This is the best dining experience that I have ever had. I went on a weekday night and fairly…read moreearly got seated immediately and had a great margarita. The food was so good that I don't think I can go to another Mexican restaurant ever again . The enchiladas were small, but absolutely perfect and tasty. They were sitting in a sauce that was so fresh and so well put together. I know I've gotta come back again here soon. The service was impeccable, and the guy was cute. The whole ambience was perfect. I spent a little more than I do at any other restaurant, but worth every penny. Unbeatable experience. Thank you.

Do not hesitate, this place is phenomenal!! 5++ stars!!…read more My hubby and I have been coming here since we moved to San Clemente several years ago, and we cannot give enough praise to this incredible establishment! We typically dine at the bar, which offers full dining service. We love coming here and have never had a bad experience. The cuisine is delectable, the management and staff gracious and attentive, and the ambience is exquisite!

First time at this location and we had a great time!…read more We tried a few margaritas since they have such a good selection of different flavors, the watermelon marg was my favorite! Started with the Avila's Appetizer which consisted of bite size shredded beef taquitos, shredded chicken flautas, shredded beef tacos, and a quesadilla, served with a side of sour cream and guacamole. Everything was great, the chicken flautas were our favorite item on the sampler but everything was good! For my main I tried the Tampiquena, 4oz carne asada served with a cheese enchilada as well as rice and beans. It was really good, my leftovers tasted even yummier the next day! Our waiter was awesome and we had a great experience all around! Plenty of dining space indoor and outdoor, parking can get tough given the area so keep that in mind.

Me, my wife and son came here on Friday night,the food was excellent and the service was out of…read morethis world. There was a young waiter, there named Osie who was very attentive to all of our needs he provided excellent service. We will definitely come back again. .

Amazing food and service! Sam was excellent and attentive! Made my birthday so special!read more

Asada is what happens when Mexican food puts on a nice shirt and decides to go out for the evening…read more The food is excellent, although don't come expecting your traditional neighborhood taco shop. The dishes are creative, upscale, and very well done. It's a little on the pricey side, but the quality is there, so you don't feel too bad about it until the credit card notification shows up. The bar is one of the highlights. Great drinks and even better bartenders who actually know what they're doing. We've been here several times, and the service has always been fantastic--friendly, attentive, and consistent. If you want traditional Mexican food, there are plenty of other choices. If you want really good Mexican-inspired food, a great cocktail, and a fun night out, Asada is definitely worth a visit. Just don't expect taco-truck prices. Apparently, nice shirts cost extra.

Stumbled upon this restaurant after spending the day in San Clemente and decided to go in for a…read moredrink at the bar. To say I had good service is an understatement, my bartenders name was Bella and her attention to detail as well as service was exceptional, I'm amazed at how someone can be so passionate about their job. This restaurant is now in my top picks for food and especially bartender service from Bella. Definitely request her!

Upscale, Mexican cuisine. Everything we ordered looked amazing and tasted delicious. We didn't go…read morewith the really fancy stuff and just kept it to the basics. Their menu goes from the basics all the way up to the super fancy and expensive so a large range for your family to choose from. Every dish that came out, looked better than the previous. Not your average Mexican restaurant. The service was great. They had plenty of drink options. There's street parking and plenty of parking in the back. The dining area could fit a ton of people inside and they had a large area outside. They also had a cool bar in the center of the dining area if you just like some drinks or apps.

Lupes in Aliso Viejo is by far the BEST Mexican food I have ever had in our area. Their taco's are…read morebomb...love the home made tortillas & the taste of the chicken & carne asada...the cilantro sauce in the salsa bar is the cherry on top. Love the atmosphere and the staff is always kind and welcoming. I have recommended soooo many people and they agree it's great!

Small restaurant but the decor is inviting and immersive! Order at the counter, the service is…read moresuper friendly. I got 3 tacos, all with different meats, I found the carne asada to be the best. Rice & beans came with the tacos and I found the portion to be filling. Food came out pretty quick! I sat and ate in the restaurant, there's limited seating. But there are some tables outside too. I also saw many people come in for mobile order pick ups. I'd return here! [this review was made in connection with a Toast promotion, Lupe's Mexican Eatery did not ask me to leave this review]

I had a great experience here I ordered the two enchilada combo with ground beef, and it was…read moredelicious. The food was good, but what truly stood out was the service. Our server, Yolanda, was amazing. She was professional, attentive, friendly, and helpful throughout our meal. She checked on us at just the right times. Her excellent service is the main reason I'll be coming back. We sat on the patio, which had a relaxing, welcoming, and fun atmosphere. It made for a great place to enjoy a meal and unwind. Between the delicious food, the enjoyable patio, and Yolanda's exceptional service, I'd definitely recommend giving this restaurant a try.

Been waiting for over 30 minutes for our order to come out. Asked waitress with no result…read more Unacceptable.

This was the GOAT of my childhood after a surf at Trestles. A couple of crispy fish tacos and a…read morecarne asada burrito was the jam hadn't been here in years but recently I had to christen my son after a surf for his first time. Carne asada burrito was solid. A little small for $15. The shrimp taco was easily the worst of my life. It ain't what it used to be but the nostalgia still lives on.

This is probably going to become my del Taco replacement because the rates of del Taco are going up…read morein their fake food isn't worth it these guys are less fast food and more family quality Mexican it's made with ingredients that aren't science projects. Good service. You know they're a little bit gun shy quite literally because the proximity to the freeway makes them a Target so they're only cash now. That's kind of BS in my book because with all the cops around here you think they'd be on top of that but hey, we don't have local police. Anyway that's why they only take cards but bring some money for the tip jar. No cash on premise I repeat no cash on premise hopefully this helps them from getting assaulted again. Ambiance is great I'm in my car and my pajamas I drive through I asked them for food they give it to me I come home and that's the best.

Olamendi's is an amazing place for pure, authentic Mexican cuisine. I'm stunned to see it only…read moreaverages the stars it does. Our service by Joe was 10/10. The salsa has been unchanged since I was a kid, when I would frequent their Laguna Beach location. Such great memories. The views are incredible and I love the flavor of each dish. I want to come back and try more items on the menu.

I enjoyed this restaurant for years but only tolerated one person who works there for too long…read more If you read reviews you will see get name everywhere so I don't have to say it. It's sad because this place would do so much better if she didn't work there. Who wants to go pay to eat out and get an attitude every time? No us! Bye

Absolutely love this place when we are in town. Always a wonderful experience and exceptional…read moredelectable dishes. Today we chose the duck confit with fries, ridiculously delicious. Cremé brūlée French toast, out of this world delicious, not overly sweet; so many berries. The fruit platter, steel oats and a basic ham, eggs and home potatoes. Side of bacon and a freshly made espresso, woohoo! Everything was freshly made to order. Never disappointed in anything we order here. Service is always accommodating. Small indoor seating, maybe 6 tables outdoors. Ambiance is comfortable, clean and inviting. Don't miss out on this gem if in town.

Service was immediate, we were greeted and seated once we walked up on a Sunday afternoon. We sat…read moreon the patio cause it was a warm day and inside was too toasty for us. I see the ratings on this place and I wonder why? We ordered two steak plates; one Steak and eggs cooked rare and another steak and frites cooked medium. They were both terrible. Chewy and cooked wrong. The medium was cook rare and the rare one was goey. No flavor at all. I instantly regretted picking this location for brunch. I bagged up the steaks for my dog and headed out disappointed. For 62$ I wish I could say I was full and satisfied but I'm unfortunately not. Just lacking overall in taste. The breakfast potatoes tasted like free potatoes from a motel breakfast and the side salad with the steak frites just had a red vinaigrette dressing on Roman lettuce, no character at all. If you just want mimosas I guess this is a good place for that, they had a range in flavors from original orange juice to blueberry. But I recommend saving your money and cooking breakfast/lunch at home. The two stars are for the service! Food, no stars! 0 **They also have no ranch or A1 So I expected the steak to be on point.... Smh!

As Always worth the 2 hour drive Brought daughter and…read moregrandkids for 1st time.. She Loved her Taco Salad The shredded beef was Perfect Thank for our complimentary churro treats We shall return, as always

We were asked to pay cash because the restaurant's electronic system was not working. This appears…read moreto occur frequently and typically on weekends. We agreed to use the ATM in their restaurant in order to pay cash. The server overcharged us by $20.00 for fajitas by unilaterally deciding to charge us for the larger portion of fajitas, which we did not order. Due to the error, we had to use the ATM a second time (we were charged a 2.99 ATM fee each time). When we informed the server, the server was more concerned with justifying his actions than listening to the customer and making it right. He was also visibly put off by our constructive feedback - "do not give a customer a menu that prices fajitas at $29.99 if you are going to charge the customer $49.99 located on an alternate menu" We are locals and the experience with this server's failure to apologize and insistence on arguing with us has led to our decision to never return to Ricardo's. Instead, we recommend El Maguey, Bravos, El Campeon or EL Molino de Oro - all nearby.