Taco Tuesday at Marix
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 6:06
It’s Tuesday. Some call it “Taco Tuesday”. OK, not everyone calls it that, but at Marix in Santa Monica (and West Hollywood) they do. Every so often we head down to the Santa Monica location, just a couple blocks from PCH, for some cheap tacos and a couple beers.
Marix is Tex-Mex, so you wont get traditional street tacos here. The meat is shredded and bathed in a tomato sauce. Each taco gets a handful of lettuce and cheese on top. Add some pico de gallo and you’re done.
There are two options for Taco Tuesday. At the bar, you get taco tickets from the bartender at $1.50 each. Take your ticket to the end of the bar area and trade it for either a beef or a chicken taco. There is also a big barrel of chips that you can help yourself to. Add a happy hour beer or two before 7:00 and you have yourself a budget meal.
The second option is to pay around $8 and sit at one of the tables. You start with three tacos, rice and beans. After that, the tacos keep coming until you say “no mas”. It’s all you can eat.
I wont claim that Marix is the best food, but it does taste good. For a mid-week get together, it’s a good option. The bar area is on the small side and there is a miniature patio outside. The main dining area is usually empty on Tuesdays, so reservations shouldn’t be necessary.
If you’re coming from the Westside, it’s easiest to take San Vicente west until you hit 7th Street and take a right. Wind down the road and veer to the left at Entrada. There is usually a few street parking spots or you can cough up the $4 for valet parking in the Marix lot.
Marix Tex Mex
118 Entrada Dr
Santa Monica, CA 90402
By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.
Jeff says:
March 21st, 2006 at 11:30 am
$8 dollars for all you can eat tacos!! I can’t believe I’ve lived in Santa Monica my entire life and never heard about this. I need to go here soon to remove my disbelief.
Jonah says:
March 21st, 2006 at 12:57 pm
It is true. The tacos are pretty good size though and I can’t finish more than three of them. It’s cheaper for me to stick to the tacos in the bar for $1.50/each.
Be warned though, the valet charges can ratchet the cost up by 50%! Try street parking.
bill van says:
January 21st, 2007 at 2:37 am
I was introduced to Marix by my (then) girlfriend of five weeks (Hi, Monica!): it was where we discovered to our mutual surprise that we were no longer dating each other, but marking time till the wedding. So the place has a permanently warm place in my heart. I remember the table where the blessed event occurred, and most of the overblown Spanish-language film-posters along the walls are dear to me in a way that the sound of bells must have been for Pavlov’s dogs.
Having said that, I must also say (sorry, guys) that Marix for me is one of those restaurants that you come back to again and again in a desperate effort to like the food, only to leave disappointed.
Yes — they have cheap fish tacos on Tuesdays. If cheap fish tacos are your thing, enjoy.
Yes — their margaritas, though small, can sometimes give a buzz.
And yes — their fresh and chunky salsa is potent, consistent, and lavishly offered.
They have a large basket of mints at the door for the departing guest. (Go ahead: take one)
But my advice to those who are looking for superior Mexican fare at prices comparable to those at Marix is to stick with El Chollo and La Serenata de Garibaldi and any number of other, fine Mexican restaurants. In fact, drive to the Placita and get the beans and taquitos at Cielito Lindos near the P.O. end of Olvera.
Oddly, the best meal I’ve ever had at Marix after 2 years of patronizing it is their barbacued salmon. Has anyone else tried it?
My guess, however, is that many of the persons who visit Marix are going not for the food but for the singles action at the bar and (perhaps) for a peek at the Pacific.
H.C. says:
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:53 pm
Despite the budget-friendliness of TT @ Marix, i’m still more fond of the $4 crabcakes & salad during happy hours @ its sister restaurant next door, Basix (with more contemporary American style cuisine)
As for street parking, watch out if straying off Santa Monica — many of the side streets of WeHo are permits-only. For a cheap option, try the public parking lot @ Santa Monica & King. After 6 pm, it’s $3 for all night long parking.