la boca

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 recallsgoodservice. 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 isgoodbut there are other places just asgoodfor tapas. try azur for tapas if you prefer staff who care about you.

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 agoodal 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.

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 manygoodrestaurants in santa fe to bother with such poor customer service.

there are lots of words used to describe howgooda 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 lookgoodordering 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.

a very nice experience. we were in santa fe for christmas with the in-laws who flew in from miami and decided to leave the kids and have a nice evening at la boca. as fans of spanish/mediterranean food we were excited to see a "modern" interpretation. the joint is small but cozy with about room for 40 with a small wine bar and the menu is also fairly small but very alive with creative dishes and specials based upon what is available seasonally and locally. their wine list is also quitegoodas well. the four of us started out sharing some tapas and a bottle of wine before moving on to a main course of paella. the paella was absolutely delicious. we ordered the paella for two and it was more than enough for 4 adults. the rice was perfectly cooked and it was brimming with shrimp, mussels, chorizo, etc. after another bottle of wine we shared a couple of desserts and it was an absolutely fabulous finish to the meal. be aware that the chef apparently has a basque background so the food is a bit on the spicy side but if you are looking for a very nice meal this is the place. it is a bit pricey--but not overly so--we ate for about $60 per person. the decor isn't fancy and the staff is laid back and friendly. don't come if you are in a rush--dining is an experience so set aside a couple of hours and enjoy!

hasn't lost its edge, and the redone dining room makes it even better. afternoon tapas time (3-5) is the perfect time to visit.


-----11 aug, 2014-----

just the way patatas bravas should be done. and the aioli is delicious.


-----11 aug, 2014-----

tacos de la boca. shrimp and morcilla just seem made for each other in these tacos.


-----11 aug, 2014-----

tapas dip trio. the almond red pepper romesco is the best


-----14 jun, 2010-----

great place for lunch. the suuny dining room and friendly staff add to the experience. you can choose the zarzuela or paella, but then you will need a nap. the tapas trio with grilled flat bread is agoodlight choice. creamy gazpacho was soup of the day and it went perfectly with a roasted crab salad sandwich seasoned with smoked spanish paprika. the wine list is well chosen.

braised crispy kale with roasted garbanzo beans was unique and delicious. red wine selection sogoodand can't remember what i ordered!

the service here was great. we couldn't book a reservation as it was full but manage to get seats at the bar. the floor manager was great and made it a point to tell us what a dish was everytime i saw one go by. we started with the bruschetta which was my favorite dish of the night. it was rich and flavorful and left me wanting more. then came the mussels. although i enjoyed it i wish there was more. then there was the tuna carpaccio which was different. the flat iron steak with caramel sauce wasgoodbut i wished it was a little more complex. next was the quail that was tender and juicy. finally the grilled artichoke with goat cheese which was my 2nd favorite. i enjoyed this place even though it was expensive.

lovely for tapas. boca is a charming restaurant located on marcy street just steps from the plaza. the wine selection isgoodand the tapas creative. the waiter suggested each person at our table order 3 tapas each. i would say this is way too much food. 2 tapas each, at least for our party, was more than enough with a bit left over. there is agoodselection, with a blackboard menu as well of daily seasonal offerings. vegetarian or meat/seafood lover, you will be happy with any choice you make.

used to be a great date restaurant :(. wonderful food but the most horrible host. it's busy, i get it, it's mother's day. however we had a reservation for 1pm. we check in by 12:45. the young hostess checks us in and tells us there is a table getting ready to leave. 15 minutes later the table is cleaned and set. they are then brought another group who checked in after us and sat them at the table we were promised. i asked what was going on and the host said that it was obviously some miscommunication on their part (meaning the host/hostess) and when another table opened up we would be seated. so, by the time we are seated it is now 1:45. not one person ever apologized to us. so bottom line here is, it doesn't really matter if you have a reservation or not. they seat you when they aregoodand ready to seat you if they don't give your table away first and treat you like a piece of crap.

update***
against my better judgment, we ate at la boca again last night. an family member of ours was in town from the mid-west and wanted tapas. again the food was good. we were seated at the right time we made reservations for and all was well. we finished our desert, i paid the check, tipped the waiter 20% because all was going well (i have the receipt as proof). as we were finishing our coffee/drinks, the waiter came over to us and asked us to please finish our conversation because there were other people that needed to eat.

honestly, i have never been asked to leave anywhere. i have never seen a waiter behave like that. i am done with la boca!!!

favorite in sf. a little bit of spain on new mex. the jamon is asgoodas in the old country. great wine list.