one of those "hole in the wall" type of places -- i think. my friend brought me to this place (the friend that took me to mexicali-- check review) the portions are bountiful. the taste is excellent. the price is decent. what is there not to love? :)) my friends and i tried: Pan de Cazon. (SHARK!) Cochinita Pibil. Pollo Asado. (chicken) everything was good. it doesnt matter what you get!! :)) read more

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I'm soooooo glad this place was introduced to me! I absolutely love it. The food is amazing. I've only been here twice and both times I've eaten the chicken pibil and absolutely loved it. The chicken is FULL of flavor and the white rice & black beans are a really good compliment to the chicken. The hot sauce the have here is sooooo good too! It was so good I had to buy a bottle. It was a little pricey ($7) but well worth it! I also had their ceviche for an appetizer and it was delicious. The only SMALL downside of this place is that it's pretty pricey. I came with my boyfriend and for both of us to get a meal, 1 appetizer, and 2 drinks, it came out to almost $40. Because of the fact that it's located in a food court, you kind of expect to pay food court prices. But this place is priced more like a restaurant, which I don't really mind because the food quality is definitely not on the level of food court food - it's so much better. read more

Can you say bomb dot com! So far I only gotten the chicken pibil plate and pollo asada my to go dishes! I eat here atlease 3 times a month, I always pick up my food it take about 15 mins both dishes come with black bean and rice and some sweet plantains and some corn tortilla with some habanero hot sauce. Can go wrong with that read more

My first visit was just out of curiosity while waiting for the DMV. Now that I had the chance to try out most of their menu, I feel its only fair to give them 5 stars. Favorites here are the Tikin Xic which is fish in some delicious sauce unlike anything I ever tasted. The ceviche here is refreshing and use lots of chunky raw fish. Everything else was delicious too, the only thing I didn't like that much was the tortas since everything else has been so great. They also have a guanabana drink which is awesome and something you rarely see. I probably have to eat here once a week since its one of my favorite lunch spots now! read more

I love this place!!!! Their food is delicious and affordable :) I love the Cochinita Pibil hands down BEST I've ever tried. Since I come here so much gotten around to exploring other dishes. I would strongly recommend Fish tacos with a side of black beans. If you want Ceviche, the one here is fresh and tasty, a must try too!! read more

I couldn't say enough good things about this mercado paloma establishment. I will miss it so so much when I leave LA. I've had everything on the menu multiple times and never once been anything less than punch pleased. The food is always fresh, flavorful, and well-priced. Service is wonderful. The parking lot is rarely full when I come. I always recommend the ceviche, panuchos, all the tortas, that beautifully-presented fish dish, and don't forget the juices! Nothing beats a cold chaya to cool down your mouth from their signature orange hot sauce. Chichen Itza, you have my heart. read more

The cochinita pibil was so delicious! So tender and the habanero hot sauce hit the spot! read more

Chichen Itza Restaurant - Cochinita Pibil and Panuchos - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Deservedly well known for their cochinita pibil, a yucatan dish of pork marinated in a achiote and sour orange marinade and spice, wrapped in banana leaves, and slow roasted till its fall off the bone tender, topped with a pickled red onions and served with a habanero salsa. It is a dish recently re-entering the spotlight as one of Rick Bayless' winning dishes, that helped crown him the top chef master. It's subtle and well done here, the pulled pork shreds, piled attractively over a pool of it's own marinade juices, garnished with the tart onions, and served with corn tortillas, rice, and beans. Everyone I saw at the restaurant, ordered the signature dish. The guanabana(a tropical fruit), drink is better than average and makes a nice combo with the pork, and spicy habanero. The restaurant is part of a food court with several other latin places and a thai joint, and located right next to the DMV. I ate here right after taking care of some dmv issues. read more

I can't decide if I like Chichen itzá or their other restaurant in the Mercado, Holbox, best. Wonderful, delicious and very reasonably priced food. Love the white fish in the citrus sauce and the pork in the banana leaf. Their plantains in cream are a perfect way to end the meal. And there coffee is wonderful too. We Leah's stop here on the way to the Music Center. read more

I am very impressed with the food here!! Ceviche , tamales ,pork tacos and fish tacos. They even bottle their own habanero sauce. Amazing prices for the quality of the food. FYI no beer/wine but try the Hibiscus drink. Yum Gluten free choices too!! read more

Chichen Itza Restaurant - Chichen Itza's own Habanero Sauce!!! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

After having a bad experience a few years back where I was unable to find the location, I decided to give this place a second chance since the owner did take the time to reply to my negative Yelp review to apologize. I ordered my food at 11:40 am and they brought my food at 12:10 pm. Really? The cashier was not friendly at all. Before I placed my order I notice they had this packaged dark paste cube for sale, I tought it was mole - so I asked her what it was & she rudely and quickly answered my question that I did not understood what she had said. I felt rushed so I put it back and did not buy it. Like if she was on a rush. Since it was my first time here, I really wanted to try a small portion of the Papadzules (a peanut sauce egg enchilada plate), so I asked her if I can buy only one instead of the four the plate contained so I can taster other items on the menu and she said no. So I had not choise but to order both the Papadzules plate and the Cochinita Pibil. And I went ahead and also ordered the Chaya drink. My total was $26.96. A little expensive for my taste. The Padadzules was flavorless and the peanut sauce was not great. I thought the sauce would be sweet, like Oaxaca chocolate mole... I was wrong. Also, the tortillas are not hand made here. They look like the ones they sell at the supermarket... the processed ones. This was a big let down as the restaurant website prides itself on using real raw ingredients and the high quality of the food. Next stop was the Cochinta Pibil... it was great. Tender, juicy, and flavorful. I only wished they make to their own in-house spicy salsa to go with this plate. I really don't like processed food such as the habanero sauce bottle they brought to my table. To drink I ordered the agua de Chaya, it was delicious. I love that it had a hint of sugar. Not like the other restaurants where they add a pound of sugar to their horchata... Overall it was ok but not great enough to make me come back. read more

Went here twice in a week because it's just that delicious. I've only ordered the tacos and horchata. My favorite tacos hands down are the fish tacos. They're just crunchy enough and contrast really well with the condiments on top. I love drowning my tacos in their hot sauce and washing it down with horchata. Mercado La Paloma is also a pretty fun environment. There was a live band playing when I went on a Friday night. I'll be back soon! read more

Chichen Itza is the best of the several food stalls located inside Mercado La Paloma. They specialize in Yucatan (Yucatecan? Yucatanian?) food, which is kind of like Mexican food but with somewhat different flavors: more savory, less spicy is how I'd describe it. I think I actually prefer this to ordinary Mexican. Every time I come here I always tell myself I should order something besides the panuchos, because I'm sure the rest of the menu is great too, but I always end up getting the panuchos because they're so damn good. The tortilla on the bottom is crispy and a little oily (in a good way) and is a nice contrast, texture-wise, to the many toppings piled on top. Beware, though: panuchos are really tiny, so if you order them a la carte you probably want to order several. Also, for an appetizer or dessert, order the plantains, they're amazing. I didn't expect it in a place like this (the more authentic, usually the less veggie-friendly), but they've got a full vegetarian menu too. read more

What's more to say for out of the world real delicious Mexican food. Hands down a place worth any ones times to check out. read more

Chichen Itza Restaurant - Delicious Yanabana. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

I've been wanting to write a review for this place for a while, but for the life of me, I can never remember what it is I eat here. Chichen Itza serves Mexican food from the Yucatan area. Instead of tacos and tostadas, they serve pibil and salbutes. I eat here with Mexican-American co-workers who know what to order and they usually order for me. I like this place because the food is awesome. Everything is fresh and tasty. The fried items don't feel greasy or heavy. Everything comes nicely plated even though this is technically a food court place. Heck the first time I ate here, I was surprised that the food came on real plates and we used real silverware. If you're in the area near USC and want to eat some great food away from the fast food chains on Figueroa, head over to this weird Mercado and try Chichen Itza. You won't be disappointed. read more

The shredded turkey and the octopus tacos are delicioso especially with a dollop habanero salsa. The salsa has a kick and boy did it kick my butt. First, the salsa is tolerable then it starts to slowly simmer on your tongue and like a grenade BOOM! The staff is amiable read more

I just had to try this place after reading all the positive reviews. I'm not far from the Mercado La Paloma, so opted for this location instead of MacArthur Park. I was surprised to find it empty Sunday morning (11:30am), but figured it was still kinda "early". My husband had the huevos rancheros and I just had to try the cochinita pibil. I absolutely loved it! My husband had a taste and then wouldn't stop eating my food! Itold him to go get something else...and he did! LOL. He ordered the ceviche which was also kick-ass. I noticed salbutes on the menu and just had to order one. I'm from Belize and salbutes are something we also eat back home. They were ssssooooo good (had more than one...lol). We also liked the horchata and guanabana. I would definitely recommend this place. read more

After a fun day at the California Science Center, we headed over to Chicken Itza after hearing about it on KCRW. [turkey relleno - special] This a turkey soup with mole and hardboiled meatball eggs. What they do is cook egg yolks, then wrap it with meat, then cook that. The portions for this are huge. [chicken pibil] Chicken cooked in banana leaves with red onions, black beans, rice, fried plaintain, and tortillas. [agua de chaya] I don't know what it is, but it is super refreshing. [tamales] Really not that good. I'd pass on these. [atmosphere] The mercado is kind of ghetto and you are eating in a food court style area. [commentary] I find it really interesting to see Turkey as a focus on their menu even out of holiday season. [overall] Homestyle yucatan food done right. read more

No-nonsense great Yucatan food in a sort of food-court. There are other options in the building. We only tried this one. Some of the best Pollo Asado I've had. Ceviche was good, too. Now the search is on to find something equivalent in Phoenix so I can answer visitors who ask where the good Mexican food is. read more

Awesome little Mexican joint in the Mercado La Paloma food court near USC. As seems to be the norm when we go out, we got way too much food, but still managed to finish it all. We started out with a sopa de lima which was tart and refreshing. Crispy strips of tortilla in what tasted like turkey stock (so much better than chicken stock, btw) along with bits of chicken and pork. The cochinita pibil was a tender and delicious mound of slow-cooked pork with pickled onions and a whole habanero on top. We wisely removed the habanero and took mouse bites from it throughout the meal. The tacos de pescado were not quite as good as Ricky's (nor did we expect it to be) but still quite tasty and plenty large. The only thing we might pass on next time is the vaporcito tamale with pork. It was good, but simply not at the same level as the other dishes. I should probably mention that it's not often that I'm wowed by tamales. Whether it's because I just haven't had many good ones or whether they're just not my favorite dish, I don't know. One of my favorite parts of the meal was the horchata I got to drink. It was very different from any other I've had -- pearly white with a distinct almond vanilla flavor -- and very sweet without being cloying. read more

As you all may wonder how the tacos taste... well they are delicious very tasty! Also the people that attend you are extremely caring.

Across the DMV lies a very mysterious building that has a huge mural on the front. It's called "Mercado la Paloma." One day on a hunt for horchata, I randomly went in and discovered a gem of a restaurant. Chichen Itza serves Yucatecan food. The dishes here taste more crisp, more refreshing, and less heavy than the majority of other Mexican restaurants. It's awesome. The cochinita pibil is pretty good, but every time I go here I just get three or four panuchos. What are panuchos? They're basically Yucatecan soft tacos but 1000x better than anything you've ever tried. Oh yeah, and the horchata is pretty good too. I recommend Chichen Itza to EVERYONE, even if you aren't the biggest fan of Mexican food. read more

When my friend said "I'm gonna take you to eat some authentic Yucatan cuisine" I thought for sure that my outfit of jeans and a t-shirt would not suffice. Boy was I ever wrong. First off, this place is in a Mercado. Say it with me mehr-caaa-doe. On the specific night we went, there was some open mic night business going on. Being a writer, because who isn't, I can kinda appreciate these types of events... but I really have to be in the mood for it. I just wasn't in one of those moods. And I was even more annoyed by the event when I realized people were pulling tables away from the food stands to listen. But I'm not docking stars for that, I'm just pointing out that it was lame. So this little mercado has different food stands, for lack of a better term, lining the walls. Along one was Chichen Itza. Right away I knew I was going to like this place. Why? Because they had calorie info next to most of their items. Talk about saving me the anguish of trying to calculate what I consumed. Prices were okay. Not super high but not super low either. Services was friendly. Sidekick Big Bite and I got pretty carried away with our ordering and went with the ceviche (yum), chicken tostada looking things (good and I cant remember the name) and a pork sandwich (just okay). I also ordered a bowl of their turkey soup, delicious! The ceviche and the turkey soup completely won me over. We also tried every single dessert they had and I loved their flan thing! I HATE flan. With a passion! But this stuff wasn't quite flan and totally delicious. It was so yummy I was able to to tune out the sounds of college kids and their melodrama poetry. Thanks Chichen Itza, I will be back. read more

Chichen Itza Restaurant - Ceviche de pescado. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A little unexpected location, but great food. I had the signature dish, cochinita pibil. Loved it. The appetizer ceviche was some of the best I've had. Also tried the brazo de reina (tamales stuffed with pumpkin seeds and hard boiled eggs)....pretty, pretty good. Oh, and horchata! Bonus. The service was very friendly and quick. I'll be back. read more

Wow, this place is good. Pollo asado is delicious! The plantains are so special, unlike any I've had before. My mom and I also tried the panuchos. O.M.G. We need to go back. I used a Groupon, so the deal was great! My mom had bistec a la yucateca, which is carne asada with grilled onions, and she was very pleased too. Main courses are about $7-$10 while tacos and tamales cost less. There is a parking lot but since we went on a Saturday, we parked on the street. This place is a must!! They also have breakfast! Reminded me a bit of grand central market with less chaos. read more

A hidden gem in the rough area near the Science Center. The only reason we went there is because of its Yelp reviews and proximity to an event we were volunteering at. Chichen Itza is in a food court type building that also has several other food vendors and some booths with Latin (?) apparel, accessories and knickknacks. The menu had a lot to offer, but it's all in the authentic terminology so we had the helpful cashier explain what was in specific plates. Most of us ordered tacos; I got the tacos de poc chuc (pork loin). It only came with two small tacos (three seems a more appropriate size meal), but I had already filled up on a friend's chips and guac. All the ingredients had tons of flavor, and the meat was really tender. Everyone else seemed to thoroughly enjoy their tacos, too. I don't live or work in the area, so I don't foresee myself frequenting Chichen Itza for that reason only. I'd definitely go back, though, if I was in the area around lunch or dinner. read more

Chichen Itza is located inside the Mercado, a new development that caters to a Hispanic clientele. Since this is just a short walk away from the USC building where I work, I come here during lunch and after work. The venue is cool but it's a little strange because it's like a food court with some retail on the side. You can find parking on the street to avoid the valet service, but I think they might have parking validation as well. As for Chichen's food, it is superbly flavored - so be ready for some rich seasonings and spices. I go for the Tamales because it's a quick fix if you're just fiending Mexican food. The Vaporcito is the best because it's small but I've also tried the deep friend Tamale. The secret is that you have to eat it while its hot or it won't taste as good. read more

The food here is AWESOME. Unique and different from ordinary Mexican food. I've tried the cochinita pibil, pollo asado, ceviche, and tamal horneado. Cochinita pibil - Basically a Caribbean Mexican version of the Cuban's lechon asado. It tastes FANTASTIC. So tender, fresh, and juicy. Comes with red onion on top. Even the onion has its own recipe. Tastes so good. Comes with white rice, black beans, and corn tortillas. These sides are as excellent as the main course. Pollo asado - The chicken marinated and grilled. Tastes tender and soft. There's some sauce on top, taste so good. I rather have this over the cochinita pibil because I feel you get more food and it's 50 cents less. In inclusion of rice and beans and corn tortillas, you get plaintains and a small salad. Definitely holds its value. Get this if you like chicken more than lechon. Ceviche - Fantastic. It could use more lemon or lime juice flavor though. The fish itself is FRESH. For $6 you get an awesome portion. Enough to fill you up. Comes with corn tortilla chips. Not too salty at all either. Tamal horneado - If you're Costa Rican, you're in for a real treat. You WON'T find a tamale as close as this one. Loved every bite. It's chicken instead of pork however. Guanabana Juice - Can't tell if it's artificial or real. Still tastes good. You won't be disappointed!!! read more

This is one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles. I always order from here when my friends come over. So delicious! Whatever I order I always make sure to get Sopa de Lima soup. read more

I revisited for lunch and ordered the cochinita pibil and two salbutes. I also bought a bottle of their habanero hot sauce to take home, so the guy that took my order brought a small saucer of a different habanero salsa out to my table. He said I'd like it since it was really spicy. They jar this stuff instead of bottling it. Wow! Its ass-kicking hot. I used the entire saucer on my food. read more

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Cochinita pibil? Cochinita pibil? Incredible. Maybe it was just the day, or the weather, or the fact that a ray of Mayan sunshine shone deep into my soul but I'm going to go out on a limb and put this cochinita pibil on my "top 5 dead or alive" list (for the time being). I love to eat, really. According to my BMI I'm on my deathbed, and I'd eat this all the way to whatever awaits. Absolutely wonderful, everyone should give this place a shot. read more

Great food....colorful flavors and great presentation. Would not have found this place in a food court if it wasn't for Yelp. Chicken tamale was excellent with fresh, tomato sauce. Fried plaintains were tasty and had a great carmelized outside. Will be back when I am in the area. read more

this food court probably is the center of yucatan cuisine and probably the best place to go to get an idea of how different 'mexican' food can be. one of my favorite meals in los angeles. it's not a real fancy place (it's a food court with about 12 different stalls near USC) so you might not want try and impress a date on a romantic evening unless he/she is a foodie. if they are you couldn't go wrong read more

Had a great lunch here! The restaurant is in a food court, but definitely makes way better food than you might expect if you heard that. I split the veggie tamale with a friend (very yummy) and had the fish tacos. The tacos were really great. Not beer-battered fish like so many other places, but super crispy, delicious pieces of fish in a great slaw surrounded by fresh, warm tortillas. I was super full and content by the end. My friend had the Cochinita Pibil and said it was the best pork she'd ever had. I don't eat meat, so I can't back that up, but she was in heaven. It was a lot of food (came with tortillas and rice and beans) and she made it through half of it and took the rest home for what I'm sure will be a delicious sandwich. We also split an Agua de Chaya which was SOOO tasty. I've been craving one all day today. And it's supposedly chocked full of good stuff for you. Service was super fast, easy, and nice! Depending on what you order you can keep it under $10 or slip into the $11-$15 range. I hope to make it back the next time I'm in LA! read more

Cochinita pibil. So good. Tortillas so good. Staff takes a lot of pride in the food. Need longer review blah blah blah read more

Best fish tacos I've had in Los Angeles, taste is Amazing rice and beans as well. Place is located in a crazy area where you wouldn't thibk this we be, but i guess that is a good thing keeping it as a hidden secret. read more

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This place is inside a food court looking area a little bit down from Exposition Park. I got the cochinita pibil torta and their chaya beverage. The meat was flavorful, well seasoned, and not dry at all. I really enjoyed the chaya drink, which (according to the sign they had on the wall) is reputed to be even better for you than spinach is. The guy working was very patient answering my questions about what all the drinks were, so that was a plus. read more

EXCELLENT. Poc Chuc. Cochinita Pibil. Multiple other Yucatecan specialities....let them lead you to the hits if you're unfamiliar with this brand of Mexican food - Yucatecan isn't the most common cuisine to come across in LA. Best. Habanero. Sauce. Ever. Vegetarian options are a little tough but doable. The restaurant itself is within a small food court. It's not fancy, it's just friendly and delicious. read more

Could not be more traditional. I love the cochinita pibil tacos. They have delicious tortas on the weekends. Totally Yucatan style, habaneros is the best in this restaurant. The place is really nice and clean and the crew is also nice. I totally recommend this place. read more

Chichen Itza Restaurant - Delicious Cochinita Pibil tacos. The best! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

After seeing this place on the food channel, I was so excited to try it out. Well, today was the day. Nothing amazing or memorable about the food. One order of panucho to share - chicken was tasty but it looked old and was at room temperature. Never had it before so not sure if it is meant to be that way. I had the bistec a la yucateca - meat was tender and cooked to my likings. Plain white rice and purée black beans. Nothing special. I love fried plantains and that was my favorite part of the meal; however, there were only three small slices. I ordered agua de chaya and they served me jamaica, which was watery. Didn't even bother to ask for the right drink. My friend had the pollo pibil and thought it was ok. We were starving and eat a lot when we go out. So I am positive she did not like it. Total was $39. Average price not sure why people think it's dirt cheap. At least I got it out of my system and I know I will not return. read more