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Located right across from Paramount, with ample parking. This place looks kind of cool outside, and has what looks like a very nice bar, but inside is pretty dark, and the wall is covered in head shots that look like they ended in the 1980′s. The service was good, and the prices actually a bit expensive for standard mexican fare. At least they have lunch specials, but the food seems very Americanized, and while it was decent, it was not very impressive.

Kelly and I both opted for the lunch combo, with rice and beans and 2 items.

I got a taco and an enchilada, and it was decent.

Kelly got an Enchilada and a quesadilla (do the pickles seem weird to you too).

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The food was OK, but very americanized, in Los Angeles I expect better. If there is a next time, maybe we will try the drinks, since they serve margaritas by the glass and pitcher, and see about them, because the food was only fair.

15301 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 907-7172

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We went to this chain restaurant on Christmas night because we were going to go see a movie at the new Arclight at the Sherman Oaks Galleria, and honestly this was the only place open, and thus even had a 45 minute wait to get a seat (actually it was longer because they lost a whole list of people they had put down, and started taking people who came after us, so the service was fairly mediocre). And this was a chain Mexican restaurant, so the food was of course only mediocre at best. It sounded interesting, but was not all that impressive. In fact it was a little strange, and I would only eat here again if it was the only place open.

First off instead of chips they gave flour tortillas with butter and 2 different mild hot sauces. We were so hungry that we dug in, but it was pretty damn weird. I would rather have chips for sure.

My mom ordered guacamole for an appetizer, and this came with chips, and was made at the table with a single Hass avocado, serrano chiles, tomatoes, onions cilantro and a little lime. For $8.79 it wasn’t very much, and wasn’t so tasty actually. And it is made in a fake rock bowl, actually made out of plastic. Not the most impressive guacamole I have had for sure. At least it had fresh warm chips.

For dinner I went the hard to screw up route which were the mesquite grilled steak fajitas with onions, pasilla chiles and red bell peppers with black beans, avocado relish pico de gallo and of course the fresh tortillas we already had at the table. Kind of hard to screw up, though the steak was only mediocre.

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I didn’t try anyone else’s food, but I was really not very impressed and hopefully will never return.

3129 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 661-8055

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There are 3 of these restaurants, but I have only been to this one on Sunset, and it has amazing food and inexpensive and huge margaritas. This place is a must, as it is very inexpensive and has top notch food. The decor looks like Tijuana chic, but it fits, as does the traditional Mexican music. Often there is also a mariachi that comes around. I want to try this place with a bigger party, because the food portions are huge, and delicious. I highly recommend it. And it always fun to see someone making tortillas fresh in front of you.

There is a small parking lot on the same side of the street up 1 building, and you get a ticket and they stamp it.

They give you chips and 2 salsas and be sure to try a margarita as they are huge for $4.50. We didn’t try the guacamole, but I hear it is quite tasty.

Kelly and I ordered the Molcajete Azteca, which is a huge bowl made out of what looks volcanic rock, a pumice stone mortar, that keeps the ingredients still boiling even while you eat. We got one with beef and chicken and cactus, and green onions, huge chunks of panela cheese and a dark sauce, and it comes with plates of rice, and tortillas to make your own burritos with. It actually reminds me of a fajitas, but much more interesting with more flavors going on. This is delicious!!!!

They also have a lot of seafood which sounds quite good as well.

Great food, good service, and a fun atmosphere, I highly recommend this place.

Woodland Hills, CA 91367

(818) 883-6142

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In a strip mall on the south west corner of Victory at Fallbrook Ave, this is a little whole in the wall Mexican place that is mostly mexican (they barely speak English, though the menu is in English) and quite tasty and delicious. They have some great inexpensive food, and also have the bottles of Mexican soda, which is always tastier.

There is not much parking, but this place is pretty damn good.

I decided on beef tacos, and had a taco combo as well as a third taco and a soda and it was about $8.00. The combo came with lettuce, guacamole, salsa, spanish rice and beans. The special was $4.50 and another taco was $1.50.

Jared had a beef taco, and it was totally full of beef, and looked great. This place is really tasty.

Well worth it for a cheap and delicious meal, and they supposedly also cater.

Google Map

A decent though not impressive Mexican chain restaurant. It has parking, and the food and service were not bad, and the food was not bad either. Nothing I would recommend, but not bad if you really want Mexican food. Actually we wanted to go to another restaurant nearby, but it was packed so we went to the bigger and less packed restaurant. The margaritas were OK and so was the food.

Well the hot sauce is weak as hell, but the Cadilac margarita with a shot of Grand Marnier was decent and not too sweet.

For dinner I wimped out and got the Tex Mex dish, a Chicken Fajita. It was decent, though only had 3 small tortillas, and the veggies were mostly onions with one or two pieces of Red Pepper, and the guacamole was mostly a chunk of hard avocado. it wasn’t bad, but nothing special either.

My girlfriend Kelly and I ordered a desert that was supposed to be a brownie with ice cream on hot tortilla strips, but it had almost no ice cream and unlike described had a huge dollop of whipped cream, and also a huge chunk of Flan which I hate, so I was not too impressed. And what is up with it being different than on the menu.

Again, not horrible, but not too bad. A mediocre Mexican chain restaurant.

Open Mon-Thu,Sun 9am-9pm; Fri-Sat 9am-10pm

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My girlfriend took me out to lunch to this amazing Taco stand right in the middle of downtown Burbank. It is a taco stand, but has indoor seating inside a sealed tent (we were lucky enough to be able to hear the rain falling on the roof which gave quite an ambiance). There is also outdoor seating for sunny days and ample parking. The menu is traditional mexican fare, and everything I had was fantastic. This is some excellent food.

Personally I had a Carne Asada Burito, which includes a steak burrito, spanish rice, some lettuce, a tomato slice and refried beans and cheese with a few excellent chips. This is a juicy and tasty burrito that you eat with a fork and knife unless you want it all over you. With a little hot sauce and beans, rice and jalapenos this is perfection.

I also had a Carne Asada taco just to try it out, which also includes grilled onions, and is again absolutely amazing. So tasty and flavorful. Wow this place is good.

Be warned this place is cash only, but being a taco stand it is very cheap, and is pretty quick (though there are not that many people working there, so if it was busy it might be packed). If you are in Burbank you should give this place a try.