Late review but I felt like I should leave this here just in case people are wondering cause if…read morethey closed down cause of the food quality. -- Came back to Playa Mesa for my friend's birthday. The chips and salsa were really good. The aguachile had a nice spicy flavor that made it stand out. The queso fundido was SO good super cheesy, and paired with the handmade tortillas it was one of my favorites. We also ordered the calamari and I was surprised by how good it was. Everyone ordered different rounds of cocktails throughout the night and honestly, not one missed. Service was a little slow, but it was a busy Friday night, so that's somewhat expected. I've been here before and the grilled octopus tacos and carne asada burrito were just as good as I remembered them. They also made the birthday celebration really cute. They sang happy birthday, brought out a small ice cream, and gave my friend a big mariachi hat. Good food, great drinks, and still consistent as I remembered it. So long Playa Mesa. 9.5/10

Playa Mesa has a great atmosphere with beautiful aesthetics. In the evening, the open windows…read morecreate a nice breeze, though they do let a few flies in. The hostess was friendly, and our server was funny and kind. He was a little less attentive as it got busier, but the staff worked well as a team, so we never had to wait for refills or anything we needed. Parking in the back can be a little tight. The birria tacos were packed with flavor, and I loved the inside-out cheese crust. My husband's fajitas were flavorful, although the chicken was a little overdone. The guacamole was excellent, especially with the pepita seeds adding great texture. Overall, we enjoyed the flavorful food, service, and atmosphere. We'd definitely come back!

If you haven't been here, you are missing out on life! Who would have thought going to a market…read morewould be an incredibly fun experience? Everything is clean, beautifully organized, colorful, and incredibly fun. It's almost like Disneyland of Mexican markets! We loved sampling the tacos and exploring all the different food stalls. We picked up a whole roasted chicken with warm tortillas, salsa, and beans, which made the perfect family meal. Easy, delicious, and no one had to cook. That alone deserves applause. The entire market feels like a fiesta. There is vibrant fresh produce, option of authentic food in different stalls, and churros served hot from the fryer. We also grabbed some carne asada to grill at home to keep the party going! And then there is pretty impressive collection of tequila for the tequila lovers! Mercado González is more than a market. It is a full experience for the whole family, and we will absolutely be back. Come hungry and give yourself plenty of time to explore. Salud!

I'll be taking a very extended break from You Mercado after today, because today was my breaking…read morepoint. I've been shopping at this location for about a year and have been a customer of Northgate Markets for several years. Unfortunately, my experiences at this location have become increasingly disappointing. I've encountered raw chicken left on the shelf two or more days past its expiration date, fresh fruit and salsa still being sold after their use-by dates, and produce that was visibly rotten and infested with bugs. These aren't minor issues when it comes to a grocery store--they're basic food-safety and quality concerns. And then there's the customer service. Today, there wasn't a friendly employee in sight, and the customers weren't much better. I'd especially like to thank the grumpy woman on the scooter who apparently tried to run me down three separate times. I assume you were having a bad day, but judging by the atmosphere in this store, it seems like everyone is having a bad day, every day. No one smiles. No one acknowledges customers. No one seems remotely interested in providing even basic courtesy. I understand that people have bad days--I really do--but when the entire experience consistently feels cold, hostile, and unwelcoming, it becomes a pattern rather than an isolated bad day. The cashier couldn't be bothered to say hello back or even make the slightest attempt at being friendly, and the young man bagging my groceries was just as dismissive. I've spent years shopping with Northgate Markets, which makes this especially disappointing. Customers shouldn't walk into a store and feel like they're an inconvenience for simply being there. Today was the final straw for me. There are plenty of other places willing to take my money while treating me--and other customers--with basic courtesy and respect.

Fernando was our Server/Waiting Staff, he was excellent…read more First time visitors from Menifee, visiting OC Fair for Happy Together Tour at Amphitheater. I had chicken Fajitas with HOME MADE CORN TORTILLAS (oh my Gosh just like when I was young) Husband had combo meal taco & enchilada. Beans & rice where perfect. But for us the salsa was beyound yum, chunky fresh with chunks if green onion mixed in. We even took a pint home. :P

This was my first time here, I came with my boyfriend for his graduation dinner and it was so…read moregreat! All the servers were super hands on and always had chips and salsa refills. They also had tortillas which you could eat with butter that was my first time trying that. The salsa was super fresh and not spicy at all which is usually my main concern haha. The burrito was super delicious. the carnitas were cooked really well and not overdone, I added rice, sour cream, and pico de gallo to mine. I liked how you could modify it to your preference. I have to commend our server Rocky!!!! He is the best, he was super communicative to our table and always made sure to refill our water and come by with napkins without us even having to flag him down! He works super hard, was attentive to not only our table but to everyone! I saw him at every table making sure they were all being taken care of to the highest regard. To Rocky: Thank you so much, this dinner would not have been the same without you as our server. Overall super fantastic restaurant, food came out all together in a timely manner, super well made and lots of love put into their restaurant! I know lots of places in Costa Mesa have limited parking space but this restaurant had a really big lot and we were able to easily find parking. They also play sports on the TV if you want to keep up with the latest events, Everything was super clean and comfortable! I will definitely be coming back soon when I have the chance :)

I had a great experience at Palenque Kitchen. The service was quick and respectful. The aesthetics…read moreis amazing. The food was top quality as well. Overall, a very nice restaurant to dine.

They ambience was good and there was great customer service. The food was very yummy. We celebrated…read morea birthday and it was an amazing time

Had dinner last night with my son and his friends. It was a great night and everything was…read moreperfect. Thank you JP, and Jennifer for making it such a wonderful night.

Caló Kitchen + Tequila is my fun spot to enjoy my day off and get a nice lunch and cocktail…read more I tried the delicious Fajita and Avocado salad made with Ribeye Steak. Meat was cooked how I like it medium plus and was tender. Slight issue I have was $18 salad with an up-charge of $16. It's better to know ahead of time. JP was wonderful and sent a beautiful Tres Leches Cake to sort out the confusion. He's always friendly and trains his staff with precision. Sammy made a beautiful Mango Caliente Margarita drink and I enjoyed a shot of Casa Amigos Reposado with lime served neat. I can say it was relaxing to be there and enjoy the beautiful architectural elements of the bar and restaurant. My hope is the owners will add a little live entertainment to pick up the vibe and create some excitement, and renew the buzz.

Great food, and the ambiance felt family like. Couldn't provide more praise to Manny for the…read moreservice provided. Would recommend the service for everyone to try

What a fun brunch experience at the Plancha table at Descanso Restaurant!…read more Karen was incredibly knowledgeable about the origins, ingredients, and preparation of every dish, which made the meal feel so immersive and special! Every single thing we ate was absolutely delicious! I will absolutely come back!

Ah nostalgia. One of my favorite hangover cures, an ETB Carnitas burrito. Careful: they are…read moremassive; and delicious. Basic tortileria, you stand in line and wait to order. Line moves very quick and that's also when you have your opportunity to grab some chips or tortillas to go. Portions here are huge and everything is authentic.

I had a very disappointing experience here because of the customer service. I ordered six tacos…read moreseparately, and the employee helping me rolled his eyes, laughed, and sarcastically repeated, "So... six tacos all the same?" I brushed it off and tried to stay polite, but the attitude continued. While waiting for my order, I noticed him talking to his coworkers in the back while looking over at me, which made me feel uncomfortable and disrespected. I eventually called him out because there was no reason to treat a paying customer that way. Everyone has stressful days, but that's not an excuse to be rude or mock customers for placing an order. The food may be good, but customer service matters just as much. I hope management addresses this because no customer should feel embarrassed or disrespected simply for ordering food.

LOVE this place for GREAT, FRESH, Coastal, Mexican food!…read moreThis location in Costa Mesa in particular, has been updated (new paint, new chairs, new lighting, etc.) and they have updated their menu with even MORE, Seafood items! They make GREAT Guacamole, customized at table side to your specs and their FRESH Chips, Tortillas and Salsa's are homemade in the restaurant. Husband LOVES their Pomegranate Margherita's and I can't get enough of their Enchilada's (Cheese, Chicken) and their Crunchy Taco's (Shredded Beef is my Fave!). Add in that their FRESH, Side Salads are AMAZING along with their new menu items - including Seafood combo's and there is no where else to go in OC for better Mexican food! Our INCREDIBLE Server, Hector (He IS the Acapulco restaurant - always upbeat and advising us about their new menu items!) and their FANTASTIC Chef Hector and all of the other Servers and Cooks there, make this a casual, yet special date-night restaurant! P.S. We've also tried their EXCEPTIONAL, Sunday Buffet and literally had to almost be wheeled out of there, there were SO MANY DIFFERENT, AUTHENTIC foods to choose from and sample! VERY nice to find this level of a PERFECT MEXICAN restaurant - with HIGH QUALITY FOOD INGREDIENTS, nearby! Can't wait to go back!

This was my first time at Acapulco as I had a fajita craving that needed to be satisfied. And it…read morewas! My server was very friendly and brought me chips and salsa about 5 minutes after I sat down. The salsa was really good by the way. I was able to place my order right away as I already knew I wanted the steak and chicken fajitas. The steak had a yummy char on it, and the chicken was moist. They provided a good amount of "fixings." I'm partial to fajitas in Texas. but besides that, I really enjoyed this spot and can't wait to come back to try more of their menu!

10/10 Most…read moreimportantly: Oliver @ the bar made this is most memorable experience. All of the cocktails and margs we had were delicious! The hand made tortillas with salsas was such a great and unique choice! Someone finally realized that as delicious as they are, eating that many fried tortillas in one setting can't be good ...Oh! And that honey butter. Divine. Fruit margs, spicy margs, every single one of them is PERFECTION. Make sure you upgrade to Ocho blanco (trust me it will save you a hangover)... Shared the carne plate with chimichurri with asparagus and spanish rice...so flavorful and delicious. Large portion and perfectly cooked. Seabass ceviche was spot on and the plantains were next level. Music, ambience, people and vibes were just POSITIVE. New favorite Newport spot...I mean seriously, what other place has a motorized ceiling that opens at sunset hour? Take my money.

Called in a last minute order about 15 minutes before the kitchen closed; ordered the filet mignon…read moretacos, the filet quesadilla, sides of refried beans and Spanish rice, the churros, and the flan for dessert. I appreciated that the quesadilla was super cheesy, it was a great size too and was perfect as an entree with the beans and rice. I was very happy with the flavor of the beans, you could tell they were cooked with a lot of love! The tacos were delicious as well, the roasted salsa was slightly smoky with a good jalapeño flavor, the meat was tender, and the tortillas had a great chew. The churros are not to be underestimated- they were thick and fluffy, and the dipping sauces were perfect accompaniments. The flan was the super star of the whole night for me- genuinely the most perfect, custardy, unctuous flan I've ever had. The vanilla bean specks throughout gave it such flavor, there wasn't a ton of syrup but it honestly did not need it. There is absolutely nothing that could have improved that flan. Will definitely come back, hopefully dine in and try a few drinks!

As I'm writing this review, I'm deeply saddened that it appears La Vida Cantina is coming to an…read moreapparent closing! I've developed so many fond memories here with awesome Taco Tuesday and DJ dance nights with friends that it's a bit emotional. Literally designed to feel like you've been transported to Cabo, Mexico or somewhere exquisitely beautiful along the Latin American Coastline and beach, La Vida Cantina in my view was such a wonderful spot to get some yummy Mexican bites and drinks and just have an amazing time with the people you love being with! I really loved the ambiance, from the artsy cabanas to the fire pits and the cool dance floor inside with the colorful strobe lights. Everything about it was glamorous! I particularly loved their crunchy tacos and their special mango habanero salsa was to die for! And the servers here were almost always awesome! Situated at the popular Triangle Square, La Vida Cantina was hands down one of my favorite Tuesday Taco spots in Orange County and again, I'm truly saddened to see it go. I wish a sad farewell!