Ever wondered where to find an authentic taste of Mexico during happy hour on the Westside? FRIDA restaurant’s two locations can take care of that craving for Mexican food as well as provide a beautiful aesthetic and classy environment for diners.
With the colorful interior design complementing the traditional tastes of Mexican cuisine, it’s no wonder that the restaurant considers “infusing Old World recipes with a modern sensibility” its specialty.
Owner, founder, and CEO Vicente Del Rio initially established FRIDA after being surprised at the near-absence of genuine Mexican food in the Los Angeles area, despite the fact that a large concentration of Hispanic people live in Southern California.
After opening restaurants in Beverly Hills in 2002 and Westwood in 2011, Del Rio has accomplished his mission of providing traditional Mexican flavors to his guests.
“Back in 2002, there were a lot of Mexican restaurants but none had any authenticity,” Del Rio said. “Since I am originally from Mexico, I was looking for that – what and how Mexicans really eat – and that’s how FRIDA came to life. We have come to replicate the food that I grew up with and it seems that we have been successful.”
Best of all, FRIDA offers a daily happy hour special from 3 pm to 7 pm as well as a late happy hour from 9 pm to closing.
“We have everything on our happy hour menu from draft beers to sangrias to margaritas to specialty drinks,” Del Rio said. “We also have an array of appetizers to enjoy with the drinks.”
Draft beers (Hefeweizen, Dos Equis, Tecate) are $5; sangrias and house spirits (vodka, gin, whiskey, tequila) are $6; and martinis (cosmo, dirty, lemon drop) and margaritas (classic, mango, strawberry, cadillac, agave, skinny) are $7. House wine (merlot, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon) are available by the glass at $5 as well as by the bottle at $20.
“Our margaritas are pretty popular,” Del Rio said. “Everything is made fresh. I’m a tequila guy – I usually drink straight tequila – but I’m also a fan of the skinny margarita.”
As far as food items go, Del Rio said his favorites are the tacos.
“We have a popular taco tasting, which is five tacos for $12,” Del Rio said. “Customers can sample a taste of the asada, the chicken, the carnitas, the pollo con mole, and the cochinita pibil by ordering the taco tasting.”
Del Rio also said that the taco del mar ($6) is another favorite of his because of the variety of seafood that comes along with it, including octopus and shrimp.
Other appetizers include crispy tacos (with the options of shredded beef, chicken, or potato) for $3, which are also “very popular” according to Del Rio. Classics like tostadas ($4), ceviche ($6), quesadillas ($6), nachos ($9), guacamole ($9), and enchiladas ($9) are also available alongside FRIDA specials like the queso fundido with chorizo and mushroom ($8) and the FRIDA platter with chicken wings, quesadillas, mini sope, and guacamole ($13).
The variety of happy hour choices seem to satisfy all Mexican food enthusiasts, as Del Rio said that FRIDA serves both professionals and students alike.
“Our happy hours are really popular and we get a lot of great people,” Del Rio said. “We love to receive customers and make sure that they’re all happy.”
FRIDA Beverly Hills is located at 236 S. Beverly Dr., and FRIDA Westwood is located at 10853 Lindbrook Dr.
For more information on FRIDA, call 310.278.7666 or 310.209.0666, or visit fridarestaurant.com.
