Loreto

I almost don't want to write about this place because it's kind of my groups LA secret, but it's too good not to spread the word. Loreto is an amazing neighborhood restaurant in Frogtown that does seafood exceptionally well. The style of food here has latin influences, with its own modern take.Before coming here, reservations are certainly required and very manageable to get if you plan in advance. If you're trying to go last minute / day of, you can still get in but you'll likely be having dinner at 9pm. It's well worth coming here though, the seafood quality is surprisingly amazing, and the prices are equally as amazing for the LA area. Dining in LA can get really pricey, and it's so awesome to see a local spot keep prices affordable for their community.Everything I've had here is really good, and the only thing I will say is definitely do not skip out on any of the zarandeados items. I've had the pulpo, and the langosta and both are exceptional. Service here is also fast and the staff is always attentive for drinks.Basically, this place is worth going to in LA. If it's on your list or if you're in search of an affordable high quality place to go to, I definitely recommend Loreto. I can't wait to go back and If I lived in the area, this would be my local go to spot.

Nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood, this unique setting offers a glimpse into the experience that awaits. The open, rustic, factory-style space features striking double doors that lead into a stunning, wave-like bar stretching across two long walls of the restaurant. Despite its size, the bar was packed, and service was a bit slow. Unfortunately, our experience wasn't as warm or welcoming as we had hoped, but the drinks more than made up for it.We ordered two spicy margaritas, and they were absolutely perfect--just the right balance of spice, sweetness, tartness, salt, and tequila.For food, we tried the Yellowtail Sashimi, Camote Hornedo, Mar-Esquites, Atun Picante, Callo Brochetas, and Churros for dessert.Standouts:The Yellowtail Sashimi and Atun Picante were the biggest surprises of the night! I initially expected them to be slight variations of what you'd find at a sushi restaurant, but quite the contrary--they were remarkably different in texture, taste, and preparation.Yellowtail Sashimi was delicate, precisely cut, and bathed in the most sensational sauce. The combination of chopped onions, lime, cilantro, epazote (a fragrant herb), and pequín pepper created an explosion of fresh, zesty, and aromatic flavors.Atun Picante was an unexpected delight! A variation of the popular tuna crispy rice, the epazote-infused rice had an extraordinary crispiness, adding a delightful crunch to each bite. The fresh, generously cut tuna was dressed in a rich salsa negra and paired with avocado. Creamy, crispy, and packed with bold, zesty flavors--this dish was outstanding.Other Dishes:Camote Hornedo was comforting, hearty, and full of flavor. The combination of roasted and charred Japanese sweet potato, escabeche, clams, and labneh created a unique and satisfying dish.Mar-Esquites didn't pack as much punch as some street corn variations, but it was still a well-balanced, creamy, and tangy dish. The mix of shrimp, corn, lobster mayo, chile sequin, lemon, and queso fresco came together nicely.Callo Brochetas was our least favorite dish. The scallops were grilled beautifully and delicious on their own, but the overall dish--featuring salsa de cacahuate, pickles, and cilantro on a white creamy base served with purple tortillas--lacked the depth of flavor we found in our other choices.Dessert:The Churros were shaped into an "LA" and served with a passionfruit yuzu sauce--a spectacular pairing! The churros were perfectly crispy on the outside and sweet, making for a delightful ending to the meal.To top it all off, a spoonful of coconut ice cream was gifted to me for my birthday; the ice cream was rich, creamy, and bursting with fresh coconut flavor, making it an absolute treat.I will definitely return to try their Zarandeados!

We came to Loreto on a Friday evening with a reservation to celebrate a special occasion. Street parking was available, though they also offer valet service. The restaurant is nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood, and the interior is absolutely stunning--warm wood and tile accents, great lighting, and a beautifully designed bar area. We were seated inside, and the service was prompt and attentive.For drinks, we tried the Loreto Sour (mezcal, pomegranate cordial, falernum) and the Spicy Pineapple Mezcalita (espadín, aji amarillo, pineapple, kummel, curaçao). Both were decent, but we preferred the Loreto Sour for its more refreshing balance of flavors.Food-wise, we started with the papaya ceviche, which featured incredibly soft and delicious scallops--the tamarind and green papaya added a nice acidity, making this the highlight of the night. We also ordered the Joaquin tostada, the Mar-Esquites (shrimp, corn, and queso fresco), the Atun Picante (tuna, crispy rice), and the octopus skewers. While everything looked beautifully plated, most dishes, aside from the octopus, were disappointingly bland and lacked the bold flavors we were expecting.Given the price point, we left feeling that the food was underwhelming and not worth the hype. While the ambiance is undeniably gorgeous, the experience didn't live up to expectations, and we couldn't help but wish we had gone to a hole-in-the-wall spot that delivered on flavor.

The food was absolutely incredible--definitely a bit on the pricier side, but 100% worth it. The flavors were spot-on, and each dish was a true standout. As for the service, it was a bit unusual, with some odd vibes from the server, but nothing that overshadowed the overall experience. However, the drinks were on another level--perfectly balanced and crafted to perfection. You can really tell the bartenders put in the extra effort, working tirelessly to create innovative and delicious cocktails. 10/10, would definitely recommend for the food and drinks alone!

We had a fantastic dinner here for a group of 4 on a Saturday night. We easily parked on the street around the corner, but there is valet parking as well. Our table was ready when we arrived so we walked right in past the bar to our table. The restaurant has a few nooks; we were seated in one of them along the wall. We ate everything family style, though not everyone ate everything. The cocktails were fantastic and creative and the food was amazing. While not the main event, I was really blown away by the beans that came with the delicious branzino.

I wanted to love this place more but my experience with the food left something to be desired. I first tried the Tostada Tonnato from Loreto at a food event earlier this year and was so incredibly wowed by the chefs/seafood quality that I knew I had to stop by in-person.The menu is quite extensive and ranges from aquachile to a raw bar selection to trays of whole grilled fish. Here's what we ordered:Tostada Pacifico - 7/10 very standard ceviche on a tostada but apparent that the yellowtail was fresh. Generous amount of yellowtail and the diced melon, cucumber, and tomato were vibrant additionsTostada Bang Bang - 6/10 I heard a lot about this one but didn't think it was anything to write home about. I wish we would've just ordered another raw fish tostada instead. Would recommend if you like rock shrimp tempura thoughToro sashimi - 2/10 most anticipated dish of the night but was not a fan of this. I sensed that the sauce was masking the taste of the fish completely. Was not a fan of the sauce either, which made it worseYellowtail sashimi - 8/10 this was a saving grace from our raw bar experience. Again, the freshness of the yellowtail was apparent that night and in this dish as well. Would order this againBranzino Zarandeado - 8/10 our jaws dropped when this platter came out after a surprisingly filling raw bar/tostada experience. Everything was amazing, especially the three salsas they serve with the fish. Loved the DIY aspect of building your own tacosAside from the food, the restaurant itself is beautiful and modern. Honorable mention to the staff, since everyone from the hostess to our servers were fantastic. They were so kind to seat us inside (our reservation was originally for the patio in the middle of winter) and let us stay a bit after closing to finish dessert (we were the last to leave that night). This place has a lot of potential. Would love to see the Tostada Tonnato make a return on the menu and would be open to coming back to try some other items to give this spot another chance.Rating: 3.8 stars

The overall experience was good, taking one star off because of the service. We had to wait 30 minutes even though we made a reservation. The atmosphere and ambiance are amazing, very well thought-out, and well-decorated. The food was amazing, with generous portions. Most dishes are spicy, so if you cannot handle spice; this may not be the best restaurant for you to try. Service seems a bit of a mess, not only did we have to wait 30 minutes but some of the servers here are a bit sloppy. The waiter who served our aguachile spilled the sauce all over the table and did not notice it. Oysters were mid, but I highly recommend the Branzino and any of the ceviches and aguachile - those were for sure the highlight of the meal.

I would say Loreto is my favorite restaurant in Frogtown. It's located right on the LA river in quaint Frogtown, which is an area that I rarely make it to so it was nice to mix it up this past weekend for Saturday night dinner. The cuisine is Mexican, but it's not like the traditional casual El Choli sit down type of Mexican restaurant but more elevated. Inside has a great vibe with low lighting and spread out seating. Half the tables are inside and half are outside and it's a sort of place that would be especially great for a date. They don't have a dedicated parking lot but they do offer valet for $15 however we were able to find free neighborhood parking about a block away which is what I would suggest because it was a nice walk through the neighborhood to and from dinner.The plates are share size portions, except for the full size plates at the bottom of the menu. For my first visit, I chose the Ensenada Ceviche to start and thought it was fantastic. The melon mixing with the Dungeness crab really made it for me. For my entrée, I chose the Branzino, which was a very large sized portion and was absolutely delicious. It came with tortillas to make your own tacos and honestly, it was a huge hit at the table. There were very few bones in the Branzino and the flavors were just stupendous.Overall, a fantastic Mexican restaurant in a quiet part of town. I would recommend to anyone and plan to be back in the near future.

We've been wanting to try Loreto for a while and it did not disappoint! My hesitation came as I'm not a big seafood eater aside from shellfish but the menu was certainly accommodating to that!We got 4 dishes to share between 2 and it was the perfect amount of food. Food:Bang Bang Shrimp Tostada was the perfect start to the meal, the shrimp had a nice crisp to it and the flavors were bold and super tasty, even the tiny pickles on top, I could've eaten a bowl of the pickles - highly recommend! Dón-Pling these were sooo tasty, the filling was cooked with a nice char too which I loved - highly recommend!Cavatelli Pasta was my favorite dish, rich savory flavor, very decadent, the Cavatelli was al dente complimented by big pieces of clam - top recommendation! Mar-Esquites were so good, I'm not big on corn but it came in a nice broth that flavored everything so well - recommend! Cab/Sangiovese blend was really lovely, great martini and margarita. This is a great place to go with friends and family, dishes are easy to share, it's very big and open, super friendly service. We'll definitely be back soon!

It's been about a year since we went and can't wait to go back. Everything was so good but I wasn't sure what to order atFirst so can't wait to go back andReally order everything