amazing experience! The steak tacos were absolutely remarkable, full of flavor and some of the best I've had. We also ordered the Mexican cornbread, and it was incredible. Definitely a must-try if you visit. A special shoutout to Andy, our waiter, who made the experience even better. He was so welcoming, attentive, and gave us fantastic recommendations that did not disappoint. His excellent service really stood out. Great food, great atmosphere, and outstanding service. We will definitely be back! read more

Cascabel - Steak tacos - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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After having dinner at Cascabel twice over a period of years, I find it to be a great spot for a friend meetup or a romantic date given its relaxed yet upscale vibe. Would it be my top choice for Mexican food if I'm looking for a traditional taco or burrito? No, but this restaurant markets itself as a modern spin on Mexican cuisine, and the food is solid overall. At my last meal I ordered tacos and shared one taco entree with a friend. Each taco order comes with two, and the duck confit had a great mixture of savory and sweet flavors with the goat cheese, bean puree, and pickled onions. I shared the fried chicken tacos with my friend and found it to be unremarkable. On the other hand, the seasonal cocktail that I ordered was well-made and made me curious about trying other alcoholic beverages when I return in the future. read more

My son suggested this hidden restaurant for dinner tonight and so we went around 6pm. It's funny how many times we have driven down Riverside over the years and I have never even noticed this place. It's tucked away behind a dentist's office and you can only see the sign when you're on the street. We parked on the street since the meters were already off, but they also have a small parking lot. The entrance area itself is very pretty, as is the restaurant. It's nice and spacious inside with a very welcoming vibe. There are 2 restrooms, 1 for each gender, but we didn't use them on our visit. We opted to sit on their patio and enjoyed the nice weather and lovely Latin music this Monday evening. Both the patio and restaurant were very clean. Our server Ann was very pleasant and knew the menu well. She took great care of us and guided us with her recommendations. The complimentary chips & salsa were great. Extremely fresh chips, not greasy at all. I also ordered a virgin Hibiscus Margarita ($10). It was very tasty but I felt like it was mostly ice. For our appetizers, we got the Lobster Tacos, 2pc. ($22) and the Kale & Shiitake Flautas, 4pc. ($14) . The tacos were full of juicy lobster meat and every ingredient was very fresh. The shells were also fried perfectly and not oily at all. Same goes for the flautas. Very flavorful and a great, soft yet crisp consistency on the tortillas. We got an order of the Sirloin Steak Tacos, 2pc. ($18). The steak was very juicy and tasted excellent. The chimichurri, salsa, and aioli all combined together made for an extravaganza of flavors with the steak. Delicious. For our entrée we got the Mexican Cornbread ($35) and it was a freshly baked cornbread muffin with a slab of short rib on top with some salsa and pico de gallo. The cornbread was good and the short rib tasted good as well, however my son and I both thought it was a bit too tough/chewy. We were expecting it to be like a braised short rib that falls apart and melts in your mouth. With all that being said, our overall consensus of this place is that the other Yelpers are correct: this place has a very nice atmosphere/ambience and delicious food, but the portions are too small and prices are too high. It was just too pricey for the amount of food we got. The dessert we got (Tres Leches Cake, $13) felt like a bigger portion than all the food combined. Just like the food, it was also very delicious. Super light and luscious. For once, I left a restaurant with no leftovers. I enjoyed my experience but I'm not sure if I would return in the future, just based on the pricing/portions. Thank you Ann and the rest of the staff for the experience. read more

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I tried this restaurant out, probably a month ago on my own. It's super cute. It's like a home that's been converted to a restaurant. It has such a great vibe when you go inside and I have to say I sat at the bar and the food was really yummy. I would definitely come back. The service was great the bartender behind the bar was amazing and it's a great spot to drop in after work. read more

we went for a special occasion and our food came out at all different times, they forgot one of our entrees, and after waiting 20 min for dessert to arrive we canceled it. epic disappointment. They completely neglected us and were severely understaffed and unapologeticz read more

Cute Gem! It's on a main st so keep an eye out, we were there mid Sunday and it was not busy at all. No reservation and sat at the bar walked right in. Ordered chips and salsa with a modelo and in season watermelon margarita which was firreeee! Lol too many of those and you'll be happy all week. For food we did the Red Snapper tacos soooo good. Also tried the mole which was very good and also different. Not your typical mole, we also tried the ceviche crudo which was delish! Ambiance was quiet this afternoon the music they had in the background was good. Can't wait to see this place on a goodnight. There's plenty of parking but the place is big so I would think that parking would be limited on a good night. read more

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This is a cute little place for Mexican food! Parking is easy to find on the street and there's also valet parking right next to the restaurant. Inside is pretty cute and a great date night or catching up with friends atmosphere. I went for the latter but saw plenty of people from all walks of life and occasions and it was very sweet to see! Our server was super kind. From start to finish, staff was lovely. Food was also good. Got the carnitas entree and thought the carnitas and the little side were tasty. I do think the portions are a tad small for the price but what can ya do? I think that's just typical of our county at this point. lol! Anyways, I mostly appreciated that this was a cute place to catch up with friends and not feel rushed. read more

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Love this spot, def my go-to for Happy Hour! Not to mention their salsa and chips are FIRE! FOOD 4/5 GUACAMOLE = FRESH and MADE IN HOUSE KALE + SHITAKE FLAUTAS = THE SAUCE IS LEGIT (jalapeño peanut sauce) SIRLOIN STEAK = Soft tender meat is FIRE SERVICE 4/5 Has always been consistent from all staff members Attentive, friendly, and genuine. PARKING 4/5 Valet, on-site if it's not during busy hours or paid street metered parking read more

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Met up with our daughter & her family, we enjoyed the lobster tacos, steak tacos, the tres leche dessert was amazing, watermelon margarita was delicious, overall a lovely place with nice tacos options, recommend and will be back! read more

I love this find! It's one of those spots like if you know you know. The service is great, and each area has a different vibe. There's a tiny front area that feels like someone's living room which I love, and the back patio is very cozy too. They also have larger tables for big groups and a bar area. The food is mexican fusion, really fresh with flavors in perfect harmony. Last time we tried the lobster tacos, and I immediately ordered another. The burrata pear salad was fresh and refreshing, and the butternut squash enchiladas were so yummy and comforting. I can't wait to try more dishes! Oh, and their tacos and guac and chips are really good too, you can't go wrong with anything here! read more

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It's actually a crime against humanity to categorize the food here as Mexican Food. The chips were stale, food was bland beyond any potential resuscitation of adding salt or salsa, portions were comically small, drinks were pretty mediocre for the price, and the service was surprisingly even worse than the food. Gave this spot a second chance after a couple of years, and actually hated it more the second time! The aesthetics of the restaurant is nice I'll admit, but this place dies around maximum 9pm... on a good night. And don't worry, the people working there will repeatedly let you know that they're about to close an hour out to get you out the door. Not worth the trip if you're considering going... there's plenty of "hidden gems" in Toluca Lake and this is definitely not one of them. read more

First and last time here. First, the male host asked if I had a reservation. I said no and he said , "I need the table back by 7:00" - it was 4:45 pm. Not so friendly and welcoming. Place is cozy and server lady provided good service. Food was subpar and pricy for very small portions. read more

Hidden off of Riverside, if you drive too fast you'll miss it! I came on a Tuesday afternoon just in time to catch happy hour (until 6pm)! Skipped the drinks since I don't drink but the drink menu looks great! Started with the classic guacamole which was a hit ($10 happy hour), and the shiitake and kale flautas (also in the happy hour menu) which were already cut into smaller pieces. Then we continued with the lobster and red snapper tacos. I would recommend the red snapper tacos! Delicious! Would I recommend the lobster? Not sure. It was tasty and unique tasting - on the sweet side. But they are small tacos! 3-4 bites and it's finished. As far as the price goes, $17 for 2 small lobster tacos?! Not sure I would get it again but it was great to try at least once. The service was great! Ambiance is like stepping into someone's home and being served from their kitchen. We got seated at the front right as you enter but I thought it would be too much foot traffic and I wanted a more private space so I walked through the home and found that towards the back there is a nice room with portrait art next to the bar. The host was kind enough to change my table. Everything was great! Except for the price of the small lobster tacos and the quantity. I would recommend the red snapper tacos and the guacamole! I would recommend for special occasions like a date or celebration. Valet parking available and street metered parking right outside. read more

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Service was good and the food was good however the prices were high in comparison to the amount of food and there are no options for children so you'll have to leave the kiddies at home. The website says there's free parking in the back but that is not true. There is a $12 valet charge. Not a place I will visit again. read more

Food was excellent, although smaller portions and all the items are à la carte . Service was ok and the ambiance was beautiful, but tends to get loud and hard to have a conversation with the person across from me. read more

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First off: sorry for the blurry pictures. I didn't realize until after I took them and posted that I had a smudge on my lens. First time here. I'm a big happy hour or if you want to call me; budget minded guy, that's me. I was talking to a friend who's business is a couple of doors down. He told me that Cascabel is over priced and the food wasn't worth what they charge. That's exactly why I thought I try them out during happy hour! I was expecting average but was pleasantly surprised to get delicious. Everything had so much flavor! The margs were good but a little too acidic for my taste. Ok, i had two just to be sure. ;) The prices on the regular menu are definitely on the higher end but at the same time, the individuals living in this neighborhood can probably handle it. Not your typical Mexican restaurant for sure so don't expect refried beans. A definite spin on being unique. read more

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The food tastes so fresh. I got a salad and it was humongous but tasted homemade. The service is great, the acoustics are pretty loud but the vibe is old timey- like you're in someone's house. Love this place. read more

We had the most amazing dinner at the cutest restaurant tucked inside a charming old home the vibe alone is worth the visit. It felt cozy, unique, and full of character from the moment we walked in. Every single dish was delicious. We shared lobster tacos and a rich lobster soup that were both incredible, plus taquitos, sweet plantains, a fresh pear salad, beans, and perfectly cooked Brussels sprouts honestly, everything was scrumptious. We ended the night with a brownie that was the perfect sweet finish. Our waiter was fantastic attentive, friendly, and made the whole experience even better. Highly recommend if you're looking for great food and a really cool atmosphere! read more

I've eaten here many times an. I know it's on the pricey side for tiny portions but SERIOUSLY?, one single enchilada with a few veggies inside with a few crumbles of goat cheese for $17? The smallest dollop of elote , guacamole and beans too. I suppose the entree would fill up a person if not shared. We have become numb to the $16 to $20 cocktails everywhere but I do believe this restaurant is shrinking portions of food way beyond what people will come back for. There is a reason we have not been here in a few years. That'll be our last time. It was my birthday dinner so my bf paid for us all but it was shockingly underwhelming for the prices. They didn't even hear the birthday part even though it was in the reservation and was mentioned when ordering dessert sooo all around disappointing. read more

The margaritas and specialty drinks are delicious. The fish dishes are exceptional. There's always something great on their menu. You can't go wrong at Cascabel. Come early. read more

So I've run it back here a couple times and lemme tell yall GET A MOCKTAIL! They are absolutely FIRE. I was shocked because it's hard to make a good mocktail Our server Annie was the GOAT. She knew her stuff and recommendations hit I got the chicken tacos and they were strange not gonna lie but the queso and the chips SLAPPED. Will probably be back read more

Great food and ambience. Every dish we had was a hit. My favorite was the lobster tacos.

Went for happy hour but it ended up being dinner. Great service. Nachos were so good and huge. Tacos were great. Guac was fresh. I'd been here years ago and couldn't remember much, but so glad I came back. I'll definitely return! read more

Please save your time and don't ever come here. In 35 years, I've never been approached by a restaurant and told they "need the table" while I was still actively drinking a beer, especially after running a $250 tab. To make it worse, it wasn't even our waiter who spoke to us, but a busser, despite multiple empty tables and no one waiting. There was zero explanation. This was my last visit to this restaurant. read more

Will start off by saying that the ambiance and place was really nice and cozy. Loved the interior and the service was pretty good. However, the food was just... not good. The food isn't actually Mexican food. I ordered a side of rice and it was soggy, I didn't even get to finish it cause it was too mushy. I understand that it's supposed to be a high end "Mexican" restaurant but it was not really worth the price. Would not come back, and you are better of find a different Mexican place worth the price. read more

What a pleasant surprise. The food was delicious, the server attentive but not annoying, and for someone who is generally not a Mexican food aficionado, everything was surprisingly imaginative. Not your typical red sauce enchiladas and crispy tacos here. Oh no. I had the butternut squash enchiladas and they were heaven. The wife, (the reason we don't eat Mex a lot) had chicken mole and it was perfect. We started with the hamachi ceviche which was good, should have been a much bigger portion size for the price, but was also imaginative and delicious. We all shared a Tres Leche cake which was unlike anything you have ever had at Portos! Definitely a go back. read more

Cascabel has such a beautiful ambiance. It's literally like entering a getaway from the entrance to the interior design. There is both indoor and outdoor seating. The service is wonderful as full. I ordered 1 watermelon margarita since my date didn't want a full sized drink. We were pretty surprised when the server arrived with 2 smaller cups with the watermelon margarita so we can share it. The drink was refreshing! The first basket of chips and salsa is complimentary. My rating of the tacos: 1. Lobster 2. Fried chicken 3. Pork belly 4. Duck Confit All the tacos were great, I rated the pork belly and duck lower since I personally found it to be a little on the saltier side. The Mexican cornbread was great too with the contrast of sweet and savory. read more

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Delicious meal and a beautiful restaurant! Honestly, I had forgotten I never written a review about this place! The drinks were strong and yummy and the food was good but it's been so long since I've been there that I actually don't remember what we ordered but everything was delicious. The service was good and I remember definitely saying I would come back again! read more

Simply excellent. The entrance to the restaurant is up the driveway next to the valet stand. The food was amazing. Lots of flavor in every dish. I had the duck tacos and the plantains, and my wife had the lomo sol tado which was a bit differently prepared than the Peruvian version and was amazing on its own. Every dish had tons of flavor. The tres leches cake with ice cream on top and coconut flakes was super light and amazing. We will definitely be back. Bravo to the chef. read more

If you are going there at night, it is a little hard to find. The place is tucked in the back of another business. The service was amazing, very attentive, polite and well informed on the menu. The drinks were really good. Giving it 4starts because the food was good (except the cheese fondue) but the portions were small. I had the carnitas, was good but a little on the sweet side for me. Same with the mole potatoes, good buy on the sweet side. My wife had the lobster tacos, and she said it needed salt, however they did taste fresh. Cascabel puts their own twist to Mexican dishes, so if you're looking for authentic Mexican food, this is not the place. read more

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Adorable place, and nice hostess, but that is the most I can say about this restaurant. We arrived right on time for our 4pm reservation and were seated immediately and given water by the hostess. We were the only people there. Then it took 10 minutes for our waiter to arrive to take our drink order. Then another 20 minutes to bring our 3 margaritas and a soda (brought to us by someone else). Then it took another 15 minutes for our waiter to come back to take our order. So we were there for 45 minutes before being able to place our dinner order. By then a couple more tables were seated and also ignored. The waiter finally arrived and apologized for the wait, and then we overheard him apologizing to each and every table for the wait with no explanation whatsoever. The restaurant was almost completely empty. The food is WAY overpriced and not at all good. It all tasted store-bought. The $14 guacamole was about 5 tablespoons out of a container with some micro greens sprinkled on top. It's about $25 for 2 tiny and mediocre tacos. I had taquitos which were $15 for 2 small and under filled taquitos. The lobster enchilada soup was a joke. Again, looked store-bought, but watered down. So it was super watery store-bought soup. Overall a terrible experience and I do not recommend AT ALL. Slow and unapologetic service, overpriced and terrible food. read more

The food here is amazing! Excellent cocktails too. The restaurant is in a what looks like a former house with different rooms that are super cute and cozy. There's even a fireplace in one room. We've come here twice and each time we've had an excellent experience. Our recommendations are: 1) Appetizer: Esquites - elote corn with onion confit, cotija cheese, and sunflower seeds 2) Entree - Mexican cornbread (trust me on this one) 3) Dessert - Tres Leches if they have it. Not like any you've had before. It will blow your mind! read more

Cascabel - Mexican Cornbread - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hidden gem in Toluca Lake. And there's parking! It's a small lot up the driveway but also you can easily find street parking nearby if the lot is full. They have a decent happy hour here - a small discount on a selection of tacos and drinks. Their classic marg is really good! I had their sirloin steak tacos and really enjoyed them. One order comes with two tacos. A little on the pricey side per taco but they're good and the ambiance is nice. They also serve free chips & salsa and the chips are great. read more

I'm just going to get this out there: grew up in SD on Latin food. Granted, it was mostly Mexican food and this is a Spanish place but the vibe was still the same: this place has good food but does it have authentic food? No but it is an upscale Latin place. Chips and salsa: tasty and fresh a fan of both. Guacamole with bacon: it was okay. Kinda shocked it was so expensive given the portion size. Short rib taquitos: our favorite thing. Tasty and the bean sauce it came with was great. Fried chicken tacos: flavorful but definitely needed a wet element. Kinda on the dry side. Mexican cornbread: meat was cooked to perfection. Wish it had been drenched in more sauce though. Cornbread was good. Mole potatoes: the mole was really peanut-y and spicy. I love spicy but this is truly only for spicy lovers. I had to eat it all as the people I went with couldn't finish it given that. Tres leches cake: yeah this one disappointed me a lot. VERY dry and not soaked through. Drinks: this is where this place had me. Tasty. Strong. All in all this place was kinda expensive for non authentic small portions. But it is an adorable location and perfect for an intimate hang. I'd come here for drinks and an appetizer but would pass on full scale plates. Service was also pretty slow. Parking is street or they have a lot up the side. read more

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Love this place! It's a little hidden getaway in LA and I love that it's not super popular and packed (yet.) Food, ambiance and service is wonder. read more

Great service from this place, been here for dinner before. This time it was for an event for my fiancée and it was amazing , good lighting , heat lamps . Most importantly the service and food was 10/10. Recommend this gem to anyone looking for a good experience. Shout out to Joe and Olga 10/10 read more

Absolutely adorable venue! We took our coworker for her birthday and we had a great experience! The server was very knowledgeable about what drinks we would enjoy the best. Food was delicious! They also have a Happy Hour menu that I can't wait to try when I return. read more

Been here a few times now and it has not disappointed. Really great mexican food with an elevated touch. Service is always friendly and the inside of the restaurant feels like your in someone's home You must must get that shortrib dish over the cornbread... read more

Very pretty vibes & yummy cocktails. The tortillas are also amazing! A little easy to miss in the dark but worth trying!

Cute spot, great happy hour and food overall. Came with a friend who lives nearby and we tried a few dishes. Really tasty and fresh but also not huge portions. Things we tried: *Bacon guacamole (was probably better without the bacon) *Chips & salsa *Shrimp aguachile *Lobster tacos *Watermelon margaritas Parking was so easy and they have their own lot so you won't have to deal with typical LA parking struggles. Service was great and I'd come back for sure. Highly suggest to anyone who hasn't been! read more

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