Del Taco

It was Friday July 3rd, my husband and I decided to have an early lunch at Carmelita's before the…read moreholiday weekend descended upon Dana Point. We took our dogs to enjoy the quiet patio. We got there around 11am and plenty of outdoor seating to accommodate our three dogs. We ordered two skinny margaritas, the shrimp taquitos, chile Torreados and al pastor plate. The first to arrive is the lovely chips and salsa along with their bean dip which is a favorite of mine. The skinny margaritas were so refreshing and light especially in the summer weather. The shrimp taquitos is one of the best items on the menu, they came out piping hot and crispy. They were fried to perfection and the shredded lettuce, sauce and tomatoes gave it a dynamic flavor. We shared the al pastor plate and made ourselves tacos to enjoy. The service was quick & friendly and the food came out hot and ready to enjoy. If you're looking for Mexican food near the beach in Dana Point, Carmelitas is the place to go.

Delicious food at good prices with a updated ambiance…read more Enjoyed fish tacos and steak bowl. Really good and would go back

Inside seating

Green Chilaquiles

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Steak & Eggs

Lupe's Mexican Eatery

4.1(2k reviews)

0.7 mi

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]

Interior

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Modelo

Cali Costa

4.0(353 reviews)

0.5 mi

This was our 2nd time eating here, really fun place. We had lunch on a weekday, not too busy and we…read moresat on the gorgeous patio. The bartender was our server and was excellent. We had a taco salad and 3 taco plate: both were awesome. The salad was so big. I couldn't even finish it! He checked on us often and refilled it beer/sodas and water I love the decor and the food is great, highly recommend.

Don't go. I used to…read morelike this place. Outdoor and airy with lots of tvs. Unfortunately it has gone way downhill. The server was fine. Took our order quickly. Food took forever to get to us with very few customers. Both the crispy short rib tacos and the Maui chicken tacos were cold dry and almost inedible. The server was great. Seemed like she'd heard our complaints before but we will never go back.

Great, open air restaurant with the perfect, chill vibe... - Big Aloha!

New Cali Surf Tacos! Birria is bomb!

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Voted best margaritas in Dana Point

Sol Agave

We had a wonderful dining experience at Sol Agave today. This place is so so good. Carima, the…read morelovely hostess sat us at a nice table in the outdoor patio area. Bruno was our amazing server assisted by Milton and Eliezer. All three of them were stellar in the customer service, professionalism and kindness. We started with margaritas which were so good and yes, the chips, salsa and bean dip were delicious as well. My wife ordered the Chili Colorado and I have the premium steak fajitas. The food is amazing. The manager Benjamin stopped by and introduced himself and wanted to check on customer satisfaction as well. Amazing service here at Sol Agave. Milton followed up regarding a potential for dessert and my wife ordered the tres leches cake to go. The best Mexican food around and a nice ambiance with authentic dishes and background music. Highly recommended

Came with a very big lunch party, so 20 of us. Just one waiter…read more This is my first time here, so very impressed with the non traditional decor, it was very modern and it's quite large inside. We all ordered drinks and food same time. Drinks came first! The food took 40 minutes, so thinking it had to be good! And it was! Very fresh and clean tasting. Chips are served with salsa and refried beans super delicious! The only thing I didn't like was that the ceilings are high and not sound protected so it's very noisy and echoes. We had to yell at each other for conversation. The service was really nice and friendly. Also, it's pricey, worth it, but pricey!

Our Famous Carnitas and Avocado Toast

Steak Calamari

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Chilean Sea Bass

Carlos Mexican Restaurant & Cantina

3.7(709 reviews)

0.3 mi

The food was awesome they even made my tostada vegan and made sure i always had chips and salsa.The…read moreservice was great they always made sure I had everything I needed. The atmosphere and ambiance was amazingly good with a tiki look. I highly enjoyed and recommend this restaurant for your family.

We came to Carlos's Mexican Restaurant for Mother's Day. It was just a party of 6. The restaurant…read morewas very cute and clean. It's on the smaller side but has done great outdoors seating. The service was great and the table was tended to often. We ordered our food had done chips and salsa while we waited. The chips were just ok. The salsa was tasty and chunky. The food came quick. The temperature could have been hotter. It was just ok. My sister had talked about the place so much and how they love it. I just didn't see the hype. The food was inconsistent. My beans had cheese but no one else's did. Portions varied on the plates and food should've been hotter.

Carnitas

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Drinks!

Buena Vista Market

4.4(95 reviews)

0.7 mi

Best tacos in town! The cooks make everything fresh here. From the tacos to all the salsas. The…read moreportion sizes are amazing!! The mango Agua Fresca is also refreshing too! It's a must try. It's located in back of the supermarket but it's such a hidden gem. The workers were all so nice too! 10/10!! The place is a bit small but the food is worth trying!

4.5 stars? Come on, get real…read more The great rating led me to go in the market after we had gone to the Farmer's Market. Went to the produce section. Not one item had a price. I don't recall ever seeing produce not marked. Are you dupposed to buy without knowing how much it will cost you?

Produce and More

Vegan veggie burrito. So yummy. Weighed 1.5 lbs!

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Pastries and Grocery Items

Raya

4.1(861 reviews)

1.9 mi

•$$$

Last week, I made a reservation for lunch at RAYA. When I arrived, I realized that only the brunch…read moremenu was available, while I was hoping to order from the à la carte menu. Their staff kindly allowed me to cancel my reservation without any penalty and even recommended two other restaurants on the same floor where I could order à la carte dishes. They handled the situation with great understanding and made me feel completely comfortable. I truly appreciated the excellent service and positive experience. When I'm in the mood to enjoy a larger meal and explore more of your menu, I will definitely come back and give your restaurant another try. Thank you for the hospitality! Sara

The plating was wonderful and the ambiance is great…read more But here we the thing. Its priced for it. The flavor isnt that great even if the ingredient list is fascinating and the service isnt that fast. If you want to have a nice relaxing breakfast in the hotel definately a good choice but its not going to blow your mind or be a value.

Raya Citrus Carlota

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Table-side view

Olamendi's

3.1(1k reviews)

1.0 mi

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

Inside is colorful.

Complimentary chips with spicy dipping sauce

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Welcome Sign...

Don Juan Mexican Kitchen & Bar

4.5(243 reviews)

2.9 mi

I wanted to try something new, and was craving Mexican so I stopped here. It was a nice day so I…read moredined in the patio. I went with the Asada burrito and iced tea. They brought out chips and salsa when they brought my tea. I really enjoyed my burrito they didn't skimp on the Asada. It was decent size too. I almost ordered a second one because I was still hungry. Next time I'll get the burrito and enchilada plate. It was hot and I was drinking a lot of tea. My glass was always full. I saw a sign saying there's going to be a name change and ner owners. I hope they don't change anything. The food and service is really good.

Came in for lunch and was sat immediately. Staff is extremely friendly and helpful. We ordered the…read morepork belly tacos & Ensenada ceviche.... Amazing. We were silent enjoying the food, we loved it. We will be returning!

Capo Sunrise Cocktail

Menu at the door

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Bar area

La Barra by Lupes

3.9(100 reviews)

0.7 mi

The fancy name is definitely misleading. La Barra has is so dive-y and definitely a local hangout…read morefor people who like to drink and don't really care about the bathroom being so FILTHY I mentioned that to the waiter and he didn't seem to care which is disappointing. Overall, I was SCARED to eat my shrimp tacos but they weren't bad. Don't get the guacamole because it has additives which distort the taste. Guacamole is so easy to make so why add preservatives? I don't understand all the great reviews for this place, it's definitely less expensive so maybe that's it? I'm definitely not impressed and it's my second time here.

My new favorite place to eat! The nachos are so much for a great price! The El Pastor tacos are to…read moreDIE FOR! I also love their Tamarindo margarita

Fish tostadas scallops. Shrimp and octopus and yummy stuff!

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Paloma and mezcal marg

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13 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Myrna J.

0

10

0

1 year ago

Had delivered. Custom made Epic burritos were right on. Made to perfection. We ordered three and all were marked so we didn't have to dig around in them. They were hot and fresh. Wonderful. We also got 2 snack quesadillas that were packed with cheese. Order was delivered fast and price was great for the food I received. Really like this Del Taco, orders always right and when I go in person, Employees are always polite and happy. Clean and plenty of parking. Oh, also had funnel cake fries, Yum and love their crinkle fries. Crispy and hot. I love all their food, hamburger is best around. read more

CynthiaCarter M.

0

1

0

9 years ago

horrible rude workers there. they pretended to not understand my Spanish, and proceeded to mimic me. I am MESTIZA. i speak perfect Spanish. they thought i was Anglo. you have a bunch of racists in your kitchen. they also mimicked my disabled niece's gate. i try to ignore racists and apathetic assholes as much as i can but this was too much. we're so tired of the low brow working in your establishments. we do Pollo loco now, Where my disabled family are not treated like freaks. read more

Edgar H.

0

2

0

3 months ago

Very disappointed with my experience at Del Taco. The food was cold and tasted stale, the service was slow, and the staff seemed rude and uninterested in helping customers. The restaurant was not clean, and the overall experience was far below expectations. I would not recommend this location and will not be returning. read more

Lee O.

44

11

0

8 years ago

This year, as most election years, the owner allows the most disgustingly reactionary and corrupt anti-immigrant politicians to post their campaign posters on its light polls, and the workers there are too scared to take them down. Shame on the owner! Please consider boycotting this particular Del Taco restaurant. read more

Joel M.

Elite 26

1

117

27

1 year ago

disgusting and awful!! not for human (or dog) consumption!! how do they stay open? the reviews here are consistently terrible! the health dept should close this place down. read more

Barbara S.

0

8

4

2 years ago

Terrible customer service. DO NOT COME HERE! I was there today on September 13th, 2024 at exactly 1:17 pm. These employees should be ashamed of themselves. read more

Brenda A.

0

3

2

5 years ago

I came by at 7am and they told me they came in late and could not serve me. But I could see they were making their own breakfast. Suppose to open at 6am. read more

Dion P.

0

18

3

5 years ago

This is the worst damn place ever. They need to fire everyone in this Restaurant. The owner needs to have a talk and I will be calling corporate asap. read more

Eric K.

247

75

9

2 years ago

Bathroom sticklers. Had an hr drive ahead of me and they just said no. No del Taco for me for some time after that BS, hope it's worth it.

Miles C.

134

10

0

12 years ago

I had some type of steak and garlic burrito. It was really good. It was reasonably priced and the service was quick and good too.

Markwillbark W.

0

37

8

2 years ago

This location denies customers use of toilet - unethical and illegal. Women behind counter are callous and rude. All need firing.

Freddy S.

0

11

0

11 years ago

The drive thru is a nightmare!! took at least 20 mins crazyy they need more workers i love del taco though read more

Jody M.

0

35

0

16 years ago

They have tacos and buritos right now for 49 cents, what a deal

Del Taco - mexican - Updated September 2026

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After a few morning visits during a work trip, I can definitely understand why Las Golondrinas has…read moresuch a low rating. Full disclosure: I did have one of the best breakfast burritos of my life (Naopalitos Breakfast Burrito, where have you been all my life?!?) However, everything else I had here was about average, at best. And nothing could make up for the absolutely ambivalent to the point of being rude service I got all three visits! Honestly, they care more about their to-go and Door Dash business and can't be bothered with walk-ins. So if you are going to give them a shot after this, call your order in, pay in advance, and grab your sack and leave. That's what they seem to expect from their customers. Trust me on this one...there's plenty of killer options within a 3 minute drive if here. If you're craving great Mexi and actually want to be treated with dignity, try someplace else.

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You guys kill it!! The location wasn't open for months after I just moved into the area. I was…read moresuper sad. It's back up and I hit it tonight for taco Tuesday. Fish and carnitas. Both excellent! And at a great price. Your website says it closes at 7:30, but sign in front says 9. Might want to check that out. Glad to have you back in my new hood. Best grab and go in this area, hands down.

This place can be really good or it can be very average and just depends on I guess what the day is…read morehow everybody's feeling. Some days the food comes out nice and hot other days. It's room temperature. Sometimes pieces are very chewy sometimes even get some tender pieces today the chicken was kind of lukewarm. The Carnitas and tri-tip were warmer. The go to I think that rarely disappoints is the Carnitas taco. I'll probably be ordering this one a little more from here on out as it usually comes out hot and the meat is tender and juicy.

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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.

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BASURA! Every single thing we ordered was tough to eat. The soft taco tortillas were like biting…read moreinto rubber bands and were hard on the edges and the rolled tacos were like biting into a tree branch. Waste of money and time. We threw everything away. The girls are young so they lack customer service skills. Food is made to grab and go. No seating. I'm unsure how this place is still open.

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I love El Molino de Oro. You walk up to the counter and order from the ready to eat foods, or you…read morecan order tortas, quesadillas, breakfast plates or burritos. The food is always hot and very tasty. If you love champurrado they have it available in the morning. You'll just have to go to the bakery side which offers pan dulce, freshly squeezed juices, tortillas, masa, cakes AND piñatas.

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I've lived in Dana Point for my whole life, 51 years. I'm also a local business owner and very well…read moreconnected in this town. The people running this Jersey Mike's operation have horrific customer service skills. There is a high level of arrogance and disdain for the # one asset, YOUR CUSTOMER!!!!!!! I'm not going back to pay $12 for a sandwich that I could make for myself. It's shameful!!!!

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