We came across Casa Franco by accident and glad we did!! It's tucked in a large shopping center and from the outside, a bit unassuming, but don't be fooled. This is a hidden gem. From the outside, it doesn't look that large but inside,it's very spacious and clean. The prices were about the same as most other Mexican restaurants. To start, we really liked their red salsa and chips. Not too spicy, not too mild - just right. I ordered the green chicken enchiladas plate, the husband ordered one of their omelettes. Usually get red enchiladas but after talking to our server, decided to try the green. We both enjoyed our chicken enchiladas, omelette and beans which were all amazing and outstanding. The chicken in my enchilada was just how I make my own enchiladas, using breast meat. The rice was a tad undercooked, but we were there early, just when they opened. Am guessing it just needed bit more time to be perfect. The plate portions were good sized and we could only eat half our plate. Our waiter was friendly and helpful. Overall a great choice for some amazing Mexican food. Would definitely come back when in the area. read more

Casa Franco - Bar area in addition to spacious booth/table seating - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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Finding a truly authentic Mexican restaurant is always a bit of a gamble -- there's no easy way to know until you just try. We ended up at Casa Franco and it was a mixed experience. The portions are absolutely massive -- the tacos are easily 2-3x bigger than what you'd get most places, and they come with a huge plate of rice and beans. Definitely no complaints on value. The meat was where it fell short for me though. It wasn't tender enough and didn't taste authentic -- and that's really what you're going for when you eat out, right? You want something that tastes like you couldn't have just made it at home. Unfortunately this didn't quite hit that mark. read more

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In high school this was the place to be on a taco Tuesday. We went recently and yes the margaritas were 10/10 but the tacos were warm and the crispy taco was more chewy than crispy. Additionally one soft tacos an overwhelming amount of onions. Same guys always there! Friendly and helpful. read more

This is (and has been) my go-to Mexican spot for years now. Terrific food and a staff that feels like the kind of neighbors you're glad you live next door to. If you ever want to see what efficiency in a restaurant looks like, go here on a Tuesday night. Taco Tuesday is a thing of beauty at Casa Franco. Chips, salsa, drinks, food - all delivered to your table with the kind of speed that would make a pit crew feel like amateurs. It's a popular spot and they run groups in and out of here really fast without ever making you feel rushed. But there are people waiting for your table, so don't stretch out and relax when you're finished. Get in, get fed, enjoy a dynamite Cadillac margarita and then go home to write a review as appreciative as this one. They deserve it. read more

An updated review is long overdue, as this has become a regular Taco Tuesday staple for me. Yes, you still have to order a beverage to take advantage of the Taco Tuesday deal. As someone who doesn't drink alcohol or sugary sodas, I find myself being forced to drink an iced tea. Unlike some other local establishments, their Taco Tuesday deal is available at lunchtime, too. As someone who works from home, I do appreciate being able to get out of the house at lunchtime, to have a little screen break, and grab some tacos. Salsa still has a little kick, but I could eat bowls of it. And I do. Like two, usually. (I do douse my tacos in the salsa to give a bit more flavour). Bar + table indoor seating available. Ample parking. 2026: 4/100 read more

I just love the athleticism of this place food and service all excellent and they can make a mean margarita... came here 20 yrs ago and still the same great food and service. read more

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Super solid choice for home style Mexican cuisine in south Orange County. First, the staff here are absolutely amazing. The same team has worked here for years and every time we come in, they greet us so warmly and remember us. The team is so welcoming, the restaurant has a small, family-owned mom and pop feel, and the service is quick and efficient too. Good chips and salsa, good original margaritas on the rocks - and they aren't weak on the tequila so you'll get your moneys worth. Over the years some of our most favorite dishes are the Raymond Burrito, Casa Franca Enchiladas, Chile Colorado dinner and cheese enchiladas. Parking is super easy with the restaurant located in a large shopping center. This place is a bit off the beaten path in a back corner of a shopping center and we never wait for a table, which is the absolute best. Casa Franco has a place in our heart as one of our local faves in our south county rotation. read more

We've been coming to Casa Franco since we moved to Mission Viejo in 2019. The first thing we noticed when coming here is that everyone is so nice and friendly. They always remember us and treat us like family. In the years coming here I've tried so many different dishes. My faves are the crispy beef tacos, Chile Relleno, enchiladas and the Milanesa. These are things I get nearly every time. The chips and salsa are a must too. The chips are always crispy and fresh. The salsa always fresh and some times even a bit spicy. The beans and rice are very good as well. This place is basically just your neighborhood hang out. Great prices, great atmosphere, and always plenty of parking. This is also my wife's favorite Mexican restaurant around. It's not going to wow you, it's really just simple good old fashioned Mexican food. read more

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My first time there was on a Taco Tuesday. We sat at the bar and had 3 different types of tacos and Margaritas. The portion size was better than back yard BBQ size tacos. The Margaritas were stiff and we were given a great sample tasting of Hornitos Black Tequila... wow! Is all I can say. I will definitely be back for great food and the best service. It's a small place but they take care of business. Get you in and out without an rush read more

Casa Franco - Bar top on Taco Tuesday - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

This is our favorite place for Taco Tuesday. Their tacos are yummy, and they even have potato-my favorite! Also try their Tuesday beans, they add flavor and the portion is generous! read more

Stopped by on a Taco Tuesday. Good specials, friendly, attentive staff, good food! I sat outside and almost every guest that I saw coming and going was on first name basis with the staff. I would def come back when I'm in the area again! read more

First time here and we've lived in the area for 13 years. We are Mexican food critics and been disappointed over and over especially with the cost of Mexican food nowadays. Have to say this place was amazing. We frequented a local Mexican food place but grew tired of it so decided to try this place. Service was great. Food was fantastic. The beans and carnitas to die for!!! However, I did not like that the water was tap water. We ordered a tea to mask the bad taste of the water but could still taste the bad water. A huge part of dinner is having great tasting water. Will be back!!! read more

I love Casa Franco!! Family run a bunch of great guys. Food is good if you want to elevate yourself get the seafood enchiladas it's not your regular enchilada sauce. It's a tomatillo sauce. It's incredible. This is a cute little hole in the wall not fancy people are nice heavy poor on drinks and the food is great. read more

Casa Franco has been a family favorite for over 20 years! It's a true family-run gem where the food is always incredible, the service is warm and welcoming, and the drinks are always on point. The ambiance is cozy and inviting -- the kind of place where you instantly feel relaxed. Miguel never forgets a face, which makes every visit feel even more special. We're so grateful to have a place like this to come back to again and again -- highly recommend! Review long overdue read more

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Great food! Ala bean n cheese burrito smothered was Heavenly!!!! One is enough for 2 light lunching! Also, bonus comes w a dollop of sour cream included in price! Nice!!! Totally recommend !!! read more

Amazing bean and cheese burrito! The best I've had. They also serve up a real potent Cadillac Margarita. We showed up 15 minutes before closing and they were happy to serve us. You're there for the food, so don't worry about the ambiance. Just have a Caddy and everything will be great! read more

Casa Franco - Bar - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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I am going to try everything on their menu. I have had about 1/3 of the items. EVERYTHING has been really good. They make a great Cadillac Margarita as well. read more

Stopped by Casa Franco for lunch. It was alrightttt. It's a small restaurant, a little outdated, but I can see how it could be fun. The space has a bar, seating area, and TVs for sports. I think the main event here is Taco Tuesday especially since there are a few signs that say 90 min max on Taco Tuesday haha. Not too many vegetarian options on the menu. I got a mojado burrito - but they only had beans and cheese in it. I asked for sour cream, guac, and lettuce on the side. There was also a side of beans and rice but I would recommend only getting the rice because there are tons of beans in the burrito so it was too much. It looked good visually but I didn't really like it. The food also came out insanely quick - like I'm talking maybe 2 minutes after we ordered it was on our table.. So I'm not sure how fresh it is. Chips and salsa were the best part. Overall, especially for the price, I felt it wasn't super enjoyable and just super heavy. Maybe meat eaters will have a better experience. read more

My friend who lives in Mission Viejo has taken me to Casa Franco a few times, and I can see why they love it! Every visit, the service is fantastic--so warm and welcoming, they really make sure you have a great time. The food is solid--last time I had the chile colorado, and it was so good, I finished every bite. Plus, their margaritas pack a punch! I'd definitely recommend it for a date night or a big group gathering. read more

This place has been around a long time, went there a long time ago and now remember why we hadn't been back. Went for Taco Tuesday yesterday, got three hard shells, two shredded beef and one chicken. The tortillas were awful. They were far from crunchy, but were not soft, tasted like they were done in worn out oil. As for both the chicken and the beef, very tasteless and the chicken was dried out. Plus there was way more cheese on each of them than protein. As we waited outside for them to open, I grazed the menu, prices were pretty high. There are way better. Not to name names but EVR in the old Taco Bell building over on rockfield is way better for about the same prices read more

This place is a solid three-star Mexican restaurant in a strip mall located here in Mission viejo. We have a bar area where you can drink and eat as well as dining room which isn't that big. They could use a little sprucing up of the interior as it looks a little bit worn out. The servers were very nice and the food was pretty solid. This is a good solid choice bud for some good margaritas and standard Mexican fare. read more

Casa Franco - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

THEM BEANS ARE FIRREEEE! THE RICE IS FIIRRREE! love the bar decor. them chips are fire too. bless up, this place is a classic. read more

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Great food and service Everyone was attentive and the food was tasty Definitely will be back Such a pleasurable experience

Tried this place after reading good reviews about it and we found the food to be lacking a bit in flavor. The cheese enchilada had more cheese than sauce. The sauce was too runny. The rice and beans were standard. The complimentary chips and salsa were the best part of the meal. Salsa was fresh and seasoned well. Employees were friendly. Easy to find parking as they're in a large shopping center. read more

maybe economy but this place used to be so good and the staff used to be so friendly. You walk in they barely greet you they don't ask you for a refill on your beverage Coca-Cola but they ask you if you want another beer. Overpriced Mexican food smaller quantities equals last time we will visit this place. Changing the plate size does not equate to smaller portions. Taco Tuesday went up from $1.50 to $3 read more

Great food! Wonderful, friendly service! Good price, an overall nice dining experience. I would describe the food as Mexican comfort food. read more

Thought Id try this place been in the area for 20 years. Hot chips and salsa a 4 star good... Chicken taco , just OK a 3 star, cheese enchilada awful 2 star, no flavor boring, beans watered down and rice no flavor 2 star, service very good 4 star, Guacamole 1 star nasty just green colored sour cream.. too many good mexican places around I will not return or advise ,,, Poor quality... high price... read more

Happy Taco Tuesday! As we were seated and looking at the menu, we munched on bags of chips and spicy salsa. The salsa was pretty spicy like a medium to hot. If you are coming for Taco Tuesday, the fine print on the menu tells you that everyone needs to order a drink in order to get the Taco Tuesday menu deal. Soft drinks are an option in addition to margaritas and other alcoholic drinks, but from what I understood, there was only a choice of Pepsi or lemonade. I ordered 3 soft tacos, and they were delicious. The meat had good flavor and perfectly marinated. I have to say, the tortilla is the best I have ever tasted. Usually I would only eat 1 of the 2 tortillas stacked for each taco but i ate all the tortilla. There was something about the texture that made it really good, slightly crispy. Great tacos for this area in OC. read more

Casa Franco - a bag of tortilla chips - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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The food is unmatched. The refried beans are smooth and creamy - best I have ever eaten. The Ramon burrito is great. My family and I go once a week because of the hot, delicious food and quick service. read more

Ordered a Chile relleno and chicken tostada for dinner tonight through Postmates and it was perfect. The food was tasty and a good portion. Delivery was in less than 15 minutes. Yummy. Good Mexican food and a fair price. Recommended. read more

I ordered crispy beef taco, chilie rellano and rice & beans, tortilla was somewhat leathery and tougo, but there was plenty of beef, lettuce and cheese; , chilie rellano, rice & beans were very good, as was the salsa. when I entered restaurant two were standing there, looked at my with no greeting. I asked to see a menu, as I wanted to order to go. I said I had never been there before....no response. While I waited for my food in a booth, I asked for tortilla chips and salsa while I waited. They brought me a small bowl...didn't ask if I wanted water, and it was a very hot afternoon, high 80s. Restaurant had a little bar and TV looked like a nice place to have a drink and dinner. I will probably return and order in advance since so I dont have to linger. read more

My sister and nephews had been coming here for decades. I decided to finally try it during Covid. At that time, they had everyone seated outside. The food came on paper plates and plastic to go bowls with plastic utensils. I had the pozole and the chile colorado burrito. They were fantastic. I recently came back with one of my nephews and his best friend. The pozole and the chili colorado burrito were missing from the menu. I ordered the albondigas soup and the chili colorado plate. The flavor of the albongias broth was so robust and yummy. My only complaint was there was no potatoes in it, just onions, celery, bell pepper, zucchini and squash. The meatballs were good too. The chili colorado was perfect. I mopped up every drop of the oh so delicious sauce. My nephews friend ordered the same thing and loved it too. So I had my choice of where to go out for my birthday with my parents and nephew. Since it had been so good a few weeks ago, I hyped the place up and we ended up going to Casa Franco for my birthday dinner. There was 4 of us. I ordered the Menudo this time along with the Chili Colorado plate and a Chile Relleno on the side. This is where things went wrong. First they didnt ask us if we wanted our soups before the meal, they just brought them out at the same time. So our main entrees got cold while we ate our soups. Then the refried beans were burnt on two of our entrees. Why would you serve burnt refried beans when they are one of the cheapest items on the plates. Thats a lack of pride in your cooking. No competent chef would serve burnt anything much less cheap beans to their customers. Its a big red flag to me when I see this sort of service. This brings a 4 star review down to 2 stars. What a shame. read more

I came here every week for taco Tuesdays for many years. But now - Beware. The fajitas came out on a plate - there was no sizzling. Horrible - like they were microwaved. They don't care about your experience. This was 4pm on a Thursday. We were the only ones in the place. Servers were in the back watching tv. It was an effort for them to do anything. Made a comment on the way out about how bad the service was and was pretty much told "if you don't like it don't come back". I won't. read more

This place is an absolute gem. Great food, solid margaritas and very friendly service. You can't really go wrong with anything on the menu but the al pastor tacos are and so are the combo plates! read more

Casa Franco - Ground beef enchilada and pork tamale - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

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Well, we haven't been here in a long time. It looks amazing inside the bar is great very clean, very spacious and comfortable. The service is top-notch, Miguel is awesome! Secret menu salsas are the best!!! We had Chile Colorado, which was authentic and top-tier, their gardening Asada was delicious and perfectly grilled ! Beans, and rice were great! We shall be back soon ! read more

We usually do take-out. From the moment they answer the phone, you can tell they treat you like family. They are so kind and friendly. They always get our order perfect and the food is always delicious. We have tried many different items from their extensive menu and we always want more. We need to go in and sit a spell and have a margarita, for sure! I highly recommend Casa Franco for your go-to mexican restaurant. read more

Food was great, although served on styrofoam with plastic utensils. chips were stale. Margaritas are overpriced. Service is meh. At least we tried read more

Casa Franco - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Mission Viejo, California

Food. Service. ambience is amazing! Their taco Tuesday is a great way to try this place and it's wonderful service!

This place is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Mission Viejo! It's a small dive, but the food and drinks are fantastic! My husband and I go practically every weekend. The service is amazing! In my opinion, if your beans and rice are great, then you hit the mark with me! Their beans and rice are delicious. I've gone to other places like Hacienda on the Lake, Carmelitas, Francos Famous, just to name a few. Casa Francos is hands down one of the best hidden gems for Mexican food! read more

The food was delicious. The staff was friendly and had great recommendations. We tried the soup, enchiladas, and bean and cheese burritos. Will definitely be going back. read more