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 tosantafe 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 preservesantafe’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 insantafe – 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.

bad service; below average food.. may 2013. dinner at la boca was disappointing. food was not so good. service was bad, even bysantafe 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 insantafe. skip it.

really like it!!! a must eat insantafe. 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 insantafe 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 insantafe - you must go to la boca.

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 insantafe to bother with such poor customer service.

this is a very highly regarded restaurant by thesantafe 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 insantafe. 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 forsantafe

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 perusingsantafe without dropping in here for a nibble and a a sip. it is fantastic.

a very nice experience. we were insantafe 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 quite good as 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!

savory taste, superior service. the quality of food and service at la boca has compelled me to write my first restaurant review. despite the food mecca that issantafe, my girlfriend and i found ourselves making repeat visits to this delightful eatery. the tapas, tuna tartar, and the morcilla--with grilled caramelized pineapple, sautéed dates and pedro ximenez sauce --were absolutely delectable.

the dining experience was further enhanced by efrain, our lunch waiter. any employer should consider himself lucky to have an employee like efrain. this gentleman went above and beyond the typical bounds of graciousness and hospitality, and exuded a genuine enthusiasm in ensuring the satisfaction and pleasure of each patron's experience.

we look forward to re-visitingsantafe, la boca, and with any luck efrain will be there to greet us with his warm smile.

a big thank you from carbondale, co!

while we were at thesantafa market, there was a very nice couple that recommended la boca, so we decided to stop in during happy hour for some tapas. so glad they recommended this place. we did not have a reservation, but were still seated by a wonderful host.
gabriel, our server, was wonderful with his service & suggestions. we ordered a few items, but for us, the one that just made our experience "wonderful" was the bruschetta with crimini mushrooms, cream, and fried egg, topped with truffle oil & reggianito cheese. let me tell you, once you cut the egg open, and the yolk mixes in with the cream... just thinking about it now is making me smile. the flavors, textures, creaminess, and freshness of this dish actually reminded me of a similar dish we had in europe some years ago.
i really don't want to recommend this place (tongue-in-cheek), but it will be our first meal, whether lunch or dinner, when we return tosantafe.
*we actually made dinner reservations (which gabriel assisted us with), but had to cancel. the extra cool thing was the hostess remembered us from lunch, and was going to have us sitting at one of the window tables. truly appreciated that kind of special attention.

great lunch. my wife and i stopped in for lunch on our recent nov visit tosantafe. our initial concerns for the somewhat aloof and indifferent woman at the front was overshadowed by very nice and attentive service. while not a cheap lunch it was the most memorable of our restaurant experiences for the 3 days we were there. great three-way hummus app. the dessert that came with the lunch special was also a rare treat. wish i could get spanish fare like that in dallas.

the food was all delicious once again, the service was great, and the atmosphere was wonderful! this is definitely on my list ofsantafe favorites and i look forward to returning there soon!

amazing, romantic dinner for two. my boyfriend and i enjoyed a lovely, romantic dinner at la boca on a recent trip tosantafe. exceptional service, the waitstaff knew when we needed attention but otherwise were left alone to our conversation. the squash special was delightful and the waiter's dessert recommendation was to die for (something with cherries??) the only disappointment was that the online menu reflected items no longer available. update that and the experience will be perfect!

the first taste of la boca, a tapas restaurant insantafe, is the blood orange sangria, perfectly delicious for a day when the temperature is in the teens.

fantastic. every time i've ever eaten here i've been impressed. lunch is very affordable if you get the bocadillas. dinner is really wonderful whether you get tapas, or my personal preference, the tasting menu with the wine pairings.
when i moved away fromsantafe i thought of a few restaurants that i would miss... this was near the top of the list. don't miss it.