This review was originally published on March 29, 2023, and has since been been updated to changes in menu availability.
If you’re at all familiar with the relaxed ambience and polished drinks at Everson Royce Bar in the Arts District, it’s easy to understand why Vamos Vamos initially whipped Santa Monica into a frenzy after opening in 2022. The Westside drinking establishment is the farthest west E.R.B. owners Randy Clement and April Langford have ever gone; all of the couple’s other beloved concepts, including Echo Park’s Triple Beam,Hippo in Highland Park and Good Neighbor Bar in Altadena are miles and miles (and by car, at least two freeways away) from the 405. Now, anyone in the general vicinity of the beachside city’s tree-lined Main Street has ready access to the same level of high-quality food and cocktails that has long made E.R.B. one of the city’s best bars, albeit with a Southwestern, family-friendly twist.
As with its sibling in the Arts District, the down-to-earth fare at Vamos Vamos complements the house agave cocktails perfectly. They do tend to run on the sweeter side, but all that sugar balances out the salty, savory components of the food; you’re gonna want to order at least one of them, or—if you’re going for a non-alcoholic outing—an agua fresca. First-timers should try the nachos, which combines beef or chicken, refried beans, tomatillo salsa and three kinds of cheese. While the delights of the high-lowbrow approach may be lost on the snobbier “food people” hidden among us, the timeless pairing of nachos and margs are definitely done justice here.
Best of all, the long waits from the bar’s first few months have long died down, especially on the weekdays. This makes Vamos Vamos the ideal Westside meeting place for afterwork drinks or a casual light dinner. For those coming from farther away, a reservation system makes a primetime weekend visit even more appealing. So is it worth a crosstown trip? We’ll just put it this way: If you’re about as far east as Mid-City, Vamos Vamos is much quicker to get to during rush hour than E.R.B. The menu might be wholly different, but the casual vibes and high-quality food and drink are just as excellent—and at the end of the day, isn’t that what matters?
The vibe: Casual and unfussy, like a good neighborhood spot should be.
The food: Tacos, snacks, a burrito and a few desserts.
The drink: A few house cocktails made with mezcal and tequila, plus a longer list list of premium mezcals and tequilas.
Time Out tip: Bummed by the 10pm close, and don’t want to hit up Main Street’s middling bar scene? It’s a short rideshare away to grab a nightcap at Gran Blanco. The Venice izakaya makes excellent drinks until midnight on the weekends.