with satisfying friends with free wine and not paying attention to the several groups of paying customers. many better options in santa fe. skip it.

very good...paella excellent.


-----15 may, 2011-----

very good...bella excellent.

get the chef's tasting menu to try the best offerings of the evening. well edited wine list.

really like it!!! a must eat in santa fe. love this place. we already had dinner plans, but wanted to try this place. so we stopped in before dinner and ordered two different tapas. we had the white-wine poached red trout w/sweet pea and mint salmorejo, hard-boiled eggs & crispy jamón and the talus wind ranch grilled lamb chops w/roasted carrot puree & mint agridulce sauce. omg - wish that we had more time in santa fe and could have gone back. they were both so delicious that i am still thinking of them. the restaurant is edgy and has a high-end energy about it. the staff is friendly and efficient. when in santa fe - you must go to la boca.

underwhelmed with the food, drinks & service :-(
service - forgetful... maria never came back check on us. when we finally asked a busser for the bill, she races back and says: "oh gosh, did i forget to order you something?" yes, about 30 minutes ago!

food - while nicely plated (hence the two stars), the house cured tuna was so tough it was like chewing on jerky. the chorizos iberico was uninspired, and honestly, we've had better at the grocery store. and the accompanying "mustard seed caviar" that maria initially raved about, was such a tiny portion (like 1/8 tsp) it was joke... on us.

drinks - their spanish sherries, again recommended, were extremely oxidized. and i don't mean sherry-like, but totally stale with wet cardboard flavors that detracted from what might have been a nice wine - a long time ago.

after spending nearly $70 (before tip & tax), we left hungry and disappointed. will not return nor recommend

if they ask to take your name and phone number and they will call you don't bother, go somewhere. we stopped in with our family of six, the host said it should be less than a half hour and took our phone number. we shopped at the stores on marcy, after a half hour my daughter checked. they had just given the big table that the host was waiting for us to another group. the girl's response to my daughter was "that's okward". too many good restaurants in santa fe to bother with such poor customer service.

this is a very highly regarded restaurant by the santa fe elite. the quality of the food is excellent and touted to be tapas simple. to the contrary, the food was complex and rich. it is hard to describe as it is part spanish tapas bar crossed with a sheikh where to be seen dining place in santa fe. fun atmosphere with attentive staff that are very well trained to cater to the elite. tough to get reservations during the holidays

reminds us of some of the tapas places on the costa del sol in spain

pricey and at the high end for santa fe

love this place. perfect for a large group. tapas were amazing. we had way too many to list. and the live music was perfect. is definitely recommend this place!

there are lots of words used to describe how good a restaurant is, but none of them seem sufficient for la boca. this place is small, warm and inviting. the service is on point and so knowledgable. the food is spectacular. flavors are complex and balanced. best paella i've ever had. made it as one of my top 10 restaurants. the live music is a bonus. don't forget to make a reservation.

simple elegance with approachable cuisine. we remember style, class and service first, then the great food draws us to return. my wife loved this place on her last visit, so we sought it out again. our reward was sweet. namely, a very balanced classic sherry...or two, and a bright and satisfying pinot grigio both hit the spot for our afternoon snack. the best part about tapas is sampling different items to scratch the food itch of the moment. we both wanted salty, savory, and spicy...i think. i ordered all of those anyway. the olives were fresh and salty, and quite an ample serving. the cumin laced roasted chicken was delicate, tender and full of well rounded flavors, including a hint of chili. the chili also abounds in the perfectly grilled large shell-on shrimp, drizzled with a hot vinegary sauce that livens these deliciously fresh crustacea . finally the imported, thinly sliced ham was a perfect finish matching well with the grainy manchego cheese. it was a perfectly balanced interlude before dinner and clearly indicative of my brilliantly deft menu selections. ahem. to be honest, any fool could look good ordering off this menu, as the array of exquisite dishes dazzle and are sure to impress the most demanding palate. don't even think about perusing santa fe without dropping in here for a nibble and a a sip. it is fantastic.

i went in for lunch again today, was treated excellently and promptly by the staff. the staff from door to kitchen was knowledgeable on the menu and wine lists through and through. always happy with the grilled artichokes and other tapas, fried brussel sprouts, and tacos are a must. had house made truffles also quite excellent as usual. certainly go at any and every chance.