Exterior of a restaurant called LULA, with a yellow facade, large windows, and bright neon signs. Outdoor seating with yellow chairs and potted plants in front. The sky is pink and purple with string lights hanging above.

People socializing at a bar or restaurant with drinks, colorful lighting, and modern artwork in the background.

Colorful mural of skeletons playing musical instruments, with a skeleton in the foreground playing a trumpet, and others playing a double bass and violin, set against a vibrant red background.

Interior of a colorful bar with rows of liquor bottles, high tables, chairs, ceiling fans, and vibrant murals and decorations.

Mariachi band playing for diners at a restaurant with colorful decor and open doors.

Colorful restaurant with exposed brick walls, decorated for Día de los Muertos, featuring a large framed painting of a sugar skull woman, string lights, flowers, and various tables and chairs.

Colorful interior of a restaurant or cafe decorated with vibrant papel picado banners hanging from the ceiling, adorned with hanging pendant lamps, large windows showing city lights outside, and a mural on the back wall featuring musicians.

Welcome to Lula!

For over 35 years, Lula has been Santa Monica's Día de Muertos-themed haven where Mexico City's bold flavors merge with coastal California ingredients.

Our story begins in Mexico City, where Bon Appétit honored Chef Lula Bertran as one of the best female chefs in Mexico. Her protégé, Chef Geraldine Gilliland, brought the legendary dishes she learned from Chef Bertran to Santa Monica when she opened Lula's doors in 1991. More than three decades later, Lula Cocina Mexicana is a beloved institution where families return again and again.

We serve the traditional favorites and adventurous regional dishes that made Chef Bertran famous, with something on the menu for every palate.

Reserve a table for your next meal, corporate event, or birthday shindig. Our signature Lula Margarita is legendary and our patrons travel hundreds of miles to get their fix. Come hungry (and thirsty) and you’ll leave feeling muy satisfied.

Viva la Vida!
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The Lula Crew

Book Your Table

A vibrant painting of skeletons and a person with a skeleton face enjoying a meal at a dining table, with colorful background and decorative elements.

Inside a colorful bar with a red-lit back wall filled with bottles, a person working behind the bar, and multiple tables and chairs in the foreground.

The Patrón Connection

Before tequila was a lifestyle,
it was a conversation at our bar

We’re honored to be featured in The Patrón Way for our role in bringing the spirt of Mexico and premium tequila to the US. When we opened almost 35 years ago on Main Street in Santa Monica, we didn’t want to be just another Tex Mex. We wanted to be a portal to the real Mexico.

No polished marble here—just colorful walls, the most potent margaritas in LA, and the same family-owned restaurant since day one. Come see where history was poured.

The Lula Margarita

Lula's signature margarita with ice cubes and a lemon slice on the rim, on a rustic wooden table against a yellow background.

The Lula Margarita

We’re best known for our potent Lula Margarita. Whether you want to celebrate or forget the worries of the day, the Lula Margarita is right for you. It comes highly recommended by therapists, doctors, and locals.

Try A Lula Margarita