MXO by Wes Avila

As a big fan of Guerrilla Tacos, I was excited when Chef Wes Avila opened MXO Steakhouse, and I've wanted to go ever since. A Mexican steakhouse is right up my alley--especially after experiencing the incredible flavors and presentation at steakhouses in Mexico City, which always bring a unique depth to traditional cuts of meat.Reservations were easy to make, and the service was exceptional from the moment we walked in. The hostess and servers were friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming.I visited on Taco Tuesday and ordered what was, without a doubt, the most expensive taco I've ever had in my life. Imagine the highest-quality steak, perfectly cooked to a tender, flavorful perfection, then scooped into a handmade tortilla with the freshest, most thoughtfully chosen toppings. The presentation was just as impressive as the taste.For dessert, I couldn't resist ordering the Choco Taco, a throwback to my youth.Overall, the meal was exemplary. That said, I did experience a bit of sticker shock when the bill arrived--even though I knew I was ordering an insanely priced taco, seeing the total for a few tacos was still a bit jarring. But for the quality, creativity, and execution, I'd say it was worth it. And despite the price tag, I'll definitely be back.

From Catch Steak, Casa Madera, Steak 48... i've been to a lot of higher end restaurants in the area. This place was definitely underwhelming. Tried a lot of the food. * Taro Taquitos with caviar on top* Scallops* Cowboy Steak* Fish* Al Pastor * Potatoes * Crab Legs* Tres Leche* ChocoflanYou name it... had a bill of $1000. So here's my pros & cons list:PRO:Beautiful place, however it didn't give it the upscale vibes of $1000 worth, but still a beautiful place with great ambiance. Our specific waitress was really nice & the servers around us were extremely attentive. From making sure our waters were full to picking up my pillow every time it fell.CON:None of the food was worth the money for me? Steak 48 is high end steak (in my opinion) and it's cooked to perfection with the right seasonings. For $128 steak, i'm expecting butter in my mouth, cooked to exactly how I asked for it. I asked for medium well, it came out medium rare. All the flavors of the foods were either too much or too little. The yellowtail aguachile is almost $30 and it was like 4 pieces of fish. Drinks are not anything dramatic for me for it to cost the way it is too. The bartenders seemed rude, and it was not a busy night. My 3 clients and I were the only people at the bar. $20 parking valet is a little too much for me, but it is LA. It's a promising restaurant, but change a few things in the menu. Heighten the flavors instead of trying to add more to it, and re-consider how you guys are pricing your food. Oh they also add additional 5% to pay for the "servers insurance" we all know that's a scam lol.I would rather go to Casa Madera, with entertainment & view for the price I paid vs MXO. I don't even pay that much at Casa for 4 people.

The service I received overall was great , multiple servers came in and checked in on us and were attentive. I appreciate thatI had the Sweet Potato Taquito was a standout--crispy, with a perfect balance of flavors. The Grilled caesar Salad was probably one of the best Cesar's I had - the texture was different. The Roasted Scallop was cooked to perfection, tender and subtly flavorful.For the main course, the Filet Mignon was melt-in-your-mouth tender with a rich, savory finish. The ambiance strikes a perfect balance- intimate without being overly dim, creating a comfortable, inviting atmosphere.

Overall, I really enjoyed MXO. The ambiance is fantastic. It's beautifully designed and perfectly dimmed. The bar is stunning. The only thing is the tables are a little bit awkwardly placed, and I was sitting up against a wall. Our meal was also great. The steak was juicy and tender. The prawns were perfect. And the taquitos were great. The drinks were ok. I had a drink that they torched and whatever they torched kept leaving black ash marks on my face. It's definitely more of a night out for a quick bite and drinks place.

One of the best steakhouses I've been to, with a Mexican twist. I can't recommend this place enough. Everything from the ambiance feeling like you're in Tulum, down to the service being so attentive, and the actual quality of the food. I can highly recommend the:- Yellowtail - Bone Marrow - La Carnita Asada - Pork Al Pastor The portion sizes were also pretty big and filing. I will definitely be coming back again, soon.

Came here for dinner with a group of friends. Alan, our server, was VERY attentive and took really great care of our party. He didn't miss a beat and gave us some really good recommendations. The restaurant seems fairly new, designed well, and very clean. Perfect for date or casual dining and have indoor and outside patio seating. Our table ordered a variety of things but the main dishes were the best. We had skirt steak, pastor and whole grilled chicken. All the meats were cooked to perfection and was so juicy. To be honest I wasn't expecting that from the chicken. Tortillas also available upon request for the main dishes. If you decide to stay for dessert get the tres leches cake and mango chamoy ice cream. Sooooooooo good!

The place was very pretty but they do charge $20 for valet. It is a bit much but it is LA. The service was great and our server was very attentive even though it was a busy Friday night. However, overall the food was underwhelming especially for the price. I did go for dine LA so it was a pri fixe menu for $65 a person. The drinks were $22 each and did not give the wow factor. I had to exchange the amor ardiente because it was terrible. The sweet potato taquitos were probably one of the highlights as well as the grilled cabbage cesar and the tres leches cakes for dessert. The yellowtail aguachile had about 3 small pieces of yellowtail and the carne asada steak was nothing impressive. The halibut was also just ok and the mangonada tasted like what you can get off the street vendors. Overall, nothing really blew me away. Hopefully they rebate their prices and work on improving their dishes. Great potential but not worth it for me right now.

4/5 excellent service and ambiance and very very good food. There wasn't a dish that stood out to the point of elevating this place to a 5 but it could very well get there in the future once it finds its footing. First, it can't be overstated how simple yet elegant the restaurant is. They did a great job with the buildout. You are really transported to Mexico City. We had dinner with friends who were in Mexico City two weeks earlier and they completely agreed. The second thing I noticed stepping into the restaurant was that the clientele was largely Latino. I generally take it as a good sign when an ethnic restaurant's patrons are mostly of that ethnicity. I think it signals that cuisine is striving toward authenticity. Now for the food and beverage program:They start you off with chips and sauces including a salsa verde, crema, and a chili oil / salsa macha. The chips are decent but honestly felt like they could have been store bought. The crema was super fresh and felt homemade. The rest of the sauces were ok (3/5) for the chips and salsas. The cocktails were refreshing and creative yet familiar. I had an espresso martini which had 90% overlap with every other espresso martini I've had in my life but had a 10% twist of creativity with notes of Mexican chocolate and spice (4/5). For dinner we had the Okinawa sweet potato taquitos (4/5) these were a definite homage to the chef (Wes Avilia's) potato tacos at Guerilla Tacos. Very well executed as they were texturally interesting (crunchy yet pliant) and flavorful. We also had the yellowtail aguachile (5/5). This dish was refreshing and bright. There was definitely a kick from the jalapeño or chile but the fish was fresh and "meaty." The notes of citrus and the fresh pear really elevated this dish. Rounding out the appetizers we had the "gringa" which was very similar to a quesadilla. Essentially a cheese laden tortilla topped with fresh herbs. I found this dish a bit lacking. It either needed salt or something savory like meat or mushrooms to elevate it. Didn't really taste much of anything but the dish was really good for sharing with our group of 4. It's a nice touch that they cut it table-side for you. For the mains we ordered the beef ribs and carnitas. Both dishes are served with fresh tortillas and good pickled vegetables to cut through the grease. The beef ribs (4/5) were a favorite of the table. They were more shareable than we assumed for our table of 4. The ribs were tender and came right off of the bone. The pickled red onions they were served with really helped cut through the fat. The ribs were marinaded and glazed in a habanero chile bbq sauce. I personally would have preferred a dry rub but the rest of the table really liked them. The carnitas (4/5) were perfectly cooked. They were crispy, crunch, and chunky in appearance but fork tender on the inside. These were served with much needed pickled jalapeño to cut through the fat. That said, our table still found them to be a bit overwhelming and we had to pack these to go after a few bites. Too much fat to eat with the beef ribs but delicious on their own!All the food here is served a La Carte so we ordered sides of Mexican rice and beans to compliment the meats (which we made into tacos). Rice and beans were good but again nothing special (3/5). The only dish I disliked was the charred broccolini (2/5). I found the dish to be pretty bitter. I don't know if the broccolini was over-charred or used too much citrus but it veered on inedible. The only element of this dish I liked was the salsa macha topping. The tortillas that were served with the mains were chewy and fresh tasting (5/5). Those appeared to be made in house which was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately we didn't have room for dessert. Overall the food was very good but nothing truly stood out the same way that the food at Guerrilla Tacos and Angey Egret Dinette did. The pricing here is a bit here to swallow for what is essentially really good neighborhood Mexican food but I guess the "neighborhood" is essentially Beverly Hills, so maybe it checks out? Service is excellent despite the restaurant being brand new and many of the servers and bus boys being new to the job. Overall 4/5 with potential to get to 5 with some new breakout dish. P.S.Don't waste your money on the valet parking. There's plenty of parking along La Cienega.

I enjoyed the food and ambience at MXO. The indoor outdoor vibe is nice but it is noisy on La Cienega so there were ambulances and motorcycles. The food was delicious but it did take a while to come out. They were kind enough to provide a free libation to make up for the wait. I enjoyed the MXO Negroni. The steak was delicious. The lobster ceviche was delicious. The cabbage Caesar was unique and yummy; i was pleasantly surprised by it. I also had the Halibut which was really flavorful and hot. I loved that the food was hot. Sometimes restaurants serve warm food but this was fresh off the stove. Valet was convenient and easy.

Went here with a group of friends to celebrate an engagement recently. The food was absolutely amazing. Service was a bit slow, but they just opened up--so they get a bit of a break there.Drinks were great. The birria was phenomenal. We got that with like 4 people and we were stuffed. The tres leches cake was also delicious. Overall, I felt proud as a host and definitely recommend. It is pricey, though.