The time you go to Gracias Madre will determine your impression of the place. At 1PM, you may feel like the butternut squash quesadilla is a bit dry, despite its tempting cashew cheese you’ve already tried and liked at Cafe Gratitude. At 3PM, you’ll love the horchata and will order a second round just to enjoy the sun and the olive trees a little longer. At 6PM, you’ll be glad you chose Gracias Madre for drinks with your date (probably found on a vegan dating app or glutenfreesingles.com): the guac is the perfect opportunity to start getting it on. The cocktails are to die for and if you’re in the mood, their bestseller is the “Paleta”, a boozy popsicle. At 8PM, you would order a Bowl Dos, the same one you order every time because it’s the best dish on the menu – but you will get bored of it after a while. Never has a restaurant been so “time-sensitive”, so do not miss the boat. And being jet lagged is not an excuse.
Style: Vegan, Mexican
Address: 8905 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 90069 (West Hollywood) / 1617 Westcliff Dr st 112, Newport Beach, CA 92660 (Newport Beach)
Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11AM-11PM
Menu: graciasmadreweho.com
Price: Entrees $12-16, Cocktails $14
Reservations: (323) 978-2170 or OpenTable