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Bar Amá, Los Angeles, CA

Bar Amá

4.7 (467)
$30 and under
Tex-Mex
118 W 4th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 8 times today

About this restaurant

Bar Amá is a Tex-Mex restaurant located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. Our outdoor patio is available only on Friday & Saturday evenings (weather permitting). If you have any questions, please e-mail us at info@bar-ama.com or visit bar-ama.com.

"Fideo and borracho beans with cilantro and pork belly simmering on the stove, the spicy warmth of menudo every Christmas and New Year’s, egg salad with a fried egg between a butter toasted bolillo, and puffy tacos stuffed with lengua carnitas and crushed avocado and doused with pequin chile vinegar salsa. These are just some of the dishes that have inspired me – the food that I was nurtured with by the women who raised me. Bar Amá is my interpretation of their Tex-Mex." – Chef Josef Centeno

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Tex-Mex, Mexican, Mexican / Southwestern
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Josef Centeno
  • Catering
    Email info@bar-ama.com for info about catering.
  • Private party facilities
    Email info@bar-ama.com for info about private events.
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Cross street
    Spring
  • Parking details
    Ample street parking and non-affiliated lots also available.
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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What 467 people are saying

Bar Amá reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Downtown

    Best Value

  • Downtown

    Kid-friendly

  • Downtown

    Healthy

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bar Amá offers "incredible food" with skillful flavor combinations by chef Josef. Guests rave about the "exceptional quality of ingredients" and enjoy the creative menu, including standout enchiladas. The vibrant atmosphere and attentive service add to the dining experience, making it a "gem" in DTLA. Some note slow service, but dishes are praised.
467 Reviews
  1. habib

    Los Angeles1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, great ambience . Service was exquisite

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  2. tory

    Phoenix3 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on April 6, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    A very underwhelming experience. The good reviews online were misleading. Service was flat, and unhelpful. Margarita pitcher that was $40 arrived 30 minutes after ordering it. It tasted like lemonade and was in a mason jar, it did not even make four drinks. Sent it back to the bar and requested the tamarind margarita instead, it had an aftertaste that left us with the taste of how fish food smells. The only saving grace of the visit was the enchiladas. They were delicious.  The staff just really could not be bothered, and the music was bizarre. Given the price, ambiance, and experience definitely would not recommend before a night out. or at all

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  3. OpenTable Diner VIP

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined on March 17, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I’m in love with Bar Ama and especially the chicken enchiladas.

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  4. EricA VIP

    Los Angeles4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 10, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was slow even though the restaurant was only half full. Drinks, especially, took a very long time to come out.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles1 review

    4.0

    Dined on March 7, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great food, and a funky vibe. It’s not inexpensive, but it’s a worthwhile trip.

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  6. Mindy VIP

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food is incredible. Josef is a master at making every dish a culinary experience extraordinaire. His skill with vegetables is fantastic and you can point with eyes closed to any dish on the menu and will always be delighted you ordered that item. Every time we go there are new dishes to enjoy always with a knowing eye as to what is in season. His flavor combinations are amazing. Surely one of the very best DTLA has for dining out.

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  7. Joel VIP

    Los Angeles9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Bar Ama is such a gem. Just finished another fantastic meal. The quality of ingredients is exceptional, and the layers of textures and flavors that come through make the food simply superb. They just introduced a bunch of new menu items, but old favorites remain (I’m talking about you, hamachi crudo!). And my margarita was slightly/perfectly sweet, allowing the smokey mezcal to shine through. Highly recommend!

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  8. Diana

    Los Angeles24 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Had not been in years and food was just as amazing as I remember!

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  9. Jenn VIP

    Los Angeles3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on February 5, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was good. Service wasn’t not great. Drinks and food took a long time. We had to get our dessert to go or we would have been late for the performance we were attending.

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  10. melissa

    Los Angeles2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on January 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was great. I always love the food here. The Dine LA menu is a great deal.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Bar Amá offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (213) 687-8002.

Bar Amá is rated 4.7 stars by 467 OpenTable diners.

Bar Amá does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Los Angeles
  4. Downtown
  5. Downtown

Make a reservation

2 people
11:00 PM
Booked 8 times today
Google Map for Bar Amá

118 W 4th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Spring
  • Neighborhood
    Downtown
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Tex-Mex, Mexican, Mexican / Southwestern
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Ample street parking and non-affiliated lots also available.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Josef Centeno
  • Additional
    Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Email info@bar-ama.com for info about catering.
  • Private party facilities
    Email info@bar-ama.com for info about private events.
Gift card

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card
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