"Madre has built a mini-Empire of Mexican restaurants with four locations across Los Angeles and the South Bay. While some restaurants lose quality as they expand, Madre has kept its Oaxacan cooking and cocktails top-notch. Start with chapulines served with avocado and quesillo, or elote slathered in crema and cotija. Mole negro is spooned over grilled chicken or a bone-in pork chop, while grilled branzino is served with maitake mushrooms and mole verde. Madre also offers one of the best selections of mezcal in the city, available neat or in cocktails like a margarita." - Rebecca Roland
Jakob Layman