Both of the female bartenders working Wednesday night at 6pm were absolutely amazing. We had a…read moregreat experience and the service was perfect

This place does way too much right!…read more Vintage decor's gorgeously cozy and romantic. Astounding rare Mexican liquors and elevated food. I like tasting components of each dish and each sung with big clean flavors that didn't get muddled. You can really feel the craft going into everything. Downside is price, but fair for the area and quality - not as bad as Alto. $20 margs are worth it for being so unique and refined like fine dining. You get what you pay for. Bartenders had so much fascinating knowledge it was a blast to learn and try hard to find drinks while munching exquisite food in an amazing atmosohere.

Lovely spot for Mexican food with fun vibes!…read more I came for Sunday brunch/lunch with some friends. I made a reservation through Yelp a couple days beforehand and there was plenty of availability. The restaurant is located right off Ventura Blvd and has an attached parking garage in the basement which can be accessed via the parking lot behind the restaurant. There were plenty of spots available Sunday afternoon when I came. It's a bit hidden, but there is an elevator from the garage to the top level where the restaurant is located as well. We had two babies in strollers with us, so I requested a table with plenty of space nearby for the strollers. They seated us outside on their covered patio, and indeed, we had plenty of space. I peeked inside and there's also a nice lounge area with a beautiful flower wall as well as a proper dining area. When we arrived, there was a live DJ spinning tunes. I assume he's there during brunch hours, as he left around 3 pm when brunch ended. I started with a frozen lime margarita ($12). It was okay; it felt like it was only half frozen as the ice wasn't blended that well. For my main, I got the famous Anejo carne asada and shrimp plate for $40. Yes it was pricy, but the portion size was also huge! I was starving and somehow managed to finish the plate, but it'd be a great dish to share for two people with small appetites. I really enjoyed it as well. I asked for the steak to be cooked rare, and they didn't overcook it. Each bite was super tender and flavorful and paired well with the rice. Everyone else also enjoyed their dish. One friend got the wet chicken burrito for $15 and it was massive! Another got the veggie fajitas with steak added and really enjoyed her dish as well. Solid food all around. I would love to come back on a weekday and try their happy hour! Sipping on $5 margaritas and $6 sangrias sounds like my idea of a great time!

I started coming here in 2015. According to Yelp, I've been here 21 times at the time of writing…read morethis--somehow that surprised me (and means I've basically paid for "long-term testing" at this point, and that has been pretty fun.) Naturally, I've noticed some changes. Over the years, happy hour times have been reduced, prices have crept up to a point where the value doesn't quite match the food, and it definitely feels like the truly vegetarian options have disappeared from the happy hour menu. I eat fish, but I'm often dining with others who are vegetarian only, so this has a bigger impact than it might for most people. The magic that used to bring me back seems to be gone. That said, the patio is a great environment for a family meal, and the staff was genuinely friendly and attentive--so at least the vibes are still doing their job. I ordered a Caesar salad with salmon. The salmon was grilled nicely and tasted good, but it was a little undercooked in the center--like it was still waiting for the rest of the food to catch up. And the salad itself didn't really taste like a Caesar--more like a "Caesar-adjacent" salad... which, honestly, I guess is a thing now. Also, I used to order the cheese enchilada from the happy hour menu, but it's no longer offered. This was a favorite option for me, and at least one person in my party always ordered it. The banquet space remains impressive, and it's a fun, festive environment for large parties--it's great for celebrating after graduation--something we've done more than once!

A weekday lunch at Casa Vega with a buddy, so it was a low-risk proposition. While there were more…read morepeople at the bar than I expected to see, the restaurant overall was only about half full, and the staff easily kept up with everyone, providing attentive and friendly service from start to finish. As others have stated in detail, CV has been here for a long time, and entering is like going back in time. Even at lunch it's dark and mysterious, with muted lighting and the feel of bygone days. It's quite easy to forget the Summer sun and the bustle of the Valley while you're in here, making it also easy to get lost in conversation, and a pretty perfect place to have that lunchtime catch-up with friends. One thing I really like about Casa Vegas is that they have 2 kinds of tortilla chips: the ubiquitous corn chips and the far-less-common chips made from flour tortillas. These flour chips were a big thing in the late 1980's or early 90's, and a lot of restaurants had them -- but they disappeared for whatever reason, and CV is the only place I know that still has them. And they're great; crispy and more indulgent than traditional corn chips, and I find they have more flavor. They're automatically served with the table-side guacamole, but the waiter will bring them to you if you ask. And you should ask. As to the rest of the food, it's standard "American Mexican" food: tacos and burritos and enchiladas, tostadas and flautas and taquitos, along with plates of the usual things like steak or fajitas, ropa vieja and some seafood. They do have a few top shelf fillings available (shrimp and lobster, and a few higher cuts of steak), but for the most part you're getting the same kind of safe and unchallenging cuisine that convinced mid-century gringos that Mexican food was "okay." My buddy ordered 2 shredded beef tacos, which were nicely plated and generously portioned. I didn't taste them, but they looked very good and he enjoyed them quite a bit. I opted for the Mexican Caesar Salad with Sliced Steak. The lettuces were fresh, cool and crisp, and were nicely coated in a dressing that had a layered, homemade flavor. There were crushed tortilla chips instead of croutons for added crunch, and the steak was a lovely cut, served medium rare (as requested) and well-seasoned. In fact, the seasoning on the meat paired very well with the dressing, so the meat felt like a planned component rather than an extra item added to the side. It was a good salad, and just the right portion for lunch. So, while you won't be finding anything revelatory on the menu, you will be eating well-prepared, tasty food that delivers on a promise made long ago and kept all these years later by people proudly doing what they do as well as it can be done.

Casa Vega has been on my "legendary" list for a long time. After finally visiting, I'd say it was…read moremore of a one-time experience for me. Let's start with logistics: parking is valet only unless you manage to find street parking on very busy Ventura Blvd. When we arrived, we stood waiting for a bit without being acknowledged. When the hostess came over, there wasn't even a simple "hello," just "How many?" and "Do you have a reservation?" It's a small detail, but hospitality starts with a greeting. The ambience is undeniably cool -- dark, classic, very old-school LA. It has character. Food-wise, it was inconsistent. The albondigas soup leaned salty -- maybe it had reduced over time, maybe just my taste preference. The fajitas were actually the opposite: pretty bland. On the plus side, they weren't overcooked, which is common at many places. The cuts were large, not overloaded with onions (which I appreciated), but also not much chicken. The guacamole had a slight sour note. Not terrible, but enough to question how fresh it was. Our server, however, was great. Attentive, professional, and the highlight of the experience. The menu font is quite small, which makes it difficult to read in the dim lighting. And the payment terminal comes with a tip percentage already selected -- that always feels a bit uncomfortable. I'm glad I checked it off my list, but I wouldn't go out of my way to return or recommend it strongly. It feels like Casa Vega survives mostly on nostalgia and reputation rather than today's execution.

Josselyn is the absolute best server in the valley. Made our time at El Torito unforgettable!!!…read moreHighly recommend!!!

Great food and great service Bar tender Rudy is the best…read morealso the manager Arnulfo is always giving a great service Best brunch and margaritas

Probably 4.5 stars. Nothing fancy here, just great Mexican food!…read more Order at the counter (or online). We tried breakfast burritos, asada burritos, birria tacos and sopes. Everything tasted very good, fresh ingredients and flavors... delicious! Good prices and portions, too! This place is very well-managed. Experienced workers had my large to-go order ready on time and they double-checked it for accuracy. Good amount of parking in back. Highly recommended!

Been hearing about this place for a long time. Finally tried it, and now have good Mexican…read morerestaurant to go to. Parking is small, but there's plenty of parking around and across the street. Went on a Tues around 12 wasn't to busy but I'm sure it's packed on weekends and evenings. Plenty of in door and out door seating. You can call in or order on line and pick up food at the take out window outside. You place your order, find a seat and enjoy. Employees are very nice. Helpful. Great salsa bar. I had 2 sopes , one chicken, the other asada delicious. Rice and beans were good. Also tried a beef hard shell taco. Again delicious. Wife had a chile relleno plate and she loved it. My fried had a huge nacho plate and two tacos. Food is fresh as if you were eating at a family gathering. Restaurant is clean. A few tv s. Didn't get a beer maybe next time, enjoyed a Jamaica. Looking forward to going back!

Food 10/10 Service 10/10…read moreAmbiance 7/10 Stopped by because I wanted some bomb shrimp tacos and I heard really good things about this place especially the shrimp tacos and crunchy tacos and sure enough I see what the hype was about. The place itself is a super hole in a wall type of situation but immediately you are greeted by such great staff members I ordered my food and went to sit outside because it was a bit hot inside but I love people watching so outside it was lol. 2 LOADED shrimp tacos with rice and beans and a LOADED chicken crunchy taco with a Coke Zero only 27$ which was very reasonable especially for the great quality, they brought me out chips and salsa and a side of green sauce and everything was just so fresh I didn't even need to ask for more sauce. I will def be coming back and trying other things on the menu. The staff was super attentive and caring which is always an A+ for me.

Shrimp tacos are 10/10 so fresh and they came out piping hot. Must try the red salsa and hot sauce…read more Hot sauce is perfect amount of spicy. Fun fact.. They've been here for 26 years!!! Don't miss out on this spot. Service was great - son / nephew of the owners was really welcoming. Small place with charm.

Was looking for a brunch spot in the area and finally got the chance to try Homestate, a Tex-Mex…read morechain that's been on my list to try for a while! They have an indoor dining area as well as a spacious covered patio. I also loved that their drinks are served in mason jars! Water, utensils, and napkins are self-serve. The service was excellent, and one of the managers (?) even stopped by at the end of our meal to offer us complimentary to-go drinks, which was so thoughtful! Their menu has a great variety of both breakfast and regular tacos, and you can choose between flour or corn tortillas - both types of tortillas tasted so yummy and freshly made. Everything we ordered was so good! - Trinity breakfast taco (eggs, bacon, potatoes, cheddar) - definitely a classic breakfast taco - Brisket taco - comes with a juicy and tender brisket - Queso (served with chips) - great for sharing! - Cookie milk iced coffee - made with chocolate chip cookie-steeped oat milk and wasn't overly sweet which I appreciate There's a small parking lot with about four spaces, otherwise, street parking is plentiful nearby. Overall, a great spot for brunch or a casual meal!

Quick order in a fairly short line. The guy behind the counter who took our order was very friendly…read moreand accommodating, especially as I asked if I could order my Migas with no onions (no problem-yay!). My husband got 2 tacos, brisket and chicken and a side of chips. I through in a side of crispy potatoes. This was a nice cool Sunday evening around 6pm, the vibe was full-ish but still places to sit. There's a big bar around the cook area inside where you order or a covered patio outside area (with heating if necessary). We had a lovely evening, so we sat at the end of a bench. Our food came to our table I'd say within 10-15 minutes of ordering. I honestly could have shared mine. It was a lot with those potatoes, and even my husband who's a thin guy said one of those tacos would have been sufficient (and he could have helped me with mine...haha). We were just in the area visiting our kids, we come down frequently from NorCal, so we will definitely hit up this place again now that we've found it in the near future. So good and super relaxed and easy.

Top notch hole in the wall Mexican food…read more The burrito was huge and the carne asada was full of flavor and super tender. Baja fish tacos were also delicious. Staff was friendly and food came out pretty quick. Just an excellent experience all around and will definitely be back

The fish tacos are really good but I've had their burrito and quesadillas and they're very mid…read more Unfortunately, the Mexican food I've had wasn't good. They burnt my quesadillas, I live far so I didn't bother going back.