la boca

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 freewineand not paying attention to the several groups of paying customers. many better options in santa fe. skip it.

get the chef's tasting menu to try the best offerings of the evening. well editedwinelist.

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 nicewine- a long time ago.

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

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 andwinelists 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.

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 smallwinebar and the menu is also fairly small but very alive with creative dishes and specials based upon what is available seasonally and locally. theirwinelist is also quite good as well. the four of us started out sharing some tapas and a bottle ofwinebefore 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 ofwinewe 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 a good light choice. creamy gazpacho was soup of the day and it went perfectly with a roasted crab salad sandwich seasoned with smoked spanish paprika. thewinelist is well chosen.

wonderful!. this was my first tapas experience. the food and thewineour waiter recommended were delicious. the service was very friendly and our waiter was very informative and patient while educating us on tapas. i just recommend skipping the dessert.

braised crispy kale with roasted garbanzo beans was unique and delicious. redwineselection so good and can't remember what i ordered!

lovely for tapas. boca is a charming restaurant located on marcy street just steps from the plaza. thewineselection is good and 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 a good selection, with a blackboard menu as well of daily seasonal offerings. vegetarian or meat/seafood lover, you will be happy with any choice you make.

favorite in sf. a little bit of spain on new mex. the jamon is as good as in the old country. greatwinelist.

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 thewinepairings.
when i moved away from santa fe i thought of a few restaurants that i would miss... this was near the top of the list. don't miss it.