La Boca

Set up a request for 4 top on a Sunday night. Showed up and the hostess seated us right away. Soscha was our server and got us acclimated to the small plate way of ordering and also explained any specials while answering our questions about food terms and meanings. We decided to get right into the menu with Estrella Lager, wine from the Duoro and a Jumilla which were all excellent. We started the night with Marcona Almonds/pickle/olives. The Pimenton is a spicy dusting on the almonds...so good with beers. We chose to do round 1 with Fried Manchego w/apricot honey, Artichokes w/goat cheese, and fried pork belly. All were excellent! The baguette w/butter and olive oil served as a springboard into round 2.For round 2, we had grilled shrimp w/ fennel salad, New Mexico flat iron steak w/ caramel sauce...perfect choices for proteins. The big, juicy, flavorful fried chunks of pork were cooked perfectly and served with a semi spicy sauce. Flat Iron NM steak was grilled to a perfect Medium Rare temp---so good!Finishing off with some fresh raspberry sorbet, vanilla tart with brandied cherries, and a round of hot teas. The sorbet was tart, with perfect consistency. The vanilla tart was a flavorful way to end the meal and the brandied cherries added a bit of acidity to the crunchy and creaminess of the tart.The waitstaff was humming as the night was busy early with diners, then the bar patrons picked up the slack after 830pm. The cute decor and excellent flavors made for a great SFE dinner out. Soscha exhibited the perfect skills of wine education, suggesting the next selection, all wrapped with a great smile and sense of humor. La Boca is definitely a "must do" for SFE diners and wine peeps. Can't wait---we will definitely be back for Paella soon!

Service was on slower side of things throughout the meal, but all servers were pretty nice. All of my tapas were pretty delish, and I really liked their Spanish mushroom soup, papatas bravas and and mussels with coconut milk salsa verde: everything was spot on. Their Spanish negroni cocktail was lovely, too. The gateau basque dessert kinda ruined my meal: it seems to have been sitting in the fridge for the day but it was certainly not made fresh and I could hardly taste vanilla bean in it. A lady manager came by and was rather kind to comp it after I declined to try another dessert instead.

Spanish tapas are some of my favorite types of food, it's easy to share with a date or group and you can get as filling of a meal as you want with the number of plates you order! Im glad I found this spot in town while I was in Santa Fe, and have already been a couple times. It's easy to make a reservation on Opentable and they have a great selection and a happy hour!The server guided our selections and helped me find accommodations for my dietary restrictions. I love that their menu has so many small plate options, cocktails, wine and vermut. If you're looking for a bigger meal, the paella is the way to go - even the paella for one was too much for us two after a few tapas!Quick tip, they have two locations in the small area. I've only been to the restaurant location off the street for both indoor and outdoor dining, which is small but lively. I haven't been to the bigger location in the center, which opens a little later so no happy hour but I assume it could take larger groups. It's definitely a good sign that they needed two spaces in the first place! I've only tried one other tapas restaurant in Santa Fe, but this is definitely my favorite.

Great experience--made a last minute reservation on open table and walked over from the historic plaza. Surprisingly good cocktail and wine list. They even have a wine club. Good service with a table seated by the window. For tapas, I recommend the pan com tomate, the patatas bravas, gambas al ajillo and the grilled eggplant. Highly recommend making a reservation while you're in Sante Fe

Serious disappointment. Driving cross country and Santa Fe was our stop for fine dining and a half day off from the grind. Tapas appealed as was the notoriety of the chef. But that won't matter.Arrived to one dining room and sent to the other around the block - you think that could be conveyed in the confirmations sent more than once. Many people waiting at both dining rooms - poor reservation system?Seated and server takes drink order - I order a Sherry and she asks if I had that one before (it's a Sherry heavy restaurant and I'm a Sherry expert) I tell her I've studied Sherry for WSET and love Amontiallado especially. So drinks come and here's where it goes sideways:I clearly present how I want my food delivered: first we will have the Coliflor, the Kale Salad and the Bruschetta. Then I'd like the proteins - gambas and albondigas. She asks if I'd like bread with that and first I say yes - realizing it's an $8 baguette inchange my mind and say you know I'll have the patatas bravas with the shrimp and lamb for the sauce. Ok - first dish comes out. Kale. It's larger than expected tapas but fine - nice flavor. We finish it and nothing else comes for a bit. Then coliflor - pretty bland and unseasoned. Then low and behold the potatoes! I'm like oh I wanted this with my shrimp (which from my order would not be coming next and also from this pacing my potatoes would be cold before they arrive)The runner girl asks if I want her to take them back, when I say yes and explain that I told my server I wanted them with shrimp she gives me an attitude. I tell her I was very clear. Well she takes them and then the shrimp comes out - Bruschetta does not. I call over my server and remind her I was very explicit in the way I ordered. She brings back the potatoes, the meatballs and the bruschetta all at once - ok punished for wanting it a certain way and now I'm over loaded on the table. She tells me "we are trained to send food out from light to heavy" so ignore the persons request?Also - I freaking ordered it from light to heavy!!!!! I can read a menu, I'm in food and wine and know what is going on. No apology.So food wise: potatoes actually sucked. All different colors cooked at same time so with varying Doneness. Not crispy at all. Sauce was Mayo heavy and not flavorful.Shrimp - mehLamb Albondigas - not expected - two huge meatballs looking more Italian in style. Overly spicy.Bruschetta with mushrooms and egg - lovely flavor, creamy, Sage forward. But the bread was STALE!!!Kale - as aboveColiflor also as above - mehLastly - cleared with a messy table not wiped - service 101? Reason we have many James Beard Nominations and NO wins... hmmm Not happy. Oh and server - stop saying "deal" at every order and request.

Came here as part of a birthday celebration and had a nice array of tapas! This is a pretty small restaurant so it gets pretty tight even trying to get in and out of your seat. I'd recommend a reservations as it seems to get pretty packed.I'd say experience wise, this seems to be a restaurant that doesn't quite feel cohesive. To me, it was a strange experience of a casual spot trying to be more high end but struggling due to space constraints. Service was polite and friendly and food came out at a reasonable pace. Food wise, I enjoyed all the dishes with the mussels and chicharrones being particular standouts. The cauliflower was a bit, watery, for a lack of a better word but for something that's supposed to be roasted, it came off steamed.Overall, I think this was a great restaurant to visit and have some good food. There are little things for the price point that bring it down but not a bad choice if you want some tasty food and willing to shell out.

Such an awesome place. This was actually a recommendation from an employee in a shoe store we went to. Food was awesome. I'm a lover of tapas - and they were all delicious. Service was friendly and attentive and espresso martinis were on point.

We wanted tapas after a long day of walk around the Plaza in Santa Fe and visited La Boca for lunch. The restaurant was busy and small. Our table was very close to the one next to us which made the experience feel less intimate. On top of that, it was a bit warm inside. The service was ok and the food was mediocre. The meatballs needed more flavor and the kale and mushroom soup was mediocre. We both liked the artichokes but they were ver citrusy so might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Another FUN Friday evening eating delicious Spanish Tapas (kale salad, spicy mushroom soup, mushroom bruschetta & basil/piñon ice cream) & listening to Jesus Bas play Spanish guitar. We have been coming to hear him play here for years. Always good food & good times. The atmosphere is cozy, staff are helpful & friendly! We love to sit at the bar (you need to check in... not first-come anymore). We especially enjoy chatting with "our" bartender, Gino.Reservations a MUST. It can be a long wait for a table, but you can enjoy the music & a drink while you wait-- but worth it, if you have the time.

We stumbled on La Boca & now we've fallen in love. We entered the Marcy St entrance & were greeted promptly, & chose to sit at the bar side (separate entrance), though nervous when we were told there was live music. Not to worry! Lovely strumming of classic flamenco guitar. service was exceptional, managers filled wine glasses while wait staff were friendly & had great recommendations & worked beautifully together. beautiful Spanish wine list is not to be missed, outstanding albariños! GAMBAS AL AJILLO (shrimp, SO good! sauce has a perfect little kick. ALCACHOFAS (grilled artichoke) were beautiful & a great lite bite. Favorite dish was SEARED YELLOWFIN TUNA, which is a masterpiece. The waiter loved BOQUERONES (anchovies on toast, see pic!) so we gave it a try & were super surprised at how much we enjoyed it. Like Spain & NYC deli in one. The anchovies were so FRESH, highly recommend trying it even if you think you don't like anchovies, it's wildly different.