The Santa Monica outpost will occupy a 3,050-square-foot space featuring a newly built kitchen and a large outdoor patio
HomeState, a Southern California chain known for its Texas-inspired comfort food, is expanding to Santa Monica, with a new location planned at 720 Wilshire Blvd. #101, the former site of Fresh Corn Grill.
Founded in 2013 by Briana “Breezy” Valdez, HomeState has built a loyal following across its eight existing locations in Hollywood, Highland Park, Playa Vista, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Atwater Village, Culver City, and Oceanside. The Santa Monica outpost will occupy a 3,050-square-foot space featuring a newly built kitchen and a large outdoor patio, with ample parking and prominent signage facing Wilshire and Lincoln boulevards.
HomeState’s menu celebrates Tex-Mex flavors, with highlights including breakfast tacos like the Trinity ($5), filled with pasture-raised eggs, bacon, potatoes, and cheddar, and the Pecos ($5.50), featuring eggs and slow-cooked brisket. Anytime tacos include the Brisket ($6) with guacamole and cabbage, and the Tijuana Panther ($6), combining brisket, queso, and potatoes. The restaurant’s signature queso ($5/$9), made with whole ingredients after years of perfecting a Velveeta-free recipe, is a crowd favorite, often ordered “loaded” ($10) with brisket chili or black beans, guacamole, and sour cream.
Other menu staples include migas ($8.50-$12), featuring pasture-raised eggs scrambled with crispy corn strips, and Frito pie ($7), served in the bag with black beans, queso, and pickled jalapeños. House-made flour tortillas, crafted from Valdez’s family recipe, earned HomeState the title of Best Tortilla in Southern California in 2020’s KCRW & Gustavo’s Great Tortilla Tournament. Beverages range from artisanal margaritas and spicy palomas ($14/$18) to non-alcoholic options like hibiscus limeade ($5) and HomeState’s custom coffee blend from Mierisch Family Farms ($4).
Valdez, a first-generation Mexican American from Texas, founded HomeState to share the breakfast tacos, queso, and hospitality she missed after moving to Los Angeles. “HomeState aims to be your home away from home, no matter where you are from,” Valdez said, reflecting her vision of community-driven dining. The restaurant sources high-quality ingredients, including pasture-raised eggs from Vital Farms and humanely raised beef from Country Natural Beef.
The Santa Monica location replaces Fresh Corn Grill, which closed in September 2022 after struggling to recover from the pandemic’s impact. HomeState’s expansion also includes a tenth location in El Segundo, set to open in early 2026 at the former Tocaya Organica space.
